en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/3191228 Comments by normkraft http://library.mindvalley.com/my-library/671/program/month-2/day-31#IDComment178920970 Interesting survey. My scores were Mental 5, Physical 7, Emotional 5, Spiritual 7. Can't read too much into that, of course, but it was interesting. Thanks to Ken for the July work on intuition. I'm looking forward to getting started on the next month of this Summer of Silva! All this work and we're only halfway through - think of the places we have yet to go! Better and better. Sun, 31 Jul 2011 22:51:00 +0000 http://library.mindvalley.com/my-library/671/program/month-2/day-31#IDComment178920970 http://library.mindvalley.com/my-library/671/program/month-2/day-17#IDComment174542343 This is a good exercise, at this mid-point in the intuition month. As we reach within for intuitive input, we often meet the Child self, and have to learn to deal with that part of ourselves. I have patterns established in childhood that still come up at the oddest times. This exercise certainly reminded me of some of them. Still, the Child cannot and should not be repressed or suppressed, merely managed. Those patterns will probably be with me for the rest of my life (well, this life anyway), but knowing what they are, how they feel, keeps me from being pushed off-balance by them. One of my spiritual teachers, long ago, once told me: "you'll never change what's in you - you'll simply learn to organize it. And that's enough." Better and better, I hope everyone is having a good weekend. Sun, 17 Jul 2011 18:24:35 +0000 http://library.mindvalley.com/my-library/671/program/month-2/day-17#IDComment174542343 http://library.mindvalley.com/my-library/671/program/month-2/day-11#IDComment172309727 Thank you, Natalia, for posting this, and thank you Ken for taking the time to respond. The discussion here reminds me of an old one: the Guru vs. No Guru debate. There are those in the G = NG camp, and those in the G ≠ NG camp. Both have excellent and ancient arguments for their point of view. The challenge to the G ≠ NG group is this: if learning under a guru/teacher is the key to enlightenment, how did the first guru (G Prime) come to be enlightened? Clearly, I'm in the G = NG camp. One can, with application, accomplish as much on their own as they would with a Guru. In fact, I would argue that this form of learning can produce some superior results to live classes. One problem with Gurus has always been dependence. I've met a number of people who tried Silva, and were very impressed with what they accomplished in a class, but can't seem to make it work at home, on their own. They attend class after class, but make no real progress in their lives. In this mode of learning, from day one we are faced with the work of making this work in our own heads, and our own lives. It's harder, perhaps only some can make it work, but when it does the results are part of you, part of your life. It's all about the work. Better and Better! Mon, 11 Jul 2011 14:59:49 +0000 http://library.mindvalley.com/my-library/671/program/month-2/day-11#IDComment172309727 http://library.mindvalley.com/my-library/671/program/month-2/day-8#IDComment171102110 The plugs for the live classes are annoying, but they're not the biggest problem here. Not only does he manage to insert a plug for the live class in every talk, but he also strongly implies that what we're listening to won't work since it's not live. That's demotivating and incorrect. If one listens to the instructions here, and acts on the instructions to integrate the knowledge into practice, this approach will work. This is an excellent way to learn new skills, unless one is simply listening to the audio and hoping things will magically get better. Those people might do better in a live course. Fri, 8 Jul 2011 13:25:44 +0000 http://library.mindvalley.com/my-library/671/program/month-2/day-8#IDComment171102110 http://library.mindvalley.com/my-library/671/program/month-2/day-8#IDComment171088163 If this year is like last year, Laura will be back for August and September, for the Mind Body Healing and Advanced Manifestation parts of the Masters Circle. Ken has good information, but the plugs for the live workshops and "certified Silva instructors" sounds to me like he's selling something. I just try to ignore those parts. For those who prefer Laura, just hang on for another three weeks. She'll be back! Fri, 8 Jul 2011 12:40:53 +0000 http://library.mindvalley.com/my-library/671/program/month-2/day-8#IDComment171088163 http://library.mindvalley.com/my-library/671/program/month-2/day-4#IDComment169594631 I find most annoying how he plugs the live course and "certified Silva instructors" as often as he does. Many of us have been through one (or more), but the long relax can be learned from audio just fine. Learning it here is not inferior to the live class. His pace isn't so bad, once you get used to it, and once he gets rolling, he's a wealth of information. Mon, 4 Jul 2011 11:24:07 +0000 http://library.mindvalley.com/my-library/671/program/month-2/day-4#IDComment169594631 http://library.mindvalley.com/my-library/671/program/month-2/day-1#IDComment168822683 I remember Ken's lectures on intuition from last year's Master's Circle. Personally, I find his speaking style rather slow (at 20 minutes, on average), compared to Laura's inspirational style (at 9 or 10 minutes). I was kind of hoping the someone would have sped them up a bit. :) Also, his constant plugs for the in-person seminars are a bit odd in the middle of his talks on intuition. Other than those nits, however, Ken has a lot of good information to impart on the Silva Method and the development of Intuition. I look forward to hearing him again, though this sudden change of pace and energy will take some getting used to. Fri, 1 Jul 2011 22:25:39 +0000 http://library.mindvalley.com/my-library/671/program/month-2/day-1#IDComment168822683 