Turning On the Light in Your Mind

[Keith Justice]

So, I saw Waking Life and I thought it sucked and sucked pretty hard. It was one big pretentious coffeehouse painting that usually makes me roll my eyes and a bunch of people babbling unconnected bullshit. And I like philosphy, but there was no connecting theme and some people seeemd to just be trying to prove their smart instead of actually bringing across a message.

One thing tho in Waking Life, the trick of "when you're in a dream try turning on and off a light switch. You can't control light level in dreams, so that'll indicate to your dream-self if you're in a dream or not."

I did that last night and my dream fucking SNAPPED on me. I figured it was bullshit, cuz if it's a dream, then I'm using my imagination. And in my imagination I can do whatever I want to light. I flicked on and off a light switch and sure enough... it didn't work. I tried to associate the flicking of the switch to the fact that I could also just... make it happen in my mind and the scene cut out and it was as if my mind was a child hopped up on caffine and speed. It whirled and changed scenes on me and turned into a BRIGHT white room with like a window the sun seemed to be directly out of. A man in all white and a goddamn water melon head attacked me!

Due to a BILLION hours of day dream training, my mind reflexively makes me unstoppable in a fight in dreams. I wasn't scared, but it was like my mind was a seperate thing and it ran off trying to make sure I didn't catch it and control it. I think I woke up and then found it was a false start and that I was still dreaming and then I actually woke up.

Very interesting stuff there. Think I might try it again.

 

[Bolt]

I wasn't scared, but it was like my mind was a seperate thing and it ran off trying to make sure I didn't catch it and control it.

That's a very good thing, it means you've adapted to the principles of mushin. Of course you have to practice it a ton more than just in a dream, but it's a good thing nonetheless!

 

[Keith Justice]

Tell me more about this mushin?

Last night did have me very curious. Like... it was weird. Like my dream and me were two seperate things and it wouldn't let me to control it. When it felt I was gonna to make it turn the light on and off, the scene changed and the dream attacked me.

Sensei... please tell me what you know.

 

[Bolt]

Mushin is short for the phrase mushin no shin which translates to "mind with no mind" or "mindful mindlessness," with other variants. It was first written about by swordsmen and artists like Miyamoto Musashi and other samurai/martial artists, and what it basically means is that in combat, the mind is completely free of thought or emotion (no anger, fear, or conscious strategic planning) so that the body can react without hesitation on basic intuition, not on what you think the opponent might do next. By abandoning all conscious thought, you allow yourself to respond quickly and naturally without fear or deliberation. This quote does a good job of giving it a general explanation:

"The mind must always be in the state of 'flowing,' for when it stops anywhere that means the flow is interrupted and it is this interruption that is injurious to the well-being of the mind. In the case of the swordsman, it means death. When the swordsman stands against his opponent, he is not to think of the opponent, nor of himself, nor of his enemy's sword movements. He just stands there with his sword which, forgetful of all technique, is ready only to follow the dictates of the subconscious. The man has effaced himself as the wielder of the sword. When he strikes, it is not the man but the sword in the hand of the man's subconscious that strikes."
-Taku Heijo Soho

Bruce Lee was a stern believer in the state of mind, as is evident with some of his quotes ("Formless, shapeless, like water"; "I do not hit; it hits all by itself"; "the highest technique is to have no technique," etc).

As a martial artist, I've always tried to adapt to the principles of mushin, but it's really difficult because you're basically going against what your body and mind naturally tell you to do (drop your hands, close your eyes, choppy breathing patterns, adrenal dump, chaotic mindstate, etc).

Just as another example, you know how sometimes you can be playing a video game or something similar, and you're really intense, just trying as hard as you can, and you always lose? Then later, you go back and try again when you're not being serious, just playing around, and you nail it. That is an example of mushin, to do everything with your normal, relaxed state of mind, the same mindstate as if you were doing something like pouring a cup of coffee or walking. A way to look at the idea of mushin is to be unfocused, but not unaware, "not tense, but ready, not thinking, yet not dreaming, ready for whatever may come." - Bruce Lee.


"A tethered hound cannot hunt."
-Kazumi Tabata

"The mind must be empty to see clearly."
-Jiddu Krishnamurti

"Generally speaking, the 'way of the warrior' is unflinching composure, and absolute acceptance of death."
-Miyamoto Musashi

Sorry, I know that's a lot to read, but I do a lot of research about this kind of thing and I get all giddy. :anime:

 

[Keith Justice]

When in dream fighting or daydreaming I am truely one with mushin that's for sure. I can tell the dream tries to put up fearsome oppponents, but I go into auto flow mode and am unstoppable. The defeat of my foes in my minds is inevitable.... unless I'm having a really bad day, then I got nothing and take some severe beatings.

I was hoping this mushin you spoke of would help me turn on and off the light in a room in a dream.

 

[Mega Ranger]

ok this Threads just getting way to Wierd for me.

 

[Aoi Kurenai]

Guess I'll be the first to ask...what's "Waking Life"? This all sounds interesting, but I haven't the slightest idea of what you guys are talking about.

 

[JFC]

When J-C mentioned the whole dream aspect, I thought perhaps he was referring to something like the concept of a "waking dream", where you're in the dream, and you're aware of the fact that you're in a dream. Apparently this allows you to take control of the dream, more or less guiding it along the way you want it to go.

 

[SaikoDragon]

Honestly, I cant control what I do in dreams, lol. I watch my dreams like they are movies, I'm never really in control. So I couldnt try to turn on light switches if I wanted to. Wish I could control the dream cause then I would be doing nothing but fighting legions of foot soldiers as a Kamen Rider and being an utter bad ass.

 

[Keith Justice]

This is Waking Life and when it comes to this kinda stuff and philosphy, I usually like it. But this movie sucked.

Better to watch "What the Bleep Do We Know?"