False-Self Suicides
Love, Adventure, Creativity….
This blog is all about the challenge to do something uncomfortable. Sometimes, it could be a day full of focusing solidly on one thing until I accomplish it. Other times it might be going on some kind of adventure I feel wary about. Even other times it could consist of getting rid of lots of my useless stuff. Sometimes, it could be going into the ocean on a cold and rainy day. And yet at other times, I may perhaps sit down to write a large portion of a book in a single sitting.
I may do social experiments in public places, such as shopping out of other people’s grocery carts at the grocery store, talking to 5 random strangers on the same topic, staying in a busy elevator for 30 minutes and talking to all who enter, or something equally disturbing to my programmed self.
The premise here, folks, is to kill off various little weaknesses in my psyche. By facing challenges and discomforts everyday, I will change my life into more of an adventure. It will train my discipline, and knock me off autopilot, at least for a little while each day.
If I run out of ideas (Fat chance of that!), I will select exercises from such books as Just Because Club
If you, my readers, have any suggestions of uncomfortable, experimental, adventurous, or exciting things you would like to see me try and then blog about, leave me a comment. I look forward to hearing from you.
Today, my first day out in the field, I came upon an accidental adventure. I went to the beach for a walk, a run and a swim. I live just north of San Diego, so the water and air are still nice and warm, compared to the freezing ocean water in Oregon, where I recently moved from, and Minnesota, where I grew up.
I still don’t understand exactly how the tides ebb and flow, so today, around 5pm, I began my walk. I enjoy walking on the sands below a row of multi-million dollar homes, so I can admire them and build up an idea of exactly how and where I want to live. Today, however, I noticed that the waves were already crashing up against the sandy and rocky wall above the beach. As the waters receeded, I ran on the sand to the next rock, sat down, and watched the waves roll in all around me.
I nearly decided to go back, with some idea of safety in mind. I thought, “Oh, I’m an idiot if I go further down the beach. The waves will crush me into the rock walls.” Then I wondered where that voice came from. I am always up for an adventure, so I kept running until I could go no further without getting deep into the rough waters. Maybe nothing for a seasoned surfer, but to me, it felt dangerous and uncomfortable.
I had to climb the slimy rock wall, which reminded me of summer’s past, going rock climbing all over Oregon, Idaho, California, and many other states….So I climbed up to a ledge above the beach. I had to walk along this short ledge, trying to get to a part of the sandy beach that I knew must be up ahead.
I found an area just about as wide as my foot, and I almost decided to turn around. It was a ledge of sand, with a shitty drop into some trees and rocks about 20 feet below. I went for it, and the sand held up.
I walked by some kind of tweaker dude and his girlfriend who were doing something in a crevas as I wandered past. Then, I saw a family having a picnic, and knew I must be getting close to the staircase up to the coast highway. Yes! There it was, sitting in the middle of about 100 yards of sandy beach not yet covered up by the rising tides.
I ran up and down the staircase twice, and decided to go back along the ledge, since it broke up my day and gave me an accidental adventure. Besides, I like to run barefoot on the beach, so I had left my sandals in the car. I had no intention of running along the road, or of trying to fight the waves and rocks along the vanished shore.
My simple walk turned into a small adventure, one where I had to challenge myself, confront my fears, and meet with a little bit of success in doing so. My torrential flow of thoughts was slowed for a bit while I climbed the wall and navigated the newly discovered territory.
So, that is the basic premise of what you can expect from this blogging effort. It could get really crazy and extreme, like back in my hitchhiking cross-country days, or it could be simply trying out new ways of thinking, or new exercises, or anything I decide to do. It will all be collected into a book, so if you want your name mentioned in my book, give me a suggestion and you will end up on the thank you page of the book if I use it in this blog.
Go on an accidental adventure of your own. Discover something new about the places, people, spaces, and situations you interact in and with everyday. It’s fun and it trains your brain to look for new and exciting opportunities.
-Garrett Daun: Liberation Consultant escapeplans@gmail.com
Escape from False Ideas About Yourself: Choose Your Own Adventure!
Contact Garrett to get started on your journey today!
for the nidra, go for a sensation akin to dipping your foot into a warm bath. really imagine the relaxation and releasing ant tensions you find. takes practice and youll probly fall asleep. its ok, you sometimes ‘bounce’ awake. after some time change the sensation. there are other aspects involved but this is good enough to start with. it becomes an asana, the corpse pose…which has further meanings.
after a while, when you lay down to go to sleep, it will surprise even you how tense you are when very tired.
i emailed the ben rowe stuff to you. dont want to seem a nuthugger of his but i think you will enjoy his stuff.
walk on,
Gabe
tried to post earlier but it didnt work. hmm…
oh well.
for the tabatas, use a whole body movement, like up-downs or sprints. if the movement is too localized the area in question will tire out before the rest of the body. the whole body sensation is where its at. im quite glad you tried them, most people never would.
