Transformation by a code or mnemonic is actually quite common, and we will make one the heart of our life system. Let’s look at a few examples first.
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 goes on from there.
Here are the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous:
And the Boy Scout Code: has 12 points also:
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.
If you saw the movie: The Dark Tower you encountered the following training mnemonic:
I so 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.
Now it is our turn. The world about us is going to hell. We walk through madness and dystopia. The feeling is so well expressed by W. B. Yeats.
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.
We need a system that will train us to withstand this onslaught of madness. We need, affirmation, visualization, and motivation. These must be used in a regular and specific manner. Here, were drawing on neuroscience, sports psychology, martial arts, and various other fields.
You will recite a twenty-five word mnemonic that is an affirmation on its own, and each of the clauses represents a position, and has a visualization to go with it. For the most part these visualizations come from movies, and so we will hijack their emotional force and use it for change.
That’s pretty novel, but what I haven’t seen elsewhere in much study is the use of specific mini-exercises as you recite the mnemonic.
Summary: You recite the mnemonic, have visualizations and motivations, and these are strengthen with “exercises.”
Here we go:
I AM THE MAN IN THE ARENA: Whose daily life, and its problems, are training to be…
THE MARTIAL ARTIST: Whose training, discipline, and values make him a..
RONIN: Who writes his own script, and drives it with the power of
1eye, The silent knowledge and intuition that allows the performance of the
LAUGHING PIRATE: Which is the mental state generating maximum performance for..
SEEKING BEAUTY: Of which there is no limit.
IN A STRANGE WORLD: Now perceived as beyond previous classifications
AND GRATEFUL: For all the sights and experiences
FOR THE ADVENTURE:, And all its difficulties
Now we have a rough idea for our movie. We story board it out along these nine positions.
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Give that a little thought, and you can almost imagine the movie. Even more, with a little effort you can see this as the basic plot of all the movies you have enjoyed in the past. Lets consider two of them; Star Wars and The Matrix.
1.They leave their ordinary life to fight in an arena.
2.They learn a combat art requiring training and discipline.
3.They develop a separate identity from their ordinary one.
4.And they develop a super power.
5.They can perform incredible feats because of their mental state.
6.They find the world about them to be stranger then they had imagined.
7.Their path leads them to meaning.
8. Which creates deep gratitude.
9.Their stories certainly are an adventure
Now write out the following:
I am the man in the arena, the martial artist Ronin 1eye, laughing pirate seeking beauty in a strange world, and grateful for the adventure.