AF: My Practice Notes

Sanjay, modified 13 Years ago at 3/11/11 7:51 AM
Created 13 Years ago at 3/11/11 7:51 AM

AF: My Practice Notes

Posts: 44 Join Date: 4/11/10 Recent Posts
I know for a fact now that becoming free of the human condition does not occur by just reading what others have to say, then wishing for it to be true, and then feeding off this faith; or thinking that some energy will eventuate because of the knowledge I accumulate. It really has been, and sometimes still is, very hard work, and very personal … but it is paying off. ---- from AF Site


Hello

At this stage I am starting out with a basic objective of trying to remain cheerful through out the day. From being grumpy most of the time, this itself will be big for me . emoticon

I have setup a Mindful clock to ring a gong every 15 minutes during my working hours, so that i can focus on HAIETMOBA.

I also want to try this twice a day (morning and evening meditation time)

By investigating the area below the navel you will discover a still point. Feel out the still point (where the stir of passions are stilled) where the feeling of being is at its most basic.
By investigating this still point were there is no energy fueling movement to or away from the object of your focus you will find entrance to PCE.


Thanks
Sanjay
practice notes actual freedom af journal
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Sanjay, modified 13 Years ago at 3/14/11 12:02 AM
Created 13 Years ago at 3/14/11 12:02 AM

RE: AF: My Practice Notes

Posts: 44 Join Date: 4/11/10 Recent Posts
Hello

Reach down inside of yourself intuitively (aka feeling it out) and go past the rather superficial emotions/ feelings (generally in the chest area) into the deeper, more profound passions/ feelings (generally in the solar plexus area) until you come to a place (generally about four-finger widths below the navel) where you intuitively feel you elementarily have existence as a feeling being (as in ‘me’ at the core of ‘my’ being ... which is ‘being’ itself).
Now, having located ‘being’ itself, gently and tenderly sense out the area immediately below that (just above/just before and almost touching on the sex centre).
Here you will find yourself both likeable and liking (for here lies sincerity/ naiveté).
Here is where you can, finally, like yourself (very important) no matter what.
Here is the nearest a ‘self’ can get to innocence whilst remaining a ‘self’.
Here lies tenderness/ sweetness and togetherness/ closeness.
Here is where it is possible to be the key.


When I am tryng out this, i am not able to locate this point/area, For me the ‘being’ or I sense shows up at back side of my head, just above neck / nape area.

Thanks
Sanjay
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ManZ A, modified 13 Years ago at 3/14/11 12:14 AM
Created 13 Years ago at 3/14/11 12:14 AM

RE: AF: My Practice Notes

Posts: 105 Join Date: 1/12/10 Recent Posts
Sanjay M:
Hello

Reach down inside of yourself intuitively (aka feeling it out) and go past the rather superficial emotions/ feelings (generally in the chest area) into the deeper, more profound passions/ feelings (generally in the solar plexus area) until you come to a place (generally about four-finger widths below the navel) where you intuitively feel you elementarily have existence as a feeling being (as in ‘me’ at the core of ‘my’ being ... which is ‘being’ itself).
Now, having located ‘being’ itself, gently and tenderly sense out the area immediately below that (just above/just before and almost touching on the sex centre).
Here you will find yourself both likeable and liking (for here lies sincerity/ naiveté).
Here is where you can, finally, like yourself (very important) no matter what.
Here is the nearest a ‘self’ can get to innocence whilst remaining a ‘self’.
Here lies tenderness/ sweetness and togetherness/ closeness.
Here is where it is possible to be the key.


When I am tryng out this, i am not able to locate this point/area, For me the ‘being’ or I sense shows up at back side of my head, just above neck / nape area.

Thanks
Sanjay


Maybe locate it physically first with your hand and place your finger on the spot and then feel out the area. Try it in face to face interactions as suggested as well and see how that goes.
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Sanjay, modified 13 Years ago at 3/14/11 8:00 PM
Created 13 Years ago at 3/14/11 8:00 PM

RE: AF: My Practice Notes

Posts: 44 Join Date: 4/11/10 Recent Posts
ManZ A:
Sanjay M:
When I am tryng out this, i am not able to locate this point/area, For me the ‘being’ or I sense shows up at back side of my head, just above neck / nape area.


