I realize there is alot to read and understand in my last two blog posts. I want to give a very brief summary, to help solidify your understandings.
The main point: Imagination is food for your subconscious mind. Your subconscious mind governs your energy. So, pick your imaginations on purpose, and your subconscious mind will begin feeding energy into those imaginations.
So if you imagine yourself happily going to work (instead of dreading it), smiling and feeling alive, all in your imaginations before sleep... your subconscious mind will respond with giving you the energy you need to make that imagination become real.
Very simple.
Showing posts with label Living Life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Living Life. Show all posts
This post is part 2 of 2.
Please read part 1 before you read this.
----
We have now established that there is no separation between imagination and reality. To the subconscious mind, there is no difference/they are the same.
Now lets talk about practical application.
I want to begin with, and firmly drive home, the fact that NOW is the only moment that exists. Past and future exist only in the mind, yet this moment, now, exists beyond the mind.
Said another way: The mind only exists when you are using it to think about past and future, otherwise your being nautrally returns to the peaceful present moment.
It is also true that when you are being fully present in the moment, and the mind melts away, all your problems disappear too. There is no story to your problems, no reason for them to be either internally vocalized or heard by you, in the present moment.
This moment now is true liberation from all suffering, all issues, all limitations.
----
A big question arises: If when I'm present in the moment, my mind is completely silent, then... who is the real "me"?
Good question. Really good question.
Ask yourself this: Who is the one thats watching your life right now?
Who's watching? You? Ahh, yes. The real you.
The real you is the awareness of your life, every single moment. You, as the all-natural, already fully liberated you, are pure awareness, right now.
The one who is present in your body right now, who is aware that your eyeballs are looking at your screen, reading these words...
You are the one that is aware, that you're aware... that you're aware....
Meditation brings awareness of this. It clearly shows the fine line between "me as my mind", and "me as awareness". Infact, some form of meditation is necessary and required for deeper understandings here.
----
So, this moment now is the only one that exists. And while I am being present in this moment, I am connecting to the "real me", and my mind (which is the source of my suffering) is quiet.
Sounds good. Now what?
If you really want to reap benefits from these concepts (from Part 1 of this blog post), you must actually DO it. This is an area that no theorist or philosopher belongs, because these people like to do everything in their mind.
(To all you folks, realize that this practice requires action, and it infact will shift your identity from your mind, so really its impossible to just theorize about this. This is experience coming from a mind that used to be a theoretician."
----
What should you be doing? Using your imagination to create your reality. Or, rather, creating your reality.
The "do" part of this means that you should be spending time in your day imagining your life the way you want to. You cannot just "know" that its a good idea to do, but not actually do it. You gotta actually DO IT.
So, decide for yourself right now... right now... when during your day will you spend 5 minutes to let yourself go and daydream about the perfect life? Will you pick the first 5 minutes of the day? Will you pick the last 5 minutes of the day? Will you pick 5 minutes at 2pm? Decide right now, make a final decision, and then remember that you are serious and will actually do it (beyond being able to remember to, because you will remember to if you decide to).
By the way, 5 minutes is a minimum. I actually suggest 5-10 minutes in the beginning, end, and anytime else you wish to, if you are actually serious about getting results.
----
Once you have begun doing this, and you've done it 21 times, (Not 21 days, or weeks, just 21 times) you'll find that you just naturally find yourself doing it, automatically, and remembering to do it often. Your subconscious will make a habit of it, and will do it in the background.
And last time I checked, the most successful people in life are the ones that have discovered how to make success natural and automatic.
So, do yourself a favor, and decide to do this 21 times. Watch what happens in your life next.
Your subconscious mind cannot tell the difference between imagination and reality.
Imagination and Reality are the same thing.
There is no difference between your imagination of reality, and the "real" reality in front of you. No difference whatsoever.
How do I know this is true? Scientists agree:
A study was done with athletes, they hooked these athletes up to precise monitoring equipment. They asked these athletes to imagine being out on the field, doing what they do. What they found was astonishing: These athletes heart-rates began to increase, they began to perspire, and their muscles began firing off in the same exact pattern as they would if they were out on the field running right now.
