Applying Systems Thinking To Our Own Thinking System :)

[Vladimir]

I'm trying to build a strong foundation for learning before I completely immerse myself in all the books I want to read on my list. The reason is inefficient reading, learning, memorizing, understanding, comprehending and even thinking and I'm frustrated by it, so like a good programmer, I want to master the mind and optimize these learning systems before I move forward with "writing code" or reading books and understanding reality. So the books I recently finished reading are Systems Thinking, Unlimited Memory and Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself, I also started reading How to Read a Book and Signs and Symbols Sourcebook. 

The first, most fundamental system that I want to redesign and optimize is the Thinking System, so I'm trying to apply Systems Thinking to Thinking System of the mind. All information is the obvious inflow into the system, which can be either external (text, audio, visuals - environment (nature, people, movies, pictures, symbols, colors, shapes)), or internal - memories, thoughts. Some of the outflow that the Thinking System creates are behavior (movement, emotions, reactions, verbal communication), reality, paradigm, self-image, memories (short term and long term) and other thoughts. I think the stock in this Thinking System would be "active thoughts", in a similar way how the CPU is processing information. There is also another component to "active thoughts" - conscious and sub-conscious, and to continue using the computer analogy, conscious thoughts would be an open program like "Adobe Photoshop" and sub-conscious thoughts would be like programs running in the background. Since we're concentrating on Thinking at this time, I think it's also important to be aware of the "link" between active thoughts, both conscious and sub-conscious and how they create other thoughts. 

Installing meditation software. So from this break down of the Thought System, we can already make some useful conclusions, for example: the more I become aware of sub-conscious thoughts, the more freedom I will have to choose what thoughts I want to add, subtract and what kind of links I want to create between those thoughts. (eg: I became aware that I was blaming my parents for bringing me up in a way that created a lot of judgement, critisizm and limited beliefs in me), by becoming mindful of those sub-conscious thoughts, I realized it wasn't my parents creating these negativities in my life anymore, but rather myself (I am my worst enemy). Another example is choosing how to link thoughts to other thoughts that I want: a thought about my parents suffering because of their alcoholism and negative lifestyle triggered (link) thoughts (or rather emotionally charged thoughts) of pity, guilt, and sadness. As I became aware of these negative links, I could further analyze all the reasons behind these negative thoughts triggered by my parents and I can now create new, positive thoughts (new links): compassion, unconditional love, understanding, motivation (healing myself will heal and help them). These are just a couple of examples of intervening (taking advantage of leverage points) within this system's internal information flows. 

Similarly, we can intervene in the external information flows: 1) unplugging from all toxic sources of information 2) establishing quality information flows which are as closely related to helping the system achieve it's goal (Leo's videos, books) 3) create new links in everyday objects in the environment (tree is a system, green is a color of nature, nature is creative, intelligent, diverse, sun is a symbol for - Stage Yellow systems thinking, it's the source of power (solar plexus chakra), yellow is a color of joy, happiness etc.) there are countless ways of how we can integrate everyday objects and nature and making them reminders for triggering emotions and thoughts that we want to trigger, instead of allowing our minds to create random associations (links) even if they are negative and don't serve our system's purpose. This is the reason I want to study Symbols and bought a book called Signs and Symbols Sourcebook which is already giving me a ton of ideas for more associations within the environment and more effective thinking, eg: space is a symbol for absolute infinity/god, dot is the symbol for beginning and end (the content within the absolute), vertical line is a symbol for physical body reaching for the reunion with the divine (spiritual development), trees are vertical so it can now be a constant reminder for enlightment. 

From the Systems Thinking, the best place to intervene is in the System Paradigm, this is what happened to me when I took 5g powdered mushrooms, just about four months ago, which completely shifted my whole view of reality and myself and the reason why I'm on an unstoppable hero's journey of transformation and personal growth right now. By applying the concepts from Thinking in Systems, we can look not only at the world's problems, but ourselves, and our minds as the most complex biological machines and start applying the concepts from the book to all the leverage points, redesigning and optimizing our systems to become super computers, super humans, sages, saints, geniuses, demigods!
 

[Mondsee]

@Vladimir your ideas on the symbol associations seem to be interesting. I'd just recommend you to not get lost in thoughts by finding symbols, meanings and associations between them. Usually, we tend to have enough monkey mind to add even an extra layer to that. Just keep it to the point where it won't make you neurotic.

[Vladimir]

31 minutes ago, Mondsee said:

@Vladimir your ideas on the symbol associations seem to be interesting. I'd just recommend you to not get lost in thoughts by finding symbols, meanings and associations between them. Usually, we tend to have enough monkey mind to add even an extra layer to that. Just keep it to the point where it won't make you neurotic.

