Taking on the way inside by Pure Consciousness - HTML preview
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- A childhood memory from the vineyard with my grandfather
Hello, dear reader!
As a child, I often went to the vineyard with my grandfather to help him, and when I had free time, I rested or tried to find interesting activities. The vineyard was outside the noise, five kilometers from the city, and was extremely quiet and peaceful, especially when there were no people from the neighboring plots. All that could be heard were the birdsong or the sound of the leaves on the trees when there was a breeze.
One day I was resting, but an intrusive sound came and drove away from the silence. I didn't know where it came from or what caused it. I found it interesting and went out to check. After some investigation and wandering around the field, I found that the sound came from a large old walnut tree that was growing thirty meters from the hut. I thought the sound was made by a bird, and I went around the tree several times to see it, but I never succeeded. So I decided to climb and take a closer look. I climbed branch by branch, trying to determine exactly where the sound was coming from. After a while, using the method of elimination, I discovered that the sound was coming from a branch that certainly didn't have a bird. At the risk of falling, because I was quite tall, I began to move around to check the branch from all sides. After a while I noticed that a fly landed there, I found nothing else. I was careful not to scare her and fly away, but I also started watching her, trying to figure out exactly where the sound was coming from…
After a while, I was convinced that the fly was making the sound. I couldn't believe it! Yes, it didn't look like the other flies, but it was too small to make such a loud sound. To make sure the sound was coming from her, I approached and frightened her. After she flew away, the sound disappeared with her.
I came down from the tree and, excited by my discovery, went to my grandfather and told him what had happened. He was not surprised, he said it was a "whistle".
Тhere was no internet back then and there was no way to find out the real name of the insect, but recently I searched for it and with the help of modern technology I discovered that it is called a cicada. It lives almost all over the world and the volume it emits can reach up to 120 decibels!
- Cicada Euryphara, also known as European Cicada
Garden pest, but also something else…
These winged friends can inspire people to be creative with their singing, and why not even help refresh some memories…
Landed Cicada on a twig, on a blurred green background.
- Review
There are moments in life when, for one reason or another, we think more deeply about existential issues. This is most often due to the interest and curiosity we want to satisfy, or the suffering and pain we want to get rid of. Then we usually realize that in addition to the outer world, there is also an inner world that we do not know well enough. We also realize that in reality, the inner world determines much more strongly how we feel in everyday life and how we experience the events in our lives. We realize that school education, our moral education, and the information we have access to help us deal most with the outside world, but not with the inside because when we face it, we find ourselves facing an abyss. This is paradoxical because along with our physical body, the inner world is the only thing we are given at birth and we should know better than anything else.
What is written here aims to guide us on the path that opens before us when we face the abyss of the inner world and decide to go on it inwards to our deeper layers. The content answers the questions of what internal "tools" we have and how to use and develop them to explore and change ourselves, and thus help ourselves by improving our overall condition and finding our better version.
If this text touches, changes or saves even one human life, then it has repeatedly fulfilled its purpose.
I wish you a pleasant reading and practicing!
- Purpose
Colorful butterfly finds its way out of a dark tunnel
This content is practical and aims to make everyday life simpler, easier, more meaningful, and more real, as well as to reduce the suffering that each of us experiences to some degree.
It can help you find a better purpose and a deeper meaning in life.
The book is relatively short and consists of separate chapters that may be more or less useful depending on the case. It is good to read all the content, but you can pay special attention and focus on a particular chapter.
We will make some clarifications about the chapters and situations in which they may be useful. Let's leave this list open and give some guidelines:
- If you are interested in self-knowledge or looking for a better version of yourself, then all the content can be useful to you.
- In the first 8 chapters, several important explanations would be found: 1) Тhe description of the meaning that the author puts into words and phrases such as “Consciousness,” “Inner World,” “Inner Instruments,” “Mind,” “Intuition,” “Imagination,” “Inner Sensitivity,” “Working with the Inner World,” etc., 2) Аrrangements for the use of the content and 3) Safety instructions during practice.
- If you are curious and want to try techniques with more general positive results, then you can start with “Visual Imagination” and “Refreshing the brain”.
- If you are looking for happiness, then you can read more in “Discovering and cultivating happiness”.
- If you want to improve the content of your thought flow or get rid of obsessive thoughts, then the chapters “Transformation of the thought flow” and “Consciousness beyond thoughts” will be useful.
- The emphasize of the hard connection between the body and the consciousness is explored in the chapters “How to take care of the body” and “Overview of human biological evolution”.
- The content here could reduce misery and be useful in many situations, also including mental disorders. The main context is self-help, but to be as honest as possible, we must admit that there are people who cannot help themselves. If you care for such people, then all the content can be useful as guidance and direction.
