Mobility

About the Word

One of the primary characteristics of animal life is movement. One’s ability to be mobile allows for a greater variety of experiences—and we humans are the most mobile species on the planet, with the ability to travel through the air, sea, and even into space, with correspondingly greater ranges of experience than are enjoyed by the less mobile species.

The flip side of the coin involves stillness. It is no great triumph for a tree to be still, but for a human stillness brings a special concentration to the movements that cannot be stilled: The beating of the heart, the breathing of the lungs, the flowing of blood in the veins and arteries.

The trick is to find a balance in life between movement and stillness. Movement to bring us to the experiences, stillness to savor and understand them.

Balance impacts the System of Mobility in another way, in that all ancient studies of movement have found that effective, graceful movements rotate around the body’s center of gravity. That center is, of course, located beneath the navel. Thoughts trigger movement, lead us to experiences, and are the result of those experiences. Thus, thoughts—thinking—are also associated with the System of Mobility.

At A Glance

Location of Center	Navel
Statement	I THINK
Associated Field/Inner Aspect	Mental
Interactions	Balances, Coordinates
Tone	D#
Color	Orange
Chakra (for comparison)	Second
Planetary Ruler	Mercury

Beneath the navel is the body's center of gravity. Graceful and effective motions always rotate around this center. Awkward motions do not, although the compensation for the awkward movement--if it doesn't end in a fall--ends with the body's being in balance, after all. The trick is to understand and practice graceful, balanced movements so that one is in control of one's motions.

Because movement brings experiences, and experience brings information, the statement of this System is I THINK, associated with the Mental Field and Mental Inner Aspect.

The Importance of Mobility

Balance is a keyword associated with Mobility, because without it, there is no useful motion. With it, we also find a balance between movement and stillness.

Movement brings us to experiences, stillness gives us time to ponder them; and the experiences give us something to think about. Those thoughts then lead to further movement.

Thought -> Movement -> Experience -> Stillness -> Realization -> Thought is the circular path we follow throughout our lives; and it is the System of Mobility that paves that path.

I THINK

The active intelligence that creates statements of Mobility is in the form of I THINK.

I THINK comes in a variety of forms. I THINK statements are made which apply to the Mental Inner Aspect, the Mental Field, and the System of Mobility. Inner Aspect statements refer to the way the brain accesses or processes information; Field statements refer to experiences and observed facts, and System statements motivate one to newer experiences.

Please note the difference between I FEEL statements (third Field) and I THINK (fourth Field) statements. I THINK refers to beliefs that have not been experienced; I THINK refers to beliefs that have been experienced.

“Facts” taught in schools or by teachers are mostly not directly experienced. One of the confusions in this world is that such information, which is actually a belief, is acted upon as experienced fact. It is a wise (and far more flexible) person who remembers that handed-down information is, at most, a belief, and not a fact.

Examples

Inner Aspect	Field	System
Your thought processes	Your facts	Your motivators
I THINK logically.	I THINK that the Sun rises in the East.	I THINK I need to see the dentist.
I THINK emotionally.	I THINK that two plus two is four.	I THINK I will go on a cruise.
I THINK haphazardly.	I THINK that Mexico is south of the United States.	I THINK I should take a bath.

Why Aren't Experienced Facts Stated As "I know"?

Primarily because our experiences are usually not subjected to rigorous proofs. We may watch the Sun rise in the East each morning, but how East? Dead on, or slightly to the north or south? Is there variation, day by day? And, while our experience tells us that this has happened in the past, we don't really know it will happen tomorrow--that's a belief.

Two plus two is not 4 in base two or base three.

And parts of Mexico lie farther south than parts of the United States.

Mental Inner Aspect

The fourth Inner Aspect is the Mental. This is implemented as the outer portions of the brain.

People have long been puzzled by scientists’ insistence that the brain “holds” the information of our lives. How can it hold so much, we ask? And then, we hear about someone who loses a portion of their brain in an accident or through surgery, and find they have lost some specific ability—the ability to name colors, for example, or to recognize faces—but still seem to remember all the details of their lives. How can this be, if the brain is a container that holds memories the way a drawer holds socks?

The answer is simple. The brain does not, itself, hold anything. It is, rather, a switching device that access information stored in the fourth energy field surrounding the body. That field contains memories, experiences, encoded as field patterns. It is the brain that provides access to that field.

The brain both places information into the field and reads what’s already there. How the brain does its job depends on the wiring of the neurons that make it up; and studies have shown this wiring is affected by some experiences (especially traumatic ones), and the way the brain is typically used. In other words, a musician would typically be able to memorize a new melody more easily than someone who seldom listens to music.

So, your experiences so far, including any injuries you may have suffered, the type of books you read (or if you read), even the kind of work you do, contribute to the structure of the brain and, therefore, the manner in which it stores and accesses information.

Thus, people can say with some accuracy, "I THINK logically" or "I THINK emotionally" or "I THINK better when I'm under pressure."

