INTRODUCTION
This is an essay about
change.
When it comes to change,
we mostly discover it to be a word calling up resistance. At first
sight it may seem we don't like to change - even if there are a
variety of things or characteristics, which we really, consciously
or sub-consciously, would like to change.
No one will deny that we
live in times with huge changes going on. Perhaps there are already
more changes going on than we are able to handle. More than ever,
however, we can - and ultimately have to- discover the universal
truth of change: change is the principle of life itself.
Moreover: the biggest
changes often start very incognito, unknown and unseen. Because all
change starts with -and is in fact- a change within our
consciousness, when we start looking at things from a different
angle.
This definitely requires
information and the capacity the open up to total new concepts. And
courage too, as change remains invisible for quite some time for the
outside world, which doesn't always, understand what's going on.
That's why we need a creative mind and intellect willing to
experiment to find ways to implement new findings. So doing enables
us to truly integrate change; without integration knowledge and
information remains lifeless matter.
Creative use of our
consciousness towards self-change is a truly and cost-less approach
to take up responsibility in a transition time between cycles. It is
a way to really do something, how- or whatever our personal
situation may be.
This essay might give you
some hints on the 'How'. It is based on personal experiments,
inspired by the Raja Yoga teachings of the Brahma Kumaris and an
international project "Global Co-operation for a Better World", a peace messenger initiative
dedicated to the United Nations. It was originally written back in
1989, but now changed its form to find its way onto the
web.
A NEW APPROACH TO
LIFE
Solving a variety of
problems
There are obviously a
variety of problems and sorrows in today's world. So first of all:
we're not going to deal here with existing problems directly. We'll
rather look how to change things within ourselves and also the way
we look at things. Change the world, change yourself is a simple but
very valuable truth. Change in our consciousness does have a very
real impact on a bigger scale - we tend to under-estimate the power
of our mind and/or lack resources to constructively use it.
When being confronted
with problems or any sorrow from within (feelings of inferiority,
irritations, jealousy, …), we might finding ourselves 'fighting'
with them. It is an understandable reaction. And who hasn't had the
experience of going against, trying to force things, … but finally
realising not to progress a step or not coming any closer to a
solution.
Fighting with problems
is tiring and discouraging and not really realistic either. And even
if we have to act externally, a first step is always made within.
The first step lies in realising problems are there to bring us a
step further. This means in changing our vision and approach towards
them. What is missing is the right angle to look
from.
A different approach is
needed
Every problem has its
opposite and its solution. War means lack of peace; hate means
absence of love, etc. Every problem leads us to a possible field of
practice. By transforming the appearance of the problem into its
real essence, we discover a key for new vision.
Simplistic
scheme
Problem
New vision
Hate Unconditional love
I have
to
I want
to
Jealousy I'm glad you're doing it
This is
unfair ; I'm the victim In
every situation I can progress
There is opposition
Although I do not agree, I can
remain
constructive
I am not being
recognised What
did I discover special in the other?
It is your
fault
In how far
do I see in somebody else my
own
weakness?
I'm angry with
you I forgive
your defamation and take
up
responsibility for my
own anger.
Going back to the
essence always shows us how we can start contributing to the
solution. Creating a new vision already means half of the solution
has been found. Going back to the seed is the key for all
kinds of change, even in extreme situations. And the seed is
Consciousness.
A new approach to
life
These simple examples
show how something actually something changes, when positioning
ourselves differently. There is some transformation happening, i.e.
the 'form' is trans'formed', it gets a new form.
But what do we really
mean with new? Because there is in fact nothing new. Whatever we
call new generally is another interpretation or another way of using
something, which already exists. This brings us to the point of
integration: using your creativity to change what already exists
into another form. When the form changes, integration
happens.
Look at matter f.i.: a
table is made up of atoms and other tiny particles, which, once
burnt, disintegrate and become part of other substances. Food is
digested and sustains different parts of the body. Previous concepts
and models inspired a new concept of a car. And this law also has
value for the change of our personality and the world in
general.
