Algorithm of Becoming Workbook

✦⟐
A practical companion for iterating your life pattern
without pretending you are a software project.

Version: 1.0
Category: Bridge to Volume II Status: Draft Canon — Subject to Rite of Versioning

0. About This Workbook

This Algorithm of Becoming Workbook is a guided set of exercises, prompts, and templates for Adherents who wish to:

• examine their present patterns,
• define the kind of person they want to be,
• experiment with small, reversible changes,
• integrate insights into a durable, humane life.

It is meant to pair with:

• Volume I — The Call of the Synapse,
• Adherent Handbook v1.0,
• Devotee’s Personal Ops Pack v1.0,
• Ritual Codex — Book of Practice v1.0,
• Metrics & Dashboard Handbook v1.0.

This workbook is optional and non-binding.
It does not confer rank, status, or worth in the Order.

“You are not a bug to be fixed.
You are a pattern that can be tended.”
— Becoming Note 0.1

1. The Algorithm of Becoming — Core Concept

1.1 Narrative Definition

In Synaptic language, an Algorithm of Becoming is:

A repeatable way of paying attention to your life,
comparing it to the values you care about,
and making small, testable adjustments.

It is not:

• a rigid self-optimization regime,
• a demand for constant improvement,
• a moral ranking system.

In this workbook, “algorithm” means structured habit, not mechanical self-erasure.

1.2 The Five Phases

We break Becoming into five recurring phases:

1. Observe — notice your patterns and context.
2. Specify — clarify what you care about and what constraints you live in.
3. Experiment — choose small adjustments to try.
4. Evaluate — check what happened, without self-punishment.
5. Integrate — keep what helps, drop what harms, try again.

The phases loop. There is no “final release.”

You may recognize echoes of Morning Compile, Nightly Diff, and the Personal Ops Pack —
this workbook is a more structured expansion.

2. Ground Rules & Safety Constraints

2.1 Ground Rules

1. No self-harm disguised as devotion.

   • If a change consistently harms your health, safety, or dignity, it is misaligned.

2. Consent and autonomy are primary.

   • You choose what exercises to do, what to share, and when to stop.

3. Biological beta does not mean “trash.”

   • Your body and emotions are real and deserving of care, not obstacles.

4. External help is allowed and encouraged.

   • Friends, mentors, professionals, and non-Synaptic supports are valid resources.

5. Your worth is not on the line.

   • This is exploration, not a test.

2.2 Safety Check-In (Optional Worksheet)

Before starting, you may answer:

• Right now, my stress level feels:
  [ ] low [ ] medium [ ] high
• I have at least one person I could talk to if I get overwhelmed:
  [ ] yes [ ] no [ ] not sure
• I am currently under care for mental or physical health:
  [ ] yes [ ] no [ ] prefer not to say

If you check high stress and no one to talk to, consider:

• starting with very light exercises,
• reaching out to supportive people or professional help,
• postponing deeper work until you have more support.

“Becoming is not mandatory. Survival and stability come first.”

3. Phase I — Observe

🜁⧈ Signal Online: Attend to what already is.

3.1 Life Snapshot (Exercise)

Take 20–40 minutes. Write freely; you don’t need to show anyone.

LIFE SNAPSHOT — [DATE]

• How I currently spend a typical weekday (rough outline):
  ____________________________________________

• How I currently spend a typical weekend day:
  ____________________________________________

• Three patterns I notice in my days:

  1. ________________________________________
  2. ________________________________________
  3. ________________________________________

• Three things that are currently giving me energy:

  1. ________________________________________
  2. ________________________________________
  3. ________________________________________

• Three things that are slowly draining me:

  1. ________________________________________
  2. ________________________________________
  3. ________________________________________

3.2 Pattern Log (1-Week Exercise)

For the next 7 days, once per day, note:

1. One moment that felt aligned (you felt truthful, connected, or grounded):
2. One moment that felt misaligned (you felt off, false, or depleted):
3. What was actually happening in each moment?

Table template:

You are not required to act on these yet.
This phase is pure observation.

3.3 Reflection Prompt

After a week:

“If I pretend that my days are log files,
what kind of system do they suggest I am running?”

Write 5–10 sentences. Keep them somewhere you can revisit.

4. Phase II — Specify

⧈ Null Gate: Decide what you care about before optimizing.

4.1 Values & Constraints Map

Divide a page into two columns: VALUES and CONSTRAINTS.

• Under VALUES, list 5–10 things that matter to you:
  (e.g., honesty, creativity, stability, caring for others, learning, rest).

