My version of the Three A's

[Saman]

Hi All. I was just writing an email for someone special and came up with the following, which by the way I think it is good advice that I should follow myself! :D

So FWIW here is my little version of the three A's:

The three A's :)

1) Awareness:

I think of the above as simply being aware of my thoughts, feelings, and sensations without trying to stop them. Just simply strive to be in present, be impartial, and self observe. Being impartial means don't be judgmental of yourself. and don't try to do anything else but self observe. Not yet anyways. But it is very important to not forget yourself by self identifying with these automatic loops of feelings and thoughts, which chain on and on and drain your precious energy. This draining of energy then results in unpleasant sensations. For example, headaches, being excessively tired, or bodily pains. So I think of awareness as being watchful of my feelings, my thoughts, and my senses, and always striving to not forget myself and drain my energy through the NEGATIVE occurrences of them. But if you forget yourself in one moment, and find out in the next that you've been drained, that is okay. Don't start to judge yourself for this failing. Simply move on and practice to remember yourself in the next moment, and the next moment, and so on. They say practice makes perfect.

2) Acknowledgment:

I think of acknowledgment as simply that, accepting the attained awareness of my self through my self observation: my feelings, my thoughts, my sensations. So don't lie to yourself and deny what you've seen. Acknowledge it no matter how negative it is. This will then allow you take the next step to conserve your energy and hence have more and more pleasant sensations rather then draining and negative ones.

3) Assertiveness:

So you've seen some negative sides of yourself and you've acknowledged what you've seen to be true. You've acknowledged that being negative drains you of energy and causes unpleasant feelings, thoughts, and sensations that you don't wish to have. Please notice I've chosen the word acknowledgment rather then acceptance, and this is important because we desire to change ourselves for the better in the final step rather then simply accepting the status quo. So now you can make a choice, thanks your awareness and acknowledgment, to only have positive emotions as your true self. Whenever you become aware that you're becoming negative and draining yourself, say to yourself "I am not being my true self". Repeat as many times as you like until in the next moment you're no longer identifying with negative thoughts, feelings, and sensations. Say to yourself, "I am not being my true self." "That is IT, not my true self". "I am not being my true self." "That is IT, not my true self".

Well that is it. Just thought to share it since I thought it might be worth at least two cents! Well actually maybe just one due to lacking more originality.

 

[ScioAgapeOmnis]

But how can you know yourself if you don't examine, focus on, and understand your negative emotions and where they come from - as well as your positive emotions? And why would you want to have positive emotions about negative and "evil" things happening to the world, others, and yourself? Can't you have positive emotions for the wrong reasons - our predator and little i's may enjoy things that our real I would find horrifying perhaps? Why would we want to embrace the positive emotions that stem from our predator, ego, and other mechanical aspects? Why assume that a positive emotion is a good thing just because we're having it?

Also, isn't it an assumption that our "true" self only experiences positive emotions? I think it would be contradictory to everything Gurdjieff's writings have taught us if we believe that we can choose to be our "true" self just by allowing only a specific range of feelings or emotions, and voila like flipping a switch, we're being true to ourselves. I don't think it works that way, by far.

 

[Saman]

But how can you know yourself if you don't examine, focus on, and understand your negative emotions and where they come from - as well as your positive emotions? And why would you want to have positive emotions about negative and "evil" things happening to the world, others, and yourself? Can't you have positive emotions for the wrong reasons - our predator and little i's may enjoy things that our real I would find horrifying perhaps? Why would we want to embrace the positive emotions that stem from our predator, ego, and other mechanical aspects? Why assume that a positive emotion is a good thing just because we're having it?

Hi SAO and All. I thought that what I currently have in mind with the second A, acknowledgment, which means the "recognition of the existence or truth of something" from dictionary.com, would cover the essentials of understanding your negative emotions and where they come from, or so I thought. :O

Also, isn't it an assumption that our "true" self only experiences positive emotions? I think it would be contradictory to everything Gurdjieff's writings have taught us if we believe that we can choose to be our "true" self just by allowing only a specific range of feelings or emotions, and voila like flipping a switch, we're being true to ourselves. I don't think it works that way, by far.

