Dipping Class 1 + 2

Dipping Exercise:

Jon note: Most powerful part of streaming. Job is to get into private places, confined spaces, zoom into details.

Step 1: Relaxation exercise
Step 2: Drawer of objects; don't look at them, have them covered and in front of you. Take three relaxing breaths, eyes closed. After 3rd breath, remove cover quickly, and begin.
Step 3: Open eyes, establish anchors (2-5 items) while tracing the anchors a hundred miles an hour. Fooling cognitive mind by breaking apart its tendency to try to "solve". Go back and forth among the anchors. Use sounds while tracing, allow them to change according to object. Have to go fast. Attacking/scatting to emphasize the anchors.
Step 4: After 90 seconds, end, will be out of breath, should be panting. This requires a full commitment every time.
Step 5: Relax body, let eyes go out of focus, go into soft focus, let mind go blank. Look for 15-20 secs. Trace the shape of anchors. Don't try to decide what they are, don't go fast. Let this process deepen relaxation.
Step 6: "I wonder what I see of my anchors": Start to stream, allow the anchors to "anchor" the whole context of drawer. Zoom into them, very close, then zoom out. Then stream between the anchors, at different depths. Allow things to come or to be created even if not there initially. Stay in context. Wouldn't have a dinosaur or car tire in drawer. Use language: "I see, I feel" to describe objects. Anchors are points of reference.

Great note from Geoff: "Relaxation is directly reflective of clarity. The more relaxed, the more clear you are in the images."
Jon: Allow to shape shift, get small, move down into depth of drawer, move around.

Experience with exercise: Exercise is uncomfortable to do. I find my cognitive mind becoming self-conscious regarding the manic and awkward quality of the sounds and how it might affect people in home around me, but had to fully let go of current environment and the cognitive mind's effort in maintaining the current environment to enter into the streamed environment. The amount of relaxation inherent was surprising, and the anchors, though mundane, were extremely communicative and giving the closer I developed a relationship with them. After a minute or so, and especially with being able to describe them in real-time to another really helps "anchor" me into what I'm feeling in that environment. I noticed that there was a specific moment which I was describing a box of empty envelopes, all stacked together, and the strong image of green started coming through. It was amazing to realize, after a minute or so to realize that there was actually another box adjacent to it, and I was feeling them separate as their own objects in front of me, and that it started with the impression of green coming through. Once there, it became much easier to dip deeper into the drawer as the space revealed itself to me.

Dipping more deeply

Step 1: Simple relaxation exercise
Step 2: Deeper relaxation exercise: Comfortable position. Taking deep breaths, moving closer and closer almost to sense of being asleep. Keep movement of body to absolute minimum after relaxed. Jon took through series of short images, riding in car at night in childhood, swimming pool floating and storm, camping with partner as they cook breakfast. Getting more and more sleepy.
Step 3: Dipping cont'd: Childhood room dresser drawer. Jon prompts childhood room, take steps to get into room, "I wonder what I see of my childhood icons/anchors". Establish major objects/regions, enter room after finding object. Look to dresser and find anchor on top, move over. Place fingers on dresser, slowly open drawer. Go into dipping, same steps/process as last class.
Step 4: Slowly scan anchors, work with them individually and give them time. "I see, I feel" to describe as scanning/drawing. Pick up object in hands. MIND the object in its entirety, don't lose context of object, hold it with its weight and dimension as sense. Bring close to face, smell, taste, touch. Move on from object, pick up another, repeat process. Explore deeper in drawer, letting hands seek under the clothes/objects. Take time. If objects call while in process with object, double down the focus you have on what is in your hands. Allow objects to materialize that may not have been in the picture initially. Once finished with objects, put it back in the drawer and close the drawer. Swipe away and relax.

Experience with exercise: I had a lot of things on my mind when coming into the exercise, and found it initially hard to really connect with the dipping. Without the physical objects to establish as anchors, I found it difficult to really "see" them while doing the intense full commitment part. Once in the drawer and scanning, it seemed like there were only a jumble of bundled socks. But the more time I had with it, and the more I relaxed into seeing what was in front of me, I saw the lip balm tube, and then later the piece of paper. It was very surprising to suddenly see my soccer shin guards in the drawer over on the right. When Jon had us establish an anchor on the top of the dresser, I first saw a soccer ball, then Green and gold suede Puma shoes next to it. I sense this opened more associations inside of the drawer. The glimpse of the shin guards left me feeling emotional, and I found myself resisting extensively being pulled over to them, when I had the lip balm in my hands. I listened to Jon and stayed with the anchor at hand. Once I moved to the folded paper, I found myself breaking focus because I was feeling "closer" to the shin guards, and I was resistant to opening the letter and actually looking at it. The exercise has helped me realize that I actually have a pattern of being resistant to actually "looking" at objects, I think because they hold a lot of emotional charge to them. I tend to collect objects as impressions, and tend to fail when trying to articulate my own association with them. The drawer helped me realize that there was a lot there that I was resistant to looking at, even when it was in my hands. I used the other objects/anchors as scapegoats from the thing that was currently in my hand. I did my tarot earlier before class and got the eight of swords and it read: "At times, the eight of swords indicates that you are confused about whether you should stay or go, particularly if you are in a challenging situation. It is not as clear-cut as you would like, making the decision very difficult. You have on foot in, hoping things can work out, but your other foot is out the door, ready to leave". I really felt this during this exercise. Just thinking about the anchors right now are making me emotional. I wrote my mother that letter because I couldn't look at her in person and tell her what I told her. I've had to use words to slow down the overwhelming emotions that left me frozen. But the words have now left me also frozen. I value this work because it feels realer to how I deeply experience everyday life. Objects are emotional, nostalgic. But I'm learning that I have to train myself to slow down and not run from what is in my hands because I can't learn it's utility or its meaning if I drop it before it conveys its insight and association.

I still have difficulty getting myself to do the dipping/full commitment exercise, mainly because of the sounds. But this is a part of the excuse and the easy way to not do it. So, I'm learning, and if I'm learning, then the work is worth it.

Jon note: You need to build faith and belief that something will occur that will immerse yourself into it. Have patience: this is a series of classes.

See you folks soon.

Really enjoyed this post. This is a true glimpse into your experience, and so personal. Great.