Consider the above-linked You Tube Playlist (≅100 minutes for first loop)
a foundational element of this course. It is a
tool. Listening to it (or something similar to it) while mentally working thru the below quiz will enhance/hone your ability to learn to
identify your Self and to Go On to become consciously aware of Being.
There are several purposes (more than are explained in
these pop-quiz instructions) designed into this looping 21-song mix-tape.
During the first listen, your
awareness of your Self's preferences, will check some boxes:
🗆 This is the first time I have heard this
song - and,
🗆 I enjoy this song - or,
🗆 I do not enjoy this song.
🗆 I have heard this song before - and,
🗆 I do not mind listening to it again -
or,
🗆 I dislike being forced to listen to it.
🗆 This is a random selection of music.
There is no real reason for their selection or order.
🗆 Occasionally, I notice a connection between
some of the songs. Those connections are all in my imagination, because,
listening to them in-this-order forces me to associate them together
and to assume connections which do not actually exist.
🗆 Every song is related to the one preceding it in the loop. Some of those connections are instantly obvious, others take time to realize.
🗆 Every song is somehow-connected to every other song. The entire loop tells a single story using lyrics, melodies, emotions, rhythm, et cetera.
During repeated listening, you should focus on evaluating your emotions as
they rise into your awareness and then fade from your awareness (to be
soon-replaced with another):
🗆 Happy (as in: pleasurably content,
comfortable, relaxed, et cetera).
🗆 Nostalgia?
🗆 Toe-tapping, leg-bouncing?
🗆 Goosebumps or chills?
🗆 Ecstatic (as in: energized,
dancing or urge to dance, thrilled, et cetera).
🗆 Racing heart?
🗆 Tears-of-joy (or a 'bubbling up inside' urge to cry)?
🗆 Neutral (as in: emotionless, placid,
uninterested, not-worth-your-time, et cetera).
🗆 Dopamine-source(s) asking for your Self to
pay them some attention?
🗆 Uncomfortable (as in: angry, fearful,
bored, confused, disconcerted, pissed-off, et cetera).
🗆 This era of music is not from my era.
🗆 The ethnicity of the musicians are not my
ethnicity.
🗆 The lyrics in the song are too difficult to
understand.
🗆 There are mostly instrumentals and
odd-sounds (or the instrumental breaks are too long).
🗆 I like some of that artist's music, but
this is not a song I'm familiar with. Nobody I know listens to this.
🗆 Why would I intentionally make myself
uncomfortable in order to evaluate the under-lying reason(s) that my Self
decided (back in my distant long-ago and long-forgotten) that it did not like
this music!?
I can answer that one! . . . Because your
current-emotions aren't connected to the long-ago decision-thought(s) which still cause them.
They come from different sources inside your Self. You think that they're one-and-the-same because they (seem) to happen
instantaneously-together. They do not. The separation is rarely distinguishable (less than a fraction of a fraction of a second). Once you recognize the
decision-thought which causes your Self to choose to *feel* a negative emotion
--
if your today-Self does not want to continue to feel that emotion any more
-- you can un-hitch the negative emotion(s) from the decision-thought that originated them. First, you need to contemplate why you experience negative emotions connected to a song. Dig down. Keep asking yourself where the idea came from. Ask, 'why do I dislike this?' If it does not come. That's ok. Keep listening. Keep thinking about your feelings. You don't need to focus on the reasons you like a song.
In the future, you will need to contemplate strong negative emotions related to family members, painful relationships, life-altering experiences, et cetera. That might (will) be difficult. This is just music tastes! Call this: "Introduction to How To Contemplate Your Negative-Feelings".
Hey, professor Veach, since you have already said, 'This is just music and everyone has music they like and music they don't like', why is this quiz important to eventually becoming aware of Self and conscious of Being?
That question almost answers itself. Music preferences are a relatively wide-spread reality in today's culture. Therefore it's a simple issue to take this quiz and immediately be able to realize our preconditioned and self-programmed music tastes. We know how to listen to music and how to know if something new-to-you might "fit" into your current tastes. Now, all you need to do is allow yourself to keep listening to these 21 songs in-entirety. No cherry-picking. No stopping mid-song or mid-playlist. Give yourself 100 minutes and focus on your emotions.
This loop exists as a continuous 100 minute video. Because of US copyright laws, it is only possible for me to send this video-quiz via email. Let me know if you are interested (veachglines@gmail).
Also, it is recommended you use ad-free YouTube Premium and high-quality headphones.
This is a self graded quiz.
Go On:
