As we begin to address the techniques of psychological training I’m reminded of an old adage; “Change what you can in the world, accept what you cannot change, and have the wisdom to know the difference between the two”
I find this saying very suspect and self-limiting. Nor do I like the idea of putting limits on human potential. Yet, throughout much of recorded history that is exactly what people have been doing. Consider that, historically speaking, Men have observed with no little despair, that they couldn’t control other people or cultures. They couldn’t stop wars, the cycles of commerce, the weather. It appeared they had absolutely no control over anything. Man, it seemed, was like a leaf blowing around at the whim of fate and whatever gods there might be.
Then they made a most miraculous discovery. There was one thing, and one thing only, that Man could control. Man could control himself! More specifically, he could train and control that part of himself that we call the mind. If a Man could master himself (that is control his mind) then he could literally master the world. History is full of individuals who started life in impoverished conditions but after mastering themselves they literally walked out the door and took all of the known world for themselves.
They mastered their mind. This is extremely important to note. Spiritual teachers might go so far as to say that these individuals changed their reality. I’m not speaking metaphorically on this point but literally. YOUR thoughts are what create YOUR reality.
So how do we train our mind?
At present moment there are any number of self-help courses available in all the forms of media. Established and reputable people are ready to help tweak your mind to achieve what you so obviously deserve. What you want, what you deserve, what you desire to be, are all your personal goals. At this point we’re not going to examine goal-setting but rather how to achieve, maintain, and enhance psychological (mental) balance.
Now would be a good time to define what we are looking for, the optimum state of mental balance. Here is my definition:
I’m looking to create and sustain within myself a singular point of mental calmness. A point free of emotional disturbances. Not just a calm but a fluid state from which a I can move in any direction (take action) and know that my actions are appropriate.
No, I’m not looking for perfection. It takes a lifetime of experience to round the corners of our persona. Nor do I believe in instantly becoming a master of whatever. I’m looking for the point from which anything becomes possible.
Let’s get started.
We could put ourselves into a situation where people could hammer and mold skill-sets and mindsets into us. That is the military style. I’d rather take an eastern approach and turn our focus inwards to our mind. To achieve this fluid calm state we need to find a balance of the following:
1) Emotions. Our emotions pull us this way and that. We need to become objective and observe our emotions. Determine the why and wherefore of emotions. And then when emotions arise, not to react to them but to choose appropriate action. Spiritual teachers feel this is critical, if we remain slaves to our emotions than we will never reach our full potential as humans.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dH4auBcxN0
2) The human mind has been called a polarity instrument. Meaning that when we (in Soul form) create something (take action) then the mind automatically manifests two versions of what we set out to do.
You may not be aware of this.
You want world peace. Somewhere you get peace and somewhere else in the world you don’t. Eventually the two find each other and again you have a conflict. So you work, pray and take action for more peace. Both scenarios pop up again , both in direct proportion to your actions. The mind does this.
So, now that we know this we shall proceed carefully. Create not just from the mind but also through intuition and heart.
3) Be mindful that our desires, thoughts, and actions are all in alignment. If they are not then we would be self-sabotaging all of our actions. We would in effect be taking action and at the same time undoing the same action.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h26N1Ttk_uo&feature=related
4) Habits. People cling to the familiar and the comfortable and these habits become either beneficial or detrimental. They keep us acting in the same habitual patterns. We don’t want to be one-sided in our overall potential but rather fluid and able to go in any direction. It would be to our benefit to eliminate bad habits.
Also, it would make sense to cultivate good habits.
5) Calm your mental conversation through meditation. If you sit quietly and regulate your breath you will still the body. By doing so you will still your mind. This is the calm state we want to cultivate.
At this point I’ll mention two external techniques that could be of assistance to achieving a fluid and calm mental state. The first of these would be a technique to program yourself. Neuro-Linguistic Programming, (or NLP) may be useful for changing habits or getting rid of outdated and ill-advised patterns of behaviour.
The other technique is literally a technology. The Monroe Institute has developed and used with great success, special sound frequencies to stimulate and enhance specific function areas of the physical brain. By use of specially layered sound waves, readily available through all of the familiar audio media formats, the user can fine tune their physical brain (and consequently their mind) into better thought performance. Everything from physical movement to the elimination of unwanted habits can be affected. The technology is known as hemispherical synchronization or ‘Hemi-Sync’ for short.
In future articles we’ll explore the many available programs for self improvement and self-actualization. For now, we want a starting point from which all directions become available. A point of calmness.
Sincerely Yours In Balance
Editor-In-Chief
BalanceScience.com
