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Reference: Book III: What is the Mind Really?

The Main Ideas

1. Anxiety may be reduced by looking at relevant memories and assimilating them.
2. Anxiety is the body and mind’s alarm system: worry, fear, or tension in response to a perceived threat. 
3. It is helpful to look at all the threats and moments of fear encountered in the past and assimilate them. 
4. The earlier are the moments that you can recall the better is the assimilation.
5. It is good to understand this condition so you can help yourself and others.
6. Here we are looking at mental objects per exercise in Chapter 5: Look, Be There and Confront.
7. Such looking must follow the laws provided in Chapter 6: The Laws of Looking.

Anxiety can be understood as the body and mind’s alarm system. It appears as worry, fear, uneasiness, or physical tension when a threat is perceived—whether the threat is present now, anticipated in the future, or carried forward from the past.

This chapter approaches anxiety through the handling of mental objects: memories, images, impressions, thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations that arise in the mind. The purpose is not to suppress anxiety or argue with it, but to look directly at what it contains and gradually assimilate the experiences behind it. This follows the approach of Look, Be There and Confront and must be practiced according to the Laws of Looking provided in earlier chapters.

This exercise may not address all your anxiety, but it gives you a tool to reduce your anxiety by yourself.

Anxiety as an Alarm

Anxiety is not necessarily an enemy. Like a smoke alarm, it signals that something is being experienced as dangerous, uncertain, or beyond one’s ability to handle.

Sometimes the alarm concerns an immediate situation. For example, a person may feel anxious while driving through a severe storm because reduced visibility and slippery roads are real dangers. In such a case, anxiety may help the person slow down, focus, and take sensible precautions.

At other times, the alarm is activated by a present situation that resembles an earlier threatening experience. A person who was repeatedly criticized in childhood may feel intense fear before offering an idea at work. The meeting itself may be ordinary, but it can awaken old mental objects: remembered expressions, words, embarrassment, shame, or the expectation of rejection.

The anxiety is real as an experience, even when the present danger is small or absent. What needs attention is the material to which the alarm is responding.

Understanding anxiety helps a person respond more effectively to both their own distress and that of others. Anxiety often becomes more difficult when it is treated as weakness, irrationality, or personal failure.

The Role of Memory

Anxiety may be reduced by locating and assimilating the relevant memories behind it. A current fear often has connections to earlier moments of threat, helplessness, pain, loss, or confusion.

To assimilate a memory does not mean to erase it, deny it, excuse what happened, or force oneself to “get over it.” It means allowing the memory to be seen clearly enough that it is no longer operating as an unexamined source of alarm.

For example, a student may become anxious whenever they have to take a test. On looking, they may recall a recent exam in which they felt unprepared. Looking further, they may remember earlier school experiences: being ridiculed for a wrong answer, being punished for low grades, or being told that failure meant they were worthless. These memories may have become fused with the present act of taking a test.

As these mental objects are confronted and understood in their proper time and context, the present situation can be seen more accurately. A test becomes a test—not a repetition of every earlier moment of humiliation or danger.

Prerequisites to Exercise

If not already done:

1. Read Chapter 5: Look, Be There and Confront, and practice “Exercise: Looking at Mental Objects.”
2. Read Chapter 6: The Laws of Looking, and practice the Laws of Looking.
3. Read Chapter 7: Looking at Memory, and practice looking at a memory.

Instructions

1. This process is designed to bring up charged memories.
2. The priority is to assimilate a charged memory before bringing next one up.
3. You assimilate a charged memory by experiencing all its sensations.
4. This may uncover a whole chain of earlier similar memories.
5. As you continue to experience all sensations, the underlying anomaly will surface.
6. This drains charge from the whole chain of memories.
7. Continue with the process to bring up another charged memory, and repeat these steps. 
8. If, at any point, the charge becomes too much, go back to Chapter 5 exercise, look, be there and confront.
9. When the mind is calm enough, attempt this exercise again.
10. Do this exercise again and again until no new memories are coming up, and the charge has been drained from existing memories as much as possible.

Exercise

Can you recall a time when:

1. You felt alarmed.
2. There was a threat.
3. You were worried about what might happen
4. You felt anxious.
5. You sensed danger.
6. There was uneasiness.
7. There was a sudden sense of fear. 
8. You thought something unpleasant might happen.
9. There was a feeling of dread.
10. Your heart was beating faster.
11. Your body was physically tensed.
12. You saw something alarming.
13. You couldn’t handle it.
14. You felt helpless and confused.
15. You were in middle of a disaster.
16. A loved one was very sick.
17. You felt unsafe.
18. You couldn’t speak.
19. You felt something bad was going to happen.
20. You were afraid of dark.
21. You were in mortal danger.
22. Something bad happened that could not be reverted.
23. Something was seriously wrong.
24. You were expecting something terrible to happen.
25. You were left alone.

