How does a Radio pick up a signal?
How does it separate it from all the other
signals?
How does it translate it into audible sound?
There are three elements that affect the signal that is
tapped by a radio. On the one hand, the receptor has to be positioned in an area
where the radio signals rain down. The position of the radio receptor delimits the
range of signals that have the potential of being picked up. Within this limited
universe of signals, the length of the antenna limits the type of waves that can be
picked. The length of the antenna has a geometrical correspondence with the amplitud
of the waves that could be received and transformed into sound. Finally, a dial in
the radio further modulates the reception to single out a particular signal. Let's
see how this can be applied to our efforts of grabbing a universal signal and singling out
a specific manifestation of this Radio Free Clear Light in such a way that it becomes
relevant to us at that moment.
Sometimes a special mood comes to you. It sneaks in
and covers you. You go out on the street and the weather seems weird, like it
contains different possibilities. It feels clean but full of sensations.
Stuffy. It usually happens around the sunset, a little bit before. Sometimes,
it comes right before a storm--but not always. This is a mood that you might find
difficult to explain. In fact, it can be a mood difficult to hold. You might
want to run from it; or rather, you find yourself beginning to do something else as if you
are unconsciously trying to forget about it. Some might think that this mood comes
with some kind of odd guilt, shame, or embarrassment. It is a pregnant mood.
It is hard to explain, but you might find yourself in the middle of it and you become
aware that it can go in different directions. It is electrical, kind of
suffocating. It doesn't seem to be related at all with the rest of the day. It
is not connected to other events in your day. It just stands there, with you and
around you. There might be a heaviness in your chest. All the things that you
do to analyze it are just attempts to find the familiar in it. This is futile.
Once you find the familiar, the known, you're out.
The mood we are trying to describe, by the way, is known in
esoteric circles as "Being in Sing-Sing". This type of mood is equivalent to
being on top of a hill, where a wider spectrum of signals becomes available as there are
less obstructions on the side. When this mood comes to you and grabs you, take advantage
of it! Do something with it: paint, draw, write a story, dance, make jewelry, work on the
garden, do tai chi, or compose a melody. Do something that is gentle and won't distract
you from the mood. The most common response is to do something that will take you away
from it. This is not necessary, since it is not likely to last long. However, we often
find ourselves--while in this mood--bombarded with vibrations that are unrelated to what's
happening in our everyday life. This gives rise to confusion, and sometimes even panic and
anxiety. This makes us want to "do something... quickly!" It also could make you
want to do something ordinary that would distract you from these feelings: watch TV, have
sex, take drugs, have a fight, watch sports, bomb a far-away country, run for office, etc.
Next comes the modulation of the frequency. So far, you have placed yourself
in an area where you can receive many signals--an area of maximum exposure. Now, you
apply some discrimination. Now is time to leave unnecessary signals out. When choosing an area for reception of radio signals, look for an area
with the least amount of unintentional interference possible. Try to have a
clear area, free of unwanted noise, symbols, people, rats, soldiers, bar-fights, topless
beauties, etc. Find just a clean spot, and give yourself some room. Define the
area for yourself. Delimit the circle of reception. You can create a boundary
by placing stones around it, by locking a door, by hanging curtains, or by marking your
territory in any other way.
By now, you've chosen a place where signal reception has been
maximized, and you have also reduced interference by blocking out distracting noises,
people, and other sources of vibrations that might interfere with the signals you want to
intercept
Now, we need to modulate the incoming signal so that the
desired signal is augmented and isolated from the rest. In other words, we shall
enhance some signals and minimize others--which in effect will delegate them to the status
of "white noise" or "background".
Virtually anything that can serve as a reminder, analogy,
symbol, or representation of the vibrations or signals you wish to invoke would do.
For instance, a symbol that represents the mathematical features could be placed in the
periphery of the circle. Also, music or chanting that in some way resonates with the
desired vibration could be played. The more senses you involve in this, the
stronger the radio signal will be. Use incense and aromatic oils for the sense of
smell; music, drums, and chanting for the hearing; symbols, colors, paintings, geometric
patterns, photographs for the sight; clothing, statues, ceramics, wands, skin, oils, heat
and cold, etc., for the sense of touch; food, drinks, kissing, and chanting for the sense
of taste; dancing, jumping, moving, and postures for the sense of balance. In
addition, certain concepts, names, descriptions, laws, principles, and mental images can
be sustained by the mind in order to align concentration and imagination with the
vibrations being invoked. Similarly, there are emotions that are appropriate because
they resonate with the vibrations you are attuning to.