I am thinking that our true self does not ever drain us due to negative thoughts, feelings, or sensations. I am also thinking that once we acknowledge the world we live in as it IS and our own lessons within it, then making the choice to only have positive thoughts, feelings, and sensations would gradually tune us to our non-draining true self. I don't think our true self would drain us. Sure, the birth of our true self would be "bloody" because of having to stop all the self lies to our self, but the balance attained should be energizing compared to the imbalance before, or so I think.

So I am not sure if you are correct that I am thinking about the Work in the wrong way, but I may be wrong as well since I tried to simplify things too much in my own words with my three little A's.

 

[anart]

I thought that what I currently have in mind with the second A, acknowledgment, which means the "recognition of the existence or truth of something" from dictionary.com, would cover the essentials of understanding your negative emotions and where they come from, or so I thought.

What does a dictionary.com definition have to do with anything? Have you noticed that when you are questioned, you tend to go into a legalistic mode, defining words you use instead of addressing the crux of the matter? This is a long standing pattern, so hopefully you have noticed it.

I am thinking that our true self does not ever drain us due to negative thoughts, feelings, or sensations. I am also thinking that once we acknowledge the world we live in as it IS and our own lessons within it, then making the choice to only have positive thoughts, feelings, and sensations would gradually tune us to our non-draining true self. I don't think our true self would drain us. Sure, the birth of our true self would be "bloody" because of having to stop all the self lies to our self, but the balance attained should be energizing compared to the imbalance before, or so I think.

He who learns must suffer
And even in our sleep pain that cannot forget
Falls drop by drop upon the heart,
And in our own despair, against our will,
Comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God.
-- Agamemnon; Aeschylus

 

[Saman]

I thought that what I currently have in mind with the second A, acknowledgment, which means the "recognition of the existence or truth of something" from dictionary.com, would cover the essentials of understanding your negative emotions and where they come from, or so I thought.

What does a dictionary.com definition have to do with anything? Have you noticed that when you are questioned, you tend to go into a legalistic mode, defining words you use instead of addressing the crux of the matter? This is a long standing pattern, so hopefully you have noticed it.

Hi Anart and All. When I was thinking of writing the definition of my three A's, reading one of the definitions provided by dictionary.com helped me to decide to choose the word acknowledgment instead of acceptance, and the reason I have already given in the above quote and previous reply. However, on the other hand, dictionary.com also gave me the reason to not accept its apparently twisted definition of assertiveness, or so I think intuitively... So on one hand it was helpful, and on the other hand it was not much help.

You asked above what does a dictionary.com definition have to do with anything. I think it has to do with my attempt of clarifying to SAO that I was basically in agreement with his caveat when he wrote the following and that the simplified meaning of second little A, acknowledgment, if elaborated, would cover the bases as to what he said its meaning of "recognition of the existence or truth of something", or in other words, simply the recognition of what IS:

[quote author=SAO]
But how can you know yourself if you don't examine, focus on, and understand your negative emotions and where they come from - as well as your positive emotions? And why would you want to have positive emotions about negative and "evil" things happening to the world, others, and yourself? Can't you have positive emotions for the wrong reasons
[/quote]

[quote author=anart]

I am thinking that our true self does not ever drain us due to negative thoughts, feelings, or sensations. I am also thinking that once we acknowledge the world we live in as it IS and our own lessons within it, then making the choice to only have positive thoughts, feelings, and sensations would gradually tune us to our non-draining true self. I don't think our true self would drain us. Sure, the birth of our true self would be "bloody" because of having to stop all the self lies to our self, but the balance attained should be energizing compared to the imbalance before, or so I think.

He who learns must suffer
And even in our sleep pain that cannot forget
Falls drop by drop upon the heart,
And in our own despair, against our will,
Comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God.
-- Agamemnon; Aeschylus
[/quote]

If it is not too much trouble, can you please clarify what Laura's signature means to you in your own words?

