Freedom from Attitudes

An attitude is a point of view taken automatically, a reaction; it is something that happens (in thought or action) without a pause and without seeing things differently. Attitudes are formed in childhood by a taken for granted way of thinking. They are fixed patterns in our psychic structure. Certain pathways of neurons are excited in the brain automatically, and do not give an opportunity for any new chain of thought. These attitudes are expressed in beliefs, opinions, prejudices, moods, temperaments, routines, postures, and gestures; these we keep taking automatically thereby narrowing our vision and perception of life. A person full of attitudes is a machine who has become dead to life.

The first attitude formed in childhood is "I am better than you". Alongside is born the attitude of seeking appreciation. A child needs love, attention, and appreciation. This is natural and helps one grow and mature. The child's personality is built by love received from others. A child is ignorant and cannot see the dependence upon others. For instance, a boy; he assumes being the centre around whom everyone runs. A small cry and the mother rushes forth, a slight gesture and the child is fed, a wail and the nappies are changed. Everyone is running around him. The child is the king and all else his subjects. From this dependence is born our deepest attitude, "I am a king", "I know better", "I am superior".

Whenever we meet people, these attitudes turn on automatically. We go into a room of people and feel the need that everyone look at us, talk about us, and appreciate our opinion.

When the young king grows up a little, he is sent to school. Of course, the class is full of young kings. When two kings confront each other, one gets hurt but if he shows he is hurt then the others are superior, so he learns to hide, to show what he is not. From this is born the attitude, "nothing has happened to me", and "it is not my fault".

We have attitudes from religion, upbringing, education, and race.

The guru teaches the disciple to work with and eventually free himself from such attitudes, mostly by observing gestures. This requires the student to work hard over a long period of time. Freedom from attitudes brings a new perception of everything.