Orienting by Desire
When you are in territories without maps, it is only by your Desire that you can orient. The best orientation on the Left Hand Path comes from having a clear sense of what you want at the present moment and what it is you are facing. Doing so will allow you to integrate the material in this series as a meaningful guide to your overall Work. It will allow you to focus your mind in a manner that will allow you to change yourself internally and change your circumstances externally.
The first exercise is simple.
Step 1.
On a blank sheet of paper, write out nine goals you have for yourself and nine problems you are facing. Do not take too much time with this, going no longer than five minutes. Keep the descriptions in sentence form, preferably three to five words that someone else would understand if they read it.
Do not worry about getting them perfect or complete at the present moment. We will re-work and reiterate them throughout this series, allowing you to refine and find greater nuance.
Step 2.
Now, you will gradually evolve your language around these topics and give them some additional considerations.
On a new list, write on the topic “Visions.” Read over your goals and start thinking about them as Visions of who you want to be, how you want to interact with others, and what you want to have. Make these tangible outcomes as much as possible rather than for subjective states like “Happiness.” If “happiness” is a Vision you have for yourself, write out the things you think would make you happy rather than the emotional state. Then do the same on another sheet, writing “Challenges” and bringing over a more developed version of those things you previously labeled “problems.”
Step 3.
One of the more practical models for understanding humans is Dr. Paul MacLean’s Triune Brain Theory. MacLean identified three separate structures in the Human brain, with analogies to other life forms. The most primitive section, associated with the brain stem, deals with purely physical sensations and is termed the reptile brain. The middle section, which deals with emotions and is sometimes called the Limbic System, is termed the mammalian brain. Finally, the neo-cortex, which deals with logical thinking and human cognition, is termed the human brain in this model.
The Physical, Emotional, and Intellectual systems are running all the time for us internally. The Physical Brain is interested in survival, physical health, and well-being. The Emotional Brain has an interest in emotional happiness. The Intellectual Brain has an interest in mental satisfaction.
In addition to this division being useful internally, it can also be applied externally. The External Physical can include material success, personal ecology, tangible assets, and the like. The External Emotional takes the form of community and relationships. The External intellectual comes from collaboration and meaning-making in the realm of culture.
Take a look over your Visions and Challenges. How can these be developed if you consider them from the standpoint of the Triune Brain model? On a new sheet of paper, make three rows and two columns. Mark the rows as “Physical,” “Emotional,” and “Intellectual.” Mark the column on the left as “Internal” and the right as “External.” Then, take your Visions and Challenges and place them in the area that they were most resonant with. Again, do not worry about making perfect matches; just place things where they seem most appropriate at the moment.
What you have before you may be the first significant attempt at orienting yourself by your Desire. Congratulations, you are now better armed to face the challenges of life than most humans have ever been or will ever be. Hold onto this sheet, as we will be coming back to it.
Setemheb 