As we develop and clarify the Odoki Method, one term that has become clearer is “inquiry” - describing a practice that an individual undertakes to discover more about themselves and bring about meaningful change.

In my last post, I noted how I was changing gear, and planning on focusing on the Odoki Method. In this post, I want to mention progress so far, which is kind of hard to believe.

At the end of August I marked a significant life change. For a long time, I’ve been exploring the topics discussed in this blog part time, alongside working full time as a software engineer.

In 2001, I became a parent. I was already a Buddhist and a meditator. But I didn’t understand how to integrate meditation into my daily life as a parent.

In both of my previous posts (TEAM CBT and Yan Shou Gong), I’ve mentioned “testing”. Testing is also an extremely important discipline in software engineering.

Since my teens, I have had an interest in the Martial Arts, and practiced Nanbudo for a few years back then.

Time for something of a flurry of backlogged posts. Here goes with the first… I have for some time been aware of the possibility of rapid change within humans.

In Prediction Error Minimisation theory, a key reason for the brain to work hard to avoid a prediction error, is because a prediction error is costly.

After reading about Prediction Error Minimisation in Lisa Feldman Barrett’s How Emotions are Made, I have been finding it explains more and more, and have been using it effectively in a range of therapeutic scenarios.

In February, I wrote about AI and inquiry. I didn’t write about another conversation I had with ChatGPT: Around the same time, I asked it “What is the connection between PEM and emotions.

When we experience something unpleasant, it is common to ask ourselves why this is happening. Many forms of counselling ask this question.

This week I’ve been visiting my parents. I decided to attend a local Kung Fu class (I’ve been learning Kung Fu myself for the last couple of years).

Whilst I have been having great success with the exercises that I referenced in my previous post, there is one context in which this approach does not appear to work.

I have just uploaded some new content to the Odoki Method site. This content details some of the exercises I’ve been using with clients.

My approach to meditation has always had a flavour if inquiry about it. However, discovering Liberation Unleashed (LU) showed me a more concrete and deliberate approach to inquiry.

Over the last decade, I have been exposed to, and benefitted from some substantial, even life changing practices. A natural response to this is to want to share it with others, as many people in my position go on to do.

In the summer of 2021, I read my way through How Emotions are Made, by Lisa Feldman Barrett. It was something of a shock to my system.

Context This article was originally written in December 2020 and shared with colleagues at Grafana Labs. It arose from the common and deep experience of Imposter Syndrome that arises when we find ourselves working with many brilliant people.

What is wellbeing? Wellbeing is subjective, so kinda hard to define. At the same time we all know what it means to feel well.

Contact Improvisation is a dance form that was developed in 1972 by Steve Paxton. He and his associates wanted to develop a form of dance that was in physical contact, yet improvised.

Over the last four months, I have developed the materials at https://odoki.com and I have led two concurrent cohorts through the first course.

In my last post, I shared my fundamental question: Why can some see these benefits, while others struggle, while yet others don’t even try because they don’t believe it is possible.

So far, I have been referring to “Fundamental Wellbeing”. This has otherwise been referred to as “Awakening”, “Enlightenment” and many more terms.

Reflecting on “what is this blog about”, or “what is my fundamental question”, I formulated it thus: Over the last decade particularly, I have witnessed people (myself included) learning practices and inquiries that have brought about fundamental changes to their lives: the disappearance of a judgmental inner monologue, anxiety ceasing to be a problem, death ceasing being a thing to fear, a deep sense of spaciousness and peace, and similar substantial changes.

To start with: I’m no neuroscientist. However, even though I’ve only started reading around the topic recently, I have been startled by the degree to which there is overlap between the research of modern neuroscientists and lessons from inquiry around Fundamental Wellbeing.

Once upon a time, there was a young man. His name was Siddhartha. He had a privileged upbringing, but wasn’t satisfied with life.

Continuing on the theme of describing methods for approaching Fundamental Wellbeing, the second I wish to mention is the Sedona Method, by Lester Levenson in the 1950s.

Focusing could be described as “a natural and gentle practice of listening to your body and your inner sense of knowing”.

Before I talk about a few different approaches that can help people approach Fundamental Wellbeing, I want to explore why I am writing this blog.

Fundamental Wellbeing doesn’t, as such, make us happy. That, in itself, is an impossible aim. Guaranteed happiness isn’t something we can achieve.

Let me tell a short imaginal story. An unborn child is in her mother’s womb. She is warm, she hears a regular, reassuring heart beat, hears her mother’s voice.

How about if there was a form of wellbeing that persisted over time, that quietened the noisy inner judge? The truth is that religions have known about this for millennia.