Here's a fix - or at least the beta version of a fix. I'm calling it Meta-Minutes, and it's optional for anyone in groups 3 and 4 and for Intro students. Students who want to be in group 1 or 2 are required to pick a Meta-Minute routine and do it at least once a day. Mornings and/or evenings are useful times for this.
The idea is loosely based on the book Mind Chi. You don't have to buy the book, you can get all the information you might want directly from their site, they're sharing openly. Mind Chi uses a set of 8 very simple exercises that you have to do for only a minute at a time, in a specific order. It's important with this that you do these 8 minute exercises for at least 30 days in a row, without missing a day, or you get to start over. It works surprisingly well.
However, what we're trying to learn here is the meta - so I've adapted the Mind Chi method to meta-exercises. There are two sets of them: a set of Meta-Minutes directed towards your belt level, and a set of Meta-Minutes directed towards building your first (and later second and third) mind. Anything under green belt doesn't have to worry about the latter.
* * *
Method is simple. You get a beeper and set it to beep every minutes for 12 minutes. Then every time you hear a beep, you move on to the next exercise. The first set of three (--> start) and the last set of three (--> end), everyone does. Then depending on your belt level, you pick two sets in the middle, so that you have a full 12-minute routine. If you are a white belt, you only have to do 6 minutes. If you are a yellow belt, you should do yellow-prep and yellow. If you're a yellow belt but close to orange, you might do yellow and orange-prep, etc. Always pick subsequent sets, so not yellow and blue-prep because it sounds cool. If higher-belt exercises don't make sense to you, don't worry.
--> start
[1. BREATHE] - Just spend a minute breathing deeply, into your guts, to where your belly actually gets big and fat.
[2. FOCUS] - Pick something to focus on and focus on it
Every time you find your thoughts wandering, count one more on your fingers and go back to your thing.[3. SWEET] - Self-explanatory. Do it right, tho.
--> end
[1. SELF-AWARE] - Look inside and pay attention to what's there. Just be aware of what you're thinking, feeling, anything.
[2. CHOOSE] - If there were things in the previous step you didn't like, you can fix them here! If there's anything in your life you don't like, choose to do it different.
[3. GRATITUDE] - Be grateful for the things in your life that is good and wonderful and happy and that you feel lucky to have.
yellow-prep
[1. FEEL] - Get in your guts and feel anything and everything that's in there. Just feel.
[2. 10 POSITIVES] - Pick one random object, and find at least 10 positive things about it.
[3. IDEAL SELF] - Picture your ideal self, the way s/he looks, attitudes, skills, jobs, accomplishments, emotions, anything. Make it real to you.
yellow
[1. Holy Child] - Create the energies of it and make them strong. Also check on your root structure while you're there.
[2. PFNs & Joy Centre] - Yes, both.
[3. CHILD] - Talk to the child parts of yourself in your guts. Ask if there's anything it needs, feed it or hug it or play with it, whatever makes sense to you.
orange-prep
[1. FUNDAMENTAL] - Pick one random object/person, and scan out the surface of it, then look under the surface and find the fundamentals.
[2. RULES] - Review your last 24 hours and see where you were responding from rules. Imagine how you would have acted if the rule had not been there.
[3. COUNSEL] - Imagine someone who needs help, scan out what this (imaginary) person needs to hear, and tell them that. Help them.
orange
[1. CONNECT] - Go over all the 1st mind energy centres you have so far and connect the dots. Make sure energy is moving through all of them.
[2. SELF] - Find your Integrity Self in your guts, hold that energy and make it strong.
[3. GIFT] - Intentionally use the gift set (sourcing, sensing, shaping) you have chosen to focus on.
green-prep
[1. LINES] - Look for lines between you and other people and cut them.
[2. ENVIRONMENT AWARE] - Pay attention to your environment, anything you hear/feel/smell/perceieve. Just be aware.
[3. HEART-SWEET] - Self-explanatory.
green
[1. NOT YOU] - Scan throughout your entire body and aura for energies that are not yours. Let them go.
[2. TOTEMS] - Check in with the animal totem you are currently working with, or one that really wants your attention.
[3. GIVING] - Imagine what you could realisticly give to others in the coming 24 hours, and imagine doing so. Doesn't have to be physical giving.
blue-prep
[1. YES] - Say yes to as many things in your life as possible. Don't use negatives in your thoughts this minute, like "don't, no, can't," etc.
[2. SPEAK] - Find all the things you wanted to communicate in the last 24 hours but didn't. Imagine saying them, and phrasing them healthily.
[3. DOMINANCE] - Imagine some people you interact with on a daily basis, and check their emotional age and meta-size verses your own. Imagine how you can help them.
blue
[1. ADDICTION] - Find places in your life where you are still addicted to something - can be an emotion, behaviour, interest, object, person, etc.
[2. CRITTERS] - Look around for some. Deal appropriately.
[3. FORGIVENESS] - Find people in your life that you are carrying a grudge against. Use the steps to appropriate forgiveness.
* * *
And the meta-mind ones: if something doesn't make sense to you, don't do it. Just stick to the exercises above. If it does make sense to you and/or you're a green belt (wannabe), you can do one set in the morning and the other in the evening.
1st mind (Orange belts and up)
[BREATHE]
[1. HOLY PUMP]
[2. PFN's]
[3. JC]
[4. SELF-SWEET]
[5. COMs]
[6. 3RD]
[CASTLE]
2nd mind (Blue belts and up - most won't make sense to you, don't worry.)
[BREATHE]
[1. 3RD PUMP]
[2. SAI]
[3. RC]
[4. HEART-SWEET]
[5. TC]
[6. 5TH]
[CASTLE]
* * *
This is a useful tool to remind you when the minute is up. Of course you can also use timers and beepers on your computer or phone. Sytske found a nice cooking timer that works on android.
