Introducing the relative self

[Williams, Pat]

Friends:

As a new subscriber to this list, I'll say a few words about myself and
why I wished to subscribe.

By profession I'm a psychologist, and I've always been interested in the
highest levels of human development.  As one who has long been
interested in things usually labeled "spiritual," I've also always been
interested in the highest levels of human development.  Through the
years I've come to believe that the highest unfolding is correlated with
full realization of that knowing to which sages such as Adishankara and
Ramana Maharshi have pointed.

I'm interested in these things primarily because of my own hope to
achieve full awakening.  But I'm also interested from an academic
perspective.  I believe those who warn that too great an intellectual
involvement in these matters can blind one to their truth.  But if one's
destiny brings about an academic interest in such things, then one just
has to be constantly on the alert.  One of my favorite reminders to
myself is to "stay tuned."

I'm grateful that a list such as this one exists, and I look forward to
participating.
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Patrick S. Williams
Department of Social Sciences
University of Houston-Downtown
Houston, TX 77002
713-221-8982