This question has been on my mind for quite some time: the Cs have advised us to avoid anticipation, in the sense that we shouldn't close our minds to the open nature of the future - many things can happen that we don't know about, and even if we have an idea about general trends, the details can turn out to be radically different than what we anticipated. In a sense, by anticipating, we "restrict the flow" by fixing an outcome in our minds, which can lead to trouble in many ways. Or so I understand it (and experienced it as well).
Now I wonder whether indeed by anticipating, we actually reduce the probability of an event? If true, that would be very tragic because we humans usually tend to anticipate positive outcomes (that make us feel good). But the universe seems to be rather allergic to such "positive" anticipations, and tends to send the proverbial billboards on our heads to show us it doesn't work that way. From personal experience, I have the impression that the good stuff tends to happen when I didn't anticipate it at all and vice-versa. To an extent, this is part of folk wisdom I think: for example, people say if you anticipate this glorious vacation for months, it will likely turn out not so well, or if you dream about meeting the perfect partner and imagine it in every detail, it won't happen etc. Personally, there are many examples like that in my life I think.
So, if true, can we use this somehow? I think one aspect of the Work is to break free from some thought patterns that most humans engage in habitually, like anticipating positive outcomes. So what I do sometimes is that I anticipate a negative outcome and try to observe how it makes me feel. I then try to embrace it, to "be okay with it", kind of: "If this happens, maybe it would be a good lesson. I could handle it. Bring it on!" Of course, it's important to really mean it with my whole being, I can't just pretend it while secretly anticipating another outcome! Just to give an example: I do this sometimes when I deliver some work, and I imagine a scenario where the other is totally dissatisfied with my work and I have to redo everything. Or when I'm doing manual work, I tell myself "Oh, if this screw falls down, that would be fine. I will just pick it up!" instead of going "this must work now without me losing the screw!" or anticipating the finished work. And sure enough, it seems that it often works!
Well, maybe I imagine all that and my perception is skewed by such thinking, and even if it's true, maybe it has more to do with the kind of mindset I get into when doing things. But then again, if we assume that there are planes where thoughts and reality are more closely related than here in 3D, maybe mindsets and future outcomes are very closely related as well?
Also, I think the devil is in the details - I'm not talking for example about imagining terrible and unlikely scenarios such as the death of loved ones or some imaginary catastrophe. As Gurdjieff said, we can even become addicted to such thoughts and negative daydreaming, to bathing in virtual suffering. This is a huge energy drain and should be avoided. I'm more talking about things that make us feel truly uncomfortable, places in our minds we would like to avoid - and then going there consciously, and eventually "becoming okay" with those places.
So, do you think anticipating a specific outcome reduces the probability that it will actually happen? If so, does that mean that not only should we be very careful with what we anticipate, but that we can use this in the context of the Work by consciously and carefully "going through negative outcomes" with our minds, bodies and feelings, embracing them in a "bring it on" kind of spirit? Does that lead to those events becoming less likely - not because we don't want them, but as a side effect of us being prepared mentally and emotionally for them?
Thanks for reading and I hope I made sense.
Now I wonder whether indeed by anticipating, we actually reduce the probability of an event? If true, that would be very tragic because we humans usually tend to anticipate positive outcomes (that make us feel good). But the universe seems to be rather allergic to such "positive" anticipations, and tends to send the proverbial billboards on our heads to show us it doesn't work that way. From personal experience, I have the impression that the good stuff tends to happen when I didn't anticipate it at all and vice-versa. To an extent, this is part of folk wisdom I think: for example, people say if you anticipate this glorious vacation for months, it will likely turn out not so well, or if you dream about meeting the perfect partner and imagine it in every detail, it won't happen etc. Personally, there are many examples like that in my life I think.
So, if true, can we use this somehow? I think one aspect of the Work is to break free from some thought patterns that most humans engage in habitually, like anticipating positive outcomes. So what I do sometimes is that I anticipate a negative outcome and try to observe how it makes me feel. I then try to embrace it, to "be okay with it", kind of: "If this happens, maybe it would be a good lesson. I could handle it. Bring it on!" Of course, it's important to really mean it with my whole being, I can't just pretend it while secretly anticipating another outcome! Just to give an example: I do this sometimes when I deliver some work, and I imagine a scenario where the other is totally dissatisfied with my work and I have to redo everything. Or when I'm doing manual work, I tell myself "Oh, if this screw falls down, that would be fine. I will just pick it up!" instead of going "this must work now without me losing the screw!" or anticipating the finished work. And sure enough, it seems that it often works!
Well, maybe I imagine all that and my perception is skewed by such thinking, and even if it's true, maybe it has more to do with the kind of mindset I get into when doing things. But then again, if we assume that there are planes where thoughts and reality are more closely related than here in 3D, maybe mindsets and future outcomes are very closely related as well?
Also, I think the devil is in the details - I'm not talking for example about imagining terrible and unlikely scenarios such as the death of loved ones or some imaginary catastrophe. As Gurdjieff said, we can even become addicted to such thoughts and negative daydreaming, to bathing in virtual suffering. This is a huge energy drain and should be avoided. I'm more talking about things that make us feel truly uncomfortable, places in our minds we would like to avoid - and then going there consciously, and eventually "becoming okay" with those places.
So, do you think anticipating a specific outcome reduces the probability that it will actually happen? If so, does that mean that not only should we be very careful with what we anticipate, but that we can use this in the context of the Work by consciously and carefully "going through negative outcomes" with our minds, bodies and feelings, embracing them in a "bring it on" kind of spirit? Does that lead to those events becoming less likely - not because we don't want them, but as a side effect of us being prepared mentally and emotionally for them?
Thanks for reading and I hope I made sense.