http://library.mindvalley.com/my-library/419/program/month-1/day-28#IDComment167334034 No comments on this from the current Silva Master Circle students? I'll give it a shot: I first met my counselors in 1978 when I attended my first Silva Seminar - I was just 17. I heard in the daily lecture the part about changing your counselors, and the answer was don't change them. What I have found interesting is that while I kept the counselors from all those years ago, they haven't kept me! My counselors have changed several times, from my rather immature images of male and female counselors and laboratory, to much more sophisticated images as I've matured. It's an interesting process, indeed, though I can still see the original counselors if I try: those first images from a Silva Seminar really stuck with me! Mon, 27 Jun 2011 22:43:53 +0000 http://library.mindvalley.com/my-library/419/program/month-1/day-28#IDComment167334034 http://library.mindvalley.com/my-library/671/program/month-1/day-21#IDComment165051916 Good morning, Chris. This may well be your Monkey Mind at work, but it may also be that your blue framed visualizations are more real and complete than your white frame ones. Especially if the blue framed picture is accompanied by fear, anger or anxiety, it can be difficult at times to construct a white frame image with as much emotional impact. Try spending more time on the white framed, solution image. Round it out until the emotions of the solution overwhelm the emotions of the problem. Oh, and remember to erase the blue framed image completely before creating the white frame. Keep working on it, and you'll get it right for yourself. The Mirror of the Mind is a powerful technique, but it requires practice, practice, practice! Tue, 21 Jun 2011 12:25:47 +0000 http://library.mindvalley.com/my-library/671/program/month-1/day-21#IDComment165051916 http://library.mindvalley.com/my-library/671/program/month-1/day-20#IDComment164779281 Visualizing abundance, or financial freedom is a difficult thing. What's most important is that the visuals you use have personal meaning for you. In my own case, I've had the most success with financial goals not by visualizing money (for all I know, I'd end up working as a cashier), but by focusing on the emotions of achieving the goal. How does it feel to reach your financial goal? What does a day look like, from waking to bedtime? How would your life be different, beyond simply acquiring a bunch of stuff? Be clear on what you want. When you haven't defined the problem, nor seen the solution in a clear way, you leave too much to chance, or the influence of others. Also, I find it very helpful to approach financial goals in stages. Often we try to visualize a financial change so large it stretches believability. Sure, there are people who go from poverty to millions in a day, but how strongly do you believe that person will be you in the near future? Finally, remember: often what you really want isn't money. It's what you would get from having greater wealth than you have. That wealth can come in many forms, from cash in the bank, to inheritance of real estate, to discovering gold in your back yard. Mon, 20 Jun 2011 22:03:31 +0000 http://library.mindvalley.com/my-library/671/program/month-1/day-20#IDComment164779281 http://library.mindvalley.com/my-library/671/program/month-1/day-20#IDComment164614086 I love this technique. It's simple and effective, again and again, for goals both small and large. The same basic technique is taught in creative visualization courses, in NLP and other places. It can be done in a few seconds, or in a half-hour meditation, depending on the complexity of the goal. The problem-solution format is far more effective than simple visualization. I learned this in a Silva Seminar many years ago, and still use it frequently. The trick, I have found, is in the visualization. Fuzzy problems and solutions lead to fuzzy results. Mon, 20 Jun 2011 13:13:30 +0000 http://library.mindvalley.com/my-library/671/program/month-1/day-20#IDComment164614086 http://library.mindvalley.com/my-library/671/program/month-1/day-18#IDComment163883245 Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! Better and better, day by day! Sat, 18 Jun 2011 13:48:30 +0000 http://library.mindvalley.com/my-library/671/program/month-1/day-18#IDComment163883245 http://library.mindvalley.com/my-library/671/program/month-1/day-17#IDComment163653160 That's excellent advice, and one of the more difficult things for most people. One of my Eastern teachers said it this way: "When you're flowing downriver with the current, you have many choices: you can take branches to a stream, you can search for deep currents, you can even jump out of the boat and take a swim. When you're paddling with all your strength against the current, you're lucky to make any progress at all." To make something happen with a technique like the Glass of Water, you have to be sure that first you're in the right river. This is why the Glass of Water is good and effective for problems that are part of your life. Your day to day life, and your goals for the future are the river. That's also why it rarely (if ever) works for finding lottery numbers: very, very few of us are in that river. Fri, 17 Jun 2011 20:48:40 +0000 http://library.mindvalley.com/my-library/671/program/month-1/day-17#IDComment163653160 http://library.mindvalley.com/my-library/671/program/month-1/day-14#IDComment163248643 There are many systems of meditation, but SMC does have something special about it. I first learned the Silva techniques in a Silva Seminar back in 1978. After that, I entered a Catholic seminary, where we delved into the power of prayer. Leaving that path, I studied Taoist and Buddhist meditation for 11 years or so. I've also spent many years studying Western systems, including Magick. Most recently, my meditations have become a mix of all those paths. And I credit the Silva