Maybe locate it physically first with your hand and place your finger on the spot and then feel out the area.


Hello ManZ

Thanks for your inputs. Now I am able to take my attention to this area, but still not getting the similar experiance described above, And if i then try to look for the 'I' sense my attention shifts back to the back of head / above nape area. So for now I will just try to keep my attention on the spot / area mentioned. I will keep at it for few days and see how it goes.

ManZ A:
Try it in face to face interactions as suggested as well and see how that goes.


I seem to have missed this part, can you tell me more about it or direct me to instructions.

Thanks
Sanjay
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ManZ A, modified 13 Years ago at 3/16/11 7:14 PM
Created 13 Years ago at 3/16/11 7:14 PM

RE: AF: My Practice Notes

Posts: 105 Join Date: 1/12/10 Recent Posts
Sanjay M:
ManZ A:
Sanjay M:
When I am tryng out this, i am not able to locate this point/area, For me the ‘being’ or I sense shows up at back side of my head, just above neck / nape area.


Maybe locate it physically first with your hand and place your finger on the spot and then feel out the area.


Hello ManZ

Thanks for your inputs. Now I am able to take my attention to this area, but still not getting the similar experiance described above, And if i then try to look for the 'I' sense my attention shifts back to the back of head / above nape area. So for now I will just try to keep my attention on the spot / area mentioned. I will keep at it for few days and see how it goes.

ManZ A:
Try it in face to face interactions as suggested as well and see how that goes.


I seem to have missed this part, can you tell me more about it or direct me to instructions.

Thanks
Sanjay


Here's a [link]

Just a little prior to those instructions on being sincerity it says "As there is something I have oft-times encouraged a fellow human being to try, in face-to-face interactions".

Sanjay M:
if i then try to look for the 'I' sense my attention shifts back to the back of head / above nape area


Why are you trying to look for the sense of "I"? That would be using intuition rather than being attentive. Or so me thinks anyway. What I usually do is be attentive as explained in this article [link] and try the reaching down technique occasionally in "face to face interactions" (well not exclusively).
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Sanjay, modified 13 Years ago at 3/28/11 1:33 AM
Created 13 Years ago at 3/17/11 1:04 AM

RE: AF: My Practice Notes

Posts: 44 Join Date: 4/11/10 Recent Posts
ManZ A:

Why are you trying to look for the sense of "I"? That would be using intuition rather than being attentive. Or so me thinks anyway. What I usually do is be attentive as explained in this article [link] and try the reaching down technique occasionally in "face to face interactions" (well not exclusively).


Thanks once again

I will try to be just attentive rather than intuting (trying to feel for something / looking for similiar experiance as described by others). Thanks for the link, by now this one is stored as favorites, but will check for the relavent portion emoticon

Thanks
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Jon T, modified 13 Years ago at 3/19/11 2:39 PM
Created 13 Years ago at 3/19/11 2:39 PM

RE: AF: My Practice Notes

Posts: 401 Join Date: 12/30/10 Recent Posts
Thanks for the links guys. Fill us in on what you find.
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Sanjay, modified 13 Years ago at 3/20/11 3:04 AM
Created 13 Years ago at 3/20/11 3:04 AM

RE: AF: My Practice Notes

Posts: 44 Join Date: 4/11/10 Recent Posts
Jon T:
Thanks for the links guys. Fill us in on what you find.


Hello Jon

We all learn from each other. I was not big fan for writing on the forum . . . but used to read everything posted here (well almost) emoticon

Recently Ed asked a question about his concerns with AF & how it will be for the family. As he said on that thread "I" wants conformation from others emoticon Thanks Ed for your threads; your questions have helped me see things better.

