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The following first appeared in the private email list IVy-subscribers,
which was available to all those who subscribed to the
printed magazine, International Viewpoints.
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Consciousness and self-consciousness
by Phil Spickler
25 May 00

        Well, it's been a lot of fun, and most interesting, to hear about
whether it's a good idea or not to audit identities.  If auditing takes
place, I personally can't imagine who'd be getting all that auditing if it's
not identities.  However, once the guy cognites that he's not the identity of
someone who has identities, he's just saved himself about 300,000 hours of
auditing, and at the same time achieved one of the old-time great Buddhist
vows called "Finding out what you're not," or "Conceiving mind essence."

       However, aside from being very bad for business, it's a terrible
game-ender or -spoiler, and I only mention it occasionally when it seems like
various identities are asking for it.

       As ever and ever, and not-ever,
         Phil