Thursday, August 14, 2008

Nontheistic Energy Work Technique 1: Super-Green

Originally published in Rending the Veil Volume II Issue 5 (Lughnasadh 2008)

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Most of us have places to be, and must traverse public roadways to get there. A handy tool to facilitate these commutes is a technique we call “Super-Green.”

Super-Green encourages traffic patterns to be favorable to your transit: other vehicles will “magically” maintain drama-free, orderly procession; traffic signals will be green for you when you need them; your route, with practice, may even “fold” so that you can shave minutes off your commute time.

This technique is most effective when used with a locus, either physical or verbal, to reinforce the objective to the aspects of personality before the trip begins. Otherwise, Super-Green can remain in effect on a typically traveled route, but will begin to “stale” and become erratic and unpredictable if not refreshed.

Also, when using Super-Green, it is very important to recognize when the technique is “failing” for your own good, such as catching a red light just before an ambulance comes racing through on the cross street, or being forced to slow in traffic moments before you spot the officer at the speed trap.

Preparation

You will need:

* A familiar route
* At least two days of driving said route to lay the foundation of the Super-Green
* Clarity of purpose
* A locus


Your Route

Begin by traveling your route when you do not need to be at the destination – do not try to lay the foundation when you are concerned about getting to your job, for example – but, if possible, make the trip under traffic conditions similar to those of your typical commute. On these trips, pay particular attention to the location of the signal box at the light-controlled intersections, so that on later trips you do not need to look for them.

Many people try to “push the light,” but this is foolish, since the light is at the end of the circuit, and the box is what controls the light. Also, pay attention and give thought to the pressure plates on the road, as those sensors (when present) alert the system that a vehicle is waiting.

While it is obvious that inanimate objects like traffic light control boxes are not alive in a way we understand life, there does seem to be a perverse sort of humor exhibited by the inanimate at the expense of the animate. This seems to hold particularly true for traffic signals. In our experience, they also seem to respond to flattery regarding the wittiness of their humor.

Put this to good use in laying the foundation of your Super-Green. Encourage those boxes to change the lights when it would be funniest – that is, most annoying to drivers approaching the intersection. Then compliment them when they do so, offering your laughter in place of what they cannot give voice to.

Establishing a good rapport with the boxes will make it far easier to manipulate their actions when you need to.

Once you know where the boxes are and have begun to establish rapport, continue to drive the route with thoughts now on the road itself and the traffic you share it with. In most cases, many of the other cars will also be regulars on the route, and conditioning the others drivers to your Super-Green is a large part of a drama-free drive.

Your Purpose

Your goal is to arrive safely at your destination, with a minimum of drama, in the least time possible. But safety must be your first goal and you must allow “failure” of the Super-Green technique to preserve your safety. It will not get you to work faster to be struck broadside by someone else in a hurry.

Your Locus

Ideally, you should aspire to use of the simple phrase “Super-Green” (or similarly evocative word or phrase) as the sole necessary trigger or reinforcement for your drive. You should also recognize that this is a reminder for you, not a “magic word.”

If you have experience with servitors or have always wanted to make one, this is a good opportunity. A construct designed to engage the control boxes, whether joking with them or coaxing them to your will, could certainly prove useful. A fitting vessel might be found in any unattended precut metal, particularly at those intersections that seem most resistant to allowing your easy passage. A quick look will reveal a wealth of such objects in rectangles, pentagons, octagons, and more, although of course it should not need to be said that we do not condone nor encourage theft of municipal property.

A sigil is another possibility for your locus. If your usual discipline includes “forgetting” the sigil after completion, the glove box is a natural place to “lose” such an item, or beneath the driver’s seat is another handy location.

Alternatively, a small object in your vehicle – best, a green one – where you can see it while driving (such as suspended from the sun visor or rearview mirror) can be used as a visual focus/reminder of your clarity of purpose. If you are particularly artistic, you might consider creating a small object representative to you of your purpose, and even incorporating a sigil into it, and hanging the completed piece from the mirror or affixing it to your dashboard. (Don’t leave loose objects in the car – that would be contrary to the safe commute.)

