Principals, Voices, and Levels of Pleasure

Beyond Dichotomies: Embracing Hedonism and Meaning in the Science of Interior Pleasure

Our societal conditioning often leads us to conflate pleasure with danger, embedding a subtle sense of caution within our perceptions. Picture yourself entering a social gathering and casually revealing, "I'm a hedonist." Does this declaration prompt admiration or approval? More likely, it triggers a reaction of skepticism or judgment.

In ancient Greek philosophy, the distinction between daimon (eudaimonia) and hedone delineates a separation between the joy derived from meaning and the indulgence in sensory pleasure.

This philosophical divide has left an indelible mark on our collective consciousness, portraying hedonism as extravagant and self-gratifying.

This dichotomy is fundamentally flawed.

Daimon and hedone are intertwined aspects of a singular experience, each contributing to the richness and depth of human existence. Interior pleasure, far from being divorced from meaning, serves as its very foundation—the wellspring from which meaning flows effortlessly.

Despite the pervasive cultural bias against hedonism, it's crucial to challenge these ingrained beliefs and recognize the intrinsic unity of pleasure and meaning within ourselves.

The journey towards self-acceptance and liberation begins with acknowledging that hedonism is not a badge of decadence but rather a celebration of life's inherent joys and delights.

Embracing both hedone and daimon as integral components of our existence, we can cultivate a deeper understanding of ourselves and our interconnectedness with the world around us. In doing so, we unlock the transformative power of interior pleasure, paving the way for profound personal growth and fulfillment.

Navigating Pleasure's Role in Aliveness, Meaning, and Spiritual Connection

In our pursuit of a more holistic understanding of pleasure, it becomes increasingly apparent that a new map is essential—a paradigm that recognizes pleasure as the foundational source of all our meaning structures.

Rather than adhering to a dualistic framework that separates hedone from daimon, we must embrace hedonism in its entirety. To embody hedonism in its deepest and most profound sense is to intimately grasp the nature of pleasure—a journey that leads us directly to the wellspring of our full aliveness, meaning, goodness, and ethics.

Within certain interior mystical traditions, reality itself is perceived as an expression of Source's desire to delight in us. It's as if reality, in its boundless love, has meticulously crafted each of us as a unique configuration of light, yearning for us to wholeheartedly experience the richness of pleasure.

When we find ourselves rewarded with moments of pleasure, it serves as a poignant reminder of this underlying truth—that Source yearns for us to revel in the fullness of existence, offering us experiences that affirm our inherent worthiness and capacity for joy.

Exploring Pleasure's Inherent Revelation of Life's Meaning

Consider this: how often have you found yourself questioning the meaning of life in the midst of pleasure?

Picture being enveloped in a deeply fulfilling experience—though pleasure extends beyond mere sexuality, let's momentarily use it as our reference point.

How many have experienced the pinnacle of ecstasy, only to be abruptly interrupted by an internal inquiry: "Why am I alive? What's the purpose of my existence?"

Surprisingly, such moments of existential angst are rare amidst pleasure. The sheer euphoria of the experience often renders such profound questioning unnecessary.

Pleasure itself becomes the answer—an intuitive revelation that transcends cognitive or philosophical analysis.

It's as though, in the throes of aliveness, the essence of life manifests unequivocally as good, true, and beautiful, infused with inherent purpose and worth.

Unveiling the Nexus of Pleasure, Meaning, and Mental Well-being

Consider this: a litmus test for the intrinsic connection between pleasure and life's meaning.

Recall your most pleasurable moment, vividly capturing its essence in written form.

Now, reflect: in the midst of that euphoria, were you consumed by existential questioning? It's a rare occurrence.

The ability to bask in pleasure's delight often obviates the need for such profound inquiry. When we lose touch with the capacity to experience joy, it marks the onset of mental fragility.

The inability to perceive life's inherent goodness, truth, and beauty through pleasure signifies the dawn of various neurotic tendencies, potentially culminating in psychosis.

Pleasure Principals

1) Pleasure Is A Skill That Is Developed

In contemplating pleasure as a skill, it becomes apparent that it is not merely a spontaneous or automatic experience but rather an art to be cultivated and refined. Just as one would train for any skill, such as playing a musical instrument or mastering a sport, accessing and experiencing pleasure requires intentional practice and dedication. Yet, in a society conditioned by instant gratification and quick fixes, there is often an expectation that pleasure should come effortlessly, without the need for deliberate effort or training.

This misconception overlooks the inherent complexity of pleasure and the myriad factors that influence our ability to experience it fully. Pleasure encompasses not only sensory enjoyment but also emotional fulfillment, intellectual stimulation, and spiritual resonance. To truly savor the richness of pleasure in all its dimensions, one must cultivate awareness, mindfulness, and sensitivity to the subtleties of experience.

The notion that pleasure should be effortless can undermine our capacity to engage with it authentically. By recognizing pleasure as a skill, we empower ourselves to take an active role in shaping our experiences and enhancing our overall well-being. This shift in perspective invites us to approach pleasure with intentionality, curiosity, and a willingness to learn and grow.

Viewing pleasure as a skill opens up new possibilities for exploration and self-discovery. It encourages us to break free from the constraints of societal norms and expectations and to embrace pleasure as a deeply personal and transformative journey. As we cultivate our capacity for pleasure, we not only enrich our own lives but also contribute to a more vibrant and harmonious world, where joy, fulfillment, and connection abound.

The journey of evolution unfolds in myriad ways throughout our lives, marked by significant milestones and moments of growth. From the earliest stages of infancy, when the simple act of sucking brings primal pleasure, to the later years of wisdom and self-awareness, each stage represents a progression in our capacity to experience and appreciate pleasure. As we mature and individuate, our understanding of pleasure deepens, reflecting the evolution of our consciousness and skillfulness in navigating the world.

In our youth, the pleasures we seek may be straightforward and immediate, driven by instinctual desires and sensory gratification. Yet, as we mature into adolescence and young adulthood, our concept of pleasure expands to encompass more nuanced and complex experiences. We learn to derive pleasure from intellectual pursuits, creative endeavors, and meaningful relationships, cultivating a deeper sense of fulfillment and satisfaction.

With each passing year, we continue to evolve, honing our awareness and cultivating the skills necessary to navigate life's challenges with grace and wisdom. As we embark on the path of self-discovery and personal growth, our capacity for pleasure undergoes a profound transformation. What once brought fleeting moments of joy now pales in comparison to the profound sense of fulfillment that comes from living in alignment with our highest values and aspirations.

When we reach the stage of sagehood, having traversed the terrain of personal development and spiritual awakening, our experience of pleasure transcends the mundane and superficial. It becomes infused with a profound sense of meaning and purpose, arising from a deep-seated awareness of our interconnectedness with all of existence. In this state, pleasure is no longer merely a fleeting sensation but a profound expression of our inherent wholeness and integration with the universe.

The pleasure experienced by the sage and the infant may share the same word, they represent vastly different realms of experience.

Through the process of evolutionary development, we undergo a profound transformation, moving from pre-conscious to conscious skilled pleasure—a journey that enriches our lives and imbues each moment with profound significance and depth.

Freud's insights into pleasure serve as a poignant reminder of its significance from the earliest stages of human development. Indeed, pleasure manifests very early in life, intertwined with our most primal instincts and desires. However, Freud also highlighted the profound impact that early experiences, particularly those within the parent-child relationship, can have on the development of pleasure. Some parents, knowingly or unknowingly, may hinder their children's ability to experience pleasure fully, thus perpetuating a cycle of woundedness that can reverberate through generations.

As we journey through life and mature into adulthood, our relationship with pleasure undergoes a profound transformation. No longer driven solely by instinctual urges, we gain the agency to choose pleasure consciously, shaping our experiences and preferences in alignment with our evolving values and aspirations. This shift marks a pivotal moment in our evolution, as pleasure transitions from being an unconscious, instinctive response to a conscious, intentional pursuit.

With each stage of our personal evolution, from childhood through adolescence and into adulthood, our capacity to receive and appreciate pleasure expands and deepens. Like a kaleidoscope of sensations and emotions, pleasure evolves, revealing itself in ever-deeper depths, richer hues, and textures. It becomes a multifaceted tapestry woven from the threads of our lived experiences, shaped by the complexities of our relationships, our passions, and our aspirations.

As we continue to evolve, pleasure transcends its earthly origins, becoming a gateway to the infinite. It becomes more than a fleeting sensation or momentary indulgence; it becomes a profound expression of our connection to the cosmos, a reflection of the boundless beauty and abundance of existence itself. In this way, pleasure becomes a sacred practice, an invitation to immerse ourselves fully in the richness and wonder of life, and to celebrate our inherent capacity for joy, love, and fulfillment.

Pleasure is not merely a passive experience but a skill that requires cultivation, particularly in the capacity to receive it fully. This ability to receive pleasure is not inherent; it must be developed and honed over time. Even when pleasure is present, it can remain elusive if one lacks the skill to truly receive it. Thus, the journey towards mastering the art of pleasure involves learning how to open oneself to its abundance and richness.

The concept of receiving pleasure with grace and mindfulness is exemplified by the enlightened ones, who demonstrate an exquisite sensitivity to even the smallest pleasures in life. Whether savoring a morsel of food or relishing a fleeting moment, they approach each experience with a profound awareness and appreciation. For them, enlightenment is not merely about transcending worldly desires but also about embracing the fullness of life's blessings, no matter how modest they may seem.

Some people struggle with overindulgence, mindlessly consuming vast quantities of food or other pleasures in pursuit of satisfaction. True fulfillment eludes them, as they fail to recognize the inherent richness of even the simplest pleasures. It is only by cultivating the capacity to receive pleasure with mindfulness and restraint that one can truly experience its fullness and depth.

The ability to receive pleasure is not reserved for the enlightened few but is accessible to all who are willing to cultivate it. It is a practice embraced by the great masters and enlightened ones throughout history, who exemplify the art of living in harmony with the abundance of the universe. By learning to receive pleasure with grace and gratitude, we open ourselves to a world of richness and fulfillment, where even the smallest joys can bring profound satisfaction and contentment.

This is evident in the practice of consuming just an olive's worth of food, which, when approached mindfully, can yield immense pleasure and satisfaction, reflecting the capacity of enlightenment to find contentment in simplicity and mindfulness.

2) The Opposite of Pleasure Is Comfort (Numb)

“Hello? (Hello? Hello? Hello?) Is there anybody in there? Just nod if you can hear me Is there anyone home?” - Pink Floyd

The misconception that pleasure is the antithesis of pain is akin to a form of decadence—an illusion that leads one astray from the true essence of life's dance. Decadence, when dissected, reveals its true nature: a loss of rhythm, a disconnection from the natural flow of existence.

Many individuals spend their lives skillfully evading pain, believing that by doing so, they will inevitably stumble upon pleasure.

Avoiding pain does not lead to pleasure; instead, it leads to comfort.

Comfort, in its shadow form, often manifests as a state of numbness—a seductive yet insidious refuge from life's challenges and uncertainties. Whether through medication, avoidance, or denial, individuals seek solace in the illusion of stability and security.

Beneath the veneer of outward contentment, a sense of unease lingers—an unsettling awareness that something vital is missing.

Choosing the path of comfort means settling for a life devoid of vitality and growth—a stagnant existence marked by monotony and inertia.

In the pursuit of comfort, one may opt for relationships that offer familiarity and security but lack the depth and richness that come from genuine connection and emotional intimacy.

In this comfort zone, there are no peaks or valleys—only a flat, uninspired existence that borders on spiritual death.

In contrast, the pursuit of pleasure entails embracing life's inherent risks and challenges, venturing into the unknown with courage and curiosity. Pleasure arises not from the absence of pain but from the willingness to engage fully with the complexities and contradictions of existence. It requires a willingness to confront discomfort, to grapple with uncertainty, and to embrace the full spectrum of human experience. In choosing pleasure over comfort, one opens oneself to the possibility of profound joy, profound growth, and profound aliveness—a life lived not in the shadow of fear but in the radiant light of authenticity and passion.

