The Adaptive Unconscious

[Bobo08]

I'm still reading the book, but i don't think we cannot do nothing. The conscious and the unconscious are uncorrelated and the unconscious is not reachable form the conscious. However, what the author seems to suggest is that we can know better about the unconscious through the others, through networking.

I agree. In addition, although the unconscious is much faster and more powerful than the conscious one, we can still manipulate it in certain ways, from what I understand. First, we can try to control the inputs to the unconsious or consciously compensate for it. For example, TV influences the unconscious and we cannot do anything about it. However, we can avoid watching TV altogether, thus eliminating that harmful input. Or if I know that I have prejudice against a certain type of people, I still can't control my gut feelings, but I can try to compensate for my unconscious aversion.

Another way to influence the unconscious is by nudging it in the right direction the best we can, sort of like fake it till we make it. We won't succeed the first time, or even the n-th time. But every time we try to push in a certain direction, it re-wires the unconscious a little bit and makes it easier the next round. For example, I'm a very shy person and I've always unconsciously avoided social gatherings, small talks. Recently, I try to force myself to go to more gatherings and participate in conversations with everyone I meet. I still cringe at the thought of going to another meeting, but the more I do it, the easier it gets.

Of course, all that is predicated on knowing your unconscious, or your machine in Gurdjieff speak. And that takes a network like this one.

 

[Buddy]

although the unconscious is much faster and more powerful than the conscious one, we can still manipulate it in certain ways, from what I understand. First, we can try to control the inputs to the unconsious or consciously compensate for it. For example, TV influences the unconscious and we cannot do anything about it. However, we can avoid watching TV altogether, thus eliminating that harmful input. Or if I know that I have prejudice against a certain type of people, I still can't control my gut feelings, but I can try to compensate for my unconscious aversion.

I was recalling how Laura described rewiring the brain in the online wave. With a little effort, that could easily be re-framed in the terms of this topic, OSIT. The conscious mind (PFC) would be used to deliberately create a context that the unconscious mind "flows into" and adds to the input. There, one can then monitor what comes to attention and attempt to connect it to earlier life experiences and preferred behavior in the present.

Sort of like how, when we want to create a night of romance with our partner, we start at the beginning of the day to influence the evening's mood. Come evening time, the whole process of having a nice dinner prepared, lights dimmed, candles lit, no interruptions around and so on can be thought of as a metaphorical example of using the conscious mind to create a context that the rest of our self brings to life.

In fact, I did something exactly like this when I discovered, in the addiction chapter of the online wave, that the physiological effects of fear and excitement are so identical you can't tell them apart. With this new understanding, I was able to re-wire, and experience anew, many situations that previously provoked what I thought of as fear, thus inhibiting a fuller participation in life!

 

[Ollie]

...
Another way to influence the unconscious is by nudging it in the right direction the best we can, sort of like fake it till we make it. We won't succeed the first time, or even the n-th time. But every time we try to push in a certain direction, it re-wires the unconscious a little bit and makes it easier the next round. For example, I'm a very shy person and I've always unconsciously avoided social gatherings, small talks. Recently, I try to force myself to go to more gatherings and participate in conversations with everyone I meet. I still cringe at the thought of going to another meeting, but the more I do it, the easier it gets.

Of course, all that is predicated on knowing your unconscious, or your machine in Gurdjieff speak. And that takes a network like this one.

I've been doing this too, and as you say it gets easier the more you do. What I've found is that the stress before hand is reduced, and actually builds during the 'event' (as a form of overwhelm, and to a certain extent, impatience to get there!) and dissipates itself afterwards. Still some way to go, a work in progress; it's getting easier with practice to just relax into it and enjoy it. :)

 

[cubbex]

I just had an idea, but could the adaptive unconscious could be the emotional center? I mean it works faster and you can't think by it. Just asking.

 

[Laura]

I just had an idea, but could the adaptive unconscious could be the emotional center? I mean it works faster and you can't think by it. Just asking.

That's pretty much the comparison we have been drawing. It also seems to have elements of the Moving center.

 

[Psalehesost]

I just had an idea, but could the adaptive unconscious could be the emotional center? I mean it works faster and you can't think by it. Just asking.

That's pretty much the comparison we have been drawing. It also seems to have elements of the Moving center.

It is noted to have many "modules", with different parts having different functions, so I think it would be a collective term for both, as well as the instinctive center.

Given the neural systems involved in the moving and instinctive centers, that means (parts of) the adaptive unconscious pretty much extends throughout much of the body and is connected to many of its organs, including the guts.

 

[ana]

I just had an idea, but could the adaptive unconscious could be the emotional center? I mean it works faster and you can't think by it. Just asking.

That's pretty much the comparison we have been drawing. It also seems to have elements of the Moving center.