Exercise 4-a

Write down four Inner Aspect I THINK statements (referring to your thought processes), Mark statements that indicate effective thinking with “I+”. Mark statements that indicate poor thinking with “I-”. Neutral statements may be left unmarked.

Inner Aspect
I THINK
I THINK
I THINK
I THINK

Unhealthy Inner Aspect

If one has an unhealthy third inner aspect, one has trouble storing or retrieving information efficiently and accurately. Forgetfulness, inaccurate memory, and frequent "Freudian slips" are all symptoms of fourth inner aspect problems. "I can't seem to think straight" is what a person with these problems might say.

Energizing your Mental Inner Aspect

Get Enough Sleep

The fact is, most of us have times when we "can't think straight", are muddled, can't focus mentally. Typically these experiences come when we haven't had enough sleep, have had too much to drink, or are distracted by noise or other kinds of stress.

So, to improve the health of one's fourth Inner Aspect--the outer brain--get enough sleep, avoid excessive drinking, and avoid stress.

This is so obvious that it is a wonder that anyone would have these problems. Yet, many of us go on missing sleep, partying, and tolerating enormous levels of stress--in spite of the fact that, could we think more clearly, we could probably get our work done faster and so have more time to sleep; would therefore be under less stress and therefore in need of less partying as a means of release.

The fact is, the effects of insufficient sleep, etc., are so pronounced, and people think so ineffectively in such a condition, that it creates a vicious circle: Not enough sleep causes poor thinking, which causes poor performance, which causes lack of sleep, etc. It won't get better until one finally puts one foot down and makes time for that sleep. Remember, we each need eight hours of sleep a night, and can catch up to up to fourteen hours lost sleep. Once that is made up, you can expect your thinking to be back up to speed.

Challenge the Mind

Since the brain is a dynamic organ whose structure is altered by the way it's used, it makes sense to challenge the mind in order to make it more effective. Reading of any sort improves the brain, but especially non-fiction and science fiction are useful. Learning anything new strengthens the brain. Doing puzzles, especially of the brain teaser sort, is also effective.

Avoid Aluminum

A connection has been shown between cooking with aluminum pots and pans, and the later development of Alzheimer's disease. Certainly, the epidemic of Alzheimer's comes forty years after the introduction of aluminum cookware.

As of this writing, there are some promising treatments on the horizon for Alzheimer's, but none yet in place. Your best bet to avoid it is to avoid the cause. Cook only in iron, stainless steel, earthenware, or Teflon-coated cookware.

Aluminum is all right if it is coated with Teflon or another inert surface--as far as we know!

Mental Field

The fourth Field is the Mental. Since fields hold information in the form of energy patterns, this field holds experiences. You can say "I THINK that..."

Part of learning to work with System Four is distinguishing between what you know and what you believe. Many people think they "know" something (such as the superiority of one of the political parties or religions, or the guilt or innocence of a celebrity on trial) but, in fact, have not actually experienced these things. Beliefs are stored in the Third Field; experiences, in the Fourth.

This is important to distinguish because beliefs are defended emotionally, while experienced information is accessed rationally. As humans, it is normal for us to have to make decisions based on beliefs interacting with experience. We can do this best when we know which items we work with, are which.

Exercise 4-b

Write down four Field I THINK THAT statements (referring to your facts), Mark statements that generally agree with "what everyone knows" with “F+”. Mark statements with which few people would agree, with “F-”.

Field
I THINK THAT
I THINK THAT
I THINK THAT
I THINK THAT

Unhealthy Field

If your memory of events is consistently at odds with the memories of others, this is a sign of an unhealthy Mental Field. The problem is yours if everyone disagrees with you; if only one person does, they have the problem (and our advice is, tape or video record all your dealings with them!).

You will also need to identify whether the problem is in the storage medium (the Field) or the recording/access device (the Inner Aspect). Inner Aspect problems show up immediately ("You said that a moment ago!" "I did not!") while Field problems tend to affect older information more than recently-received information.

Energizing your Mental Field

Never, ever, sleep with TV or radio on. Experiences presented without conscious filtering can be stored as if they actually happened to you!

Keep alert to memories you have of shared experiences, with which many others disagree. Your recording may be faulty. On the other hand, suspect memories you have that everyone seems to share--They may have been absorbed from TV or movies.

Verifiable information, evidence, and experience are the keys to monitoring whether your Mental Field recordings are accurate. If you find that others frequently or consistently disagree with your memory of events, the wise course would be to consider that the Mental Field is in need of strengthening..

Cultivate friends who will tell you honestly what their memory is of shared experiences. One person remembering things differently is not significant, and it is not uncommon for five witnesses to an auto accident to later describe five different accidents. But if you have five friends who remember that you wore red that day, and you remember wearing blue, it is likely that it is your memory that is faulty, rather than all of theirs.

Mobility as a System

To the ancients, there were many principles of movement. The one that all others seemed to follow was the concept of a center from which all other movement radiated. When one contacts this part of oneself, one can move in perfect harmony with one's surroundings. In the Orient, specifically China and Japan, the concepts of movement are taught in Tai-chi and marshal arts of all sorts. These people understand that anyone who masters this art of movement is also a master of the craft of their lives.

