* Witnessing the Thought Machine * in Just Stuff

Set a timer to go off in five minutes.

Sit with an object before you–a flower, a tool, or anything that is small
enough to take completely within a single gaze. Have the intent to think
new things about this object. Whatever your brain can come up with about
this object is fine–just keep thinking about it.

Watch your mind as it produces thoughts about this object as you gaze
easily at it. If your eyes wander or your mind wanders, bring yourself back
to the object and then let go again.

Do this a few times this week. Watch how this works with the various
states-of-mind you bring to it.

Ask yourself,
How strong is my ability to create new thoughts? Am I amazing or what?

What is the long term payoff to applying this process as a regular
discipline to problems I need to solve?

What is my emotional response to the utter complexity and detailed nature
of every object in my environment? Am I comfortable with the fact that I
will never know everything about life with as much detail as I have just
gathered about this object?

What is the payoff to applying this process to studying my loved ones?

How much of an effort was this–really? Was it only a sitting down and
watching process, or was it a constant process of reaffirming my intent to
do the experiment? How many times did I have to “make myself” do this?

If I spent 30 minutes a day thinking in the manner about aspects of my life
that DO matter to me, what would the results be six months from now?

What does the phrase “what I put my attention on grows” mean to me now?

The next time I have a negative emotion, will I put my attention on it?

Regards,
Rick