Burns' Brainperiments

[Bu🤠ns]

blog
I couldn't decide if i should post this in B&B due to it personal nature or TFYS because of it's content or ????  If mods feel it should be elsewhere then please feel free to move it accordingly, it doesn't matter to me.
I'll be sure to keep these x-posts contained in this thread as to not clog up the board with possibly useless jabber about my breathing patterns or how my muscles twitch in rhythm with Rahzel's vocal chords. 

May 13, 2008

This is my first post to announce that i will be partaking on a sequence of events that will chronicle the experiments of the exercises at the end of the chapters of Robert Anton Wilson’s Prometheus Rising and throughout Christopher S. Hyatt’s Undoing Yourself with Energized Meditation.

Not only will i attempt to give an honest analysis of the experiments but I will also give a short summary of each book’s main points so as to give a background to the nature of the experiments. (maybe).

In the introduction of Hyatt’s book RAW mentions that very few people actually DO the experiments yet claim their lives have been changed by them. I’d like to put that to the test. A couple years ago I’ve read through both of them, saw the exercises, and skipped right over them. Now, if i DO DO the experiments will anything new happen? who knows…but like my wife says when making her beef stew, “I like to throw in a little of this and a little of that and hope for the best.” In the same way a little of this meditation, a little that experiment should at least give me hope for a head trip that is (at the very least) cheaper than drugs. (of course i won’t rule that one out totally ether).

I can talk a big show about this here and we’ll see if i keep going. These books are only two of many i own that have exercises in them. I wouldn’t be surprised if another one popped up every once and awhile for a taste of something different.

but lets not get ahead of myself now.
on to the stew…

[Bu🤠ns]

Experiment 1

The first experiment works with tensions in the body and their corresponding thoughts associated with them. According to this exercise, pleasant and unpleasant thoughts correspond to various muscles (mainly) in the face, neck and throat. My results of this experiment have shown that my brow furrows with unpleasant thoughts and i clench my jaws with the pleasant ones.

Experiment 2

This is where one lies on the back and notates aloud all of the tensions inside the body. These exercises are to create awareness of tensions all throughout the body. The interesting thing about this one is that i could really feel my face muscles really twitch as if i was lifting a heavy weight.

Method 1

Method 1 uses a series of stretches, muscular contractions, breaths and other movements to destroy one’s tension spots. As a supplement to this stage of the experiments I’ll also be using Dr. Israel Regardie’s (one of Hyatt’s respected mentors) book The Lazy Man’s Guide To Relaxation. After trying this method this morning, I’ve found that my evening was much more peaceful.

I’ll be attempting these experiments and methods for the next couple of weeks for real solid results. If anything significant happens in the meantime I’ll be sure to pop in here and make a note of it. Also I hope to try out some of Wilson’s exercises as well so hopefully they’ll pop in here too.

Summary

Its important to note that Hyatt’s basic premise as stated in the introduction that

“…biology is primary to culture, and that the problems assumed to be caused by biology are a result of biology’s distortion by culture.”

The premise, as i understand it, describes the sense of imprisonment that we automatically place ourselves in because of our willed biological submission to our cultural imposed standards. Our biological drives of territory and survival aren’t a bad thing but need to be expressed in a more natural way outside of dogma laced culture in which we find ourselves. we need to, in a way, reverse our polarities and see how culture is a relative point of view and biology is an absolute point of view instead of the other way around.

[Bebek Sincap Ratatosk]

 

[LMNO]

I'm looking forward to this.  I did the Hyatt stuff for a while.  The face stuff was really nice, but the flopping over/straightening up stuff didn't go as well.

[hooplala]

I shall be monitoring this thread.

[Cramulus]

I as well am curious.

It took me a goddamn year to find that quarter, I hope you have better luck with it. 

[Bu🤠ns]

thanks for the support 

I'm looking forward to this.  I did the Hyatt stuff for a while.  The face stuff was really nice, but the flopping over/straightening up stuff didn't go as well.

heh, i peeked at that one (method 3).  i'm wondering about some of these  .  a funny part about the face stuff and repeating BA BA BA BA etc...i find myself chuckling to myself becuase of how much a monkey i appear to be.   (although i hardly doubt thats much of an accident).

[Bebek Sincap Ratatosk]

I as well am curious.

It took me a goddamn year to find that quarter, I hope you have better luck with it. 

