rhollerith_dot_com comments on A Less Mysterious Mindfulness Exercise - Less Wrong

24 Post author: Gabriel 18 September 2012 11:33PM

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Comment author: rhollerith_dot_com 20 September 2012 11:41:22AM *  1 point [-]

I like the basic recommendation (of visualizing thoughts going onto "cards" and then visualizing the cards receding from view) because the habit being practiced seems to carry over into everyday life better than my previous mindfulness practice does. So I think you helped me, OP.

Does anyone else have the following experience? Most of the "thoughts" getting put on imaginary cards are "intentions" rather than "sensory impressions". That is, they are "ambitions not being described in words", plans, "sequences of motor actions" and such rather than sights, sounds, and such. Doesn't the impossibility or nonsensicalness of the idea of putting an intention on a card detract from the exercise? Well, no, because it is kind of similar to what I do when I jot down a to-do item (the difference being that during the exercise I imagine that I do not have to do any mental work to put the intention into words -- nor do I bother to try to visualize words or writing on the card) and because I can subscribe to the fiction that if I were to touch a card, I would instantly "revisit" or be reminded of the intention that had been put there.

Does anyone else find themselves putting intentions on cards?