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Look for the slowing down in your energy and consciousness, noticing it and experiencing this slowing or resistance is the beginning of understanding the octave or different energy. If I am unaware of this slowing down, I will forget that to complete my aim I must pass through the interval and this requires something new. If I don’t obtain it, the octave will stop moving upwards towards my goal and mechanically descend, ending back at its starting point. Octaves never stand still; they are always ascending or descending. Practices to Gather New Impressions of Myself Directing my attention. Noticing what is new. Sensing my body, a posture, a limb, my facial expression, gestures, general bodily movements etc. Connecting my three centers through simple somatic exercises linking my cognitive part with my body through my wish to be present to my existence—foot, toe, heel, etc. Struggling with a rhythm, etc.
Sadness Sadness is a natural human emotion (affect) that very often is covered up unconsciously by people. Instead of experiencing sadness, I defend against it by being angry, feeling out of sorts or in some way cover it over or distract myself so that I do not have to experience sadness. The latter has become habitual and is epidemic. A great deal of human activity such as that of consumerism, addictive drinking, gambling, and other such distractions can be painful attempts to avoid experiencing sadness.
Law of Three Pick some aim for the day. It might be as simple as doing something you have been putting off. For example, cleaning a room and remaining aware of each movement of your body through sensing as you clean. This is a small example of conscious labor. It is easier to begin with small tasks. Notice what happens when you seek to fulfill this aim. Perhaps little things pull you away, you get tired, or interested in something else, or you do not have the time to do it, etc. If you can persist in your aim, pay particular attention to your frustrations while accomplishing or not being able to accomplish it. Of course, you will need to pick some aim that is somewhat difficult for you and not simply something you enjoy doing, in order that frustration can raise its head. Then you may get a chance to see the Law of Three at work. Your effort to accomplish your aim is the active force. The resistance or passive force will be everything, inner and outer, that gets in your way. The reconciling force is more difficult to see. You have to discover this force inside you and see how it works in your own experience, how it tastes. If you are able to stay with your aim, simply try to notice what makes it possible to stick with it.
Often, these primordial laws remain a mystery to people in the Work because they have not worked with them experientially; that is, they have not looked for them in the subjective experience of their lives. Our individual, subjective lives are important in the scheme of things, and each of us has the opportunity to understand these laws in the midst of our lives.
It is useful to recognize two important attitudes in yourself: (1) your overall attitude toward your own life in particular; and (2) your attitude toward life in general. When we look at others, it seems easy to recognize an optimist or pessimist. However, it is not so simple to categorize our own over-all attitude toward life.
Finding your way toward your real self is not about beating oneself up for what one is not doing, but rather using your intelligence to work on what helps you to become a harmonious self-conscious person.
The aim is not to do your practice quickly, nor is it to change your state (although your state may change). Work at the practice without tampering with yourself, without trying to be special or produce a special effect. Simply do it. You may notice the following taking place: as your attention moves, an energy arises in each new limb in turn. This is a special energy for you as an individual, and it may be useful to you in ways you cannot now comprehend or appreciate. In my experience, I feel I am embarking on a sacred journey.
December 1, 2014 Deautomatization
In order to return and experience self-consciousness and to firmly establish this state in myself, I can deautomatize my behavior without upsetting the delicate balance of my centers. This can be done by bringing a relaxed and open attention to my actions. It is not about changing habits, stopping one thing or another or substituting a good behavior for a bad behavior. Instead, it is learning again to do one thing at a time and making what I am doing important, similar to a child trying something for the first time.
These are all steps in a larger process. We generally do the steps automatically while focused on the final outcome. And, we miss the process of being alive in the process we are engaged in, we are not present during the individual steps.
AI Summary
210 Psychological Explorations for Objective & Compassionate Self-Study by Russell Schreiber presents key insights from the contemplative tradition. The 10 passages above capture the essential teachings.
Core Themes:
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Key Passages: Highlights 1, 3, and 10 are particularly representative.
This entry was generated from Readwise highlights. Expand with additional context as appropriate.