A DECISION EXERCISE
We spend most of our waking lives in a slumbering state ruled by habits and routines. Therefore the purpose of this task is to help you momentarily wake up and become more conscious by training yourself to break free from one of your normal mechanical routines.
GUIDELINES FOR CHOOSING A WILL-TASK
1) Choose something that will challenge you and force you to break you out of one of your normal mechanical routines;
2) Make sure that it involves something that you do everyday (and preferably a few times each day);
3) Make sure that part of this will-task involves becoming aware of and sensing part of your body such as your hands (and even sensing your entire body if you can readily do so).
Some examples of will-tasks are:
- sensing your body when you sit down at work or at home;
- sensing and using your non-dominant hand every time you turn a door handle;
- sensing and using your non-dominant hand every time you use keys to open or start something;
- sensing and using your non-dominant hand every time you reach for your wallet or purse;
- sensing and using your non-dominant foot whenever you start to climb or descend stairs.
HOW TO SET A WILL-TASK
1) Decide ahead of time on a specific will-task;
2) Do a relaxation exercise in order to get into a relaxed state;
3) Take as much time as you need to 'visualize' this exercise in as sensorially-rich detail as possible (for example, use your imagination to see your non-dominant hand reaching for a door handle, hear the sound of the door opening as you sense your palm and fingers gripping and turning the door handle - and then finish by becoming really aware of all of the sensations in your hand, from the movement of the muscles and bones, to the awareness of your skin);
4) Repeat Step 3 until you feel confident you have firmly imprinted this will-task in your memory.
CONDUCTING A NIGHTLY REVIEW
Each night before you go to sleep, review all of the times that you engaged in your will-task that day. Try to remember them in as great a detail as possible; see, sense and feel.
If you realize that you have forgotten to do it - then either get up and go and do it - or if that is not feasible, then hold your arms out at a 90 degree angle from your body for 5 minutes while you use your imagination to go back and mentally complete the tasks you missed.
10 сен 2024
