Episode 124

Awakening Practices from PRACTICAL WORK ON SELF, "Mentation", Part Two

In this episode, THE THREE-HEADED MAN explores the practice of collected attention as a means to achieve mental clarity and deeper focus.

They use the concept of "mentating" on, for instance, peppermint, to illustrate how a simple, sensory anchor can help steady the mind against a constant stream of distracting thoughts. They compare the human mind to a computer with too many open programs, suggesting that one must consciously "close windows" to reclaim mental resources for higher thinking. By "hanging ideas on a line" or externalizing them, THE THREE-HEADED MAN finds they can avoid the stress of internal clutter and approach life with a more peaceful, unified presence.

Ultimately, the dialogue emphasizes that intentional focus and sensory awareness allow individuals to move beyond repetitive mental cycles toward a more expansive, universal perspective.

All Episodes Previous Episode

About the Podcast

Show artwork for The Three-Headed Man
The Three-Headed Man
Talking To Ourselves For Over 25 Years

Listen for free

About your host

Profile picture for Fred M Schill

Fred M Schill

I like to do. I like to make things. And, I like telling stories. I tell stories to myself and to others.

First, a short biography, which is, of course, is a story. I was born in Cleveland, played sports, and attended university. Later, after a few years in the radio business, I returned to university to study education and literature.

With a teaching certificate in my file folder, I began working in high schools, first as a strike-breaking scab substitute teacher in Cleveland's far suburbs, and then in Chicago, mostly in private high schools.

Cleveland and Chicago. My two main towns, and I escaped them both. Presently, I live in a tiny, isolated, mountain village in Spain. I am reluctant to write the name of the town because I don't like tourists. When the tourists arrive, they look at me as if I am an animal in a zoo.