A quote from the thread linked above

This is correct, the state of pleasantness (the state of having - or even better, being - felicitous feelings) is merely an affective imitation of the PCE … but it is an imitation which is essential for 'me' to generate if i am to be the pure intent which leads directly to the PCE.

When i feel well, i am in a position to see clearly, and to sensitively know, for myself, what i really want, hence, the desire to live well (of which feeling well is a part) occurs in the course of my recognition of my own sensible wishes (which is what being sincere is, as i really do wish to live well). Sincerely living well leads me to really get into the enjoyment of being here (and being alive - and even being me)... and from here, pure intent really starts to make sense (all the way back to the beginning of maximizing felicitous feelings), as habitually enjoying myself evokes a naïveté about - a wide-eyed wonder at - this very world as it happens... and here is where i can really, safely and securely, let go into it (give myself permission to wander off completely). From here, the PCE is bound to occur.



Unless we have a clear recall of a PCE (without any doubts), better still make it repeatable i.e. an ability to keep getting it again, we should just focus on doing things that may help us getting a PCE.

There is loads of material to assimilate both here on DhO and AF Trust website, but the best part is we have very capable and willing hands to guide and help us along the way.

The thing I keep forgetting, so have a need to keep reminding myself is that it’s a fun path, we are supposed to have fun doing this emoticon. As long as the happiness quotient keeps on increasing we keep getting near . . .

Thanks
Sanjay
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Sanjay, modified 13 Years ago at 3/20/11 9:25 AM
Created 13 Years ago at 3/20/11 4:03 AM

RE: AF: My Practice Notes

Posts: 44 Join Date: 4/11/10 Recent Posts
Hello

I just made a Que card out of the above quote emoticon



Thanks
Sanjay

EDIT: Ref: original post by Tarin. 6/26/10 4:08 AM as a reply to Jeff Grove,[on this thread]
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Nad A, modified 13 Years ago at 3/20/11 5:37 AM
Created 13 Years ago at 3/20/11 5:37 AM

RE: AF: My Practice Notes

Posts: 237 Join Date: 8/26/10 Recent Posts
Sanjay M:
Hello

I just made a Que card out of the above quote emoticon




Thanks
Sanjay

I'm not in any of those boxes right now. Is there an entry point onto that cycle? A reliable way of getting in there?
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Sanjay, modified 13 Years ago at 3/20/11 9:27 AM
Created 13 Years ago at 3/20/11 9:20 AM

RE: AF: My Practice Notes

Posts: 44 Join Date: 4/11/10 Recent Posts
Nad A.:
I'm not in any of those boxes right now. Is there an entry point onto that cycle? A reliable way of getting in there?


Sorry did not link it to the original post by tarin, doing that now, check for the post made by tarin (6/26/10 4:08 AM as a reply to Jeff Grove.) on this thread

In the above, the state of having felicitous feelings = Being Felicitous Feelings. ('I' am my feelings)

Thanks
Sanjay
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Adam Bieber, modified 13 Years ago at 3/21/11 1:00 AM
Created 13 Years ago at 3/21/11 12:48 AM

RE: AF: My Practice Notes

Posts: 88 Join Date: 6/1/10 Recent Posts
Sincerity has been a great way for me to raise felicitous feeling and become increasingly happy and harmless. Read the post again that trent writes in Sincerity in practice. Basically its do what truly want to do (the thing that you feel would make you happy and harmless i.e. more relaxed) and investigate the passions. I try to investigate any negative feelings based on the passions. For example, If I feel fear, then it goes to a fearful thought, I examine it and analyze my thought saying "oh, its a thought of fear" then feel the affect of fear and try to let it go. As trent said, you know you have let it go when the affect dissolves into a wider space and you feel lighter and happier. Sincerity gives one pure intent because one eventually wants to feel nothing but happy and harmless instead of emotional turmoil. By dissolving aggression, fear, desire, nurture, and the need to belong, you become happy and harmless and at the same time, one wants to try to stay in a PCE/EE for as long as possible. Issues and turmoil lie in ones internal world but outside in the actual world there is no affect. Pay attention to the outside world which has no affect while saying HAIETMOBA. Eventually, you loosen the controls and try to have the EE/PCE happen on its own by just being attentive.
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Sanjay, modified 13 Years ago at 3/22/11 7:42 AM
Created 13 Years ago at 3/22/11 7:42 AM

