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Mercy plus Perceiver 99

about the mind to define the problem, we can start casting about for a
solution.

The Role of Cognitive Style

How does cognitive style fit into this picture? It appears that, regardless
of my personality type, I have two abilities: First, I can decide what is
allowed into my internal world. While it is possible to place a guard at the
door, it does not seem possible for me to control where this information is
placed. Second, I can choose what material is appropriate for my current
stage of building. Again, while I can decide which „board‟ to use, I do not
seem to have control over where this „board‟ is placed within the „house.‟
These two abilities of guarding and choosing appear to be present in every
person.
In other words, every individual can control his mental context, and can
give instructions to the „gatekeeper‟ standing guard over the entrance to his
internal worlds. For instance, when I identify with a situation, I am telling
my Mercy „watchman‟ to allow this experience to enter Mercy internal
thought. Similarly, when I suspend disbelief, I am telling the Perceiver
„guard‟ to give the green light to all potential facts.
In addition, the conscious control of cognitive style gives each
individual the ability to „build‟ within the room in which he lives. In that
one room, he can decide where each board is placed and how it is fitted
into the existing structure. For instance, I suggest that every person can
choose what he believes and which of his beliefs apply to any given
situation. However, it appears that only the Perceiver person is capable of
using conscious thought to assemble a system of belief one brick and board
at a time.

We all have some control over the content of our internal world.

Cognitive style allows us to arrange the content in one „room.‟

 We cannot arrange the content in rooms which are subconscious.

While conscious thought gives each cognitive style power over his own
room, I suggest that this power is limited. A person trying to rearrange the
physical furniture in a real room has only so many arms and legs.
Therefore, he has to do things one step at a time, and move objects around
one piece at a time. Similarly, conscious thought cannot remodel the
conscious room instantaneously. Major renovation takes time. It requires
planning and effort.

Perceiver Strategy and the Brain

If you examine neurology, you find that the distinction between Mercy
experiences and the Perceiver connections between those experiences is