It is noted to have many "modules", with different parts having different functions, so I think it would be a collective term for both, as well as the instinctive center.

Given the neural systems involved in the moving and instinctive centers, that means (parts of) the adaptive unconscious pretty much extends throughout much of the body and is connected to many of its organs, including the guts.

Agree, maybe we can compare this work with what we have learned regarding the work of the prefrontal cortex in dealing with the fast and unconscious information coming from the limbic and reptilian brain.

Effortful attention and conscious elaboration being the work of system 2 in contrast with the emotional, intuitive and instinctive function of system 1.

 

[Laura]

Agree, maybe we can compare this work with what we have learned regarding the work of the prefrontal cortex in dealing with the fast and unconscious information coming from the limbic and reptilian brain.

Effortful attention and conscious elaboration being the work of system 2 in contrast with the emotional, intuitive and instinctive function of system 1.

Exactly so. Again and again we get confirmation in scientific terms that our approach is on target even if we do try to refine the methods as we get experience.

Even though these recent books present a rather grim picture of what we have to work with, at the same time, they give me hope that we are on the right path and that there ARE things we can discover and do.

The question is: how to make all this explicable and available in a larger, societal way? That is, the topic of "War and Peace" is much on my mind: how to use what we have learned to explain this and teach others how to avoid the evils of violence.

 

[Buddy]

I just had an idea, but could the adaptive unconscious could be the emotional center? I mean it works faster and you can't think by it. Just asking.

I agree with others that the "adaptive unconscious" subsumes most everything else but our in-the-moment conscious awareness, but I have a question. Do you think non-verbally (without words)? That is, can you do thought without using the language center as organ of perception or expression? I ask because I'm a bit confused by what you mean by the bolded part.

 

[Bobo08]

I just had an idea, but could the adaptive unconscious could be the emotional center? I mean it works faster and you can't think by it. Just asking.

I agree with others that the "adaptive unconscious" subsumes most everything else but our in-the-moment conscious awareness, but I have a question. Do you think non-verbally (without words)? That is, can you do thought without using the language center as organ of perception or expression? I ask because I'm a bit confused by what you mean by the bolded part.

My understanding of thinking is that it must be under conscious control, whether verbally or not. On the other hand, the adaptive unconscious is completely outside conscious control. That's why you can't think by it. Of course, that's just what I think ;)

 

[Psalehesost]

I just had an idea, but could the adaptive unconscious could be the emotional center? I mean it works faster and you can't think by it. Just asking.

I agree with others that the "adaptive unconscious" subsumes most everything else but our in-the-moment conscious awareness, but I have a question. Do you think non-verbally (without words)? That is, can you do thought without using the language center as organ of perception or expression? I ask because I'm a bit confused by what you mean by the bolded part.

My understanding of thinking is that it must be under conscious control, whether verbally or not. On the other hand, the adaptive unconscious is completely outside conscious control. That's why you can't think by it. Of course, that's just what I think ;)

Not necessarily under conscious control - simply experienced, whereas the activity of the adaptive unconscious is not directly experienced - apart from its effects.

Whether visual, verbal, etc., I think thoughts may either potentially be genuinely conscious (in proceeding under the effortful self-direction of "System 2") or something that has been prompted by the adaptive unconscious.

 

[Harold]

I just received 'Adaptive Unconscious' and 'Redirect'. I am reading 'Adaptive Unconscious' first as it was written first I believe.

In another thread I started, it was basically suggested by Shane, Endymion, Anart, Laura and Pashalis, that I stop what I was doing. Read those books and report on my findings.

I have been having 'flash backs' of an accident I had in November. These flashbacks occur when I am around heavy equipment or am walking by vehicles that are running but are in park and not moving. My emotional response was of a little fear and a 'flash back' to the accident. My physical reaction is one of my body tensing up all the way to a more severe reaction of wanting to vomit when the image of me being crushed 'flashed' through my mind. This has been very bothersome as I need to be focused when around heavy equipment. Being around heavy equipment is part of my job and it was really worrying me.

I have done the writing exercise as suggested in the article https://www.sott.net/articles/show/239884-Writing-to-Heal by Laura regarding this incident, I have not noticed any changes really.... but.... as I think of it, I have not had any flashbacks lately.

Also I have been really paying attention to 'feedback' loops, specifically the negative kind. I have been paying attention to these 'loops' in regards to my 'vampiric feeding'. Something I am determined to deal with and if possible, completely stop. I have been paying attention to what I have to say about anything and how important it is for me to say stuff. In general, I have not been making comments so much and I have been not giving 'feedback' when I get a response to something I have said.

