Quote:Questions:
1. Now that I'm familiar with the Silly Little Finger Exercise, though unsuccessful, should I progress further in the book, continuing to do the SLF exercise?
2. After I've done the 3DRB, energy gathering etc. and gotten familiar with my finger, I'm asked to do the 3DRB etc. again. However, I've still got some energy flowing. What am I supposed to do with that?
1. Yes, continue progressing through the book, and I think just being familiar with the concept of the SLF exercise is ok. You understand the fundamentals of it. I still periodically practice the SLF exercise just as a way of reinforcing the basis of that concept in my mind.
2. Let it flow and do its own thing while you move on. You don't have to fix your attention on it. You can move on in the book. I've found that with good, solid practice of the 3DRB and the energy gathering that it becomes a thing with a life of its own without me having to concentrate on practicing it. In other words, once I get really good at making it flow, it's as if I can kind of "sit back" and observe it happening.
That tells me that I'm in a good, relaxed altered state. I see the 3DRB and energy gathering as a way of distracting the conscious mind (the part of us who wants to be in control of everything) and allowing it to relax and let go, while also giving our subconscious a chance to take center stage. To me, that's the benefit of this light altered state. Even without using these exercises as a stepping board for other nonphysical exploration, it serves well as a very relaxing meditative state of being to really take the edge off of the Beta state of mind.