Traditionally, this center of balance is located in an area beneath the navel in the human body. When we allow ourselves to experience moving from this area it may feel strange at first. With practice, though, one finds that this is the most efficient and graceful way to move.

We have the ability to move ourselves and the things around us so that we are in harmony with our surroundings. When moving to the beat of a drum we can feel the rhythm that attunes us to others. We are connected to others and all those things in earshot of the beat by its rhythm and flow of sound and vibration. Similarly, we can attune ourselves to our own rhythm and that of our surroundings. Thus, we learn this ability to move from a centered point within us that can harmonize with others and the environment.

Exercise 4-b

Write down four System I THINK I statements (referring to your motivators), Mark statements on which you are likely to follow through with “S+”. Mark statements with which you are unlikely to follow through, with “S-”.

System
I THINK I
I THINK I
I THINK I
I THINK I

Unhealthy System

An unhealthy System of Mobility can be characterized by effects such as these:

• Clumsiness
• Broken bones, stubbed toes, bruises, cuts
• Stated intentions are not followed by movement, or
• Movement precedes intention

An unhealthy System of Mobility is indicated by a break or imbalance in the Thought -> Movement -> Experience -> Stillness -> Realization -> Thought cycle. Thus, intention ("I THINK I will take my bath now") is not followed by appropriate action (the subject gets sidetracked and starts the laundry, or is distracted by something on the TV as he or she passes by and stops to watch). This hallmark of distraction leads inevitably to broken bones, stubbed toes, and all manner of bruises since the mental is not focused on the intended experience.

Energizing your System of Mobility

To improve the health of your System of Mobility, you must learn and practice a discipline that requires concentration and focus in regard to movement. There are several such practices available.

T'ai Chi

Any of the Oriental martial arts will do, but T'ai Chi was designed to be a "moving meditation" and does not require great physical prowess to practice. It also has the advantage of being non-confrontational. In this discipline, the practitioner assumes certain balanced poses, and transforms them into other balanced poses.

Hindu Mudras, Belly Dancing, Hula Dancing

Each of these dance techniques tells a story, requiring the practitioner to remember a fair amount of information accurately.

Gymnastics

If you are already physically fit, or wish to be, gymnastics can strengthen your System of Mobility and your physical body at the same time.

Ballroom Dancing

Also a good form of physical exercise, this method of strengthening the System of Mobility works best for couples.

Finding Your Mobility

Referring to the Systems chart in Workshop Zero, please note that the parabolic plane for System Four extends from a center located beneath the navel.

The Breath of Motion

This breathing technique can be used for a very active meditation; it is also very powerful in strengthening the Fourth System.

1. Stand with feet about three feet apart, toes facing slightly inward, hands on navel.
2. Move from side to side, slowly shifting your weight between your feet
3. Make the sound HO, increasing the volume and frequency as you increase the speed and intensity of the motion
4. After each three HOs inhale; feel the effects of each breath upon your Fourth System and Center.
5. Extend your belly through the sound, pushing it out to fill your hands. Keep repeating HO, HO, HO…

When this is complete stand still and silent and observe the energy present in your naval area. See if you can describe this to yourself and how it feels in your hands.

Do this breathing technique prior to any body postures or body motion exercises or movements. It will assist you to increase your awareness of motion and stillness within spaces.

The Color of Mobility

The color of Mobility is Orange.

This color can be applied to areas or in clothing to uplift a lack of vitality, lack of motivation, uncertainty as to personal direction and an inability to achieve results. Provides support for conditions of arthritis or joint stiffness, constipation, lower back pains. Not good for hyperactivity or alcoholism.

Brings the qualities of discipline and control. Helpful in conditions and problems with the spleen, kidneys and digestive ailments.

Imports the qualities of optimism, self-confidence, enthusiasm and courage. It relates to the part of the body known as the lumbar. It carries the potency of both copper and calcium. The spectroscopic color of calcium is orange. It is useful in the treatment of muscle spasms and cramps.

Orange is very beneficial when placed in areas of creative study. Good for where the family gathers and guests are entertained. Stimulates appetite so is helpful in areas where this is useful.

Orange foods: peaches, tangerines, cantaloupe, mango, persimmons, apricots, oranges, pumpkins and carrots.

Orange stimulates the thyroid gland and depresses the parathyroid. It expands the lungs, has an antispasmodic effect on muscle cramps, aids in calcium metabolism, acts as a emetic, and increases the pulse rate. It does not effect blood pressure. Milk production in the breast of lactating mothers is stimulated after child birth when a new mother wears orange clothing. It also assists the pancreas and spleen in assimilation and circulation.

Conditions that can be alleviated to some degree or another by the use of the color orange are asthma, bronchitis, colds, epilepsy, gall stones, gout, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, kidney ailments, menstrual difficulties, mental exhaustion, prolapsed uterus, rheumatism and arthritis, tumors, both benign and malignant

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