Am I in recon without realizing it?

Questions and Comments
#1

When something has triggered you, especially here on the forums, stop and analyze whether it’s something that usually triggers you. Take your time and allow the emotion to pass. After that, you can say with more certainty whether you were triggered because you’re in recon.

Unfortunately, from what I’ve seen on the forums, 90% of decisions to change or “optimize” the stack are made while in recon. That’s the real culprit, and it will always be—unless people develop their self-soothing ability. This is a major issue in the psychological makeup of the modern man—resorting to lashing out or passive aggression as a way to soothe his own psyche.

Until then, I suggest just breathing. Seriously.

Here are some signs to look out for:

  • Frequent second-guessing – Are you constantly questioning your choices, especially regarding your stack or personal growth?
  • Emotional reactivity – Do small things trigger frustration, irritation, or doubt more than usual?
  • Impulse to change the stack/custom – Are you feeling an urgent need to “fix” or “optimize” your stack/custom, even when it was working fine before?
  • External validation seeking – Are you relying on feedback from others to confirm that you’re on the right track?
  • Overanalyzing and looping thoughts – Do you catch yourself mentally cycling through the same concerns without resolution?

Recon often creeps in subtly. If any of these resonate, the best approach is to pause, breathe, and detach before making decisions. The real challenge is sitting with discomfort rather than reacting to it.

:snowflake:

9 Likes
#2

Recon is actually beneficial, rather than response to triggers it is good to listen to your heart as it will guide you the way.

1 Like
#3

I don’t agree.

The only good thing related to recon is that it’s a strong indicator that certain issues are being addressed. However, it can be done without its negative effects or with those effects being reined in.

:snowflake:

1 Like
#4

You will not feel good going outside your comfort zone, facing the unfamiliar requires strength.

And when I finally had it, it become innate that I never feel bad about it anymore.

A long time ago I listened to Diamond to fix some issue, I become quite desperate in a way that I abusively do multiple loops, thinking it will quickly fix the problem - it didn’t, rather it gave me another problem/s. It took time to really get what I wanted.

And when It did, it didn’t require external motivation to fix that thing below. It just go strong, like a Jack Hammer.

#5

On the contrary, stepping out of my comfort zones and taking action aligned with my goals and the scripting feels good and I grow, while sticking to them does not.

Staying in your comfort zone often leads to more recon and inaction, creating a downward spiral of recon. Why do you think 90% of people come to the forums while in recon? For the comfort it gives while it keeps them chained to their recon. Taking action aligned with your goals and the scripting is the only real solution to recon (apart from washouts and decreasing the exposure). Breathing, I would recommend, is merely an ad hoc measure.

:snowflake:

1 Like
#6

Yes, it is.

#7

guzuqi0pmninjcc4rre8

Cheers.

:snowflake:

#8

Your comfort zone can feel absolutely garbage.
It doesn’t have to feel good to be classified as a comfort zone.

Recon is just like muscle soreness.
It tells you what muscle you hit on your last workout.
That’s it, that’s the only benefit of soreness.

The soreness itself is not useful, it’s just a signal.
What’s beneficial is what you do to get that soreness & how you recover from it.

Recon is similar. It’s just a signal that there’s something happening inside.
What you do to get it (listening to subs) & how you recover from it (taking action, journaling etc) are what’s beneficial. The recon itself is just a signal.

1 Like
#9

image

7 Likes
#10

Opinion.

Just look at the word:

Recon.

Reconciliation

Resolution of the discrepancy or contrast between two or more conditions.

That is a pretty broad category (even if we’re only considering response to subliminals) and can include many varieties of experience and process.

In general, people in conversations like this one are thinking about particular types or specific forms of Reconciliation.

Being more specific can create a higher quality interaction.

2 Likes
#11

Here’s my favourite example:

Apart from finding it a bit amusing, it serves to clearly show the essence of recon. Recon refers to all the effects of subliminal usage that drive you either below or above your baseline. However, the common usage of this word on the forums refers to the former (i.e., below your baseline). I thought all of that was obvious to pretty much everyone.