Your subconscious mind cannot differentiate an imagination of being out on the field, and physically being out on the field.
So what does this mean? It means your imagination creates your reality.
You are the master of your own reality. You are sitting at the helm, right now, with your body and mind awaiting your command. Your life is what you make it.
Anything you imagine IS real to your subconscious mind. And if its real to your subconscious mind, it becomes part of your map of reality. And if its part of your map of reality, its part of your life.
Why is that important? Because there are limitations in your map of reality, that you unknowingly put there, that are holding you back from your full infinite potential, that you haven't yet recognized is holding you back. This is especially true if you've never purposefully taken control of your map of reality.
You see, your subconscious mind is largely responsible for creating your reality. It does it on "auto mode", in the background, all to make your life easier. If it weren't for the subconscious mind, learning habits would be impossible! Becoming a star athlete would mean you would have to relearn how to play the game every single day.
However, we do have a subconscious mind. It does make life easier by watching our conscious patterns and making them automatic. It is a HUGE help to you as a human being!
But, it can also be your own biggest downfall, if those automations are what you shouldn't be doing anymore. Those automations were created because they helped you attain a desirable outcome in life at the time of creation, but that may have been the case when you were 5. Now that you are 20, 30, 50+ years old, if you haven't yet renegotiated with that automation, it'll continue itself on "auto-play" indefinitely. Thats why some people grow old, harboring the same issues they've had since they were children.
How do you fix those automations then? How do you pick and choose which ones you want to keep and which ones to forget completely?
Simple. Use your imagination as your sculpting tool.
It is because of your imagination that your life (your map of reality) is how it is now. So, use your imagination to make a different new map!
Stop being a victim to your own map of reality. Take control and imagine a better life! You are always creating your reality, whether you know it (consciously), or you dont know it (subconsciously). So, you best be doing it on purpose than on accident.
And you do have that choice. If you believe you dont have that choice, guess what, you are using your imagination to remove your own power from yourself .....re-read that. Yes, it is possible to use your imagination to cripple yourself. Be careful.
Imagination is the process of reality creation.
The first BIG step in taking full control of your life is, to bridge the gap between imagination and reality. Forget the difference between them, there is none. They are the same thing. When you imagine, you are creating your own reality. There is no "outside" or "more real" reality than your own map of reality, which is created by your imagination.
By believing in a separation between imagination and reality, you are actually imagining that separation. And, by imagining that separation, you are forcing yourself into an infinite loop that will never end, until you finally awaken to the truth of unity between them.
Imagination = Reality
So, in short, accept that imagination and reality as the same thing, and you've already taken the hardest step into the cockpit of your life.
Next, the trick is to take control of your imagination. Step into control, assume control, and begin imagining the life of your dreams. Now.
FORGET all limitations; forget anything that would hold you back, anything (or anyone) that stands in your way. You cannot afford to imagine problems and limitations, because in doing so, you not only prepare for the problem, but you are also creating the problem you need to be ready for! Speaking of an infinite loop...
Heres how to pre-prepare for ANY problem in your life, for the rest of your life: Right now, imagine you are a strong, dynamic, fully able person that can overcome ANY obstacle in your way. You ARE strength, you can and do surmount anything that life throws at you.
Believe this. Dont try or test it, dont experiment with it, believe it right now. If you are having trouble believing in it, then just pretend to. You can at least pretend to know you are strong and able to overcome any obstacle in your life.
Every moment you spend believing, imagining, and/or pretending something, it is becoming more and more real for you. This is a universal, undeniable truth.
Now the real fun can begin.
Begin imagining what your perfect life would be like. THINK about it, what would be happening in your life. SEE yourself inside the mental images and mental movies, see yourself going through the actions, meeting the people, going to the places. FEEL what its like to finally have "it" or "him/her", or being there...
Thinking, seeing, feeling, this all = imagination. The precise combination of these tools is what you use to craft your reality with. Now, here is the glue that holds it all together:
Imagine your reality, the way you want it to be, as if it were already, right now...
