In this column I share articles, books, research, and thoughts related to the science of self-help, along with experiments and random rabbit holes I’ve gone down across the previous month.

This month I updated the anatomy of a habit to allow for a holy grail of this project - falling in love with the process. It’s an oft-repeated phrase in self help, but other than vague advice it’s very difficult to actually do that with a process you find frustrating. It also seemingly exists in opposition to existing notions of habits. Habits are automatic and mindless, while loving a process seems saturated with immense attention.

I’ve also been reading up on tantra, a topic not as popular what with all the discussion these days with meditation. I think that’s mostly because it’s so hard to pin down, and it’s often conflated with “Neo-tantra” - spiritual sexuality.

I’m more interested in the old school version – meditation that harnesses awareness, imagination, visualization, and sometimes ritual – as seen in Hinduism, Tibetan Buddhism, and Bön (though it certainly appears elsewhere). My first lightbulb moment with meditation came as a result of such visualization practices, one of which allowed me to flip my emotions 180, even in the midst of incredibly severe depressive episodes.

I’ve been reading up on two specific practices: Tummo and Tibetan dream meditation, both of which involve immense amounts of concentration, visualization, and mindfulness.

What’s New

• An updated habit loop that accommodates intention, the difference between a habit start and a habit load, and transitioning between habits while “habit stacking”.

• Recorded two podcasts: The first with Nate Sleger who runs Even Better, a coaching service for managers, and the second with Harshad Manglani at What Works for You, a productivity and self experimentation podcast. I had a lot of fun doing these and I hope to do more in the future.

• A customizable computer built to last. My friend is involved in this company, and I’m happy the product is finally coming out. For me, a part of minimalism is buying quality products instead of constantly replacing them. It’s hard to do this with “fast” electronics which are often designed to go through “planned obsolescence” and fail.

• I’ve been using my Jamar medical grade hydraulic hand dynamometer across work sets. I think this will lead to a better planning method based on fluctuations in self control across a day.

Interesting Articles

• A Muslim perspective on self-help (Productive Muslim)

• When SMART goals are counterproductive (Bulletproof Musician)

• The empirical science of wisdom (Aeon)

• A monk’s guide to a clean house (BBC)

• The mood-altering power of the moon (BBC)

• We Croak - an app that reminds you that you’re going to die helps you find happiness in your own mortality (The Atlantic)

• How too much mindfulness can spike anxiety (BBC)

Research

• Older study on how short blue light pulses in the morning counter “social jetlag”

• Tetris reduces intrusive memories in PTSD (study)

• Holding ice as a grounding technique to prevent panic attacks (study)

Experiments and Things I’m Looking Into

• Tested out a 40 hour fast. It went surprisingly well when paired with Tally Clicking.

• Month 3 of applying Tally Clicking to the mind. I successfully did this with anxiety, but now am trying to apply it to all negative thoughts, my version of fusing dog training and mindfulness with Stoicism.

• Resonance Breathing and HRV training to combat anxiety

• I want to redo my habit in a day experiment using methods that cause subjective time dilation. A habit is a combination of identity, automaticity, routine, and length of time, and manipulating this last point is tricky (but not impossible).

• Ghibli style backgrounds make this Reddit user more productive. Funny thing is, similar things also effect me, like retro gaming art, pixel art, or the soothing images of low-fi beats to chill to. I’m still mulling this over, but I think it might be an overlap between emotional interventions (like laughter or kawaii) and aesthetics (tree bathing, images that inspire awe, beauty, or green landscapes).

• I’m researching red light therapy, which might have some interesting effects on muscle recovery. This wold be quite handy since I’m exceptionally injury prone.

Social

• The problems I have with Stoicism (Reddit)

• The “planning cube” - my update on the Eisenhower Matrix to include behavioral strategies (Instagram)

• Behavioral strategies to overcome post-lunch unproductivity (Reddit)

• A description of Competitiveness, a new Element of Change (Instagram)

Books I’m reading

• Mind Management, Not Time Management by David Kadavy. Still reading this - Kadavy comes to the same conclusion I did when putting together a more robust planning method. You’re just better able to be creative at certain times than others, and a plan that takes advantage of this is more optimal, but also kind’ve difficult to implement.

• Tibetan Yoga and Secret Doctrines, edited by W.Y Evans-Wentz. Gets into detailed instructions on esoteric tantric meditation like Tummo and dream yoga.

• Dream Yoga: Illuminating Your Life Through Lucid Dreaming and the Tibetan Yogas of Sleep by Andrew Holecek.

Miscellaneous & Esoteric

• A meditation video game

• “Jinn”-fluencers and the world of internet exorcisms (paywall)

• Internet occultists trying to change reality with magickal algorithms and sigil engines

If you’ve got any interesting links, books, comments, or suggestions, shoot me an email at scienceofselfhelp (at) gmail.com. I’d love to hear from you!