3.1. Causalism is a Tool
It all begins with an idea.
Causalism does not claim to be, or have, the truth.
Causalism claims to be a tool.
That notwithstanding, one is encouraged not to dwell too long on words, definitions, and dualistic classifications. Whenever one finds themselves in the swirling loops of classifying the unclassifiable, one might use this as a sign to return to Causalism’s two commitments where the simple and sturdy instruction can re-center one in relation to their task.
3.2. We are Seekers, not Stayers
It all begins with an idea.
We seek the improvement of our souls, not merely contentment.
In this seeking we may find it vital to remain open and resist the decay of stagnancy. At best, openness permits us to learn and adapt to all existence has to offer.
Further, though tempting, we must not sit idle in the endlessly beautiful fields of Causalistic contemplation. For Causalism is only a tool, or an educational palace of soulful transformation.
If inner harmonization was all we sought, we might be accused of selfishness. Internal peace is good, but our goal is to reconcile with reality. While this begins within, it manifests throughout.
Harmonization is a full life experience.
3.3. Easy Not to Do; Difficult to Do
It all begins with an idea.
Living within the two commitments of Causalism is challenging not only because 'not doing' is often the easier route. It is that Causalism goes against two of the major default modes of human nature: stagnancy and free will.
Stagnancy’s danger is self-evident. It is why many traditions consider sloth to be a deadly sin. Other traditions state their singular entry requirement as embracing the difficulty of perpetual inner change.
The second default mode, free will, is more complicated.
The best argument for free will humanity has today is as follows:
“It feels like I have it.”
The feeling is powerful and has become a bedrock of society. It is the default human view. The feeling alone causes belief in it. If this is the historical mode of your entire life, it will be understandably difficult to fight against for the sake of the exact opposite.
To this end, living within Causalism requires a constant state of reflection and reevaluation. This is hard but rewarding work.
For example, perhaps you forgot something you intended to bring with you on your way. At first, you may be frustrated with yourself for the ‘error.’ Upon reevaluation, you realize there was no way the universe could have otherwise unrolled than for you to have accidentally left that item behind. This does not mean it didn't happen – it did! But, the emotional implications of the situation are profoundly shifted. You are fully experiencing the difficult emotions as you really were the one to cause the misfortune — but, there was none of your ‘choice’ involved, no matter how much it feels as such.
The need to constantly put a check on your default mode (free will) inherently leads to a practice of contemplation and reflection.
Living in a mode of heightened, introspective awareness allows one to fight against the sometimes dangerous impulses of feeling.
This state of contemplative being is similar to what many of the great traditions of humanity prescribe.
3.4. The Fallacy of Losing Motivation
It all begins with an idea.
Often, those who initially hold tight to the proposition of free will imagine that to practice Causalism would lead to complete apathy; laying around all day in paralysis, completely unmotivated. This is entirely misguided. Motivation and free will only appear to be linked in this manner at first look. Under further investigation, they are not connected at all.
Do humans do what they do simply because they feel that they can? Because they have the free will to do so? This does not seem to be the case, or even a logical candidate to explain the actual impetus behind what humans do. Individuals do what they do because of who they are, their desires, their past causes, and their abilities — not crudely due to the happenstance that they believe they have the free will to do so and figure ‘why not?'
The idea of free will alone is almost never the starting reason for why people take action. Instead, free will is merely the lens with which they view and make sense of their lives which has nothing to do with their motivation or who they are.
3.5. The Freedom of Non-Utility
It all begins with an idea.
If we have the freedom to speak, then we must also have the freedom not to speak.
Anything that is truly 'free', should have the attribute of optional utility allowing it to be or turned off or put aside. Otherwise, it is not truly free.
If free will is so free, ask someone who believes free will is the driving force of their life to completely stop using it. Envision what their life would be like if they completely ‘turned their free will off’... tLife would be functionally impossible if free will was responsible for all that those subscribing to free will attribute to it.
And even if one was to 'try' this experiment (as they were causally determined to do, due to their strong headed nature) they would likely grow tired of the useless attempt and soon return to their previous mode of life along their own causal chain. Not due to their free will, but because this is what that individual would have done regardless of what beliefs they use to make sense of those actions.
Most of what we do is unconscious action, and some of it rises to the level where uncertainty has us ascribe the belief in free will as a pacifier for difficult situations.
3.6. Limits of Causalism
It all begins with an idea.
Causalism is not a religion. It is a tool (Section 3.1.)
It is important to acknowledge the inherent lack of a moral code in Casualism. This puts limits on it as a practice. Causalism allows us to be aware of our diets (Section 1.1) that are made up of inputs from other belief systems and traditions from which we can derive a basis of goodness (Section 1.6.)
Causalism serves only to open one to a new way of experiencing life. Like a summer fling flush with enough love and learnings to last a lifetime.