3.3. Easy Not to Do; Difficult to Do

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.