Shinichi wrote:corvidus wrote:Hello Shinichi,
Shinichi wrote:Most of the practices also leave the practitioner open for what is called "Analytical Overlay," as well as plain old Delusion.
Would you mind elaborating on this 'Analytical Overlay'? It's the first time I've come across the term in regards to meditation practices.
It's a term that was coined among Parapsychology, as part of psychic research, to explain the phenomena of a psychic getting part of their "reading" correct and part of it wrong. It's seen a lot in Remote Viewing studies especially, as well as similar "reading" and "traveling" practices.
To summarize, Analytical Overlay happens when someone psychically connects to a Target, accurately retrieves certain information about it, and then because the undisciplined mind cannot process that information it is unconsciously Analyzed and changed into something it is not. Once this change is made, your unconscious mind creates an Overlay, so that, via your imagination, you will see the Overlay instead of the original information.
For example, suppose a researcher places a sealed box in front of you, and asks you to metaphysically tell him what is inside it. You close your eyes, connect your consciousness to the box to peak inside, and you see "yellow." Nothing else, just "yellow." Instead of saying "I just see yellow," though, your "monkey mind" throws up the thought "hey, bananas are yellow!" Your imagination latches onto this thought, which allows it to analyze and process information that you otherwise were not able to analyze and process, and suddenly you see a banana inside the box. So, you tell the researcher, "there is a banana inside the box."
The researcher makes a little note on his clipboard, then opens the box, pulls out a yellow t-shirt, and places it before you.
You accurately saw "yellow," but the undisciplined mind could not process this information, and so you unconsciously created an Overlay (yellow=banana) through Analysis of the raw information. This is Analytical Overlay.
It is most well known in Parapsychology and Psionics, but it's something that applies to everyone who does metaphysical practices, especially practices that are more sensitive to it than others - like The Sight, Journeying, and so on. The best protection for it is to know it can happen and to be vigilant against it by making practice as objectively verifiable as possible. We can't always verify the things we See, but in the early stages of training especially it is important to make an effort to do so, at least until you gain enough mental discipline and discernment to know what is being metaphysically perceived and what is being overlayed via imagination.
And yes, it even applies to many meditation practices. There is a difference between biofeedback and clairsentience, for example, and it's easy for a beginner to confuse the two or to get trapped in AOL when actually experiencing something. It's also very easy for many people to imagine tactile feelings, sounds, smells, and tastes, to the point of physically feeling them. This Plastic Imagination can also become a tool for AOL, or can become confused for genuine experiences if the mind is undisciplined.
Basically, it all comes down to having a controlled mind. The better your Thought Control is, or the more experienced you are with all these different things, the less susceptible you are to things like AOL and Imagination - you simply learn to tell the difference. Many don't have that discipline or experience, though, so it's important to make them aware of the risks.
~:Shin:~