This is a VERY important step, without which none of this entire blog post will work at all. It is the glue, the spark, the activator.
Do not imagine your perfect life in "the future". The future never exists. Just like the past doesn't exist anymore. The only moment that EVER exists, is right now.
If you want a million dollars, THINK what its like to have it, SEE yourself having it, giving it away, spending it, etc, and FEEL what its like to finally have it.... ALL, as if you had the million dollars in your hands right now.
Get creative with this. The more creative you are with your imagination, the more detailed your reality will become.
---
Theres a reason why children daydream... we all come pre-wired to know this truth of life. We've just forgotten the power of imagination through years of not using it, and through belief in separation of imagination and reality.
But no more!
This entire process is a way of life. This is not something you are going to be doing, its who you are becoming that will changing your life.
Every morning when you wake up, remember that this is a brand new day. This day holds infinite potential for you. Your day, your entire life, right now, IS what you are imagining it to be.
If you are using your mind at all (which, if you are into practicing presence/meditation, you'll know its a good idea to turn your mind off frequently), you should at least be filling it with imaginations of how you want life to be, instead of all that "instead" crap.
Choose your thoughts, choose your reality.
And then, at ultimate end, let it all go, and be present in the moment.
So, lets jump straight in. Want to learn a cool technique to help you get huge results with the concepts presented in parts 1 and 2 ? Well sure you do.
[Technique #1: Letting Go]
This is something you can do anytime, yet it particularly helps to do this when you are feeling overcome / out-of-control with your emotions:
Close your eyes (if you cant, keep them open) and see yourself floating up out of your body... floating up further and then turning around to look down upon yourself. See how your body is sitting, and just watch yourself for 10 seconds. Do a count softly, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Now drop the image you are looking at, and just exist in the silent void there... no counting, just be. Just be.
When you are ready, come back to your senses.
Those 10+ seconds felt so relaxing, didn't they? You see, thats all it takes to shift your physiological state from out-of-control, to unified peace.
This is what many people call the process of "letting go".
(Oh, and by the way, if you have trouble "seeing" yourself, dont stress about it. If you feel like you are looking at yourself from outside yourself, thats the same thing. Or if you hear something that ensures you of this, thats similar to. However you best imagine.)
You can even do this at stop lights, waiting in line, waiting for someone, when you're bored, even when you're happy.
You will find much success in doing this 21 times. Just 21 times, not 21 days or weeks, just times. If you can repeat it that many times, which is enough to create a subconscious habit, you'll find yourself thinking to do it automatically when you are in the "heat of the moment" lost in emotion. Nifty trick to have.
[Technique #2: Dropping into Alpha (state)]
Want another one? Sure you do. This one works only with your eyes open, and can be done practically anytime, anywhere.
With your eyes open, looking straight ahead comfortably, fix your gaze on something in particular. Keep it there. Now, while doing that, in your peripheral (side of eye) view, notice another object that is in between you and your 1st object. Just notice it along with what you are looking straight at. Next, notice a 3rd object in your view, this one being behind your 1st object, or to the left or right of it. Now, keep these 3 objects in your view, constantly updating your awareness on all 3 at once. If you wish to deepen your results, notice 1 or 2 more objects somewhere in the gaps between your first 3 objects.
Do this for as long as you want to. The longer you do it, the more your problems dissolve away.
This is great to do when you are about to engage yourself in a conversation. It gives your mind a refresher, like a quick reboot on your PC. It speeds you up, clears out your current thoughts, and gives you a clean slate upon which to claim "Me" from.
You can do this practically anytime that your direct focus on 1 object is required, like being in a conversation with a person, operating machinery, or (hopefully) in the middle of driving. But certainly you can do it in your breaks.
And again, 21 repetitions of this will solidify it as a remembered habit. Next time you are about to give a speech, you'll remember you have this technique.
----
Hopefully both of these techniques serve you well, as you practice and find use for them. Remember, keep it up, and keep practicing them over and over again. After you've done them enough to remember to do them more often, you'll be glad that you started. Trust me.
