My interpretation of Trent's recent AF advice

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Daniel M Ingram, modified 12 Years ago at 8/6/11 2:48 AM
Created 12 Years ago at 8/5/11 2:10 AM

My interpretation of Trent's recent AF advice

Posts: 3268 Join Date: 4/20/09 Recent Posts
I had a conversation with Trent recently about AF practice that I found quite helpful, particularly as it drew on some things I was familiar with and tied them into AF in a way that seemed to make a lot of sense, so I would pass it on. This my possibly incorrect interpretation of what he said, nothing verbatim, so take it for what it is worth and see for yourself if it helps or not. I have found these pointers have really made things interesting.

We discussed a lot of things, but my quick summary here of some of the more interesting points for me is as follows:

1) As to how to work with the twin arms of sensuousness and attentiveness, take sensuousness as the wide open, panoramic, diffuse field of everything in space that presents itself and attentiveness as the investigation into what part of that field seems to hold affective something, using sensuousness as the complete stage in which investigation occurs, so they work together simultaneously to come to an integrated, apperceptive field.

2) Even if you find nothing particularly affective going on in the field of experience, if anything stands out, any sensations at all, that is probably where something affective is.

3) When eyes are open, it is easier to be wide and sensuous and not as easy to investigate and be attentive, so give a little more attention to attentiveness, and vice versa when the eyes are closed.

4) Drawing on the qualities of eyes-open versions of the formless realms can help. He listed specifics of how each countered some contraction on each of the aggregates (traditional Buddhist aggregates), but I find that just that instruction alone is gold, having spent a lot of time looking at those eyes closed and open. He said they mimic in some ways the qualities of the Actual, so are pointers to a diffuse, non-affective, apperceptive, undifferentiated field.

5) In each moment when you feel something, meaning an affective feeling, there is the choice to keep feeling it or not, and if you can figure out a way to resolve or dissolve or stop that tension or affective twang, do so then. If you can do that every 1/2 to 2 seconds, even better. In this way, there are little mini-PCE's where affect is interrupted and then re-establishes itself or seems to, and by really watching carefully for the non-affective (or nearly so) moments just after affect stops, you can really get a working sense of the difference between the two, which helps you make better choices as to how to incline and what to aim for.

6) By seeing through the attention wave: that wave that seems to make things flutter, shift, phase in and out, etc. any way you can, which can just forcing the issue of a nearly-attention wave free field, or just following it and seeing it is just qualities and so not actually an attention wave, or by feeling the useless tension in it, or seeing it as impersonal, causal phenomena in a wide open space, or however you do it, you can flash on to PCE or PCE-like periods, and these may be very short or of longer duration, but regardless, that does something good, and each time you do it, something feels closer or more complete, if only just a little bit, and you can do it second after second as in 5) above if they don't seem to last long. (Personal practice not: I had done a lot of this early on, but then went back and did some Peter/Vineeto-style tracking down feelings, roles, identities, in a more contemplative and less formally meditative way, but finally hit what seemed to be a dead end and now am putting more emphasis on this way of working with it, and, having done that Peter/Vineeto-style work, find it wholly different and more clean-feeling or complete or something like that, probably something idiosyncratic, I would guess...).

7) Physical sensations of affective qualities can only occur in the space occupied by the physical body, but thoughts that relate to those affective physical sensations can occur anywhere in the field, so look for those in the wider space of the field of experience also if they seem to be elsewhere, and particularly look for any sense of the field contracting on any thought, as that is a sign of something to be attentive to in the open field of sensuousness.

Perhaps others, such as Nick (who I believe was working with something like some of these) or Trent will comment if I have gotten anything too far off or if they have something to add to this.

I hope you find these pointers as interesting as I have,

Daniel
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Pål S, modified 12 Years ago at 8/5/11 5:07 AM
Created 12 Years ago at 8/5/11 5:07 AM

RE: My interpretation of Trent's recent AF advice

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Daniel M. Ingram:

4) Drawing on the qualities of eyes-open versions of the formless realms can help. He listed specifics of how each countered some contraction on each of the aggregates (traditional Buddhist aggregates), but I find that just that instruction alone is gold, having spent a lot of time looking at those eyes closed and open. He said they mimic in some ways the qualities of the Actual, so are pointers to a diffuse, non-affective, apperceptive, undifferentiated field.