3) Enhanced Pleasure Through Deferred Instantaneous Gratification

“Addiction is manifested in any behavior that a person craves, finds temporary relief or pleasure in but suffers negative consequences as a result of, and yet has difficulty giving up.” - Dr. Gabor Maté

The concept of delayed gratification holds profound implications for our experience of pleasure. Rather than seeking instant fulfillment, delaying gratification allows us to savor and appreciate the eventual reward to a greater extent. The crux of the issue lies in our capacity to wait patiently for gratification to materialize—a skill that illuminates much about our character and resilience.

How we navigate the waiting period reveals volumes about our inner strength, resilience, and capacity for self-discipline. It is in the waiting that we confront our impulses, desires, and fears, and it is through this process that we gain insight into our true selves. The ability to delay gratification is a testament to our capacity for conscious choice, a willingness to forgo immediate pleasure in pursuit of a deeper, more authentic fulfillment.

By delaying gratification, we create space for the true essence of pleasure to emerge. Rather than settling for superficial comforts, we open ourselves to the possibility of experiencing profound joy, meaning, and satisfaction. This practice challenges us to discern between fleeting indulgence and enduring fulfillment, guiding us towards a more intentional and purposeful way of living.

Indeed, our ability to delay gratification serves as a litmus test for our engagement with pleasure. If we find ourselves unable to postpone immediate gratification, we may be falling prey to the allure of comfort—a hollow substitute for genuine pleasure. Conversely, those who can exercise patience and restraint in the pursuit of gratification are more likely to cultivate a deeper, more profound experience of pleasure—one that transcends the superficial and touches the very core of our being.

In "In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts," Dr. Gabor Maté delves deeply into the nature of addiction, shedding light on the complex interplay of biological, psychological, and social factors that contribute to addictive behaviors. Maté explores addiction not simply as a matter of substance abuse but as a manifestation of profound emotional and spiritual disconnection.

According to Maté, addiction arises from a fundamental craving for relief from pain and suffering—a desire to escape the harsh realities of life and find solace in temporary pleasures. This craving is deeply rooted in the brain's reward system, which is governed by neurotransmitters such as dopamine.

When individuals engage in addictive behaviors, whether it be substance abuse, gambling, or compulsive shopping, they experience a surge of dopamine that temporarily alleviates their emotional distress and provides a fleeting sense of euphoria.

Repeated exposure to addictive substances or behaviors can lead to neuroadaptation—a process whereby the brain's reward system becomes dysregulated and less responsive to natural sources of pleasure.

This dysregulation impairs the individual's ability to experience pleasure from everyday activities and reinforces the cycle of addiction.

Chronic stress and trauma can further exacerbate this dysregulation, leading to increased vulnerability to addictive behaviors.

Maté highlights the role of impaired impulse control in addiction. He explains that addiction is characterized by a loss of self-regulation and an inability to delay gratification—an impairment that is rooted in neurobiological and developmental factors.

Research has shown that individuals with addiction often exhibit abnormalities in brain regions responsible for impulse control, such as the prefrontal cortex. These abnormalities can impair decision-making, increase impulsivity, and undermine the individual's ability to resist cravings and make healthy choices.

Addiction is a multifaceted phenomenon that arises from a complex interplay of genetic, biological, psychological, and social factors.

By bringing awareness to the underlying mechanisms of addiction and the brain changes associated with it, we can better comprehend the challenges faced by individuals struggling with addictive behaviors and develop more effective approaches to prevention, treatment, and recovery.

4) More Skill Is Needed The Deeper The Pleasure

As pleasure reaches deeper levels of refinement, our capacity to fully embrace and appreciate it requires a corresponding increase in skill.

This principle is exemplified in various domains of human experience, including the art of wine tasting.

At some universities, courses are dedicated to the intricate practice of discerning and appreciating the subtleties of different wines.

Students learn to develop their senses and refine their palates to detect the nuanced flavors, aromas, and textures present in each glass. The more delicate and sophisticated the pleasure derived from a particular wine, the greater the skill and sensitivity required to perceive and savor it fully.

This concept extends beyond the realm of wine tasting to other forms of sensory and aesthetic experiences.

For instance, listening to classical music or attending a performance by a conscious musical group involves a similar process of heightened discernment and appreciation. In these contexts, individuals must cultivate an acute awareness of the intricate interplay of melodies, harmonies, and rhythms, as well as the emotional nuances conveyed by the music.

As the music becomes more complex and nuanced, so too does the listener's ability to derive pleasure from it, requiring a heightened level of skill and attentiveness to fully engage with the experience.

5) More Effort Is Needed The Deeper The Pleasure

As pleasure delves deeper into realms of refinement and complexity, the pursuit of it demands increased effort and dedication. Consider the scenario of indulging in an expensive bottle of wine—a luxurious experience that extends beyond mere tasting skills.

To partake in such pleasure, one must not only possess the expertise to appreciate the nuances of the wine but also expend the effort to acquire the financial means to purchase it. The journey towards experiencing heightened pleasure involves both honing one's skills and exerting the necessary effort and commitment to access it.

As the level of pleasure ascends, so too does the magnitude of skill required to fully appreciate it. Whether it's discerning the subtle flavors of a fine wine, interpreting the intricate harmonies of a musical composition, or savoring the delicate flavors of a gourmet meal, the pursuit of elevated pleasure demands a refined palate and a discerning eye.

Achieving such levels of pleasure often necessitates a willingness to invest time, resources, and energy into cultivating the necessary skills and acquiring the means to access these experiences.

In essence, the pursuit of deeper pleasure is a journey that requires both skillful mastery and unwavering dedication. As the pleasure quotient increases, so too does the level of effort and devotion required to attain it.

Whether through refining one's sensory acuity, investing in personal development, or committing to the pursuit of excellence, individuals must be prepared to embark on a path of continuous growth and refinement to access the most profound and enriching experiences life has to offer.

6) Every Pleasure Has Its Own Unique Price

In the pursuit of pleasure, each experience carries its own distinct cost—a price that must be paid in the currency of practice and dedication.

Just as different currencies are required to access various goods and services, so too must we possess the appropriate currency of effort and mindfulness to fully immerse ourselves in the pleasures of life. This principle becomes especially evident when considering the different levels of pleasure available to us.

When we seek to elevate our experience of pleasure by directing our attention towards the abundant joys of everyday life, we must be prepared to invest the currency of mindful awareness and conscious engagement. These pleasures—often overlooked in the hustle and bustle of daily existence—are ever-present, waiting to be discovered and savored. However, without the willingness to cultivate a practice of attention and presence, we risk missing out on their richness and depth.

Just as a traveler must exchange their currency for the local tender to access the treasures of a foreign land, so too must we exchange our efforts and intentions for the currency of pleasure. Whether it's the joy of savoring a home-cooked meal, the beauty of a sunset, or the warmth of a shared moment with loved ones, each experience demands its own unique payment in the form of attention, mindfulness, and appreciation.

By recognizing the value of each pleasure and investing the necessary currency of practice, we open ourselves to a world of richness and fulfillment beyond measure. Through conscious engagement and intentional presence, we unlock the full potential of life's pleasures, enriching our experiences and deepening our connection to the world around us.

7) No Rate of Exchange Between levels

In the realm of pleasure, there exists no currency exchange between the different levels of enjoyment.

This absence of an exchange rate signifies that the pleasures derived from one level cannot be traded for those of another.

Each level of pleasure stands as a distinct and independent entity, with its own unique qualities and rewards.

Attempting to exchange pleasures between levels invariably proves problematic, as the intrinsic nature of each level remains fundamentally distinct.

For instance, the physical pleasures associated with Level One—such as sensory pleasures—cannot be substituted for the deeper, more profound pleasures of Level Two, pleasure relationships, commitment, and love—qualities that transcend mere physical gratification.

While some may be willing to forego certain physical pleasures in pursuit of deeper relational fulfillment, the two cannot be equated or exchanged. Each level of pleasure represents a unique dimension of human experience, with its own inherent value and significance.

The attempt to exchange pleasures between levels overlooks the profound richness and complexity of each level's offerings. Rather than seeking to trade one form of pleasure for another, individuals are encouraged to embrace and explore the full spectrum of human enjoyment, recognizing the unique gifts and insights offered by each level.

By honoring the distinctiveness of each level of pleasure, we can cultivate a more holistic and fulfilling approach to life's myriad joys and experiences.

8) Every Pleasure Has A Counterfeit or Pseudo-Pleasure

Within the realm of pleasure, each genuine delight is accompanied by its own shadow counterpart—a counterfeit that mimics the appearance, taste, and sensation of the authentic experience and level one pleasure.

Despite its deceptive resemblance, the counterfeit pleasure can never truly satisfy the soul. It is akin to a mirage in the desert, promising refreshment and leaving the seeker parched and unfulfilled.

Cultivating conscious awareness of these counterfeit pleasures is crucial for navigating the journey towards genuine satisfaction.

At the level of sensory pleasure, there exists a temptation to become complacent, to cease noticing the ever-present flow of novelty and newness that surrounds us.

This counterfeit pleasure manifests as a habituation to the familiar, a numbing of the senses that dulls our ability to appreciate the richness and diversity of life's experiences.

Instead of savoring each moment with fresh eyes and an open heart, we find ourselves trapped in a cycle of monotony and routine, unable to perceive the beauty and wonder that lies beyond our habitual patterns of perception.

Recognizing and acknowledging these counterfeit pleasures, we empower ourselves to course-correct and realign with the path of authentic fulfillment.

Through mindfulness and conscious awareness, we can pierce the veil of illusion that surrounds these counterfeit pleasures and reclaim our capacity to experience genuine joy and satisfaction.

“This ability to discern between authentic and pseudo desire is called birur, and a characteristic of the enlightened one.” - Marc Gafni

Pseudo Eros

To attune ourselves to the voice of the body, we must cultivate a keen discernment between authentic Eros and its counterfeit, pseudo Eros.

Consider a scenario where we experience emotional pain or turmoil—a moment when we find ourselves metaphorically falling into a hole of emptiness and despair.

Faced with this discomfort, our instinct may be to seek solace in pseudo Eros—to fill the void with quick fixes and temporary pleasures.

For instance, we might reach for a sugary snack, seeking immediate gratification and relief from our emotional distress. While the rush of sugar may provide a fleeting sense of satisfaction, it comes at a cost to our well-being. The consumption of sugar, in excess, can wreak havoc on our body's systems, undermining our physical health and vitality.

Indulging in such pseudo Eros violates the inherent wisdom of our bodies and obstructs the flow of authentic Eros—the vital life force that sustains us.

One does not need a diet book to recognize the detrimental effects of excessive sugar consumption. Simply tuning into the sensations within our own bodies after indulging in one, two, or three candy bars reveals the truth of this experience. When we deny these truths and neglect the wisdom of our bodies, we risk disconnecting from the divine presence that animates and guides us. Our capacity to experience and embody Eros becomes compromised, leading to a sense of disconnection and alienation from the source of life itself.

In essence, our relationship with food serves as a microcosm of our broader relationship with life.

When we turn to pseudo Eros to fill the void within us, we perpetuate a cycle of disconnection and imbalance that extends into every aspect of our existence.

By reclaiming our ability to discern between genuine Eros and its counterfeit, we can cultivate a deeper sense of alignment with the wisdom of our bodies and the divine presence and more radical aliveness that flows through us.

Eros embodies the essence of experiencing the richness and fullness of existence, serving as a stark contrast to the profound sense of emptiness that every human being encounters at some point in their lives.

We've all encountered moments of emptiness—those late nights spent alone at home, or the quiet solitude of a hotel room after a long day's work on a business trip. In these moments, the intensity of our emotions can be overwhelming, driving us to seek distractions and diversions in a desperate attempt to escape the emptiness that looms within.

Turning to external sources of comfort such as television, takeout meals, or entertainment may provide temporary relief from the discomfort of emptiness, and it is merely a fleeting escape—a form of pseudo Eros that ultimately fails to address the underlying issue.

By avoiding the discomfort and running away from the problem, we perpetuate a cycle of avoidance that only serves to deepen our sense of disconnection and alienation.

Rather than seeking refuge in pseudo Eros, we are called to confront the emptiness within with courage and compassion.

Embracing the full spectrum of our emotions, including the discomfort of emptiness, allows us to cultivate a deeper understanding of ourselves and our innermost desires.

It is through this process of self-exploration and introspection that we can begin to uncover the true source of fulfillment and meaning in our lives, transcending the illusion of emptiness and reclaiming the fullness of our being.

