Freedom Beyond Programmed Development—From Larva to Butterfly and the Limitless Sky
Every object in the world is constantly developing. This implies that every object constantly abandons previous forms and acquires new ones under the influence of four factors:
- Origin
- Evolution that stems from its own nature and is therefore invariable
- Evolution that changes under the influence of external factors
- Evolution and transformation of external factors
Filter #1: You Have a Unique Imprint That Controls You
The first factor is the origin or the primary matter, its previous form. Since every object constantly changes form, each previous form is defined as “primary” with regard to the subsequent form. The inner properties depend solely on the origin, determine the subsequent form, and constitute its main factor, its individual information, gene or property.
The first factor (origin) is fundamental for us because we are creations of our parents. As their offspring, we (in a sense) are their copies; i.e., almost all the attributes of the parents and grandparents manifest themselves in their children. The concepts and knowledge acquired by the ancestors manifest in the descendants as habits and properties, even at an unconscious level. The concealed forces of heredity drive all of the descendants’ actions and are passed from generation to generation.
This gives rise to various inclinations that can be observed in people: faith, criticism, material comforts, stinginess, or modesty. None of them is an acquired property; rather, they are a heritage of close and distant ancestors registered in the offspring’s brain.
Since we automatically inherit the acquired properties of our ancestors, these properties resemble a grain that loses its form in the soil. Yet, some of our acquired properties manifest within us in an opposite way. Because primary matter manifests in forces without external form, this matter may carry both positive and negative properties. The three other factors influence us as well.
Filter #2: Recognizing Where You Are in the Given Order of Development
The second factor is the order of cause-and-effect development that depends on the origin of the object. This order does not change. An example is a grain of wheat that decays in the soil and, as a result, produces a new shoot. The wheat grain loses its original form, meaning it completely disappears and acquires a new form of a shoot that will produce a new initial form, a wheat grain, as such is its origin. Only the number of grains, and possibly their quality (size and taste) may change. In other words, one can observe the cause-and-effect order where everything depends on the origin of the object.
The order of causes and their consequences that ensue from one’s origin (the 2nd factor) is invariable. A grain decays under the influence of the environment and gradually changes its form until a new grain manifests. In other words, the first factor acquires the form of primary matter; the difference between the previous plant and the new shoot manifests only in quantity and quality.
By coming to this world, a person falls under the influence of society against his or her will and takes in society’s character and properties. Thus, one’s hereditary inclinations are transformed under the influence of society.
Filter #3: The Wild Card of Environment That Complicates the Game
The third factor is the cause-and-effect connection in the primary matter, which changes its properties after contact with external forces. Consequently, the quantity and quality of the grain change because additional factors (soil, water, sun) appear to complement the properties of the primary matter.
Since the force of the origin prevails over the additional factors, the changes may modify the grain’s quality, but not the species itself, such as turning a wheat grain into a barley grain. In other words, like the second factor, the third factor is the object’s inner factor, but unlike the second, it can change qualitatively and quantitatively.
The third factor is based on the influence of the environment. Every one of us knows how our tastes and views can sometimes be reversed under the influence of society. Nothing like that can occur at the inanimate, vegetative, or animate levels of nature; this can happen only with humans.
Filter #4: Forces of Nature That Change Your Fate
The fourth factor is the cause-and-effect connection between the forces that act on the outside, such as chance, the elements of nature, and neighbors. The fourth factor is the direct and indirect influence of negative external factors (troubles and anxiety) that have nothing to do with the consecutive order of development of the primary matter.
How the Four Factors Control Our Every Thought and Action
For the most part, these four factors together influence every individual object. All our thoughts and actions depend on these four factors and dictate our entire way of life. Just like clay in the hands of the potter, we are under the influence of these four factors. We therefore see that there is no freedom of desire, that everything depends solely on the interaction between these four factors, and that we can have no control.
But Could it Really Be That We Have No Free Will and No Control Over Our Destiny?
Free will is a broad topic in the wisdom of Kabbalah and requires prior knowledge of other Kabbalah principles in order to be understood properly. Therefore, in order to understand free will properly as it pertains to the wisdom of Kabbalah, we recommend taking a free Kabbalah course, in which two full lessons are dedicated to the topic, where you can also ask questions and get answers from Kabbalah instructors live. Sign Up for the Online Kabbalah Course »
“Recognize 4 Filters That Obscure Free Will and Discover Your Wings” is based on the book, Basic Concepts in Kabbalah: Expanding Your Inner Vision by Dr. Michael Laitman.
Image: "freedom in red / Libertad en rojo" by Jesus Solana.
