(06-21-2018, 07:29 PM)Frosted Wrote: [ -> ]Shannon do you believe an ascendant alpha is an alpha who is enlightened? Can you be enlightened but not alpha?
Ascendant alpha is a type of enlightenment, but not the type that is commonly discussed religiously. To be an ascendant alpha, you must know and master yourself.
Enlightenment in the religious sense is different in a number of ways.
It is possible to be both at once, and it is possible for them to be experienced separately. Enlightenment in the religious or spiritual sense will often produce behaviors that are extremely alpha, but appear to be extremely beta because those observing do not understand what is happening. True enlightenment is among other things a very high degree of self mastery in a broad sense.
The higher you go on the scale of understanding, by nature, the fewer people around you will understand what you do. And, as a consequence, they will progressively fail to understand what you do because they do not understand the thoughts, understandings, point of view and beliefs that produced those actions.
This is why it is said that "there is a fine line between genius and insanity", because true genius can appear to be insanity to someone who cannot understand the "why" behind the resulting choices and actions.
Self mastery is alphaness, in its own sense, and as with anything, the higher you go on the scale, the less the masses will recognize what they are seeing as being what it actually is.
So for example, the typical image of the "alpha male" is akin to the silverback gorilla. Big, strong, loud and intimidating physically. But this is actually the lowest form of alpha expression possible. The highest form is so far beyond the need to prove anything to anyone that they go completely unnoticed most of the time, unless they want to be noticed. They may, in fact, appear to be betas to those who only understand the silverback style of alpha. To most people, they will simply appear to be lone wolves or relatively nondescript. The only thing that gives them away, usually, is the fact that they do as they please and believe what they do regardless of what others think or say or do. And even that may not be obvious at first glance.
The highest levels of alpha never say that they are alpha. They never do the things that everyone is looking for in a "silverback alpha type". They have mastered themselves to a degree that they do not need that sort of display or recognition because they do not have the insecurities that drive it. Zen alpha is a good way to put it.
Some of the greatest and most recognized names in history who taught peace were this type of alpha. And many people consider them "enlightened" in the religious and/or spiritual sense.
It is possible to achieve a state where "alpha" and "beta" and "sigma" and all the rest cease to apply because the person either has transcended labels or because they have become so highly evolved within themselves that they become something beyond that.
There is no competition for the highest levels of alpha, because they simply decline to compete. They don't need to; they have what they need and want regardless.
Hope that helps explain it a bit.
