February 20, 2025
Principle 2. The Principle of Action and Reaction. Third Week.
“When you force something towards an end you produce the contrary.”
Last time: The Past and Ask About It!
This time: The Present, the Game of Name It, and an apparent paradox.
This Week:
Over the last two weeks we focused on the general structure and implications of the principle, as well as trying to how apply it worked out (or didn’t, or could have) in our past. We also played a game involving asking someone else to give you their point of view on the principle and trying to really listen and understand their answer. That is, not just what they are saying, but what assumptions, beliefs, etc. lie behind those words.
The Present:
This week we look at what the principle could mean in the present moment. Can I discover where this principle might be helpful in my present situation? Can I see where I might violate, or apply the principle. What results might follow in these cases?
I try to focus my reflection by taking the different ambits of my life (friends, family, work, school, internal work, etc.) and asking myself what I want in each of those environments. What I want to achieve often signals where I might try to force things towards my desired outcome. Maybe it’s about trying to get to know someone, or to get that promotion, or to relax, or to be more centred, and so on. Internal goal or external goal the same principle could apply.
The Game of Name It!
The idea of this week’s game is easy, come up with an alternative name and wording for the principle. It should synthesize your understanding of a central aspect of
what it means for you. As in the following example, these personal takes on the principles generally only capture an aspect of the original. Still, like stories, jokes, and anecdotes they seem worth considering.
For Example,
At our previous meeting Hu named this one:
The Principle of Unintended Consequences
“When you force something towards an end you might end up getting what you wanted, but end up not wanting what you got.”
Another might be:
The Principle of Pendulums.
“What goes around comes around.”
Yet another:
When we first talked about this kind of game last year Chris W shared some reflections that I for one found helpful. Both of us focused on the aspect of forcing that has to do with compulsion, which so often has that register of speeding headfirst into things.
Chris wrote “…I got thinking of how the Principle seems to imply some sort of process with a particular “end” and forcing seems to imply doing violence to the process in pursuit of that end by rushing it or applying too much energy. Like over-stretching a muscle or turning the heat to high when cooking and burning the food. This brings us very close to the Principle about pursuing an end but this one seems to emphasize the excessive force that may be compulsively applied when pursuing an end. It also brings to mind an attitude of possessiveness or “grabbing” the end, which paradoxically also inverts (subverts?) the end itself… …Speaking of overkill; here’s a nice version of that song, which seems to be about unnecessary worry — maybe one of the roots of forcing?”.
At the time (in a game of Find It) Chris sent along a song that focuses on the overcharged images and worries that can push us to reckless action even when we know they are illusory.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCZKAxDoUwE
Personal Reflections:
Here’s some raw material that I hope you will find useful in your own reflections.
Before today’s meeting Boldy was mentioning some discoveries he has made about how not to work with the relaxation techniques. He suggested that it might be worthwhile over the next few weeks to re-circulate some related suggestions. Let’s start by exploring an unusual way of approaching that theme of relaxation.
In our last meeting Mark F. guided the experience of The Service in a way I found most interesting, and helpful. I’m referring to his expansion on the opening section as it is written. His comments on those few phrases that are there apparently before we even really start to get into things. Here are my reflections on that same theme.
Don’t Relax!
There are numerous techniques to help one learn to “let go”. Many of you are familiar with our specific relaxation tools, certainly many more are familiar with other techniques, or tricks they have learned in various contexts. Among the things Silo taught us were these three simple exercises. One is for the muscles or external tensions, another for the internal or emotional tensions, and the third specifically for mental tensions. Certainly some of you know those techniques very well. If you don’t already, they are easy to learn. But, let’s not worry about that for the moment.
For now, any relaxation technique will do, or no technique at all.
But I think we learn from The Service that it can be very useful to start my attempts to relax by apparently doing the opposite. We aren’t going to relax but instead we will try to become more aware of our tensions. The first few lines of that experience teach us this paradoxical way of working.
Whoever is guiding the experience begins by saying: “My mind is restless”. But before (and after) repeating that line we need to stop and notice the presence of mental tensions, the obsessive images, the endless inner chatter, the rehearsals of what I should have done or said, the internal arguments, etc.
They then say: “My heart is troubled” and before echoing those words we look and notice the emotional tensions. That is, I try to simply be in the presence of, or acknowledge the fears, anxieties, hopes, guilt, anger, or other climates that currently trouble me.
Finally, the officiate says: “My body is tense”. And in the brief time around my answering I try to focus on the sensations of my body and notice where there is excessive tension. That doesn’t mean think about them but just to gently, softly, and without forcing anything, become aware of what your body feels like.
In that opening moment of The Service I simply try to be more aware of aware of my muscular, mental, and emotional tensions. I don't try to do anything about them, but instead acknowledge them, become more aware of them and focus on the sensations of my body. If you start to exert yourself, struggle with thoughts, etc. simply let go and refocus again on the sensations themselves.
I have found that as I gently become aware of those tensions they begin to let go, and then when I turn to trying to relax them things go much easier.
Coming up:
This week we are considering this principle and how it applies to our present situation. We are also playing the game of Name It. Next week we’ll look at how the principle of action and reaction might apply in the future. We’ll also play a round of Explain It!
All of this is not just in order to deepen our understanding this particular principle, but also to begin to reflect more deeply and rigorously about our daily behaviour.
Worth Repeating:
“Only rarely do I perceive reality in a new way, and it is then that I realize that what I normally see resembles sleep or semi-sleep.”
Silo, Inner Look 6:2
Remember
The Principles are sometimes called Principles of Valid Action. A valid action produces a feeling of internal unity.
It is meant to enhance the well being of others. It feels right, and when looking back at my actions it seems like something I want to repeat in the future.
Note:
These notes have been posted on Facebook and sent to our email list, and thanks to Fernando Aranguiz on my website www.dzuckerbrot.com
