Did you know that according to NASA only about 5 percent of the universe can be observed? (1)
There is a very simple way to make it obvious how little we really know about the world we live in.
For a moment, close your eyes and cover your ears; pretend you are blind and deaf. If you were born this way, your mind would think there is no light or sound in the world.
Can you remember the last time you had a stuffy nose and everyone could smell and taste food but you?
1 – Our mind is limited because it receives its information by our limited senses
So, we can’t rely on our senses alone to discern the world around us. Even if we tend to forget, we do know that just because we can’t hear, see, smell, taste or feel something, it doesn’t mean it’s not there. There is always much more than the picture our senses provide.
2 – Whatever our worldview is, it can only be partial
Our five senses transmit information to the brain about our surroundings, allowing us to perceive what we believe to be the real world.
Our beliefs then create our experiences. Whatever we are fixated on, whichever perspective we have, is the one that is reflected back to us.
Let’s try it – look around the room for a few minutes focusing on red things, then close your eyes.
Now try to name things in your surroundings that are blue.
See how difficult that is? You probably won’t be able to name many blue things simply because your focus was on red.
The same happens in real life. If we want a certain experience and we really focus on it, we will go out into the world with the intention to confirm it. We will attract and draw it out of people, circumstances, the environment and when they reflect it back to us, we notice it and it confirms our beliefs. If an opportunity shows up that will fulfill this intention, we won’t miss it; we will take action. Our selective focus is constantly looking for things that reaffirm what we believe is true.
3 – Our perception of the world creates our emotions
Everything in our mind, our memories, our ideas, our thoughts, our perspectives, are all a result of what our five senses have fed our mind. And all these things create emotions – many kinds of emotions. Good experiences result in emotions like happiness, excitement and joy. Bad experiences will lead to emotions like fear, anger, anxiety and worry.
Notice that whatever happened to make us feel good or bad is just good or bad due to the circumstances. Other minds – and our own mind – under different circumstances, can live or see that same event differently. So, the situation in itself is neutral. It is our perception and our appraisal of it that makes it good or bad.
4 – Our mind is powerful!
You probably have heard of the “The Law of Attraction”. It is the ability to attract into our lives what we are focusing on. And it uses the power of the mind to translate what is in our thoughts and materialize them into reality.
If used wisely today, our mind can and will help us shape our future, or as Lao Tze, the ancient Chinese philosopher put it:
Be aware of your thoughts, they become your words.
Be aware of your words, they become your actions.
Be aware of your actions, they become your habits.
Be aware of your habits, they become your character.
Be aware of your habits, they become your destiny.
So, let’s start using our minds the way they are designed to work towards a better future for ourselves and our children.
If you are interested in my children’s book on the mind from the series Kid’s Questions About Life, click this link to find Wait for me, would you mind? on Amazon.
Relevant link:
Three things you need to know if you are new to meditating
(1) https://science.nasa.gov/astrophysics/focus-areas/what-is-dark-energy
(2) Walsch N. D., The Storm Before the Calm: Book 1 in the Conversations with Humanity Series, Emnin Books; 2nd ed. edition (October 1, 2011)