But first in my own words I should explain my thoughts on the way I perceive the last part of the signature: I think what Aeschylus is saying is that wisdom coming to us by the awful grace of God is a paradox, hinting at the two faces of "God" - seeking "God" is a "bloody" process before "grace" is attained. So if actual "grace" is attained, and one has fully and permanently become as one with their true self, would the "seated" and unified true self allow it self to be chemically drained and "taxed" through the inducement of negative thoughts, emotions, and sensations? Or, would the true self, due to its attained wisdom of having learned the lessons of acknowledging the existence and roots of negative thoughts, emotions, and sensations, be capable of not being drained by them? I ponder if it would it be correct to say that choosing to only have "positive" thoughts, emotions, and sensations is aka thoughts, emotions, and sensations that do not "drain" and feed the "hyper-dimensional predator" but the "soul" while 'here' in the Realm of 3D STS? I currently think that the answers to all these previous questions are "yes", but that is only currently based on what little I think I know, and perhaps much of what I don't know can easily make the answer "no".

 

[ScioAgapeOmnis]

Hi SAO and All. I thought that what I currently have in mind with the second A, acknowledgment, which means the "recognition of the existence or truth of something" from dictionary.com, would cover the essentials of understanding your negative emotions and where they come from, or so I thought.

The "assertiveness" section, however, seems to assume that negative emotions are all bad and it is preferable to choose not to experience them. What is the point of understanding where they come from if you've already pre-determined that they cannot be legitimately triggered and therefore should be allowed to be triggered in by certain things?

I am thinking that our true self does not ever drain us due to negative thoughts, feelings, or sensations.

But do negative thoughts, feelings, and sensations always result in "draining"? From my experience and understanding, that's not the case. As far as I know draining is the mis-use of the negative emotional energy by the physical and intellectual centers, precisely because we've been conditioned to want to feel good and avoid what feels bad instead of learning to understand it and utilize the emotional energy consciously. Also, positive emotions can be just as draining. People who feel good all the time tend to become very complacent and wasteful. Just look at how desensitized the US population is to the way their government murders millions across the world - they won't revolt until their personal comforts are removed. They don't have the "negative emotions" to drive them.

I am also thinking that once we acknowledge the world we live in as it IS and our own lessons within it, then making the choice to only have positive thoughts, feelings, and sensations would gradually tune us to our non-draining true self.

How do you define "positive"? Does acknowledging suffering, disease, pain, the control system, etc constitute negative thoughts? Is allowing all of the above to bother us on an emotional level a bad thing? What about empathy? What about hurting on behalf of others, and yes, on behalf of ourselves as well? I think negative emotions, if used properly, are one of, if not the most powerful "motivator" we have to do the Work - for our own sake, but also for the sake of others. But in doing this we acknowledge that sometimes we can choose to suffer consciously in order to achieve a higher goal. I guess it's similar to not eating what tastes good if we know its ultimately bad for us - or eating what tastes bad because it is good for us. Or maybe like letting your children get hurt to learn something they refuse to learn otherwise.

I don't think our true self would drain us. Sure, the birth of our true self would be "bloody" because of having to stop all the self lies to our self, but the balance attained should be energizing compared to the imbalance before, or so I think.

Personally I find little quite as energizing as anger. But maybe that's just me.

Or, would the true self, due to its attained wisdom of having learned the lessons of acknowledging the existence and roots of negative thoughts, emotions, and sensations, be capable of not being drained by them?

I think we already are capable with some effort. I am not sure if negative emotions feed 4d STS if we use their energy positively. Maybe they only feed when we just release their energy into the air due to mis-use as I mentioned above.

Speaking of pain, and why I think it should not be shunned and why it will most likely persist with us on some level no matter where we go, I'm reminded of this quote from RA:

Questioner: Then for the last 2,300 years you have been actively working to create as large a harvest as possible at the end of the total 75,000 year cycle. Can you state with respect to the Law of One why you do this?

Ra: I am Ra. I speak for the social memory complex termed Ra. We came among you to aid you. Our efforts in service were perverted. Our desire then is to eliminate as far as possible the distortions caused by those misreading our information and guidance. The general cause of service such as the Confederation offers is that of the primal distortion of the Law of One, which is service. The one Being of the creation is like unto a body, if you will accept this third-density analogy. Would we ignore a pain in the leg? A bruise upon the skin? A cut which is festering? No. There is no ignoring a call. We, the entities of sorrow, choose as our service the attempt to heal the sorrow which we are calling analogous to the pains of a physical body complex/distortion.

 

[go2]

I am thinking that our true self does not ever drain us due to negative thoughts, feelings, or sensations.

