Expectation and the Adaptation Cycle

Expectation & Adaptation Cycle

From "The Teachings"
Tape 3

We will start with a new picture today. We will talk about expectation, and we will draw a picture of how expectation works.

So, let's take a sheet of paper and at the top of the page write "Expectations". Then across from there on the right side, let's put "based on the what ideal."

*Now we remember that the ideal is to regain the non-disturbed state by gaining pleasure and escaping pain on all levels. We want pleasure of physical comforts, physical sensations; and we want the sensation of favorable attention. We want the pleasure of feeling important and being able to control other people.

*We want to regain the non-disturbed state by escaping physical pain. We want to avoid being ignored or rejected. We want to avoid disapproval. And we want to avoid the sense of feeling inferior because things don't happen like I want them too. People just don't do what I want them to.

Now we have an expectation based on the ideal--the first decision, the one that is dark drawn over in the "picture of man" as he is in his "conditioned" state.

Everything we do is based on an expectation. We don't start to do anything unless we felt it was "true" and "valuable". We expect that it will work out the way we see it. And what is valuable to us in the "conditioned" state is to be non-disturbed. What is "true" to us is that this action will bring "it" about. It could be any of the six decisions of the four dual basic urges, or maybe something else in the everyday affairs.

We wouldn't put a key in a lock unless we expected it to unlock. We wouldn't put the mix of a bunch of different ingredients in a pan to cook it unless we expected that it would cook and somebody would eat and enjoy it.

We also expect that every thought we have of gratification will be fulfilled. We expect that if we "complain", that everybody will get with it and do what we want them too.

We expect that if we "stick up for our rights" that everybody will see our rights and do them.

It doesn't usually happen this way and we're usually unconscious of the expectation.

So let's make the expectations conscious. We will write down "our" expectations on the sheet of paper. Across from that we'll write what "ideal" (ought to be) we had. We can then discover how many of the expectations are based on the basic idea that the whole purpose of living is to be "non-disturbed."

We will notice that in interpersonal relationships, one is disappointed because one had the expectation that everybody is "fully conscious." We'll find that we believe that they know what is right, proper and justifiable; but they go on and do wrong anyway. [anti-agape-see excerpt page for more information]

We will find we expect that they all know what I want and what is "good" and what I put "value" on and that they will act accordingly. In this, we will find many; disappointments.

So we will put on our paper, or on a separate sheet a list of "my disappointments". We'll write down all the times I was disappointed this week and in the weeks to come. Then we will be able to observe them. We'll see what "ideal" I had in mind.

Perhaps the "ideal" is someone should remember my birthday. But they had other things to do, and they forgot. We decide that they deliberately ignored me. This being ignored and rejected is a pain.

When one is disappointed, one feels hurt, or ignored, or rejected, or disapproved of. This leads to looking for blame when we are "conditioned." So, on our sheet of paper we will have an additional heading of
"What or who I blame for my disappointment and hurt.

We will find that this is where we experience the anger, guilt, fear and insecurity. On our sheet or sheets of paper, we can now put headings of those four emotions and their counterparts of resentment, jealousy, inferiority and any others you discover. Under those we'll put marks and when we get four of them, make a cross mark through them for the fifth one.

So we started with expectations based on an ideal, which leads to disappointment, which leads to hurt, which leads to looking for blame, which leads to an unpleasant emotion.

This is a little diagram of the inner working of the "self," and of the "conditioned" awareness. We want to be aware of it's function and how it's working. We're not trying to change it, we're just getting acquainted with it.

Emotions

Guilt - regret, I wish I hadn't done that
Fear - something is not right to us, but we don't know what to blame it on
Worry - this may happen, but I don't know
Insecurity - inability to control the situation

Under those emotions and slash marks, draw an two arrows pointing down and write the word "STRESS."

Stress is what the body [motor function] reacts to. The body reacts to a burn or fall; but we're interested in the inner stresses. The stress that originates from the inner state of being; in other words the expectation of the ideal not being realized.

The body goes into a state of chemical imbalance and neuro-muscular tension.

Whenever we are angry, guilty, fearful or feel very insecure, we're telling X that we are in an emergency; and X sends the message down to the motor function to charge the body with tremendous energy to FIGHT or RUN. (The charge comes from the use of various hormones from the ductless glands. These are adrenaline, thyroxin, pituitary extract and a big charge of glycogen from the liver)

One is all charged up for the state of emergency (a violent physical challenge), but we only had our feelings hurt because we didn't realize the ideal; and thereby, the non-disturbance.

