Welcome to a new class. Today, we’re going to do quite an unusual exercise, it is truly unusual. No matter what happens to you during this exercise, just keep trying to do it. Try not to doubt what we are going to do. Even if some things don’t work out for you – keep doing the rest. Let’s get started.
It was one of the most pleasant exercises, and at the same time, it is a great workout, especially in terms of wholesomeness. It is clear that some of you may had problems with feeling pressure on your head and, of course, not everyone gets it right the first time. So we’ll do it 2, 3, 4 maybe a few more times. There’s a reason for this. Some people can feel it, some cannot. This exercise usually causes quite pleasant sensations. You can even call it a kind of getting high.
For sure, the first time was quite difficult because we were dividing our attention between 5 parts. Yes, we didn’t move them, switch them, or change them. But we have divided our attention into several different parts, not just split into several senses: sounds, smells, and so on.
These parts are:
This is the 5th object of our attention. We tried to understand where our attention was directed, directed to sounds, directed to the body, to thoughts, to a feeling of light pressure on the head, and we explored our state of being, what is happening to us when we feel it all at the same time.
I understand that the phrase “pressure on the head” can be quite peculiar and might cause different, often negative, associations, related to pain, or discomfort. I’ve tried different ways to explain it, but I haven’t found a better phrase in any language. That’s exactly how we feel it, that’s what people feel. About 80% of people who are able to feel it at all feel it as pressure on their head, as strange as it may sound. Some people even told me that they had been trying to get rid of this feeling for half their lives, until they tried these exercises and realized it was absolutely normal. About 10% of those who can examine it can feel it as a kind of rod in the chest, like a stake rod that expands from the inside. It’s quite a pleasant feeling. And, of course, there are people who are unable to feel it at this stage of their lives, and this is normal.
The pressure on the head has a certain, somewhat esoteric explanation. I’m not going to delve into that now, but if you’re curious, you can ask during personal meetings or sessions with mentors. I can share my experience.
There was a point in my life when I was going through tremendous changes. During the development of my focus, I began to feel this pressure on my head in a very real way. Initially, it was not light at all, but over time it became lighter. But at first I had no idea what it was. I asked people about it and searched for information but found nothing. It turned out that this phenomenon is quite normal, although it’s not commonly documented or discussed. Isn’t that remarkable? It’s funny that when we put on some headwear or hood, this feeling disappears.
When I began to feel this pressure on my head, I also experienced a deeper understanding of the world, understanding of the thoughts’ nature, and an understanding of what attention is. This feeling of pressure was not the cause of these insights but rather a parallel development. As I cultivated my sensitivity and attention, this sensation became a constant companion. For the past four years, I’ve felt it every single second, no matter what I’m doing—driving, making love, cooking, or swimming. This light pressure on my head anchors my attention, keeping me in the present moment.
This exercise we did is just a workout. It’s not necessary to feel this pressure all the time. It’s simply one of the tools we use in our training. When I’m relaxed, my attention is divided between 5 or 6 things. I always feel my body and its needs, hear sounds around me, and use my vision to understand what is happening around me. I observe my mind and thoughts, I understand which thoughts are in my head now, and which are upcoming. I can analyze, communicate in different languages, feel a light pressure on my head, and be aware where my attention is at any moment.
That’s how my attention is divided. It is a basic state of relaxation. That’s why today’s training is a form of wholesomeness training. We were training a complex state of our attention. When our attention is not directed to just one area—whether it’s only thoughts, only vision, or only body sensations—but instead is perceiving everything at the same time, we achieve a holistic awareness. This state allows us to perceive and process multiple aspects of our experience at the same time, making our perception of the world much richer.
The most interesting thing is that every time we use our attention mindfully, we feel good. We feel good automatically. We basically don’t need to do anything else to make us feel good. Understanding where our attention is will be enough.
The essence of a certain level of wholesomeness lies in the fact that there are no distortions. If I direct all my attention to my thoughts, I will suffer – this is what happens to most people on the planet. If I direct all my attention to my body, I will also suffer because I will lose the ability to interact, I will not be able to make money, I will not be able to communicate efficiently, I will behave like an animal, only following the needs of my body. If I direct my attention only to the Absolute, I will lose my body, the ability to think, the ability to use thoughts – I will also suffer.
That’s why the ability to divide attention among several things is important. It makes us feel good and happy. That’s why this was a wholesomeness training.
Different surprising sensations can occur during the exercise, and that’s okay. However, there’s no need to focus on them. Whatever happens, let it happen. It doesn’t mean that if you repeat this exercise, you will feel the same. We don’t do these exercises to feel something unusual, though we might. It’s okay, just don’t focus on them too much. Explore what is happening to you, but don’t make it a big deal. We do these exercises to train skills, not to chase after specific feelings or states of bliss, delight, etc.
We’ll be able to use these skills in everyday life. The more often we apply these skills, the easier it will become. Eventually, using your attention to its fullest will become natural, and you won’t need additional exercises or meditation. You will just live and use your attention fully.
In the next exercise, we’ll delve into some of the skills and abilities we’ll be practicing. We’ll divide our attention into statics and dynamics, switch our attention between several things, and use our minds. In the final part, I’ll share seven ways to get rid of any thoughts, both short-term and long-term. You’ll learn how to eliminate any thought, fear, or expectation, and completely remove unnecessary thoughts.
See you in the next class. Bye.