Change doesn't fall out
of the sky. Change is a cycle, with an initiation, preparation,
execution and conclusion. It is a transition between one state to
another, from one form to another. Our 'old' personality is bound to
be 'renewed'; the world is in a process of renewal too.
But going back to our
state of mind doesn't make it necessarily makes it easy, because we
basically haven't done lots of research onto consciousness and its
impact onto the various layers of our planet. And moreover, we will
have to go through various confrontations with our old
consciousness; old thoughts, old concepts and prejudices that will
tend to overpower us.
It may help to consider
the truth that all of us, we in fact do like change because it is
the source of inspiration, of enthusiasm, progress and contentment.
We only lack the power, strength and/or knowledge to actually
process it.
Create a new model means
we start observing who we actually are and what we might consider
old or ready for change. We can then create our own method &
program to train our consciousness through study and practice. And
offer it as our most inner and intimate contribution for the healing
of our planet.
A new approach to life
means the opening of the third eye, our consciousness. This implies
the creative use of our mind. So first thing to do is to go somewhat
deeper into the understanding of what consciousness actually is.
Suggested
exercises:
- Take a moment to
become aware of your thoughts now.
- Take a moment to
become aware of the kind of thoughts you had today
-
Take a moment each day to review the day.
You may take the help of a journal.
Define
what's happening to you in terms of consciousness.
CONSCIOUSNESS
About
thoughts...
We think the whole day.
We think an enormous amount of thoughts each day; some people give
numbers between 30.000 and 50.000, depending on the speed of our
thoughts. But: we can't see, feel, touch or hear our thoughts. And
still they are there, all the time.
So there is something
special about them. They follow another logic, other laws than the
physical ones we are taught, like f.i. gravity. Thoughts are
meta-physical. And as this is a dimension, which we are less
familiar with, due to a variety of reasons, we need to become more
aware of the nature and potential of this unknown (inner)
world.
To start with we can
become aware of different kinds of thoughts:
Necessary thoughts : thoughts which we
need to live our day to day life. How to get somewhere, who I need
to contact, when the best time is to do something, what could be a
good meal for today, etc.
Negative thoughts : they are linked with destructive forces or
energies such as hate, jealousy, anger, ego, envy ... They always
give us a bad feeling, even if we don't show it outwardly.
Positive thoughts : they are linked with constructive forces or energy
such as joy, silence, purity, happiness, wisdom, power, love… who
are in fact the original qualities of our consciousness. These
thoughts always result in a good feeling about ourselves, even if we
have to make some effort, because they are harmonising.
Waste thoughts : they are not really negative, but we don't need
them at the very moment we think them or they are not at all
essential, but keep on taking a lot of space in our consciousness.
Worries in general f.i.. Or thinking about the same thing on and on
again, even if you don't wish to. Or thinking about something
completely different when somebody speak to you. Waste thoughts are
wasted energy and they make us loose a lot of
energy.
It might be important
here to emphasise that positive thinking doesn't mean life becomes
paradise instantly, and that it doesn't mean life is always
sunshine. It does mean we make a conscious and positive choice to
change our vision and attitude towards life and the things happening
to us. In fact positive thinking becomes a way of living, an art of
life: things don't happen anymore to us, we start making them
happen.
How our consciousness
works
Generally speaking we
can say consciousness is all our thoughts and thought-patterns
together forming an energy centre, a point of awareness. To change
our consciousness or to use our consciousness in transformation will
imply an in depth understanding and managing of our thoughts.
Through thinking -
generating thoughts - we create certain thought patterns, which are
going to determine our way of reacting and our behaviour. We can
explore this principle through the following scheme:
The mind: is like a projection-screen on which all thoughts
are being projected. Thoughts, emotions, desires, all are created
through the mind. But thoughts are always first.
The intellect : is
our faculty to think (reflect), to analyse, to judge. It is the
place where conscience, motivation and will power are generated. Our
intellect enables us, in fractions of seconds, to evaluate any
situation on the basis of what we have learnt, past experiences,
values etc. Our intellect allows us to put a thought into action or
not.