This is not a search for a single dramatic “root cause.” Anxiety can be shaped by many experiences. The aim is simply to make the chain of related mental objects visible, from the present fear toward earlier fears, without forcing conclusions.

The final question is, “Are you identifying with these memories?” See Chapter 3: The Anomaly of Man.

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Reference: Book III: What is the Mind Really?

Attention is extroverted when it is free, directed outward, and under one’s control. When it becomes absorbed in doubts, confusions, and inner disturbances, it is introverted.

A person is fundamentally awareness. Confusion arises when awareness identifies with mental contents—such as thoughts, emotions, problems, or fixed ideas—and becomes entangled in them. The first step in addressing this identification is to regain some control over attention.

The exercises in this chapter develop that control by directing attention deliberately toward the present environment: objects, sensations, distances, and directions. You do this exercise using the laws of looking. You do not avoid, resist, suppress, deny or interfere with the activity of the mind. Let the mind carry out its natural functions. You simply observe what it manifests.

You may do these exercises yourself, or have somebody help you do them. These exercises are very simple, obvious in what they do, and very logical. Just do what it says exactly.

NOTE: A person, who is afflicted by neurosis or psychosis, shall definitely need assistance in doing this exercise. He or she should be assisted with considerable gentleness and patience.

The sense of touch, when exercised, can bring considerable relief even to a person who is completely disconnected with reality. Do these exercises for 20 minutes, twice a day, for two weeks at least.

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EXERCISE # 1: EXTROVERSION

PURPOSE: To extrovert the attention by exploring environment.

Touch

1. Go to an environment where you can explore the sense of touch without getting distracted.

2. Touch two different surfaces nearby and discern the difference between them. Touch them repeatedly until you can discern the uniqueness of each surface.

3. Similarly touch other surfaces carefully and discern their uniqueness. 

4. As you touch the surfaces, keep aware of the activities of the mind without interfering. Let the mind carry out its natural functions in the background.

5. Explore the sensation of touch until you find yourself doing it happily without internal resistance.

 Sight

7. Go to an environment where you can explore the perception of shapes and colors without getting distracted.

8. Look at two different objects nearby and discern the difference between them. Look at them repeatedly until you discern the uniqueness of each object.

9. Similarly look at other objects carefully and discern their unique shapes, colors, etc.

10. As you look at the objects, keep aware of the activities of the mind without interfering. Let the mind carry out its natural functions in the background.

11. Explore the perception of sight until you find yourself doing it happily without internal resistance.

Hearing, Smell & Taste

13. Go to a coffee shop where the atmosphere is pleasant and relaxed. Alternatively, go for a walk in a crowded place with some sweets and gums in your pocket.

14. Explore the sounds in the environment by comparing two sounds at a time as above, until you find yourself doing it happily without internal resistance.

15. Explore the smells in the environment by comparing two smells at a time as above, until you find yourself doing it happily without internal resistance.

16. Explore the tastes of eatables by comparing two tastes at a time as above, until you find yourself doing it happily without internal resistance.

17. Recycle through all sense perceptions until you find that your attention is more extroverted compared to before.

18. Keep the duration of the session to 20 minutes. Do as many sessions as necessary to fully extrovert your attention.

STEPS FOR ASSISTED VERSION

1. The guide gently directs the student by pointing: “Touch that ______.”

2. If the student hesitates, the guide gently takes the student’s hand and makes it touch the intended surface.

3. The guide gently directs the student by pointing: “Look at that ______.”

4. If the student hesitates, the guide gently directs the student’s attention again to look at the intended object.

5. The guide gently directs the student by pointing: “Listen to that ______,” “Smell that ______,” “Taste that ______,” one at a time as appropriate.

6.  If the student hesitates, the guide gently directs the student’s attention by giving the command again.

7. Continue assisting the student with this exercise until he can do it unassisted.

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EXERCISE # 2: ORIENTATION

PURPOSE: To orient oneself by exploring directions and distances in the environment.

STEPS

1. Go to an environment where you can explore different directions and distances without getting distracted.

2. Select a location for yourself from where to measure distances and directions.

3. Look at two different objects. Assess the difference in their distances from you. Assess the differences in their directions relative to your location. Do this until you fully discern the difference in their orientations relative to your location.

