Conference hydra::dejavu

>I noticed that in public places, my mind would often begin judging 
>strangers in the room. It was an automatic, rather annoying process 
>cultivated over the years of competing and comparing. It seemed to be
>a  way of maintaining my presence in the room. The mind was
>hypnotically  running off its judgmental quality. So I watched  and
>didn't suppress it,  I noticed what it was doing. I watched it insult
>me and the people next to  me with a single swipe. As I worked with
>this judging quality, I saw how  awareness and a growing sense of
>cosmic humour cut through this rather  sticky mind state and
>progressively weakened its authority.
    
    At what point did the author begin judging their judging mind, and at
    what point did they stop judging it ?    What a delightful
    conundrum.  :-)
    
    Interesting that they should use the term 'hypnotically' for this
    continual judging process, since most models of how hypnotic suggestion 
    work are based on the premise that it specifically requires
    cortical disinhibition (and turning off of conscious evaluation and 
    judging) in order to work.  So if watching our own conscious thought 
    processes is truly hypnotic, then it ends up inhibiting itself,which is 
    apparently the author's experience.
    
    So turning the thoughts onto themselves until they let go results in the 
    familiar feeling of well-being associated with this process, and associated
    mystical descriptive language, and potential for real self-awareness
    and benefit.
    
    I suggest that there is a problem with doing this in room full of
    strangers, though, in that this process consistently results in
    a period of increased suggestibility. This is the pattern I've 
    read about regarding cult movements.  Some use these same
    self-awakening methods, and at the same time repeat and reinforce their
    dogma so that the changes are guided along specific lines.  
    
    Not nearly as insidious as those that use fear and pain to achieve
    their objectives, however, because that results in a more permanent
    kind of conditioning.  The re-conditioning associated with 
    meditative practice and feelings of well-being are much more benign and 
    generally tend to go away when no longer reinforced.  At least that
    is my experience, and from what I've read.
    
    							todd

    This maks me think of some stories of people undergoing the Pathwork
    process in the book "The Undefended Self - Facing the Shadow...Freeing
    the Light...Becoming Whole" by Susan Thesenga based on material by Eva
    Broch Pierrakos. I order my copy from the Sevenoaks Pathwork Center. 
    
    Wayne

    -.2 Todd, that's an interesting perspective...thanks...I'll print it
    out and ponder the implications (make judgements ;-) on the plane home
    ;-).
    
    I am not sure to what level I would take the whole non-attachement
    thing to, but it is interesting to note that the judging and critical
    mind can be brought into line and not be the dominant player as it
    often is (amongst us techo's ;-).
    
    -Brian

    Brian,
    I suppose you'll be gone by the time I've entered this, but maybe
    it'll be of some interest.
    
    I think it's a question of to what degree we guide the 'evolution'
    of our own consciousness, and to what degree various <contaminants>
    from various sources are permitted to enter into the process, and
    direct its course.
    
    A metaphor for this might be the progressive filtering and purification
    of a mixture.  If you know what you want to end up with, you can use
    specific processes to help filter out what would be (defined as)
    contaminants.  Different people would want to filter out slightly
    different things, depending on what they are making.   At certain
    critical stages in the process, a tiny bit of an additional substance
    can redirect the course of the process significantly.  Like the opening
    of a gate or a door, or the addition of a catalyst.
    
    If you don't know what you are purifying toward, there is a very real
    possibility that you will refine your mixture toward something that
    will turn out to be pure contaminant.  I see the judging mind
    as the purifying aspect of the process, but without a natural
    final endpoint.   It is the filter, and commmunications are 
    catalysts.   Our job, I think, is to turn off the filter for brief
    critical moments, so that it can be tuned properly.  Turning it off
    too long, or under the wrong conditions permits odd things to pass 
    into the mixture, which may be difficult to get back out.
    
    							todd