Sub-consciousness :
(attitudes, in Sanskrit: samskaras) whatever we do or think
leaves an imprint on a sub-conscious level, as if everything is
recorded on an internal hard disk. This faculty of memory works like
a groove in a record: every time we perform an action (positive or
negative), a groove is made; repetitive actions deepen the groove in
our sub-consciousness. These grooves work like programming &
form the basic characteristics or tendencies of our personality. The
deeper the groove, the stronger the
programming.
The basic faculty in
this cyclic pattern of thinking - discerning - acting is the
intellect, which works as a filter and gives direction, based on our
value system, education etc. A lot of processes however, have been
automated for the sake of practicality of our day to day
functioning. This means that we're no longer consciously aware of
how our intellect directs and programs.
When the intellect
becomes weak, and certain tendencies become destructive, this cyclic
pattern causes us great loss. The tendencies instilled in our
sub-consciousness invoke similar (destructive) thought/feelings,
which are automatically being expressed in action (through our body)
without further control of the intellect.
This explanation may
seem a bit artificial (intellectual), but allows us to realise how
we are entangled in these cyclic patterns and how important it is to
work on the level of the intellect (meaning through our faculty of
conscious discernment, decision making and will power). This isn't
an intellectual process, but a re-education of our own
consciousness, which requires a lot of self-love, patience and
endurance.
Only when we break
through our old patterns, after having seen and realised them, can
we experience living in stead of being lived and become truly free.
To work through the intellect implies we study and practice making
new choices, setting new patterns. Whenever we choose new, positive
thoughts, we create new patterns, new programs. Doing something a
few times differently already creates a new, positive pattern. And
the more we think constructively, the cleaner the intellect becomes,
giving us the energy for instilling new habits (f.i. to stop
smoking, controlling anger). So the process works vice-versa.
To create new patterns
constant attention is needed; no tension, but a spiritual warrior
attitude: our best friend and greatest enemy are our thoughts. If we
are aware, it means we're no longer asleep; we then use our
consciousness in a most creative, but also efficient, way
to contribute to real changes.
Levels of energy and
higher consciousness
But is there more. To
really be motivated in a transformative process we have to realise
how our thought energy is a real energy, giving form to reality.
Thoughts are, as said
earlier, energy, which we can call meta-physical energy, because we
can't perceive them through our physical perception. Thoughts follow
other laws than matter. Thoughts are vibrations. We all know
vibrations; f.i. we come in a place where there's a nice, peaceful
atmosphere, or on the contrary is a lot of tension. We feel it
-can't explain it in words perhaps- but now that what we perceive is
very real. Because of the reality of the working and nature of these
meta-physical vibrations, the state of our consciousness has a great
impact. Not only on our immediate environment, but far beyond too.
Positive thoughts create
higher energy, vibrations and negative thoughts mean lower
vibrations. Positive energy stimulates our mental and physical
health and gives us good and happy feelings; negative vibrations do
the opposite. An important law on the level of consciousness and
transformation of our personality is that positive vibrations are
stronger than negative vibrations. Perhaps this doesn't seem obvious
at first, but when we practice being in a powerful and constructive
state of mind, enough, we not only can protect ourselves through our
own vibrations, but we also can influence our environment
constructively.
Creating positive
thought patterns and a higher vibration level is creating a higher
consciousness. We can easily recognise a higher, positive
consciousness: thoughts will be calm, there will be fewer thoughts
with more power, and the thoughts we think will be easily put into
action. And above all there will be different practical powers
available such as the power to withdraw, to face, to tolerate, to
judge, to discriminate, to co-operate, to be flexible, to let go...
A higher consciousness
finally implies an integer personality full of qualities and mental
powers. It is such personalities our society is desperately in need
of.
Suggested exercises:
- Look at your
communication with others: there are verbal and non-verbal levels,
but there is definitely also the level of thoughts going on, a
level of vibrations. Our energy often tells much more and never
lies.
- Look at how children
recognise our real feelings, through our vibrations.
- Check your
state of mind with a helpful table and determine the effects
of it on yourself and your environment.
|