Navigating emptiness requires a shift in approach—not an attempt to fill the void, rather a mindful acknowledgment of its presence. Instead of resisting or fleeing from emptiness, we are called to embrace it with awareness and presence.

The journey towards the fullness of Eros and the radical aliveness, represented by the Shechinah, necessitates a willingness to sit with the emptiness and explore its depths.

Paradoxically, accessing the fullness of being requires a willingness to linger in the emptiness—to traverse its depths and discover the hidden pathways that lead to genuine fulfillment.

The path to Eros is fraught with detours to pseudo Eros—false promises of satisfaction that ultimately lead to dead ends. When the ache of emptiness becomes unbearable, these detours tempt us with the allure of quick fixes, pulling us into painful and destructive cycles of addiction.

At its core, addiction stems from an inability to tolerate the discomfort of emptiness.

Faced with the void, we seek refuge in whatever offers us the fleeting illusion of fulfillment—whether it be sex, food, validation from others, substances, or work.

Pseudo Eros is inherently addictive, masquerading as a solution while ensnaring us in its grip. As the German writer Goethe astutely observed, addiction manifests as anything we cannot cease doing—a pervasive reality that touches each of us on some level.

Upon deeper reflection, one comes to realize that engaging in conversations about others serves as one of the simplest ways to initiate social interaction. Such discussions also function as a convenient means of assuaging feelings of emptiness—a form of pseudo Eros that offers a fleeting sense of satisfaction.

If one observes closely, they may notice that just before succumbing to the temptation of casual gossip or slander, they briefly touch upon a moment of emptiness within themselves. The mere mention of someone's name or the topic of conversation subtly challenges their sense of self-worth, adequacy, or dignity.

In response to this inner discomfort, the individual's psyche instinctively seeks to fill the void with a quick fix of apparent fullness—gossip.

This sense of fullness is illusory, merely a facsimile of genuine connection and fulfillment. Gossip serves as a superficial substitute for authentic engagement, offering only temporary relief from the underlying emptiness that persists within.

The fall of the temples serves as a symbolic turning point in the collective psyche, marking a mythic shift in the erotic consciousness of the world.

It represents the exile of the Shechinah—divine presence—not only into the realm of the sexual specifically into the realm of transgressive sexuality.

Within this paradigm, adultery emerges as the quintessential expression of boundary-breaking sex, embodying the pursuit of illicit thrills and forbidden desires.

This boundary-breaking impulse can manifest in various forms, including the superficial quest for novelty that seeks to elicit a sense of erotic excitement.

This phenomenon, known as pseudo Eros, represents a distortion of authentic eroticism—a futile attempt to fill the void left by the loss of genuine connection and intimacy.

In the aftermath of the fall of the temples, men in the tragic post-temple world sought erotic satisfaction primarily through sexual encounters, particularly those that defied societal norms and boundaries.

This fixation on boundary-breaking sex is reflected in cultural narratives such as the medieval love story of Tristan and Iseult, where passion and desire transcend the constraints of social convention and moral obligation.

Modern portrayals of illicit affairs, such as the film "Unfaithful," capitalize on the allure of forbidden passion, enticing audiences with the tantalizing prospect of risking everything for a moment of reckless abandon.

Beneath the surface allure of these forbidden liaisons lies a deeper longing—a yearning for connection, intimacy, and genuine erotic fulfillment.

While not everyone may actively seek out such illicit encounters, many can relate to the profound sense of emptiness and longing that pervades modern society—a longing that is often misdirected towards external sources of pleasure and excitement.

In this relentless pursuit of Eros (Radical Aliveness and Outrageous Love) in all the wrong places, individuals unwittingly perpetuate a cycle of dissatisfaction and disillusionment, ultimately failing to find the true fulfillment they seek.

When our experiences no longer offer us newness or depth, we often seek superficial novelty to satisfy our erotic needs. In our modern society, where the erotic has been confined to the realm of the sexual, we rely on sexual encounters to fulfill all our desires for boundary-breaking excitement.

This approach can have devastating consequences. Sex loses its ability to provide genuine pleasure and fulfillment, becoming merely a means to chase fleeting thrills through increasingly extreme or degrading acts.

This phenomenon, known as pseudo Eros, leaves us perpetually unsatisfied, as we must continually escalate our experiences in search of greater excitement.

The pursuit of pseudo Eros speaks to a deeper issue of disconnection and longing within ourselves.

Instead of finding fulfillment through genuine connection and intimacy, we become fixated on external sources of stimulation and excitement.

While there is nothing inherently wrong with exploring new forms of sexual play and pleasure, true erotic fulfillment transcends mere physical gratification. It is about breaking boundaries in a sacred and transformative way, allowing us to expand our horizons and deepen our connection with ourselves and others.

Fear often holds us back from embracing this transformative potential. When Eros is exiled into the sexual realm, the true essence of the erotic is lost, and sexuality becomes burdened with expectations it cannot fulfill.

Instead of experiencing genuine intimacy with our partners, we are driven to seek out increasingly extreme experiences to feel alive. Yet, these pseudo boundary-breaking acts only serve to further distance us from authentic connection and fulfillment.

To reclaim the true essence of Eros, we must transcend our fears and limitations and reconnect with the sacred nature of our desires. Embracing genuine intimacy and vulnerability, can help us break free from the cycle of pseudo Eros and rediscover the true depth and richness of our erotic experiences.

When faced with moments of emptiness, we are presented with a choice: to seek solace in pseudo Eros or to confront the void directly.

While the allure of pseudo Eros may offer a temporary distraction from our inner emptiness, true fulfillment lies in embracing the fullness of our being. By sitting with the emptiness for just a short while, we open ourselves to the profound Eros of reality—the inherent richness and depth of our unique existence. In this space of stillness and introspection, we discover a pleasure that surpasses any fleeting sensation offered by pseudo Eros.

Remaining in the emptiness requires courage—the willingness to confront our deepest fears and insecurities head-on.

At the core of our fear lies the belief that we are fundamentally empty and unworthy of love. By breaking free from the confines of our ego's limitations, we can embrace the truth of our inherent worthiness as beloved children of the divine. In choosing to dwell in the emptiness, we unveil the essence of our true selves—the radiant expression of our radical uniqueness and the depth of our individual story or Sacred Autobiography.

In this journey of self-discovery, we uncover the essence of our true selves and tap into the boundless wellspring of love and creativity within us. Embracing our identity and sitting with our emptiness, we awaken to the infinite possibilities that await us, reclaiming our rightful place as co-creators of our own destiny.

When the vibrant energy of Eros is absent from our lives, we often seek to fill the resulting emptiness with pseudo Eros.

This counterfeit form of desire manifests in various ways, including addictive behaviors and compulsive actions—desperate attempts to mask the inner void.

Amidst this struggle, it's crucial to recognize the profound insight embedded in the principle that "sex is ethics." This concept represents a significant paradigm shift, transcending mere acknowledgment of the intimate connection between the erotic and the ethical.

The recognition that sex embodies ethical principles signifies a profound leap in our understanding of human behavior and relationships. It acknowledges that our sexual interactions are not isolated acts devoid of moral significance but rather integral components of our ethical framework. By viewing sex through this ethical lens, we gain insight into the complex interplay between desire, responsibility, and respect for others.

"Sex is ethics" invites us to consider the broader implications of our sexual choices and behaviors. It prompts us to reflect on the ethical dimensions of consent, communication, and mutual respect within intimate relationships. By embracing this perspective, we cultivate a deeper awareness of the ethical implications of our actions and their impact on ourselves and others.

The recognition of sex as ethics challenges us to approach our sexual experiences with mindfulness, integrity, and compassion.

Failure to reclaim the erotic for spiritual and ethical purposes leaves us vulnerable to its shadow, which can lead us down dark and destructive paths.

The resurgence of fundamentalism around the world is a testament to the allure of pseudo-erotic experiences masquerading as genuine spiritual fulfillment.

Fundamentalist movements, whether religious or secular, offer a sense of community and belonging that taps into the primal desire for connection and meaning. The communal rituals, participatory ceremonies, and all-encompassing worldviews they espouse create an intoxicating sense of unity and purpose.

Fundamentalism ultimately falls short of embodying true Eros, as it denies the inherent interconnectedness of all beings.

Many fundamentalist ideologies thrive on exclusion, dividing the world into "us" versus "them" and reserving salvation only for the chosen few who adhere to their rigid dogmas. This exclusivity violates the essence of Eros, which is characterized by inclusivity and interiority—the sense of being deeply connected to oneself and others.

Fundamentalism extends beyond religious circles to encompass the realms of greed and materialism.

In the pursuit of wealth and accumulation, individuals and communities often succumb to the allure of pseudo Eros, seeking to fill the void within with material possessions and financial success. This misguided pursuit of fulfillment through external means only serves to perpetuate the cycle of emptiness and dissatisfaction, leaving us disconnected from our true selves and each other.

Ironically, more enlightened communities and individuals who prioritize spiritual growth and ethical living may appear weak or uninspiring in comparison to the allure of fundamentalism.

Tthrough their commitment to genuine connection, compassion, and inner transformation that they offer a pathway to true fulfillment and liberation from the grip of pseudo Eros.

Our inappropriate behaviors, those that betray our values and integrity, are often a desperate plea for recognition— a cry echoing, "Pay attention to me—I exist!" These acts of acting out, whether subtle or overt, are manifestations of pseudo Eros—illusions of fulfillment that fail to address the deeper emptiness within.

Instances of sexual harassment and abuse, in all their forms, stem from the distortion of Eros into pseudo Eros. When presence is violated, and the humanity of another is reduced to mere objectification, the true essence of Eros is lost. Desire degenerates into grasping, and intimacy is tainted by manipulation and malice.

In a society plagued by what some label as a "rape culture" and others as a "false-complaint culture," both men and women suffer the consequences of pseudo Eros. Sexual abuse, whether perpetrated by men or women, is a perversion of genuine Eros—a violation of the sacred bond between individuals.

Healing the wounds inflicted by pseudo Eros necessitates a return to authentic living, embracing the Erotic life in all its depth and richness. It requires courage to confront the void within, to resist the allure of false fulfillment, and to navigate the complexities of human relationships with integrity and compassion.

Ethics and Eros are inseparable—they are the twin pillars upon which a life of integrity and fulfillment rests. Without the presence of Eros, ethics loses its grounding, descending into a mere facade devoid of genuine connection and meaning. It is only through the restoration of Eros that true healing and transformation can occur, paving the way for a society guided by respect and Outrageous Love, Evolutionary Love.

Anything less than this profound erotic experience poses a grave threat to our planet's well-being. We witness personal atrocities, nations waging war on each other, and the ruthless exploitation of our environment, leading to the suffering and death of millions due to hunger and disease.

At the heart of these crises lies a profound absence of Eros. We yearn to feel connected, to belong, yet we find ourselves adrift in a sea of alienation.

In our desperation, we settle for pseudo Eros—we create artificial barriers, dividing ourselves from one another, and seek solace in the fleeting thrills of fear, violence, and excessive consumption.

We are at a crossroads, with only two options before us: to embrace Eros or face the specter of death. We must choose love over destruction, to become bold and fearless advocates for the erotic life. It is through the transformative power of genuine love and connection that we can heal our world and usher in a new era of harmony and flourishing for all.

9) The More Evolved The Pleasure The More Challenging and Damaging The Counterfeit Is When Not Discerned

As pleasure evolves into deeper and more refined states, the task of distinguishing the counterfeit becomes increasingly intricate and consequential.

At the rudimentary levels of pleasure, such as the senses, identifying what is counterfeit is relatively straightforward.

As we ascend the holarchy of pleasure, venturing into what could be termed spiritual or more evolved realms of pleasure, discerning the pseudo Eros lurking within becomes a formidable challenge.

The higher we ascend within the Levels of Pleasure, the more elusive and insidious the counterfeit becomes.

In these elevated states of pleasure, where the boundaries between the physical and the spiritual blur, the seduction of pseudo Eros can be particularly deceptive.

It cloaks itself in the guise of authenticity, tempting us with promises of fulfillment and transcendence, only to ensnare us in its web of illusion and discontent.

The consequences of falling prey to pseudo Eros within these elevated realms of pleasure are profound and far-reaching.

