Do You Feel a Tingle When Charging the Reader

[NatCh]

Originally Posted by mogui

But of course you can do this with a rock too, or with an empty hand.

Well, I think I'll stick with the Reader or a rock ... I mean, where would I get an empty hand? (anyone thinking of Hope Hubris, yeah, the allusion is semi-deliberate).

Seriously, though, this is part of a meditation technique then, mogui?

[delphidb96]

The problem *I* have is that Mom gets such a tingle just turning it on and reading that I can't pry it out of her hands!!! So I don't get to play with it - haven't even managed to install any of the hacks!

Derek

Originally Posted by NatCh

Well, I think I'll stick with the Reader or a rock ... I mean, where would I get an empty hand? (anyone thinking of Hope Hubris, yeah, the allusion is semi-deliberate).

Seriously, though, this is part of a meditation technique then, mogui?

[NatCh]

If you install a bricking hack, that'll get it away from her.

[mogui]

Originally Posted by NatCh

Well, I think I'll stick with the Reader or a rock ... I mean, where would I get an empty hand? (anyone thinking of Hope Hubris, yeah, the allusion is semi-deliberate).

Seriously, though, this is part of a meditation technique then, mogui?

I will read the Piers Anthony stories soon NatCh and see if I understand your allusion.

Meditation is an attempt to still the mind. That is problematic in several respects. One, what is a mind? If we are dealing with an imaginary construct, how do we exorcise the little thought-goblins from it. Two, people try for years to "meditate" with little success. Three, it is time-consuming. It is much simpler to seek what is already present and raise awareness of it. It is fast and repeatable and the effects are as consciousness-altering as "meditation" promises to be. It is a simple technic of the body, and it is easy to do. There is nothing mystical about it and you don't have to believe in anything or give anyone money.

[NatCh]

Ah, I see the distinction, and realize I chose the wrong word, unfortunately, I'm not sure what the right word would be.

Anyway, I'm intrigued by the technique you're describing and would like to know a bit more about it (I'm not saying I want to shave my head or anything, just that you've piqued my curiosity), is there a resource you could suggest for a bit of light research?

As for the Bio books ... I'm not sure I would actually recommend them. They're certainly not for everyone. They are fairly well written, and good stories, with interesting ideas, but some of the subject matter is a bit rough.

[mogui]

Originally Posted by NatCh

Ah, I see the distinction, and realize I chose the wrong word, unfortunately, I'm not sure what the right word would be.

Anyway, I'm intrigued by the technique you're describing and would like to know a bit more about it (I'm not saying I want to shave my head or anything, just that you've piqued my curiosity), is there a resource you could suggest for a bit of light research?

"Meditation" is a familiar word, so it is as good as anything for naming. At times I have referred to it as "Soma Meditation", because it involves tuning in to the body. I once stayed an an ashram for a while. One of the people there said he had been meditating twice a day for 17 years and nothing ever happened. At one time I taught psychology in a US university. I taught this method in my classes and my students were able to use it immediately. It is as simple as what I posted above. There is no more. Most people who feel a need for meditation are living in their heads and ruminating and rehearsing. Try not to think of a purple elephant. By returning to the body persistently, one incidentally stills the thoughts and begins to recover feeling in forgotten realms.

Originally Posted by NatCh

As for the Bio books ... I'm not sure I would actually recommend them. They're certainly not for everyone. They are fairly well written, and good stories, with interesting ideas, but some of the subject matter is a bit rough.

OK, I can try. I do not recall having read PA in the past. Rough subject matter is OK too.

[delphidb96]

Given that I've been *ENCOURAGING* her to read - now that she's retired - no, I don't think that would be proper. Oh well, my Cybook Gen3 eval unit will be arriving shortly.

Derek

Originally Posted by NatCh

If you install a bricking hack, that'll get it away from her.

[alex_d]

that sounds like a good technique, i'll try it out.

being relaxed is the most important thing for anything from doing well on a test to picking up girls. runs the full gamut of life, really.


just wondering... what is "real" meditation? is that where you just stop thinking? yeah, that's very hard because now you're thinking about not thinking... you go nowhere. I guess maybe some people learn to just let go and succeed? Are there advantages of "pure" meditation compared to this distraction approach? I have to say, the ideal of sitting without thinking or seeing or anything is a bit defeating... just die already, or take a nap.

[mogui]

Originally Posted by alex_d

just wondering... what is "real" meditation? is that where you just stop thinking? yeah, that's very hard because now you're thinking about not thinking... you go nowhere. I guess maybe some people learn to just let go and succeed? Are there advantages of "pure" meditation compared to this distraction approach? I have to say, the ideal of sitting without thinking or seeing or anything is a bit defeating... just die already, or take a nap.

Once I had the job from hell. The only thing that got me through two years of it was my 30 minute meditation at lunchtime. A good operational definition of consciousness is how it feels to be you right now. I refer specifically to feeling and sensation as opposed to ideation and belief. Sometimes it is beneficial to alter the feeling quality of your consciousness. That changes how it feels to be you. The technic gives you control over the quality of your consciousness. So in practicing the technic you deliberately alter how you feel. There is profound pleasure to be found in this practice. It gives you power over your life because it can become a way to restore your sense of well-being when the rest of your life is unpleasant. Many people approach this state when they become totally involved in something like listening to music. This quality of involvement is called "flow" and it is essential to happiness. Flow occurs whenever you are creatively engaged such that you are aware of your physical process. Imagine skiing, dancing, making love, reading a really good book, or better yet, writing one.

Because this meditative practice involves simply focusing on the sensations of your body, it gently pulls you away from ideation that can be harmful to the quality of your consciousness, like rehearsal of anxious thoughts or ruminations over unfortunate past situations. Standard meditation asks you to still your thoughts, to stop thinking. That is difficult to do. This technic is different because it give you a place to go, a goal of sorts, within the somatosensory complex of your own body. It does not take long, once you have found the feelings and sensation within you that you value, to learn to return there as if you are walking down a familiar path. My personal "key" to this path is to take a deep breath and to simple "fall" into the desired state. Your first step is to tune into the sensations that are already present in your body and allow them to build in intensity. You will be pleasantly surprised.

As to what is "real". Good question alex_d. Perhaps one's own experience is the only reality to which we have access. Do you remember the lesson of the velveteen rabbit?

"Real isn't how you are made . . . It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become real. It takes a long time. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand." -- Margery Williams