12 states of attention: multiple states at once

Can you experience more than one state at a time? Wanna try it? We'll start with three states at a time.


VAKEB—see everything in front of you, hear all sounds, feel your skin

VAKEN—see one object, hear one sound, feel one part of your body

VAKIB—imagine a sunset, the sound of crickets, feeling peaceful

VAKIN—imagine threading a needle, hearing a bell, and feeling warmth in your chest


Here’s another way to combine three states:


VEB and VEN—see the room in front of you and notice one thing

AEB and AEN—hear all the sounds in the environment and focus on one particular sound

KEB and KEN—feel all of your skin while feeling your butt on the chair

VIB and VIN—imagine a giant tic-tac-toe board superimposed on the space in front of you and place an O in the middle square

AIB and AIN—imagine the sound of applause while hearing a fanfare

KIB and KIN—imagine feeling excited while taking longer inhalations


Now let’s practice 4 states at a time:


VEB/VEN/VIB/VIN--see this space in front of you and simultaneously notice one thing while imagining a giant tic-tac-toe board superimposed on the space in front of you and placing an O in the middle square

AEB/AEN/AIB/AIN--hear all the sounds in this environment and focus on one particular sound at the same time you imagine the sound of applause and a fanfare

KEB/KEN/KIB/KIN-- feel all of your skin while feeling your butt on the chair and imagine feeling excited while inhaling


How about trying 6 states at once?


VAKEB/VAKEN--see everything in front of you, hear all sounds, feel your skin, see one object, hear one sound, feel your butt on the chair

VAKIB/VAKIN--imagine a sunset, the sound of crickets, feeling excited, while imagining yourself threading a needle, hearing a bell, and feeling warmth inside your chest


for the really brave, here are all 12 states at once (or as close as i could get):


Look externally into the room. Look broadly and at the same time, at one object right in front of you.

Superimpose a giant tic-tac-toe grid in front of you. You’re going to fill this grid with Xs, except for the middle square.

Now imagine an X appearing on the grid. As it appears, make a little sound to yourself (eep) and simultaneously clap your hands.

Now imagine another X appearing, hearing the internal sound and clapping. Hear everyone making claps.

Feel excitement building about being able to do this as you notice your breath.

Continue doing all of this until you’ve filled all but the center square.

Now see the entire grid in front of you. Stand up, raise your arms, and as you put an O in the center square, dance with your whole body, including your index fingers, and say TA DA! at the same time you hear a fanfare.