Different experiements

[Bu🤠ns]

May 20, 2008

After practicing Method 1 for a week I’ve become very aware of areas where i have tensed up.  I’ve noticed that my shoulders, neck, eyelids (!), temples, lower back and ass cheeks tend to be more predominantly tense than the rest of my body.  Although, there is often a twitching that occurs as i lay down to relax.  Obviously holding up the shoulders and dropping them was my favorite, and the face thing.
The dreams have started again.  Last night i dreamed of the grim reaper. it wasn’t a scary dream just strange.  we kind of had respect for each other.  the previous night i dreamed i was with prisoners and proud of them for some reason or other. it was as if they did something that touched my heart…woke up teary.  again, strange.  i remember when i was little and used to dream of normal things like muppets and shit.

Method 2

1. Deep breaths while lying on the back. Become aware of the muscles used.

2. Stand up.  At the count of 3 drop at the waist using only the force of gravity.  Then exhale rapidly while dropping. repeat 10-20 times.

3. pull the knees up to the chest.  Then kick them out fast, dropping on to a pillow. proceed until tired, repeat. try holding the legs extended before they fall.  (uses isometric contractions i guess?)

4. Inhale … SCREAM!  (this was great, btw).

5. lie on the back and observe…then meditate.

Summary:

I really enjoy this one.  The dropping was very freeing.  and to end it with screaming…i felt like a hundred dollars.

These methods are meant to be continuations of each other.  My plan is to be altering days with each one.  I’ll begin method 3 next week.


So far, my take on it is this: as we go  about our lives i think the natural tendency is to get caught up in routines (unless of course you’re wealthy and can fuck all with jobs and children and spouse).  as our daily habits occur more frequently so do our muscles and minds.  This really seems to be the heart of the UNDOING part of these methods.  breaking routines…and then breaking conditionings and then….???

[ñͤͣ̄ͦ̌̑͗͊͛͂͗ ̸̨̨̣̺̼̣̜͙͈͕̮̊̈́̈͂͛̽͊ͭ̓͆ͅé ̰̓̓́ͯ́́͞]

I as well am curious.

It took me a goddamn year to find that quarter, I hope you have better luck with it. 

I found about 3 dollars in quarters when I tried it.

You must have been doing it wrong.

[ñͤͣ̄ͦ̌̑͗͊͛͂͗ ̸̨̨̣̺̼̣̜͙͈͕̮̊̈́̈͂͛̽͊ͭ̓͆ͅé ̰̓̓́ͯ́́͞]

So far, my take on it is this: as we go  about our lives i think the natural tendency is to get caught up in routines (unless of course you're wealthy and can fuck all with jobs and children and spouse).  as our daily habits occur more frequently so do our muscles and minds.  This really seems to be the heart of the UNDOING part of these methods.  breaking routines...and then breaking conditionings and then....???

And then your true buddha nature will be poomped into consciousness.

Routines are a red herring, I think. It seems to me Hyatt's referring to something more specific and more ineffable. Though I also disagree with Hyatt's premise of this neat little division between biology and culture. But, I haven't read any of his books so you might want to take that with a grain of salt.

More to the point, I'm enjoying your silly exercise romp.

In fact, I'm going to try method 2 when I wake up tomorrow. It seemed promising even before you mentioned how it affected your day.

Looking forward to moar brainspearmints to bastardize and co-opt.

[rong]

for what it's worth, i noticed my fish tank was low on water one day and instead of the usual "fill a pitcher with water, dump in fish tank" method,  i used a shot glass and made several hundred trips.  it was interesting the different ways your (my?) psychology reacted to this, it's hard to describe them all, but at one point i was laughing out loud at the absurdity of it.

i highly recommend attempting some normal, everyday tasks in as mundane a manner possible.  that is, if you're into that sort of thing.

also, can someone please explain the quarter?

[LMNO]

Chapter 1 of either Prometheus Rising or Quantum Psychology.

"What the Thinker Thinks, the Prover Proves."  Basically, convince yourself beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Universe is leaving quarters on the sidewalk for you to find.  You will eventually find more quarters than you ever have before.

[Bu🤠ns]

correct and then you attempt the quarter experminet from the POV of 2 separate reality tunnels.  one is where you "believe" that  you found it via selective attention, and the other is where you "believe" you made the quarter "manifest in this universe." then you compare the 'selective attention' method with the 'mystical method'.

[rong]

sort of the opposite of "there is no spoon" i take it?