Good point. When I finished writing that piece, I was thinking that, right as the monster appeared, Marcus could simply say, "No," in a manner in which Neo stopped bullets at the end of the first Matrix movie. Case closed.

But that's just the trap of power. In order to defeat it and lose our human form, we must eventually drop all shields and stand naked in the face of infinity, because only when we are formless, we can arrive at the totality of ourselves (see The Eagle's Gift).

Moreover, I find conscious shields extremely rigid, bordering on ritual superstitions. It's like living according to a strict set of rules, lest something goes south. Sure, I'm the one who defines those rules, but it's more like having an OCD than true freedom.

I guess, I prefer the fluidity of not having to bother with what Universe throws at me, because I don't have to bother with erecting shields. The "discipline" comes from not being reactive -- or “hooked” as Castaneda would put it -- but having an actual freedom of choice.

In any case, I don't push against your notion of limits (or rather, lack of thereof) because I'd consider that notion invalid. I just say that there are far more breathtaking vistas and far more freedom beyond that. The ultimate goal is the third attention, after all, and you can reach it and still tell the story.