for yoga nidra, i never used a taped session. i just went something like this: left foo then up the leg, left hand then up the arm, head down to neck, right hand up the arm, right foot then up the leg, floor of pelvis up to chest, then heart. rinse and repeat.
wow. you actually did the tabatas. most wouldnt. its better to use whole body movements to keep a single area from fatiguing before the whole body fatigues.
for the yoga nidra, i never used a tape. i just went in this sequence: left foot-travel up the leg, left hand-travel up the arm, head down to neck, right hand-travel up the arm, right foot-travel up the leg, botom of pelvis up to chest, heart area. rinse and repeat. you will prolly fall asleep frequently in the beginning. as you get better you can spend more time/detail in an area, like in the bones. its a fake it till you make it process. also after a while alternate sensations. i started with a warm relaxing- like putting your foot into a warm bath- imagining how it travels up the limb. later a coolness- heaviness- and ‘sinking into the floor’. the sinking is important- you wont believe how many tensions your body holds just lying there. once you can relax the tensions- its lika an asana.
for the ben rowe stuff, ill email. ill check out fuck your brain…sounds like my kind of party. thanks, Gabe
Any luck with any of the stuff i mentioned?
I couldnt help but think of Ben Rowe’s thesis on the different ways people can ‘self actuate’, or whatever you want to call it. He gives the premise that some discover/experience/actualize the self via addition- aka the conquerer, and others by subtraction- aka the rebel. popped up in my head today. Maybe it needs further attention from me.
Done any tabatas yet?
Yeah, Gabe. I did try the tabata training. I did 4 mins of ab work (maxed out in 2 and a half!), 4 mins of hindu squats, which I made it all the way through, if slow by the end…and then 4 mins of hindu pushups…again maxing out at about the 3 min mark! Tough stuff…I like it. No matter how strong a person is, 4 mins is enough to kick your ass, if done correctly. I started looking for more information on the Yoga Nidra. Since the sequence is quite long, I am either going to record myself saying it slowly, or look for a CD of someone who has already done it. As for the Ben Rowe, I haven’t looked any further since I initially got your comment. If you’d care to email me with more specifics of his work, that would be great. Thanks for stopping by again. Also, check out: FuckYourBrain, I think you would have much to contribute to that project.
-G
Interesting site. hmm…destroy the self…
tabata interval training…see if you can throw-up in 4 minutes. plus, get in shape! use sprints with it.
yoga nidra, the sleep of sages. ever tried it? google it, simple to do, takes about a month to get good at. similar to the samadhi tank. maybe youll get to the fourth.
Familiar with Ben Rowe’s work? try his manual on constructing a temple. on of the best things ive ever done.
Osho recomended counting to 1000 daily, a good exercise.
its resfreshing to see someone walking the walk, keep up the good work.
Thanks much Gabe. I will take your recommendations and check them out. Great to read such an in-depth comment loaded with real info! Cheers.
Hi Garrett,
Just wanted to say your blog/experiment is very interesting. I look forward to following you.
I don’t know if you do guest posting, or would be willing to guest post, but my site is focusing on Escape this month, and it seems right up your alley. Since August has 31 days, we’re in need to an extra writer…Please drop me an email if you’re up for the challenge!
Cheers!
lee lee
Looks awesome so far, but it seems like a few of your subscribers are ashamed to not be afraid of what they want, somehow the confidence of the people that i have been encountering seems to be suffering in a way that makes them not only scared of themselves, but also unwilling to acknowledge their fear. I would like to see us all connect with nature in such a way as to expell our fear…….
earth is god as are we….
Thanks for stopping by, Sandra! Yeah, Ayahuasca sounds nice about now. Perhaps my future journeys through Peru will open the doors on that experience for me…
Give Eugene my very best…
Love, wildness, joy….
-G
OK…your relentless attempts to get me to visit this blog have finally born fruit. I am here. I expect to be thoroughly surprised, provoked, inspired, shocked or at the very least amused by your antics (of course my expectations are not really your problem, are they?) I hope that my being here does something to encourage you in your experiments…they are very much in the style I have always enjoyed – if you’re too comfortable you’re missing all the fun, I say.
So shine on you crazy diamond
–Sandra
PS: Ayahuasca…it is a true killer of false selves.
Well, sounds quite interesting. I may have ended up already doing some of your items having Bipolar and ADD. *laughing*
Hey there Tesia-
Thanks for the comment! You are one of the first 3 to comment on the blog. Glad to have you aboard!
I look forward to a year of wildness, adventure, chaos, and joy!
Take care, and take risks!
I write this in fear an release it with acceptance. Sit on the corner and beg for blessings. I look forward to you entrys. this is awesome!
With Self,
Tesia
Theornery,
I look forward, with great excitement and anticipation, to reading your many adventure-stories! Bon Voyage, Bro!
You might try some cold-showering. It fires up the body, mind and spirit! You can read all about it at Tittle8>.
“…I might die tonight!”-CS(YI)
Cheers G!
j
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