RE: AF: My Practice Notes

Posts: 44 Join Date: 4/11/10 Recent Posts
Bruno Loff:
There was a shift in my perception after reading these words (Richard's Journal, Article 11):

Richard:

Thus “who I really am” is an emotional ‘being’ ... a psychological or psychic entity residing inside this body. This may be real, but it is not actual. ‘I’, as an emotional ‘being’ am not a fact ... ‘I’ am a belief.


Hello

After reading the above post from Bruno, goggled with "a psychological or psychic entity", gave me these 3 useful links.

As usual will need multiple reads emoticon


Thanks
Sanjay
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Bruno Loff, modified 13 Years ago at 3/25/11 8:04 AM
Created 13 Years ago at 3/25/11 8:04 AM

RE: AF: My Practice Notes

Posts: 1094 Join Date: 8/30/09 Recent Posts
ManZ A:

Maybe locate it physically first with your hand and place your finger on the spot and then feel out the area. Try it in face to face interactions as suggested as well and see how that goes.


Funny, I have interpreted the sentence differently:

Richard:

In other words, to be sincerity (not only have sincerity) is to be the key (not merely have the key) to be naiveté (not just have naiveté).

(Bear in mind that, at root, ‘I’ am ‘my’ feelings and ‘my’ feelings are ‘me’ and it will all become clear).

As there is something I have oft-times encouraged a fellow human being to try, in face-to-face interactions, which usually has the desired effect it is well worth detailing here: (...)


Meaning that Richard has, in face-to-face interactions, suggested fellow human beings to try (in any given appropriate circumstance), <the reach down to naivete technique>.

I've started doing this practice today (in no way restricting it to face-to-face interactions), and I thought I should leave this small remark.
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ManZ A, modified 13 Years ago at 3/25/11 2:16 PM
Created 13 Years ago at 3/25/11 2:16 PM

RE: AF: My Practice Notes

Posts: 105 Join Date: 1/12/10 Recent Posts
Bruno Loff:
ManZ A:

Maybe locate it physically first with your hand and place your finger on the spot and then feel out the area. Try it in face to face interactions as suggested as well and see how that goes.


Funny, I have interpreted the sentence differently:

Richard:

In other words, to be sincerity (not only have sincerity) is to be the key (not merely have the key) to be naiveté (not just have naiveté).

(Bear in mind that, at root, ‘I’ am ‘my’ feelings and ‘my’ feelings are ‘me’ and it will all become clear).

As there is something I have oft-times encouraged a fellow human being to try, in face-to-face interactions, which usually has the desired effect it is well worth detailing here: (...)


Meaning that Richard has, in face-to-face interactions, suggested fellow human beings to try (in any given appropriate circumstance), <the reach down to naivete technique>.

I've started doing this practice today (in no way restricting it to face-to-face interactions), and I thought I should leave this small remark.


Oh I did not mean in any way to restrict it to face-to-face interactions (just that, that's where I use the technique most often). I just interpreted the instructions as suggesting to try it in face-to-face interactions. As he already says that he "oft-times encouraged a fellow human being to try", I figured the "in face-to-face interactions" part would be sort of superfluous or even redundant. But I myself try it out during other occasions as well (such as when I notice some sort of dissociation may be occurring). I know you just started it today, but does anything happen when you try this out?
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Sanjay, modified 13 Years ago at 3/28/11 1:29 AM
Created 13 Years ago at 3/28/11 1:29 AM

RE: AF: My Practice Notes

Posts: 44 Join Date: 4/11/10 Recent Posts
Hello

Reading the various practice threads has been very helpful to me, getting different perspectives helps in small course corrections, also it is encouraging to see other making good progress. Bit of resentment swells up on seeing 'others' having it so easy getting into / talking about PCE emoticon

Reading Bruno’s thread I was inspired to examine one of my regular fears. I get frozen into a certain situation. I have tried to work on it many times, 100 different ways without much progress.

