I think imagining a violent murder is sort of healthy. It puts reality into perspective. It is sort of healthy, yes, and then the reflexively screening of it or putting it aside is also healthy.

We have to retain control not of our imaginations. We don’t have what you might call true control of that. We have to retain control of our attention. If a fantasy of violent murder occurs to you, that is natural. If you can’t take your mind off of it, that is when things get dangerous. In fact, they have done an analysis of these very people. It is natural to care about life, but in the case of the sociopathic serial killer, they don’t behave as they do for the reason that they intend to be evil. What they actually get locked into is a sort of objectivism. Everything is a means to an end. They are obsessed with physical gratification above all else, and they see what they did as a necessary step toward getting the money, sex, or safety they wanted.

I feel that someone who is so ill in their mind needs the mercy of death to heal. Rotting in jail does not do a thing. Some would agree with you, and if absolutely necessary I don’t think it’s an evil act to put a bullet in the head of a murderer, especially if they are caught in the act of trying to do it. The sword can take lives or save lives. Which it does depends on what you see it doing, and you will always behave in the way you see yourself behaving.

Neuroscience has looked at the exercise of what we call willpower as well. Can you will yourself to imagine a thing? Force yourself to? Try to imagine even though it seems like you can’t? Is it work? The idea of trying is a falsehood. We ultimately do or do not do. No one ever accomplishes trying.

I can’t visualize going in a full vertical loop. I always veer off to the right or left for some reason. You can’t yet, but odds are with continued intention you will be able to.

But yes willpower, specifically making yourself avoid a behavior… Your brain models everything it experiences. It will inject things even though you don’t really intend it to. It can still change though. It can be convinced.

Where does willpower come from? It doesn’t come from anywhere. It doesn’t really exist. You can’t avoid doing something by willpower. You avoid it by focus of attention. People only resist a behavior for a very short time while focusing on avoiding it, then the stress makes them break. They get bored and either eat the cookie, or stop thinking about the cookie all together.

Visualization is something we can free up, reclaim from its usual patterns and limits. But often times when people try to do that, they get confused, lost, and go back right where they started from. Being involved in the familiar is comforting.

The reason they don’t succeed is they haven’t developed their sense for the landscape of the mind. They don’t recognize what they are experiencing when they unplug. The signs and landmarks aren’t familiar from their training.

Your thoughts are welcome. Be well friends.

Travis Saunders
Dragon Intuitive
~science,mysticism,spirituality~