Saturday, February 13, 2010

Design

The Tenth Daughter of Memory is having a contest. There are nine muses (prompts) and you write something for each. All nine make up one whole story.
The Muses so far and my contributions:
  1. "A Random Memory" - Dark
  2. "Fear of Writing" - Dismal
  3. "An Ambiance of Technology" - Dam
  4. "Omitting Your Mistakes"  - Design
  5. "Of Feral Mind and Carnal Heart" - Desires
  6. "Earnest Mockery" – Doodle (to deceive, or a foolish or silly person)
  7. "Shattered Mirrors" – Detour
  8. "This Business of Jupiter" - Delight
  9. "Infinite Possibility" – Dream
green butterfly
Design


Fighting The Voices in your head is a battle of epic proportions. The Voices come from one source but they mutate into individuals with Herculean powers that mere mortals have trouble conquering. They must be taken out one by one, head on, without sympathy for their death struggles. Compassion must never be felt, no quarter can be given. The Voices do not fight fair. They know every dirty trick in the book and never fail to use them to maintain the status quo.


The key to killing The Voices is strategy. Become a general in the greatest war of your life.
Begin by spying on The Voices and describe as many of the key players as possible. Become aware of the layout in your head and how The Voices navigate through their habitat.


Once you know some of the individual personalities that make up The Voices, it is time to divide and conquer. Give them names. This makes them more real, less frightening and creates an anchor word to help demolish them.


Choose one. Start watching for him in your everyday life and activities. Depict how he looks and talks and what he says. Make notes about him in your journal, dissecting every aspect of his being. Watch for the situations when he shows up. Identify his favorite haunts.


Keep in mind that he is a lie, a false impression, an error of belief that was shoved into your thinking and being by an outsider. He became entrenched because you didn't know better at the time. He was introduced by someone you trusted. Acknowledge the good intentions involved. But all things must be kept in perspective. What may have been valid once upon a time or in a specific situation, became obsolete and useless once you grew and learned and reached maturity. Make your own decisions and choices. Let go. Comfortable leads to stagnation.


Replace the dangerous voice with a new, more appropriate one. Choose one to refute the old one. Choose an opposite thought. Choose one that leads you in the direction you want to go. Concentrate on eradicating one aspect. When he rears his ugly head, attack with aggression and without mercy.


Wipe out what is no longer useful to you. You are in control. Design the terrain in your brain to shape a world that you want to inhabit, wiping out the slums of useless and harmful thoughts that keep you stuck in misery and poverty. 
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11 comments:

  1. Pretty cool idea.

    I like what you wrote!

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  2. It sounds as though the voices in the head are being put in their proper places.

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  3. They are just characters in want of a story. Accept them and give them a playground. Nourish them and let them grow in a terrarium. Just ask Shakespeare, he'll tell you.

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  4. But when I kill one voice, seven more take its place!

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  5. I take it you are describing negative internal voices rather than actual auditory hallucinations? I often advice people to acknowledge the feelings behind that sort of self-talk and then gently offer a counter argument about a better way of looking at themselves and the world.

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  6. wow, I don't know if you've read the bible but that is a very clear earthly description of spiritual warfare. Have you read Hinds Feet on High Places & This Present Darkness?

    i love what you suggested about writing a journal...i've been trying to find a subject for my art journal and that's perfect! exactly what i need to do i have a few pestering voices around i'm ready to be rid of!

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  7. I am intimidated and in awe!
    I haven't been in a very good place mentally of late and fear that if I took this project on it would just spiral to hell. So I will just read and admire yours.

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  8. I'm amazed at all the levels on which you write!

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  9. From this and part III, are we along for a descent into insanity?

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  10. Wipe out what is no longer useful to you. You are in control. Design the terrain in your brain to shape a world that you want to inhabit, wiping out the slums of useless and harmful thoughts that keep you stuck in misery and poverty.

    Wow. Just wow. There's a great rhythm and word choice in your writing. Very, very intense.

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  11. I think it would be fun and helpful to hear about some of these shady characters in more detail.

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