As I spoke in http://learningasanart.blogspot.com/2012/04/how-many-thoughts-are-you-made-up-of.html
I believe that the mind is made up of thought trees. I brought this up in a post at HighExistence and many responded, a few replied with what they thought was more appropriate: A thought "web" where thoughts are more connected to everything, rather than in chain. I do believe this to be true, but let me explain what a possible structural representation may be like.
We have very strong, deep, "Root" or "Trunk" thoughts - those which everything else stem from, one of which I am sure is "Who am I?" (for most people). This thought branches out to "What do my parents want?" "What do I love", "What am I capable of (Am I smart? Am I strong?)" etc...
But contrary to what would appear to be the case, thoughts arise from events in our daily lives, and get transferred to the very outer branches. These outer branches are much more specific like "Should I buy this for $5?" This branch thought is webbed to many thoughts, like "My friend just bought one" or "I could really use one" - these pseudological calculations are webbed to our event-induced thoughts. They are usually not important thoughts, and in eastern cultures such as buddhism, these "web" thoughts are the monkey brain - usually very little is accomplished with these thoughts, unless we can find solid proof of a logical need like "Oh its actually Tuesday and this item is free on Tuesdays".
But where does the tree structure come in?
The tree structure would come in on how you perceive the 5 dollars and the item of interest. If you believe 5 dollars is something to be considered, then this is going down towards the base of the trunk, here you believe that spending 5 dollars isn't important. Going further down the trunk you may think of how big your paycheck is, and what possibilities that gives you. Further down you may think of how your job presents yourself - (is it an elite class job? 5$ shouldn't be anything!). Even further down you may think that you believe that you should be able to take whatever you want.
So, you see, the branches on which events "land" (per-se) are governed by your tree structure.
Had you, for instance, grown a tree with branches that ask questions like "Is this 5 dollars spent going to really make me happier?" or "Is this item of quality?" your trunk may be "What really makes me happy?" "How can I get the most out of life?"
So you see, the trees you plant are incredibly important to who you are (well - they are who you appear to be!).
The next blog will need some considerable thought. I will be contemplating how to cut and grow trees, and how difficult it truly is.
Showing posts with label empathy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label empathy. Show all posts
Friday, April 13, 2012
Thursday, April 12, 2012
How many thoughts are you made up of?
Hey learners.
I've found this topic to be extremely interesting. How many thoughts do you think you have a day? Different thoughts, about different things? Probably thousands, right? We wonder about all kinds of things, from the present to the past to the future, constantly questioning.
These questions often bring anxiety, depression, or feelings of victimization "Why does this always happen to me!" Well it doesn't really, although your mind constructs it in such a way as though it seems to be that way.
But that isn't what this post is about. What I'm going to get into here is we're actually really only a few core thoughts. A handful of thoughts govern all our questions. I will use the following image as an example of what I mean:
I've found this topic to be extremely interesting. How many thoughts do you think you have a day? Different thoughts, about different things? Probably thousands, right? We wonder about all kinds of things, from the present to the past to the future, constantly questioning.
These questions often bring anxiety, depression, or feelings of victimization "Why does this always happen to me!" Well it doesn't really, although your mind constructs it in such a way as though it seems to be that way.
But that isn't what this post is about. What I'm going to get into here is we're actually really only a few core thoughts. A handful of thoughts govern all our questions. I will use the following image as an example of what I mean:
[Sorry for the crudeness, I made this in paint in about 25 seconds]
My thinking is, is that all of our thoughts actually stem from actions we have in the world, and then digress into a major "branch" of our logic tree. I personally do not know what the major branch point is, or whether there are many individual trees, so this is just an example. The reason I bring this post up is because although I have found that often, an individual is very complex, my own though structures are incredibly basic, when viewed from this perspective. I often think of only a few things in my life:
1. Questions of personal life; Am I happy? Am I being fulfilled? Am I making others happy?
2. More existential questions, such as; What is "God"? What is consciousness? What is reality? Am I sane? (Hehe)
3. Technical questions; What career do I want? What should I learn today/tomorrow? What is beneficial for me to read?
4. Anxious questions: Does this person like me? Is this alright to wear? Why don't I talk more? Why can't I be like him/her?
The questions of type 1 all fit under the question of "Who am I?", much like the picture above, while numbers 2-4 would probably fit under another thought-tree.
So, what good is knowing this? To be honest I've really not the slightest clue yet! But, I will be back with more. I hope you can relate, and feel free to let me know your thoughts if you agree or disagree.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Extreme emotions
Have you ever felt connected to everything?
Have you ever felt that your life was small, tiny, a fragment of everything's existence?
Have you ever seen your life from a bird's eye view?
I'm guessing most people have. We always see something extremely emotional - whether it be how beautiful our life is, or how terrible. But these emotions are short lived, usually no more than an hour (if soberly-derived...). Yet, most of us don't change after these, most of us act as if "wow that was crazy..." (back to work!).
Why?
Don't you ever see those movies where the person drops everything their doing, quits their job, sells their house, does exactly what they would like to? We grab that feeling (the empathy within us [See my post " A day in the life"]) for a short bit, we leave the movie theater feeling hopeful for our lives or questioning whether we're on the right path. These extreme emotions could launch us into the ideal life. It could launch us into extreme, beneficial change, improvement, evolution.