- In case of more severe depression or psychosis/psychotic episodes, if a person is aware of what is happening to him and wants to help himself, then the content may be useful, but some red flags need to be considered. For more information, you can put a stronger focus on the chapter “Complete trust in reality, or surrender to the infinite and all-pervasive consciousness”.
- Content
I. A childhood memory from the vineyard with my grandfather
II. Cicada Euryphara, also known as European Cicada
Garden pest, but also something else…
1. A proposal for a new, additional option to improve our condition by working with our inner world
3. Hobbies and personal development
4. Knowledge and skills learned in school
6. Why do we even talk about the inner world?
8. Working with the inner world
9. When does the mind rest to work well?
10. What is Pure Consciousness?
11. The healthy framework of practice
12. Recommendations and safety precautions
13. Is this a ready-made recipe?
14. "Why and how" the techniques work?
15. Different features and uniqueness of the content
16. A quick read of the content
17. About my family and relatives
20. Awareness of the mind in its role of the cicada of the inner world
22. Awareness of happiness as a permanent part of the inner world
23. And many other things in the inner world
24. Alone on the benches in the center and meeting with strangers
25. Middle age crisis, or uncles’ troubles
VIII. Inner sensitivity or our ability to notice changes in our inner world
26. Why do we start with this inner tool?
27. What does inner sensitivity involve?
30. Do I have a visual imagination?
31. Exercises for the visual imagination – create and retain an image
33. First meeting with the mind
34. First meeting with the visual imagination
35. Do not give up, be persistent!
XI. Transformation of the thought flow
37. The need to take care of the inner world
38. Why is our inner state important?
39. How does the flow of thought affect us?
40. What is the transformation of thought?
41. Awareness of the need for transformation
42. Sample thoughts on transformation (1)
43. Brief description of thought transformation practices
44. Which thoughts to start with?
45. Transformation by uniting opposites
46. Transformation by choosing preferences
47. Discovering more thoughts of transformation
48. Discovering the positive root of every thought
49. Sample thoughts of transformation (2)
50. Use of positive words and avoid the particle “no”
52. How does the useful root affect the perception of our thoughts?
53. Transformation through the mind
54. Transformation through the imagination - visual
55. Transformation through the imagination - melodies
56. Transformation through feelings
XII. Consciousness beyond thoughts
58. What is beyond thought? Questions for reflection…
60. Thinking and different professions
63. The mind as an equal part of consciousness
64. Often the consciousness ”sticks” to thinking, but it also lets the control out.
65. The eye that can see everything in our inner world
66. More often to grasp what we think
67. The ultimate goal of the practice
68. Differences between people as a result of thinking
71. White fire from the emptiness
XIII. How to take care of the body
72. Body position during practices
74. Balancing rest and physical activity
77. Skeleton, bones, and joints
78. Why doesn't exercise always help?
79. When does exercise and sports help?
80. Activities suited for inward focus
81. Connection between body and thoughts
XIV. Complete trust in reality, or surrender to the infinite and all-pervasive consciousness
83. Facts about suffering and happiness
86. Origins and the history of the universe
89. What is the reason for most of the evil things in the world?
91. To be born a second time in this life
92. One more thing to think about
93. The creation of a new center in the mind
97. Enriching and updating the new central belief
XV. Discovering and cultivating happiness
101. Brief description of the practice
102. Making a list of happy memories
103. Complementing the list with imagination – „looking into the future“
105. Working with internal tools
XVI. Overview of human biological evolution
108. Brief history of earthly life
109. Interesting facts about the human body
110. The body as a living link to ancient life or the dawn of life
111. The human being as an individual
112. Moving wisely along our individual path!
113. Will there be future development?
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- Introduction
Beautiful morning over mountains in China. New beginning.
- A proposal for a new, additional option to improve our condition by working with our inner world
We often perceive life as a constant struggle in which we tense all our strength to be healthy, happy, successful, satisfied, etc., which is most evident in the text of wishes for birthdays, weddings, childbirth, and other occasions. Sometimes we even compete with others, even with ourselves, to develop and achieve even better results. We follow our duty and desires - for example, to get an education, to find a suitable partner, to start a family, to earn money, to take care of ourselves and our loved ones, and finally - to have fun. Of course, there are people who, for one reason or another, take different paths.
No matter which way we go, some people are more ambitious, others less ambitious, some people are more successful, others - not so much, some are driven by their goals, others - by their fears, some strive for greater successes, and others - to survival, with some people we find more similarities, with others - more differences, etc. In all this diversity, an important aspect is impressive, and it is the connection between our lifestyle and our inner condition. For example, the connection between money, cars, houses, belongings, and our inner state in which we live every day. Or the connection between hobbies and our inner state, as well as the connection between it and our personal development, diplomas, and certificates.
