A Systems View to Life
The 1eye Life-System is designed to guide you on a transformative journey toward becoming the best version of yourself. Just as there are methods for learning to be a doctor or mastering the game of golf, the 1eye Life-System empowers you to tap into the fundamental forces shaping your identity, purpose, and meaning. By truly understanding who you are and where you’re headed, you’ll experience remarkable growth in every aspect of your life.
At the core of this journey is the pursuit of an ideal, driven by a value that emphasizes the importance of who you are, rather than what you possess. While many self-help programs may tout material success, our focus is on fostering virtues such as honor, autonomy, and self-determination. We invite you to reflect on the person you aspire to become and the values that resonate with you.
The key to realizing your ideal self lies in the utilization of an effective system, much like the training methods used by Navy SEALs, the Twelve Step Program of Alcoholics Anonymous, or the Boy Scout Oath. These systems typically involve several components, which we’ll explore further:
- A code, oath, mantra, or mnemonic device
- Visualization
- Emotion
- Affirmation
- Meditation
- Exercise
- Explanation or narrative
Consider how these components were evident in Captain Algren’s journey in The Last Samurai, serving as a blueprint for his transformation. Similarly, the 1eye Life-System incorporates these elements into a streamlined seven-position mnemonic that can be practiced in just over thirty seconds.
Before diving into the specifics of the 1eye Life-System, let’s first explore some examples of other systems to better understand the structure and purpose of our own approach.
The Navy Seal code begins like this…
“In times of war or uncertainty there is a special breed of warrior ready to answer our Nation’s call. A common man with uncommon desire to succeed.
Forged by adversity, he stands alongside America’s finest special operations forces to serve his country, the American people, and protect their way of life.
I am that man….”
And here are, the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous:
We admitted we were powerless over alcohol–that our lives had become unmanageable.
Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
Made a list of persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious
contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
- A Scout is:
- TRUSTWORTHY. Tell the truth and keep promises. People can depend on you.
- LOYAL. Show that you care about your family, friends, Scout leaders, school, and country.
- HELPFUL. Volunteer to help others without expecting a reward.
- FRIENDLY. Be a friend to everyone, even people who are very different from you.
- COURTEOUS. Be polite to everyone and always use good manners.
- KIND. Treat others as you want to be treated. Never harm or kill any living thing without good reason.
- OBEDIENT. Follow the rules of your family, school, and pack. Obey the laws of your community and country.
- CHEERFUL. Look for the bright side of life. Cheerfully do tasks that come your way. Try to help others be happy.
- THRIFTY. Work to pay your own way. Try not to be wasteful. Use time, food, supplies, and natural resources wisely.
- BRAVE. Face difficult situations even when you feel afraid. Do what you think is right despite what others might be doing or saying.
- CLEAN. Keep your body and mind fit. Help keep your home and community clean.
- REVERENT. Be reverent toward God. Be faithful in your religious duties. Respect the beliefs of others.
Speaking of dystopia, if you saw the movie: The Dark Tower you encountered the following training mnemonic:
“I do not aim with my hand, he who aims with his hand has forgotten the face of his father.
I aim with my eye.
I do not shoot with my hand, he who shoots with his hand has forgotten the face of his father.
I shoot with my mind.
I do not kill with my gun, he who kills with his gun has forgotten the face of his father.
I kill with my heart. “
So now we come to the 1eye Mnemonic of Excellence. We will have all the above, and major improvements from neuroscience, sports psychology, and advanced philosophy.
A few points:
The core mnemonic has only twenty-one words that delineate just seven positions and flow so that they are easy to memorize
Each position is life changing.Each position has a micro-exercise or mind shift that you perform as you recite the mnemonic. The entire practice takes about thirty seconds. Obviously more when you are first learning it.
And then there are seven micro-exercises, one for each position. Each one can change your life, and will, if practiced with will and intent.
Also each position is represented by a movie, a scene, or video material that will give emotional power.
You become the system, and it becomes you. Different for each individual, just as a suit of armor and sword must be fitted.
You don’t just read this system, anymore than you would read about flying and then try it. You do it, you practice it.
The 1eye Life-System mnemonic reads like this:
“I am the man in the arena, the martial artist Ronin 1eye, the laughing pirate seeking beauty in a strange world.”
That sounds a little weird doesn’t it? It will make sense as we progress but for now think of the mnemonic as something you would do naturally before any challenge.
First you decide to face the challenge – I am the man in the arena.
And then you become the person who can face it – the Martial Artist
Now you enter the ring or mount the podium with pride – Ronin
To win you access the Void , cease the inner dialogue – 1 eye
And abandon all limitations and inhibitions, – the Laughing Pirate
So that you enter a mind state where all is beauty – Seeking beauty
And you now have the power to be autonomous – Strange World.
..
You’ve now acquainted yourself with various renowned systems and witnessed their potential to foster remarkable transformation in those who are dedicated and put in the effort.
Recall Captain Algren’s journey in The Last Samurai, through which you gained an understanding of the 7 Questions. Take a moment to ponder how he became part of a training system that effectively addressed and redefined his answers to those questions.
I would like you to consider that all of the above systems have something in common. And if that is the case it must mean something?
Now it is your turn. We will go through the 7 Questions as we review the menomic.
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