But it dissipates. Why? Why do we regress? Why do we give into societys' norms, crumbling back into the cubicle, the manual labor, we don't sell the house, we don't travel, we don't explore the world.
As I write this the feeling rises like the tide in my gut. Slowly I, too, realize I am not at my full potential. I have a future, I have plans, goals, but they aren't what I wanted when I was 5 (a pure, although immature, perspective on life). I want to build a greenhouse. I'd like to travel the world. I'd like to live for a few months in the Yukon, the Amazon. I'd like to sky dive. I'd like to write my names on the walls of all the great cities. I'd like to invent. I'd like to solve, to create. I'd like to help.
Why do we 'settle' with our lives.
If you read this, I beg you. Do exactly what you want. Feed these emotions. Strive, build, think, learn.
Be who you are.
Have you ever felt that your life was small, tiny, a fragment of everything's existence?
Have you ever seen your life from a bird's eye view?
I'm guessing most people have. We always see something extremely emotional - whether it be how beautiful our life is, or how terrible. But these emotions are short lived, usually no more than an hour (if soberly-derived...). Yet, most of us don't change after these, most of us act as if "wow that was crazy..." (back to work!).
Why?
Don't you ever see those movies where the person drops everything their doing, quits their job, sells their house, does exactly what they would like to? We grab that feeling (the empathy within us [See my post " A day in the life"]) for a short bit, we leave the movie theater feeling hopeful for our lives or questioning whether we're on the right path. These extreme emotions could launch us into the ideal life. It could launch us into extreme, beneficial change, improvement, evolution.
But it dissipates. Why? Why do we regress? Why do we give into societys' norms, crumbling back into the cubicle, the manual labor, we don't sell the house, we don't travel, we don't explore the world.
As I write this the feeling rises like the tide in my gut. Slowly I, too, realize I am not at my full potential. I have a future, I have plans, goals, but they aren't what I wanted when I was 5 (a pure, although immature, perspective on life). I want to build a greenhouse. I'd like to travel the world. I'd like to live for a few months in the Yukon, the Amazon. I'd like to sky dive. I'd like to write my names on the walls of all the great cities. I'd like to invent. I'd like to solve, to create. I'd like to help.
Why do we 'settle' with our lives.
If you read this, I beg you. Do exactly what you want. Feed these emotions. Strive, build, think, learn.
Be who you are.
Sunday, April 1, 2012
The Urban Shaman
I'm a shaman. I'm not afraid to say that, for any of the various reasons one could be.
I've tripped only a handful of times and have really learned little after my first experience, but I have learned. The first experience was as much of a opening of new doors as would be getting sucked through a high pressure hole inside out. It was not comforting :).
But what I have learned was incredibly valuable. On my way down to the darkest abyss one can experience, I climbed my way to the top again. Remembering every foot hold and pathway I took. I've been able to go back and forth from complete desolation of the soul and mind, to euphoria, and with such an ability have used to to "save" some people. I've had a handful of people email me, responding to various messages, about the words I've put out, that "saved their life".
Due to the fact that this happens, and probably will continue to happen, I never outright condone the use of psychedelics. I know their intensity, and I know the fragility of some perspectives of reality, and mixing the two can have catastrophic effects. People must show a great deal of understanding, education, and self-improvement, which is incredibly important when dealing with these substances - with an intent of spirituality, or at least something beyond "Getting high" and laughing at colors.
I've been able to help only because I have been there. I know the steps one needs to take, rather than the leaps that one wants to take (or others impose). The road from an intense, bad trip, can be a terrifying experience, with a rewarding ending.
Beyond that, however, I have realized a special ability that comes and goes - the ability to see sickness. While I was on a very low dose of ayahuasca I was able to see what was ailing people. For weeks after wards my ability to give back massages was incredibly rewarding, and actually very psychologically stimulating (as I could literally "See" the pain).
This ability to see sickness, is what I believe a true shaman holds. It is a learned trait, not something born into. It is not genetic (I don't think), so I'd hope others may be able to gain this as well.
Shamans of the brazilian rainforest are known for their ability to "see" parasites and sickness long before the conscious mind sees symptoms. Often times, weeks before one would normally go into the hospital. This is not some magical trait, or some divine information - this is simply an extremely acute sense of non-verbal communication. Our brains are extremely similar across the globe, the make up, the neurology, even the psychology - we all have very relate able (conserved) portions of the brain. A shaman knows these like the back of his or her hand, and can see when these portions are acting odd.
The stomach may seem loose, the eyes may be slightly drooped. The shoulders sunken, and heavy. The steps may be rigid, or unbalanced. Our minds adapt quickly to pain & suffering, so many times we may not even know we are in pain at all! Yet to the trained eye, all ailments become highlighted like neon-signs. Curing, is something I do not understand, and have much to learn about. Much has to do with placebo (sorry, I'd like another word) and much has to do with things beyond my understanding. Often the shaman will go into the forest, and plants will "speak" to him or her, presenting themselves for the healing process. Here the shaman takes plants which he knows to be familiar, but really has no understanding of medicinal action, and cures.