The purpose of what is written here is to help people realize that there is another way to influence our inner state than through the successes we achieve in the outside world, through knowledge, experience, relationships, and luck.
- The rationality of success
Let's begin with a basic question - can we deny the rationality of success, knowing that in many parts of the world people are dying of hunger and cold? Of course, one must be successful enough, at least everyone must have shelter, clothes, food, easy access to medical treatment and education. Then, if we start thinking about a family, we will need more money because children's goods are expensive. If we even have "extra" money for more luxurious goods, belongings, trips, services, then we will probably contribute to the diversity and better security, convenience, and comfort for ourselves and our loved ones. Then, if we are even more successful and can work on charity or create jobs for other people, we will start helping them survive. If we have more money, we have probably already realized that from one moment on the money itself does not bring additional joy, happiness, security, peace, and other such pleasant inner states.
Here is the place to add that there are successful people who for one reason or another have become more unhappy than before. This can be due to various things, for example, due to too strong a thirst for success and greed they have missed opportunities, or somewhere along the way they have lost humanity, compassion, and the desire to help others. No matter the reason, it is often reversible because people are willing to correct and change when the goal is happiness.
- Hobbies and personal development
Now let's look at hobbies and personal development. According to their desires and abilities, many people do various hobbies. It is also a way to improve our condition, by strengthening our health, by getting positive emotions from pleasant and interesting experiences, by craftsmanship, by taking time for ourselves, or by different achievements, etc. Here it makes an impression that in essence the most often these hobbies are connected again with the outside world. We interact with it through our body and mind, and this leads to a change in our inner state. The situation with personal development is similar because, although it is provoked by our interests, it is most often in the direction of professional development or upskilling.
- Knowledge and skills learned in school
Let's have a few more facts. There are different subjects at school. In physics and chemistry, we study the outside world and the laws that operate in it. In history and geography, we exercise our memory and remember facts from the present and the past related to the outside world that can be useful to us. In mathematics, we develop our mind, logic, and imagination. In different languages we learn to speak, read, and write correctly, we become literate. In literature, we learn to express ourselves, to read between the lines, and to pay attention to feelings. In biology, we study living organisms and in particular the human body. In sport, we develop the body, our will, and our discipline. In music and fine arts, we learn to express ourselves in different ways, without words, as well as to develop our imagination. Leave the list and descriptions open because we may be missing something.
Each subject gives us knowledge and trains skills to succeed in the future. Although we develop inner abilities, such as imagination, mind, logic, memory, will, discipline, etc., here the main goal is also directed to the outside world, more precisely to understand it better and have an impact on it.
The situation is similar in university. There are rarely specialties, such as psychology, that focus on the inner world of man. Even in this profession, therapists receive ready-made knowledge from outside, with the help of which they better understand others and help them. An interesting question is to what extent they better understand themselves and manage to help themselves when they need to, as well as whether and to what extent they manage to develop this knowledge and skills based on the study of their inner world.
- Working hypothesis
It has already become clear that the probability that we have so far focused mainly on the outside world - from getting up in the morning to going to bed at night - is extremely high. Throughout our lives, we are devoted mainly to the study of the external world, the interaction with it, as well as the results we get throughout our actions.
Of course, this is useful and is a prerequisite for success in life, as well as to maintain a strong connection with reality.
But what additional benefits can we have if we spend time on our inner world??
- Why do we even talk about the inner world?
When we begin to take an interest in our inner world, it is most often due to rare strong interests in this area or to some suffering that we want to get rid of. In both cases, but especially in the second, we realize that the inner world is even more important than the outer world because no matter what happens outside of us, we feel bad. One extreme and striking example of this is mental disorders.
Then is there anything more important to us than that - to improve our inner state?
Some people find an escape in alcohol, drugs, living in fantasies, illusions, self-delusions - in escaping from reality and therefore in weakening the relationship with it, which rarely ends well.
Other people, placed in a similar situation, begin to be interested and searching, but face an abyss. The abyss is even bigger in recent years, after the presence of the Internet and social networks. Sometimes people come across charlatans, swindlers, and even mentally ill people, self-proclaimed spiritual teachers, extra senses, prophets, healers, enlightened, etc., who only use the suffering of others to make money and attract attention. Some people sometimes become followers of the books, teachings, philosophies, ideologies, or religions of specific, established individuals or institutions. In the best scenario, people begin to share certain foreign views, accepted from the outside, and over time somehow manage to change, get out of suffering, and improve their condition. But following external recipes, we rarely reach a point where we study, explore and work with our inner world.
