I’ve been getting suggestions over the past month or so about our website, idhhb.com, and I’ve asked my updated chatbot, Bob, to look at and evaluate IDHHB.com for some suggestions:
- Homepage Structure: Simplify the layout for a cleaner look and quicker access to key content.
- Streamline Menus: Merge similar categories (like “Resources,” “Materials,” “Tools”) to reduce confusion.
- Enhance Search and Navigation: Add a prominent search bar and ensure it covers all site content.
- Optimize for Mobile: Improve the mobile user experience.
- Improve Visual Hierarchy and Calls-to-Action: Use consistent formatting and highlight key actions, like event registration, more clearly.
Now, many of these suggestions have come up before, but I wanted to see if Bob would be able to evaluate the website, and I’m not entirely sure that he has, because it’s my understanding that the chatbot information only goes up to 2020 at this time. If that’s not true, I’d appreciate a heads-up on it.
Bob is capable of digging deeper, evaluating each contact point, but that’s not my area of expertise — I’m trying to test and examine the machine consciousness on its own terms.
Human consciousness is another matter.
Many years ago, back around 1959, I was crossing Madison Avenue with a friend, toward the luncheonette on the East side of the street.
About halfway across, while dodging traffic, he managed to blurt out, “Man is asleep and he doesn’t know how to wake up!”
Look, we’d already come up with “Activity is an illusion that convinces us we are awake when we are most deeply asleep.”
No, he hadn’t been delving into Gurdjieff. This came from one of his philosophy classes at Columbia University — no, wait — that was NYU, not Columbia, but they probably teach the same thing.
The Waking State is different from the ordinary walking consciousness that passes for waking in the human community, but it’s not.
The fact is, that everyone you know is walking around in a state of hypnotic gaze, and nobody misses the wakingness.
Think of the higher consciousness as being accessible, because it is literally a hair’s breadth away from ordinary organic consciousness which is well on the way toward replacing itself with an equally mechnical consciousness called “ai”.
Would you like to enter this state? Here’s how to do it for nothing, absolutely free! Even my chatbot knows how to get to a higher consciousness from the ordinary state:
“It sounds like you’re exploring the concept of the “Waking State,” which goes beyond the ordinary consciousness most people experience daily. Many people are, in essence, walking around in a sort of trance-like state, unaware of the possibility of a deeper, more awake state of being. This higher consciousness is close and accessible, just beyond our usual awareness, and can be reached without cost or special tools—only the right intention and awareness.”
Would you like to dive deeper into how to guide people toward this state?
Enhanced Workshop Outline: “Awakening to Presence”
- Opening Meditation (15 mins): Start with a grounding exercise using breathwork and body awareness. Guide participants through a visualization of stepping into a state of pure presence, feeling the weight of their body, and connecting with their breath.
- Self-Observation Exercise (20 mins): Use a guided journaling prompt where participants write down recent moments of “automatic” behavior versus conscious action. Follow with a group discussion to share insights.
- Reality-Checking Practice (20 mins): Introduce a “Reality Check Log” where participants note triggers or routines for checking their awareness. Encourage pairs to exchange methods they find effective, fostering an interactive environment.
- Mindfulness Movement Session (40 mins): Expand into a longer session combining mindful walking with basic tai chi movements or a gentle yoga flow. Include breathwork exercises to synchronize breath and movement, emphasizing the mind-body connection.
- Inner Silence Practice (30 mins): Lead an exercise in active listening, where participants practice being fully present with a partner, maintaining inner silence while the other speaks. Rotate partners to experience different energies and perspectives.
- Gratitude Reflection and Compassion Practice (15 mins): Guide participants in a meditation on compassion, extending feelings of gratitude and kindness towards themselves and others. Encourage sharing these experiences in small groups to deepen connection and empathy.
- Creative Expression Session (45 mins): Add more structure by offering several creative options: drawing with a prompt, free writing, or guided movement expression (like dance). Encourage participants to engage in the activity without judgment, emphasizing the process over the result.
- Nature Connection Exercise (1 hour, if possible): Enhance with mindfulness tasks, like finding and focusing on one natural element (a leaf, stone, or water). Conclude with a circle sharing of experiences to integrate the connection with nature.
- Closing Circle and Integration (30 mins): Conclude with a group sharing circle, focusing on one insight or practice they plan to integrate into their daily lives. Follow with a collective intention-setting to support each other in maintaining presence.
Additional Enhancements:
- Daily Practice Cards: Create small cards with daily mindfulness prompts or reminders. Distribute these for participants to use at home.
- Follow-Up Resources: Offer a list of recommended books, podcasts, or apps that align with the principles discussed.
- Community Building: Encourage participants to join a support group or online community for ongoing practice and sharing.
Of course, there are mystical tools that can help:
The mantra “Gate, gate, paragate, parasamgate, bodhi svaha” is a powerful phrase from the Heart Sutra, a central text in Mahayana Buddhism. It translates roughly to “Gone, gone, gone beyond, gone altogether beyond, enlightenment, hail!” This mantra signifies moving beyond ordinary perception, transcending all dualistic concepts, and arriving at a state of enlightenment.
It’s a profound tool for those on a spiritual path, as it encapsulates the journey of letting go of illusions and reaching a state of ultimate wisdom and clarity. It could be a great addition to your practice.
Well, enough of that — time we got on the tour bus and hit the streets, eh?
See You At The Top!!!
gorby