But do negative thoughts, feelings, and sensations always result in "draining"? From my experience and understanding, that's not the case. As far as I know draining is the mis-use of the negative emotional energy by the physical and intellectual centers, precisely because we've been conditioned to want to feel good and avoid what feels bad instead of learning to understand it and utilize the emotional energy consciously.

Boris Mouravieff confirms SAO’s statement that the usurpation of negative emotions by the motor or intellectual centers is the mechanism of draining. I have observing this phenomenon and the excruciatingly slow progress in straitening out the proper functioning of the separate centers. I have not had success with “assertativeness” in changing emotional driven argument, for example. When I tried to consciously refrain from taking the dangled bait, I discovered I had no control over my tongue. It was as if an alien commandeered the operation of my mind and tongue, using the emotional energy to engage in intellectual “brawls”. The intellectual center has no interest in giving up its energy source. I have observed this phenomenon for about two years and finally notice I am engaging fewer arguments, actually not taking the bait. It seems to me awareness and acknowledgement of my powerlessness to change via the old intellectual center has strengthen the observing faculty, which changed me while I slept. The undeviating aim to observe has changed self, this seems the only choice I made. It may be a different experience for others, I would be interested to know how the assertiveness has worked for you, saman.

http://www.cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php?topic=10798msg77393#new

The direct effects of negative emotions usurped by the intellectual and/or moving centers is always destructive. It can damage the individual's health, provoke discord in families, give masses of human beings the impulses that push them to wars. This dynamism communicates impulses to the unawakened individual which forces him to act violently. The energy of the emotional center penetrates to the motor center and makes it vibrate in a violent way. At the same time, it penetrates the intellectual center giving energy to calculating, cunning, and lying thoughts. In this way, the organism of man's psyche comes out of its somnolent mental state, but in a very negative way which the intellect cannot deal with because it contradicts all the "social and religious programs" and so the psyche then voluntarily goes back to sleep to escape the negativity until some other shock wakes it back up again.

In the sense of humanity, the masses of human beings on the planet, wars are negative emotional "alarms" and devices for waking up humanity. History shows us that wars provoke a reawakening of human activity of all sorts, not merely on the battlefield, but also in science and philosophy and ethics. It is from that activity, provoked by the calamities of wars, that marvels are born for the following generations. Without this negative reaction, the door of the path of access to ascension would be closed to individuals as well as human groups.

And so it is, for those who can be "awakened" by this activity in our present reality, who can utilize the emotions evoked by this "Petty Tyrant" of our external world; self observation combined with knowledge of the true nature of reality and the programs that run in us, such individuals are enabled to completely halt the usurpation of their energy by the intellectual or moving centers, can then facilitate the concentration of the negative emotions which then can set their entire being on a higher vibration.

The process of fusion may take many years. On the other hand, with the right circumstances - such as the present "petty tyrant" of the external reality - it can be rather rapid.

.

 

[Saman]

Hi SAO and All. I thought that what I currently have in mind with the second A, acknowledgment, which means the "recognition of the existence or truth of something" from dictionary.com, would cover the essentials of understanding your negative emotions and where they come from, or so I thought.

The "assertiveness" section, however, seems to assume that negative emotions are all bad and it is preferable to choose not to experience them. What is the point of understanding where they come from if you've already pre-determined that they cannot be legitimately triggered and therefore should be allowed to be triggered in by certain things?

Hi SAO and All. I think the point of understanding where they come is why one can then determine whether they are observing negative or positive thoughts, feelings, or sensations within. For example, if you observe suicidal thoughts within, and that these suicidal thoughts, if identified with, make you feel excruciatingly melancholic and hopeless, feelings that then manifest into sensations of pain such as having migraines, lack of energy, etc, then you are experiencing the negative forms. And such negativity hinder one from making progress in this "school" since one's energy is then being drained to the "hyper-dimensional predator".

As another example, if one has thoughts of doing drugs to make themselves feel and sense "good" by dissociating from objective reality, then as I see it they are not resonating with the positive thoughts, feelings, or sensations of the true self. I think they are experiencing the exact opposite. Therefore, I think that thoughts, emotions, and sensations that blind and dissociate one from seeking to see "God" as it IS, whether superficially 'good' or 'bad' are negative and drain to the "hyper-dimensional predator."

