“I want to clarify some terms here so readers understand why they are being used. I have used the word subconscious because this is what most thought leaders have used when writing about the mind.
I have used the term autosuggestion for the same reason. These are old terms. In the 70’s we tried to shift to ‘unconscious’ and then to ‘other than conscious’ or ‘para conscious’ or ‘preconscious’ or any number of descriptors to suggest anything other than ‘sub’ or ‘un’.
I have used Maxwell Maltz’s ‘servo-mechanism’ and also called it ‘servant-mechanism’ to help clarify. I particularly like this description. Our ‘other than conscious, para, pre non, un, sub, conscious’ mind runs the show. Estimates put it at 95%-99% on running automatic programs, habits or the same neural pathways routinely day in and day out. THAT is powerful!
The ‘Other Mind’ Is Your Willing Servant But You Must Become The Master
The conscious mind can and does provide some direction in very specific ways that most people don’t yet know. Or they know but don’t use it. Thoughts, mental images, coupled with strong emotion, repeated over time, dictate to this other mind what we want it to do. Good, bad, right, wrong, positive or negative, wanted or unwanted this other mind doesn’t care it just obeys and says ‘Yes’.
I am partial to servo mechanism for this reason. This mind doesn’t judge or analyze. This mind carries out the orders it receives faithfully UNTIL the orders are changed. It is simple to change the orders but not always easy. The great news is THIS MIND is flexible and will carry out the orders we want.
BUT!!! We must give this mind the orders we want in the correct fashion! Then it is our faithful productive servant. Otherwise this mind runs the show with whatever it learned in the past from others while growing up. It is a servant! It does what it was programmed to do. If you don’t like that YOU must change the programming. You can! You take charge and follow through and the results are amazing!
I Have Used ‘Non-Conscious’ To Describe These Processes
Some people feel to call the mind ‘sub’ was ‘substandard’ or a pejorative and unkind view of this aspect of our self. After all, it runs most of the show all of the time. I have played with and used as many different variations as I have come to be aware of. I don’t think calling it ‘sub’ or ‘un’ is disrespectful as some do.
We have conscious mind and then we have the mind that is everything else. I don’t think it matters so much what we call it as long as we don’t call it an ‘it’ (wink wink). I don’t think it matters much. Disrespect is an intention and if one means no disrespect I think there is no actual issue.
Some people think of both of their minds as people. They personify them as they anthropomorphize animals. We have a conscious person and a other than conscious person. A light being and a shadow being. As if some angel or ‘not angel’ is sitting on our shoulder. I do not believe this to be the case.
Not Things But Processes
It seems our minds are a collection of processes or activities that are ongoing. Some, many, most may be habitual. The description I like best of the minds or the brain for that matter is of a jungle. The brain is like a jungle.
I like this because it implies that it is living. Teaming with many different living things. Activity and process, growth and development. It is not merely a computer it is alive and vital. Repetitive it may be but it is living and thriving.
I don’t care what you call our minds. I don’t think they care much either. I think they do care for how you use them and regard them. They are both designed to carry out functions to keep you alive and well. They are designed for you to survive and they will keep you alive even if it kills you. (wink wink nudge nudge).
That other than conscious mind doesn’t care much for positive or negative, want or don’t want ‘it’ say yes to whatever is the case. You say, ‘I am smart’ it says ‘Yes, you are!’ If you say, ‘I am stupid.’It says, ‘Yes, you are!’
Other Than Conscious Only Says ‘Yes’.
It doesn’t differentiate whether wanted or unwanted, positive or negative. It works to say yes to whatever it is you consciously think. If you begin smoking it will keep you smoking even when you decide you want to quit. That is what it knows. It forms habits and streamlines behaviors so you don’t have to think about it.
You decide you want to quit smoking. It runs the old program. Ultimately, you can change it and then it will work to keep your new habit just as strongly. Whatever the new habit is. It says ‘yes’. So if you used to say, ‘I can’t make money’ it said ‘yes’. If you change that to ‘I can make money’ or ‘I am rich’ it says ‘yes’. See how this works.
Either way it will help you do what you want to do. What you have learned to do and it will do it reliably in service of the human so the human can survive. It truly is magnificent. BUT unless we learn to harness and use its power it will run the show. We don’t want that.
Our minds our wonderful. They are divided into conscious and ‘whatever else’ but in reality it is wholeness. Complementary wholeness. One mind functioning perfectly well. Various tasks being performed day in and day out. We have a beautiful mind a wonderful mind and it works perfectly well.
The Thing Named Is Not The Thing
Any name will be a less than an adequate descriptor. So let’s not stew over what we call our two minds. All the things that can be named are not the thing named. Few readers may appreciate this but nothing is it’s label.
It is beyond the mere label. Labels are simply identifiers so we can agree on what we are discussing and are utilitarian and little more.You aren’t Bob or Sue you are called Bob or Sue to identify you from Tom and Jane. It is useful.
If we were all called Steve we would have some difficulty unless tonal variations or additional names helped to differentiate. The same is the case with our minds. No name we choose to call them, for either sets of processes, are adequate to describe them. SO WHAT? Who cares? I don’t. There is beauty in all of this.
The more we understand the more we are able to harness and benefit from the amazing power and abilities. We use our minds to study our minds. We use our consciousness to study our consciousness. There is utter folly and total delight in this, don’t you see.
Learn To Harness The Power Of Your Minds
We are beginning to think, more than ever, that the minds are not localized but spread throughout the body. Some differentiate between brain and mind as in hardware and software. Some don’t care so much.
Some believe that mind is not only not solely localized in the head, but spread through the body. Some even believe the mind is outside the head and body and pretty much everywhere. Infinite intelligence. A mind we tap into.
I’m not certain we ever have precise words to describe these incredible processes happening in and or around us. It may be well beyond us, to fathom. Our language may be inadequate, as it often is, to label these miraculous minds we have inside or out or both.
The Other Mind Works All Day And Night Without Stopping
So celebrate the incredible wonderful power of our amazing universal mind power. ‘It’ is not limited. We are limited in how we think about it and how we use it to think. But we can go beyond limitations.
We can use our minds to go beyond limitations and think outside the box. Samadhi, bursts of illumination and enlightenment are possible to all of us.Increased awareness and awakening is our potential and our destiny. We can observe our thoughts and feel separate from them. We have so many remarkable talents and abilities.
The only thing I know for certain is we don’t know everything yet. We are talented beyond our abilities to conceive of just how talented we are. We should stretch the imagination to go places no one has gone yet. We should think bigger not smaller.
We Can Push The Envelope To Go Beyond What Is Known
We should adventure and explore the outer boundaries of our universe and expand them. Just like available space in your home we will fill it. We can push the boundaries and go beyond them. Nothing stops us except thought itself. A thought!
Never let a thought prevent you from being all you can be.Take hold of your thoughts and make them serve you. Master your thoughts and your feelings to discover who you truly are. Celebrate and enjoy this discovery. Enjoy your minds. They are your servants!” Rex Sikes
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