Go hunting. Not sitting in a blind on a farm. Go out in the mountains by yourself. Pack in camp on your back. Leave your phone off. Hunt. Itll take a few days to start feeling right.
Effortpost time. I’ve actually looked into this extensively before.
Your primal self is your instincts. Well in animals we call them instincts but in humans we call them emotions and feelings. Because of how we have evolved complex intelligence, we basically have a lot of layers over top of the more primal feelings and that’s why the concept exists of “getting in touch” with that part of yourself.
The basic idea is that your primal self/instincts/feelings/emotions are messages that tell you what to do, and these are the messages that ensure you survive and reproduce. Think of them as tools that have served your ancestors well. To get in touch with them means to simply hear and understand the message they convey.
This doesn’t mean you always do what they say. Our higher intelligence is basically a fail safe for your instincts being tricked as well as another tool that lets us see past the immediate situation for future planning, etc. But if you’re in touch with that part of yourself, then you at least hear those survival messages and can make a decision.
The process to hear them is simple, you just pay attention to sensations in your body as they happen and consider what the message is they’re sending. Like, “when did I feel this before and what was going on at the time.”
Unfortunately, our higher intellect and many modern influences “numb” or otherwise make it hard to notice these sensations, and dysfunctional upbringing can make it hard to understand them or regulate our responses to them. That’s what causes us to feel completely disconnected from them. It can make us disconnect from other people too. Deep, meaningful social connections happen in part through these instincts.
Some things that numb these sensations (you can try this out for yourself) are porn, tv, Internet, highly stimulating environments, chronic anxiety/stress, anything compulsive, drugs, anything that is much “louder” than your primal signals.
Things that help wake them up are, exercise, time in nature, quiet alone time especially meditation, healthy diet and sleep schedule, journaling, and just practice paying attention to them.
There’s way more to this, but that’s the basic concept.
I'm always surprised at how difficult this is for people. Seems pretty straight forward. But when I started asking people "how did that make you feel?" they give me a litany of thoughts they were thinking about the situation. Then I say "no, not what are you thinking. How do you feel?" They stop, look kind of bewildered, and then go through the process of telling me what they thought in more detail. Actual FEELING vs what you think about things is surprisingly confusing and I think something we are not taught as we all rely on our decision making instead of our physical clues that the body is trying to send.
Good advice that seems simple but isn't. Just like when you recommend meditation to people. Not the regular shallow sitting quietly and thinking about things, but the hard-won no movement actually blanking your mind type. It sounds too simple so people dismiss it when it is in fact very difficult to achieve and incredibly useful once learned.
It was a completely alien concept to me a few years ago and was very uncomfortable to put into practice. It’s paid off in so many ways though and is such a basic life skill. Anyone who doesn’t have access to their instincts and feelings is operating at an enormous handicap.
This is really, really good. Thank you.
I originally made this as a half-effort shitpost from this scene in Dexter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tA7-3FKF-lE
Glad you found it worthwhile. I’m a believer that lots of good things can come from half, or even no-effort shitposts sometimes!
Step 1: quit your job at the CIA
I usually go to the nearest nigger hood wearing a John McClane billboard sign bearing the words "I Hate Niggers".
Hunt and Fight. Learn to use a rifle and a bow. Eating meat that you bagged is what independence tastes like. Learn jiu jitsu. Being able to protect friends and family is the most virtuous thing a man can do. Hunt and Fight.
The traditional way, psilocybin and a sensory deprivation tank.
By not making any more alts.
What do you mean by “get in touch with” ? With a little introspection, one can get “in touch” with the root of their being, and realize what their most primal urge in any situation would be. But to become one’s primal self would probably require a few days to oneself out in the wilderness, deliberately choosing to be that, without societal consequences.
Play a drumset for long periods of time.
Any instrument really.
Or hobby.
Just put down the electronics and devote so much time to it you space out from clown world and hone in on your own craft (your own reality).
By doing this you get in touch first with your simple intentions, and the prolonged focus will have your subconscious doing alternative works which will come forward and help you address your true primal self.
Hitting a heavy bag for 3 minute rounds then 1 minute break - repeat a few times. At the last minute of the 3 minute round you have to "burn out" meaning throw non-stop punches while maintaining a good form/keeping hands up.
The exhaustion will motivate you and the physical activity will once again give your subconscious some resources to work with because you are using your conscious efforts externally and calculating distances and speeds and really just providing room for back-end thought to occur because you are dedicating your attention to the "physical section" of your brain.
How primal is your primal self?
Do you want to join a fight club? Or do you just want to understand more about yourself truly and what you truly want in life to be satisfied?
Do you wamt to drink deer blood?
Do you want to eat bat guano?
That's awesome. This is grade-A advice.
I would like to be in a fight club.
Hunt joggers
Not 100% sure but physical activity is definitely part of the equation. The right weather conditions help.
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