The Self as Metaprogrammer

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Original post: Mmothra

I found this rather excellent article by Chris Arkenberg on the website Future Hi: Celebrating the Rebirth of Psychedelic Futurism (http://www.futurehi.net/archives/000147.html)

I would encourage you to go and read the entire article but here are a couple key quotes for the sake of discussion:

Quote:
The human brain is not a static computing device merely receiving and processing information acquired by its sensoria but, rather, it is a dynamic and plastic network of neural centers, each specialized to handle specific tasks, coordinated with each other through a continuously changing array of associative connections between hundreds of billions of neural cells. (Readers are encouraged to look through "The Self & It's Brain" by Karl Popper & John Eccles for exhaustive studies of neuronal plasticity in associative networks and their implications for consciousness.) While the various regions of the brain are shared by all humans, and the functions of those regions are essentially the same in each of us, the connections between them and the intangible interface which integrates experience between our senses and our mind is absolutely unique to each individual. Genetic predisposition, early imprints, and life experiences each contribute to the ever-evolving construct of the individual. And behind it all in the secret center of our mind, resides the self, absolutely intangible but undeniably real, stringing together the momentary snapshots of the sensoria, creating our sense of time and guiding the processes of mind in accord with its will. But while many may never question the way their mind and brain color their world, others seek to elevate the self to the level of meta-programmer and actively break the bonds of belief to rewire the associative network of the brain and its mind. Many tools exist for such a task, including the archaic techniques of shamanism, the use of psychedelic compounds, and the canon of western esoterica commonly known as magick. By employing these and other methods it is possible to directly modify the physiology of the brain and reprogram the mind in accord with the ideals of the self. (Please note that this paper is not intended to present a reductionist or mechanistic view of consciousness. The visionary experiences of shamanism and the phenomenology of magick are far more profound and ineffable than if they were simply side effects of metabolism.)
Quote:
Most of us will live our lives without much consideration of these ideas, content to exist as semi-automatons, acting & reacting based on genetics and imprints and the accumulated experiences of our lives without ever questioning these habitual responses to our world. In spite of the brain's ongoing updates, the perceptions and beliefs of most people will change little after about 30 years of age, barring some sudden traumatic or visionary experience which disrupts their ingrained view of things enough to allow the brain to rewire a new way of seeing the world. Yet the hardware of the brain and the software of the mind is open source. We can each become mind programmers - metaprogrammers - actively rewiring our beliefs and associations towards whatever goal we may have. This is no new revelation and there are many techniques, both modern and archaic, for breaking the mold of belief and mapping novel associations in the brain.
Arkenberg references Shamanism, psychedelics, and magick as methods of reprogramming our brains and ourselves towards what Crowley would call True Will. I personally use mantra, sigils, visualization, and astral work to undo the programming of my youth and cultural context in order to become the person I want to be.

How about you? What methods do you use for reprogramming your "biocomputer?" And what do you think about this idea?

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Original post: Mmothra

Originally posted by Lord Ruthven:

I used to use magic for the task far more than I do now but currently I'm using meditation.

I also like to re-program other people's brains by shattering their illusions about the world. This is a difficult task since people really do cling to their delusions but its fun when they finally see another world view.

[Occult Forum Archive]

Original post: Mmothra

Originally posted by DestinyEternity:

If I ever unpack, I'd love to find what i once read in a book relative to this topic, where it talks about neuropathways, etc. Without the book to give me quoted details, I can merely explain my view at best.

We form neuropathways in the brain and they are sometimes, sometimes, difficult to undo, BUT, can be deminished and even demolished, but it seems as though you'd have to put much effort forth in a more desired direction in order for the undesireable pathway to atrophy just as an unused muscle would.

Addictions, compulsions, etc. are formed neuropathways in the brain- the more this person indulges in this behavior, the more they literally build this pathway to be stronger, so that it becomes a trained response in some sense. Their minds will automatically go to this behavior when in situations that are associated with the behavior since they have wired themselves to do so. Yes, our brains are not some grey blobs in our head that we cannot effect; we can do it, it takes the will to do so.

