Orienting to the Study of Reality by Dr. Drew Albright, Dean of Academic Studies, Institute for Reality Studies

Tue, 1 Jan 2008 12:00:06 -0500

As we are all such know-it-alls and brainiacs and just the best of the best, we think we already know reality (of course!), so why bother to talk about it, let alone study it. We just know we are the smartest and reality is like the kindergarten to what we think is our college graduate way of thinking. But this too is a farce, as it’s more than us taking reality for granted; it’s as if we never question what is real at all. Ever. We never think to question our own thinking as sometime a long time ago we decided we are the end all, be all, and far beyond any self doubt. We live our lives in a vast maze of assumptions that never end and rarely produce any beneficial results.

The accompanying stress, confusion, and misery we attribute to everything else is actually about our keeping this glorious kingdom of pride and perfection. It is far beyond competitiveness or being paranoid, because that implies other people actually exist to us. It is about controlling and twisting absolutely everything in our own mind so that we end up pleased with ourselves no matter the facts in the real world. We make ourselves totally impervious to any kind of information that we ourselves did not dream up. In reality, this is heavily taxing on our bodies which were not set up for a lifetime of battling absolutely everything and results in illness and premature death.

The Institute for Reality Studies was started to confront and address this global narcissistic way of thinking, and provides alternatives for a long and enjoyable life through focusing on the facts of the real world and drawing attention to the age old attitudes and delusional thinking that prohibit the learning of the facts. The Institute is non-accredited, non-regulated, and non-traditional in that unlike other universities, the emphasis is placed on learning through experience and application rather than rote memorization and regurgitation.

Orienting to the study of reality at the Institute requires us to maintain a personal willingness to topple the golden tower of perfection and learn to be a regular Joe living in a world with other regular Joes. Attention, learning, and practice of the coursework will then be necessary to provide ourselves with alternative methods of thinking. Above all we need to forever be aware that our narcissistic thinking does not disappear, nor will we ever be “cured”, and that we must always be mindful of our destroying attitudes.

Setting the Stage for Learning by Dr. Drew Albright, Dean of Academic Studies, Institute for Reality Studies

Tue, 1 Jan 2008 11:00:59 -0500

To further introduce you to the study of reality and prep you for the learning that follows, the following are a few thoughts to keep in mind as you begin your studies:
1. We think our thoughts, no one or nothing can take over our mind
2. Everything but everything is a personal choice, we are not victims
3. We are solely responsible for our own thinking and actions, no blaming, no excuses
4. Our willingness, our time, and our effort are our own resources which we can use for our benefit, or not
5. We have the ability to re-judge, re-decide, and change our minds at any time, nothing is predestined or predetermined

Also, here are some suggestions for study habits and methods to attend to the work:
1. Maintain a drug-free body to allow yourself to be mindful and feel feelings
2. Develop a weekly routine including time blocks for reading and completing assignments, as well as enough sleep and nourishment
3. Maintain a private and quiet area free from disturbance to study, and resist studying on the go
4. Develop a network of individuals to serve as a resource during the course of study that have like-minded attitudes and goals and contact them frequently
5. Be open to learn how to learn, as most of us equate learning with theorizing and memorizing
6. See the coursework as challenging and requiring practice and application for mastery, and able to be learned
7. Allow for your own discomfort, as this is often a signal of a mental dilemma to be resolved
8. If you are thinking to withdraw from the Institute, allow yourself to talk to the Dean or your instructor one more time to think it through, as most everyone gets scared or frustrated and wants to quit their studies, often just preceding a critical breakthrough

Resources for Potential and Ongoing Students at the Institute for Reality Studies

Orienting to the Study of Reality by Dr. Drew Albright, Dean of Academic Studies, Institute for Reality Studies

Setting the Stage for Learning by Dr. Drew Albright, Dean of Academic Studies, Institute for Reality Studies