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Remaining Neutral
When we meet, we try to adopt and maintain a state of neutrality in relation to others, by keeping facial and verbal responses to a minimum. This is not a social gathering, and everyday social and conversational cues tend to elicit habitual patterns of interacting with others that blunt our ability to remain consciously present to the inner spiritual content arising in the contact. And this is as true for a speaker as it is for a listener. Through practising the skill of inner and outer neutrality we seek to offer a space of respect for each other, that supports speakers and listeners in maintaining an awareness of the content of their inner states within the outer world of the group setting.
Normally when we are speaking, we look to have what we are saying affirmed through verbal and facial cues offered by those listening. Through the ‘silence’ of neutrality the speaker can experience the act of speaking in a different way to how they would in their normal everyday interactions. This encourages a greater capacity for attention and reflection on the spiritual quality behind one’s words, and whether what’s being said aligns with the principles of Logopraxis group life. In this way, the practice of neutrality creates a non-directive sphere that encourages us to actively attend to what is more interior and so become more conscious of what is being said, as well as what’s produced in us as they share.
As we work to stay neutral outwardly, we are also working to notice, but not act on, any tendencies in us to correct, criticise, affirm or praise arising from within. Whilst this applies to not judging what we are hearing others saying, it also applies to maintaining a state of neutrality toward the thoughts and feelings that are caused in our own awareness as we listen. The aim in this case is not to identify with what’s arising as something coming from us, but simply to observe this as something flowing in and passing through our mental landscape. So, as we listen to hear spiritual principles as truths being illustrated about the nature of self and the nature of the Lord, part of that illustration will be from our struggle to stay non-identified with what we are observing and hearing.
Examples in practise:
· Remove cross-talking in Round One: Only one person speaks at a time when invited to by the facilitator.
· Body and face: Work to maintain a state of neutrality concerning our facial expressions, body language, verbal cues and prompts.
· Not owning our thoughts: Working to stay present to the group through not identifying with the internal chatter that inevitably arises. When this happens, we simply need to redirect our attention back to being present.
Questions For Reflection
1. Is it easier or more difficult to practise neutrality when listening if I know this person outside of my Life Group – ie. a shared history, a family or social connection, a friendship. Why do you think this might be?
2. Is it easier or more difficult to practise inner neutrality towards my thoughts in my Life Group as opposed to when I am with others outside of my Life Group? Why?
3. What conditions or prompts could you set up to encourage you to practise inner neutrality in your day to day life?
Does this principle apply to rounds 2 and 3 in the same way?
I find that the neutrality of the face and body language etc can work very well in R1 and R2 and that in R3 there is more of a return to the way things are in our day to day life. I think that fits with R3 being like a bridge-round back out into that life. It’s also the instruction round (R1 being externals, R2 being internals re the awakening series) so there is often a lot of questions and deeper exploration of things so we see body language that expresses query, exploration and confirmation when things suddenly click and… Read more »