Right now I have lots on my plate, my mom is recovering from a operation, I am looking for work, I am looking for roomates, I am working on not being a 'energetic feeding vampire', I am concentrating on doing EE and am concentrating on my diet. Also I have been experimenting with 'not' praying out loud. I also have been experimenting with listening to Laura's meditation part of the EE CD when I go to bed.

One weird thing that has happened to me is that a local Gurdjieff/Whirling Dervish group with a lineage through Bennett has been contacting me and wants me to return to their group for Dance class, movement class, group therapy class and weekly reading of 'Beelzebub's', some seminars and other activities. I cannot afford to attend at the moment but am really considering it when I get a job. I was attending all these classes prior to EE starting up in my city, but stopped when EE came to town. As I could not afford both.

Also, after going through 2 roomates who one(a male) was a raging alcoholic, the other(a female) was maybe a meth addict, I have gotten rid of them and seem to have found 2 really great roomies. One has a beauty little Boxer(dog) and the other seems really great, I will not get into anymore details of these guys as I think it may be a little bit of me trying to get back into feedback loops.... I could be wrong... I do not know.

My predator mind has been playing programs of 'I am not worthy enough to be apart of the forum family here', I am stupid, I am really evil and don't know it, I am a looser etc.

As far as I can tell, this posting is a report of my findings.... I think it would be best if no-one would reply to this posting.... but I could be wrong... I do not know at this point. I really want to be involved in healthy exchanges and NOT 'negative feedback loops'. I think that for the time being it is best that I not be involved in any feedback at all, until I can better sort this out.

One more finding I have to report is, that in the 'Adaptive Unconscious' book, the author talks about brain damage just behind the bridge of a persons nose. He says that if a person gets brain damage in this area, that they are prone to making bad decisions in their life. When I was about 4 years old I fell and broke the bridge of my nose on some stairs. Since that time I have had what could be described as a glass nose and have had 3 plastic surgeries, one at about 10 years old, one at about 13 years old and one at about 16 years old. I have so much scar tissue in my nose that it is very difficult to breath through my nose especially when eating. Also I gave up playing the Saxophone because of my breathing and too I was not all that interested in playing the Sax as I had very low self-esteem and low confidence. And my nose had been broken about a dozen times including the plastic surgeries. This has really been on my mind, as I have had a history of making bad decisions through out my life. I have very little memory of the fall at 4 years old and discussed it with my mother yesterday. She did say that my forehead had not quite an egg lump but was pretty swollen up. I will ask her again if I got a concussion from this, as she did not make this clear.... but I probably did. When I combine this with the fact that I was in 3 foster homes in my first months of life through the Catholic Children's Aid Society.... it all gives me much to ponder. I have been also researching allot of info about young children and ritualistic abuse etc. So far I have no memory of this and do not think I have been exposed to any of this. Just ordinary programming is all I can see that I have been exposed to. Although I do feel really drawn to this topic. And am very angry at what I have learned about Satanic cults and their relation to the CIA, the Catholic Church, the police and government etc. etc.

 

[Jones]

I am about half way through reading The Adaptive Unconscious on Kindle.

Promoteo:

I just had an idea, but could the adaptive unconscious could be the emotional center? I mean it works faster and you can't think by it. Just asking.

So I wonder if we get closer to the truth of the motivation behind our reactions if we first concentrate on what we were feeling in that moment, rather than trying explain our actions or thoughts?

So far I'm struggling to understand the difference between totally not being aware of reactions from the adaptive unconscious and simply just lying to ourselves and others. Or maybe I've just listened to the First Initiation far too many times!

 

[Biomiast]

I don't know if this has been discussed before, but I was reading The Wave today and came across this excerpt from transcripts and thought I should share:

Q: (L) Now, I have some articles in this magazine here: This is Lyssa Royal and she has “channeled for thousands around the globe since 1985.” Her books and magazine articles are published in six languages worldwide, etc. She writes here: “The human consciousness is roughly divided into three different areas for the sake of this illustration: the conscious mind, the subconscious mind and the unconscious mind.” Now, are these labels generally correct?

A: Roughly.

Q: (L) She says: “The unconscious mind is a link to your greater self, it is also used as a wasteland where scary, dark things are stored that you really don’t want to bring up.” Is this a fairly accurate statement?

A: Semi-accurate.

Q: (L) Is there anything you can say to make the statement more accurate?

A: The unconscious mind is also a conduit for connecting with the higher self, other selves, and the universal mind.

 

[Approaching Infinity]

Q: (L) Is there anything you can say to make the statement more accurate?

A: The unconscious mind is also a conduit for connecting with the higher self, other selves, and the universal mind.

That, of course, ties into what G says in Beelzebub's Tales, that humanity's true consciousness is the unconscious, and that access to higher centers comes through the emotional center...