The Blight of Dogma, Ideology, Belief Systems, Radical Fundamentalism, which are based on valid cognition, but not on non-dual insight

In a parallel way, if we look at any belief system we see a structure or way of ordering the world. This structure is always based on principles (conscious or not). There is a cause and effect relationship formed in such "beliefs" about reality. These structures or beliefs obey certain inter-relationship rules. Many people have tried to map such out in many systems. For example, Science of Mind, theology, religion in general, cognitive science (or biology in general), psychology, phenomenology (Hegel), philosophy in general, physics, metaphysics, astrology, the enneagram, etc. These are all ways of viewing or seeing self and the world, which have their own laws or theories of inter-relationships/connect-ability.

As has been shown authoritarianism, chauvinism, sectarianism, religionism, racism, nationalism, fundamentalist evangelism, etc., are all based on a compensatory need that substitutes for directly being in one's own innate natural state, of direct gnosis or jnana. There is no need to grab at external dictates (pramana) when one is interconnected with their own true nature (swarupa) -- their inner wisdom and authority. When they are not accessing their natural ground of being, then all sorts of insecurities, needs, attachments, fears, and confusion can follow. The more tenacious the belief, the more the ego will resist transformation and change -- the more close minded they will remain. This comes to a head with idealists who are transcendents or otherworldly. That is, those who feel superior and arrogant, such as evangelists and revolutionaries who try to force their beliefs upon others. So we must recognize that transcendentalist crusaders/jihadists actually believe in their purpose strong enough to force others to their ways to a point of even killing people who resist them. Here it is valuable to discern between the altruistic zealot believer and the cynic who is merely trying to manipulate people in order to control them for their own selfish ends. The latter is merely an actor/player mouthing the words, while the former is a true believer. In either situation these beliefs are not based on the direct experience of unity consciousness, love, knowledge, and timeless wisdom (yoga), where the citta-vrtti have completely ceased. When a yogi comes to functional and authentic terms with the sublime order of All Our Relations, he/she has no need for belief systems as a motivational factor.

If our "beliefs" about something actually conform to our direct experience -- the way it really is", rather than the opposite (by conforming to an external second hand belief system), then a non-limiting synergistic synergy can be experienced as in, "wow, it all becomes clear and things flow and make sense again! Eureka!" Here great inventions and innovations may discovered/expressed, rather than a hoax or contrived sham. This is similar to how Einstein described his own process of discovery. However, all beliefs "about some thing" fall short because it externalizes/objectifies our direct experience within a dualistic mental context of an independent observer and separate object. Hence this ideation process itself is a thought formation process which disconnects us from the direct egoless continuous non-dual experience. As soon as we recognize that these conditioned mental habitual thought constructs/patterns serve as the limited bars of our mental prisons, such a recognition can serve as an open doorway to the non-dual inter-personal, and transconceptual whole. They no longer appear as separate, independent, or discrete specific expressions (phenomena), but rather a reflection connecting us with the whole directly and completely. That is the fundamental criteria of authentic yoga; i.e., whether it connects/unites us all in the shared and intelligent experience of unconditional love. Not that there exists anything "wrong" or "bad" about the specific expression per se, nor that one should not limit the whole by expressing it in aspects, but rather the contextual integrity (yoga) should be contextually recognized as our true experience. This natural uncontrived reality contains in its completeness an inherent order that can not be contained by man's intellect (as the intellect and conceptual processes depend on words and/or other symbols). The sourceless source or original wisdom is neither the result of the human mind, brain, or nervous system, but rather these latter are contained by the former. At the same time each and every cell and atom of this wholistic wholographic matrix can resonate in harmony attuned and integrated with that all inclusive Infinite Universal Integrity in the union of authentic love.

That Reality is beyond belief. It has its own innate order and laws which obviate the need for manmade structure and artificial systems of thought -- which eliminates neurotic need entirely. I think we agree on this.

"To a true renunciate, who is free from subject/object duality, belief is an impediment"

~ Shankaracharya

This unfabricated "REALITY" is the profound "as-it-is-as-it-is" goal of yoga meditation, according to Patanjali. Patanjali does not define meditation as any technique, any doing, any objective practice rather he defines it as its absence. He defines the practices of mere techniques as preparatory to meditation proper in order to help create the stable stage of meditation where ordinary thought processes (the monkey mind) ceases. So Patanjali's definition of meditation is defined as the process of dropping all thought constructs, objectifications, beliefs, as well as techniques unless we define this cessation/dropping of techniques as a technique itself. So then in the end this is the last technique to drop, before samadhi self arises, as the true nature of Mind or the Natural Mind itself (unconstructed from the beginning). This type of meditation is experienced as an emptying process of all these spinning mental processes (called vrtti) which were produced and held together by the kleshas, karma, vasana, and samskara. Then when this spinning is stilled, the mind contents emptied, even beyond the most subtle objects or processes of individual thoughts, then we are allowed to merge in alignment/attunement to that which is profoundly and innately present -- ineffable and unlimited. That is what he calls nirvicara samadhi. In meditation we get glimpses of that. When the mind starts to spin again and fill up, then we empty. Then we taste nirvicara samadhi again. Eventually through repeated practice, it becomes longer lasting and integrated better. For some it becomes permanent samadhi (nirbija samadhi). So in Patanjali's meditation practice (called dhyana) there is no doingness or technique, rather the goal is the letting go of doingness and technique itself -- emptiness, non-doingness, or boundless big openness is experienced.

Being open to THAT -- that inseparable inter-connectedness that permeates all and everything which we allow to pierce through our close minded veil when concepts and beliefs are suspended in meditation. That BIGGER order of things -- the Logos, Dharma, Inherent Natural Mind -- call it what you will -- when we are so connected -- we are filled and don't need the crutch of belief systems. Meditation is a great practice, but the meditative experiences are to be gradually integrated into daily life, just like the lessons or experiences learned from asana, pranayama, contemplation, visualization, chanting, art, music, etc.

In fact pramana is vrtti for many reasons. Through dualistic subject/object duality in the process of perception of an object, the apprehension process of the mind in which the sense data is being placed (called pratyaya) and then processed is inherently dualistic. It may have value outside (it is first . The inference process itself which in inherently limited (being a mere faint reflection of the Intelligent Source (Param purusha) as well as dependence upon any external validating authority -- all are inherently flawed.

Man falls back to external authority structures, beliefs, and conceptual mental constructs only when there is an absence of a direct experience of divine Grace or Divine order, like why Adam and Eve had to cover themselves after being kicked out of the God's Garden, albeit that is a story with parallel/multi-dimensional meanings. So in saying that in "one's own experience" there does exists a divine order, cosmic laws and principles, does not connote that it is contrived by man, nor that man can fully comprehend it in his conceptual mind or belief systems, but rather man can only experience it fully when he opens to it fully without any pre-conceptions and especially after dropping belief systems which create abstraction/extraction from "IT". Here one simply aligns with it, abides in harmony with it as an integral part of it (to borrow a phrase from Erich as a wave on the ocean). If we are really there (centered and aligned with it, then there is no other need to fabricate, no fear, no desire, no anger, rather an ecstatic love rules.

So maybe we can distinguish between three types of belief systems, where only the last one being no belief system at all. The first are the common types based on dualistic experience and ordinary perception (pratyaksha), conceptual and rational thought (anumana), and/or authoritative witnessing and testimony (agama). This creates a top down neuro-physiological conditioning imposed by the frontal cortex upon our psycho-neurophysiology and hence limits our experiences according to the limitations that belong to such beliefs.

Belief systems thus can be broken down into three broad categories.

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