Now we have chemical imbalance and neuromuscular tension. It has gone from the psychological to the physiological; and this requires what we call "ADAPTATION". We cannot live with the body being all charged up to fight or run. But no fighting or running is taking place. Now X begins an "adaptation" to restore the body to the chemical balance for the actual time, place, and circumstance.

You may be sitting in a warm room on a soft sofa with no physical violence anywhere in sight; but inside is a "seething turmoil". Sometimes there is an accumulation of it.

So then, this ADAPTATION takes one of two forms:

1. The most usual one is UNUSUAL CELLULAR ACTIVITY. A group of cells begin to do something they ordinarily don't do in order to use up the mobilized and unreleased energy from the chemical imbalance and neuromuscular tension from the sense of being angry, guilty, fearful, resentful (being in a state of emergency.)

Unusual cellular activity is known as a change in function. So some aspect of the body begins to function differently. It always results in a change in sensation from the usual and is experienced as physical pain, fullness, stiffness, soreness, or aching.

Then, of course THAT becomes an emergency because "I was disappointed"; and now I am suddenly feeling rough. I feel hurting all over, uncomfortable physically; and I begin to look for what's the cause of the physical discomfort. (Cause really means blame, does it not?)

So, what's to blame for this sensation, and this change in function. It must be the flu, or it might be cancer, or it may be aids--no telling what it is. It's got to be something bad.

It is frightening, so there is more charge of energy and that, again, must be ADAPTED to. So more cells are drawn into the process of restoring the body to balance. If this keeps on long enough, finally these tissue cells that are involved in the unusual cellular activity begin to break down or they are altered in some form or other. A good example is a callous on the hand due to stress from friction. As long as that friction is there, there's going to be a change in tissue. If you ever quit the friction, the callous goes away in a little while.

So one has a physical disability, a physical adaptation. It's REALLY a perfectly normal adaptation to some stress. It is X's way of restoring the body to health. If one understands it and doesn't get excited about it, it's over very quickly.

If one gets excited about it, doesn't understand it, it becomes on and on chronic because there is a continual cycle of being concerned about the symptom. Fear builds up more chemical imbalance and neuromuscular tension and requires more adaptation of unusual cellular activity, unusual sensation and tissue cell alteration and a breakdown.

So one might say that "having an expectation based on the ideal" (which is an illusion) is the DISINTEGRATING FACTOR IN MAN.

The other way of adapting is UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR.

2. One goes on a binge. One gets drunk or thows a wild temper tantrum. In extreme cases, people go on robbing binges. They go on drug binges and etc.

Now for a very practical something to do:

Write down when one has the anger, guilt, fear or insecurity along with the date and time. Then observe what happens within 72 hours.

Usually the adaptation doesn't follow immediately. If it did, we would have all caught on a long time ago. We have already calmed down from the emotional spells. We don't get the symptom because it takes X a little time to notice that the body is in a state of chemical imbalance; and to see if you're going to do something (fight or run) and use it up.

If you don't, then X has to adapt to the imbalance. The symptoms occur from 12 to 24 to 32 to 36 to 48 hours following the time the emotions occurred.

So we will keep a record; and we'll begin to understand symptoms. What symptom did I have between 1-72 hours after all these marks. You can begin to realize that all symptoms are normal adaptations. It is X's way of restoring the body to health, to chemical balance, to natural tone. It relieves stress.

If one sees this process and understands the purpose with a feeling of thankfulness, one will find that the symptoms are all gone very quickly.

Keep records and you will understand and cease to be alarmed at symptoms. You will be thankful for them because you see they are the expression of a loving spirit to restore it's body to normal, usual creative functioning. All you are really aware of is that the body is a great, valuable, and beautiful instrument.

[From Dr. Bob's description on Tape 3 from the Teachings, I think the written sheets might look something like this.]

1. My expectation_____________________________________Ideal___________________________
(the ideal is an illusion)

(Just for reminders) the 4 dual basic urges

Gaining

Physical comfort
Favorable attention
Favorable approval
Feeling important
Controlling other people

Escaping

Physical pain
Being ignored or rejected
Being disapproved of or embarrassed
Feeling inferior

2. My disappointments_______________________________

3. What or who I blame______________________________

4. Unpleasant emotion experienced:

(after the charge of energy to fight or run which wasn't used)

Adaptation occurred in what time frame________________________________________

X used unused energy to restore the body to chemical balance by:

Unusual cellular Activity or Unusual Behavior

Go Here for a Complete Site Map