“I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.” -Albert Einstein

Faculties 1-4: The Be

The Secular Self (F1) & The Observologist (F2) create a lens through which an omniscient narrator (The AUM Trinity) can witness the protagonist (The Essential Self) from 4 abstracted vantage points: an Inner Story, an Outer Story, a Limbo Story and also the holographic reflection of the Core Story and the Wisdom Seat as one.

The Wounded (F3) and the Philosopher (F4) are foundational characters that hold the lens, create the frame and decide when to zoom in and zoom out of each experience. Basically, The Wounded and The Philosopher have the first and final say on how the story gets told. In a best case scenario, this means they are responsible for “authoring authenticity'.

“The human heart has hidden treasures, in secret kept, in silence sealed; The thoughts, the hopes, the dreams, the pleasures, Whose charms were broken if revealed.”- Charlotte Bronte

Faculties 5-8: The Be & Do

There are 8 main characters in the Inner Story: The Seeker, The Warrior, The Practitioner, The Artist, The Renunciate, The Diviner, The Agent, and The Liaison. These characters receive the script from the core story and live out the prescriptions as a dynamic interplay of the subconscious mind.

The Seeker (F5) is the one who sets out to experience the being in doing “it” or “IT” in “It.” As theologian Thomas Merton illustrates in the following question “What can we gain by sailing to the moon if we are not able to cross the abyss that separates us from ourselves?” The Seeker sets sail on a “voyage of discovery” to create a relationship with truth.

The Warrior (F6) is the one who fights to clarify what’s “it” and what’s not “IT” and renounce “it” to reconcile “IT” in “It.” As the masterful CS Lewis pronounces: Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point.” The Warrior stands up for truth in order to champion virtue.

The Practitioner (F7) is the one who works & keeps pace day-to-day & has to “just do It” to stay in the game. As the transcendental icon Henry David Thoreau exemplifies in Walden, “Simplify, Simplify, Simplify” the doing in order to get in touch with the being. The Practitioner tries to keep pace in the day-to-day operations and is the guardian of “It.” Searching for IT, needn’t keep us from It.

The Artist (F8) is the one who craves IT in all forms of shadow and light source both and in glimpses sees the whole picture: that IT transcends It. As the thirteenth century mystic Rumi lyricizes: “Let the beauty of what you love be what you do.” The Artist is a very passionate character who feels a deep calling to translate IT in their own unique way.

The Renunciate (F9) is the one who has to give “it” up if “it” is an obstacle in the pursuit of “IT.” As the Nobel Prize winning author Herman Hesse points out “Some of us think holding on makes us strong, but sometimes it is letting go.” The Renunciate is our strongest character who chooses willingness as the key to will power and consciously creates space for IT in It as a daily devotion.

The Diviner (F10) is the one who “knows IT” when they see IT and therefore sees It in whole new ways. As the beloved Charlotte Bronte articulates: “The soul, fortunately, has an interpreter – often an unconscious, but still a truthful interpreter – in the eye.” The Diviner has keen vision and can see It in new perspectives, creating mosaics of the past, present and future.

The Agent (F11) is the one who connects the dots and realizes relationships between the other characters that provide access to IT more efficiently in It. As the twentieth century comedian Fred Allen so aptly expresses: “A telescope will magnify a star a thousand times, but a good press agent can do even better.” The Agent mobilizes enthusiasm to amplify the potential for IT to out shine it in all sectors.

The Liaison (F12) is the one who facilitates the communication between the characters and synthesizes a common mission to clearly express “IT” to the external world. As the legendary John Lennon sums up: “”A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.” The Liaison links up the Inner Story with the other Stories in It.

“I have just three things to teach: simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures.” -Lao Tzu

Faculties 13-15: The Space between the Do & Be

There are 3 main characters in the Limbo Story: The Channel, The Healer, and The Shaman. These characters are the manifestation of the eight limb of Yoga and provide direct access with the AUM trinity and therefore are the bridge between the Atmatypes and the Brahmatypes.

The Channel (F13) is the one who funnels the messages (wisdom) from the Aum Trinity to the 4 main characters of the Core Story so that all the characters get IT. As the Budda says: “Just as treasures are uncovered from the earth, so virtue appears from good deeds, and wisdom appears from a pure and peaceful mind. To walk safely through the maze of human life, one needs the light of wisdom and the guidance of virtue.” The Channel dials IT up and downloads the goods!

The Healer (F14) is the one who shares the feeling of the AUM trinity in the visceral cavity or cosmic womb to bathe in IT. As the preeminent writer Zora Neale Hurston exclaims: “Love makes your soul crawl out from its hiding place.” The Healer, h.armonizes e.nergy a.nd l.ightens It up!

The Shaman (F15) is the one who reaches in and destroys it wherever it is embedded within the 8 characters of the Inner Story. As the founder of analytical psychology, Carl Jung testifies: “Knowing your own darkness is the best method for dealing with the darkness of other people.” The Shaman rallies forces in the name of IT.

“Whatever is rejected from the self, appears in the world as an event.” -C.G. Jung

Faculties 16-19: The Do & Be

There are 4 main characters in the Outer Story: The Awakened, The Enlightened, The Teacher, and The Student. These characters are the manifestation of consciousness and the embodiment of the subconscious mind. The Outer Story speaks the Inner Story and has a challenging role. When “it” comes to the surface so that “it” can be released – it can attract more “it” according to the Law of Magnetism based in attraction and repulsion. The characters of the Outer Story have lofty goals of being sane (self-awareness never ends) which in turn necessitates being ”in” s.elf a.wareness. n.ever e.nds, as an on-going process. Luckily, as the Inner Story and Outer Story weave together in congruent tales, the question of sane or in-sane becomes less about polarities, like am I good or am I bad, and more about the recognition of IT in all things.

The Awakened (F16) is the one who takes a stand in this outward expression of “IT” in spite of it and serves as the externalized embodiment of the Inner Story. As the visionary Psychologist Carl Jung, pronounces: “There is no coming to consciousness without pain.” The Awakened feels to heal as the first ones to release it in outward ways.

The Enlightened (F17) is the one who holds the lessons of these earned epiphanies and verifies that “lightening up” may be an experiential example of the whole point of IT. As his Holiness the Dalai Lama XIV persuades: “A genuine, affectionate smile is very important in our day-to-day lives.” The Enlightened is an ambassador of IT and a beacon of compassion offering comfort and support by example.

The Teacher (F18) is the one who synthesizes the pithy parts of these earned epiphanies and models IT in clever translations. As the German Philosopher of the late nineteenth century, Friedrich Nietzsche posits: “Invisible threads are the strongest ties.” The teacher builds rapport with others and draws from direct experiences with IT to share lessons in It.

The Student (F19) is the one who keeps the story unfolding by humbly, living the questions of it and IT. As the professional boxer and philanthropist, Muhamed Ali reminds us: “It’s the repetition of affirmations that leads to belief. And once that belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen.” The Student honors IT to let go of it – little by little and more and more.