What Drives Us? (Do We Fear Our Own Power?)

Ems and BKO's comments from the previous posting (see below) are certainly intriguing and introduce some interesting questions and considerations around passion and genius.

First Em introduces a notion that I'm sure most of us have experienced or may currently be experiencing... and that is the fear of failure/success. Her question and linkage between this fear of failure being also a fear of success raises a question worth pondering... do we fear our own genius... our own power? If so, how is it that we developed such a fear?

This leads to BKO's comments and questions... about genius, passion, and perhaps some other driving force that may compel us to evolve, grow, transform in spite of whether it is joyful (consciously) or not.

One theory may be that we have been taught to fear our genius... our creativity... our power through the simple, but powerful process of solicalization (as well as the process of real consequences that at times befall us either because of... or at time coincidental to our actions).

An additional step to consider is that we all possess something akin to what Jung described as a collective consciousness (i.e. somewhere within our minds -- minds being the some total of our mental, physical, and spiritual intelligence -- including that stored within our cells via genetic transmission -- is the sum total of knowledge of our species -- or of all species). If this is so (or approximately accurate) then we may also possess a vast library of knowledge, understanding, and solution-ability that exceeds our immediate knowing. Because this knowledge or genius is relatively unknown to us or at times has become dis-associated with us as if it were from some foreign realm or entity, we develop a normal fear and mistrust of such knowledge and the passion it at times elicits.

And yet... in spite of our hesitancy at times... and/or because of an underlying drive to evolve, grow, learn, transform... we often access our genius and create, innovate, invent... sometimes to our mutual benefit... sometimes not (and it seems, at least, that when our genius runs amuck, it happens to coincide with the times and to the degree to which we allow our limited identity [e.g. ego] to delude itself into thinking that the genius is proprietary... owned solely by and/or for the limited benefit of "me" or "us").

In this regard, the process of creative endeavors, problem-solving, and invention and innovation seems to be bare this out as individuals and/or groups arrive at levels of understanding and problem solving (including the creation of entirely new paradigms) that exceed the conscious individual or even collective understanding of those involved. What we then do with those products of genius, depends to a great extent, on the mindset of those involved.

So... back to a fundamental question raised by BKO... what is genius? I would suggest, as a beginning place, that genius be described as the internal ability and intelligence (which can be constantly increased by way of experience individually and collectively) which we can access when and if we move beyond our limited identity (and thus limited knowledge base) and, even if for an instance, access the collective consciousness (which includes, of course, our own accumulated knowledge) in such a way that we're able to bring that information, knowledge, and/or wisdom into this realm to be contemplated, utilized, or... in some cases... abandoned.

Ultimately... part of my passion, and what I've made my vocation and avocation, is to help people remove, as Ems described them... some of the blocks that we allow to prevent us from being free enough to really tap into the passion of genius. Why do I do this? I'm not really sure, though I could make up a reason. It simply seems to be what I do naturally. Perhaps that's a clue to accessing genius... giving ourselves the freedom to do what comes naturally...?

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