In my 2.5 month siesta from blogging... life has become more liberating.
Vipassana, "A New Earth", my timeless vacations... powerful teachers they be.
This blog post serves as a landmark. The end of my mind, and the beginning of my life.
Below diagram depicts the best cycle to achieve real results in life:
--------------
(Image created by Andrew Bentley)
--------------
--------------
Think about how fruit is grown.
- Plant the seed.
- Water the seed.
- Help the seed grow.
- Harvest the fruit.
Now infuse this idea, with how to live life:
1) Get ideas from your new results - The seed. Any idea you have is a seed planted in your mind, and into your reality around you. These ideas are usually productive, creative, and supportive in nature, unless you let weeds of negativity grow in the garden of your mind. You may have an idea of how to improve, enhance, create, or achieve something new. Think that idea, visualize it, keep it in your mind constantly.2) Feelings Flood You - The water. Give the seed all the nutrients it needs. Provide it plenty of positive, confident, energetic, and passionate feelings! Your feelings will either energize you to your goal, or counter-force you back into your current failing results. Remember that you can feel anything, without reason. Be happy now. Feel positive about your new idea!
3) Move Your Body - The growth. Taking action is obviously an expectation to get something you want. Particularly when you have planted your idea seed, and watered it with lots of emotion and attention, your body will naturally be propelled into situations where your actions yield you new results! When that inspiration, creativity, energy, motivation, and decision strikes you, go do it, now! Hesitation and procrastination are silent but deadly killers.
4) Getting Results - The harvest. Now your ideas, feelings, and actions have synchronized you fully with your desire, and "it" is finally yours now. But dont stop, this is where you build momentum! The fruit you have now contains essential seeds, plant these and continue the cycle!
5) Repeat - This is where successful people accelerate their success. During the harvesting of results, more seeds are planted, followed with more feelings and actions, and more harvesting will repeat itself. Each cycle spawns new ones endlessly, and exponentially. And the best part is, it keeps getting better, easier, faster, deeper, and more fulfilling, each time you do it!
--------------
Once you've begun using this, all of these will seem to magically weave together in the most beautifully elegant way:
- People - You'll start meeting them, and they will seek you out too!
- Tools - Physical and mental, what you'll need to use will be provided.
- Energy - Its better than redbull, its infinite, and its yours.
- Ideas - Thoughts, creations, epiphanies, and deeper connections with 'infinite'
- Visuality - The blur in your life starts focusing into a sharp high-definition image.
- Perspectives - New and different views, paradigm shifts, will flood your awareness.
- Time - Everything becomes timeless, and time itself becomes simply a social tool.
- Things - Your focus and awareness on 'things' will magnetize them into your reality.
- Feelings - Your entire body will be flooded with wholistic fulfillment, euphoria and ecstasy.
- Actions - Everything you do will weave together so congruently, like art.
- Wisdom = Knowledge + Experience. In the aftermath of everything, this is the minds expression of itself.
I just recently posted here on my blog about The Right Way to Achieve Anything. (Go read it now and come back!)
In this blog though, I'm going to discuss some of the Wrong Ways to Do Anything.
Its useful to know the wrong way too, so that when you do it, you can catch it, flag it, and eliminate it. If you dont know that "its" wrong, you might keep on doing "it"...
---------------
With that said, according to the same structure as the "right way", here are some of the wrong ways. Assume that the first word in each cycle is the "starting point", which is simply the origin of the steps that follow it. It is the originator of all that follow it.1) Results -> Thoughts -> Feelings -> Actions -> Results (again)
I like to call this the common man's failure. This is what the largest percentage of the population does. These people allow the appearance of things to control their thoughts; hence Results being the starting point.
Bob is meeting new women, and one laughs at him. Bob sees his results as "she's laughing at me". This realization sparks his thoughts about "how" he messed up, and "what" he did wrong, etc. These thoughts are flaring up feelings inside himself, like low self-esteem, low confidence, fear, etc. Now that his thoughts and feelings are swarming around his "negative" results, action is next. He says something else, this time even more incapacitated than before, and makes a bigger fool of himself. Now he has even more reason to feel like an idiot, and so he does. The cycle continues.
