I agree whole heartedly with your observation that ignoring cancer doesn’t make it go away. I’ve seen too many examples of this and similar things to argue.

This points out one of the often misunderstood and poorly explored aspects of attention: Unconscious attention.

Just because we ignore something consciously doesn’t mean we aren’t in a constant state of unconscious attention upon it.

The best way to check where these “hidden attentions” are is to simply explore the things we want or don’t want in our lives, or the world, and notice what sort of emotional reaction happens in the body and the subsequent thoughts, beliefs, or behaviors, that follow.

If we do this, and find we are anything but emotionally neutral and open to possibilities or options, then there is definitely some background process running, unexamined.

I share all this not as a prescription, but as an axiom. It’s a starting place.

To the degree that anyone or anything in the world can trigger me, is the degree that I am shackled and enslaved by that.

My goal is complete sovereignty, to choose the directionality of my life.

Daniella, thank you for pouring your heart, mind, and passion into bridging these two worlds. It’s no simple task.

I’ve long straddled the worlds of money and spirituality, and have historically found it difficult to communicate the treasures I find in each to the other.

Recently my wife and I hosted a mini retreat in our home with our spiritual tribe. It was an incredible weekend.

Though I can’t help myself but to make attempts to share the freedoms I’ve found in the worlds they are most resistant to. It’s always a razors edge to keep the conversation productive for all.

However
One morning as I was joining the group for coffee, I was delighted to see one of the young women curled up on the couch with Beyond Money in one hand and her coffee in the other!

We all did end up having breakthrough moments around Bitcoin and the fundamentals of money that weekend.

I’m excited for your next book!

Thank you for the heart and passion you are pouring into this area Daniella. I’ve also long straddled the worlds of money and spirituality and have historically found it difficult to bridge those conversations with my friends from either world.

My wife and I recently had a gathering at our home with a group of our friends who resist any discussion around money. I was so delighted to wake up one morning to gather for coffee and found one young woman curled up on the couch reading Beyond Money! Your book was clearly resonating. So excited for your next.

True elegance comes from refusing excess, clutter, and inelegance.

One thing I love about Nostr is that I can really filter what appears on my screen. I refuse to consume junk or synthetic data.

Having a refined and grounded mental model is too precious to me, I put too much work into it to engage with other peoples trauma expressions. I will engage with the heart of the person, but I will not entertain and encourage their self flagellations, because that what all of that looks like to me.

I love the depth of intelligence and heart that I’m experiencing here with the people I do engage with.

Ha! I like that

I tried all the natural ones years ago, and nothing was ever satisfying, until a buddy (who always smells amazing) taught me about essential oils.

So now I use an oil blend that I make myself. Vetiver, sandalwood, frankincense, and palo santo.
Just a drop of the blend under each arm.

It’s been ten years and I haven’t looked back. I get compliments regularly.

Nostr is often a slow drip.
I love it.
The space and pace to work out my thoughts, and to be able to really hear and feel others.

Love this.
The highest leverage point is the crucible of detached curiosity.

I know exactly what you are saying, my journey in this also started with psychedelics. They are incredible for showing us our "stuff", but without the tools to fully integrate, that stuff is stirred up and clogs the works.

I am happy to share more, to illustrate effective ways of approaching this perspective. Since I first saw this message from you yesterday Damon, I have been making attempts to flesh out my process, but I'll be honest, I'm struggling. At first it seems pretty straightforward, but I realize there are a few base understandings required and definitely a number of possible pitfalls along the way. Each of which only make sense in the moment of actually confronting them.
I spent the first few years working out the basics, and unfortunately falling into some of those pits. I really hope I can help illuminate those along the way for others.

It seems to me the better way to transmit this toolset would be to walk you through a few scenarios, if you're interested and willing?

So I guess that’s all to say, I wish I could help others more, I desire that very deeply. But unless someone specifically asks me for help, the only thing I can do is make sure my oxygen mask is securely on first.

It is painful to watch. Certainly. It can feel really helpless to have to just stand by.

Many years ago I began taking the advice of my mentor in this regard. He would insist that there is only one person in all of the universe, me. Everyone else is a reflection, or a character on the screen of consciousness to reflect back an aspect of myself.

To the degree that the activities, words, or emotional expressions affect me is the exact indication of where I should look within myself. It’s tricky at times, because most reflections don’t necessarily map one to one with my inner terrain, but they are always directional and there is always “something there” when I get honest and quiet enough to really look into the shadows.

Now, is this actually true?
I don’t know and it doesn’t seem to matter, because living from this perspective absolutely works.

I’m still at it. It’s been about 15 years now of using this every day. My inner terrain has completely transformed, my wife (met 7 years ago and is also a navel gazer) has always said I’m the most unflappable person she’s ever known. At first she expressed how frustrating and slightly disturbing it was, that I’m not emotionally reactive. She and her friends interpreted that as uncaring. But eventually she admitted in a moment of quiet relief that it’s actually unsettling because she couldn’t find hooks to manipulate me with.

The first response I get from anyone I share this with is “why do that!? I don’t want to become an unfeeling robot!”
It’s exactly the opposite, my capacity for real connection has grown exponentially. I feel compassion, empathy, connection, love, and all the beautiful and painful feelings far more deeply than ever. They just don’t hook into traumas or triggers anymore, and so they pass through my system in fullness and completion in the moments they happen. It feels like a super power, and yet it’s obvious this is just simply how it’s meant to be.

@Guy Swann did a read, a few weeks back, on how training with synthetic data causes ai model collapse. The obvious parallel is how our mental models are affected by synthetic information.

This concept really stuck with me, I’m still chewing on it like a hunk of rawhide. What exactly is synthetic information when it comes to us humans?

I mean, it’s obvious to spot the slop, but what about derivative conversations with real people in person, is that synthetic?
Or more importantly, what is pure signal? How can I determine what is real or regurgitation?

And you’re absolutely right Contra, the more time I spend looking from this perspective the more repulsive most content is becoming.

https://alwaysthehorizon.substack.com/p/urban-bugmen-and-ai-model-collapse