For those of us not familiar with the formless realms, can you explain what characterizes walking around, eyes-open, in this mode? Is this were the mental scaffolding of 'reality' drops away?
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Tommy M, modified 12 Years ago at 8/5/11 5:17 AM
Created 12 Years ago at 8/5/11 5:17 AM

RE: My interpretation of Trent's recent AF advice

Posts: 1199 Join Date: 11/12/10 Recent Posts
Excellent advice! The formless realms/letting go approach has become a bigger part of my own practice recently and is highly recommended if anyone's got access to them.

Thanks for posting this, Daniel.
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Nikolai , modified 12 Years ago at 8/5/11 8:42 AM
Created 12 Years ago at 8/5/11 5:53 AM

RE: My interpretation of Trent's recent AF advice

Posts: 1677 Join Date: 1/23/10 Recent Posts
Hi Daniel,

I followed Trent's advice concerning the arupa jhanas as well. Highly recommended.
http://thehamiltonproject.blogspot.com/2011/07/yogi-toolbox-actualizing-jhanas.html

Edited to add: In a PCE (and permanently at AF), the mind may take any of the arupa jhana actual aspects at any given time as the actual perspective.

When there is recognition, acceptance and an affectless compassion/caring for, say, a human being who is in your field of vision, the perspective automatically shifts to the space around the head and the human being in that space, the 5th jhana's actual aspect of space becomes the dominant perspective naturally.

When an object in the field of vision is paid attention to so that it is seen in pristine clarity, there is a shifting of the perspective to one of appreciation, a natural affectless appreciation inherent in the perspective that the mind takes, which resembles the 6th jhana's actual aspect. It is like a perceiving of the perceiving of the object, and there is a natural appreciation there as the object is pristinely seen, which is how it is in a PCE/AF. An affectless wonder.

When the mind takes the 7th jhanas actual perspective of nothingness, or 'no mind', there is a sense of an affectless equanimity in that perspective. It is a very useful perspective when niggly sensations (twangs), that might interrupt the flow of a PCE, arise.

The 8th jhana has the actual aspect of signlessness. This perspective (without a sense of "being" making it a slightly different experience) is when the mind is resting without taking up any particular object as the primary focus. It has a resting quality to it. No themes, no signs, signless.

See here for the affectless sublime abode/arupa jhana combo explanation.

If you pay attention to the actual aspects of the arupa jhanas; the mental perspectives of space/compassion, consciousness/appreciation, nothingness/equanimity and neither perception nor non-perception/signlessness; then one is bringing to light/focus the natural structure/perspectives of the mind often covered up/distorted by the flow of affect/attention wave/attention bounce/sense of "being"/sense of existing/sense of "me"-ness/sense of presence/sense of location/sense of inner world/flow of sankhara/flow of becoming. This flow of affect often needs to be absorbed (one-pointed/concentrated) for these actual aspects to come to light, but they are always there for everyone at any given time. You just need to lend attention to them.

Notice when you generate metta or compassion with eyes open, that there may be an "up and out" perspective, taking space as the theme. Notice when you look at an object and appreciate it, maybe looking at it in wonder, notice the shift in perspective. Notice when there are gnarly unpleasant sensations in the body, and you observe those sensations with all the equanimity you can muster, notice how the mind's perspective may change, taking the sensations as the primary object. There may be no appreciation of it, more like a sense of "no mind-ness". Notice when you just stop paying attention to objects and let the mind rest in the middle so to speak, neither taking up an object nor going unconscious, objects are sort of out of focus. Notice the difference in mental perspective. In a PCE/AF, these perspectives are present at any given time, just affectless, with no sense of "being" attached/clinging.

The rupa jhanas are good for subduing the flow of "me"-ness (which has to get 'absorbed'), so that one can lend attention to these actual aspects without getting sidetracked by the 5 hinderances (flow of "me"-ness). If you get good at recognising these actual aspects, over and over, eyes open/eyes closed, then they become more apparent in day to day experience, and the flow of "me"-ness may begin to step back/fade/dissapear to reveal the PCE, and eventually AF via this continuous recognition of actuality.