I hope to one day obtain this kind of hospitality, this ability to heal, cure, and help beyond some internet-arm-chair-psychology.
I've tripped only a handful of times and have really learned little after my first experience, but I have learned. The first experience was as much of a opening of new doors as would be getting sucked through a high pressure hole inside out. It was not comforting :).
But what I have learned was incredibly valuable. On my way down to the darkest abyss one can experience, I climbed my way to the top again. Remembering every foot hold and pathway I took. I've been able to go back and forth from complete desolation of the soul and mind, to euphoria, and with such an ability have used to to "save" some people. I've had a handful of people email me, responding to various messages, about the words I've put out, that "saved their life".
Due to the fact that this happens, and probably will continue to happen, I never outright condone the use of psychedelics. I know their intensity, and I know the fragility of some perspectives of reality, and mixing the two can have catastrophic effects. People must show a great deal of understanding, education, and self-improvement, which is incredibly important when dealing with these substances - with an intent of spirituality, or at least something beyond "Getting high" and laughing at colors.
I've been able to help only because I have been there. I know the steps one needs to take, rather than the leaps that one wants to take (or others impose). The road from an intense, bad trip, can be a terrifying experience, with a rewarding ending.
Beyond that, however, I have realized a special ability that comes and goes - the ability to see sickness. While I was on a very low dose of ayahuasca I was able to see what was ailing people. For weeks after wards my ability to give back massages was incredibly rewarding, and actually very psychologically stimulating (as I could literally "See" the pain).
This ability to see sickness, is what I believe a true shaman holds. It is a learned trait, not something born into. It is not genetic (I don't think), so I'd hope others may be able to gain this as well.
Shamans of the brazilian rainforest are known for their ability to "see" parasites and sickness long before the conscious mind sees symptoms. Often times, weeks before one would normally go into the hospital. This is not some magical trait, or some divine information - this is simply an extremely acute sense of non-verbal communication. Our brains are extremely similar across the globe, the make up, the neurology, even the psychology - we all have very relate able (conserved) portions of the brain. A shaman knows these like the back of his or her hand, and can see when these portions are acting odd.
The stomach may seem loose, the eyes may be slightly drooped. The shoulders sunken, and heavy. The steps may be rigid, or unbalanced. Our minds adapt quickly to pain & suffering, so many times we may not even know we are in pain at all! Yet to the trained eye, all ailments become highlighted like neon-signs. Curing, is something I do not understand, and have much to learn about. Much has to do with placebo (sorry, I'd like another word) and much has to do with things beyond my understanding. Often the shaman will go into the forest, and plants will "speak" to him or her, presenting themselves for the healing process. Here the shaman takes plants which he knows to be familiar, but really has no understanding of medicinal action, and cures.
I hope to one day obtain this kind of hospitality, this ability to heal, cure, and help beyond some internet-arm-chair-psychology.
Monday, March 26, 2012
2 Weeks of happy trials
Well Hello!
After completing 14 days of the happy trials I am glad to say this really does work. The effects are subtle, but over all I have gained positively from the experiment. The breakdown of what I did:
Every day when I woke up I would smile. With 2 days of exception, this would give me great joy and I would be happy for at least an hour without trying. As I drove to work, prepared the day, or arrived at work, things just seemed more beautiful, more captivating.
Nearly every day I went outside I was awe-struck at the beauty of the sky (even cloudy days!) and found myself nearly mystified by my surroundings. Some days I continued the smiling throughout the day, and would usually giggle or laugh a little to myself at how great I felt, and often, too! This caused me to be even more happy, and just was wonderful. Enjoying an hour or so of utter content with myself and where I was.
A few days I did not attempt to be happy on purpose but found it was nearly unavoidable. Friends seemed funnier, events seemed more intense/exciting. Dancing was easier, talking was smooth, there were no negative affects.
The two of the 14 days however, I got little or very bad sleep. I woke up and attempted to smile but it did nothing, no goodness came out of it, and merely felt like muscles in my mouth were moving (that was the extent). But these were towards the beginning of the experiment.
Today, I am not trying to be happy, but as soon as I think of any emotion, I trigger a memory of this study and all the happiness and joy attributed to it, and I cannot help but smile!
What a great day. I love everything :)
After completing 14 days of the happy trials I am glad to say this really does work. The effects are subtle, but over all I have gained positively from the experiment. The breakdown of what I did:
Every day when I woke up I would smile. With 2 days of exception, this would give me great joy and I would be happy for at least an hour without trying. As I drove to work, prepared the day, or arrived at work, things just seemed more beautiful, more captivating.
Nearly every day I went outside I was awe-struck at the beauty of the sky (even cloudy days!) and found myself nearly mystified by my surroundings. Some days I continued the smiling throughout the day, and would usually giggle or laugh a little to myself at how great I felt, and often, too! This caused me to be even more happy, and just was wonderful. Enjoying an hour or so of utter content with myself and where I was.
A few days I did not attempt to be happy on purpose but found it was nearly unavoidable. Friends seemed funnier, events seemed more intense/exciting. Dancing was easier, talking was smooth, there were no negative affects.
The two of the 14 days however, I got little or very bad sleep. I woke up and attempted to smile but it did nothing, no goodness came out of it, and merely felt like muscles in my mouth were moving (that was the extent). But these were towards the beginning of the experiment.
