Practice makes perfect

Ian – Can I interview you?

Walter – Yes. What topic interests you at present?

Ian – I won't know till we get going.

Walter – Might I suggest a review of the 'Walter the witness' concept?

Ian – This is where, of the many aspects of ego that inhabit your mindbrain, a stance is taken with Walter the witness to those thoughts, feelings and moods (TFM) that emanate from the unconscious and hang around in the attention centre for a while.

Walter – Yup, that's the one.

Ian – Is the concept still as it was?

Walter – 'The only constant thing is change?'

Ian – 'Where there is doubt there is hope.'

Walter – That is cute. An end to zealotry …

Ian – But we have a problem with closed minds.

Walter – Yup - David Eagleman is a fluent communicator about how the mindbrain really works. He is a neurologist with a deep appreciation of positive, cognitive, social and evolutionary psychology. The brain is an organ that evolved over millions of generations to help ensure survival of the fittest groups. It is one organ amongst many that work together in what initially looks like mysterious ways.

Ian – Mysterious being what is not yet scientifically understood. And over the last 50 years amazing things have become widely appreciated.

Walter – But there is objective, scientific understanding and subjective experiential understanding

Ian – And you, as Walter, bridge the gap. Where there are statements about liking and disliking there is the deeper matter of who is the I that has the TFM and why do they have them.

Walter – And, as yet, the potential that this line of thought has for unshackling the mind from passing stories is not well appreciated.

Ian – How has your unshackling been getting on?

Walter – There has been equanimity for several months although there has been some dis-ease and anxiety these last few days brought on by (a) glitches with the technology and (b) not being able to locate pieces of kit.

Ian – But, as Walter, you should have been able to observe the ennui and let it go.

Walter – Yup but it is one of those 'easier said than done' things.

Ian – So what did you do?

Walter – I got up from the computer and engaged with activities that allow me to be non-egoic and in 'flow'.

Ian – And what kind of activities were these?

Walter – There are many possibilities but recently there has been engagement with doodling, reading, writing, baking and meditation.

Ian – But is that not what you usually get up to?

Walter – Yup. I try to live the practice.

Ian – And practise makes perfect.

Walter – Hmm!