Is there any other understanding of it, or is it just me? lol

Anyhow, that loss of our ‘equilibrium’ is inevitable and necessary. What matters is how we deal with its downside. Sugar? Sunlight? Water? Nah, I’d rather jump on that bitch and ride it, so to speak.

:snowflake:

#12

I’m gonna call ya Mr.R from now on lol

:snowflake:

#13

So in your understanding of reconciliation:

There is a baseline. To what precisely this ‘baseline’ refers is, I assume, also ‘obvious’ to you, since it is defined by you.

Then there is movement ‘above’ or ‘below’ that baseline.

Yes, there can certainly be numerous other frameworks for conceptualizing growth processes, their (expected and unexpected) trajectories and contexts, and their associated challenges.

Your definition is 2-dimensional. This can be pretty useful in many cases. It simplifies things to enable a practical response.

1 Like
#14

I can see and feel your wisdom @Sub.Zero

You’re describing processes that are happening to me; some even happening right now.

These are just some nuances and details that I champion.

I have a dichotomy-allergy.

But sometimes dichotomies are necessary and useful.

One of my favorite stories is of a man who said, "There are two types of people in the world. The first type believes that there are two types of people in the world…"

2 Likes
#15

We need theoretical simplifications for practical applications. I don’t delve into semantics or ontologies when posting for the “average user”.

That can propel deeper understanding and be useful for building more advanced frameworks. However, for practical applications for the average user simplicity is the key.

In the case of animals, growth is simple since it’s a dichotomy: breathe in and breathe out. In humans, there’s also the possibility of holding your breath intentionally and with premeditation. Recon is like breathing (in and out), yet we can hold our breath (and take constructive action) intentionally and with premeditation. That’s the essence of real growth to me, as the sage said:

We all are. The topic is for those who struggle with holding their breath and taking constructive action. Not destructive like in the pic lol

:snowflake:

3 Likes
#16

I agree.

#17

I’ll still add though. There are hundreds of different “breathe in, breathe out” (expand/contract, ingest/expunge, catabolize/anabolize, integrate/eliminate) processes within all animals.

The risk of a simplifying principle is that it may tempt narrowness in application. If someone were to interpret your above example literally, they might focus all of their physical health efforts on breathing and ignore other areas that for them might be much more important.

One example that used to be pretty frequent here on the forum was the application of the ‘Loser/Winner’ dichotomy. “Are you losing or are you winning?” And then this would often be determined based on various versions of a money, work, sex, socializing metric.

Works well enough and it’s pretty persuasive at times.

But some people have a different path in life.

By one metric they may be ‘losing’, but by the metric that matters for them they may be killing it.

So the specific “breathing” that you choose to focus on, the “baseline” that you choose to pay attention to, can make a huge difference in how your life looks to you.

Maybe this idea is advanced, because I’m talking about ‘flexibiliity of underlying paradigms’, but for some people this is exactly what they need right now.

I think that the Unfolding programs all speak to this to some extent. The Revelation of Mind, of Spirit, and so on.

1 Like
#18

However, even the narrowest application is better than its absence, as long as it’s effective in resolving the issue. Moreover, in this case, it wasn’t about any principle but rather the most common occurrence when using subs: recon. I suggested a simple way of dealing with it in a non-destructive manner, as many of us struggle with this frequently.

We lose our equilibrium when listening to subs and end up in recon, where there are two main courses of action and there is also inaction (sitting it out). I recommend “breathing” (sitting through recon) to everyone who struggles with taking constructive action while in recon. Even though our actions are never entirely constructive or destructive, and even constructive actions often require some destruction.

I encourage people to practice self-soothing, as this is the way to avoid unnecessary destructive actions. No quick fixes like sugar, lol.

Recon is the stack destroyer, not the variety of choices at our disposal, as was implied here:

Even though there was some merit to that post.

:snowflake:

1 Like
#19

Interesting.

1 Like