The aspects being overlayed with that mental sense of "being" become clearer and more obvious enough to do something about it (actualise/appercieve) when juxtaposed with the arupa jhana actual aspects, which are the PCE/AF actual perspectives.
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Beoman Claudiu Dragon Emu Fire Golem, modified 12 Years ago at 8/5/11 7:20 AM
Created 12 Years ago at 8/5/11 7:16 AM

RE: My interpretation of Trent's recent AF advice

Posts: 2227 Join Date: 10/27/10 Recent Posts
Daniel M. Ingram:
5) In each moment when you feel something, meaning an affective feeling, there is the choice to keep feeling it or not, and if you can figure out a way to resolve or dissolve or stop that tension or affective twang, do so then. If you can do that ever 1/2 to 2 seconds, even better. In this way, there are little mini-PCE's where affect is interrupted and then re-establishes itself or seems to, and by really watching carefully for the non-affective (or nearly so) moments just after affect stops, you can really get a working sense of the difference between the two, which helps you make better choices as to how to incline and what to aim for.

this is an interesting one. something about 2-3am in the morning, lying awake, almost falling asleep, but not quite, makes it really easy. i can just flip a switch and stop all affect, and then watch as large chunks of 'being' seem to evaporate.. wonder if it has something to do with having taken 5-HTP a few hours before.

but yeah, formations are the second link in DO (after ignorance), volitional formations. seems all that one has to do is stop exacerbating existing chains of volitional formations, stop generating new volitional formations, start diminishing existing chains of volitional formations, etc.. basically sit still enough. and then the actualism process will divulge that part of 'being' that is sitting still.
Trent , modified 12 Years ago at 8/5/11 2:22 PM
Created 12 Years ago at 8/5/11 1:10 PM

RE: My interpretation of Trent's recent AF advice

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Daniel M. Ingram:
(Personal practice not: I had done a lot of this early on, but then went back and did some Peter/Vineeto-style tracking down feelings, roles, identities, in a more contemplative and less formally meditative way, but finally hit what seemed to be a dead end and now am putting more emphasis on this way of working with it, and, having done that Peter/Vineeto-style work, find it wholly different and more clean-feeling or complete or something like that, probably something idiosyncratic, I would guess...).

i think it is less likely idiosyncratic and more likely the difference in how the practice (and processes utilized therein) interacts within the context of different path stages. the limited information[1] i have told a few people about this is simply a jhana-terminology tweaked approach to attentiveness/senuousness, for use in eliminating the core/raw instinctual passions, and will be quite ineffective at any other time (if it is possible to use at all).

this alludes to a primary reason i have not discussed this outside of one-on-one conversations; the reason being that i think this sort of late-path-appropriate buddhist-actualist hybrid methodology will likely confuse or distract more people than it informs or focuses, and so i have found it best left outside of the appropriately circumscribed advice i offer others.

additionally, such an approach does not render null the necessity of occasionally investigating the root ignorance which underlies all 'being' and 'becoming'. it is therefore important to remember to balance any individual approach or method within the larger context of one's day-to-day practice.

[1] as i have only been talking to people about this in one-on-one conversations, much of what might be necessary for some people to utilize this approach effectively might be entirely missing from the paragraphs and pages above. and so, as both dan and nick have stated, their writing about this is purely a reflection of their personal understanding or an interpretation of what i've said, and if useful, great ... if not, i recommend sticking with the fundamentals / basics, which are widely elucidated on the actual freedom trust web-site and within the DhO's archives, and which are by no means lacking in any necessary detail.
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Nikolai , modified 12 Years ago at 8/5/11 4:25 PM
Created 12 Years ago at 8/5/11 4:22 PM

RE: My interpretation of Trent's recent AF advice

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Yes, I would like to second what Trent said. I came to the arupa jhana practice a number of months back, having already gotten MCTB 4th path in July last year, and after having already dedicated a number of months to dismantling the social identity, cultivating felicity to great heights, practicing HAIETMOBA and having triggered two full blown PCEs and many short glimpses in between. I also continued these practices during the day, combining them with the arupa jhana approach.

Nick
Adam Bieber, modified 12 Years ago at 8/5/11 9:42 PM
Created 12 Years ago at 8/5/11 9:40 PM

RE: My interpretation of Trent's recent AF advice

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Hey Nick,

Can you please describe your full blown PCE's? I am positive in a way I've never been before that I had a full blown PCE for like a minute or two before it slowly dissolved into fearful imaginations and it was the most incredible thing I've experienced to date. I've had many short glimpses of what I think are PCE's but nothing like what I experienced during this PCE.
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Nikolai , modified 12 Years ago at 8/5/11 10:38 PM
Created 12 Years ago at 8/5/11 10:03 PM

RE: My interpretation of Trent's recent AF advice

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Adam Bieber:
Hey Nick,

Can you please describe your full blown PCE's? I am positive in a way I've never been before that I had a full blown PCE for like a minute or two before it slowly dissolved into fearful imaginations and it was the most incredible thing I've experienced to date. I've had many short glimpses of what I think are PCE's but nothing like what I experienced during this PCE.