That's a good point, but I think the monkey mind and neurotic behavior can only be there if we're not mindful and let ourselves run on automatic pilot. Becoming mindful and aware will give us a choice weather we want to be completely present in the moment or consciously choose to contemplate on the surrounding environment. We will be thinking about the environment and get reminded of things from it anyway, so might as well take advantage of it to benefit our purpose. I think consciously creating thoughts and associations that will help us achieve our goals, which will then eventually move in the subconscious is one of the most powerful, if not the most powerful way to change ourselves.

Another example: I go outside the sun is shining, it's really hot, my sub-conscious before conscious thought choices and associations could go something like this: "It's so fucking hot, why does it have to always be so hot, I wish this place had more seasons, like a real winter" (this is what my actual thought process was like before I started thinking about this). Now that I'm becoming more selective of symbol associations, it's starting to look something like this: "The sun is a symbol of energy, vitality, power, happiness, joy, what I'm feeling on my skin is nature's love and warmth, it's activating the power within me giving me confidence, vitality and energy, all life on Earth comes from the Sun, I'm so grateful the sun is shining today! See how powerful this is?

I do understand I'm tinkering with the most complex systems of all here and we have to be extra careful not to create more problems and mess, which is why it's important to look at the whole thing from the Systems perspective so we can be mindful of all the traps, opportunities, leverage points, feedback loops, inflows and how everything is interconnected with other systems - Memory System, Emotional System, Learning System etc.

[Leo Gura]

@Vladimir Hate to rain on your parade, but you cannot fundamentally change the mind using the mind. Mind is the problem. So the more you think, the worse your problems will get.

It's sorta like you're trying to boil out impurities from water. But by boiling it, you only concentrate the impurities.

You will become depressed and possibly even mentally unstable/insane if you try to think your way out of thinking.

The solution is to stop thinking, and practice mindfulness/consciousness. It's a very counter-intuitive solution which the mind refuses to accept.

The reason those mushrooms worked so well for you, is because they got you out of your mind.

[Vladimir]

1 hour ago, Leo Gura said:

@Vladimir Hate to rain on your parade, but you cannot fundamentally change the mind using the mind. Mind is the problem. So the more you think, the worse your problems will get.

It's sorta like you're trying to boil out impurities from water. But by boiling it, you only concentrate the impurities.

You will become depressed and possibly even mentally unstable/insane if you try to think your way out of thinking.

The solution is to stop thinking, and practice mindfulness/consciousness. It's a very counter-intuitive solution which the mind refuses to accept.

The reason those mushrooms worked so well for you, is because they got you out of your mind.

@Leo Gura The mind is the problem for what? Enlightenment? Learning? Understanding, Memory, Comprehension? Language? Isn't our mind the reason we have been able to evolve past apes? Isn't contemplation the most important tool for sages? Isn't mindfulness/consciousness one of the practices which affects your thinking system, making you learn, understand better and more accurately perceive reality? If I stop thinking, will I not become a vegetable? I'm already seeing much improvement in my life thanks to what I've described above, my memory and learning has improved, my understanding of reality is broadening, my negative thoughts and feelings are starting to fade away, I'm gaining more clarity and peace of mind everyday, so where exactly is this problem? I understand it's useful to let the thinking go during a meditation and probably has to be turned off completely if we are ever to reach enlightenment, but we still need to live in this 3D world, how is making your mind more efficient going to be a problem? I thought this is what Actualized.org is all about, didn't you use your mind, learning, understanding, thinking to get to where you are now and create this community?

No worries about raining on parade, I accept I may be wrong, but there are too many questions at this point. Hope you will clarify, thanks brother!

Edited July 17, 2017 by Vladimir

[Leo Gura]

@Vladimir The mind is an obstacle to itself. The mind is an obstacle to consciousness and human well-being.

You're the one who brought up the idea of using systems thinking to solve problems. I'm saying the problem you are trying to solve may be made worse by more thinking.

The mind is not evil or nor should it be totally eliminated. The mind is tool. It just has to become a servant of consciousness, or it becomes a cancer.

Consider this: If you stopped thinking entirely, your experience of life would become infinitely better.

[Vladimir]

1 hour ago, Leo Gura said:

@Vladimir The mind is an obstacle to itself. The mind is an obstacle to consciousness and human well-being.

You're the one who brought up the idea of using systems thinking to solve problems. I'm saying the problem you are trying to solve may be made worse by more thinking.

The mind is not evil or nor should it be totally eliminated. The mind is tool. It just has to become a servant of consciousness, or it becomes a cancer.

Consider this: If you stopped thinking entirely, your experience of life would become infinitely better.

What if we designed a more efficient system of thinking which would lead to less thinking / consciousness faster? I mean, what you call consciousness work / meditation is already a part of a more efficient system, so is unplugging from toxic information sources. I don't think I ever said "more thinking", what I'm proposing is redesign of a very ineffective system.

[Socrates]

22 hours ago, Leo Gura said:

The mind is tool. It just has to become a servant of consciousness, or it becomes a cancer.

Leo killing it as always