Calling it a 'Belief' a silly belief at that, I tried to examine it all over again, putting myself into that situation. The fear does not feel so over bearing but there is still that inaction / freeze, it seems it is due to a strong urge to postpone . . . "not now, not now", I want to avoid Now, I want to postpone it to afterwards. Not sure this is the fear itself in a different form or wanting to avoid is coming up as fear, either way its silly. I will keep working with it.

Thanks Bruno & Katy S for starting your practice threads.

Thanks
Sanjay
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Sanjay, modified 13 Years ago at 4/8/11 8:21 PM
Created 13 Years ago at 4/8/11 8:21 PM

RE: AF: My Practice Notes

Posts: 44 Join Date: 4/11/10 Recent Posts
Friend:
the focusing on the point below the hara. Just an empty spot of nothing


Reading it on Nikolai's Blog clicked for me . . .

For some reason, even after reading most of the versions and trying them many times I was not getting it, I needed to read these words "empty spot of nothing".

Now for me its working as the mood switch, breathing from this spot helps me switch very quickly to feeling good.

Thanks
Sanjay
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Harry Potter, modified 13 Years ago at 4/8/11 9:56 PM
Created 13 Years ago at 4/8/11 9:55 PM

RE: AF: My Practice Notes

Posts: 12 Join Date: 3/7/11 Recent Posts
Sanjay M:
Friend:
the focusing on the point below the hara. Just an empty spot of nothing


Reading it on Nikolai's Blog clicked for me . . .

For some reason, even after reading most of the versions and trying them many times I was not getting it, I needed to read these words "empty spot of nothing".

Now for me its working as the mood switch, breathing from this spot helps me switch very quickly to feeling good.


I am a bit curious to know your level of success in switching your mood. Would you mind giving specific examples of your past mood that get switched to felicitous moods? If yes, what kind of felicitous moods do they get switched to? For instance, were you feeling insecure before your focusing on this point enabled you to feel happy? If yes, what are you now feeling happy about? What aspect of this newfound felicity prevents the previous insecurity to wreak havoc again in this moment?
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Sanjay, modified 13 Years ago at 4/11/11 12:46 AM
Created 13 Years ago at 4/11/11 12:46 AM

RE: AF: My Practice Notes

Posts: 44 Join Date: 4/11/10 Recent Posts
Harry Potter:
I am a bit curious to know your level of success in switching your mood. Would you mind giving specific examples of your past mood that get switched to felicitous moods? If yes, what kind of felicitous moods do they get switched to? For instance, were you feeling insecure before your focusing on this point enabled you to feel happy? If yes, what are you now feeling happy about? What aspect of this newfound felicity prevents the previous insecurity to wreak havoc again in this moment?


Hello

I have not been into a situation of insecurity or something that will trigger strong feelings/emotions, so don’t know how that will turn out to be, will be interesting to find that out.

What i had previously accepted as a normal or neutral mood has an underlining irritation, a feeling of something missing but cant help or an it’s ok feel to it. Focusing the attention at this spot is helping to ease out this disquiet and get into a good mood.

This has also worked for me when being caught up in loop of thinking / emoting about what i would call as life issues, but this takes first noticing or being aware that i am into this cycle. I don't know how and why this works, but many times while trying to reason out the why for feeling bad, i really did not find any valid reasons for that either.

The HAIETMOBA, question helps me catch the brooding or this insane cycle of thinking / feeling / emoting. Trying to find the issues or reason for feeling bad always shows up one thing, no matter what the problem is, this behavior is not helpful with the problems at hand in fact it just comes in the way or adds to the problem. Indulging in this behaviors of thinking / emoting or futurizing / justifying in an imaginary dialogue is silly. Calling it silly works for me, classifying it as good / bad or right / wrong just adds to the complexity.

Thanks for your questions; they help me investigate it further.

Sanjay
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