Today, I am not trying to be happy, but as soon as I think of any emotion, I trigger a memory of this study and all the happiness and joy attributed to it, and I cannot help but smile!
What a great day. I love everything :)
Monday, March 19, 2012
Learning to Create (Creativity) in the Arts
Creativity is an enigma to most of us, we believe some people posess it while others are unlucky and were simply born without it. In essence - many of us believe that creativity is somehow randomly dispersed through populations. This is simply not the case. Most of our minds are very similar when we are born, the majority of our brains are chemically similar as well as structurally. We learn creativity as we age - it is an acquired trait! And don't let anyone convince you otherwise.
Many artists will openly state that their inspiration comes from an external place, that they have been chosen to channel their artwork through their mind and conceive it with their media. Some even claim divine inspiration, that their work is the product of God's divine creativity. Although these people may in fact believe this, they do not realize that they are in fact heavily influenced by their favorite artists, or in fact, by their surroundings.
An informative quote;
-Pablo Picasso
The truth behind creativity is actually a summation of all that you find appealing, transformed by your evolved perception of the world. It is precisely your experiences throughout life that are at the basis of what you create with your inherent creativity. Not all people enjoy sunset oil paintings, and not all people care for black and white photography. The amount of art out there is incredibly large, and the ever expanding volume of different medias used and the inclusion of digital art has spread creativity far and wide. Often, one will see some art and say "I could never do that." or "How did they even come up with that?" under the assumption that these people are the sole reasons for their art to exist.
Pablo Picasso (for he is often referred to as one of the most original) himself knew his influences; George Braque, Paul Cezanne, and (importantly) Pablo's father also pursued art, setting the stage for an immersive creative familial influence.
Dali, one of the most notable surreal artists, gained influence from Americana art, fused with influences from Picasso and Joan Miro and others. Their production of almost other-worldly pieces is quite the opposite; they are products of their environment, their access to influences and inspiration, and a sheer dedication to advance their skills as artists.
No doubt if you've found my site you are a worth internet-ninja, with a curiosity and great intelligence. We are all intelligent, beyond smart, yet we are often subjected (subconsciously or not) to the idea of the exact opposite. Do not let your inability to understand anything limit your ability to understand something else. All things are capable for you to learn, but ambition, motivation, and inspiration are key.
Many artists will openly state that their inspiration comes from an external place, that they have been chosen to channel their artwork through their mind and conceive it with their media. Some even claim divine inspiration, that their work is the product of God's divine creativity. Although these people may in fact believe this, they do not realize that they are in fact heavily influenced by their favorite artists, or in fact, by their surroundings.
An informative quote;
Bad artists copy. Good artists steal.
-Pablo Picasso
The truth behind creativity is actually a summation of all that you find appealing, transformed by your evolved perception of the world. It is precisely your experiences throughout life that are at the basis of what you create with your inherent creativity. Not all people enjoy sunset oil paintings, and not all people care for black and white photography. The amount of art out there is incredibly large, and the ever expanding volume of different medias used and the inclusion of digital art has spread creativity far and wide. Often, one will see some art and say "I could never do that." or "How did they even come up with that?" under the assumption that these people are the sole reasons for their art to exist.
Pablo Picasso (for he is often referred to as one of the most original) himself knew his influences; George Braque, Paul Cezanne, and (importantly) Pablo's father also pursued art, setting the stage for an immersive creative familial influence.
Dali, one of the most notable surreal artists, gained influence from Americana art, fused with influences from Picasso and Joan Miro and others. Their production of almost other-worldly pieces is quite the opposite; they are products of their environment, their access to influences and inspiration, and a sheer dedication to advance their skills as artists.
No doubt if you've found my site you are a worth internet-ninja, with a curiosity and great intelligence. We are all intelligent, beyond smart, yet we are often subjected (subconsciously or not) to the idea of the exact opposite. Do not let your inability to understand anything limit your ability to understand something else. All things are capable for you to learn, but ambition, motivation, and inspiration are key.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Happy Trials; Day 2
HO MAN!
What a beautiful day.
I was a bit late in starting the trial today, it wasn't until I filled my bowl of cereal with milk that I smiled. But - boy oh boy! Driving in my car to work was sheer glory. I was nearly in tears I was so happy! Coincidence that I gained such happiness on the second day of the trials? Cannot say for sure, but I'm not complaining!
The glee I felt while driving was almost eerie in that it was so powerful. I felt reborn, almost transported from my body. I was staring at the sky, awe struck in the beauty. Quite indescribable. As I got out of the car, birds were chirping, flying about and loving the warm weather as much as I. A girl I saw on the way in was also smiling, amplifying my own. I was soon trying to hold in giggles and teeth-filled grins as I walked to my desk. As I sat down the entire experiment became removed from my mind, and it took me nearly 5 minutes to realize what this chair, computer, and cubicle have done to me. I found it very difficult to break a smile while in here, but it was possible.
At the moment, I feel very content, with subtle feelings of relaxation and warmth. The warm feeling is great, and not sure where it comes from, but golly is it joyous. The feeling of being snuggled by a warm blanket held by a loved one on a cozy night.