Unlike the more overt forms of counterfeit found at lower levels, the damage inflicted by pseudo Eros in these heightened states can be subtle yet devastating, corroding the very fabric of our being and eroding our capacity for genuine connection and fulfillment.

As we navigate the terrain of evolving pleasure, it is imperative that we hone our discernment and cultivate a keen awareness of the subtle manifestations of pseudo Eros.

By remaining vigilant and attuned to the nuances of our experience can we safeguard ourselves against its seductive allure and embark on a journey of authentic and transformative pleasure.

10) Not All Levels of Pleasure Are Equal - All Levels of Pleasure Are Legitimate and Valid

All levels of pleasure hold legitimacy and validity within the spectrum of human experience.

While each form of pleasure carries its own significance and serves a unique role in our lives, they are not necessarily equal in importance. There exists a natural hierarchy of pleasures, where certain pleasures may take precedence over others depending on the stage of development and context of an individual's life.

Attempting to elevate one form of pleasure above all others and marginalize or dismiss alternative forms of pleasure invariably leads to the destabilization of the entire pleasure system.

Such a reductionist approach fails to acknowledge the multifaceted nature of pleasure and disregards the diverse ways in which individuals derive fulfillment and meaning from their experiences.

When we acknowledge that every pleasure has its own place and significance, we embrace the full richness of human experience. It's like appreciating a diverse buffet where each dish offers its own unique flavor and satisfaction.

Trying to single out one pleasure as the ultimate winner while brushing off the rest is like missing out on all the other delicious options. So, let's savor the variety of pleasures life offers us, knowing that each one adds its own special spice to the banquet of existence.

11) If We Are Unaware of One Level of Pleasure All The Others Are Affected

Each level of pleasure operates on its own distinct currency, and failing to attain one level can detrimentally impact the others.

Consider Level One pleasure as akin to physical gratification—a realm encompassing sensory delights and bodily comforts. At this level, the body revels in sensations, but it remains confined to the realm of the physical. No amount of Level One pleasure can seamlessly translate into Level Two—a domain defined by love, affection, and interpersonal connections.

These emotional bonds transcend mere physicality, demanding their own unique investment. Likewise, Level Two's offerings cannot be bartered for access to Level Three, where the pleasure of purpose and meaningful contribution reigns supreme. Here, fulfillment stems from alignment with a cause, productivity, and the pursuit of significance beyond the self.

The currencies of these different levels do not converge; they maintain their individuality and exclusivity. C

onsequently, the absence of any one level reverberates throughout the hierarchy of pleasure, casting shadows over the others and impeding holistic fulfillment.

12) Pleasures Can Have An Ideal Uniquely Personalized Balance

In the realm of pleasure, much like the fabled Goldilocks principle, finding the ideal balance is a pursuit tailored to the individual.

It's about discovering that sweet spot, where neither too much nor too little prevails—a state where satisfaction aligns perfectly with personal disposition and circumstance. This delicate equilibrium isn't a one-size-fits-all endeavor; rather, it's a nuanced journey shaped by the intricacies of one's unique trajectory through life.

Central to this quest is the art of harmonizing the Levels of Pleasure. It's about cultivating a symbiotic relationship among the different tiers, ensuring that each contributes its distinct essence to the tapestry of experience.

Just as a skilled conductor orchestrates various instruments to create harmony in a symphony, so too must we attune ourselves to the diverse melodies of physical gratification, emotional connection, and existential fulfillment.

Achieving this balanced interplay isn't merely a matter of trial and error. It involves a deliberate exploration of our inner landscape, an introspective journey to discern our Unique Self Soul Print—the intricate pattern that defines our essence.

Here, astrology can serve as a guiding light, offering insights into our inherent predispositions and cosmic alignment. By integrating these celestial insights into our quest for balance, we gain a deeper understanding of what resonates authentically with our being, allowing us to refine our pursuit of pleasure with greater precision and clarity.

The pursuit of pleasure is an art of calibration—a continuous refinement of the delicate interplay between the physical, emotional, and existential dimensions of existence.Embracing the Goldilocks principle and cultivating a harmonious relationship among the Levels of Pleasure, we unlock the transformative power of alignment with our Unique Self Soul Print, guiding us toward a life rich in fulfillment.

13) We Experience Different Levels of Pleasure In Different Domains of Life

In the diverse realms of life, pleasure manifests across a spectrum of levels, each offering its own unique flavor of fulfillment. Take, for instance, the realm of sexuality—a domain often associated with Level One pleasure, characterized by physical gratification. However, in the depths of a truly immersive sexual experience, one can traverse through all six levels of pleasure within this singular dimension of existence.

At the surface, there's the undeniable allure of physical sensation—the primal, instinctual pleasure that courses through the body. Yet, as intimacy deepens and connection flourishes, Level Two pleasure emerges—the warmth of emotional bonds and the tender embrace of affection. Amidst the throes of passion, a profound sense of purpose may arise, infusing the encounter with Level Three pleasure—the satisfaction of alignment with desire and the pursuit of mutual pleasure.

The layers continue to unfold. Within the sanctuary of sexual intimacy, one may find oneself immersed in Level Four pleasure—the transcendence of self, the dissolution of boundaries, and the merging of souls. Here, time seems to stand still as the ego dissolves into the boundless expanse of shared ecstasy.

As the experience unfolds, one may uncover deeper layers of meaning and significance, delving into Level Five pleasure—the realization of profound truths, the illumination of inner wisdom, and the communion with something greater than the self. In this transcendent state, the physical act transcends its corporeal confines, becoming a sacred ritual of spiritual awakening and cosmic connection.

Finally, at the pinnacle of the experience, lies Level Six pleasure—the bliss of pure existence, the ecstasy of being. Here, all distinctions dissolve into the ineffable essence of pure consciousness, and the boundaries between self and other blur into the infinite expanse of universal love.

Within the realm of sexuality, what may initially appear as a mere conduit for Level One pleasure unfolds into a multi-dimensional tapestry of ecstasy, traversing through all six levels of pleasure in a symphony of sensation, emotion, purpose, transcendence, revelation, and pure being. In this profound exploration of pleasure, we come to realize the boundless depth and richness of human experience, transcending the limitations of the physical body to touch the very essence of existence itself.

14) Each Pleasure Has Its Own Practice

Within the intricate tapestry of pleasure, each level is accompanied by its own unique set of practices—a series of deliberate actions and mindful engagements that serve as gateways to unlocking the corresponding level of fulfillment.

It's crucial to recognize that these practices differ from mere transactions; they're not about exchanging one thing for another, but rather about cultivating a state of being that naturally engenders the desired level of pleasure.

For Level One pleasure, the practice revolves around reclaiming sovereignty over one's own attention. In a world inundated with distractions and stimuli, mastering the art of directing and maintaining focus becomes paramount. By honing this skill, individuals can navigate the realm of physical pleasure with intentionality and presence, allowing them to savor each sensory experience fully.

As we ascend to Level Two pleasure—the domain of love, affection, and relationships—the practices become more nuanced. Here, integrating qualities such as curiosity, kindness, tenderness, and ecstasy becomes essential. Cultivating these virtues not only enhances the depth and richness of interpersonal connections but also fosters an environment conducive to profound emotional fulfillment.

Practicing autonomy—finding validation from within rather than seeking it externally—empowers individuals to cultivate healthy, fulfilling relationships rooted in self-awareness and mutual respect. Furthermore, studying the laws of love—exploring the dynamics of intimacy, communication, and reciprocity—provides invaluable insights into nurturing and sustaining meaningful connections.

As we venture into the realm of Level Three pleasure—the domain of meaning, alignment, and productivity—the practices take on a different hue. Here, the focus shifts towards discernment—differentiating between external obligations imposed by society or circumstance and internal obligations that arise from one's authentic self. By honing this discernment, individuals can align their actions with their intrinsic values and aspirations, thereby cultivating a sense of purpose and fulfillment that transcends mere external validation.

Each level of pleasure offers its own distinct path of practice—a journey of self-discovery, growth, and transformation that unfolds organically as individuals engage with life's myriad experiences. Embracing these practices with intentionality and commitment, individuals can unlock the full spectrum of pleasure, enriching their lives with depth, meaning, and fulfillment.

15) When We Attempt To Hold Onto or Hoard The Pleasure We Lose It

In the eternal dance of pleasure and existence, the temptation to grasp onto fleeting moments of bliss can lead us down a perilous path—a Faustian bargain where the pursuit of boundless pleasure comes with a steep price. Just as Faust is lured by Mephistopheles with the promise of every desire fulfilled, we too may find ourselves enticed by the allure of freezing time, of capturing and preserving moments of ecstasy for eternity.

The cautionary tale of Faust serves as a poignant reminder that such attempts to freeze-frame pleasure ultimately lead to spiritual bankruptcy. For when we seek to halt the natural flow of life, to cling desperately to moments of joy as if they were precious artifacts to be hoarded, we risk forfeiting the very essence of pleasure itself.

The message is clear: pleasure is an ephemeral phenomenon, inherently intertwined with the fluidity of time and existence.

To attempt to arrest its course is to disrupt the cosmic dance, to stifle the rhythm of life itself. Just as a river cannot be halted in its flow, so too must we allow pleasure to ebb and flow with the currents of experience, embracing each moment as it arises with openness and receptivity.

While photographs and videos may offer glimpses of past joys, fixating on these snapshots can obscure the vibrant tapestry of the present moment.

Rather than becoming ensnared in the quest to capture and preserve fleeting pleasures, we must learn to surrender to the ever-unfolding dance of life, trusting in its infinite capacity to surprise and delight us with each new moment.

It is the recognition that life is the creative advance of novelty—a continuous unfolding of new experiences and sensations—that allows us to embrace pleasure in its purest form. Every moment holds within it the potential for unyielding joy, if only we have the courage to release our grasp on the past and dance with the ever-changing rhythms of the present.

16) Authentic Pleasure Creates Yearning and Pseudo-Pleasure Creates Craving

In the intricate landscape of pleasure, a profound distinction emerges between authentic pleasure and its counterfeit counterpart—a disparity delineated by the nuanced interplay of yearning and craving. Authentic pleasure, imbued with the essence of true fulfillment, evokes a deep-seated yearning—a longing that enriches the very fabric of our existence. Unlike the desperate thirst of craving, which parches the soul with its insatiable demands, yearning beckons us to embrace the fullness of desire itself.

Craving, akin to the relentless grip of addiction, distorts the natural rhythm of existence, equating the immediate fulfillment of desire with survival. In its relentless pursuit, craving consumes us, leaving behind a hollow emptiness that no amount of indulgence can assuage.

It is a phenomenon of lack—a perpetual striving for fleeting pleasures that ultimately leave us unfulfilled and spiritually parched.

Conversely, yearning emerges as a beacon of authenticity—a reverent embrace of desire in all its fullness.

Rooted in the teachings of Buddha, who extolled the virtue of having few but great desires, yearning invites us to surrender to the richness of the longing itself. In the embrace of yearning, the desire becomes an integral part of the pleasure, filling us with a profound sense of fulfillment that transcends the transient realm of instant gratification.

Authentic pleasure, with its inherent capacity to engender yearning, serves as a testament to the depth and richness of human experience.

It is a journey of self-discovery and self-transcendence—a sacred dance with the divine essence of Eros itself. In contrast, pseudo-pleasure, masquerading as genuine fulfillment, breeds only hollow craving—a pale imitation of the true ecstasy that awaits those brave enough to embrace the fullness of their desires.

17) Gratitude Always Increases The Pleasure

In the tapestry of life, gratitude emerges as a potent catalyst for enhancing pleasure—a transformative force that imbues each moment with a profound sense of richness and fulfillment. Far from merely pausing to acknowledge fleeting blessings before rushing onward, gratitude embodies an attitude—a way of being that permeates every facet of existence, allowing us to fully receive the abundance of life in all its myriad forms.

Radical appreciation, the practice of embracing gratitude in its most profound and expansive sense, holds the power to fundamentally shift our relationship to pleasure.

By consciously engaging in acts of appreciation—be it through simple gestures of acknowledgment or deliberate reflections on the blessings that grace our lives—we open ourselves to a deeper, more profound experience of joy and fulfillment.