On the other hand, if one is experiencing the exact opposite of the above thoughts, feelings, and sensations, then one is observing positive emotions. That is, those thoughts, feelings, and sensations that energize one to progress further in the "shopping for" and the fulling of the lessons of their karmic lesson profile. So I think that every karmic debt fulfilled allows one to see "God" as it IS more objectively due to one changing their Being from of a state of imbalance to balance with All that IS.

[quote author=SAO]

I am thinking that our true self does not ever drain us due to negative thoughts, feelings, or sensations.

But do negative thoughts, feelings, and sensations always result in "draining"?
[/quote]

No I think they don't. If the negative thoughts, emotions, and sensations don't hinder, blind, or dissociate one from seeking what IS, and hence they energize rather then drain one's energy, then they are actually positive on a deeper level rather then just superficially negative.

[quote author=SAO]
From my experience and understanding, that's not the case. As far as I know draining is the mis-use of the negative emotional energy by the physical and intellectual centers, precisely because we've been conditioned to want to feel good and avoid what feels bad instead of learning to understand it and utilize the emotional energy consciously. Also, positive emotions can be just as draining. People who feel good all the time tend to become very complacent and wasteful. Just look at how desensitized the US population is to the way their government murders millions across the world - they won't revolt until their personal comforts are removed. They don't have the "negative emotions" to drive them.
[/quote]

Yes, I concur with the thoughts above as well.

[quote author=SAO]

I am also thinking that once we acknowledge the world we live in as it IS and our own lessons within it, then making the choice to only have positive thoughts, feelings, and sensations would gradually tune us to our non-draining true self.

How do you define "positive"?
[/quote]

I define "positive" as thoughts, feelings, and sensations that feed and support the "soul" in learning and fulfilling its karmic lessons in relation to attaining balance with the All.

[quote author=SAO]
Does acknowledging suffering, disease, pain, the control system, etc constitute negative thoughts?
[/quote]

No, according to the way I see it.

[quote author=SAO]
Is allowing all of the above to bother us on an emotional level a bad thing? What about empathy? What about hurting on behalf of others, and yes, on behalf of ourselves as well? I think negative emotions, if used properly, are one of, if not the most powerful "motivator" we have to do the Work - for our own sake, but also for the sake of others. But in doing this we acknowledge that sometimes we can choose to suffer consciously in order to achieve a higher goal. I guess it's similar to not eating what tastes good if we know its ultimately bad for us - or eating what tastes bad because it is good for us.
[/quote]

Yes, I also concur.

[quote author=SAO]
Or maybe like letting your children get hurt to learn something they refuse to learn otherwise.
[/quote]

I think and feel that making such a choice depends on the specific context, their age, and the degree of psychological and physiological hurt they may experience if we actually stepped aside and allowed them to learn the hard way.

[quote author=SAO]

I don't think our true self would drain us. Sure, the birth of our true self would be "bloody" because of having to stop all the self lies to our self, but the balance attained should be energizing compared to the imbalance before, or so I think.

Personally I find little quite as energizing as anger. But maybe that's just me.
[/quote]

Well, I think to get to this higher state of balance from one's uniquely defaulted state of karmic imbalance, one would need to learn to utilize the emotional energy of anger in a positive manner. But learning to do so is quite "bloody" and a long process.


[quote author=SAO]

Or, would the true self, due to its attained wisdom of having learned the lessons of acknowledging the existence and roots of negative thoughts, emotions, and sensations, be capable of not being drained by them?

I think we already are capable with some effort. I am not sure if negative emotions feed 4d STS if we use their energy positively. Maybe they only feed when we just release their energy into the air due to mis-use as I mentioned above.
[/quote]

Speaking from my own experiences, this is basically what I currently think as well.

Also, your excerpt from RA below reminded me of an excerpt from Beezlebub's tales to his Grandson that I had read on Casschat. I will post it later if I find it since it is currently very late and time for bed.

 

[Saman]

It may be a different experience for others, I would be interested to know how the assertiveness has worked for you, saman.

Hi go2 and All. To be brief, my third little A has recently helped me to not identify with some very draining thoughts and feelings, and thus stop their manifesting sensations. Mainly the negative feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness.