Fundamental Wellbeing - Exercise - PCE - Unprovoked Happiness (Finders & 45-Day Unofficial Summary)

Unprovoked Happiness (Session 10 Practice)
Definitions:
● "Excellent conscious experience" (ECE) is associated with location 3, like a temporary

location 3 experience.
● "Pure conscious experience" (PCE) is associated with location 4, like a temporary

location 4 experience.
ECE and PCE both allow for sinking in opportunities to these respective locations. They are the
most reliable routes for most people to reach locations 3 or 4 (particularly 4) as proven in the
Finders Course.
However, people not already in Fundamental Wellbeing rarely transition straight to location 4. If
you are wary of location 4, try to be open-minded, and keep in mind you can use the techniques
to exit location 4 that were discussed in the Finders book.
There are three related methods to achieve ECE/PCE: object focus, experience focus, and
memory method. These methods overlap and you can shift from one to another. Unlike other
methods in the course, they can be significantly different for everyone, so—as
always—experiment. Perform 30-60 minutes of continuous Unprovoked Happiness practice per
day, plus briefer practice periods as often as possible throughout the day.
All three methods involve cultivating and focusing on or emphasizing one or more qualities like:
perfection, delight, wonder, euphoric happiness, equanimity or imperturbability, safety,
innocence, immediacy, or felicity. Collectively, these qualities and others comprise "attentive
sensuousness," "felicitous fascination," or "felicitous wonder." You can use any one or two of the
above qualities, when they arise during practice, as a gateway to all the rest (and more).
Helpful hint: think of ECEs/PCEs as experiences like a young child would have—rooted in
innocence and wonder. Once they happen, they can happen more easily, more often. First a
shift of perception occurs during the methods, then a shift of consciousness, and finally,
habituation to these states. People describe the shifts and habituation as being on vacation from
one's thoughts all the time, or like removing filters, which then allows for an actual, direct
experience of reality.
Another tip: many people associate a sense of agency with senses, particularly sight and
hearing. However, if you pay close attention, you will notice these processes are mostly
unfolding automatically. Try noticing how your senses are nonvolitional throughout the day and
during your Unprovoked Happiness practice.
Method one, object focus:

1) Focus narrowly on an object. Natural objects may work better for most people, but after
you're more experienced, anything might work—even unlikely-seeming things like a pile of dirty
laundry. Be sure to experiment with different objects to see what works best for you. (Note: Try a
single object at first, but as you learn to better cultivate attentive sensuousness, you can also
shift between focus objects.)
2) Use all your senses and notice the object with a sense of curiosity, almost as if you were an
alien seeing it for the first time, or as if the focus object was a piece of art that you are
examining. Try to perceive everything knowable with sense data. Do your best to experience it
directly, not through symbolic thinking, mental organization, or association. You can focus on
one sense at a time, or notice multiple senses for the same object. (See also step 4.) When you
do this often, your senses will pick up on minute details and subtle or rapid changes that
normally seem to be outside the grasp of your mind.
3) Develop an appreciation for being alive and experiencing the object in this moment. Notice
delight and wonder and other qualities of attentive sensuousness as the shackles of thought fall
away. Use whatever qualities arise as gateways to the other qualities of attentive sensuousness.
4) This step is optional, but worth trying. Think of it as a bridge to the 'experience focus' method
detailed later in this summary. You can also do this instead of step 3 if you are not yet
experiencing qualities of attentive sensuousness, OR to deepen into attentive sensuousness.
Pay attention to how you are paying attention. Notice the "encoding" of all your senses—how
are your eyes, ears, nose, etc. perceiving the focus object? This is not about anatomical,
technical, or intellectual understanding. Try to reveal to yourself how sense data is collected and
perceived by your body and mind in each moment. Apperception is perceiving perception
arising and passing away in the moment. Allow yourself to perceive shifts of perception
occurring within miniscule spans of time.
5) Whenever necessary, redirect your focus back to the object or experience. Optionally, inquire
into any obstacles or distractions—becoming aware of things (including thoughts or beliefs) that
pulled you out of focus or attentive sensuousness, then exploring and "clearing" the deeper
beliefs or tendencies behind them.
Method two, experience focus:
Method two is similar to object focus, but with a more generalized focus on senses and the
experience of being alive in the moment. Remember you can also shift between experience
focus and object focus, but it's probably best to try each technique individually at first.
The easiest way: Simply ask yourself "How am I (or 'how is this being') experiencing this
moment of being alive?" with a genuine sense of curiosity and no assumptions. Whenever the
qualities of attentive sensuousness arise, use them as a gateway. Alternatively, you may find
that you get to attentive sensuousness over time anyway using this method.
Another way: Focus inquisitively on your senses and experience, noticing and inquiring. Inquire
directly into the nature of perception and experience. You may find focus objects based on what
you perceive. Along with real objects, sensations, and the experience of sense perception,
awareness itself, or even thoughts (as long as you notice rather than engage them) can be
focus objects. This should bring you to attentive sensuousness over time.
Method three, memory focus:
The originator of ECE/PCE believed everyone had experienced ECEs/PCEs in their lives and
felt this memory focus was the most effective way to elicit further ECEs/PCEs, but the Finders
Course has not found that to be the case. However, it may become more useful as you evoke
more ECEs/PCEs and can use them as anchor or gateway experiences to elicit attentive
sensuousness in the future.
If you have ever had an ECE/PCE experience in the past that matches the criteria at the
beginning of this summary, go back to it and recall it. Bring up the sensory, awareness,
perceptional, and experiential qualities that you recall, then deepen into them.
As with the other two methods, any time qualities of attentive sensuousness arise in the present
moment, use them as a gateway to experience the other qualities.
Lastly, whenever the opportunity presents itself, inquire into any obstacles or distractions
(including thoughts and beliefs) that pulled you out of the past experience, exploring and
"clearing" the underlying beliefs or tendencies that prevented a continued ECE/PCE. Or, if you
become distracted from your attentive sensuousness in the present moment, this inquiry
technique is also effective (as with the other two methods from this summary).
Simplified overall summary:
● Ask how you’re feeling in this moment.
● Determining whether it’s in the direction of ECE/PCE.
● Direct or redirect your attention in that direction if not.
● Optionally, inquire what stopped prior progress or pulled you out of PCE. You can
become aware of things that take you off track and explore deeper underlying beliefs.
● Condition PCE as often as possible and sink into it whenever it arises.

● Don’t stress yourself out!
Summary by Corey Nelson

Fundamental Wellbeing - Exercise - PCE - Unprovoked Happiness (Finders & 45-Day Unofficial Summary)

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Unprovoked Happiness (Session 10 Practice)

● "Excellent conscious experience" (ECE) is associated with location 3, like a temporary

● "Pure conscious experience" (PCE) is associated with location 4, like a temporary

Method one, object focus:

Method two, experience focus:

Method three, memory focus:

Simplified overall summary:

● Ask how you’re feeling in this moment.

● Determining whether it’s in the direction of ECE/PCE.

● Direct or redirect your attention in that direction if not.

● Condition PCE as often as possible and sink into it whenever it arises.

Summary by Corey Nelson

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