Disconnecting from the Lizard Brain, and allowing the Human Brain to work.

All feelings and judgments have their origins in the Lizard Brain. These prejudgements and pre-feelings taint observations that are being made in the Human Brain. They discolor our perspectives. It is like looking at the world with rose-colored glasses. When this happens, the world is not seen as it actually is.

The Lizard Brain deals with the three F's: fear, food, and procreation. So when you observe, you don't want to allow yourself to let fear, hunger, or sex come into your observation. Can you look at a sandwich without thinking how hungry you are? Can you just look at the shape and the texture of the bread? Can you see the bubbles in the bread? Can you see the water in the tomatoes without thinking about how they would feel between your teeth, "I hate tomatoes." or "I am a carnivore. Who put these tomatoes in my sandwich?!", or "I am on a Gluten free diet." or "How many calories are in that sandwich?" What we are doing here is observing the sandwich, we are not making judgments during this period of observation. We are temporarily disconnecting from the Lizard Brain. We are not worried if the glass is half full or half empty. We are observing the glass and what is in it, whether this is water, air, or wine.

The Human Brain takes in information and processes it. When it is receiving noise from outside or inside, it is very difficult for it to observe what the noise is properly. This noise can be from other people, "Ewh! How ugly!" This can be from within ourselves. "How did you ever get yourself into this situation, and how do you plan on getting out?!" This can be from our history or culture "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." This noise can be from our shamans.. it can be from our boss. It can be from a traffic light "Walk sign is on", or "Walk sign is off". A young man said, "Stop all the dancing or I'll have to leave.." This was because of the noise from all of the feelings from watching the dancing girls that he could no longer function. The lizard brain was making so much noise that he could no longer function)  

The purpose of observation is to isolate the noise coming from just one source. With no Lizard Brain making kibitzing comments on how to feel, think, and respond to this noise. This focusing on just one thing visual, auditory, sensual, or spatial at a time allows you to observe without the fight or flight kneejerk reaction blemishing your perspective. If you are watching a live performance on stage, if alien spaceship land in the audience, usually you will have a hard time paying attention to the performance. 

We can only keep our focus on one thing at a time. The sickness and disease that come from this unwanted stress are the result of us losing focus in life. We have so much information coming in from so many sources that we are not able to dodge the mountains coming at us. These mountains started as molehills, and now they are mountains. 

In kung fu fighting the most important practice is to shut out the noise and focus on your opponent. You do not just focus on your opponent's toe, you observe the entirety of your opponent's existence. You do not make judgments or decisions on what they will do next. Your observation of them will allow you to make the proper response to their advance. If you do not already know what to do, it is too late.

In observing the world, we treat our own lives as a fighter in kung fu would observe an opponent. We need to be trained in how to respond long before the event occurs. What we are doing in this series of lessons is teaching you how to respond to different situations in life. Every one of these responses will require that we have strong power of observation.  If you're playing the stock market and you are just watching one or two stocks, hoping for them to go up or down, and making decisions on their value or lack of value, you could lose billions because you can't notice the correct pattern.

Noise is information coming in that has no immediate relevance to you. ex. There are 10 people speaking on the stage, and each one is speaking in a totally different language. The one that is speaking your language is the only one that is relevant to you. The rest are noise. You get in your car and start it up and the radio starts playing on a station that your grandpa was listening to and you scream "What is this noise!" And then you turn it to your favorite station. All of this noise comes into your head. Whether visual, tactile or through sound. Some are important to you at the moment, and the majority merely distract you. The ones that distract you are just noise. 

We will now sharpen your powers of observation and your ability to shut out unnecessary noise. This is difficult and uncomfortable to do, but you will be safe, you will improve quickly, you will see things that you never thought existed, you will hear what you have never heard before, and you will feel things that you have never felt before, You got this.

Relaxing on back.

Feeling your world with your breath.

Let's work with our visual powers of observation. 

Put yourself in a very comfortable sitting position. This can be in a busy street, in the woods, on top of a mountain, in a park, in a busy restaurant, or in any situation with a changing environment. We will do this for only ten minutes at a time.  More than this can elicit too much anxiety to begin with. We will be using ear plugs to eliminate audible noise during the exercise. Observe what is. The smallest speck of dust, the most insignificant bird, the wispiest cloud, the most intense color, and the most neutral color. Do not make any judgments. Do not be afraid. You are safe. Do not be hungry as you will continue to live. Do not run to the bathroom (you can walk and continue the exercise.) Stay focused. Once the allotted time is over, return to a previous pose, feel your breath, and be kind to yourself. Pick up your journal and write one to two paragraphs of the first things that come to your mind. It doesn't matter what these things are. You are safe and amazing.