Positive Intelligence Pt. 2

The second part of this book focused on  understanding the different Saboteurs in the mind. Mr. Chamine names 10 Saboteurs; The Judge (the master Saboteur), The Controller, The Stickler, The Avoider, The Hyper-Achiever, The Pleaser, The Victim, The Restless, The Hyper-Vigilant and the Hyper-Rational (the nine ‘accomplices’ to The Judge). Each Saboteur is described by the type of thoughts ‘it’ has and the type of actions that occur when this Saboteur is running the show.

I found this interesting for a couple of reasons. A book I previously mentioned, Your Instincts are Killing You, gives some ways for a person to decrease the unnecessary stress that arises from certain situations. One of the methods was to label the negative thought as a way of dissociating from it. This is not the first time I have heard of this technique; dissociating from negative or dis-empowering thoughts as a way of managing them. Unlimited Power by Anthony Robbins hints on this concept as well with a few research articles to back up his claims.

However, after reading Your Instincts are Killing You, I still didn’t really have a grasp on this whole labeling concept. What labels am I suppose to use? I also realized that the idea of labeling thoughts goes against some of the new thought law of attraction principles that have a belief that if you bring attention to the negative you attract more of the negative.

I like how Mr. Chamine brings some concrete labels to apply. 

I did some of the self-assessments on myself. I realized a few of the Saboteurs that would be considered (according to the book) to dominate a good majority of my thoughts. The book suggests giving more personal names to each Saboteur as a way of really identifying with the labels. Interestingly enough, while reading the description of each Saboteur, I not only noticed how it applied to my life but I usually could pick out a friend of family member that I thought completely embodied that Saboteur. I chose to rename each Saboteur after that particular friend or family member.

For the past couple of days I have been testing this out. For example, according to the book The Stickler Saboteur strives for perfection. It is considered to be anxious, sarcastic and typically puts in overtime to make up for others mistakes. The Stickler would be a Saboteur that I identify with. I named this Saboteur after a friend of mine whom I believe is astronomically more anal that I am when it comes to perfectionism (no really, she’s pretty intense). Anytime my mind goes into overdrive trying to get a situation to absolutely perfection I think to myself “OK *name*, calm down, it’s not that serious.”

Now I’m not sure if this is just a placebo effect or an actual psychological change but either way, in the moment I usually end up laughing at myself and do indeed feel slightly calmer about the situation. It helps me to step back from the situation.

I think as a people, we like the idea of dis-empowering thoughts being something outside of us. We like the idea of saying that that’s not really me, just this voice… over there...trying to tell me how to think.

The book, The Fifth Agreement, hints on this concept as well; the idea of there being you and then you; the you that you are and the you that you don’t know that you are that is destined to actually remain happy and joyous in most situations.

I've enjoyed this portion of the book.

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On another note, I have started back up in my Cognitive Sciences lab and it looks like I will be assisting mostly on studies related to how religious symbols and beliefs effect memory and decision making. I am debating on some reading material for this semester that will coincide with my research. 

I have started a book called Supersizing the Mind by Andy Clark. Good read but slightly more dense in information than the books I have been writing about on this blog. I may still throw some of my thoughts up here on it just in case. The book raises some interesting perspectives. I love books where I have to reread a sentence a couple of times before it 'clicks.' When it does 'click', it's usually pretty awesome. 

Ps. I am sorry for having horrendous grammar. Would you believe I was a writing tutor in college. Ha. Yea, I don't know how that's possible either. Actually, I do. I was a writing tutor for a specific type of class. Certain types of writing really just follow a formula and that is all the class, professor, etc cares about. For instance, I took the MCAT last summer (my days of thinking I was going to be a medical doctor, good times) and even though I am not the greatest writer in the world, I always scored amazingly well. Why? Follow the formula. Can never go wrong. 

However, I am now studying for the GRE (extremely late, I know, but I have no regrets taking a couple of years off - I started a business and found a whole new path to life happiness in the process - best decision I ever made). I am hoping my writing by formula works this go around. 

Be lovely.

Laney

Positive Intelligence Pt. 1

Written by, Mr. Shirzad Chamine, Positive Intelligence is a book which speaks on the importance of one's PQ (positive intelligence quotient) as a third component to IQ and EQ (emotional intelligence quotient) that should be considered for a person's well-being and life satisfaction. 

What peaked my interest after reading the introduction was how quickly the book relates to a few of other books I have read recently. 

The introduction of the books reads:

"...our own minds sabotage us.

Your mind is your best friend.

But it is also your worst enemy"

I immediately think of book I just finished called, Your Instincts are Killing You by Dr. Marc Schoen. Dr. Schoen provides support for the theory that some of our basic primal instincts are being triggered for situations that are really not a threat to our survival at all. Our minds perceive the situation to be a serious threat and therefore our bodies act accordingly, resulting in a conundrum of problems. 

Mr. Chamine extends on this by saying that not only are we still using our basic primal instincts to react to situations but also because of this we have not fully developed the parts of that...

" ...give us access to our greatest wisdom and insights

[which] have remained weak from years of not

being exercised."

- pg 11 

As a researcher in the field of Cognitive Sciences as well as being a psuedo-spiritual person, I enjoy these type of books (clearly). I never get a sense of repetition. If anything, it's a sense of confirmation. 