Hi Adam,

Sure. The first one occurred after listening to Trent and Daniel's hurricane discussion. I was inspired to read Richard's apperceptiveness and sensuousness article. I was sitting in a big comfy Starbucks chair. I read each sentence slowly and thoughtfully trying to really understand it completely, as previously I had glanced at it without putting much thought into it.

Somewhere around the middle of the article, I just realized that 'I' had just dropped away. Totally free of any unpleasantness in the body, no vibey flow in the chest or throat. Just a clean slate. The body felt so light and comfortable, so calm and still. And the sense of "me"-ness completely gone. I sat there in that chair looking around at the Starbucks decor so lost in actuality. What was so striking was the absence of all suffering I had always wished to end. It was all absent. All tensions, all unsatisfactoriness. The body and mind felt clean and crystal clear. I moved my hands in front of my eyes, they moved by themselves, no sense of agency. It lasted about 3 hours, and I think it left 'me" a changed 'me', more thinned out, EE like. It was the big convincer.

The second one occurred a few days or so after putting into action Trent's instructions concerning the applying attentiveness to sensuousness in the arupa jhanas. I was riding a bus home from work, a 25 minute trip. I directed the mind into the 5th jhana. I have always had extremely easy access to jhanas since 1st path. Don't ask why as I have no idea why.

I noticed space, and the sensations that implied space, focusing on them and then widening the mind's focus to include the flow of gross sensations at the chest which seemed to be support for a mental sense of "being". Then those two aspects, the mental sense of "being" and the underlying flow of chest vibrations were mashed up against the actual aspect of space. That is to say the focus included both aspects, "being" and actual together, juxtaposing them in real time. This acted as a sort of interference signal to the mental sense of "being" and it would drop away, then shortly after arise again. When it dropped away, short PCE glimpses were had. I kept doing this for several minutes, then moved to the 6th jhana. The 6th jhana's perspective was taken as object, then the same process was done. Let the mind fall on the gross vibrations seemingly triggering the arise of the sense of "being", and then mashing those two aspects up against each other.

As I did this for about 15 minutes, actualizing the sense of "being" as it arose again and again, there occurred a prolonged moment of a number of seconds where the actual perspective of the 6th occurred without any sense of "being" arising. The sole focus being the 6th's perspective. Then a sudden movement occurred in the back of the brain near where the neck meets the back of the skull. Plop! It almost felt like fruition-like. The biggest PCE of my life. I truly thought I had gotten AF it was so clean and stable much like the last 3 hour one. So convincingly beautiful to live without existing as 'me' no matter how refined 'I' had become by that stage. It lasted about 20 hours and left 'me' even more thinned out than before when 'I' came back up for air. Pure intent went through the roof after that.
Adam Bieber, modified 12 Years ago at 8/7/11 5:00 PM
Created 12 Years ago at 8/7/11 5:00 PM

RE: My interpretation of Trent's recent AF advice

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Hey man,

Thanks for the great post. The full blown PCE I had was stunning in that it had absolutely no vibey flow as you mention. Like my veins ran cold with a lack of instinctual chemicals. It was amazing not to have that flowing distract me with any small unpleasantness. My head was full of a magnificent silence, where every sound was located in it. With no chemical "being", my body was completely emptied of "me" ness and suffering absent.

Actualizing the being is a great way to put "feeling" the being as a whole. I often try to shift from minor sensations to actualizing the entire being and then juxtaposing it with clean actual space as you mention. This seems to decrease the being and has lead to mini-pce's. I think I need to just concentrate longer on doing this as it takes a lot of concentration for me to do.

Thanks for the help Nick
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Pål S, modified 12 Years ago at 8/7/11 6:16 AM
Created 12 Years ago at 8/7/11 6:16 AM

RE: My interpretation of Trent's recent AF advice

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Trent .:
...i recommend sticking with the fundamentals / basics, which are widely elucidated on the actual freedom trust web-site and within the DhO's archives, and which are by no means lacking in any necessary detail.


