Glossary of Terms

Aim: the result of the combined forces of Intention (from the intellectual center) and Wish (from the emotional center); Real Aim comes from Conscience and is the beginning of Will (see also: Intention, Will)

Attention: the act of focusing the mind, feelings, and Being on an object or process; the Being is Attention in a human body; Consciousness (see also: Being).

Basic Goodness: the true Being-nature unencumbered by ego-interference; the Being instructed and guided by Conscience (suggested by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche).

Being: called variously Soul, Atman, Spirit; it is Attention or Consciousness, undeveloped in ordinary life, developed only through special effort, Conscious effort (see also: Attention).

Blind Spot: known variously as Chief Feature, Cramp, Petty Tyrant, Contamination, Chief Fault, or Chief Flaw; the Wizard behind the screen; the core feature around which the psycho-emotional structure or ego is built. It is obvious to everyone but oneself, to whom no amount of evidence can convince me of its centrality.

Buffers: a system whose function is to protect the ego-structure and prevent me from seeing myself as I am; to prevent me from seeing the contradictions of various small “i’s” in me; composed of many things, among which are blame, justification, self importance, and self pity.

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Centers: some systems might call these Chakras, points of energy transformation in the body; here we consider mainly 4 centers: intellectual (head-brain), emotional (solar plexus-heart center), instinctive (navel), and moving (base of the spine). The Work also teaches of two higher intellectual and emotional centers, which exist outside of, but connected to and accessible by, the body.

Conscience: the organic link in the Human Biological Instrument to the Mind and Heart of the Creator; the source of Real Will (see also: Will). Also called by some Holy Spirit and by others Guardian Angel.

Consciousness: The elemental life force or intelligence in all sentient beings; the ‘I Am’ sense of being or presence; the sense that I exist; free attention without the interference of ego. In humans, it is possible through conscious effort to develop and mature this force to the level of the Creator; self observation is one means of doing this.

Contamination: identification, with the body and its functions and conditioning, or with external objects and people; the Blind Spot (see also: Blind Spot); the programs placed into the body’s energy-centers by those well-meaning (or otherwise) but ignorant beings who influenced us in childhood: these programs define, limit and circumscribe the self, life, and the world, they control how and what we see and feel.

Corridor of Madness: The point in the process of self observation when the buffer system is erased, the blind spot is fully revealed, resistance to Work is fierce, and inner Armageddon ensues. The only hope for my Work to survive is full reliance on God, Guru, Dharma, Sangha, and practice. A shift in context must occur here (see chapter 17).

Creator: Who knows? Not me. Possibly I.

Ego: the entire psycho-emotional structure, housed not only in the intellectual-emotional-complex, but also in moving center as various postures and movements.

Honest Body: A consciously relaxed body, especially in moments of stress; a body without the unnecessary tensions of identification.

Human Biological Instrument: the human body viewed from a more Objective viewpoint.

Identification: I-am-that; the belief that I am only the body or the body’s processes or functions, or anything other than Attention.

Intention: From the intellectual center, although it can be deeper, possibly from the Being; when it is combined with Wish from emotional center, it can be the beginning of Will (see also: Wish, Will).

Labyrinth: another name for the intellectual-emotional-complex.

Mechanical: driven by habit; automatic pilot; unconscious; unaware.

Negative Emotion: all fear-based emotions other than those related to present-danger to the organism; those emotions which are not love.

Objective: the view of an object or process without the interference of ego, its beliefs, opinions, judgments, likes and dislikes, that is: without identification with the object or process (see also: identification, ego)

Sensation: the movement of energy in the body, as revealed by Attention as well as the input of the 5 senses.

Soul: (see Being).

Voluntary Suffering: different from the ordinary suffering of humanity which is due to the action of habit and belief systems, expectations and desire; the result of the Conscious Intention to observe myself honestly, without judgment or trying to change what is observed; unlike ordinary mechanical suffering, Voluntary Suffering has the power to transform the Being.

Will: the Conscious focus of intellectual, emotional, and instinctive-moving centers simultaneously upon an object, action, direction, or process; the ability to direct the Attention (see also:

Wish, Aim).

Will of Attention: The fundamental, minimal ability to consciously direct the attention onto an object or inner process, even in the grip of identification, and when no other action is possible; the ability to see myself as I am in the midst of my daily life.

Wish: from emotional center, it can be deeper, possibly from Being; it is the result of Voluntary Suffering and is the first cry for help, when I see the need for inner change (see also: Aim, Intention, Will).

Work: (also Practical Work On Self): Conscious, intentional inner labor to observe myself as I am, without judgment or trying to change what is observed; remembering myself in the midst of my daily life; voluntary suffering as a result of observing myself as I am, without buffers, lying, blaming, or justifying.

Work Circle: (or Inner Work Circle): The inner, non-judgmental space created by non-identification with what is observed, which allows what arises within me to do so without interference; those small inner “i’s” and groups of “i’s” which have bonded together to support inner Work; the connection of mind and body via sensation which allows the harmonious working of centers.