Vinaire's Blog

Reference: The Book of Subject Clearing

Attention is not free when it is fixated on some issue, such as, an upset or a problem. We call that condition—introversion. When you are working to improve your mind, you need free attention. Therefore, when the attention is introverted, you must free up enough attention before you start working with your mind.

The following are two wonderful exercises, which when done correctly, not only handle introversion, but also increase your awareness. In the beginning have a friend help you do it. Later you can start doing it by yourself. When done before a meditation session, these exercises greatly enhance the meditation experience. These exercises are very simple, obvious in what they do, and very logical. Just do what it says exactly.

Do these exercises for 10 minutes each, twice a day, for two weeks at least, to get familiar with their effectiveness. After that you do them whenever you feel that you need to extrovert and orient your attention.

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EXERCISE # 1: EXTROVERSION

In this exercise, you compare two items using your senses of touch, sight, hearing, smell and taste. Get the differences and similarities. After some time you will start to sense the uniqueness of an item. As you do that your attention will extrovert.

Here are the steps to this exercise. If the person doing this exercise have difficulties, he or she may be guided through these steps very gently.

Touch

1. Go to an environment where you can touch a variety of surfaces without getting distracted.
2. Select two different surfaces nearby.
3. Touch them alternately and discern the differences between them.
4. As you touch them, let the mind carry out its natural functions uninterrupted in the background.
5. Touch the surfaces repeatedly until you can discern the uniqueness of each surface.
6. Repeat steps 2 to 5 with another pair of two different surfaces.
7. Do this exercise until you can confidently sense the uniqueness of a surface by touching it.
8. Do as many 10-minute sessions as necessary to fully extrovert your attention.

Sight

1. Go to an environment where you can see a variety of objects without getting distracted.
2. Select two different objects situated not far from each other.
3. Look at them alternately and discern the differences between them.
4. As you look at them, let the mind carry out its natural functions uninterrupted in the background.
5. Look at the objects repeatedly until you can discern the uniqueness of each object.
6. Repeat steps 2 to 5 with another pair of two different objects.
7. Do this exercise until you can confidently sense the uniqueness of an object by looking at it.
8. Do as many 10-minute sessions as necessary to fully extrovert your attention.

NOTE: When guiding another person on this exercise focus mainly on TOUCH and SIGHT. These two senses are enough to pull a person out of introversion. Once the person is extroverted enough to be in present time, he handles the following three senses by himself in the normal course of life.

 Hearing, Smell & Taste

1. Go to a coffee shop where the atmosphere is pleasant and relaxed. Alternatively, you may go for a walk in a busy place with some eatables.
2. Explore the sounds in the environment by comparing two sounds at a time as above, until you can discern the uniqueness of each sound.
3. Explore the smells in the environment by comparing two smells at a time as above, until you can discern the uniqueness of each smell.
4. Explore the tastes of eatables by comparing two tastes at a time as above, until you can discern the uniqueness of each taste.
5. Do this exercise until you can confidently hear, smell and taste the uniqueness of sensations reaching you.
6. Do as many 10-minute sessions as necessary to fully extrovert your attention.

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EXERCISE # 2: ORIENTATION

In this exercise, one observes the orientation of different objects in one’s environment by estimating their distance from some reference location, and the angle of their direction from some reference direction.

Do this exercise after you have done Exercise # 1. This is a higher level exercise. If the person doing this exercise have difficulties, he or she may be guided through these steps very gently. In case of trouble, return to the previous exercise.

STEPS

1. Go to an environment where you can explore the distances and directions of objects without getting distracted.
2. Select a reference location from which you will be measuring the distance of objects. You may stand at that reference location.
3. Select a reference direction from which you will be measuring the direction of objects. You may draw a line at your location indicating that direction.
4. Select two objects.
5. Look at the first object. Assess its distance and direction with respect to the references above.
6. Look at the second object. Assess its distance and direction with respect to the references above.
7. Compare the distances of these two objects carefully.
8. Compare the directions of these two objects carefully.
9. Select another pair of objects and repeat steps 5 tp 9.
10. As you do this, let the mind carry out its natural functions uninterrupted in the background.
11. Do this exercise until you confidently know the orientations of objects relative to your references.
12. Do as many 10-minute sessions as necessary until you feel confident that you can quickly orient yourself in different environments.
13. If you are having trouble with this exercise, return to Exercise # 1.

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