Intentions

Brenna wrote: Do you set intentions for your training, or even just for your day? How do you do it and how do you measure your progress?

To me the mental game is the biggest arena that training can occur. As it dictates the capacity to achieve in all others like physical, social etc. So, I anchor my awareness into three points to create a field where feelings can overlay thoughts in some controlled manner - and that as a process of perception as the target of refinement (training).

Other sorts of non-mental training to me are usually unplanned and therefore either last minute or random!!! Unless it is required training, in which case I use a calendar populated like a list - and tick it off as I go. It's not meant as a form of self punishment, but rather a chance to measure successful progress to not only achieve it, but to better understand it.

So umm, for my mental training, I break up the act of perception into three spheres;

- subjective sphere
- objective sphere
- conceptual sphere

It can be a bit confusing as those terms have many subtle interpretations when applied in different contexts, but as a set (for me) they represent different modes of conscious awareness;
- the SS is viewing the world as a map of attributes relative to oneself by asserting an identity of self,
- the OS being viewing the world as a map of attributes trusted to be 'true' and asserts things as objects, and
- the CS which views the world as a map of generated attributes, such as imagination with examples being idealization, planning and visualization.

Such that we are all born within the SS, and learn to be adults by discovering how to balance the OS with the SS, usually by wielding the CS. In effect three maps resolving different priorities, while they can strongly relate to ''time', they do not represent it. But they might better predominate as individual maps in the context of time for the SS being derived from the biology (inherently the 'past' as grown), the OS as the expected present 'knock on wood' reality, and the future of the CS being neither have existed or presently existing as anything other then information in thought.

The blade to me represents that CS, it is the action exerting onto the subjects and objects as they may or may not exist within how I'm perceiving my existence at any one time. And so generally speaking, I 'feel' the SS internally, I 'feel' the OS externally, and I 'see' the CS as the constitute elements of thought itself

I guess looking at the symbols of MOok, then the hand could represent the OS (since it acts on the external) and the belt the SS (since it 'measures' or 'bounds' the internal).

So the CS really is where I use imagination plan better to meet the needs of the SS while interacting with the OS. The more complexity I can imagine, the greater the capability to plan details and analyze risk and uncertainty, and find ways to refine the SS by experimenting with different natures of reward to its appearance.

And for me a good way to construct plans is to look at how what you eventually want could work, and then plan backwards from there to reach where one currently actually is. Sort of a process of deconstructing it to work out how to construct it. Sounds simple enough, but I think I used to do it the other way, and instead look at where I was and seek out a path forward - but it doesn't seem to work as well IMO. Much better to understand what one wants, and understand it, to better aim for its most likely manifestation to occur!!

I set intentions in the morning and reflect at the end of the day. These are mainly mental, but I try write down important goals. If the a measurable, I keep track of where I started and where I'm currently at. It's normally a quick assessment in the morning. At the end of the day, I reflect at some length and use that time to mentally prepare my goals in the morning.

Every day I think,
if I can just make through another day at work I can go home and do nothing... Which is what I am really good at.

LOL.

Just kidding of course... Or am I?

I usually have a mental list of things I set out to do each day. But I also realize that II do not really control anything so off I can't get them all done for some reason then it's ok.