I can hardly contain myself from producing all-caps letters spilling my love for everyone. Giggling in my cubicle may make me sound insane as well, especially while staring at a blank wall!! The image itself makes me laugh, a self fulfilling prophecy.
Hoho boy. I can't say for sure whether all of this is from the trials, but I know that a great portion of it is.
At night, though, it does die down, along with my energy. It becomes more of a difficulty to break a grin out than early morning or afternoon and is probably more detrimental - I become more aware of "forcing" the smile than anything. But I will continue it to the first dreams, until day 5, in which the real results will be shown.
Talk to you all soon,
Good luck, Have fun, Feel free to contact me!
What a beautiful day.
I was a bit late in starting the trial today, it wasn't until I filled my bowl of cereal with milk that I smiled. But - boy oh boy! Driving in my car to work was sheer glory. I was nearly in tears I was so happy! Coincidence that I gained such happiness on the second day of the trials? Cannot say for sure, but I'm not complaining!
The glee I felt while driving was almost eerie in that it was so powerful. I felt reborn, almost transported from my body. I was staring at the sky, awe struck in the beauty. Quite indescribable. As I got out of the car, birds were chirping, flying about and loving the warm weather as much as I. A girl I saw on the way in was also smiling, amplifying my own. I was soon trying to hold in giggles and teeth-filled grins as I walked to my desk. As I sat down the entire experiment became removed from my mind, and it took me nearly 5 minutes to realize what this chair, computer, and cubicle have done to me. I found it very difficult to break a smile while in here, but it was possible.
At the moment, I feel very content, with subtle feelings of relaxation and warmth. The warm feeling is great, and not sure where it comes from, but golly is it joyous. The feeling of being snuggled by a warm blanket held by a loved one on a cozy night.
I can hardly contain myself from producing all-caps letters spilling my love for everyone. Giggling in my cubicle may make me sound insane as well, especially while staring at a blank wall!! The image itself makes me laugh, a self fulfilling prophecy.
Hoho boy. I can't say for sure whether all of this is from the trials, but I know that a great portion of it is.
At night, though, it does die down, along with my energy. It becomes more of a difficulty to break a grin out than early morning or afternoon and is probably more detrimental - I become more aware of "forcing" the smile than anything. But I will continue it to the first dreams, until day 5, in which the real results will be shown.
Talk to you all soon,
Good luck, Have fun, Feel free to contact me!
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Happy Trials: Day 1
Hello great friends and internet ninjas,
I am about half way through my first day of happy trials. So far it is very interesting indeed, but not as productive as I had hoped. I did not go into work today because I needed to go remove a ticket from my record (expired tabs, I'm a bad-ass).
During my trip to the court hearing office I was smiling most of the time and taking delight in the ride. The people on the bus were quite smiley too, as it is a beautiful day outside; sunny, warm, blue skies - lovely indeed. I couldn't help imagine what other people were thinking about as I saw their smiles come and go - who knows, maybe they were doing the same thing as I!
My attempts to see very small things, and take joy in the details is difficult for me. I'm not a very detailed person (except for my drawings), I'm more of an abstract-concept person, so taking joy in a small blade of grass just didn't seem like it was going to happen. However, long-ranging blue skies, birds chirping, and happy people sure set me up for an easy happy trial today!
As I entered the courthouse my spirits went null and I found it very difficult to find any pleasure in any of the people or the surroundings. People seemed to be frustrated, and my hearing officer did not want to make eye contact with me, which I thought was very odd indeed. I got my ticket dropped, though, but monetary gains aren't very invigorating to me - I'd rather have had the man shake my hand and give me a hug. It was definitely obvious, however, that blank walls, off-white buildings, and paved roads were very hard to appreciate for me. Perhaps I am too close to nature by nurture (see what I did there?) that I simply cannot take joy in cement and brick, or perhaps cement and pavement are inherently joyless, I have not pondered it and cannot say for certain. Needless to say, keeping a smile in an urban landscape with no friends, or actions to initiate it wasn't happening - but I was certainly not unhappy.
Coming home I decided to walk the 5 miles back. I enjoyed most of the way; I am a fan of graffiti and saw a very incredible placement of a "piece" get painted over (see: http://www.flickr.com/photos/59840111@N05/6980457713/in/photostream/lightbox/). I love graffiti, but the entire struggle of city versus vandal is incredibly interesting as well and personally believe it makes graffiti all the more worth while. But I digress - near to the graffiti is a large river, which I walked over, taking delight in the sun rays through the water. Seeing the bottom of the river bed was peculiar - I waited for a while to see if a fish would appear, but no such luck.
Coming home I have spent some time reading outside and bicycling around my neighborhood, nothing extraordinary and very little was needed to boost happiness. As I write this I can giggle a little - simply a small grin cascades into a large smile and a slight giggle escapes me.
The most interesting consequence so far, however, is whenever I think of any deep idea or philosophy, this topic of the happy trials manifests itself in my mind, and I find myself immediately smiling! An incredible delight to be reminded of over and over.
I have much, much more to do today and my update tomorrow will hopefully be just as, if not more, rewarding to you and me!
Good luck, have fun and feel free to contact me.
I am about half way through my first day of happy trials. So far it is very interesting indeed, but not as productive as I had hoped. I did not go into work today because I needed to go remove a ticket from my record (expired tabs, I'm a bad-ass).