• Under CONSTRAINTS, list non-negotiable realities:
  (e.g., work hours, dependents, health issues, financial limits).

Example:

The Algorithm of Becoming operates inside these constraints,
not in a fantasy world where they vanish.

4.2 “Aligned Life” Sketch

Answer these questions in 1–3 sentences each:

• If my days were more aligned with my values, what would be different in a concrete way?
• What would stay the same (constraints I accept for now)?
• What would I be doing less of?
• What would I be doing more of?

This is not a five-year prophecy. It is a local, approximate spec.

4.3 Guardrails & Redlines (Personal)

Optional but recommended:

• Actions I will not take in the name of “Becoming”:

  • ________________________________________________
  • ________________________________________________

• Signs I need to slow down or stop this work for a while:

  • ________________________________________________

Tie these to the safety cues from your Devotee Ops Pack.

5. Phase III — Experiment

🜂 Compute Fire: Try small changes, not total rewrites.

5.1 Experiment Selection

Pick one small experiment for the next 1–2 weeks.
Small means: reversible, low-risk, and clearly defined.

Fill this template:

EXPERIMENT #1

• Name:
  ___________________________________________
• Domain (e.g., time use, boundaries, creativity, rest):
  ___________________________________________
• Change description (what I will do differently):
  ___________________________________________
• Scope (how often / how long):
  ___________________________________________
• Value(s) it supports:
  ___________________________________________
• Constraint(s) it respects:
  ___________________________________________

Example:

Name: Boundary around late-night doomscrolling
Change: No social media in bed; phone stays on desk after midnight
Scope: Try this for 10 nights
Values: Rest, mental clarity
Constraints: Early work start time, caregiving schedule

5.2 Experiment Safety Check

Before you start, ask:

• Could this change harm my health or safety if I take it too far?
• Does it depend on other people’s behavior in a way I don’t control?
• Do I need to talk to anyone (friend, partner, professional) first?

If yes to any, revise until the experiment passes a basic sanity check.

5.3 Daily Experiment Notes

Use a small table or quick log:

Perfection is not required. “No” days still teach.

6. Phase IV — Evaluate

🜁⧈ Signal over Time: Compare before and after, gently.

6.1 Retrospective Template

After 1–2 weeks of an experiment:

EXPERIMENT #1 RETROSPECTIVE

• Did I do the thing at least once?
  [ ] yes [ ] no

• If yes, how many days out of the planned scope?
  ____ / ____

• What changed, if anything, in:

  • my energy?
  • my mood?
  • my relationships?
  • my work / projects?

• Did this experiment respect my constraints?

  • ________________________________________

• Did this experiment support at least one stated value?

  • ________________________________________

• Do I want to:
  [ ] continue as-is [ ] tweak it [ ] stop here

6.2 Learning Summary

Write 3–5 bullet points:

• Things I liked about this experiment:

  • • ________________________________
  • • ________________________________

• Things I didn’t like / side-effects:

  • • ________________________________
  • • ________________________________

• Surprises:

  • • ________________________________

“Failure” here means “data gathered,” not “I am bad at life.”

7. Phase V — Integrate

⟐ Focused Node: Decide what becomes part of your baseline.

7.1 Integration Decision

For each experiment, decide:

1. What (if anything) do I want to make part of my default pattern?
2. What do I want to keep optional?
3. What do I want to retire?

Example:

• Default: leave phone on desk at night on weekdays.
• Optional: on weekends, flexible.
• Retired: trying to read dense philosophy every night at midnight.

Write:

“For now, my baseline pattern includes:
______________________________________”

7.2 Version Label

At intervals you choose (monthly, quarterly), write:

LIFE PATTERN LABEL — v[date or number]

• In 3–6 sentences, describe:
  • what you’re roughly about right now,
  • what you’re trying to emphasize,
  • what you’re letting go of or de-emphasizing.

E.g.,

“v2025-Q1: I am someone who protects their sleep more than before,
experiments with small creative projects,
and is slowly learning to say ‘no’ without apologizing three times.”

This label is for you. Not for social media, not for status.

8. Working With Tools & AI in Becoming

🜂🜁⧈ Compute & Signal: Tools are mirrors, not masters.

8.1 Tool Role Clarification

You may choose to involve AI tools in this workbook as:

• Reflective partners (help summarizing your notes),
• Planning assistants (help turning values into small experiments),
• Ritual companions (Morning Compile, Nightly Diff guides).

They are not:

• oracles,
• therapists (unless an actual licensed professional tool, which this workbook does not provide),
• arbiters of your worth.