- What is the inner world?
But what exactly is our inner world? How to answer, when this is perhaps the biggest mystery! We will probably never know everything about it, but we certainly know that it contains the mind, thoughts, emotions, feelings, imagination, intuition, and inner sensitivity to the processes that take place there. Let's give some explanations about inner sensitivity. Starting from the obvious, namely the sensations in the body, we go through what causes what we see and hear, and we get to the point of realizing what thoughts are going through our heads and what emotions and feelings overwhelm us. Generally speaking, this is our ability to be aware of the events, processes, and changes that are taking place in us. It is important to note here that we are the only ones who have direct, genuine access to this information. We may look a certain way or even describe in words how we feel in front of another person, giving him an idea of our condition, but this will remain just an idea. Of course, the better this person knows us or the more similar experiences he has had, the closer this idea will be to reality.
- Working with the inner world
What does it mean to work with our inner world? Similar to the way we use the "tools" to work with the outside world, such as eyes, ears, nose, mouth, limbs, body, hair, nails, etc., we can also use the "tools" of the inner world that are given to us by birth - rational mind, imagination, intuition and inner sensitivity. We can work with them and develop them, just as children learn fine motor skills by practicing and gradually achieving coordination of their movements.
Metaphorically speaking, this is indoor gymnastics or indoor fitness. Fortunately, these inner "tools" are already developed to some extent, especially the rational mind with its ability to generate ideas and find solutions.
Just like with the external "instruments" - with the internal ones each person masters them to a different degree. For example, it is difficult to compare our visual and audible imagination with the imagination of artists and musicians. However, this is not a reason not to use and develop these resources, because they are subject to improvement.
According to observations, the internal "tools" that are least developed are intuition and inner sensitivity. However, they are also amenable to development and also not as important to internal practices as reason and imagination.
Often people perceive that working independently, and with their inner world is boring and unfamiliar activity. This is normal, has anyone driven us or taught us to do it, same as with many other things?
- When does the mind rest to work well?
While we are awake we mostly think and/or act and the mind works at full capacity. This is at the expense of imagination, intuition, and other "tools" of the inner world, which are bored during this time. Does it rest while we sleep? While we sleep, we sometimes dream, we even remember some of the dreams. In them the mind works normally too - we remember that we thought and reacted in our dreams in the same way as we would react in reality. According to scientists, the brain works in different states while we are awake and asleep. According to them, sleep also has different phases. During some of these phases, the mind is thought to rest, but they are shorter in duration than others. In general, there are devices by which the electromagnetic activity of the brain can be measured and even visualized, as a dimensional image (3D). We can find out more about the topic ourselves.
The author admits that at first, he thought that if he started working less with the mind and more with the imagination, for example, it would somehow take him away from reality. It turned out that in fact, the opposite was true. The mind clears and we become more productive - we think more easily about the things we need to remember, we come up with solutions to problems faster, more ideas come to us, etc. According to the author, this is also because when practicing the mind rests and thus works less, but more productively.
- What is Pure Consciousness?
Let’s consider the meaning embedded in the concept of PURE CONSCIOUSNESS. It shows the desire to get to know ourselves by working with our inner world, the willingness to change, to become a better version of ourselves, and finally - to get rid of suffering, to be happy, and to find a deep balance and inner peace.
Let's assume that consciousness is everything that happens inside us, including the things we haven't realized, but also things that we will probably never realize.
Pure consciousness means that over time inner world expands and improves its qualities. For example, we understand more and more about ourselves, develop our inner "tools" and feel better as our inner state improves.
- The healthy framework of practice
Before we continue, there is one important condition. Throughout our internal practices, we must follow a few simple rules or frameworks. These practices are to help us personally and thus subsequently become more useful to others, such as relatives, acquaintances, or the whole society.
First, when we practice, we transform our inner world. If we find ourselves trying to use practices for purposes that involve taking away someone else's free will or even harm others, we stop, abandon those practices, and decide to prevent this in the future. We don't worry, sometimes it happens unintentionally, we are still human, and we make mistakes.
Second, if you live with the belief that everyone can't win, and when you win, someone else necessarily loses, then leave the practices until you completely change that belief, but of course you can read and consider the content.
And third - if you intend to deliberately use them outside the health framework described here, keep in mind that the author cannot stop you, and you will have to stop yourself before it's too late. For the sake of our personal safety, as well as physical and psychological health, we use these practices only for their intended purpose, namely - for the common good!