During my trip to the court hearing office I was smiling most of the time and taking delight in the ride. The people on the bus were quite smiley too, as it is a beautiful day outside; sunny, warm, blue skies - lovely indeed. I couldn't help imagine what other people were thinking about as I saw their smiles come and go - who knows, maybe they were doing the same thing as I!
My attempts to see very small things, and take joy in the details is difficult for me. I'm not a very detailed person (except for my drawings), I'm more of an abstract-concept person, so taking joy in a small blade of grass just didn't seem like it was going to happen. However, long-ranging blue skies, birds chirping, and happy people sure set me up for an easy happy trial today!
As I entered the courthouse my spirits went null and I found it very difficult to find any pleasure in any of the people or the surroundings. People seemed to be frustrated, and my hearing officer did not want to make eye contact with me, which I thought was very odd indeed. I got my ticket dropped, though, but monetary gains aren't very invigorating to me - I'd rather have had the man shake my hand and give me a hug. It was definitely obvious, however, that blank walls, off-white buildings, and paved roads were very hard to appreciate for me. Perhaps I am too close to nature by nurture (see what I did there?) that I simply cannot take joy in cement and brick, or perhaps cement and pavement are inherently joyless, I have not pondered it and cannot say for certain. Needless to say, keeping a smile in an urban landscape with no friends, or actions to initiate it wasn't happening - but I was certainly not unhappy.
Coming home I decided to walk the 5 miles back. I enjoyed most of the way; I am a fan of graffiti and saw a very incredible placement of a "piece" get painted over (see: http://www.flickr.com/photos/59840111@N05/6980457713/in/photostream/lightbox/). I love graffiti, but the entire struggle of city versus vandal is incredibly interesting as well and personally believe it makes graffiti all the more worth while. But I digress - near to the graffiti is a large river, which I walked over, taking delight in the sun rays through the water. Seeing the bottom of the river bed was peculiar - I waited for a while to see if a fish would appear, but no such luck.
Coming home I have spent some time reading outside and bicycling around my neighborhood, nothing extraordinary and very little was needed to boost happiness. As I write this I can giggle a little - simply a small grin cascades into a large smile and a slight giggle escapes me.
The most interesting consequence so far, however, is whenever I think of any deep idea or philosophy, this topic of the happy trials manifests itself in my mind, and I find myself immediately smiling! An incredible delight to be reminded of over and over.
I have much, much more to do today and my update tomorrow will hopefully be just as, if not more, rewarding to you and me!
Good luck, have fun and feel free to contact me.
Monday, March 12, 2012
A Day in the Life
Happy Monday to you all!
Being an introvert, I often analyze myself to a great degree. I want to take this post to show you how to improve yourself, become more aware of your body and mind, as well as a general improvement of your level of empathy.
Empathy is a very interesting feeling, nearly indescribable, but it is the feeling of "seeing" and being someone else, or something else. Animal rights activists usually would state that have a great deal of empathy, even for another species. The idea of empathy is somewhat difficult to decipher - are we placing ourselves in their shoes, or are we literally experiencing their place in existance? (I don't mean some kind of spiritual-mind-swapping, simply the difference of our interpretation of their feelings, or are we literally taking up their feelings?) I believe it makes the most sense to assume the prior, but at any rate, it is an important attribue, and some psychologists and neurologists believe to be the newest evolution of the brain (while others say it is inherent in primates).
The first oncoming of empathy is at a very young age, and as my girlfriend was nice enough to explain, psychologists believe it happens right around the point when children no longer want their parents to see them taking a bath or going potty. It is the realization that one's parents are people and have their own view-points that brings about this privacy issue (as well as society's clothing standard!). We gain empathy at a young age and most definitely it grows and learns as much as we do. It is a very profound feeling when you realize that all the people in the world are singular, carry their own consciousness, and live their lives based on that.
Enhancing your ability to use empathy for the benefit of yourself and others is a crucial development to becoming happy as well as secure about yourself and your life. Without empathy, your ability to judge social situations may suffer, and you may find yourself seeing some interesting consequences - including the diminishing of friends.
I had always had a great deal of empathy. I remember at one point in my life a man had been stabbed at school. His injuries were severe, but he was going to live. The empathetical view of the knife-wielder struck me, however. The man with the knife had never met the victim, and had no reason to knife him other than pure anger (at what? - who knows). Upon learning of the even I sat in class unable to concentrate ont he subject matter, but rather staring blankly, trying to understand the stabber's frame of mind. When I arrived at home I sat in the dark, somewhat distrubed by the event, but more so by the empathetical view of a violent man's perspective.
It was this great deal of empathy towards analyzing other's mind-sets that got me wondering what exactly I am like. I can see myself in the mirror, and I can see myself on camera, but this view of me is biased - I am always in my own mind's perspective. I came up with an idea - what I will call "Reverse empathy", which is the ability to see yourself through someone else's eyes. The idea is simple, but depends on your ability to "read" and empathize with other people - you basically must see your friends and social interactions as mirrors, that react in various ways to your actions. A constant empathizing with someone while staying within the social situation.