Experiment 1
Someone told me one time
that we should not be called Homo Sapiens because not only we don't know, but
we really mess it up when we think we already do. Instead, we should
be called (according to that person I can't remember who it was, but I remember being very
familiar to me when I met him) Homo Ludens. This is because we make up games.
Here is one: sometimes you might hear a sound in your head. It
could be something like a ringing in your ears, or like a current that keeps sounding
behind you. You might have heard this sound when alone in a silent
night. Perhaps you never talked about this sound to anyone because we suspect other
people don't hear it. Or perhaps you did talk about it and their response shut the
sound for good. If you hear this sound, try thisgame (don't worry if you don't hear
it, it's not important and we will see a variation of this exercise
later). The game consists on playing with the sound that only you can hear.
See if you can make it louder. Sharper. Change pitch. Move its
location. Quieter. Almost unbearable. Intense. Gentle. See
if can take over your entire body for a few seconds.
Experiment 2
Now, we can try a variation of the TV experiment. Try
the following experiment only after you have successfully done the previous
two (the TV and the one in the paragraph above). Find a quiet place where
you can hear the vibration inside your head. Make the sound loud enough to
be the main sound in your consciousness. As with the TV experiment, keep your
attention on the white noise for a while. Now, write a poem. Try the
same thing, if you are inclined, with any other artistic media.
Experiment
3 - Channel the Radio
For this experiment, you
will need a pad of paper, a pen and a radio.
- Sit down next to the radio
with your paper and pen ready.
- Set your timer for 15
minutes.
- Move the dial in the radio
around and find a station at random. It can music or talk or a combination of both.
- Now start the timer.
- Start to draw or write you
quick reactions to what is flowing out of the radio. Besides the obvious (writing down the
lyrics of songs or the chatter of talk radio) try to describe the images, the inflections
and connotations between the lines of speech, the vistas that are opened by the harmonies
and rhythms in the music, etc. You can make a combination of drawing and writing or you
can concentrate on only one.
Don't just make one
drawing for the full 15 minutes! You should be constantly reacting and translating what is
coming through the radio. Don't allow your mind or hand to rest for the whole time. As
soon as a new vision, a new idea or a new emotion hit you, make a new drawing or write a
new word or phrase. Use as many pages as is necessary. Work restlestly!
Group
Experiment - Crossfire
For this
experiment you will need at least 4 people. If you have more than that, it should be an
even number. If you have an odd number of people, then one of you will sit out and people
can take turns. Or if you are the group leader, you sit out. That's just the way it goes.
Form a
circle where you are facing one person across the circle.
At the
signal from the group leader, everyone should start talking to the person straight across
from them, very softly. It should be so soft that it's right at the threshold of hearing.
The
objective is to hold a conversation while the other pairs are holding a conversation
simultaneously. This will involve intense concentration and contact.
Rest after
15 minutes or so. After about 5 minutes of rest, try it again.
*
* *
Your radio is not only picking up external vibrations, it is
also emitting them from inside. The wave that comes from inside, from the system, modifies
(amplifying or reducing) the incoming wave. For instance, the impression of a sunset comes
through
your eyes, and your system responds to it by comparing it to other sunsets, or by plans to
tell someone about it, or by beginning to write a poem about it. All
this "interference" affects the incoming wave.
Sometime the waves coming from your system would diminish the strength of the incoming
signal, when for instance your thoughts revolve around how late you are
to your next meeting or what a lousy day you had. The waves you emit could also enrich or
strengthen the incoming wave by, for example, the romantic feelings it evokes if you are
with your partner or by writing a poem to it.
In other words, the electromagnetic signals generated by your
own nervous system (i.e., your radio) modify the vibrations coming into the radio.
So, part of the trick behind a good tuning strategy is to learn what actions,
postures, thoughts, feelings, and moods enhance the signals you want to tune into; and
which ones minimize the noise, that is, the signals you want in the background instead of
the foreground.
Experiment
1. Extend your arms to your sides, forming a cross.
2. Mentally say to your left arm: "MOVE!" Do not, however move either arm
an inch.
3. Repeat this mental command for at least five minutes, but do not move the arm.
4. At the end of the experiment, is the left arm more tired than the other?
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