The Nature of the Mind
The Mind! What an amazing tool! So many avenues to explore! So much creative ability! And so much responsibility.
The Minds we possess separate us from all other species that inhabit this planet (as far as we know). In combination with the constructive abilities of the hand, The Mind is responsible for the world we currently live in.
However, as with all things in this world (I keep saying this don’t I?) there is a benefit and a price. The amazing world we live in is also the world that has many incongruities (I am tired of calling them “problems”) that do not allow our society to grow beyond a certain point.
For example, cigarettes are still being sold. It boggles my mind that we allow such an obvious health hazard to continue to exist in our society. In researching the benefits of smoking it is reputed to help one relax, to aid in coping with stressful situations and to avoid feelings of boredom. While these “benefits” may exist they are tremendously outweighed by the addictive and costly health problems cigarettes cause. While an occasional cigarette may be appropriate as a method to alleviate anxiety, the number of individuals practicing this form of smoking are far and few between. Instead, we have millions of people consuming packs of cigarettes each day in constant need of their next fix. We spend billions of dollars on a product that is long overdue to disappear from our store’s shelves.
Cigarettes, the way they have been marketed and our society’s acceptance are all examples of The Mind in action. Regardless of the outcome, one must respect the power of The Mind.
To even the field; The Mind is also responsible for countless amazing creative feats such as the architect and engineering wonders of: NYC, the Panama Canal or our visit to the moon! Now, The Mind is conceiving of a manned mission to Mars! Given enough time who knows what it will create next!
Without a doubt it is the most fearsome force on the planet. And yet our training regarding its use and abuse is less than satisfactory. I am not speaking about filling it with information or being able to apply it to problem solving. I am talking about something much simpler.
Take a moment and observe those around you. Everyone you see is involved in the same unending process of constantly thinking about themselves and their lives. On and on for hours everyday, everyone you see is constantly talking to themselves. The question is what are we talking about?
The Mind has the ability to consider and describe our reality using language, words or pictures. The act of thinking is a string of sentences that we speak to ourselves with our inner voice about our lives and what is going on around us. We have conversations with ourselves and conversations with others. We imagine situations that might occur or we wish would occur. We practice lines or speeches, sing songs and recite phrases.
The Mind is a tool. It helps to direct your life. However, it is the body that experiences the results of your choices. The mind and the body are two sides of the same coin. Both are important to keep healthy. Both need rest. Both need stimulation. The question is what kind of stimulation have you been providing your mind?
Like anything else in the body, The Mind gets better at being used the more you use it. More specifically, it will adapt to how you use it. For example, if the majority of your thoughts are continually focused on what might go wrong in your life and this causes you to experience worry, you will improve your ability to worry. The Mind is like a beach with very sensitive sand. Walking the same steps over and over digs a mental trench in its substance. Neural nets will be formed by this habit until your body and mind elevate worrying to an art form. You become Super-Worrier! Able to take the simplest problems and twist it into a mess of Herculean proportions!
So, how to balance the mind and keep it healthy? How to banish negative thinking? Taking responsibility for your mind is about becoming increasingly aware of how you are using it and how this affects your life and health.
Thinking is an investment of energy. Taking responsibility requires you to monitor the subject of your thoughts and ask, “What am I getting out of this?” or “Is thinking this thought productive to my life?” and “Is it worth it?”
To leave the realm of unproductive thinking requires you to remember:
You can’t think WITHOUT using words, language or pictures.
So…
1. Try thinking WITHOUT using words, language or pictures. Pay attention to what this is like for you.
2. In the space of the mental pause you will experience, bring your attention to your inhale and exhale and learn to observe it.
3. Repeat step 2 for as long as you can.
Mr. Sheldon Ginsberg President of FitPath Health Services holds a Bachelors of Science in Exercise Science from State University of New York at Buffalo. In addition, he has obtained advanced certification as a Strength and Conditioning Coach from the National Strength and Conditioning Association and he is also a 12th level Reiki Master Teacher. To learn more you can visit www.thefitpath.net or call 305-785-2936
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
 |
 |
Leave a Reply