Simon L:
In the 18-20 years old period, I would sometimes look at something, like a lamppost and suddenly be fascinated by the fact that is was actually there.
I would experience wonder and fascination as I looked at the simple fact that it was actually there.
I think that there was a moment of pure PCE a couple of times.
The point I'm at now though, is that I can become aware of the world, and have similar experiences, but it is still perceived through my personal filter. I cannot seem to be able to get rid of that.
Any ideas?
'i' tried to get a PCE for a while after starting actualist practice. it didn't work at all, at first.. and part of the reason was cause 'i' was so caught up in trying to get the PCE that it had no chance of happening. here is my version of "no matter who i ask i get almost the exact same response it seems" =P.
i'll put it this way: you can categorize anything you're doing into whether it will lead to a PCE or not. being attentive and sensuous, cultivating naivete and pure intent - these things will lead to a PCE being more likely to happen. worrying about how to get a PCE, or how to get one faster, or how to get unstuck and into a PCE, etc..., will lead to a PCE being far less likely to happen.
the distinction is between "trying to get a PCE" vs. "having the strongest intention to be as naive, attentive and sensuous as possible, with as much felicity as possible, moment-to-moment". the latter is the way to do it. pretend you didn't even know a PCE was possible (and you don't yet, really, you've just heard descriptions and you have a potential memory). is it not enjoyable to be naive, attentive, sensuous, felicitous? if so, why stop doing it? just keep doing that. less suffering is intrinsically better and more fun.
this also provides a stupidly simple practice method: whenever anything happens... re-direct your attention to naivete, felicity, attentiveness, and sensuousness.
you notice you are making progress and are more felicitous. ok! can i be more attentive, more felicitous, more sensuous?
you notice you are stuck and, though you are felicitous, no PCE has happened yet. ok! can i be more attentive, more felicitous, more sensuous?
you notice that senses are getting prettier, and you wonder if you had a PCE back when you were younger. ok! can i be more attentive, more felicitous, more sensuous?
etc...
when did a PCE finally happen for me? well, immediately before, my senses became clearer. i kind of made a half-sincere decision to enjoy myself, so i was walking around, looking at some trees. i would remark how pretty things are.. but 50% of my mental effort was still focused on being nervous about being able to get a PCE. i somehow managed to just keep being sensuous, keep enjoying it. i was wondering whether i was close to a PCE, or not, but still managed to keep being sensuous... so at some point i was just looking out somewhere, being sensuous, somehow the nervousness had faded, and there was a stunningly surprising and totally unexpected experience of the visual sense coming sharply into focus, detail i wouldn't have imagined possible (as i was already focusing on being sensuous and my visual field was quite much crisper than it was before starting any practice). fun stuff. nothing 'i' could have done to trigger it.. except to be attentive, sensuous, felicitous, naive, etc...
advice i would have given to myself is to focus especially on those beliefs + thoughts related to success in getting a PCE. notice how you don't need them at all to be sensuous and felicitous. hmm, do they actually help in any way?