4. Similarly assess the distances and directions of other objects around you carefully and discern their respective orientations. 

5. As you assess the distances and directions of objects, keep aware of the activities of the mind without interfering. Let the mind carry out its natural functions in the background.

6. Explore the orientation of objects until you find yourself doing it happily without internal resistance.

7. Keep the duration of the session to 20 minutes. Do as many sessions as necessary until you can easily orient your attention in any environment.

8. If you are having difficulty with this exercise, return to the previous exercise.

STEPS FOR ASSISTED VERSION

1. The guide gently directs the student by pointing: “Look at ______.” “Get the idea of its distance from you.” “Get the idea of its direction from you.”

2. If the student hesitates, the guide gently directs the student’s attention again to estimate the intended direction and distance.

3. Continue assisting the student with this exercise until he can do it unassisted.

4. If the student has any difficulty with this exercise, return to the previous exercise.

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The Main Ideas

1. When a person’s attention is free and under his control it is said to be extroverted.
2. When a person’s attention is absorbed in doubts and confusions then it is said to be introverted. 
3. It helps to know that a person is basically awareness, and the ultimate source of his confusions is identification.
4. The beginning step to address identification is to have some control on one’s attention.
5. This chapter provides some exercises that help a person control his attention better.
6. Exercises from Extroversion & Orientation.

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The deepest understanding of God need not begin with an image of a supreme person, a distant ruler, or even a maker standing apart from creation. It may begin instead with oneness: the fundamental impulse by which all that exists moves toward coherence, relationship, integration, and harmony. In this view, God is not merely one being among other beings, but the living principle through which apparent divisions are continually drawn toward wholeness.

Oneness as the Primary Impulse

Everywhere in the universe, one can observe a movement from separation toward connection. Particles join to form atoms; atoms combine into molecules; molecules organize into cells; cells cooperate as organisms; individual people create families, communities, languages, and civilizations. These developments suggest a primary impulse toward oneness: the bringing together of what is scattered into patterns that can endure.

For example, a pile of loose bricks has no larger function by itself. When the bricks are arranged in relation to one another, they can become a home, a school, or a bridge. The same material is present, but order gives it a new meaning and capacity. In a similar way, the impulse of oneness brings diverse elements into relationships that produce greater harmony.

God, understood as oneness, is therefore not simply an object to be imagined. God is the deepest direction of reality: the movement toward coherence in matter, energy, life, thought, and consciousness.

Order Emerging from Chaos

The universe appears to contain both order and chaos. Chaos may be understood as whatever is disconnected, conflicting, confusing, or unresolved. Order is not the elimination of diversity; it is diversity arranged so that its parts work together.

A storm, for instance, may seem chaotic from the ground. Yet it follows patterns of pressure, temperature, moisture, and motion. Likewise, a person’s troubled emotions may feel like inner chaos, but careful reflection can reveal their causes: fear, loss, unmet needs, conflicting beliefs, or misunderstood experiences. Once these elements are recognized and related properly, confusion begins to become understanding.

The impulse of oneness works by transforming disorder into greater order. A scientist who discovers a law of nature, a teacher who clarifies a difficult idea, and a mediator who helps two people understand one another are all participating in this movement. They take what is scattered or contradictory and help it become intelligible.

Chaos Is Always Present

There will always be chaos to convert into order because reality is not static. New situations arise, old arrangements break down, knowledge expands, and life continually presents unfamiliar conditions. Chaos is not necessarily evil; it can be the raw material of a higher harmony.

Consider a child learning to read. At first, written marks may appear as meaningless shapes. The child experiences confusion because the letters, sounds, words, and meanings have not yet been integrated. Through learning, those separate elements become ordered. Eventually, the child can read a sentence, understand an argument, and enter the world of literature. The original confusion was not pointless; it was the starting point of a greater capacity.

In the same way, social problems, personal conflicts, and unanswered questions indicate areas where greater understanding is needed. The presence of chaos calls forth the work of consciousness: to observe carefully, identify what does not fit, and discover a more harmonious order.

Spiritual Realization in the Present

Understanding God as oneness is not only an abstract theory. It can become a spiritual realization in the present moment. Such realization occurs when a person sees beyond immediate separations and recognizes a deeper continuity between self, others, nature, and the universe.

For example, a person may be angry with someone who has acted unfairly. At first, the other person may seem entirely separate: an enemy, an obstacle, or a source of pain. But deeper reflection may reveal that both people are affected by fear, misunderstanding, history, and unmet needs. This does not excuse harmful behavior, but it changes the viewpoint. One begins to seek a resolution that restores truth and relationship rather than merely defeating an opponent.

