an explaination of the "quiet the...." tasks
as explained by my old friend Mr.J
Tasks of Nu.
Quiet the spirit.
Spend a day performing tasks of a zen or rudimentary nature. Approach only tasks that reward with barely perceptible purification, that do NOT benefit any one person in particular or that were necessary because of any one person in particular. A relevant example: sweeping the sidewalk ... it wasn't dirtied by any one person, nor will any one person feel guilty upon seeing you do it having not done it themselves. Also avoid tasks, pass-times or situations which could provoke an emotional response. Examples: music, literature, audio-visual entertainment, unnecessary human interaction etc.
Quiet the tongue.
Spend a day without speaking unnecessarily. Exceptions: performing tasks which REQUIRE a conversational interchange, ie. “May I have half a kilo of King Island Blue cheese please?” or “Excuse me miss but look out for that fast approaching bus.” or “I'm sorry but I am attempting to avoid speaking today, please don't be offended.” etc etc etc.
Quiet the mind.
For one entire day one must attempt to silence unnecessary thoughts. One must genuinely attempt up to four hours of meditation, the simplest of which will now be explained: Seat yourself in a comfortable chair or sitting position in a quiet area or room. Close your eyes and concentrate on your breaths, notice them occurring and begin to count each exhalation. Once a count of nine is reached one starts again from one. The object is to reach a state of sleep-like rest whilst remaining conscious. If you find yourself counting 11 .. 12 ... 13 simply re-center yourself and start again. To advance the exercise, try having your eyes open and focusing on one spot, or try the exercise in a busy and/or not-so-quiet area. Make no mistake ... true meditation is a trance-like state where your perception of reality, your surroundings, your very self melts away and you become nothing. Even achieving a few seconds of a true meditative state is absolute bliss and will change your outlook on life forever.
Quiet the desires.
Today is the day that you must satisfactorily appease ones desires. Where one would normally skimp because of whatever reason you must assault ones needs with much more than would normally be necessary to be satiate. One must also attempt to expend minimal effort to accomplish this. For example: You feel hunger ... have an extravagant meal (preferably purchased and delivered to you), a meal of a magnitude which would nauseate the likes of Emperor Nero. If a desire exists that is difficult to appease then focus on the next best thing. You are the center of your reality, show it you mean business. Battle your desires for one whole day, throw everything you have at them, for they hold a bounty of information about yourself.
