Article Summary
Our mind is extraordinary and
very complex. It is a subject of fascination for scientists and spiritual
seekers alike. The benefits of positive thinking are endless but many scholars
believe that beyond this thinking lies a higher plane of higher consciousness
which is often unattainable or unknown due to our minds being locked in its own
reality.
According to author, Wes Annec, we can solve this problem
either by quieting down our thoughts or becoming aware of them
Non-Thought and Self Awareness: Shining a Light on the
Inner Self
Wes here explains two concepts
namely, The State of Self-Awareness and The Open Minded State of ‘Non Thought’.
These philosophies are all
about start searching within us instead of searching the material world outside
for something which can only be found within. These philosophies are often the
final piece of puzzle for those who are self-aware but don’t know what to do
with it.
These philosophies are most
useful for those who’re already aware that to gain satisfaction, we need to set
foot in both worlds – the mental and spiritual.
Spirituality only asks for a
calm mind and a break from constant hustling-bustling thoughts of everyday.
Self awareness brings our
attention to our inner thoughts and apprehensions. It brings power to our
thoughts which not only improves us but also the world around us.
Your Environment Conditions your Mind
According to Jiddu
Krishnamurti, our mind and personality is more or less an impression of the
environment we live in. The mind upholds itself on anything which it can used
to identify itself like sensations. Our mind clings onto the environment around
it to identify itself. And as long as we cling onto these sensations and past,
we won’t be able to attain enlightenment.
The Mind Machine
Krishnamurti thinks of our mind
as machine which keeps busy for its own survival. The most common cause of
frustration is the fact, that our mind has several parts and each part wants to
control some aspect of our life which often causes conflicting desires.
Our mind is divided into a
‘higher self’ which tries to better ourselves and the ‘lower self’ which is
egoistic and selfish. The thoughts from both are automatic and controlling
either one of them often causes dissipation of our energies.
Though the ‘higher self’
discussed here is different from what we often discuss in Spirituality.
According to Krishnamurti, it is about the positive components which lead to
self growth and service to humanity. The difference though subtle is crucial.
The Mind Requires Motion
The sole purpose of mind
according to Bodh Dharma is to be in motion. Mind and motion are two sides of
same coins, existing together yet independent of each other. When our mind
stops its motions, it attains enlightenment. And since our environment is a
reflection of our mind, when we calm our mind the environment which surrounds
us become calm too.
The Space between Thought
The stream of our thoughts can
be compared to a light bulb which is constantly providing us with light but is
actually flickering. Out stream of thoughts is very rapid and there are often
gaps between different thoughts, focusing on these gaps can help us attain self
awareness.
An Overactive Mind Create Negativity
Small gaps of isolations from
thoughts can have a great impact on our self-awareness and self-understanding.
Over thinking often cause
anger, frustration, stress and so on. It is all because we don’t know how to
stop our mind from thinking and take the required intervals.
Non-Thought is not Thoughtlessness
Thoughtlessness though is seen
as a bane in this world where sharpness of mind is required at every step, can
actually be beneficial. Only 15 minutes of meditation, which needs us to relax
our mind and not think too much, can do wonders to our mind. It is a way to
receive wonderful vibrations and visions.
Self-Awareness and Impulsiveness
Self-Awareness and Non-Thought
works together to stop our mind from wandering away from peace and
enlightenment. Even when in non-thought, one can stray away from peace due to
impulse.
Impulsiveness causes bad
decisions, the ones taken because of temptation, and desires. Self-awareness
creates awareness about these thoughts and helps heal this negativity. It saves
us from the perils of our own mind.
Self-Awareness and Introspection
Positive thoughts make world a
better place by changing our perspective about it. But it alone is not enough,
combined with self-awareness, it gives us the reasons for why we exactly stray
from positive thoughts when we do.
When we’re aware of our
thoughts and reactions we can make our environments feel like a heaven or hell
just by our thoughts. With an open mind and a ‘temporary silent stream of
thoughts’ we can influence the life we live.
Can Self-Awareness Cure Addiction?
When we are aware of our
thoughts, we are also aware of what can affect it negatively and what can
affect it positively. When in a non-thought, we can easily identify negative
thoughts and uproot them to gain enlightenment.
Conclusion
We can’t underestimate the
power of non-thought and self-awareness. Once we are aware of our thoughts, we
can attain a consciousness which is on a higher plane. It becomes easier to
understand the complex simplicity of various things around us.
Unless we are self-aware, we
are controlled by our aimlessly identity-driven mind. Self-awareness and
non-thought brings us creativity and peace to attain enlightenment.
Ruchika Verma
You can read the original
article here
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