8.11.2007

Decoupling Feeling, Willing and Thinking

A lot of times i've seen people (inluding myself) struggle to make the right decisions and choices.

The confusion i believe stems from a parallelization of the 3 key mind processes - feeling, thinking and willing.

Whenever we are presented with choices , be it in the professional and personal sphere, our mind begins to race. This can be called the projection of the mind. I feel that most people have an automatic projection process, they don't ever try to monitor or control this racing motion of their minds.

When the mind projects in the face of available options, a peculiar mix of emotions, rational thought and more projections into the future happens inside our head. the mix can vary from person to person, but its a mess nevertheless.

These choices arise a few times a day in most professions. And i can say that it is due to this mismanagement of the mind motion that stress arises. The mixed projection of the mind is recipe for the emotion of stress.

A very simple antidote to stress is to systematize the projection of the mind. It is especially important to not let willing appear before thinking has completed.

At one step, we should only rationally think about our alternatives in an objective manner for as long is necessary. In case of personal decisions, the feeling motion should also be factored in at the same stage. It is very important that no will of any kind is formed by this time.

After sufficient thinking has happened, then it is time to commit, i.e. will that choice into implementation. This should be a strong and conscious will, very clearly known to oneself.

So sequential and non overlapping thinking and willing are very important to mind management. The role of feeling isn't very clear to me and i feel that thinking and willing are functionally sufficient in most cases.

Another attribute of successful mind management is to make thinking iterative and factor in as many things as possible in an iterative fashion. This specifically means to revise the content of thought as much as possible on objective criteria as demanded by the situation at hand.

Taking care of the mind projection process and keeping it neat and tidy really helps one destress and ensures productive outcomes of the effort put in.

4.06.2007

Internalization of the Mind

A very effective technique for combating mental confusion, irritability and negative emotions like fear and anxiety is internalizing the mind.

In practice, internalizing the mind means a commitment to simply not care about the external world and focus all attention on ones own mind and its content instead. It is important to just cut any thought processes regarding the external world.

Once the mind calms and begins to rest inwards it becomes easier to hold the external factors in perspective to their importance.

It would also become easier to systematically work out solutions to problems and challenges posed by life.

3.09.2007

Chroncling Peace

The events of the last few months have served to disconnect me from something that had mattered to me a lot in the years preceding them.

That facet of my life is peace. In all the thinking about my career and other aspects of personal life, peace had been relegated to a much lower priority.

However, i rediscovered today something that i had been craving for. And that was a glimpse of the uncorrupted state of mind which i dearly cherish.

It is the summum bonum to my understanding.

Rather than debate the merits, i'll chronicle the experience.

There is a total suspension of egoist time, an 'I' with a past, present and future.

It is a state of altered perception of time and suspended common sense. Death is not a revolting idea, nor failure, nor disease.

The most beautiful thing is the objectification of the mind, the ability to perceive every motion of thought as if under a microscope.

All identities crack.

I am convinced that there is no attachment to the state either, with no desire to reproduce or recreate the state as happens in pleasure conditioning.

As i write this, i am but convinced to create a future in which such contemplation continues to play an instrumental role.

Possibility

This is an interesting idea.

I think life is primarily about possibilities and that the full life entails embracing all possibility.

The possibility of failure and success, of bugs in software, of peace, of challenges, of creative insights, of the beauty of love and a whole lot more.

To live a complete life involves accepting all outcomes in life. Which is not to be a fatalist. It means that one must not resist any possibilities, since they exist and some of them will manifest.

It is entirely reasonable to like certain possibilities more than others. However, genuine intelligence about how these are manifested cannot arise till we learn to accept all possibilities.

And that is the key to my mind. Intelligence.

A fluid and alert mind, open to possibility is what is necessary to make the most of life. That is what intelligence is.

2.19.2007

The Basics

To succeed, one must get the basics right.

Let us take living as the art and the science then. To succeed, the basics have to be right.

As per hindu tradition , there are two ways in which a human being can live.
One is the life of the man of the world, the householder. The other , of the spiritually dedicated reculse.

Let me enumerate the high priority virtues successful living in the world entails :
In no particular order
1) Proactivity and Action Orientation
2) Industry and Creativity in Action and Thought
3) Self Confidence of a Positive Variety
4) Vigour
5) Moral Fortitude in the face of temptation to ethical incorrectness


Let me contrast these with what are higher priorities for a reclusive life

1) Critical Thinking and very strong mental fortitude in face of any tempations.
2) 'Vairagya' or Mental Renuncation of Mind and Materials
3) Sense Restraint
4) Confidence of a negative variety as far as things of the world go. That is to say, surety of what doesn't work.
5) Positive confidence in the ideals of Absolute Freedom / God / Spirit, something genuinely free as the case may be

Clearly i haven't got my priorities sorted out right now.
Most of my effort and habit is clearly towards the reclusive life.
However, i am directly involved in the worldly life.

What is the solution to this problem.

Clearly, i must master one of the two sets of virtues first and decide my priorities.

This is a very tough question is all i can say right now.