1/19/2010
The subconscious is a little tricky. The mind can be divided along multiple dimensions, both vertical and horizontal. I think the mind will also be found to be divisible along the dimension of time but I'm not ready to speak to that. In Yoga the vertical divisions would be the Negative, Positive and Neutral Minds. The horizontal division that would be most significant to this discussion would involve the threshold which separates conscious from unconscious. Like an iceberg, 15% of our mind is above the water while 85% is submerged and consequently not visible. When a goal is set or a plan is adopted this 15% of the mind that is visible seems to be working in a uniform and coordinated fashion. We should reach the goal according to the plan. No problem. In the 85% that is out of sight however other plans and agendas exist that are just as influential and just as committed as the one consciously adopted. These alternate agendas have multiple sources. They may represent illogical value patterns or belief systems, They may reflect childhood experiences or thoughts inserted by our parents, accepted before we possessed critical thought and now accepted as fundamental bedrock in our identity.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
The Law of Attraction?
1/18/2010
It has been said that no matter how bad things are they'll be worse if you're poor. This is not to say that money is everything. It's not. Still money allows us to access resources and and solutions,it allows us to hire experts and specialists: problem solving capacity we would not otherwise have access to. Beyond that the stress associated with not being able to, or struggling constantly to just pay the bills that are due takes a toll on individuals and relationships that can be debilitating in time. It should be obvious that there is an ocean of money out there. Why are some able to swim in that ocean seemingly at will while others are continually blocked from that same reward? In my family the Law of Attraction, popularized by books such as The Secret are currently very popular. While I am a proponent of positive thinking and believe in general ways in the Law of Attraction I am skeptical that this is the whole story and tend to see it as a simplification. Part of the answer but not the whole story! Gurucharan (see gurucharan.com) believes that The Secret is an unbalanced application of the Positive Mind, and gives Bernie Madoff as an example of the unbalanced Positive Mind. He states we must plant a seed with the aid of The Neutral Mind and recommends that as the path. He is probably right. For my part The Secret entirely leaves out a discussion of the subconscious. Sorry folks we're not entirely aware of everything we think, believe or want. It also leaves out any role for karma and the legacy of the past which must be dealt with at some point
It has been said that no matter how bad things are they'll be worse if you're poor. This is not to say that money is everything. It's not. Still money allows us to access resources and and solutions,it allows us to hire experts and specialists: problem solving capacity we would not otherwise have access to. Beyond that the stress associated with not being able to, or struggling constantly to just pay the bills that are due takes a toll on individuals and relationships that can be debilitating in time. It should be obvious that there is an ocean of money out there. Why are some able to swim in that ocean seemingly at will while others are continually blocked from that same reward? In my family the Law of Attraction, popularized by books such as The Secret are currently very popular. While I am a proponent of positive thinking and believe in general ways in the Law of Attraction I am skeptical that this is the whole story and tend to see it as a simplification. Part of the answer but not the whole story! Gurucharan (see gurucharan.com) believes that The Secret is an unbalanced application of the Positive Mind, and gives Bernie Madoff as an example of the unbalanced Positive Mind. He states we must plant a seed with the aid of The Neutral Mind and recommends that as the path. He is probably right. For my part The Secret entirely leaves out a discussion of the subconscious. Sorry folks we're not entirely aware of everything we think, believe or want. It also leaves out any role for karma and the legacy of the past which must be dealt with at some point
Saturday, January 16, 2010
A New Definition of Prosperity
1/16/2010
It seems odd to begin a story in the middle. But try as I might the beginning would just not write itself. Perhaps in time. For now however let me start with what I know.
What I've been working on for some time now is that balance of success in life known as prosperity. Really, I think that everyone must decide for themselves what prosperity means to them. For me it certainly contains an aspect of wealth. I mean, you've got to be able to pay your bills. And it's nice to have a little extra cash to play with. But, probably, like you I know lots of wealthy people who are miserable. So it's not that simple! Prosperity must, to me, include things like health, relationships, self-expression, career, some stability and predictability to life. You know, prosperity!
It seems odd to begin a story in the middle. But try as I might the beginning would just not write itself. Perhaps in time. For now however let me start with what I know.
What I've been working on for some time now is that balance of success in life known as prosperity. Really, I think that everyone must decide for themselves what prosperity means to them. For me it certainly contains an aspect of wealth. I mean, you've got to be able to pay your bills. And it's nice to have a little extra cash to play with. But, probably, like you I know lots of wealthy people who are miserable. So it's not that simple! Prosperity must, to me, include things like health, relationships, self-expression, career, some stability and predictability to life. You know, prosperity!
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