“Reality: What a concept!”

Card messages in the Illuminated position.

+ Objectivism

(Perceptive, unbiased, factual, witness, formulation, substantial, concreteness, veracity)

1. There could be a great competition or legal troubles brewing for the one who fails to see obstacles. Objectify the situation view it as a Vulcan would – cold, dispassionate, and with sound logic.
2.  “It is what it is.” Objectivity requires accounting for actual circumstance in play. Here, the balance of reason and awareness is key to defining what is relevant, both in proportion and in correct sequence. Focus your analysis on the cost and benefits of your position.

 Quotes illustrating the Overleaf in this pole

• “Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn’t go away.” Philip K. Dick
• “Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced.” Soren Kierkegaard
• “True realism consists in revealing the surprising things which habit keeps covered and prevents us from seeing.” Jean Cocteau

Card messages in the Shadow position.

– Speculation

(supposition, subjective, projecting, selective facts, appearances, superficiality, bias, confabulation, pronouncement, wavering, verisimilitude)

1. Experts love to claim superior knowledge with their subjective speculations about real world situations. Filtering through personal beliefs and biases, some facts are present but their assembly is skewed. Are you taking in all the facts or just the ones that support your position? Your assessment of the current situation is just your spin on it. Listen, don’t form a conclusion yet.
2. I suppose so.” Is a passive statement accepting at face value what appears to be.  Appearances can be deceiving.

 Quotes illustrating the Overleaf in this pole

• “Magic is the envelopment and coercion of the objective world by the ego; it is a dynamic subjectivism. Religion is the coercion of the ego by gods and spirits who are objectively conceived beings in control of nature and man.” Richard Chase – American Folklorist
• “We can evade reality, but we cannot evade the consequences of evading reality” Ayn Rand

Relevance within the Michael Teaching

Behold “all that it is” could very well be the founding premise of the realist. Essence equips a personality with this view point for the purpose of enveloping all that can be tangibly known and accounted for. The need to know and then right action is paramount to the confident of the Realist who puts great stock in making competent choices. Notwithstanding this however, the soul in Realism has the capacity for verisimilitude, seeing the true or factual pattern beneath the surface of conditions or circumstances. This may help in qualities of fairness, accountability, accuracy in assessment and learning, and credibility. This exalted Attitude forestalls judgment by focusing attention on the gathering and assembling of facts. Not to test them like the Skeptic, but locate them and make certain they apply in a given situation. Relevancy is a high concern for the Illuminated pole Realist.

The conflict for the Realist is having a desire for certainly is crippled by the ability to take too many factors into account. The resulting ambivalence can proceed in two directions: toward the person forming a conclusion biased by superficial appearances. Or they are indecisive and allow circumstances to form defensible consensus masking their uncertainty and be defensible in the name of “all things being equal.”

Unlike the Cynic, its complementary partner which tends to consider decisions with a simple binary of black or white; the Realist understands that there are shades of gray and desires not to throw out the “baby with the bath water.” Hence, decision making will appear quite similar to Caution Mode in that it will not be hasty but it will be well considered. Like the Cynic, respect and credibility loom large for Realist. Neither wants to be embarrassed, but the Realist wants to prove its point. The Cynic says “prove it too me.”

Famous Persons

Raymond Burr, Princess Diana, Earnest Borgnine, Bella Abzug, Lauren Bacall, Tom Brokaw, John Cleese, Joan Collins, Mario Cuomo,  Judge Wapner, Clint Eastwood, Jerry Falwall, Diane Feinstein, Glenn Ford, Michael J. Fox, Katherine Hepburn, Rock Hudson, Grace Jones, Henry Kissinger, C. Everett Koop, Madonna, General Patton, Tina Turner.

Cultural Relevance

So-called or “talking heads” are often pride themselves on knowing “what is”; a foundation of competency which gives rise to prominence and respect from expertise. In life, one of the most difficult challenges anyone faces is accurately accessing the actual events in a given situation. Required for this first is the application of attention, then impartial honesty in their reporting, accurate identification, and clear labeling of things and circumstances. Beside these faculties, internal filters come into the mix and self-awareness or at least self control are key for the positive pole of Objectivity. Admitting to one’s bias and to the possibility of projecting one’s beliefs onto a situation, lessens the certainty, but increases the credibility and authenticity of the reporter.

Whereas the Goal of Discrimination could be considered getting to the lowest common denominator, the Realist Attitude is a process of factoring the equation as if to group things together that connected to each other. In the Shadow side of things, the problem arises where in our haste to pass judgment of win the agreement of our peers or venerated authorities, we can group ideas together that might vaguely sound similar but with a bit of scrutiny, be seen to be out of context to one another.

In the modern era, we find ourselves deluged by factoids that might have no bearing on a decision but are introduced and confuse situations greatly. Issues like climate change, economic parity, and energy policy, have within them many verifiable concrete aspects, but the actual cause and effect and how one builds and argument from them, is muddied by opinion, dogma, and specific agendas – so-called “special interests.” As a result, on many fronts, indecision reigns as law makers and policy wonks search for a way to save face if they are viewed in someway wrong. Here the Cynic asserting “cut the crap” would do us well even more so that the wily Pragmatist who seeks to end stalemates with compromise.

If you are a Realist then you will…

1. See every side of a situation.
2. Make an effort not to read in what isn’t there.
3. Want to make the best informed decision, but there is so much to consider.
4. Determine that your opinion has assessed the facts in the most accurate way.
5. People come to me because I have a credible opinion.

by Stephen Cocconi © 2011-2012

For a Tarot Session or Channeled Consultation call: 209.768-4956209.768-4956 or email Stephen at channeling@themichaelteaching.com