Distraction as a shamanic tool

[Julio Juliopolis]

I'm looking for ideas about the concept of distraction. I'm hoping to get a better understanding of it. I guess I'm wondering the following...
1. What exactly is does it mean to say I'm being distracted? What is happening at that time?2. Why do people feel a need to seek out distractions by watching TV shows, ect.?3. I seem to experience distraction the moment before falling asleep. Is this true for everyone? Is it a necessary component of falling asleep?4. Most importantly, what are the ways in which I can use distraction, (of myself)? Is there something shamans typically do with it? Anyone have any experiences with it for a purpose they care to relate?
Thanks in advance to anyone who answers!

[serloco]

The knowledge of falling asleep can be made fluid and aligned into the fashion you desire.

For myself distracting ones attention creates fluidity and change. I remember being tortured by iobs and they were in my head. The more I paid attention to this the greater the torment. Once I distracted my attention then I could move onto something else. It really brings like to the saying PAYING attention. Attention is a fuel and by distracting it you bring something new into focus.

[Guest]

Holy cr.ap. Serloco said exactly what I was planning to share.

Uh, I guess I'll add the mundane portion since Serloco covered the spiritual aspect. I watch TV occasionally to tune into any omens and use it to help me gain a new vision. Ah, and being the distraction helps move the vision from where a person was looking. Sometimes being a distraction helps to support or validate what someone was curious about too. The best reason I can think to use distractions is the point Serloco touched on--to bring detachment and balance to the self.

[DoktorGreen]

Some people say that ritual components and applied discipline are to distract/occupy the mind while the spirit slips past. Hey maybe we can learn to distract the Eagle and slip by without all this work??!! JJ, when I'm ready to pass on, you moon him so I can get away!
Dok

[serloco]

Hey I guess the saying great minds think alike is true!

I wouldnt advise that intent Doc. Although if you did it impeccably who knows right? Personally I wouldnt want to scam the Eagle, He might not like that intent and he is the one who supposedly created awareness and so you would have to get up pretty early in the morning to pull one over on Him.

[Julio Juliopolis]

Great suggestions so far. I'd never thought about using distraction to be more fluid before. I can certainly see how it could work.
Dok I can just hear Don Juan's response to that... "You mean after all those years of discipline, after all that time spent recapitulating every ^&*% moment of my life, after struggling to detach myself from everything I knew and loved, I could've just had someone moon the &%*$ eagle!!!!!"

[watergaze]

Julio Juliopolis wrote:1. What exactly is does it mean to say I'm being distracted? What is happening at that time?
one of two things can be happening. 1) you cannot keep your focus enough due to lack of energy or discipline etc. - a kind of negative thing 2) you are being guided to something else for your benefit (more scenarios possible here, for example, you notice something important or not notice something that would not prove beneficial) - something positive
I guess more options are possible 3) you are blocked due to one reason or another to pursue the thing you wanted (why? more options possible)
The difference may be recognized if you observe the signature/stamp/feel of the event distracting you. Or the feeling just before distraction happens.
JJ wrote:2. Why do people feel a need to seek out distractions by watching TV shows, ect.?
this si too broad to answer . TV shows etc do not have to be a distraction. If they are nothing more than that then I would say some people need activities like this to balance, decompress. Other times it is just because they are bored and lazy and incapable of amusing themselves, making their own entertainment.
For example, I use stories to learn - it is not a distraction
or I use them for omens (like Kao) - not a distraction
or I watch them when I am feeling ill or my body hurts - guided/intentional distraction
or I use them as a way to enjoy myself and the fact I have free time and can do any of the above heh - maybe and maybe not a distraction
or if I want to stop thinking about something and do not feel like doing anything focused or use effort to accomplish it - then it is a purposeful distraction
or ... or...
JJ wrote:3. I seem to experience distraction the moment before falling asleep. Is this true for everyone? Is it a necessary component of falling asleep?
you know for yourself almost nothing is the same for everyone . Trick question? A distraction? -- distraction can be purposeful also sometimes people show more of who they are when they are distracted. it is a valid stalking method . You give the person something to focus on while you observe (etc) unnoticed . For example, I noticed that going to the movies might be one of the best ways how to connect with a person. Their attention is on the movie, they relax and are unawares etc and I can feel their larger being much easier (damn now I can't use this on any of you cause you just won't behave the same way after reading this).

Elaborate please on being distracted while falling asleep. I am not sure of your meaning. Do you mean just that you stop being aware of yourself for a moment or do you mean you have a hamster running around with your thoughts or that you think of random stuff?
JJ wrote:4. Most importantly, what are the ways in which I can use distraction, (of myself)? Is there something shamans typically do with it? Anyone have any experiences with it for a purpose they care to relate?I gave some examples above and I would have said what Kao and serloco said too , I did in a way too.
Sometimes one needs to move a bit further from stuff or forget one's focus to come back to it wiser. That is maybe what I'd also consider a shamanic distraction . Fact of the matter is we process in more ways than the mind realizes.
Sometimes what people call procrastination is just waiting for things to fall into place and while waiting for that one needs to/can do other things (or course there are many other possible, even more probable, reasons why procrastination happens).

[Julio Juliopolis]

watergaze wrote:Elaborate please on being distracted while falling asleep. I am not sure of your meaning. Do you mean just that you stop being aware of yourself for a moment or do you mean you have a hamster running around with your thoughts or that you think of random stuff?
Well, for this thread I didn't mean distracted by something, just distracted as in losing one's focus on stuff. "Stop being aware of yourself for a moment" is a good way to put it. Like if you were working on homework and stopped to daydream. I'm not referring to being distracted by the daydream or even away from the homework... I'm referring to the couples seconds after the daydream ends before you realize you're sitting there staring at the wall. That kind of distraction, where the mind is off and you didn't notice it went off.

[rosygyro]

some people think about mathematics, washing and pressing clothes, roadkill bullfrogs etc.. during sex
so as to prevent premature climax.- hope that helps.

[glance left]

LOL...jesus.

Here's a borrowed quote from a quote from SelfHealedMadman a few years ago....I think it's from Power of Silence.

"You've correctly applied the fifth principle of the art of stalking" she said. "Don't let yourself wander away."

"What is the fifth principle?" I asked.

"When faced with odds that cannot be dealt with, warriors retreat for a moment," she said. "They let their minds meander. They occupy their time with something else. Anything would do"

Thus, the power of using "distraction" as a viable tool, as mentioned above by y'all. Interesting, though, DJ telling CC to not let himself "wander away". The key to keeping distraction contained and purposeful is by upholding a modicum of awareness....of insight. To know when to pull oneself back on task.

I've a lot to learn from this one

[glance left]

Or wait....it says "she said". I think it was the nagual female, Florinda, talking to CC. Sorry...just assumed it was DJ

[Guest]