Consider the simple yet profound act of listing ten appreciations. In this exercise, we are invited to cultivate a heightened awareness of the countless blessings that surround us, from the warmth of the sun on our skin to the laughter of loved ones and the beauty of nature's unfolding tapestry. With each expression of gratitude, we sow the seeds of joy and abundance, nurturing a fertile soil from which pleasure blossoms forth in abundance.

Gratitude serves as a gateway to a life infused with joy and meaning—a potent elixir that magnifies the sweetness of every experience and deepens our connection to the vast tapestry of existence.

Through the practice of radical appreciation, we awaken to the boundless treasures that lie within and around us, unlocking the full spectrum of pleasure that awaits those with hearts open to receive.

18) Aftertaste Distinguishes True Pleasure From Pseudo-Pleasure

In the realm of pleasure, the concept of aftertaste emerges as a discerning factor—a litmus test that distinguishes between authentic satisfaction and the fleeting allure of pseudo-pleasure. It is in the moments after the experience, the lingering residue left upon the palate of our consciousness, that the true nature of our indulgences is revealed.

The aftertaste serves as a mirror, reflecting the essence of what transpired.

Like a silent witness to our actions, it unveils the consequences of our choices and unveils the truth behind the facade of immediate gratification. For it is in the aftertaste—the morning after, as it were—that we confront the reality of our indulgences and come face to face with their lasting impact on our well-being.

Consider, for instance, the consumption of desserts. Indulging in a single sweet treat may leave behind a lingering aftertaste of satisfaction—a subtle reminder of the pleasure that was savored. Yet, when we succumb to the temptation of excess, consuming five or six desserts in rapid succession, the aftertaste shifts dramatically.

What was once a fleeting moment of pleasure now gives way to feelings of guilt, shame, or physical discomfort—a stark reminder of the consequences of overindulgence.

The aftertaste is like a sneak peek into what really went down. It's what tells you if that slice of cake was worth it or if you're going to regret it later. You know how it goes – one dessert might leave you feeling satisfied, and pigging out on a whole bunch of them? That's a recipe for feeling pretty lousy afterward.

Paying attention to that aftertaste can be like having a little compass guiding you toward the good stuff and away from the not-so-great stuff. It's all about learning from what you've tasted before so you can savor the real deal and skip the stuff that leaves a bad taste in your mouth.

19) Collapse Is The Result of Trying to Get All the Pleasures From Only One Level

When we place all our eggs in one basket, so to speak, relying solely on one level of pleasure for our entire satisfaction, we set ourselves up for disappointment. Take sexuality, for example. It's a powerful source of pleasure, no doubt, and if we expect it to provide us with all the fulfillment we seek, we're bound to set up a distorted expectation. Sexuality, as rich and potent as it may be, simply cannot encompass the full spectrum of pleasure that life has to offer.

Attempting to derive all our pleasure, our very essence of aliveness, from sexual pleasure alone is like trying to fill a bucket with a leaky hole.

No matter how much we pour into it, it will never be enough to satisfy our deepest yearnings.

Our Eros—the radical aliveness, the evolutionary love that courses through our veins—cannot be contained within the confines of sexual pleasure alone.

When we place such undue burden on any single level of pleasure, we not only deprive ourselves of the richness and diversity of other pleasures, but we also risk collapsing that very level under the weight of our unrealistic expectations.

It's a recipe for disappointment and disillusionment, leaving us feeling unfulfilled and empty despite our best efforts to find satisfaction.

Tt's important to recognize that pleasure is multifaceted and multi-dimensional. It's about embracing the full spectrum of experiences and allowing ourselves to savor the richness of each level without expecting any one of them to bear the full weight of our desires.

20) We Get To Infinity Following Pleasure To Its Source

Delving into the essence of pleasure leads us on a journey towards infinity—a boundless exploration that transcends the confines of any singular experience.

Tantra, with its emphasis on expanding pleasure beyond narrow confines, beckons us to venture into the depths of existence, to tan—to expand—our perception of pleasure until it suffuses every dimension of life.

It's about recognizing that pleasure, in its truest essence, is not confined to fleeting sensations or momentary delights, but rather is an omnipresent force that pulsates through the very fabric of existence.

Take sexual Eros, for instance. When we trace its essence to its source, we uncover a profound truth: that it is but a manifestation of the evolutionary Eros that animates the cosmos itself.

In following pleasure to its origin, we journey to the very heart of creation—to the initiating energy that set the universe in motion. Here, pleasure transcends the limitations of individual experiences, becoming a cosmic symphony that reverberates through the vast expanse of eternity.

Discernment becomes our compass—a guiding light that enables us to navigate the labyrinthine paths of pleasure with clarity and purpose. It's about cultivating the wisdom to distinguish between the ephemeral allure of surface-level gratification and the enduring richness of pleasure in its truest form.

By tracing pleasure back to its source, we align ourselves with the infinite, tapping into the boundless reservoir of joy and fulfillment that lies at the very core of existence.

The journey of pleasure is a journey of remembrance—a rediscovery of our inherent connection to the infinite wellspring of Source itself. As we expand our perception of pleasure, embracing its myriad manifestations with open hearts and discerning minds, we come to realize that pleasure is not just a fleeting sensation, but a sacred pathway to the divine—a journey that leads us ever closer to the infinite depths of our own being.

21) The Deeper The Pleasure The More Democratically Available It Is

The deeper the level of pleasure, the more democratized it becomes.

This principle extends beyond individual experiences, resonating within the collective consciousness of humanity, known as the noosphere.

The profound levels of pleasure transcend the barriers of privilege, status, or circumstance, making them universally accessible to all human beings.

Consider the multi-dimensional spectrum of pleasure levels outlined in our prior discussions. From the sensory delights of Level One pleasure to the existential fulfillment of Level Three, each level offers a unique pathway to deeper states of joy and aliveness. As we ascend the hierarchy of pleasure, we tap into increasingly profound sources of satisfaction that resonate with the essence of our shared humanity.

In the realm of the noosphere—the collective sphere of human thought and consciousness—these deeper levels of pleasure serve as beacons of possibility, inviting all individuals to partake in their boundless abundance.

Regardless of background or upbringing, each human being holds the potential to access these profound states of fulfillment, enriching their lives and contributing to the collective tapestry of human experience.

The democratization of pleasure within the noosphere transcends geographical boundaries and cultural divides, bridging the gaps between individuals and fostering a sense of interconnectedness and unity.

As we collectively awaken to the deeper levels of pleasure available to us, we recognize that joy and fulfillment are not limited to a select few, but are inherent aspects of our shared human experience.

In embracing the principle that the deeper the pleasure, the more democratized it becomes, we affirm our inherent equality as human beings and celebrate the diversity of paths that lead us to profound states of joy and aliveness.

Through collective exploration and conscious evolution, we unlock the full potential of the noosphere, cultivating a world where authentic pleasure is universally accessible and celebrated as a fundamental aspect of human flourishing.

22) True Pleasure Is Self Evidently Meaningful

True pleasure carries its own inherent meaning, evident to the self without the need for explanation or justification.

It's a sensation that transcends the realm of intellect, rooted in the simple act of being and experiencing. In mysticism, this principle is encapsulated by the term "lishmah," signifying that the pursuit of pleasure is an end in itself.

When immersed in authentic pleasure, there exists a harmonious union between the experiencer and the experience, where the boundaries between self and sensation blur into a seamless whole.

In the embrace of true pleasure, the perennial question of life's meaning fades into the background, no longer weighing upon the mind with its existential ponderings.

It's not that the question has been answered; rather, it's as if the question itself becomes irrelevant in the face of the profound richness of the present moment.

In this state of pure immersion, there is no need for introspection or analysis—there is only the unadulterated joy of existence, unfolding moment by moment in its fullness and complexity.

The nature of true pleasure lies in its ability to transcend the limitations of rational thought, ushering us into a realm of pure experience where meaning is self-evident and self-sustaining.

It's a state of being where we are fully present to the richness of life, embracing each sensation with open-hearted acceptance and boundless appreciation. In the luminous glow of authentic pleasure, the quest for meaning gives way to a profound sense of contentment and fulfillment, as we surrender to the exquisite beauty of the here and now.

Voices of Pleasure

When we indulge in moments of pleasure, whether through savoring a delicious meal, basking in the warmth of the sun, or sharing laughter with loved ones, we are reminded of something profound: we are valued and cherished by the world around us. In these fleeting moments of joy, we are awakened to the inherent goodness of our existence, affirming our infinite value and dignity as human beings.

It's as if the universe itself is whispering to us, affirming our place in the grand tapestry of life and supporting our journey towards self-realization and growth. In these moments of pleasure, we catch glimpses of our true potential, feeling the gentle nudge of encouragement as we strive to become the best versions of ourselves.

However, this awakening to our inherent worthiness requires more than just the passive consumption of sensory delights. We cannot simply gobble down food or mindlessly partake in pleasurable activities and expect to experience this profound sense of affirmation. Instead, we must be fully present and awake to the richness of each moment, embracing the sensations and experiences with mindfulness and intentionality.

It is in this state of awakened awareness that we are able to truly receive the gifts that pleasure has to offer—to feel deeply and profoundly the love and support that surrounds us, and to recognize our own intrinsic goodness and value in the vast tapestry of existence. So, let us savor each moment of pleasure with gratitude and reverence, knowing that in doing so, we affirm not only our own worthiness but also the inherent goodness of the world in which we live.

Tantra

In the realm of Tantra, there are two fundamental movements at play—expansion and nonrejection. The Sanskrit word "Tantra" itself embodies the essence of expansion, urging us to broaden our perception of pleasure beyond the confines of the sexual realm.

It's about embracing all facets of existence with open-hearted acceptance, recognizing that everything is part of the cosmic dance of creation.

At the heart of Tantra lies the principle of nonrejection—a profound shift away from dualistic thinking and towards a more holistic understanding of reality.

In the world of Tantra, there is no inherent dichotomy between good and bad, light and dark, or win and lose. Instead, everything is seen as an integral part of the divine tapestry of existence, each contributing to the richness and complexity of the whole.

Tantra invites us to trace our experiences of pleasure back to their source—to delve deep into the essence of our sensations and emotions and uncover the inherent sanity of the world. In this journey of self-discovery, we come to realize that the world is not the chaotic and senseless place it may sometimes seem, but rather a coherent and harmonious expression of the divine.

In this realization, we awaken to the profound truth that we are held, affirmed, and desired by reality itself. It's an experience of being embraced by the loving embrace of the cosmos, showered with gifts of abundance and grace.

Through the practice of Tantra, we come to recognize that true pleasure is not merely a fleeting sensation, but a doorway to the deeper truth of our interconnectedness and belonging in the vast expanse of existence.

Sexual Pleasure

Consider, for a moment, the profound implications of physical sexual pleasure—the most narrow yet deeply intrinsic form of pleasure.

The very fact that human beings are wired to experience such intense and exquisite pleasure speaks volumes about the inherent dignity of our existence.

In recognizing this, one could argue that a universal bill of human rights could be constructed based on the inalienable right to the fullness of pleasure.

When we contemplate the capacity for physical sexual pleasure within every human being, it becomes clear that any violation of this pleasure is not only abusive but also a grave affront to human dignity.

To deny or suppress this natural aspect of our being is to degrade and deconstruct the very essence of what it means to be human—to disregard the full richness and complexity of our stories and experiences.

The human capacity for immense and precise pleasure, which has the power to awaken and expand the heart, mind, and body, is a testament to the inherent dignity of each individual.

It is a reminder that, regardless of background, status, or circumstance, every human being is deserving of respect, autonomy, and the freedom to fully engage in the pleasures that enrich our lives.

From the narrow realm of sexual pleasure, we can extrapolate profound insights into the nature of human dignity and the essential rights that should be afforded to all individuals. Honoring and celebrating our capacity for pleasure in all its forms, we affirm the inherent worth and value of every human being, laying the foundation for a more just, compassionate, and inclusive society.

Embracing Pleasure: A Declaration of Human Dignity

The innate wiring for pleasure within human beings, bestowed upon us by evolution, reality, and Source itself, speaks volumes about our intrinsic worth and significance.

It signifies that we are not just ordinary beings, but rather, we are endowed with a special gift—a capacity for profound pleasure that is woven into the very fabric of our being.

To deny or degrade this inherent aspect of our humanity is not only a violation of our individual dignity but also a transgression against the fundamental nature of reality itself. Pleasure, in its essence, affirms the sacredness of every human being, acknowledging our irreducible worth and honoring the sanctity of our existence.

