draft……
It is something we all are familiar with from daily life:
The brain continuously processes and digests undigested material – whether it is new information, beliefs in friction with reality, unresolved situations, or conundrums of any sort.
The signs are plenty, for instance when something is resolved without much conscious processing. The process may be started consciously, then left to digest on its own, and the result presents itself in its own time.
Attention is naturally drawn to undigested material, inviting and allowing processing and digestion, as noticed through everyday attractions, aversions, ruminations, and day dreaming.
This processing can also be explored through the sense fields. As I bring attention to the mental field, I notice how there is an ongoing and (apparently) unbroken processing of undigested material. It is often very quiet and far removed from awareness, but can also be noticed and brought into awareness.
Night dreams is another example of this processing. It is often not hard to see how dream content reflects material I am digesting at the time.
All of these examples – from unconscious problem solving to rumination and day and night dreams – are part of and reflect this processing.
I also find that when I firmly stick to a belief and familiar viewpoint, it hinders digestion. When I actively fuel or resist a belief, I continue to act as if it is true, and this creates its own form of indigestion.
On the other hand, allowing experience as is, either by noticing that it is already allowed, or shifting into a more active allowing, softens identification with habitual viewpoints. And actively inquiring into my beliefs helps me find what is more true for me than my initial belief. And these seem to invite in and allow a more fruitful processing. As does speaking my truth as confession, and acting on what seems most kind and wise to me in the situation.
The mind naturally digests material, and offers the possibility of a thorough and nurturing digestion. I can hinder this process through resisting experience and sticking to my habitual viewpoints, which creates an unpleasant experience of indigestion with the symptoms of stress, unease, tension, and a sense of separation. Or I can allow it through allowing experience as is, and inquire into beliefs, which reveals anything experienced in life as nutrients.
Note: I have noticed that taking two capsules of rhodiola before going to bed seems to improve the quality of this processing. It clears the mind during the night, as it does during the day. I don’t do it every night, but when it seems needed.
Trigger: Recent stories in the news about dreams reflecting processing.
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- dreams and processing
- the brain continuously processes and digests information, everyday situations and challenges
- easy to notice, for instance when something is resolved w/out much conscious processing (perhaps started consciously, but digested on its own)
- and dreams reflect this current processing
- the brain continuously processes and digests information, everyday situations and challenges
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http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=to-sleep-perchance-to-dream–and-le-2010-04-22
Note: Recent stories in the news mirror how I have seen dreams for a while. The brain processes and digests information and everyday problems/challenges both day and night, and dreams happen to reflect the current processing. They reflect the struggles, resolutions, and insights the brain arrives at through its continuous processing.
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I also find that when I firmly stick to a belief and familiar viewpoint, it hinders digestion. It creates its own form of indigestion. While allowing experience as is (softening identification with habitual viewpoints) or actively inquiring into my beliefs (finding what is more true for me than my initial beliefs) seem to invite in and allow a more fruitful processing. As does speaking my truth as confession, and acting on what seems most kind and wise to me in the situation.
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The mind naturally digests material, and offers the possibility of a thorough and nurturing digestion. And I can either hinder this process, by sticking to my habitual viewpoints and resisting experience, or I can allow it through allowing experience as is, inquire into beliefs, speaking my truth as a confession, and act in ways that seems the most kind and wise to me in the situation.
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The brain continuously processes and digests information, everyday situations, and challenges.
It is easy to notice in daily life. For instance when something is resolved without much conscious processing. The process may be started consciously, but it is then digested on its own. This processing can also be noticed through day dreams and where attention is drawn. And it can be noticed through explorations of the sense fields. As I bring attention to the mental field, I notice how there is a continuous processing there of whatever challenges or questions are up for me at the time. It is often very quiet and far removed from awareness, but can also be noticed and brought into awareness.
And dreams reflect the current processing, which is easy to notice through dream work.
Trigger: Recent stories in the news about this.