While Richard is very meticulous in his writing, it also causes him to either write about what is actual or what is not actual... all the while ignoring the dirty in-betweens*. Since I can not jump from 'normal mode' to 'PCE mode' it would be very helpful to know about the stepping-stones that (can) lead you there. To be honest I wish someone with the ability to cultivate PCE could give a description of the experience leading from 'normal' to PCE, preferably with an emphasis on the changing perception of 'reality'.

* If this is not the case could you/someone please provide links to the appropriate page(s).
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Beoman Claudiu Dragon Emu Fire Golem, modified 12 Years ago at 8/7/11 8:29 AM
Created 12 Years ago at 8/7/11 8:04 AM

RE: My interpretation of Trent's recent AF advice

Posts: 2227 Join Date: 10/27/10 Recent Posts
Paul S.:
To be honest I wish someone with the ability to cultivate PCE could give a description of the experience leading from 'normal' to PCE, preferably with an emphasis on the changing perception of 'reality'.


the idea is simply to be as attentive and as sensuous as you possibly can be as often as possible. attentiveness (e.g. asking HAIETMOBA[1]) will point in one of two directions: internally (i'm feeling this, thinking this, worried about this, proud of this, etc...) or externally (i'm seeing this, hearing this, touching this, etc...). if it points internally, then you have a belief/identity/instinctual passion to look at and disarm or deconstruct or drop in whatever way you can (the particular reasoning you use to get yourself to drop something doesn't matter, so long as you can drop it - the result is the same). if it points externally, then ask the question again, tuning into the sensual environment more each time you ask it.

what happened to me[3] is that my baseline level of perception consistently grew. each week it seemed like i could see a little bit more clearly than the week before, as a default baseline (i.e. not paying exclusive attention to the environment). as the baseline increases, the level of sensual clarity you can reach by focusing will also increase... so you have a consistent up-leveling of the baseline perception, with a consistent up-leveling of the 'best' perception you can reach.

likewise with internal moods, your baseline level of felicity will likely increase.. though since i didn't cultivate felicity that much i didn't notice it too much.. but that is the recommended approach on the AF Trust site.

this is a wonderful positive feedback loop. better perception is enjoyable and leads to better perception. felicity is enjoyable and leads to more felicity. better perception makes felicity easier. more felicity makes better perception easier.

as your moods generally get better and your perception generally gets better, 'you' will be closer to a PCE (i.e. there will be less of 'you' there preventing a PCE from happening). as this happens, the chance of a PCE spontaneously occurring gradually improves, until one day it does, and then your resolve and/or pure intent and/or confidence will really solidify.

people talk about cultivating PCEs... but if you question them about really solid PCEs, they will usually say they only had one or two full-blown ones[2]... meaning only one or two actual PCEs. the rest were just really clean and clear and pure EEs, which were cultivated by asking HAIETMOBA as i outlined above, and really focusing on it.

it's simple induction... if baseline consistently improves, and any issues preventing that from improving are dealt with, that means that 'i' am slowly fading away... meaning eventually 'i' will be gone entirely.[4]

--

[1] i actually didn't like asking HAIETMOBA in particular, it made me nervous (anxiety problems, heh), so i just turned my attention to the inside/outside much as if i was meditating.. but i think the attentiveness was the same.
[2] this is referring to a few people on the DhO.. i am not sure about Peter, Vineeto, Richard, etc...
[3] and still is happening
[4] if you get a feeling like the process isn't happening quickly enough, that is something to look at just like any other feeling, and not necessarily a good indicator of progress (or lack thereof).
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Pål S, modified 12 Years ago at 8/7/11 10:15 AM
Created 12 Years ago at 8/7/11 10:15 AM

RE: My interpretation of Trent's recent AF advice

Posts: 196 Join Date: 8/16/10 Recent Posts
Thanks beo.

Beoman Claudiu Dragon Emu Fire Golem:

the idea is simply to be as attentive and as sensuous as you possibly can be as often as possible. attentiveness (e.g. asking HAIETMOBA[1]) will point in one of two directions: internally (i'm feeling this, thinking this, worried about this, proud of this, etc...) or externally (i'm seeing this, hearing this, touching this, etc...). if it points internally, then you have a belief/identity/instinctual passion to look at and disarm or deconstruct or drop in whatever way you can (the particular reasoning you use to get yourself to drop something doesn't matter, so long as you can drop it - the result is the same). if it points externally, then ask the question again, tuning into the sensual environment more each time you ask it.

Good explanation, thanks.


