Total Merge

The application of the “Merge” protocol in everyday life deserves separate attention. It is a simple tool that, despite its apparent primitiveness, can produce noticeable effects. Even after completing the main work with the lists, it makes sense to keep it in your toolkit and use it from time to time.

As mentioned earlier in the “Work Plan” chapter, “Merge” is used not only for working with polarities from lists, but also in a broader, applied sense — with anything in the psyche that is “out of place.” It is logical to start with people you actually interact with. First of all, this is the so-called “first circle”: those closest to you — spouse, parents, children, siblings, sometimes grandparents. This use of “Merge” does not automatically solve all relationship problems — that requires separate processing of specific irritating aspects using “Process this.” However, the subjective quality of contact and the internal background of interaction usually change noticeably.

It is also worth mentioning working with “Merge” in relation to deceased loved ones. In this case, it is not about any metaphysical conclusions, but about working with internal images and unfinished connections in memory. Sometimes this allows unexpected experiences and reinterpretations related to loss and relationships to surface.

The procedure is very simple. A formula such as “Me and my mother — Merge” is repeated aloud or silently until yawning occurs, or up to ten repetitions if there is no physiological response. That’s all.

After the first circle, it makes sense to move on to more distant ones. These include second- and third-circle relatives, friends, then acquaintances, neighbors, colleagues, and supervisors. The logic is the same — we are not working with real people, but with how they are represented in our perception and memory.

Further, the scope of application can be expanded almost without limitation. It is useful to start with those who cause irritation or tension. In some cases, it makes sense to combine “Merge” with other tools — for example, with “Process this” and “Hoppo.” For example, suppose a certain social group irritates you. First, all arising thoughts, evaluations, and feelings are captured (for example, written down) until the flow runs out. Then each item is processed in the standard way (using “Process this”). After that, “Hoppo” can be applied to these people or groups to remove residual emotional charge, and finally — “Merge” with the corresponding object, person, or group.

The same approach can be used with any other “triggers”: age groups, neighbors, children, people with different behavioral styles, authorities, professions, and so on. Over time, the number of external triggers usually decreases. This does not mean that others’ actions automatically stop being unpleasant — that requires separate work with specific situations and reactions. However, the overall background level of irritation in the normal state becomes lower. Sometimes even the subjective frequency of encountering such situations changes: attention stops clinging to them, and they appear less often in the focus of experience.

“Merge” can also be applied to anything that attention is directed at in the moment: natural objects, people on the street, sounds, elements of the environment. In this case, the effect is not a “change in the world,” but a change in the observer’s state — a weakening of separation, a reduction of tension, a sense of greater involvement. Subjectively, this can be experienced as a pleasant and stabilizing state.

Formally, the object of “Merge” can be anything: skills, types of activity, personal traits, emotional states, bodily sensations. For example, you can work with an unwanted state or symptom by first isolating it as clearly as possible in perception — in terms of intensity, location, and dynamics. After that, the standard formula “Me and … — Merge” is used. Sometimes this leads to a noticeable change in subjective state. To develop the ability to distinguish such states, it may be useful to become familiar with classical techniques of aspecting (essentially, building experience in decomposing states by carefully listing all possible aspects for further processing).

Some people use “Merge” in purely utilitarian situations — as a way to reduce internal resistance or tension before action. For example, in situations of waiting, uncertainty, negotiations, or difficult interactions. It is important to understand: this is not about “controlling external reality,” but about influencing one’s own state, attention, and behavior, which may in turn indirectly affect the course of events.

“Merge” can be used not only in a delayed mode (until yawning or a fixed number of repetitions), but also in real time — holding the formula until a subjective sense of reduced separation or tension arises. This variant can produce vivid experiences and insights, especially in the early stages of practice. At the same time, the system as a whole is oriented toward delayed work and processing of large volumes of material. Using “Merge” in real time should be considered a supplementary tool and not turned into a goal in itself or a form of escaping into experiences.

In summary, “Merge” is a convenient and flexible tool for working with perception and internal boundaries. It is not intended for deep processing of complex psychological material, but it complements other protocols well. Its effects are not related to mysticism, but to changes in the way perception and attention are organized. In this capacity, it can be useful and interesting in practice.