Pleasure is not just a fleeting sensation or indulgence; it is a birthright—a fundamental aspect of what it means to be human.

Regardless of background or circumstance, every individual is deserving of the fullness of pleasure, and it is our inherent right to embrace and celebrate this aspect of our humanity.

In recognizing and affirming our capacity for pleasure, we reclaim our power, dignity, and agency as human beings. We assert our inherent worthiness and demand that our right to pleasure be respected and upheld. For pleasure is not just a luxury—it is a fundamental aspect of our humanity that deserves to be honored and cherished.

Voices Context

If you're acquainted with Internal Family Systems (IFS), Voice Dialogue, or the Big Mind Big Heart process, you're encouraged to embark on a journey of self-discovery by engaging in inner dialogue to uncover your subconscious beliefs about pleasure.

Through these transformative modalities, you have the opportunity to delve deep into the inner landscape of your psyche, engaging with different aspects of your being to gain insight into your relationship with pleasure. Each voice within you offers a unique perspective, shaped by your experiences, conditioning, and beliefs.

As you engage in this process, you may encounter voices that eagerly embrace pleasure, viewing it as a natural and integral aspect of life. These voices may advocate for self-care, self-expression, and the pursuit of joy as essential components of a fulfilling existence.

Conversely, you may also encounter voices that harbor resistance or ambivalence towards pleasure, rooted in fear, shame, or past traumas. These voices may express concerns about the morality of indulgence, the fear of losing control, or the belief that pleasure is inherently selfish or sinful.

By engaging with these voices in a spirit of curiosity and compassion, you have the opportunity to uncover the underlying beliefs and emotions that shape your relationship with pleasure. Through gentle inquiry and active listening, you can begin to heal old wounds, challenge limiting beliefs, and cultivate a more empowered and fulfilling relationship with pleasure.

In this journey of self-discovery, every voice within you has a story to tell, offering valuable insights into the complex tapestry of your inner world. By embracing the wisdom of your subconscious mind, you can unlock new pathways to joy, fulfillment, and self-empowerment, transforming your relationship with pleasure and reclaiming your birthright to a life of abundance and joy.

There are clarified functional and unclarified dysfunctional thinking and expressions of each voice. Some of us have been trained to only identify with the shadow version of a specific voice. The clarified version of a specific voice tells us something supremely important about human dignity.

Without consciously accessing or constructing our own Unique Pleasure Map, we unwittingly navigate life guided by voices we may not even be aware of.

The Voice of “I Am Entitled To Pleasure”

In our journey towards embracing pleasure, we often encounter conflicting voices within ourselves—voices that seek to justify or deny our entitlement to pleasure. Some may attribute it to their hard work, while others may view entitlement as a shadowy aspect of the self, associated with selfishness and exclusivity. Yet, in navigating these inner dialogues, it is crucial that we discern the true nature of entitlement.

Entitlement, when viewed through the lens of reality itself, takes on a profound significance. It is not a selfish demand for personal gratification, but rather an acknowledgment of our inherent worth and dignity as human beings. To recognize oneself as entitled to pleasure is to align with the very fabric of existence—to affirm one's place in the cosmic dance of creation.

Until we can fully embrace the voice that declares, "I am entitled to pleasure," without contracting or denying its truth, we remain in a state of spiritual dormancy. It is not the voice of the ego clamoring for self-indulgence, but rather the voice of our awakened essence—the voice of the fully alive human being who understands and embraces their rightful place in the universe.

As we continue to journey inward and uplevel our inner pleasure paradigm, this voice of entitlement will grow stronger and more resonant. It will serve as a catalyst for deeper self-discovery and transformation, opening the door to new dimensions of self-awareness and fulfillment. Let us embrace this voice wholeheartedly, for in doing so, we unlock the power of pleasure and come to know ourselves in ways we never thought possible.

Clarified Functional Voice of “I Deserve Pleasure”

• “Give the self the ability of their own interior value”

• “Help the self experience of the fullness of its own being, goodness, essential dignity”

• “The self is good so therefore the self deserves pleasure”

• “If I don't get pleasure then there's something going on, it's a violation, something is being taken from the self”

• “Pleasure is a core inalienable right”

• “In some sense pleasure is my birthright”

• “As the Voice of I Deserve Pleasure I'm a core right”

• “I have a right to help the self breathe, my birthright is pleasure”

• “I've done enough work, I've worked really hard and put in a lot of effort and I deserve pleasure now”

• “No one is doing me a favor, it is a birthright of mine and I evaluate my life based on whether I've received it or not”

• “As the Voice of I Deserve Pleasure I am whole and alive”

• “I'm a part of an inalienable right of every human being on the face of this earth”

Unclarified Dyfunctional Voice of “I Deserve Pleasure”

• Using a strategy of negative entitlement

• “I’m going to try and hijack other people’s pleasure”

• “I take the light side and invert it: I’m going to violate other people’s space, because it’s my birthright”

• “I deserve pleasure, pleasure is my birthright, so

  • I'll manipulate you

  • take advantage of you

  • I'll degrade you

  • I'll abuse

  • I violate

    • culture

    • relationships”

The Voice of “I Am Ashamed of Pleasure”

Picture this: a bold scenario where your intimate pleasure is displayed on the front page of a prestigious publication, devoid of any sexual taboo.

Would you embrace such exposure?

The resounding answer for most is likely no.

Why?

It's because such an act feels overly self-indulgent, leading to a sense of self-absorption and contraction.

This perception carries an underlying implication of selfishness and greed, echoing a societal belief that indulging in pleasure equates to being out of control, and thus, dangerous.

In our culture, being labeled as "out of control" holds dire connotations, implying a lack of trustworthiness and stability. When we step beyond the bounds of perceived acceptability in pursuit of pleasure, we risk being branded as dangerous, undermining our altruistic and giving nature. This association between pleasure and danger further deepens the shame surrounding indulgence.

Another dimension of shame emerges—one rooted in a stark juxtaposition between personal pleasure and global suffering. The awareness of widespread hunger and disease among children worldwide prompts a profound sense of guilt. How can one justify reveling in personal pleasure while countless others endure unimaginable hardship?

This internal conflict underscores a deep-seated shame, painting pleasure as self-involved, self-referential, and ultimately, selfish. Sensitivity to these dimensions of shame allows us to confront their reality. Acknowledging and exploring the multifaceted nature of shame in pleasure, we begin to unravel its grip on our psyche, paving the way for a more authentic and liberated experience of joy and fulfillment.

Unclarified Dyfunctional Voice of “I Am Ashamed of Pleasure”

• “I’m not embracing”

• “I’m not embodied”

• “I try to persuade the self to rejecting its basic existence”

Clarified Cunctional Voice of “I Am Ashamed of Pleasure”

• "Teaches the self that it needs to earn pleasure”

• “I’m not indulgent”

• “Shame means awareness”

• “I awaken, I check, am I being a narcissist, am I being indulgent, am I abandoning myself or am I finding myself in pleasure?”

What else might cause this voice of shame of pleasure?

The Voice of “I Don't Deserve Pleasure”

• “I’m not good, because if people really knew who I was deep down inside, they would know that I’m not worthy and I’m not good enough and I’m not whole, that I’m broken and I don’t deserve the pleasure”

• “If people would really know the depth of who I am they would know that I haven’t earned the pleasure?

• “If I feel that I have earned it a little bit, so why have I earned it more than all those other people in the world who’ve worked just as hard as I have, yet they’re not getting the pleasure?”

In the intricate dance of pleasure and shame, a pivotal question emerges: Did we truly earn our pleasure? This inquiry serves as a gateway for shame to infiltrate our consciousness.

When even a whisper of doubt arises regarding our deservingness of pleasure, shame stealthily creeps in, casting a shadow over our enjoyment. The notion of deservingness becomes a potent trigger, activating the internalized narratives of unworthiness and inadequacy.

In this delicate balance between pleasure and shame, the belief in our inherent deservingness becomes a beacon of light, guiding us towards liberation from the shackles of shame and into the radiant embrace of self-acceptance and joy.

The Voice of “I'm Afraid of Pleasure”

• “Pleasure is going to sweep me away”

• “Pleasure is going to so intoxicate me and that I may get drunk and I’m going to abandon my deeper integrity”

• “Pleasure is dangerous”

• “Pleasure’s dangerous in some real and powerful way”

• “I’m afraid of pleasure”

• “I’m afraid of the intensity of pleasure”

• “I’m afraid of what pleasure means”

• “I’m afraid of what pleasure wants from me”

• “I’m afraid I’ll lose control”

• “I’m afraid that I’ll submit and that my higher self will disappear”

• “I’m afraid to appear as selfish”

The Voice of “The Joy of Pleasure”

This is the natural aliveness and delight that we feel when we get pleasure.

• “I experience life as being intrinsically, inherently valuable and meaningful”

• “I love life”

• “I am self-evident”

• “I give the meaning of life without any philosophy”

The Voice of “Being Addicted To Pleasure”

• “I can't get the fullness of pleasure from ordinary life activity”

• “I am incapable of deriving pleasure from ordinary life activity”

• “I unweave pleasure”

• “I've lost the the broader frame of life”

• “If I don’t actually get this hit of higher-level dopamine immediately, I’m going to die”

• “I’m unable to weave together the pleasures into the tapestry of a life well-lived”

When the usual surge of dopamine fails to deliver a sense of fulfillment or satisfaction, we find ourselves compelled to up-level.

Whether it's increasing our workload, seeking more sexual encounters, indulging in greater quantities of a particular substance, or consuming more food to achieve a heightened dopamine rush, the pattern remains the same.

We chase after a more intense experience, relentlessly pursuing a higher and higher dopamine hit. Yet, in our pursuit, we inadvertently reset the hedonic set point in our brains—a critical threshold for experiencing pleasure.

Initially, the brain operates within a certain hedonic range, where hitting that set point brings about feelings of pleasure and contentment.

Addiction disrupts this delicate balance, effectively rewiring our neural circuitry. As a result, our brain becomes conditioned to require increasingly elevated levels of dopamine to experience any semblance of satisfaction, normalcy, or even survival.

This process highlights the profound impact of addiction on our neural functioning and overall well-being.

As we become ensnared in the cycle of addiction, our brains undergo fundamental changes that compromise our ability to derive pleasure from everyday experiences.

Instead, we find ourselves trapped in a relentless pursuit of ever-higher dopamine levels, perpetuating a cycle of dependency and diminishing returns. This dysregulation of the hedonic set point undermines our capacity for fulfillment and robs us of the inherent joy of simply being alive.

The archetype of the addict permeates our cultural consciousness, reflecting a dimension that resides within each of us.

Attempting to externalize this archetype and distance ourselves by attributing it solely to others is to miss the point entirely. In truth, the voice of the addict resonates within each individual, albeit to varying degrees.

While some individuals may serve as overt embodiments of addiction in society, they are merely holding a mirror to the addictive tendencies present within us all.

Dr. Gabor Maté's insightful exploration of addiction in "In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts" sheds light on this profound truth.

To transcend the grip of addiction, we must embark on a journey of inner transformation—a journey that begins with reweaving our experience of pleasure. By crafting a new map of pleasure, one that encompasses a holistic understanding of fulfillment and well-being, we can rewire the neural circuits of our brains through the remarkable process of neuroplasticity.

This entails a fundamental shift in how we perceive and engage with pleasure, liberating ourselves from the clutches of addictive patterns.

Only then can we emancipate ourselves from the seductive allure of addictive pleasure and embrace a healthier, more authentic expression of joy and fulfillment.

The Voice of “Enlightened Pleasure”

• “I get maximal pleasure from the most ordinary activity”

• “The more enlightened I am, the more pleasure I am able to get from the more ordinary activity”

• “The more enlightened I am – the more enlightenment I am able to get from the most ordinary of pleasures”

• “I don’t feel contraction”

• “I’m expanding into the pleasures with ease”

• “I surrender into the arms of the Beloved”

• “I melt into the sensuality”

• “I melt into the music”

• “I expand from constricted consciousness into expanded consciousness, from narrow self into large self, from small mind into Big Mind and Big Heart”

• “I have a sense of spaciousness in relation to pleasure”

Spaciousness is not attained through the pursuit of an escalating dopamine rush that perpetually resets the hedonic set point in the brain.

