I have heard of religious practices in which the holy name is attempted to be spoken continuously, all the time. I often hear of struggles with sexual impulses and attractions and religious convictions that sex is bad, shameful but admittedly helpful in replenishing the population.
This morning, I read Prof. J. Kreiner's Aeon article on medieval monks' practices to try to keep their mind on performing their duty to study and concentrate on holy writings and not get distracted.
https://getpocket.com/explore/item/how-to-reduce-digital-distractions-advice-from-medieval-monks
Modern thinkers and analysts have had more centuries to invent questions and objections and doubts but they also have smartphones and tablets that have thousands of ways to distract and send minds into lustful and glutinous thoughts. If our drives toward misbehavior and destruction are strong enough, we do find life better if drives are harnessed.
Later, I read Dr. Srini Pillay's article on the brain's need for variety and its limited ability to concentrate.
https://getpocket.com/explore/item/your-brain-can-only-take-so-much-focus
His comments reminded me of my psychophysics class where we learned that our eyes are continuously moving and that those movements are essential to vision. Movements called "saccades" refresh our vision continuously. I also think of the phenomenon of walking away. When programmers or mathematicians get stuck on an intractable problem, they learn to walk away for a while, take a nap or some sort of break. When they return to working on the problem, it is often easier to see what's needed.
Taken together, I think it makes sense to try to accept our design and wiring as it is. When we first think of improvements, of complete heaven, we are often seduced into simple thinking. We can decide on overly primitive ideas and principles that fail to account for the actual complexity of our lives and environments.
