ERASE EXISTING PATTERNS, DON'T MAKE NEW ONES.

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Comment by Vijay Todi on August 10, 2009 at 7:16

Human mind is designed and made for Thinking. But, over ages, unknowingly we have spoilt it, far underutilised it, in crelessness, seeking shirt cuts, wandering away from reality, truth, creative thinking. We have reduced our mind to a Processor, which keeps on making patterns based upon our perceptions of our experiences; and keeps on following the patterns whether relevant to new situations or not.
I am a great fan of EdB. He gave us practical tools to Think. In fact, he made us start thinking. All these years we were just floating around in guise of Thinking. Let us make our mind beautiful and human again. Use EdB tools to deresist creative thinking.
Usually as we start Thinking, soon we wander away in past, future, perceptions; also in greed, anger, hatred and so on. This is because we have made our mind ugly with several patterns over ages.
When we start thinking objectively, one truth rises to fore. Everything is impermanent, changing. A question then arises, why are we unnecessarily diverting away from the truth in accordance to our self made perceptions. The ill patterns keep us away from pure thinking, objective thinking. How often can we use the tools for Thinking? By the time we plan to use the tools, we are already done with prejudiced thinking and actions. Our goal is to think creative in the first place, which should be automatic from within.

Comment by Vijay Todi on August 10, 2009 at 7:15

Human mind is designed and made for Thinking. But, over ages, unknowingly we have spoilt it, far underutilised it, in crelessness, seeking shirt cuts, wandering away from reality, truth, creative thinking. We have reduced our mind to a Processor, which keeps on making patterns based upon our perceptions of our experiences; and keeps on following the patterns whether relevant to new situations or not.
I am a great fan of EdB. He gave us practical tools to Think. In fact, he made us start thinking. All these years we were just floating around in guise of Thinking. Let us make our mind beautiful and human again. Use EdB tools to deresist creative thinking.
Usually as we start Thinking, soon we wander away in past, future, perceptions; also in greed, anger, hatred and so on. This is because we have made our mind ugly with several patterns over ages.
When we start thinking objectively, one truth rises to fore. Everything is impermanent, changing. A question then arises, why are we unnecessarily diverting away from the truth in accordance to our self made perceptions. The ill patterns keep us away from pure thinking, objective thinking. How often can we use the tools for Thinking? By the time we plan to use the tools, we are already done with prejudiced thinking and actions. Our goal is to think creative in the first place, which should be automatic from within.

Human mind is designed and made for Thinking. But, over ages, unknowingly we have spoilt it, far underutilised it, in crelessness, seeking shirt cuts, wandering away from reality, truth, creative thinking. We have reduced our mind to a Processor, which keeps on making patterns based upon our perceptions of our experiences; and keeps on following the patterns whether relevant to new situations or not.
I am a great fan of EdB. He gave us practical tools to Think. In fact, he made us start thinking. All these years we were just floating around in guise of Thinking. Let us make our mind beautiful and human again. Use EdB tools to deresist creative thinking.
Usually as we start Thinking, soon we wander away in past, future, perceptions; also in greed, anger, hatred and so on. This is because we have made our mind ugly with several patterns over ages.
When we start thinking objectively, one truth rises to fore. Everything is impermanent, changing. A question then arises, why are we unnecessarily diverting away from the truth in accordance to our self made perceptions. The ill patterns keep us away from pure thinking, objective thinking. How often can we use the tools for Thinking? By the time we plan to use the tools, we are already done with prejudiced thinking and actions. Our goal is to think creative in the first place, which should be automatic from within.

Human mind is designed and made for Thinking. But, over ages, unknowingly we have spoilt it, far underutilised it, in crelessness, seeking shirt cuts, wandering away from reality, truth, creative thinking. We have reduced our mind to a Processor, which keeps on making patterns based upon our perceptions of our experiences; and keeps on following the patterns whether relevant to new situations or not.
I am a great fan of EdB. He gave us practical tools to Think. In fact, he made us start thinking. All these years we were just floating around in guise of Thinking. Let us make our mind beautiful and human again. Use EdB tools to deresist creative thinking.
Usually as we start Thinking, soon we wander away in past, future, perceptions; also in greed, anger, hatred and so on. This is because we have made our mind ugly with several patterns over ages.
When we start thinking objectively, one truth rises to fore. Everything is impermanent, changing. A question then arises, why are we unnecessarily diverting away from the truth in accordance to our self made perceptions. The ill patterns keep us away from pure thinking, objective thinking. How often can we use the tools for Thinking? By the time we plan to use the tools, we are already done with prejudiced thinking and actions. Our goal is to think creative in the first place, which should be automatic from within.