Beoman Claudiu Dragon Emu Fire Golem:

people talk about cultivating PCEs... but if you question them about really solid PCEs, they will usually say they only had one or two full-blown ones[2]... meaning only one or two actual PCEs. the rest were just really clean and clear and pure EEs, which were cultivated by asking HAIETMOBA as i outlined above, and really focusing on it.

(...)

[4] if you get a feeling like the process isn't happening quickly enough, that is something to look at just like any other feeling, and not necessarily a good indicator of progress (or lack thereof).

If I'm also honest with myself I think I recognize an issue here. I've had one of those full blown PCEs and it seems to be both a curse and a blessing. You see even if I'm feeling excellent during the day, there's still a nagging knowing that this is just a joke compared to a PCE. But like you said this is just another thing to look at.

I think this neurotic behavior slips by easier because it has a cognitive/intellectual quality to it, maybe I need to pay closer attention to the affective side of it.
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Beoman Claudiu Dragon Emu Fire Golem, modified 12 Years ago at 8/7/11 10:53 AM
Created 12 Years ago at 8/7/11 10:26 AM

RE: My interpretation of Trent's recent AF advice

Posts: 2227 Join Date: 10/27/10 Recent Posts
Paul S.:
If I'm also honest with myself I think I recognize an issue here. I've had one of those full blown PCEs and it seems to be both a curse and a blessing. You see even if I'm feeling excellent during the day, there's still a nagging knowing that this is just a joke compared to a PCE. But like you said this is just another thing to look at.

I think this neurotic behavior slips by easier because it has a cognitive/intellectual quality to it, maybe I need to pay closer attention to the affective side of it.

that might help. maybe also try to find where on the body that feeling is, if anywhere.

it might also slip by because practice is important to you. at least that was (still is a little) the case for me - practice-related feelings and emotions were really easily not only ignored, but actually followed and taken as actual indicators of progress (or lack thereof). when one orients one's life around the practice it tends to become 'important', as in a serious matter... but taking it seriously only makes it more difficult than it has to be (e.g. by, as you said, feeling bad when you aren't feeling as good as you want to be).

just consider whether it is silly or sensible to nag at yourself that you aren't in a PCE... does that increase happiness, harmlessness, felicity, perceptual clarity, or the chance of a PCE to occur? maybe also reflect on how much better you feel now than before you started practicing, or how much cleaner perception is, or how you have the rare opportunity to end all your suffering in this lifetime, and also isn't it just delightful to be alive and conscious? maybe there is the belief that if you're not serious about it, you won't make as much progress... but consider how much better the process seems to work when you're in a good mood and not worrying about that. find out how to drop it any way you can.
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Pål S, modified 12 Years ago at 8/7/11 4:48 PM
Created 12 Years ago at 8/7/11 4:46 PM

RE: My interpretation of Trent's recent AF advice

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yes, I have had an attitude that if it doesn't feel like I'm working hard then I will not make progress.

I will shift my daily practice to what Nikolai is writing about here.
fred flinstone, modified 12 Years ago at 8/5/11 10:24 PM
Created 12 Years ago at 8/5/11 9:51 PM

RE: My interpretation of Trent's recent AF advice

Posts: 50 Join Date: 6/12/11 Recent Posts
1. makes sense

2. does stand out just mean that intention seems drawn to focusing there? I'm assuming yes

3. I think i do this one just naturally

4. not usable pre-path

5. that was very, very useful, it took a little bit of trying but I think it's something that is at least for now going to become a major part of my practice when I have time to really focus on trying to move toward PCE, i actually spent about 8 hours today on a plane and in an airport doing my version of this, which I just start doing yesterday since it felt "right" it's great for sort of getting a flash of PCE, but it seems like somehow doing it is preventing longer PCEs from occurring.

6. hmm it seems that in practice this is sorta the exact same as 5

7. I really don't get this one, I'll assume it's something not accessible from pre-path.

AB - although you didn't ask me specifically, the one time I had a big clear PCE it wasn't from applying any method or really trying to get there, but just through reading a bunch of stuff for probably about an hour on the AFT site I forget which article I was actually on when the switch happened. When I apply methods like sensuousness I usually end up getting flashes, but I think that even that slight sort of "effort" and that feeling of "going" towards the PCE keeps "you" from totally dropping away. What the implications of my theory are I'm not totally sure, it seems like it's enough to just stay really close to PCE and sort of flick in and out of it, this is what I do most of the time when i activate sensuousness and attentiveness.

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