Welcome to my blog. I hope you find enjoyment and value in your reading.
In this post, I want to discuss another introspective practice that has been beneficial to me, which I call "Brandaþing" or "Council of Self."
This practice began when I was a teenager and has since evolved significantly. Inspired by a remarkably vigorous older man whose name I cannot recall, he described how he focused on listening to the best version of himself above all other internal voices. This approach intrigued me.
My method involves imagining myself ten years in the future as if I had made all the right decisions, and then meeting this future self. My future self first thanked me for quitting smoking—a process I was in the midst of at the time. This had a profound impact and made it easier for me to quit. In some ways, it felt like I was no longer quitting for myself, which was often complicated because I wasn't always focused on being kind to myself. Instead, I was now carrying the interests of this future person on my shoulders.
Over the years, I had several conversations with this kindly man, who usually gave me good advice, which I followed with varying degrees of success. This was complicated by the fact that there were many other voices within me struggling to control my mind and body.
I encountered 'Ambition Self' who was related to 'Insecurity Self,' then 'Addiction Self' had many faces and voices that held great power over me at various times. 'Addiction Self' was cunning and adept at leading me to places that 'Short-Term Self' was very happy with, but 'Long-Term Self' would have preferred to avoid.
These voices, demanding and understanding, constantly pulled and tangled in pathways that 'Awareness Self' couldn't always see clearly.
I tried to deny and block some voices like 'Addiction Self' and 'Heartbreak Self,' but it didn't work. They just expanded and flowed into other areas. For example, 'Addiction Self' learned that if I felt bad, I was more likely to indulge and give in to whatever I was craving. So, I noticed that sometimes when I was determined not to have pizza, coke, beer, video binge-watching, or whatever it was, I would feel bad until I gave in, and then there would also be pleasure from the anticipation which strengthened the position of 'Addiction Self.'
So, I learned that it's better to allow all voices to speak, that it's more likely to lead to success and progress to listen first and then discuss with the voices. Allowing 'Long-Term Self' to explain to 'Addiction Self' why a whole box of chocolates was a bad idea. Often a compromise was reached to go another way, for example, to have a spoonful of honey instead, or other options with more desirable consequences.
One meditation I do is called "Brandaþing," where I start by breathing in... breathing out... and then inviting the inner voices to express themselves one after the other. I try to give each voice some room, but then I quiet them down so others can be heard unless one needs special focus at that moment.
Some voices are reticent and don't come forward unless the more assertive ones quiet down. Often these quieter voices are very interesting and provide insights that are valuable to hear.
Yes, there's a lot that can be said about all this. Nothing is completely right. No one way always works. But by listening to oneself with neutrality and love, and then trying to prioritize based on which voices are more likely to lead to where you want to go. To the future version of ourselves that we want to become.
Love and peace!
Brassi and Brandur