Comment by Vijay Todi on August 9, 2009 at 9:12

Great views. Great clarity. You have excellent understanding of EdB. I am highly impressed.
What I meant by "erasing patterns" is that, it does not necessarily mean doing something silly. In fact, in absence of deep grooves of patterns we remain free from prejudices and predetermined ways; instead, use our intellect, for the good for ourselves, good for all.
Although hypothetically, we may imagine a situation of zero pattern, it is not easy to erase all 100% patterns we have made over our age. Also, the patterns may be deep or shallow grooves. When we are attached and too tough about something, the patterns are deep. It is difficult in such case to view other view points. Day in and day out we keep on wanting things to happen according to our wants. Shallow patterns are rather harmless. Patterns let us function instantly, sometimes successfully, but mostly under our prejudices & perceptions. Some such notions may be good such as, breathing or crossing a road well or helping people etc.
All sections of our mind does not make patterns and behave subsequently accordingly. Otherwise it would not be possible or us to use the thinking tools. It is the subconscious mind that keeps on making patterns and react to the stimuli accordingly every moment. The conscious mind is mostly creative, which helps us use the thinking tools. Once the patterns in our subconscious are reduced to minimal, the conscious mind starts functioning at lightening speed.

Comment by Chris Rodgers on August 9, 2009 at 8:00

Hi Vijay,

An interesting provocation. Perhaps I should respond to your suggestion by leaving a comment on somebody else's blog. That would be breaking the pattern. However, the existing pattern is a useful one, in that it enables us to communicate in meaningful ways.

And this is the thing with the patterning nature of the brain; it creates order out of potential chaos by establishing expectancy. That is, we can go through life in the knowledge that we can expect certain things to happen or not happen as a result of things we do. Without the expectancy created by our pattern-making brains, as de Bono says, it would take us a month to cross the road, because there would be so much information to compute afreash each time. The patterning process allows us to take a few cues from what we see and decide whether or not it's safe to cross. We might make a mistake, of course, or something totally unexpected might happen that causes us to shift an 'established' pattern. But, in the main, patterns are good for us. For the most part, they let us function successfully together.

The problem is, of course, that these then tend to trap us in set ways of behaving and prevent us from looking for or noticing alternatives. As EdB would say, we become "blocked by adequacy". It is then that we need deliberately to escape from the existing patterns and find new ways forward. Even then, another pattern will be established; a new way of looking at the world, which then makes sense to us and which will tend to channel our thinking down these new pathways. If it didn't do that, the new idea, perspective or interpretation would have no functional value. Lateral and 'vertical' thinking are team mates not rivals. We need both to function effectively as human beings, with significantly more of the latter than the former - as, I believe, EdB would agree.

Comment by Vijay Todi on August 9, 2009 at 7:22

Great to have your comments so quick. Not having any pattern at all is the ultimate goal, which is too idealistic. But, a modest begining of the journey is all worth it.

I do not suggest to "remove" routines. I suggest that we think Creative by "routine".

Use of Lateral & other tools can be made, but how often can we? Usually, by the time we deliberate upon; perceptions, prejudices, notions are already made and actions already taken accordingly. If, however, in the first place, we can erase patterns, we can get great results almost automatically.

"Subconscious" is our own patterns. It may resist or encourage creativity & innovation depending upon the kind of patterns we have made over time.

Comment by Franis on August 9, 2009 at 4:00

Welcome to the fray, ViJay,
Very interesting suggestion, that not having any pattern at all is a beneficial pattern. That is quite an ideal! :o

However, I agree with you from my experience teaching Alexander Technique, which is a perception training technique. It teaches that people can merely remove routines, without specifying what it is that "should be" done to replace them. The result is an odd sensation of freedom from these limitations, along with enhanced sensory ability that allows new sensory observations and insights. Of course, the use of lateral and creative thinking tools works better once there are new observations.

This feature was pointed out by de Bono. Most people do not bother to use thinking skills unless their way forward is completely blocked. Then they must solve the problem, there is no other choice - and trying a new way is better than having nothing. They have nothing to lose.

What you and Edward de Bono suggest is that it is better to be pro-active on the front end. While you have a semi-functional means, it is better figure out ways to make things even better. The advantage could be huge! Or at least, a person cannot guess the percentage of improvement before the results has actually been experienced.

When you say "sub-conscious" do you mean the part of us that resists creativity and innovation from the need for self-preservation?

By the way, you'll have to discuss our views here. There is no place to take comments on your website.