Rather, it emerges from our capacity to fully immerse ourselves in the boundless expanse of the present moment.

True spaciousness arises when we transition from the superficiality of surface-level experiences to the profound depth that lies beneath.

This transition is not instantaneous; it requires dedicated practice and intentional cultivation.

As we learn to delve deeper into the richness of each moment, we unlock the ability to fully savor, embrace, and embody the entirety of our experience.

It is in this moment of complete immersion that the confines of our perception expand, and we are liberated from the constraints of time and space.

Embracing the fullness of the present moment, we transcend the limitations of our conditioned existence and open ourselves to the infinite possibilities that await within.

The Voice of “Pleasure Is My Birthright”

This voice is actually a surface version of this deeper voice, which is the voice of enlightened pleasure.

I deserve pleasure, pleasure’s my birthright are not fully articulate versions of this deeper realization, which is the voice of enlightened pleasure.

Paradoxically, the depth of pleasure is inversely proportional to its elusiveness—it's readily accessible, right within our grasp.

It surrounds us, woven into the fabric of everyday existence: in the air we breathe, the hues that paint the world, the textures that tantalize our fingertips, and the symphony of sounds that serenade our ears.

As we awaken to a higher state of consciousness, our capacity to derive pleasure from these seemingly mundane experiences expands exponentially.

It's crucial to dispel the myth that enlightenment is reserved for a select few—sages secluded atop Himalayan peaks or mystics cloistered in hidden corners of the world.

True enlightenment transcends elitism; it is the birthright of every individual, regardless of background or circumstance.

This democratization of enlightenment heralds a shift towards inclusive participation in elevated consciousness—a journey that invites us all to partake in the richness of ordinary life, imbued with profound meaning and boundless pleasure.

The Voice of “The Obligation To Pleasure”

• “I’m obligated to pleasure”

“I’m obligated to pleasure” seems like a paradoxical statement in our cultural lexicon. The notion of obligation intertwined with pleasure appears counterintuitive, almost nonsensical.

In the evolving landscape of consciousness, we're exposed to a wealth of new insights previously unavailable. This expanding reservoir of knowledge unveils intriguing revelations about the nature of existence. Across various spiritual and experiential realms, there exists a common thread—the concept of judgment.

What precisely is judgment? It entails a pivotal moment wherein one's life unfurls before them, in a kaleidoscope of experiences.

Though interpretations may vary, this juncture entails a reflective assessment of one's journey. Far from being punitive, judgment signifies the inherent significance of our existence—the acknowledgment that our lives possess intrinsic value.

Without this evaluative process, life loses its depth, its resonance. Judgment, in essence, underscores the profound significance of our existence—a truth worth contemplating.

In these moments of transition, ancient texts recount a series of probing questions posed to the departing soul. These inquiries, rooted in Aramaic tradition, delve into the essence of human experience, probing the depths of our existence.

Question 1

Did you bring something into the world that actually emerges out of your creativity? Whether it’s physical creativity, spiritual creativity, psychological creativity, did you bring new consciousness into the world?

Question 2

Did you do business with integrity? Were you a greedy robber baron capitalist or were you a conscious capitalist? Were you only focused on the bottom line or were you conscious of the tipple bottom line? Did you think it was all about the shareholders or did you think that all of the thirty one stakeholders made a difference in the company, from the environment to the employees to the suppliers to the vendors to the shareholders to the owners to the competitors? Were you a conscious business-person? Did you do business with integrity?

Question 3

Did you engage in the study of wisdom in order to evolve your own consciousness?

In developmental studies, it's a surprising revelation that the average Western individual reaches a developmental plateau around the age of twenty-six.

This marks a significant endpoint in the trajectory of personal growth and maturation. Empirical research conducted cross-culturally reveals a consistent pattern: the majority of individuals cease to experience substantial developmental progress beyond this age.

It's a startling realization that the journey of growth and evolution appears to come to a halt at such a relatively young age.

Question 4

Did you do something to transform the world? Were you a revolutionary? Did you try and shift reality? Did you accept the status quo or did you try and shift, evolve, or heal something in your?

Those are the four classical questions, and if you look deeply at some of the versions of the sacred texts, they add a fifth question, and this fifth question is the fifth question for which you’re held accountable, for which you’re judged.

And I want to use that word ‘judgment’ with all of its implications – and feel the discomfort – judgment! You’re judged.

What’s the fifth question for which we’re judged?

Question 5

Edification. How did you allow your Evolutionary Unique Self Design Soul Print uplift you? Did you derive the fullness of pleasure from the world?

Our typical understanding of judgment revolves around being criticized for indulging in pleasures.

This perspective undergoes a radical transformation in this evolutionary leap of consciousness, suggesting that we are actually held responsible for deriving complete pleasure.

Picture a scenario where all the potential pleasures in your unique life story are presented before you.

"Did you miss out on that slice of pie? You were so close. Why didn't you order dessert?

It's a startling concept. The idea is that every pleasure available to you is laid out before you.

It's not just about whether you experienced all the pleasures, it is whether you experienced them to their fullest extent.

If you indulge too much, it ceases to be pleasurable.

Did you truly immerse yourself in each experience?

Did you extract maximum pleasure from every activity?

Did you explore a wide range of activities?

This isn't about hedonism; it's a far more nuanced and refined approach. It's about whether you've developed a 'pleasure map' that enables you to understand and achieve the Principles of Pleasure.

Have you learned how to obtain pleasures?

Can you differentiate between different forms of pleasure, distinguishing real pleasure from mere indulgence?

Did you experience the fullness of pleasure?

We are held accountable for whether or not we have fully embraced our pleasure. It's an obligation — the duty to fully embrace pleasure.

The Voice of “Evolutionary Pleasure”

• “I move from simple to complex (not to be confused with complicated) forms of pleasure

• “I move to more and more consciousness”

• “I evolve pleasure”

The progression of life can be seen as a progression of pleasure. The greater your consciousness, the greater your capacity to experience pleasure becomes.

As a litmus test for both personal and cultural evolution, one can gauge a society's advancement by its ability to derive wholesome, potent, and positive pleasure.

True evolution entails not just experiencing pleasure, it is experiencing it in a profound and enriching manner — creating a heightened sense of aliveness, delving into deeper sensory realms, and embracing a plethora of expansive experiences.

The ability to derive and appreciate such enriched pleasures marks the hallmark of an evolved human being.

The Voice of “The Sanity of Pleasure”

• “I'm good”

• “I hold”

• “I take care of”

• “I help the self rest”

• “I ask ‘is it safe?’”

In questioning the nature of the world, we go beyond mere friendliness.

Is it characterized by sanity and goodness?

Do I feel held and cared for?

Can I find solace and safety within it?

When we engage in pleasure, it serves as a profound reminder of our place in the world. It awakens within us the realization that we exist in a reality that not only loves us unconditionally it also created us as unique expressions of the Absolute.

We inhabit a world that acknowledges our infinite worth and dignity, one that nurtures our growth and affirms the inherent goodness of our being.

In excavating these inner voices and fully embracing the pleasure experienced, we unlock new realms of understanding and possibility.

Much like Ken Wilber's concept of the A.Q.A.L. model becoming psycho-active upon engagement, these voices within us come to light, requiring conscious awareness to prevent unconscious control.

The crux lies in our ability to consciously select the predominant voices of pleasure, distinguishing between those that are truly ours and those influenced by societal norms or the homogenized narratives of the collective consciousness.

Levels of Pleasure

Level 1 Pleasure

Pleasure of the senses.

Functional level 1 pleasure

• Consciously noticing newness / Delay gratification to increase pleasure / Learn how to (senses) tenderly / Arousal from above (a free gift from Cosmos) / Develop (skills - capacity) to get pleasure / Attention to create pleasure / Insert wedge of awareness / Enhance (sense) to be sustained and go deeper / Discern between counterfeit and functional pleasure / Realize there is no rate of exchange between level one and level two pleasure / Follow it all the way home directly to level four, True Self (Oneness) pleasure / Develop a sustained pleasure, not an ephemeral passing pleasure / Move from a kind of petty, boring, spasmodic four-and-a-half second orgasm to a full-bodied, emotional, heart blowing open experience of life as orgiastic / Transcend the automatic activity of (seeing, smelling, walking, standing, hearing, moving, tasting)

Counterfeit level 1 pleasure

• Stop noticing newness from habit and stop placing attention / Top noticing things because it's been (sense – activity) before in the past / Numb to the flow of newness / Various forms of addiction / Hijacking of attention (social media) / Interpenetrating every new event in terms of yesterday / Sense of going through the same day again and again / Comfort / experience yesterday as today / Exiled touch to the sexual / Pseudo-novelty (“when I don’t really know how to get pleasure, I’ll get a new one” - quick hit and bypass the need to learn a new skill - conditioned by consumer culture to use and dispose and get a new one - consumer culture in the way of the depth required to enter into the fullness of pleasure which requires skill) / Immediately associate pleasure with sexual experience only / Only get excited / Missing (windows to the sacred - opportunities for expansion)

Price

• Attention to bloom life / Attention / Attention: the placing of the heart / recognizing infinity placing it's attention on finitude / Giving myself permission to (place attention on – have attention placed on us) / The senses so reality enters our being and body / Letting senses open us to become our creative source

Practice

• Attention / Reclaim sovereignty over my own attention

Level 2 Pleasure

Pleasure of connection with others. Pleasure with relationship.

Functional level 2 pleasure

• Functional love perception / Affection / Relationships / Pleasure in a relationship Pleasure of fulfilling purpose / Pleasure of holding a bond / Being open to perspectives besides just our own / Shared (vision - dreams - values - vision of life) / Moving together in the world / Vision enacted together / Love: infinity placing its full attention on us mediated through an individual / The individual mediating infinity's attention towards us / Moving from the pornographic to the erotic / Recognizing that love is not mere human sentiment, and that love is the heart of existence itself

Counterfeit level 2 pleasure

• Living life with only an external locus of control / Infatuation: don't see (person) / Infatuation: narcissistic absorption / Co-dependency: an interior sense of self that thinks it needs constant validation by (person) and then can not access own interior self / Co-dependency: “I just cannot be alone” / Codependency: “I can't be without that constant stream of validation / Co-dependence (see other notes) (think in love, actually getting material security and safety in the world - engaged in egocentric game disguising itself as love) / Ordinary love: mutual using that never fills because it’s not an authentic form of pleasure / Expecting comfort to bring pleasure / Experiencing love as ordinary love and not as outrageous love / Not discerning that love is a perception and not a feeling / Comfort-love / Self swells to proportions occlude and make the (person) disappear / Not genuinely curious about (partner – beloved – child) / No shared (values - dreams - vision) / Shared vision of having a child yet unclear what values to transmit to the child / Mis-perceptions of betrayal: violated level two pleasure for some version of level one pleasure / Mis-perceptions of betrayal: created rate of exchange between pleasures / Cruelty at core: failure of curiosity / Labels: destroy curiosity / Pornography sweeping away the other / Socially not allow to continue being curious in relationship because it demands that attention exclusively go in one direction, and any attention out of that direction we ostracize / Don't see the other's unique self and then wake up “my god what was I thinking” /

• Exile love to being an

  • 1. Emotion

  • 2. Human emotion – being from infatuation

  • 3. Limiting it to one person

  • 4. Demanding that it last forever

  • 5. Breaking the pleasure circuit when it doesn't last forever

  • 6. If it doesn't last forever we think (we or “love”) has “failed”

Level 2 Price

• Curiosity is a prerequisite for commitment (maintaining life long curiosity) / Self-acceptance / Letting go / Maintaining awareness of feelings and needs behind what others say and do / Giving up being right / Sacrifice: bracket self and be curious of the interior experience of other / Bracketing self in devotion / When sex becomes love in the body and level one and two come together there is desire for sacrifice / Find self in love in devotion to other /

Level 2 Practice

• Integrate curiosity, kindness, tenderness and ecstasy / Don't be sexual unless there is a long term commitment / Don't be sexual unless you know their story and they know your story / Autonomy: interior self-referential validation

• Studying the laws of love

  • The three verbs of love

  • The three stations of love

    • Surrendering in love (functional submission)

    • Falling out of love / Rivalrous conflict governed by win-lose metrics / Intimacy disorder / Separation / Individuation / Power struggles (who is right and who is wrong - who is winning and who is losing) / Looking for station one again because it’s easier in choosing not to face Unique Shadow / Going to level one pleasure and not getting level two pleasure in life anymore / If one is afraid of losing anything they have not looked in the beloveds eyes / Doing an evaluation / Stuck in win-lose metric “what am I losing what am I gaining?” / Contraction brings expansion / Decent leading to the next ascent

    • Surrendering in love again at a higher and more expanded Consciousness, skill, and development

      • Sweetness / Skill of pleasure integration

Level 3 Pleasure

Standing for unique just cause, First Principal(s), First Value(s), something meaningful to you that can only be helped by your Unique Self and Unique Gifts.