When I was about seventeen years old I "saw" myself for the first time. I was able to view myself unbiased from my own perspective, but what is best described as omnipotently. It is a very harsh and confronting realization to see exactly what you are! Most of all, my realization of how I act brought about a a rapid change in me. I was able to identify what other's saw as annoying, or perhaps even awkward behavior (I have been called "weird" all my life - with other versions of the word - "liquid" being my favorite.) As a quiet person, with a strong hint of sarcasm, the amount of behaviors I portrayed that were perhaps socially unacceptable were fairly common. At first this ability to view myself unbiased was a curse - I felt like I had been an idiot all my life, saying and doing things I now regretted, being a jerk, or most commonly, saying things that just didn't make sense.
As time went on, and the introspection didn't leave, I began to do it in nearly every social situation, with hefty confrontations! The disgust of my behavior soon gave way to rapid improvement and the ability to speak with more confidence and brilliance! Although I still do not enjoy public speaking, I was able to handle being President of a University club, tutor, and volunteer in social situations with great results - had I done this without new found reverse-empathy, it would be quite funny to watch.
SO! On to the important stuff - how do you do it, why do you want to do it, and how can you do it better?
The most important attribute is empathy, plain and simple. It is not something you can learn from reading an instruction manual but rather something that must be honed and discovered yourself! A certain study showed that a great deal of Americans do not have a good ability to empathize one's facial expressions, but confuse anger with depression, and sadness with confusion, etc. My advice to gain empathy is to simply watch a movie, and imagine the actors on set. Imagine what they are thinking while they act, rather than what they actually say (this is easy for bad actors, heh) - this will increase your awareness of another's consciousness beyond what is simply displayed. The next time you watch any TV show do the same, imagine you are on the set, being the actor, or the director, this is a great way to increase empathy. Pretty soon you will be able to distinguish actors from real emotions!
Once you have become comfortable with this, see if you can do it in social settings. Bars are great for trying to read people (sorry if I seem creepy at this point, I am a fly on the wall everywhere I go). The drunker a person is, the harder it is for them to hide true intentions. Picking up on pitch changes in voice, and word selection is a bit more difficult to learn and I'll leave that up to you - but it will ultimately increase your empathy even more.
Finally, the reverse empathy - the ability to see your "reflection" in another person. Once you have gained a good grasp on empathy, see if you can see how others perceive you. It is easier to do on new acquantainces (because you haven't formed intimate bonds and understandings - these will cloud true empathy amongst other emotions). You must first empathize with the person, understanding their outlook on things, followed by their reactions to your actions and words.
A small sample of things to look out for (for both empathy and reverse empathy):
Pitch and tone - The sound of a voice, and the pitch of certain phrases give away a lot.
•Overly happy/nice often means the person is more concerned with their appearance than having any interest in you, you won't get much out of them unless you dig (say something really off the wall) - this will get them to show a truer side of them.
Head space - How attentive are they? Do they make eye-contact? Is there any hand or head motions when they speak?
•Someone who seems distracted - looking at their phone or remaining silent and looking everywhere but you is an obvious sign of uninterest.
•Talking without hand motions usually shows lowered interest.
Word choice - This will be very hard to quantify, it will depend on the person and is up to you to identify!
•While in conversation, (these depend on the person, of course), long or weak "yeahs" will show the person actually does not agree or does not care. "Yeah" is the universal for "I want to be nice but you are boring me".
•A reply with "Yeah, I don't know" often means the person wants to say something, but is too uncomfortable to really say it, for a number of possible reasons.
•Using strong language (like cursing) when speaking about something will show the person is not thinking about you - but rather the subject matter. Good for empathy, bad for reverse empathy.
Facial cues - The final and most telling of all. I cannot explain them, as I myself can't seperate them out, but they are easily learned and picked up on. The better you become at picking up facial cues, the easier both empathy and reverse empathy will be.
And to keep this radically psychonautical - taking psychedelics after having learned new empathy will catapult your understanding of reading body language and facial expressions!
Good luck! Have fun!
Being an introvert, I often analyze myself to a great degree. I want to take this post to show you how to improve yourself, become more aware of your body and mind, as well as a general improvement of your level of empathy.
Empathy is a very interesting feeling, nearly indescribable, but it is the feeling of "seeing" and being someone else, or something else. Animal rights activists usually would state that have a great deal of empathy, even for another species. The idea of empathy is somewhat difficult to decipher - are we placing ourselves in their shoes, or are we literally experiencing their place in existance? (I don't mean some kind of spiritual-mind-swapping, simply the difference of our interpretation of their feelings, or are we literally taking up their feelings?) I believe it makes the most sense to assume the prior, but at any rate, it is an important attribue, and some psychologists and neurologists believe to be the newest evolution of the brain (while others say it is inherent in primates).
The first oncoming of empathy is at a very young age, and as my girlfriend was nice enough to explain, psychologists believe it happens right around the point when children no longer want their parents to see them taking a bath or going potty. It is the realization that one's parents are people and have their own view-points that brings about this privacy issue (as well as society's clothing standard!). We gain empathy at a young age and most definitely it grows and learns as much as we do. It is a very profound feeling when you realize that all the people in the world are singular, carry their own consciousness, and live their lives based on that.