Everyone executes this cycle in some way or another! The problem is, its a self-fulfilling prophecy. This means that any results you ever get WILL ALWAYS BE CORRECT. If the results were wrong, you wouldn't be using this method. Thus the endlessness of this cycle.
There is no doubt about it, this is the most common way we all fail at anything we do. If you can become ultra-aware of yourself doing this one, like a hawk, I guarantee that your expansion of awareness alone will bring you astounding results.
---------------
2) Feelings -> Actions -> Results -> Thoughts -> Feelings (again)This one is interesting, I like to call it your average "addiction". Your starting point is a feeling.
Lets take Bob again, he enjoys drinking alcohol. His "starting point" at a certain moment might be his feeling of wanting to drink a beer. Since a feeling is his starting point, if he just acts instead of critically thinking first, he'll go get a beer. His results are then having that beer, and drinking it. This in turn will affect his thinking, perhaps thinking "man, beer is awesome.", which then spark his feelings about how awesome the beer is, which may even make him get up to go get another. If left unaltered, this cycle can lead to horrible physical and emotional addictions.
-----------------
While I'm at it though, I'd like to mention a cycle that I've found to be an "alternative" to the main right-way I posted earlier on.
3) Actions -> Results -> Thoughts -> Feelings -> Actions (again)
I like to call this one the "accidental" discoverer. Actions come first, all else follows.
Take Jason for example. Jason has been taught to always go for it and get his hands into what he's doing. If given a choice of passively and actively learning, he will always choose active. One day, Jason is with a woman, and he does something in the spur of the moment. He notices his result is that the woman laughs and is intrigued. This next step can actually be either/or, he'll either think about it and internalize it, then feel about it; or he'll feel good about it, and then think about it later. Either path will bring him forward with new mental knowledge and gut understanding (feeling), and when presented with a new situation, his actions can replicate his success.
This is much better than the wrong-ways, but its not quite the best way. Here, you are normally working with surface-level resources, seemingly at-random results, and overall you're fumbling into success.
The way to ultimate success is to choose and decide consciously what you want, first. Everything else follows.
I'm interested in discovering, what does each person define as success?
By the way, when I say success, I refer to the necessary proof for happiness to exist.
I've talked to business people, engineers, philosophers, lots of different types. And each response is different. I've noticed some interesting patterns...
For instance, business folk tend to say that success is making alot of money. It may also be starting up a business or getting a great job. It could be learning enough to be great at what you do. Generally, their sense of happiness and achievement comes, you guessed it, business.
Engineers find their success in the creation of a great new device, or structure, or organization, generally, when something has reached completion with time and focus, the feeling of achievement is success.
Philosophers have the most interesting responses. Here is what philosophers say success is...
- Discovering the ultimate answers in life.
- Understanding the minds of those before them.
- Achieved by helping to change the thoughts of all naive people.
- Eliminating our own naivity.
- Well, there is no goal to achieve, you cant believe you've achieved it because your senses can fool you.
- An effect of something you dont control, therefore happiness has no grounds to exist.
- Just to name a few. There are some confusingly unfathomable entangled answers I've heard.
They all might be right, but does knowing what success is make them successful? No.
Infact, most people I talk to aren't happy and successful, by their very own defintions. Why is that?
You know what I think it is...
By a raise of hands, who here can just be happy? Without a reason at all. Just be happy, right now, let it flood your body and permiate your surroundings. Open up and expand yourself into happiess, feeling joy and warmth from within your chest, feeling a buzzing radiating outwards in every direction. You know, being happy.
Wait, you did know you can do that at any moment, without needing a reason first... you just forgot you knew. But you remember now.
So, even though you may know what success is, and what to be/do/have/know to be successful... Be sure to spend right now, as often as possible, just being happy, without reason.
You'll find more happiness in your life. And it came from right there, inside yourself...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