My research does not directly relate to the claims in this book but I could see how all of this is possible from my standpoint. I work in a lab that specifically deals with memory and decision-making. So from my standpoint, none of this is all that far-fetched. I mean, we plant false memories in peoples' heads all the time, so nothing is impossible to me. Moving on. 

At the end of each chapter, Mr Chamine provides a question for 'Inquiry.' When I hear the word 'inquiry' I automatically think of pretty much any book written by Ms. Byron Katie. Her whole premise is to inquire thoughts to see if they are actually true. Interesting to see a book make this connection from an entirely different angle. 

In Chapter 2, Mr. Chamine talks about the different 'Saboteurs' in the mind that can stunt our potential. He describes these saboteurs as the following:

"The Saboteurs are the internal enemies. They are a set of 

automatic and habitual mind patterns, each with its own voice,

beliefs and assumptions that work against your best interest."

- pg. 16

This is funny. Because my lab focuses on memory, we deal a lot with the inter-workings of the conscious vs subconscious mind. We use words like heuristics, schemas, biases, and habits to describe short cuts that the brain makes (usually  subconsciously) so that we are able to function optimally (in theory) in our world. 

To some degree I understand how these 'sabotaging monsters' could be created in relation to the type of research that I do. I also understand how if you are not aware of this possibility it could be near impossible to do anything about it. The sabotaging is something that would occur subconsciously.

Mr. Chamine lists a total of 10 saboteurs in the mind. Two of them stick out to me; the Judge and the Victim. 'The Judge' is described as one that "constantly find faults with yourself, others and your conditions and circumstances." The Victim is described as wanting you "to feel emotional and temperamental as a way of gaining attention and affection.'"

Both of these terms came up in another book I recently finished called, The Fifth Agreement by don Miguel Ruiz and done Jose Ruiz (a follow-up to The Four Agreements).

The Fifth Agreement gives nearly identical definitions about The Judge and The Victim, but from a completely differently point of view (the Toltec belief system). Like I said, I do not read this as repetition, but as confirmation. Hearing people from different walks of life and beliefs systems come up with the same conclusion is always fascinating to me. Being able to apply my line of work to it, is only that much more fun. 

Looking forward to continuing my read.

Sidenote: In case you haven't noticed, I can't read one book at a time. I currently have 12 books checked out the library. All of them have been started.

Be lovely.

Laney

I Need Your Love - Is that True? Pt. 1

Written by Ms. Bryon Katie (I am so into the first name), this book explores the concept of needing other peoples' love, approval and appreciation to find fulfillment in life. 

This is not the first book I have read by Ms. Katie (I have a thing about using honorifics for pretty much.. everyone. I blame it on my mother whom gave me scary looks anytime I forget to preface a name with the appropriate Mrs. or Mr. Good times). I read her first book Loving What Is a few months ago. It was a tough read for me to process simple because I was not quite sure whether I agreed or not with a technique she calls "The Work." In a nut shell, "The Work" is a way of inquiring our own thoughts basically with the goal of finding our own inner peace. Long story short, I realized I do like the book. I would even recommend the book. However, the book is not for everyone. There were many times I was angry and vowed to stop reading the book all together. 

So I am now reading her second book, I Need Your Love - Is That True?, for the second time and getting some thoughts on paper (post?) as I go. 

First quote that sticks out to me:

"If you're afraid to be alone, 

it means you're afraid of your thoughts"

- pg 11-12

This is interesting to me for a couple of reasons. As mentioned, most of Ms. Katie's books center around our thoughts and the ways our thoughts take us out of a state of peace we would otherwise be in (in theory... or reality... whichever you choose to believe).

Now this quote popped out to me because I once had a friend who called me saying that her friend literally could not stand to be alone. Not just alone, as in single, but alone as in by herself. If she was alone for too long she would cry the whole time.

I realize this is her truth. I am no one to judge what a person does or does not do in their alone time. But that was the first time I had heard something like that. 

Interestingly enough, I once read one of Deepak Chopa's books (I'm a slightly pseudo-spiritual person..ish) that challenged the reader to engage in an hour of silence while remaining thoughtless. My intial thought was... that's impossible - which became the exact reason I had to do it.

The first 20 minutes... pure torture. Every thought of what I should and could be doing flooded my mind. Once I broke the 30 minute mark, I guess my mind and body realized there was no point in making me feel bad about my idleness. I still had thoughts, but it turned more into daydream-like thoughts. I'd catch myself and attempt to go back into my state of thoughtlessness.

It was pretty cool once I was done (mostly because I was jazzed about overcoming 'the impossible.' I tend to be a pretty unplugged person; no facebook, no twitter, no instagram, terrible texter, basic cable (that I barely watch), and most of my internet time is spent... here. Taking a moment to really 'unplug' felt refreshing.

I realized how living in the world we live in could lead to a lot of "I should be doing this.." type thoughts which tends to only cause discomfort (or what my field would call cognitive dissonance in various degrees). I guess the silence and the unplugged life gives me my form of balance in the world.

Ms. Katie goes on to write:

"If you're fearful, if you crave safety and security, your thoughts

may tell you that love will rescue you...

There is another way to respond to a thought, 

and that is to question it."

The last line is the essence of Ms. Katie's writing - to question every thought we have. I dig the idea. I guess that why I am writing about it. I guess everyone has that moment where they go on a quest for inner peace or something like that. Ha. 

Let me get out of here. 

Be lovely.

Laney