Willful Control

by Harry Palmer

This is a powerful exercise for learning to operate from the viewpoint of transcendent will. You may make many tries before the ability becomes effortless. The exercise uses a gradient approach that can be used to dissect associations and habitual behaviors and reduce the influence of the lower realms of will.

Objective: To place behavior under the control of the transcendent will.

Expected Results: Recognition of your own motivational forces and their associations, and the ability to turn them off and on.

Instructions: The exercise is done for five minutes each time and starts with the student sitting or standing quietly. (A coach is beneficial, but not required.)
    After the start, the student may remain still or move anywhere, may do or not do anything, may think or not think about anything, may feel or not feel anything, as long as he or she deliberately originates (either vocally or mentally) the decision to act before acting. Any involuntary thoughts, feelings, or actions (autopilots) discovered should be: 1) brought to a full stop, 2) copied and originated, and then, 3) from source viewpoint, either continued deliberately or turned off.
    The point of the exercise is for YOU, acting as transcendent will, to deliberately control all thoughts, feelings, and actions.
    Any confusion, hesitation, emotion, distraction, or overwhelm is probably a misaligned motivational force (autopilot) arising from a lower realm of will. And even though these misaligned motivating forces may initially seem very strong, bringing to a full stop, deliberately copying, and repeating them will disempower them.

Example: Student begins by standing.

    (Originated decision) “I’m going to walk over to that wall.”
    (Involuntary movement) Student catches himself scratching the left side of his head. (Stops, notes to himself an emotional impulse of uncertainty.)
    (Copies the involuntary movement and originates new decision) “I’m going to scratch the left side of my head and feel uncertain.” (Repeats until the action is under the control of the transcendent will.)
    (Originates new decision) “I’m going to stop scratching the left side of my head.” (Does so.)
    (Originates new decision) “I’m going to look out the window.” (Does so.)

Option: The student can expand this exercise to an even more advanced level by noticing whether the bulk of involuntary behaviors (autopilots) are reactions, emotional impulses, criticisms, or efforts.
    Once this is established, refer to the Realms of Will table to determine what efforts will awaken the next realm of will.

Source:
Basic Will Course pp. 9-10

Online References:
http://www.avatarepc.com/html/basicwill(eng).pdf
http://www.avatarepc.com/