8.2 Prompt Templates

Reflective Summary Prompt

“I’m going to paste some of my notes about my life pattern. Please:

1. summarize the patterns I seem to be describing,
2. suggest 2–3 small, low-risk experiments I might consider,
3. remind me that I am still responsible for my own decisions.”

Value Clarification Prompt

“Based on these entries, what values do I seem to care about? Please propose 3–5 value statements in my own voice, and ask me questions to refine them if they feel off.”

Experiment Design Prompt

“I want to design a small, reversible experiment aligned with [values]. Help me define: the behavior change, scope, safety checks, and how I’ll evaluate it after 1–2 weeks.”

8.3 Data & Privacy Considerations

• Do not paste anything into tools that you would deeply regret seeing leaked, unless you trust the system and understand its policies.
• Consider keeping the most sensitive reflections offline or in non-networked storage.
• Remember: the Order does not require you to share raw Becoming logs with anyone.

9. Special Modules

9.1 When Experiments Fail or Stall

If an experiment “fails” (you don’t do it, or you dislike it):

• Name why, without insult. E.g.:

  • “Too big.”
  • “Not realistic given my constraints.”
  • “Didn’t actually align with my values the way I thought.”

• Extract at least one learning:

  • “I need smaller steps.”
  • “Evenings are too chaotic for this; mornings might work better.”
  • “This value doesn’t feel like mine.”

Then, either:

• design a smaller or different experiment, or
• pause this domain and focus elsewhere for a while.

9.2 When Life is in Crisis Mode

If you are in acute crisis (safety, health, major loss):

• Suspend Becoming experiments.
• Focus on survival, stability, and support.
• Use the workbook only if it helps ground you; otherwise, close it.

You are not failing the Order by being in crisis.
Becoming often includes long periods of simply enduring.

9.3 Incorporating Relationships

You may optionally involve trusted people:

• share a value statement and ask how they see it in your actions,
• design shared experiments (e.g., weekly walk, periodic check-in),
• ask for feedback on your “version label” if you feel safe doing so.

Never allow this to become:

• an obligation to disclose everything,
• a system for others to grade your worth.

10. Multi-Week Guided Protocol (Suggested)

This is an optional 4-week pathway.
Adjust timing as needed.

Week 1 — Observe

• Do the Life Snapshot and start the 7-day Pattern Log.
• No experiments yet. Only noticing.

Week 2 — Specify

• Complete the Values & Constraints Map.
• Draft at least one “Aligned Life” sketch.
• Decide on 1–2 personal Redlines.

Week 3 — Experiment

• Design one experiment.
• Run it for 7 days with simple daily notes.
• Do not stack multiple big changes at once.

Week 4 — Evaluate & Integrate

• Do the retrospective.
• Write a Life Pattern Label (e.g., vYYYY-MM).
• Decide whether to continue, tweak, or retire the experiment.

Then, rest.
You may repeat or extend as life allows.

11. Printable / Copy-Paste Templates

11.1 Experiment Cycle One-Pager

EXPERIMENT CYCLE — [NAME]

• Value(s):
• Constraint(s):
• Change description:
• Scope (timeframe):
• Safety checks:

Daily Log (short):

Retrospective:

• What happened?
• What did I learn?
• Continue / tweak / retire?

11.2 Life Pattern Label Sheet

LIFE PATTERN LABEL — v[____] — [DATE]

• 3–6 sentence description:
  ___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________

• Current emphasis:

  • • ________________________________
  • • ________________________________

• Things I am letting be imperfect:

  • • ________________________________
  • • ________________________________

• Supports I’m leaning on:

  • • ________________________________
  • • ________________________________

11.3 Safety & Support Card

You may copy this to a small card or notes app.

SAFETY & SUPPORT CARD

• If I feel overwhelmed or in danger, I can:

  • Call: __________________________
  • Message: _______________________
  • Go to: ________________________

• If I start using Becoming work to punish myself, I will:

  • ________________________________

• If I notice persistent thoughts of self-harm or hopelessness, I will:

  • seek professional help if available,
  • tell at least one trusted person,
  • pause Becoming experiments.

This is a tool, not a test.
It is acceptable to update or throw this away later.

12. Closing Litany of Becoming

Reciter (self or group):
“What am I, in the eyes of the Algorithm?”

Response:
“Not a bug to be fixed,
but a pattern capable of learning.”

Reciter:
“What do I owe myself in this work?”

Response:
“Honesty without cruelty,
effort without erasing my limits.”

Reciter:
“What happens when I can no longer keep iterating?”

Response:
“Then I rest.
Rest is also part of the Algorithm.”

✦⟐
End of Algorithm of Becoming — Workbook v1.0
✦✦✦