In Practice

Before starting your vehicle, remind yourself of your purpose (invoke Super-Green). It is important to do this before you even start the engine, to ensure you can fully dedicate your attention to it.

As you drive, simply remind yourself (and the control boxes, your servitor, etc.) that your commute will be smooth and drama free. There are three main “troubleshooting” points to keep in mind:

First, if lights are seeming to delay changing, check your speed: if you are habitually driving more than five miles an hour over the posted limit, you are “overdriving” the lights and creating a larger obstacle for yourself. Keep your speed within five mph of the posted limit and you will find that the lights change for you in a timely manner, allowing you to minimize – even eliminate – stop-and-go driving, even when traffic is heavy.

Second, if you are driving the limit and a light suddenly goes stubborn, consider the possibility that something you would not expect might be poised to occur: an emergency vehicle, someone running the light in the cross direction, or trouble further along on your path that needs time to be cleared out of your way.

Third, if, for example, a certain intersection just will not cooperate with you, someone may have influenced before you did. You can either put more effort into overcoming their influence, adjust your transit to try to avoid coming into direct conflict with their timing, or select another route to avoid the intersection altogether.

Road Folding

After some successful Super-Green travel on a particular route, especially long ones, you may find that your travel time is dramatically reduced. If you keep track, you might even note that your mileage is less than what it should be.

This is due to a phenomena called “folding the road.” Reality has weak points (some call them “thin parts of the veil”) that can be exploited, including physical locations where an energy worker can access the infinite possibility of actuality and assert it on consensus reality. (Some people find weak points occur naturally along ley lines.)

Particularly on well-traveled highways, where many people have traveled wanting to get where they were going faster, road folding can be quite easy. It only takes a little extra effort. First, attune yourself to the road and the “weak” spots will become known to you. Then, a minor “push” will encourage consensus reality to fold at those points. You will usually still drive the same miles through the folded area, but even at the speed limit you will do it much faster than otherwise “possible.”

Parking Spaces

One you've nearly gotten to where you want to be, often the final snag is finding a place to park.

Super-Green can facilitate this as well, with only a minor addendum at the start of your trip. As described, before even starting the vehicle, remind yourself of (invoke) your Super-Green purpose, and with clarity of purpose and deliberate intent, add the knowledge that a convenient parking space will be available when you arrive at your destination.

If necessary, take the extra moment to actively visualize the parking space you want. Do not imagine it empty, as an empty spot will be snagged by someone else before you arrive. Visualize another vehicle there, but with the knowledge that as you near your destination, the owner of the other vehicle will be finishing up hir business and preparing to leave.

Conduct your commute as usual, knowing that your drive will be Super-Green and your spot will be waiting for you. When you near your destination, you should be able to see the person who is going to vacate “your” parking space getting into hir vehicle. If you cannot physically see it, actively visualize it without giving an iota of thought to any other possibility.

Be sure to give the departing person a wave of thanks as they pull out, even if you have to wait a few minutes as they fuss around – civility is in short supply nowadays, and a friendly smile and wave will possibly make hir day and help spread the ambient Super-Green further.

Conclusion

At the end of any Super-Green travel, whether it worked to your satisfaction or not, take another moment before jumping out of your vehicle and charging forth to business to appreciate a safe arrival and reflect upon the aspects of your commute.

As you consider any rough spots that might need refinement, keep in mind the following:

Super-Green does not replace responsible time-management. If you habitually leave late for work, for example, you need to take responsibility for that and leave home on time.

If you are prone to “road rage,” Super-Green will probably not work for you. Reckless driving, such as while impaired (by chemicals, distractions – like talking on the phone or eating – or lack of sleep), following too closely, too fast for weather conditions, or racing up to stop signs and so forth, is contrary to the purpose of a safe commute.

Finally, acknowledge that some things are simply beyond your control, and the only option you have is to control your reaction to them. Maintaining a positive attitude during your commute – no matter how contrary it seems on the surface – will only serve you well. Instead of fretting about time wasted in your vehicle, recognize that you have been allotted precious “you time:” you can think your thoughts, consider your plans, and contemplate past and future events without the distractions you will have upon your safe arrival.

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