freeform Posted August 15, 2006 (edited) . Edited December 18, 2019 by freeform Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pero Posted August 15, 2006 This exercise gave me some associations. When I was a kid I once played with a schoolmates name, so I kept repeating it in my head. And his name could be used so, that in Slovene, it meant sort of like he˙s crossing himself (like making a cross with a pencil). After a few moments I completely forgot his name. I tried to remember, but my mind was blank. So I had to ask him, which was weird since I knew him for some years. The other thing your exercise remebered me on, was one of the exercises in a book by Slavinski called Sunjata (maybe in English it would be Shoonyata? it means emptiness I think). I`ll describe it. "Who`s in your head? Stretch your index finger and point it at one of the objects in the room and say in yourself: "Here is human being" or "Here is (located) a _______"(and say the name of the thing). Then point the index finger towards another thing or person and again say in yourself: "Here is _____" Repeat that for a third time. Now point the index finger towards your head, but don`t touch it and close your eyes. Now give yourself this question with emphasis: "Who is (located) here?" When the seminar of Sunjata is finished and you do this same exercise, the result will be completely different. The Pure Awareness of Emptiness will be here." Don`t know how all this is related to your exercise, but it crossed my mind and I just thought I`d share. If I try your exercise I will post my experience, however, I`m lazy and have a lot of other stuff to do, so I can`t promise anything. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DustWalker Posted August 16, 2006 Sounds really interesting Freeform! I'm going to try working with this one for sure. Incidentally I was reading one of the first posts here on taobums and found Ron Jeremys reply really enlightening and for me somewhat relating to what you just wrote.. http://www.thetaobums.com/What-the-hell-wi...-Tien-t37.html# Or maybe it was just me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeform Posted August 16, 2006 (edited) . Edited December 18, 2019 by freeform Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sean Posted August 17, 2006 I know most of you won't try it Well that's all you have to say to get the polarity responder involved. I played with this a few times yesterday and was struck by it's simple power. When I was doing it before bed last night I started spontaneously associating into many many old places I've been in my past that I'd forgotten about, and so this brought time into the meditation as well which added to the disorientation. Eventually I did break through into a pretty profound emptiness I must say. All this reminds me, have you read Time, Space, Knowledge yet? Seems like this is really up your alley, I've heard really good things about it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pero Posted August 17, 2006 Pero, What you said about your friends name is very interesting! I was trying something similar out today and realised it's nearly exactly what you described. What I would do is take a name/word and say it again and again, concentraiting on how the word sounds (rather than what it means) each time I repeat the word I slightly change how I say it - it's meant to be playfull... it doesn't take long before the word sounds silly... then you lose the meaning or how the word is used - it starts to seem like it's in a foreign language... I would then do it with every word that would float into my attention... after 10 minutes no more words came. Another cool drill for stilling the mind! It's cool that you're into Slavinski - have you been to any workshops? I'm hoping there will be one in London sometime soon. The way I went about 'losing where I am' is something that resembles how Slavinski creates his drills. I did stuff like that to, but not with any meaningful purpose. If I had to remember something (like what to buy at the groceries) I kept repeating it. After a while, it didn`t make any sense to me. Actually, this reminded me about another thing I read in a book by Slavinski. I think it was in his Keys to Psychic Magick (though I don`t know if it exists in English). The repeating of ones own name or nickname was used as a means to achieve astral projection I believe. He was describing the same thing as you. Word begins to sound weird, loses meaning, foreign, after some time you beging to sort of look at yourself from a distance. Don`t remember exactly how it went, and I borrowed the book to a friend. I think it was something related to the fact that we identify ourselves with the name. Slavinski has really good stuff, I just wish I practiced it. When I first came into contact with his work, I was still mostly theoretical and gaining mental balast as he says. After I gained some "weight" I started practicing, but it wasn`t his stuff that I was interested in at that time. I think he hasn`t got all his books in English, or does he? "Keys to Psychic Magick" is really good, also "Psychic Training of the Yogis" and "Sunjata". These were my favorites, but I have a few others as well. Haven`t been to any seminars yet, and when I looked for it a bit I didn`t anything for this year, found 2003/04. And even if I would find something, I`m not sure if I`m ready. I would like to go to a Sunyata seminar, PEAT and Gnostic intesive are interesting, but I`m not sure that I`m ready for the work in diads. Telling about myself to a total stranger.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeform Posted August 17, 2006 Well that's all you have to say to get the polarity responder involved. Cool! I'm glad someone tried it! I'm finding this drill has a lot of bang for the buck. I'm trying to do it at different times (standing, sitting, moving, talking etc). It's a little difficult at the moment - because I seem to pop myself out of the state sometimes - but I'm noticing what it is that pops me out (and how I pop out). So I think it's a case of stabilizing this state and making this dissorientation feel more comfortable (and it already feels very comfey when in bed - standing and walking on the other hand is somewhat scary - similar to a subtle vertigo feeling - maybe I need some more grounding practice to stabilize it? Thanks for recomending the book, Sean - it's on my wishlist - ready for my next amazon 'mega-shipment' lol . I had exactly the same experience of remembering places and times that I havent thought about in many many years - it's almost like opening the door into a part of your brain that locates you in time-space - and looking inside the door you can find all the time-space you've experienced - and all very vividly. I actually experimented doing the same excersise with time only. So I would remember something in the past then think of something in the future and carry on in exactly the same way as with the drill above. The result was very funny indeed - I completely lost track of time and then 'woke up' (I wasn't quite asleep - but close) not knowing what day it was, what time it was, how long I was 'away' for and what I had just done... very strange - I also was giggling for hours afterwards - felt like a newbie stoner laughing at everything - I had a very blissfull glow for the rest of the day. The only similar experience I've had was from 1 hour floating/sensory deprivation session - but that felt more hormonal/chemical - this was 'lighter' - hard to explain in words. The technique of experiencing a then b faster and faster has given me a tool to use on so many other things - and I'm finding this is very similar to Slavinski's DP3 technique (althouh the way he does it has some important differences). I'm finding that this is a way to integrate a polarity - and the resulting stillness is the neutral bit in between a and b. One thing I did was use it on making a decision - I wont go into detail, but I had to decide between doing a and doing b - there was a lot of emotional energy invested in doing one or the other and I had a hard time sticking with a decision - so I did the technique - imagine doing a then imagine doing b then a then b etc. untill I popped out into emptiness again, and I forgot what the options where and why they were so important. When the time came I actully made the decision naturally, without even thinking about it (or even noticing that it was a 'decision') - it was the 'right' decision, I'm happy to say! my next experiment is to use this on goals! a will be me as I am now and b will be me with the goal achieved... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
affenbrot Posted August 18, 2006 All this reminds me, have you read Time, Space, Knowledge yet? Seems like this is really up your alley, I've heard really good things about it. all the exercises of the book are described here on this website Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeform Posted August 21, 2006 I tended to regard this feeling of dissorientation as connected with entering trance states, and thus not conscious states of meditation. Great insight - and a very important one too! I find that the Huna tradition sheds a lot of light on this matter. The unconscious is a very important part of self development in Huna - the idea is to first become proficient in entering trance/subconscious states (which is linked to the LTT)... after that you learn to open up the deep inner channels (8 extraordinary channels) - which allows you to remain conscious while in your LTT (unconsciousness). When this is achieved you have several possibilities - you can work on your ego, behaviours and patterns of thought from 'in there' or you can gradually connect up to your 'Higher Self'. Eventually the idea is to create a balance where by your unconscious is informed by your higher self - and this seems to be similar to the wu wei state described in Taoism. I have to run - but you've given me some extra pieces to help work out the puzzle! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites