Hi Ian, In haste: I am no psychologist, but as I understand it, a conditional or conditioned response is an act that, rather than being spontaneous, is carried out through habit and classically though by no means exclusively, is brought forward from childhood and often powerfully subliminal. Let me give you an example . Let us suppose that as a child you were told to: "Be a good child and eat what is on your plate". If this message is sufficiently persistent, you begin to equate eating all that is on your plate not with hunger, but with being "good" and attracting the approval of your parent(s) or minder. Carried forward inappropriately to adulthood, when presented with a plate of food, you will eat until the plate is clean, not until your hunger is satisfied. Put another way, when presented with food on your plate, the conditioned response is to eat it all, whether or not you are hungry, whilst the natural and spontaneous response is first to ask yourself if you are hungry, then decide whether or not you wish to finish your food. Consequently, because the behaviour is, to a certain extent, inappropriate to the circumstances, the act could be said to be "neurotic". There are those who believe we all suffer from neurosis to some extent and I am inclined to agree, hence the challenge to "let go" and become true to our own nature. I am not sure if the above is a particularly good example but I hope it gets the point across. Make no mistake about it, conditioning is an all-pervasive and very powerful influence in our lives until we first become aware of it and then decide what to do with it. I think there are many who have no idea of the extent to which they live their lives conditionally rather than spontaneously. More to follow . DC -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Ian Sent: Tuesday 13 December 2005 08:14 To: [email protected] Subject: [Zen] Analysis, letting go, conditioning Hi DC
I'm never quite certain what is meant by "conditioning," exactly. When you have the time, I'd be interested on your take on that as well. Or from other list members. Is this used in a precise, technical sense? Or is it a more general idea? Some examples might help. Thanks! Ian >Hi Ian, > >Pleased this was of help. > >Yes I think you are right. First comes the awareness, next the analysis and >lastly the release of conditioning. > >It takes a while to construct these posts and I am rather busy at the moment >but will do my best to reply shortly. > >Best wishes, > >DC > > >-----Original Message----- >From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf >Of Ian Johanson >Sent: Tuesday 13 December 2005 05:26 >To: [email protected] >Subject: RE: [Zen] Should Rich People be Happy? > > > > > >Irrespective of financial wealth, there is a state accessible to most (I > >would like to think), where we can feel at the very least content and at > >best allow happiness and joy to flourish. Through a certain amount of > >self-analysis, I have over the years had the pleasure of witnessing a > >profound change in my perception of the world in which I live; indeed, I >now > >believe that I actually create that world. In order to achieve this, I have > >managed to strip away the conditioning of my past to find underneath a > >spontaneous and joyful appreciation of life that has to date been > >suppressed. "So what did you find?" you might ask, or perhaps, "what > >psycho-emotional construct did you build?" Well actually, I found nothing > >and I built nothing since in truth I believe I have done nothing other than > >"let go". Please correct me if I am mistaken, but it seems to me that this > >approach is also at the core of Zen and the non-grasping mind. > >Very well said, thanks - this is also what I am gradually learning as >well. It is the Third NT, after all: > >"And this, monks, is the noble truth of the cessation of stress: the >remainderless fading & cessation, renunciation, relinquishment, >release, & letting go of that very craving. " > >It's interesting that you mention a certain amount of >self-analysis. Could you expand a bit on that? I'm thinking the >analysis and the letting go, work together. > >Ian > > > >Current Book Discussion: Appreciate Your Life by Taizan Maezumi Roshi > > > > _____ > >YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS > >* Visit your group "ZenForum ><http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZenForum> " on the web. > >* To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] ><mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >* Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of ><http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/> Service. > > _____ > > > >[Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > >Current Book Discussion: Appreciate Your Life by Taizan Maezumi Roshi >Yahoo! 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