The Second Attention
Just a moment ago, I had words with a tenant who was breaking their lease, giving six days notice, was behind in rent by at least a month, all the while insisting that they should receive the deposit back. I didn't do so well.
"Welcome back" I thought to myself as I walked into the office, originally planning to write something about the level of consciousness that one finds in extreme situations. I think I will still try.
There is a transcendent state that insues from the emotional world born out of the loss of a loved one. Normal conversations about normal things, unimportant or not, are seen as "chatter" by the chattering masses.
For you have been to the mountain, the pinnacle of human experience.
You have seen and touched the untouchable, you have been intimate with the great unconscious dragon that resides underneath our every breath...
death.
And perhaps you have found the edges of the "second attention".
Shamans speak of two attentions. The "First Attention" is the attention that dominates the mind of the world. It is hypnotic, hence most people deny or don't know of another attention. But, there is a "Second Attention". This attention breaks the hypnotic spell of the first attention.
According to Jose Stevens,
The second attention is a different way of seeing and of being. To access this second attention, you must be willing to let go of the first. You can do it anywhere. But it will most likely reveal itself briefly. It may come with joy, or with fear, or with music, or in a movie, or any other event which might effect your emotional state strongly.
I wrote about the second attention in a yet to be published book.
"As you begin your day, imagine that you are a Shaman who has come down from the mountain and that you will spend this day with those of the First Attention. You will treat everyone with respect and dignity.
See how their faces move.
Then see how they walk. Look at their desk or their shoes. See into their eyes without making them nervous. Look at their hair, and at that make-up. Watch for twitching and other subtle movements in the muscles of their face. Of course do not judge.
Observe.
If you observe with a judging mind, you are only observing yourself.
Watch how they become nervous and behave in front of the boss or a new potential boyfriend. Watch how they act around their children. Watch how they meet new friends and notice if they remember the name of the person they just met a minute later.
They reveal everything about themselves.
They are the proverbial open book.
If they smoke, watch how they smoke and when they smoke.
Do they tap the table with their fingers?
Do they move their legs under the table like Thumper the Cottontail?
Are their arms crossed when they talk to the new hire and do they go to one leg when they address their co-worker?
Observe the way your best friend meets you.
Observe the way your enemy greets you.
Make a note of the first things your enemy says to you. It will not be a lie, no matter how hard he tries to tell you one.
Without being too self-conscious, observe yourself. But mostly observe your breathing and make sure that you are breathing from deep in your abdomen. Keep a soft focus, yet at the same time notice the detail.
Shamans and other sensitives of the second attention not only see all these things, they also see the light the surrounds each form. Everything that is above absolute zero is radiating energy. Remember, if a mosquito and an American soldier can see you in the dark, maybe a shaman can see you too.
People who know the second attention can see these emanations. Science has learned that they can even be recorded.
Learn to look at the edges of things.
See all you can.
See the sky and the birds. See the Sea
See the mystery and the see the beauty.
See the Holy Field and the Oneness.
But mostly, stop seeing yourself. Go look into the mirror and stare and stare and stare until you have seen yourself enough.
Then go outside and see with eyes that see. See your wife with new eyes. See your children and your neighbor with a newness of spirit.
See the wind by following a gust of wind as it moves over a meadow of grass. See the wind as it moves through the trees to the trees across the street. See the clouds as they grow and die through the air.
See your self as a Shaman.
For you are one,
if you choose to be one."
"Welcome back" I thought to myself as I walked into the office, originally planning to write something about the level of consciousness that one finds in extreme situations. I think I will still try.
There is a transcendent state that insues from the emotional world born out of the loss of a loved one. Normal conversations about normal things, unimportant or not, are seen as "chatter" by the chattering masses.
For you have been to the mountain, the pinnacle of human experience.
You have seen and touched the untouchable, you have been intimate with the great unconscious dragon that resides underneath our every breath...
death.
And perhaps you have found the edges of the "second attention".
Shamans speak of two attentions. The "First Attention" is the attention that dominates the mind of the world. It is hypnotic, hence most people deny or don't know of another attention. But, there is a "Second Attention". This attention breaks the hypnotic spell of the first attention.
According to Jose Stevens,
The second attention is a different way of seeing and of being. To access this second attention, you must be willing to let go of the first. You can do it anywhere. But it will most likely reveal itself briefly. It may come with joy, or with fear, or with music, or in a movie, or any other event which might effect your emotional state strongly.
I wrote about the second attention in a yet to be published book.
"As you begin your day, imagine that you are a Shaman who has come down from the mountain and that you will spend this day with those of the First Attention. You will treat everyone with respect and dignity.
See how their faces move.
Then see how they walk. Look at their desk or their shoes. See into their eyes without making them nervous. Look at their hair, and at that make-up. Watch for twitching and other subtle movements in the muscles of their face. Of course do not judge.
Observe.
If you observe with a judging mind, you are only observing yourself.
Watch how they become nervous and behave in front of the boss or a new potential boyfriend. Watch how they act around their children. Watch how they meet new friends and notice if they remember the name of the person they just met a minute later.
They reveal everything about themselves.
They are the proverbial open book.
If they smoke, watch how they smoke and when they smoke.
Do they tap the table with their fingers?
Do they move their legs under the table like Thumper the Cottontail?
Are their arms crossed when they talk to the new hire and do they go to one leg when they address their co-worker?
Observe the way your best friend meets you.
Observe the way your enemy greets you.
Make a note of the first things your enemy says to you. It will not be a lie, no matter how hard he tries to tell you one.
Without being too self-conscious, observe yourself. But mostly observe your breathing and make sure that you are breathing from deep in your abdomen. Keep a soft focus, yet at the same time notice the detail.
Shamans and other sensitives of the second attention not only see all these things, they also see the light the surrounds each form. Everything that is above absolute zero is radiating energy. Remember, if a mosquito and an American soldier can see you in the dark, maybe a shaman can see you too.
People who know the second attention can see these emanations. Science has learned that they can even be recorded.
Learn to look at the edges of things.
See all you can.
See the sky and the birds. See the Sea
See the mystery and the see the beauty.
See the Holy Field and the Oneness.
But mostly, stop seeing yourself. Go look into the mirror and stare and stare and stare until you have seen yourself enough.
Then go outside and see with eyes that see. See your wife with new eyes. See your children and your neighbor with a newness of spirit.
See the wind by following a gust of wind as it moves over a meadow of grass. See the wind as it moves through the trees to the trees across the street. See the clouds as they grow and die through the air.
See your self as a Shaman.
For you are one,
if you choose to be one."
.
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Labels: personal philosophy
posted by oZ @ 8:53 AM
3 Comments:
Beautiful.
Some very famous spiritual person said, "Nothing is hidden." Maybe it was the Buddha. Anyway, some of this piece reminded me of that. Take care.
SS
My mother died about a week before the Armadillo Xmas Bazaar began in 2003. In that week we did the burian, memorial and packed up her apartment. I arrived home opening day. One night during that first week, music blasting wonderfully I'm sure, someone asked me to make a purchase. I looked at them blankly. Had to pull myself back to the space. I'd been remembering being born.
sb
Connect with the intent of being and keep your mind aware. Look as you said at the outside and the inside. Each inside is made of many outsides until at the very center it is made up of nothing.
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