[ensonar]

Something I have always been interested in are Not-Doings. Carlos and others have mentioned a few specific examples of not-doings in their books and lectures. Things such as tying your shoes from the opposite direction, walking backwards, acting like a barking dog when someone knocks at your door, or acting like an answering machine when someone calls you.

I believe some not doings can be for specific purposes such as la Gorda stuffing a sponge in her mouth to avoid eating. Also in the Eagle's Gift, Carlos mentions that Silvio Manuel gave him some not-doings that involved being buried and harnessed. And others can be for no other purpose than to create cognative dissonance, such as don Juan having Carlos draw concentric circles in the dirt circling his house.

I know that not-doings generally can be of a very personal nature. But I'd really like to know if anyone out there would feel like mentioning some not-doings that they've come accross that may be of interest to others.

[Merged]

Sometimes i try to do things with my left hand,im righty.But there are other ways also.At the bus station when i wait for a bus i start to act like a crazy asking everyone seriously if bus will come at the time.

[Merged]

magical passes are the greatest not doings of all

[firefox]

Stalking is the best not-doing for me. I can't get used to awareness enough for it to transform into doing, at least not yet.

[DrakeWan]

yes, I find stalking, controlled-folly something that I'm good at, but I am horrible at dreaming.. I suppose I haven't utilized all the intent I could or as someone else mentioned internal silence.. I DO spend most of my time talking to myself.. lately mostly just about Carlos' experiences with his benefactors and his party....
But like the old seers its choosing the proper internal dialogue.. (in certain cases) but I find that these teachings take up a lot of space in my 'inventory' ... like .. I dunno.. Its not knowing yet... and I have a horribly time shifting my awareness to 'heightened' awareness...

[ryan]

Don Juan said that not-doing was only for very strong warriors and up to this point it has been difficult for me to do serious not-doings. I am a stalker and so I have tried to incorporate the not-doings that are possible for me at this time into my stalking behavior. things such as digging a hole and refusing payment, and while digging it, remaining detached and focused on the act and that alone. The recapitulation is considered a not-doing and I am on the cusp of seriously begginning it. once that energy is free, i believe it will enable me to take up not-doing with an unbending intent.

[DrakeWan]

My not-doings before I read the books were always taking some leaves off trees and as I walked dropping them casually... although apologizing to the tree for being rude.. a contradiction of sorts.. but something I did...

[firefox]

Not a serious not-doing (are there serious and not so serious not-doings?) just came to me. Let's write I as i. Why on earth are we always writing I as a capital letter? Self-importance?
It doesn't even matter that much, what matters is that it's a habit tough to pay attention to and break after many years.

[ensonar]

i completely agree... but then again sometimes, capitalizing the I can be a not-doing as well :blink:

[firefox]

Isn't that the whole point of not-doing... To have a moment of choice every time, instead of just writing I or i automatically.