Enhancing your ability to use empathy for the benefit of yourself and others is a crucial development to becoming happy as well as secure about yourself and your life. Without empathy, your ability to judge social situations may suffer, and you may find yourself seeing some interesting consequences - including the diminishing of friends.
I had always had a great deal of empathy. I remember at one point in my life a man had been stabbed at school. His injuries were severe, but he was going to live. The empathetical view of the knife-wielder struck me, however. The man with the knife had never met the victim, and had no reason to knife him other than pure anger (at what? - who knows). Upon learning of the even I sat in class unable to concentrate ont he subject matter, but rather staring blankly, trying to understand the stabber's frame of mind. When I arrived at home I sat in the dark, somewhat distrubed by the event, but more so by the empathetical view of a violent man's perspective.
It was this great deal of empathy towards analyzing other's mind-sets that got me wondering what exactly I am like. I can see myself in the mirror, and I can see myself on camera, but this view of me is biased - I am always in my own mind's perspective. I came up with an idea - what I will call "Reverse empathy", which is the ability to see yourself through someone else's eyes. The idea is simple, but depends on your ability to "read" and empathize with other people - you basically must see your friends and social interactions as mirrors, that react in various ways to your actions. A constant empathizing with someone while staying within the social situation.
When I was about seventeen years old I "saw" myself for the first time. I was able to view myself unbiased from my own perspective, but what is best described as omnipotently. It is a very harsh and confronting realization to see exactly what you are! Most of all, my realization of how I act brought about a a rapid change in me. I was able to identify what other's saw as annoying, or perhaps even awkward behavior (I have been called "weird" all my life - with other versions of the word - "liquid" being my favorite.) As a quiet person, with a strong hint of sarcasm, the amount of behaviors I portrayed that were perhaps socially unacceptable were fairly common. At first this ability to view myself unbiased was a curse - I felt like I had been an idiot all my life, saying and doing things I now regretted, being a jerk, or most commonly, saying things that just didn't make sense.
As time went on, and the introspection didn't leave, I began to do it in nearly every social situation, with hefty confrontations! The disgust of my behavior soon gave way to rapid improvement and the ability to speak with more confidence and brilliance! Although I still do not enjoy public speaking, I was able to handle being President of a University club, tutor, and volunteer in social situations with great results - had I done this without new found reverse-empathy, it would be quite funny to watch.
SO! On to the important stuff - how do you do it, why do you want to do it, and how can you do it better?
The most important attribute is empathy, plain and simple. It is not something you can learn from reading an instruction manual but rather something that must be honed and discovered yourself! A certain study showed that a great deal of Americans do not have a good ability to empathize one's facial expressions, but confuse anger with depression, and sadness with confusion, etc. My advice to gain empathy is to simply watch a movie, and imagine the actors on set. Imagine what they are thinking while they act, rather than what they actually say (this is easy for bad actors, heh) - this will increase your awareness of another's consciousness beyond what is simply displayed. The next time you watch any TV show do the same, imagine you are on the set, being the actor, or the director, this is a great way to increase empathy. Pretty soon you will be able to distinguish actors from real emotions!
Once you have become comfortable with this, see if you can do it in social settings. Bars are great for trying to read people (sorry if I seem creepy at this point, I am a fly on the wall everywhere I go). The drunker a person is, the harder it is for them to hide true intentions. Picking up on pitch changes in voice, and word selection is a bit more difficult to learn and I'll leave that up to you - but it will ultimately increase your empathy even more.
Finally, the reverse empathy - the ability to see your "reflection" in another person. Once you have gained a good grasp on empathy, see if you can see how others perceive you. It is easier to do on new acquantainces (because you haven't formed intimate bonds and understandings - these will cloud true empathy amongst other emotions). You must first empathize with the person, understanding their outlook on things, followed by their reactions to your actions and words.
A small sample of things to look out for (for both empathy and reverse empathy):
Pitch and tone - The sound of a voice, and the pitch of certain phrases give away a lot.
•Overly happy/nice often means the person is more concerned with their appearance than having any interest in you, you won't get much out of them unless you dig (say something really off the wall) - this will get them to show a truer side of them.
Head space - How attentive are they? Do they make eye-contact? Is there any hand or head motions when they speak?
•Someone who seems distracted - looking at their phone or remaining silent and looking everywhere but you is an obvious sign of uninterest.
•Talking without hand motions usually shows lowered interest.
Word choice - This will be very hard to quantify, it will depend on the person and is up to you to identify!
•While in conversation, (these depend on the person, of course), long or weak "yeahs" will show the person actually does not agree or does not care. "Yeah" is the universal for "I want to be nice but you are boring me".
•A reply with "Yeah, I don't know" often means the person wants to say something, but is too uncomfortable to really say it, for a number of possible reasons.
•Using strong language (like cursing) when speaking about something will show the person is not thinking about you - but rather the subject matter. Good for empathy, bad for reverse empathy.
Facial cues - The final and most telling of all. I cannot explain them, as I myself can't seperate them out, but they are easily learned and picked up on. The better you become at picking up facial cues, the easier both empathy and reverse empathy will be.
And to keep this radically psychonautical - taking psychedelics after having learned new empathy will catapult your understanding of reading body language and facial expressions!
Good luck! Have fun!
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