Functional level 3 pleasure

• Standing for (cause – value) / Being consciously productive / Giving up something for a larger clarified vision / Meaningful work / Standing for (an ideal - cause - principal) / Experience of own (value - goodness) / Pleasure of incarnating a virtue

Counterfeit level 3 pleasure

• Going through surface routine with no Unique Contribution to your life / “I’m busy” / “If I'm not busy then there is something that is wrong with me” / The sense of being busy gives me a sense of (doing something valuable – being aligned with something important) / Addiction to business that doesn’t bring satisfaction / No experiencing actual pleasure so “need” to get more busy / Empty time (move to phone – social media - internet - send a message) / Hooked on the superficial of things / False cause / Can't identify something you're willing to die for and thus already dead / Cancel culture: conversation no longer takes place / Challenging to discern in (a broken information ecology – cancel culture) / Not passionately engaged in work merely in order to amplify (commitment - devotion) to level two pleasure / Haven’t discerned between a true cause and a false cause / No awareness of the laws of love - “everything is relative” / No or little (awareness - sense) of hierarchy of worldviews / Lost ability to discern / Unconsciously associating with current postmodern stance in culture: “there are no grand narratives” / No grand narratives leading to (loss of ability to discern - loss of access to genuine pleasure of incarnating virtue)

Level 3 Price

• Cultivating discernment / Get clarity on what you are ready to die for and then live for it / Stop mimicking others

Level 3 Practice

• Discern between external and internal obligation / Noticing and respecting obligation that wells up from inside yourself / Full willingness to sacrifice / The pleasure of honor / Create a new information ecology of First Principals daily distributed into the world

Level 4 Pleasure

True Self. Oneness. The seemless coat of the Universe.

Functional level 4 pleasure

• Being-ness / Awakening to Oneness / Clarified gnosis / Wisdom / Deep sense-making based on (a deep universe story – a deep narrative of identity - a deep narrative of evolutionary we space) True Self / Experiencing the One Desire moving through you / Non-story / Beyond the personal / Realize that millions of people who were literally intimately involved in the day in all the things we use or eat / Realization of ultimate inter-connectivity / Directly access lived realization of enlightenment / Move beyond the story of (contraction -grasping)

Counterfeit level 4 pleasure

• Spiritual bypassing

• “I have to move beyond my story” / Avoid working separate self issues / Eastern and western ideal: “be beyond needs” / Reject needs / Think needs are a function of the relative / Not knowing (how - who) I am / Insanity (“I am no self”) / Thinking false self is true identity / Thinking “I’m separate from (All-That-Is - nature - Source - from other)” / “I am merely a skin-encapsulated ego (I’ve got to fight with you - I’ve got to take advantage of you) because there’s not enough” / “If you have, I don’t have” / “In order for me to survive it’s got to be always in some way at your expense” / Misunderstood essential identity / Forgotten that I’ve forgotten / “Oh my god! I’m responsible for the whole thing” and then walk out and feel small again refracting the experience and pleasure of enlightenment through an ethnocentric prism: “We’re the chosen ones. You’re not” / Have a waking up experience, yet haven’t grown up beyond ethnocentric consciousness, so interpret waking up experience as meaning “I am in, you’re out” / Narcissism of True Self: “Everything’s perfect so, let’s just sit here in the One” / Programming only to survive / Let (theology - spirituality) deaden our sensitivity to pain

Price

• Being ready to get uncomfortable / Give up separate self conversational personality / Making small talk / Evolve beyond exclusive identification with separate self

Practices

• Contemplation / Meditation (Going beyond identity, thought, and memory / Chanting / Ecstatic dance/ Outrageous Love / Outrageous Suffering / Feeling into sacred moments (Birth - death - wedding - from the sacred moment into a realization of True Self) / Nature Mysticism / Music / Sacred Community / Trusted Friends / Pleasure Itself: expansion / shift the entire experience of pleasure/ Realize that everything’s alive and we’re part of that livingness / Yearning for the Eros of Gnosis

Level 5 Pleasure

Unique Self.

Functional level 5 pleasure

• Realizing you are uniquely special and so is everyone else / Creativity uniquely mediated through Reality having a you experience / The artist / Reclaim Sacred Autobiography beyond non-story / “There is something for me to do here” / Artistically engaged in the ecstatic urgency of their creation which emerges from their unique insight / The pleasure not of knowing own true nature, and builds on that pleasure / Delivered from loneliness (Unique Self alienation / Pleasure that is a byproduct of living our unique story / Unique way bringing joy to the field / radiate in the field by showing up as yourself / Clarifying the distortions of false self / Stopping to be an (imitator - imposter) / Be clear about where you’re being inauthentic and be authentic instead

Counterfeit level 5 pleasure

• “I'm more special than anyone else” / (Eckhart Tolle – Course In Miracles) true but partial conditioning getting insights on how attention got fixated in order to navigate the shock of separation (enneagram - human design - gene keys - astrology - numerology) / ego persuasion: telling (self - others) ‘move beyond your story.’ / “Let’s meditate and get rid of uniqueness.” / “there is no self” / unconscious belief: “my uniqueness is an accident” / unable to share (your soul print - your Unique Self with another person) / Ego (screaming out “I exist” - manipulating - competing - brutalizing - warring) with everyone else in order to prove to itself that it exists / Useing new subversive vocabularies as buzz words, jargon, or mere conjecture

Level 5 Price

• Unique Risk (step beyond comfort – embrace tension and pain) / Unique Risk is Unique Pleasure

Level 5 Practice

• Feel the artist / In devotion to other's specialness / Asking “what does Reality need or desire from me in this moment?” / Adopt new subversive vocabularies and redefine essence of your life (“evolving the source code” – “wholemate” – “Outrageous Love” – “Homo Amor Univeralis In Transitus”) to become the vocabulary and Dharma

Level 6 Pleasure

2nd Tier Integral Power.

Functional level 6 pleasure

• Pleasure of impact / Realization that Reality needs (me – my Unique Risk) / Realize and experience all of “infinity needs me now” / Recognize and experience that Unique Risk is not about your personal life / “It's not my life, it's our life” / Evolutionary Unique Self / (reality - realization) of outrageous love / force of allurement / commit the outrageous acts of love that are the singular expressions of Unique Self / evolving the whole field / participating in the evolution of love / live in an evolutionary context /

• Core Eros needs (one other person can not meet all of these needs) (all can be met by Unique Self)

  • To be intended

    • To know (person) was thinking of me

    • By reality

  • To be seen and recognized

    • To be recognized with my unique gorgeousness

  • To be needed

    • If I don't (have something in the world that calls me – something that requires my attention - experience myself as being need in a core way – create a framework where I am genuinely needed in the world) I die

  • To be desired

    • Appitation of Cosmos

    • Fundamental human right

  • To be adored

  • To grow

  • To be chosen ◦

    • “I wanna be the one” (has functional and dysfunctional side)

      • Functional side - Someone is consciously allured to your Unique Self

      • Dysfunctional side

Counterfeit level 6 pleasure

• 1st tier/oder thinking of power (Robert Greene’s book for example is a non-integral 1st tier/order level of thinking about old paragisms of power rooted in rivalrous conflicts individually and collectively governed by a win-lose metric-paradigm)

Short Critique of Robert Greene's book "Power"

1. Limited Perspective on Power: Greene's assertion that power is not natural overlooks the inherent dynamics of power in human interactions and societal structures. By focusing primarily on historical examples and strategic manipulation, he neglects deeper philosophical and metaphysical understandings of power, such as those found in perennial philosophy or first principles.

2. Reductionist View of Power: Greene's portrayal of power as a game perpetuates a narrow, win/lose paradigm that is characteristic of first-tier thinking. This limited perspective fails to recognize the potential for integrative, cooperative approaches to power that transcend adversarial dynamics. Scholars like Ken Wilber, Don Beck, and Robert Kegan would likely critique this approach for its failure to account for higher-order stages of development that emphasize collaboration and mutual benefit.

3. Lack of Ontological Foundation: Greene's assertion that mastery of power involves knowing what not to do lacks a robust ontological foundation. Without a deeper understanding of the nature of power and its ethical implications, such advice risks being arbitrary and disconnected from underlying principles.

4. Omission of Alternative Forms of Power: Greene's focus on statesmen and seducers as exemplars of power overlooks other forms of power, such as that wielded by individuals who inspire and transform through acts of love and compassion. By neglecting these forms of power, Greene presents a limited and potentially distorted view of human agency and influence.

5. Superficial Treatment of Power Dynamics: Greene's emphasis on surface-level strategies and tactics in "Laws" fails to address the deeper structural and systemic dynamics that underpin power relations. Without a consideration of these deeper layers, his analysis remains superficial and may overlook important insights into the nature of power and its manifestations.

Greene's book offers some ways navigating power only within 1st tier/order dynamics, its limitations in terms of philosophical depth, ethical considerations, and breadth of perspective warrant critical examination.

Counterfeit level 6 pleasure (continued)

• Committed to self-interest to only survive / Reductive 1st tier thinking that all power is (bad-evil-wrong-oppressive-harmful-hurtful-stupid) / Oscillate only between (small – big) abuse of power thinking / “Someone has to lose in order for me to win” / Getting intoxicated with pseudo-eros with illusion of power-over / Failure to realize my power / Can't locate self so play power games / False humility / “Power is bad” yet always taking power in the room covertly by facilitating / Spiritual Bypassing / “As long as there is a degradation of needs there will be a degradation of pleasure” / Only experiencing enlightenment as True Self that has “no needs” / “I need to move beyond the story this having no needs” / Humiliation of not having (needs-desires-wants-yearnings-longings) / Pleasures met because the image of the “enlightened person” is “beyond story” and “needs” to commit outrageous acts of love that are not yours to commit / neglect higher calling of allurement / Fall into depression because your conception of The Infinity of Intimacy or the Infinity of Power is too small

Level 6 Price

• Give up the false 1st tier/order power game

Level 6 Practice

• Discern between power-over, power-over, power-with others, and power-for (a larger cause in your life) / Discern between egocentric, ethnocentric, worldcentric, and cosmocentric forms of power in both their functioanl and dysfunctional expressions

Works Cited

Gafni, Marc. “Pleasure Map with Marc Gafni & Adam Gilad.” CIW Courses, ciwprograms.com/courses/pleasure-map-with-marc-gafni-adam-gilad/. Accessed

Floyd, Pink. “Comfortably Numb.” Www.youtube.com, www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-xTttimcNk.

Maté, Gabor, and Peter A. Levine. In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts : Close Encounters with Addiction. North Atlantic Books, 2011.

Gafni, Marc. Your Unique Self. Integral Publishers, 2012.

Publishing Group, Amplify. “First Principles and First Values.” Amplify Publishing Group, amplifypublishinggroup.com/product/nonfiction/politics-and-current-affairs/first-principles-and-first-values/.

Gafni, Marc, and Kristina Kincaid. A Return to Eros. BenBella Books, 2017.

“Hoarders Season 11 Trailer | A&E.” Www.youtube.com, www.youtube.com/watch?v=95AycNj4_3U.

Monk, Urban. “Prosperity - Official Documentary Trailer.” Www.youtube.com, www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGwySLuQdHQ.

Gafni, Marc, and Kate Maloney. Your Unique Self: An Integral Path to Success 3.0. 2014.

Pearl, Esther. “Finding ‘the One’ - Esther Perel.” Www.youtube.com, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejTBjX4Cu6Y.

Greene, Robert. The 48 Laws of Power. Penguin Publishing Group, 2000.

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