Naivete and Denying Force

Cat & Dragon Tatoo - Credit to Whoever credit is due

 

I have been studying deny force for many years in my own life because early in the work I realized that a feature of naivety prevents me mechanically from seeing denying force (for example ‘reading the room,’ seeing other peoples reactions, pausing, not just blundering on ahead blissfully ignorant). Mechanically we can try to map out something—for example if I do A then B or C will happen. But if we cannot see our own mechanics, our part in the play from the position of ‘the observer’ or ‘the witness,’ then we are under the law of our own actions and their effects. I try to introduce intentional awareness into daily life. In the past many problems occurred, making self remembering and staying in the present moment difficult as there were many surprising, unexpected, and difficult events. One memorable photograph from Mervyn was a short conversation we had that I remember years later.
Mervyn: “Marie, you think everyone can self-remember don’t you.”
It was a statement not a question.
Marie: “Oh yes Mervyn, of course I do.”

By understanding our mechanical reactions it's often a very individual process. Some denying force is natural for all.

Reducing denying force can reduce inner considering, imagination, fear, and mechanical tendencies that cause identification and loss of presence.

Everyone has their own personal denying forces that can be thought about and planned for in advance. So knowledge of the mechanics can be important to reduce and allow for denying forces, increasing the likelihood of keeping presence in the moment. The Buddha was quoted to have said “When you eat, eat. When you sleep, sleep. When you walk, walk." In presence, moment by moment.

We often clearly see what is denying force for others, and they see it in us, but seeing the denying force we create in ourselves is more difficult. This is where photographs offered by other students can help. Maybe not at the time, but later a friendly text, email, or phone call may come. They give us a great gift when they feel able to pass on a photograph that will be received with gratitude.

 

Exerts from Chatzy Sunday Global Meeting Feb 2026 by MK 

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I Think...

Roy Lichtenstein

I think we can think of identification 

in terms of strength, frequency, 

and duration of the identification. 

If I don't make efforts 

to divide my attention throughout the day, 

all those will be long and breaking away from them, 

very difficult. 

Being a good householder: 

making efforts to divide our attention, 

to feed our soul, 

will make it easy to walk away 

from a moment of identification.

~T

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Identifying...

 

Rene Magritte

"Identifying or "identification" is a curious state 

in which man passes more than half of his life. 

He identifies with everything: 

with what he says, what he feels, what he believes, 

what he does not believe, what he wishes, 

what he does not wish, what attracts him, 

what repels him. Everything absorbs him, 

and he cannot separate himself from the idea, 

the feeling, or the object that absorbed him. 

This means that in the state of identification 

man is incapable of looking impartially 

on the object of his identification. 

It is difficult to find the smallest thing 

with which man is unable to "identify". 

At the same time, 

in a state of identification 

man has less control over his mechanical reaction 

than at any other time. 

Such manifestations as lying, imagination, 

the expression of negative emotions, 

and constant talking need identification. 

They cannot exist without identification. 

If man could get rid of identification, 

he could get rid of many useless and foolish manifestations."

~P.D. Ouspensky

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