I do believe that you can build and rebuild the brain or neuropathways in the brain to your own design, but this is for determined people. Chains in the mind can be broken, yet so many people don't want to do the work required.

Social conditioning also comes into play, what the norms are, whether or not one has ever bothered to confrom to them, etc. If someone can separate themselves from any social stigmas that may be holding them back as external forces, then that can help as well. While one is submerged in a culture that tries to impose itself upon us like a phallus down the throat, one cannot transcend the programming/conditioning from everyone around them unless they are strong enough in their disbelief or 'other' belief that they can ignore this outside influence.

I think these two factors, the making of neuropathways in the brain and social conditioning or lack thereof, are the main contributing factors as to whether someone will be able to reprogram themselves and build a different brain/life/vision/reality or not.
__________________

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Original post: Mmothra

Originally posted by Frater Transitus:

Quite simply, I am challenging myself to do things that I would never have done or considered doing or been 'allowed' to do.

I am challenging every denying thought that I have and examining it to seek out the impact of my culture and conditioning upon me as a person.

The very fact that I joined this wonderful community is an indication of the challenge to myself about my spirituality and a challenge to the instilled belief that the occult is bad or wrong or something to be avoided.

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Original post: Mmothra

Originally posted by Frotish Mewn:

Questions. I ask questions all the time. I ask other people, I ask myself, I look at things from many angles. I even re-evaluate things that I feel right and comfortable about. Conversations with people who have very different viewpoints can be a great tool to use in in stretching one's mind. I've also used psychedelics, which, along with my always questioning, exploring mind, have brought me to new worlds of thought. In the last year I've used sigils to bring about change.

I think reprogramming one's "biocomputer" can be great if done well. How to judge if it's done well? When you feel better for the path you've trod. When you can see a bigger picture than you saw before. When you feel happier about yourself and enjoy life more than before. When you are becoming more your true self.

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Original post: Mmothra

Originally posted by Albino Crow:

You have my applause for creating a great topic. This strongly ties into several theories and things I read into regarding psychology and the occult, side by side. It seems to me that this field of study is the down-to-earth science of what magick brings into effect. I can safely say I'm a tenant of this procedure, for my 'dawn' of change into esotericism is a perfect example. On one end of the spectrum you have a seemingly normal teenage boy, and over the course of a few years you're left with a vastly different individual with interests and ideas so far outside the norm you couldn't have ever guessed they were the same person.

As for the study itself, I think it's a great look into the human psyche, and a potentiality for hope that people will learn to control themselves further, and understand the reality that they even can. As for True Will, this scientific field is an iced martini to the Great Work.

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Original post: Mmothra

Originally posted by ehilot:

i believe that succesful mindprogrammer has the ability to transmutate his/her emotions. that doesn't mean you instantly transform a dark depression into exstatic joy, but more be able to go to neutral whenever and however. be able to let emotions flow if there seems a congestion.

when i want to program or deprogram something, i need to become aware of the emotional bounds of a program. every program, a belief or a skill, is fed by emotions. for instance, lowselfesteem programs are fed by negative emotions (and generally has a feedbackloop to recirculate the energy, for downward spiraling).

in order to succesful remove such a program, i would need to disconnect the program from it's energysource. next thing is to connect that energysource to a new program. for instance i connect my negative emotions to a program that pursues emotional balance. that way those emotions are being worked out and the original program will die out (be forgotten).
i practice on learning juggling patterns. if you are into juggling it is great to use as tool for learning to understand learning (and forgetting).

this is a particular view at it, any technique is possible

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Original post: Mmothra

Had a funny thought this morning as I was puttering around in the dark preparing for work and would like to get your thoughts.

As I was tying my shoes, I realized that I had been talking to myself under my breath for a few minutes about things I had to do before I left, items I wanted to make sure I took with me, etc. This really is a form of semi-conscious self-programming, isn't it? It is the psychological version of a meeting notice popping up on your PDA or computer. I am going to try to pay much more attention to these internal dialogues to see what I am convincing myself of and whether it really aligns with my "true will"!

