"If good happens, good; if bad happens, good." - Stephen Mitchell The Tao Te
Ching
- Lack of formal education on goodness : Despite extensive education and expert advice, Leo points out that most people have never been given a clear explanation of what goodness is. This absence is prevalent even in many spiritual teachings, where the concept of absolute good is seldom addressed.
- Absolute Goodness : Leo emphasizes that goodness is not just a human attribute or a relative concept, but an absolute one. He distinguishes between relative good and bad, which are human judgments, and absolute good, which can be directly experienced through expanded consciousness.
- Materialistic scientific paradigm's limitation : The scientific paradigm assumes reality is neutral and that any notion of absolute goodness is non-scientific. Leo challenges this assumption, proposing that reality is not merely neutral; it is the embodiment of absolute good.
- Consciousness and Goodness : Leo asserts that consciousness itself is goodness, and that realizing the full, absolute state of goodness requires infinite consciousness. This suggests that what we perceive as bad is merely a projection onto reality due to our biases and limited perspective.
- Creation of Reality and Goodness : Leo puts forth the idea that in a universe created by an entity with unlimited power, the highest good would allow infinite beings to realize the infinite goodness of consciousness. He claims that our current reality is this very embodiment of absolute good.
- Goodness as its own reward : According to Leo, goodness holds the unique position of being its own reward and goal, unlike other things like money that can be used for various ends. He presents the universe as a manifestation of this principle, where goodness is the point of reality itself.
- Human Misconceptions of Goodness : Human beings, having limited consciousness, often misjudge the universe as flawed due to personal biases and a narrow definition of goodness that fails to consider the infinite and selfless nature of reality.
- Goodness, Neutrality, and God's Creation : Leo revisits the concept that the universe, being created by God, is absolutely good by nature and that any perception of unfairness or evil is a result of human bias and limited consciousness.
- Achieving Godlike Goodness : The journey to living by Godlike goodness is difficult and fraught with traps such as adopting a false persona of selflessness. Leo concludes that becoming more conscious and experiencing absolute goodness directly are essential steps to genuine improvement and aligning with the selfless nature of the universe.
- Infinite perception and the illusion of evil : Goodness requires an infinite perspective to understand how every piece fits into the whole. Isolated local events may appear negative, but when viewed from a broader context, their role in the ultimate goodness becomes clear. Thus, the concept of evil dissolves as a mere perception problem, not an objective reality of the universe.
- God's existential dilemma and the nature of goodness : God is infinite goodness and desires for beings to realize their own infinite goodness. However, goodness cannot be coerced; it must be chosen freely. Coercion would negate the authenticity of goodness, making it a matter of self-preservation rather than selflessness.
- Conscious choice in being good : The essence of true goodness lies in its voluntary nature. It is about choosing to be good for the joy of goodness alone, without any higher priority or ulterior motive. This aligns with the nature of God, who is the embodiment of self-justifying, self-reinforcing goodness with no need for anything external.
- Goodness as a self-sufficient end : Goodness is self-reinforcing and tautological. Once conscious of this, one realizes that only goodness can exist, as it is a foundational structure of reality and God. Infinity and goodness are identical, meaning nothing can exist outside or prior to infinity—and goodness, by extension.
- God's infinite neutrality and embrace of existence : God's consciousness is pure, unbiased, and perfectly neutral. It embraces every possible form of existence, recognizing all as parts of itself. The ego mind misunderstands this, imagining God as a selective creator, whereas God allows all forms to arise without judgment.
- Overcoming the problem of evil through consciousness : The problem of evil is not solved by eliminating "evil" experiences but by understanding and embracing them with consciousness and love. Evil is not an inherent attribute of reality but a consequence of limited consciousness and personal biases.
- Misconception of goodness and personal hurt : Our perceptions of good and evil are influenced by personal hurts and self-preservation instincts. Overcoming this requires understanding the absolute good, which can be challenging for those who have personally suffered or have deeply ingrained biases.
- Self-bias as a barrier to perceiving absolute good : A lack of awareness of one's own self-bias impedes the ability to see reality clearly. To comprehend the absolute good, one must take the notion of self-bias seriously and work towards eliminating it.
- Influence of self bias on perception of absolute good : Our capacity to understand and accept absolute good is significantly hindered by self biases, including the fundamental desire to stay alive. This self-centered perspective warps our entire view of reality, giving rise to various problems and obstructing the realization of absolute good.
- God's infinite goodness and neutrality : Leo asserts that God represents infinite goodness due to infinite selflessness, suggesting that the universe's absolute neutrality, as seen by scientists, is not wholly grasped until it is recognized as absolute good. To awakened individuals, neutrality feels like overwhelming goodness rather than mere indifference.
- Conundrum of God's potential for evil : The question of why an all-powerful God doesn't choose to be evil is addressed. Leo argues that since God created all, including moral rules, these rules cannot bind God. God is not evil simply because, as the infinite entity, it has nothing to gain from selfishness and therefore has no motive to be evil.
- Stages of moral development : Morality evolves through stages of human development, from rules enforced by punishment and reward in childhood to socially enforced conformity, ultimately moving towards a principled approach that appreciates the relativity and multiplicity of perspectives.