techniques for starting that entire journey. So now, all these years later, I return to Silva, my meditative home, and still find more to learn, and more reasons why it is special. It can be as powerful and deep as any contemplative system. Thu, 16 Jun 2011 18:23:29 +0000 http://library.mindvalley.com/my-library/671/program/month-1/day-14#IDComment163248643 http://library.mindvalley.com/my-library/671/program/month-1/day-16#IDComment163173649 Honey has a good response. What you're experiencing is very common. Try changing position. If you do the meditations while lying down, try sitting, and vice versa. Also, recognize that you have all kinds of tension stored in your body, in the muscles and nervous system. When you start meditating, you become more aware of these areas of tension, they may even resist your attempts to relax them at first. Over time your body will follow your mind's lead. Remember, it took years to build up those stored tensions; it will take a little while to find and release them. The Long Relax is a good way to do that. Thu, 16 Jun 2011 13:49:24 +0000 http://library.mindvalley.com/my-library/671/program/month-1/day-16#IDComment163173649 http://library.mindvalley.com/my-library/671/program/month-1/day-14#IDComment162848141 That's not that scary, but you've been at the photography gig longer than I have. A pioneer! I shot my first story for a San Diego newspaper back in 1979, all in B&W. I still shoot about half my work in B&W, mostly for personal projects and fine art photography, just love the stuff. In fact I'm still 90% film-based, and process my B&W in my home darkroom; like your writing of the lessons, I don't entirely trust digital processes, and like the process of connecting to something with my hands. Returning to the subject at hand, I find that meditating first thing in the morning, while still in bed, doesn't work for me. I started that way, but it was a Zen Buddhist meditation teacher who got me to see it differently. To me, meditation is a clear headed activity, one I do in a seated position, and the descent to Alpha makes more sense when I'm not already there. First thing in the morning there is still too much dream activity rattling around in my head. To each their own, though. The strange thing is, every approach works if you work it, and there's no right way. In that way, meditation is more like art than technology. Wed, 15 Jun 2011 12:24:28 +0000 http://library.mindvalley.com/my-library/671/program/month-1/day-14#IDComment162848141 http://library.mindvalley.com/my-library/671/program/month-1/day-14#IDComment162703360 Thanks for this post, Mark, even if you made it while perched on a croissant. This is so similar to the way I progress through the days, it's kind of scary. Though I don't do as much writing: I annotate the PDF on my computer. This approach sounds like it takes longer than it actually does. It fits very nicely into my morning routine. After reviewing the lesson, that's when I do my morning meditation. I started doing the meditation first, then realized that I too often found myself hearing something that I want to incorporate into today's meditation. Now, it all flows nicely. Tue, 14 Jun 2011 23:37:51 +0000 http://library.mindvalley.com/my-library/671/program/month-1/day-14#IDComment162703360 http://library.mindvalley.com/my-library/671/program/month-1/day-14#IDComment162623911 As others have written here, this is a powerful and useful technique. It's not an easy one, though. I've been through this before, including years of lucid dreaming work. Even without fear, the subconscious gives itself up only reluctantly. Just approach this technique as a long-term project. This might work for you tonight, you might not get to step three for months. It's okay. It takes as long as it takes, just don't give up. One caveat, though: steps 2 and 3, as well as lucid dreaming, interfere with normal sleep. In my experience, the awakenings and the active dreaming leave me feeling less rested in the morning. Thus, I don't use this nightly, just when it seems to be the appropriate technique for a certain problem. Better and better, from the Witch City, Massachusetts Tue, 14 Jun 2011 17:50:58 +0000 http://library.mindvalley.com/my-library/671/program/month-1/day-14#IDComment162623911 http://library.mindvalley.com/my-library/671/program/month-1/day-13#IDComment162239444 Keep trying the Sleep Control technique. It isn't magic, it may not work the first, or even the tenth time you use it, but with practice it will eventually work for you. Be sure to do the Sunrise Meditation each day as well, and among the goals you visualize, add going to sleep at the end of the day, easily and peacefully. There is another Short Relaxation meditation in the Daily Meditations section that you can use at other times of the day. For both sleep and weight loss, getting control of your "monkey mind" (as they call it in the East), is the single best thing you can do for yourself. Meditation is the key. Mon, 13 Jun 2011 12:04:24 +0000 http://library.mindvalley.com/my-library/671/program/month-1/day-13#IDComment162239444 http://library.mindvalley.com/my-library/671/program/month-1/day-12#IDComment162090043 I had a similar experience: the right exercise at just the right time. And it turned out quite well - today is my 10th anniversary of marriage to a wonderful woman. Leaving hot button issues in the past is the first step toward making the most of the present. To return to the martial arts metaphor for a moment: a perceived weakness, based on past experience, persists. If one "always" has a problem blocking a particular strike, one "always" will. Leaving past losses in the past, while bringing what they can teach us into the present, makes one better in every way. I have a feeling this is an exercise I'll be returning to. Sun, 12 Jun 2011 22:37:45 +0000 http://library.mindvalley.com/my-library/671/program/month-1/day-12#IDComment162090043