- Recommendations and safety precautions
If for some reason you do not feel comfortable practicing internal practices, it is best to just read the text. Give yourself some time to rethink what you have read. As much as possible, practice when you feel most comfortable and have at least some curiosity and desire.
All practices should be done when the time is right. When quick reactions are needed and all our attention is required, such practices can be dangerous because they distract us. For example, in critical situations, when looking after children, when working with machines, when driving or cycling, in different types of training, our attention should be focused on those current activities.
As you will notice, some practices are done the moment a certain event occurs and take fractions of a second. It is best to deal with others that we do at a time convenient for us, when we are in the most awake state and not lying down because this makes us sleep. For example, before we start, we can get a good night's sleep and sit comfortably. As a last resort, lying down can also be performed, but it is not the best option.
- Is this a ready-made recipe?
One important clarification. To some people, the description here may look a bit like a recipe or even an exact science, because there are certain steps and procedures. The truth is that these are just guidelines for work. In general, this matter is based on the individual, the subjectivity, inner reality, and in this sense, the exercises and work are more an inner art or creative process, rather than something precise and definite.
Everyone is expected to use their full freedom to change these practices based on the information they gradually receive from themselves at work, increasingly trusting their reason, intuition, imagination, and inner sensitivity.
Over time, experience is gained, and things become easier, more effective, more interesting, and more curious, which brings additional joy, satisfaction, and gratitude after each new achievement and discovery we make in our inner world.
- "Why and how" the techniques work?
I know that there are people who will ask themselves the question: why and how do these practices work? At the risk of disappointing you, I will answer honestly. I do not know.
Sometimes I think about it out of curiosity and the only thing I have is the observation that in the inner world we can also spend time and have experienced, gain memories, and develop skills that affect our consciousness.
However, I also know that we use many things that are useful to us without understanding why and how they work, such as cars, computers, telephones, TVs, and airplanes.
The practices are publicly available, and it is a challenge for researchers and scientists to answer the questions of why and how.
Let’s not have a broad and complete theory for a moment and try to be people who experiment and seek useful and rational internal practices and try them, taking what works and continue to apply it to achieve even more positive results.
I would highly recommend that you give a chance to the practices and check them out by trying them yourself!
- Different features and uniqueness of the content
How is the given practice and what is written here in general different from all other similar sources on this topic? Everyone should judge for themselves, but let's still give some characteristics that the author thinks are important.
First - yes, and this text is external to the reader, but it is relatively short, adheres to the rational, and has a practical focus on individual work, that encourages people to study themselves and work with their inner world, giving guidelines only.
Secondly, the author constantly strives to stay away from theories, philosophies, ideologies, religions, etc., which can often contain confusing or redundant information along with useful information.
Thirdly, because the goal is to strengthen our connection with reality, realizing that in addition to the things that happen around us, some happen inside us. At a given moment a person may think something irrational and be carried away, for example, to imagine a world - the fruit of his imagination. The content of this thought has nothing to do with reality, but the fact that thought exists at this moment, here and now, is part of reality because it exists in the brain in the form of a weak current flowing through neurons as an electromagnetic field, which is a physical process. Will man return to reality if he realizes this?
Fourth - if you are afraid of something, keep in mind that apart from the fear of direct physical threat, our other fears are mostly the result of our mental flow, our thoughts, and the practices presented here are intended to help us understand that there is a "space" in our minds with much less and much more useful thoughts. And lastly - because the author does not do it for money, prestige, fame, and many followers on social networks, but aims to make this content accessible, useful, and help more people.
- A quick read of the content
Finally, short descriptions and links to practices. An order doesn't matter. The recommendation is to find out about all of them and then decide if and where to start: You can start with "For the visual imagination" because, although optional for some practices, visual imagination is a key internal tool.
If you want to try something easier, you can start with the practice of improving the condition "Refreshing the brain."
The chapter "Inner sensitivity or our ability to notice changes in our inner world" describes the most important internal tool - inner sensitivity.
If you want to replace some of your thoughts with healthier ones, what is written in "Transformations of the thought flow" can be useful for you.
If you are looking for inner peace or you are interested in what is beyond thoughts, you can find ideas in "Consciousness Beyond Thoughts."
The chapters "Body position during practice", "Taking care of the body" and "Overview of human biological evolution" aim to emphasize the connection between consciousness and the body, as well as provide guidance on physical practices.
If nothing helps, but you are suffering and looking for salvation, or you are just looking for a better version of yourself and you are ready for a bigger change, "Complete trust in reality, or surrender to the infinite and all-pervasive consciousness" can help you.
If you are looking for happiness, you can experiment with "Discovering and cultivating happiness."