This is a spiritual realization because it restores awareness of the whole. It is not escape from life. Rather, it gives one a clearer way to engage life. The person begins to ask: What would bring greater understanding here? What would resolve this conflict without denying reality? What is the larger harmony trying to emerge?

A Viewpoint for Understanding Life

Once oneness is recognized as the fundamental direction of existence, it becomes a viewpoint from which the rest of life may be sorted out. Experiences can be examined according to whether they increase harmony or deepen fragmentation.

This does not mean that everything pleasant is good or everything difficult is bad. A painful truth may create temporary disturbance while leading to a more lasting order. For instance, a doctor may diagnose a serious illness. The diagnosis can be frightening, yet it is a movement from uncertainty toward clarity. Without it, effective treatment may not be possible.

Similarly, honest self-examination may initially reveal uncomfortable contradictions. A person may discover that their actions do not match their values, or that a cherished belief does not explain all the facts. Such discoveries can feel destabilizing, but they make deeper integrity possible. The viewpoint of oneness helps a person remain open to correction because correction is not a personal defeat; it is a step toward greater coherence.

The Value of Past Spiritual Development

Humanity’s past spiritual development has helped bring us to this realization. Religions, philosophies, myths, ethical traditions, and contemplative practices have all attempted to express humanity’s awareness of a reality greater than isolated self-interest. They have taught reverence, compassion, discipline, responsibility, and the search for truth.

The idea of God as Creator, for example, has helped many people recognize that the universe is meaningful rather than accidental or empty. It can inspire gratitude for life and humility before a reality larger than human preference. The image of creation also encourages care: if the world is valuable, it should not be treated merely as material for exploitation.

Past knowledge need not be rejected simply because it can be improved. A map drawn centuries ago may be incomplete, but it can still represent a sincere effort to understand the world. Later maps may correct coastlines, add continents, and improve measurements; they do not make the earlier map meaningless. They reveal a continuing process of refinement.

From Creator to Oneness

Understanding God as oneness may be an improvement over understanding God solely as Creator. “Creator” points to an act or role. It may lead the mind to picture God as an individual identity separate from the universe, like an artisan standing outside an object that has been made.

Yet God, if truly ultimate, cannot be limited to any identity, role, image, or concept. An identity distinguishes one thing from another: teacher, parent, artist, ruler, creator. These identities may describe important functions, but none can exhaust what is ultimate. To confine God to the identity of Creator may be like confusing the ocean with one of its waves.

Oneness is broader. It includes creation, but it also includes preservation, transformation, dissolution, renewal, understanding, relationship, and the continual movement from incoherence toward harmony. It does not deny that the universe emerges and develops; rather, it sees creation as one expression of a more fundamental reality.

A composer creates a symphony, but the meaning of music is not exhausted by the moment of composition. Music also exists in performance, listening, interpretation, revision, and the unity of many notes into one living whole. Likewise, God as oneness includes the creative process but is not restricted to the title of Creator.

An Evolving Human Understanding

Human understanding of God will continue to improve because human awareness continues to develop. Each generation inherits language, spiritual insight, science, philosophy, and moral experience from those before it. It then faces new questions and must express enduring truths in ways that meet its own conditions.

This development should be approached with both humility and courage. Humility reminds us that no single formulation can fully contain the infinite. Courage allows us to revise inadequate ideas when deeper understanding becomes possible. A mature spirituality does not cling blindly to old words, nor does it discard them carelessly. It seeks the truth they were attempting to express.

The understanding of God as oneness invites this continuing search. It suggests that the divine is present wherever division is healed, confusion is clarified, conflict is transformed, and separate elements find their proper relationship within a greater whole. This idea closely fits the larger framework of the mind as an awareness that identifies anomalies and resolves them toward harmony.[^1_1]

God, then, may be understood not as a limited identity but as the deepest impulse of reality: the ever-present movement through which chaos becomes order, separation becomes relationship, and consciousness awakens to the unity that has been present all along.

The Main Ideas

1. Oneness is the primary impulse in this universe.
2. This impulse has been creating order from chaos.
3. There will always be chaos to be converted into order.
4. This understanding is a spiritual realization of the moment.
5. This realization gives one the viewpoint to sort out the rest.
6. Past spiritual development has brought us to this realization.
7. Just because past knowledge can be improved does not make it invalid.
8. Understanding of God as ONENESS is an improvement over God as Creator.
9. This is because “Creator” is an identity; and God is more than any identity.
10. Human understanding of God will continue to improve.

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