Mark

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Original post: Mmothra

Originally posted by Nicholas777:

I talk to myself to sometimes, but my invisible freind says its because i'm nuts.

Seriously though, sometimes i find myself being self-depreciating and have found its the programming of others that is trying to override my true will.

Nicholas

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Original post: Mmothra

Yup, often it seems like the most negative things I mutter to myself are word-for-word repetitions of things said years ago...almost like the negative thought is trying it's best to stay alive in my consciousness. Weird stuff, this.

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Original post: Mmothra

Originally posted by Son of a Montage:

Did anyone ever read Dr. Lilly's Meta-Programming the Human Bio-Computer?

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Original post: Mmothra

Originally posted by Netaungrot:

Increasingly, my weapon of choice is NLP and Hypgnosis. The first results I got with k@y0s$ |\/|@JyQ were too unweildy and unpredictable (fancy that...) so I've clamped down on the amount to integrate into my regular exchange-a-flanges.

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Original post: Mmothra

Originaly posted by Transmuted:

This reminds me of something I heard of a bit ago...

The School of 'F*** It, Delete It.'

You don't like something about yourself? F*** it, delete it. Reprogram that bit of person-code into something more worthwhile. Claiming responsibility for the crap tendencies within yourself is a major part of this; in order to know what it is you're being rid of, you have to understand it as yours, and stare into this without flinching until understanding is reached. Because you can't be rid of a tendency without knowing why it's there and what causes it.

I likes.

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Original post: Mmothra

Originally posted by Netaungrot:

"Why" depends on the frame you put on it, and there are many different whys frames to consider... if I were to take a tennis ball and throw it against a wall, watch it bounce off and come flying back at me whereupon I catch it, why did all of this happen?

One could say because I decided to throw it and catch it. One could say because my body cooridinated itself to carry out my mind's instructions. One could say because you inspired me to try to prove a point. One could say because the properties of the tennis ball allowed me to do such. One could say because the people who manufactured and distributed the tennis ball made it available for me to do so. One could say because there are certain laws of physics that allowed me to do so. One could say because there is no free will and I am just another manifestation of causes and effects which was bound to do so since the beginning of time.

So I must respectfully disagree.

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Original post: Mmothra

Originally posted by Transmuted:

But an ingrained personality trait isn't like tossing a ball. It'd be more like...a chunk of code in a program, and dependent on the surrounding code-structure, references and variables. There are things like societal influences, familial influences, media, teachings, experiences and all kinds of other stuff to take into consideration, and all these tie into the why of a personality trait. Otherwise, psychologists would all be useless, and we could just poof things we don't like about ourselves away easily.

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Original post: Mmothra

Originally posted by Netaungrot:

Well, for any given person, I think there are a lot of psychologists that are pretty useless... especially one's bogged down in the medical paradigm. This may be hard for you to believe, but I have experienced rapid change of a deeply ingrained personality trait without understanding the whys. In fact, many of the whys where revealed to me only after I changed my thinking and behavior.

I think it's interesting how you changed the subject from a tendency to a deeply ingrained personality trait, by they way...

In order to shift a deeply ingrained personality trait, I agree, it can be useful to try to learn a little bit about the whys of the given trait, but I think it's mistake to think that something as complex as a personality trait can be satisfactorily understood in terms of causality. As it stands, we don't have a way to measure the synergy of influences of genetics versus society versus brain chemistry versus cognitive patterns.

If the goal is to be rid of a part of yourself, you're going to have a tough time considering it that way. Think of how the mind processes a negative... Do not think of a purple donkey! First of all, the part is probably very useful in some way. I think a core skill of any metaprogrammer is the ability to reframe or put something in a useful context. I have found that it helps to have something to replace the old part with, better yet, a buttload of things to replace the old part with.

In my experience, I have found it almost indispensable to focus on how to get there rather than all things that might be why I am stuck in this situation now...

Ya dig?