The 3 great realities
We all use the word reality as if it had a common meaning that we could all agree on. Sometimes we may agree, but often we don’t. There are 3 really big and very important realities that we all have to deal with in one way or another.
1. The world out there. This reality is quite obvious to some of us, but less clear to others. This is the world of hurricanes, muggings, and train accidents. The world of all unpredictable disasters, as well as all unexpected good surprises. Find the $ 20 bill, go to the movies, and meet your future spouse. We have almost no control over this world. There is nothing we can do to completely protect ourselves from a drunk driver or a suicide bomber or cancer or whatever.
2. The personal world. This reality is also quite obvious to most of us (although some of us seem oblivious). This is the day to day just making your own reality. Right now you are reading this article. You know that you are reading and you may even be aware of your reaction to what you are reading. This reality is one that you exercise on (well, to be more precise, one that you may considerable exercise control. You might decide to stop reading this right now, for example. Or could you?
3. The genetic master This reality is hidden from most of us, yet most of us are living through multiple genetic programs. These programs determine a lot of what we do, what we like, what we don’t like, what we believe, what we want, and many other things. When scientists first began studying DNA, they were primarily considering specific physical attributes as well as genetic ones. Recently, science has come to recognize that not only physical characteristics, but also complex behaviors are completely genetic.
Okay, I hear you say, so what? Well the big question for all of us, whether we know it or not, is “Who runs the show?” What you need to understand is that genetic programs are not really serving you. They are serving the species as a whole, so you (as a being in reality 2 above) are of little importance to them. They are doing their thing and most of the time they drag you down whether you like it or not.
Actually, in many ways that is fine because often your program of wants, needs, and desires coincides with the genetic program. But they often don’t match. Sometimes we see in other people this great disconnect between the person and their world (between reality 1 and reality 2). One guy really thinks that whistling at that beautiful woman is going to work. His genetic code (reality 3) forces him to do so. It works? Maybe. Or maybe everyone looks at it and thinks “what an idiot”.
As individuals, we encounter many conflicts because we live in a very complex society that has many rules, and very often those rules do not agree with what our genetic program tells us. The program says, “Go ahead, let yourself go.” The rules say “It’s better than not.”
This is all pretty good. Most of us learn to control some of our impulsive behaviors well enough to get along. some of us have a harder time learning it and that is why we have prisons.
What is important in all of this is the knowledge that genetic programs are part of us because they work. Really good for the species. The challenge for the individual is to understand his own genetic programs well enough that he can consciously use them for his own benefit. The obstacle is all the things that we learn to do and do not do.
Until recently, we really had no way of discovering which of the thousands of genetic programs dominated our own lives. The Human Design system has changed that. Now it is possible to discover exactly which genetic programs force it to act.