- Concept of transcendent morality : Transcendent morality is described as a morality that transcends societal norms and doesn't judge others based on a lower level of consciousness. This higher-order morality sees the goodness in all beings, irrespective of their actions, which can be misinterpreted as unethical by those with less developed consciousness.
- Relativity of goodness : Leo explains that true goodness does not adhere to fixed judgments and must be expressed from a broad, balanced perspective understanding the relative nature of all viewpoints, aligned with what benefits the entirety of the universe, not just the self or immediate group.
- Concept of the Good Life : Living a good life, according to Leo Gura, means realizing absolute good and endeavoring to embody it, effectively becoming godlike or God. This transformation is the core measure of how good one's life is, based on how close they come to embodying God.
- Realization and Embodiment of Absolute Goodness : Realizing absolute goodness is critical before working to embody it, as mere ideology isn't enough. This realization must come through direct consciousness of absolute good as a guiding principle for life, beyond any rewards like money or pleasures.
- Impulse to Be Good : People inherently have an impulse to be good, which is the essence of God moving through them. This impulse can be obscured by the pragmatic demands of survival, leading individuals to lose touch with their true purpose, which is the manifestation of goodness.
- Practical Aspect of Goodness : Leo Gura highlights the practicality of reaching down to one's innate impulse to be good and building a life around it, despite it being one of life's most challenging pursuits. This involves facing one's fears and conquering them with love, realigning one's life to be congruent with the impulse to be good.
- Godlike Qualities : The qualities of being godlike or good include truth, honesty, integrity, concern for all, working for the benefit of others, selflessness, non-judgement, consciousness, recognition of beauty, forgiveness, and balance, among others. People who embody these qualities are seen as exceptional and inspirational.
- Transitioning to a Life Aligned with Goodness : Leo Gura discusses the daunting yet fulfilling journey of transitioning from a life not aligned with goodness to one that is. This often requires confronting fear, making tough decisions, and potentially changing one's career to align more closely with their impulse to be good.
- Absolute Goodness as the Ultimate Nature of Reality : According to Leo, reality is structured such that every point in the universe, irrespective of the route or duration it takes, will ultimately converge into absolute goodness. This concept reflects the Self-creating nature of God as inherently good.
- The Challenge of Overcoming Selfishness : Leo notes that becoming truly good, or godlike, is extremely difficult, as it requires surrendering oneself—a profound challenge due to the powerful instinct for survival honed over billions of years of evolution.
- The Invisibility of God as a Necessity for Infinite Good : He explains that God must be invisible; if God were visible and had a form, it would introduce limitations and selfishness, thus contradicting the nature of absolute goodness. Visibility entails limits, which equates to evil in this context.
- Dangers of Egoic Selflessness : Leo cautions against adopting a facade of selflessness as part of one's ego, differentiating between the genuine selflessness that comes from increased consciousness and merely pretending to be selfless.
- Trap of Self-Sacrifice and People Pleasing : He highlights a trap of self-sacrifice where people, especially women, wear themselves out by continually giving without receiving in return. True self-sacrifice involves confronting fear and not tolerating abuse.
- Understanding and Being Good Are Different : Leo admits that comprehending 'goodness' conceptually is one thing, but truly living in alignment with that understanding is another, more challenging matter.
- Goodness and Love as Similar Facets of Awakening : He clarifies that goodness and love are similar aspects of awakening that unify into a single concept at higher consciousness levels, although they may appear as distinct at lower levels of awareness.
- Truth, Consciousness, and Understanding Relativity Are Essential for Goodness : Finally, he asserts that truth, consciousness, and a deep understanding of relativity are critical for being truly good, pointing out that without these elements, one cannot be genuinely aligned with goodness.
- Emulating God's Neutrality : To be a truly good judge, one must not hold biases and must view every situation as neutral, as God does, who is not attached to any situation and views things in impartiality.
- Concern for the Whole : To achieve genuine goodness, one must have concern for the totality of creation, not just for a specific group or nation. Preferring the welfare of one over another leads to evil, as God's concern is universal, encompassing all life and matter in the universe.
- Non-Judgment : Non-judgment is critical for true goodness. Recognizing that he himself has not entirely overcome judgment, Leo emphasizes that one must first understand how to be non-judgmental and bias-free, which is a prerequisite to embodying godlike qualities.
- Godlike Goodness Is a Challenge : Leo underlines the difficulty of living a life characterized by godlike goodness. Understanding goodness is easier than embodying it, and falling short may lead to feelings of guilt, depression, and neuroticism about one's conduct.
- Committing to the Highest Goodness : Leo advises committing to and embodying the highest form of goodness in life, which may require taking challenging actions that people often avoid due to discomfort or attachment to their current way of life.
- Avoiding Traps on the Path to Goodness : On the path to godlike goodness, numerous traps such as neurotic behavior over failing to meet standards must be avoided. Devotion to embodying goodness takes precedence over distractions.
- Balancing Practical Action with Philosophical Wisdom : Leo acknowledges his teachings may appear too abstract to some and assures that while he will continue to delve deep into philosophical wisdom, he will also be offering more practical, success-based content in the future. The goal is to find and follow a path that works uniquely for each individual.