Living in Awareness – Day 5
Living In Awareness Day 5
The Creation Of The Thinking, Conditioned Mind
As you begin (or continue deeper into) your own journey into the land of Self Awareness, I believe it is almost imperative to have an understanding of the mind, specifically the thinking, conditioned mind, how it operates, and how it affects you on a daily basis. In this section, I hope to give you a thorough understanding of the conditioned, thinking mind and how it operates. Both of my teachers taught me that the mind can be a beautiful servant and/or a dangerous master. I could not agree more. I have found the mind can be an amazing and Divine tool, and it also can be your worst enemy. I have also found that the mind, when used properly, with intention, authenticity and purpose can be the tool you use most to build the life you wish to live, or it can be a lifetime jail sentence with no parole.
There are many aspects of the mind; there is a whole science dedicated just to the study of the mind. It seems that the more we find out about the mind, the less we know. Science has touched only the tip of the iceberg. During this section, I will predominantly focus on the aspect of the mind known as the conditioned thinking mind, and how it attempts to be the dictator.
Long before science began to study the mind, ancient mystics, teachers, and masters assisted their students or disciples with their discussions and insights about the mind. They knew that understanding the mind was critical in Self Awareness, and to live a life beyond a person’s conditionings. The Masters understood that the mind has the capacity to create or tear down, to push against or hold down, to allow or deny. They understood the mind sets the stage, writes the script, chooses its supporting actors and decides if the scene will be a comedy, a drama, a mystery, a suspense, or a horror. They understood that the mind has the capacity to plant the seeds for tomorrow, and it can help you nurture that garden as it is growing. They understood that the mind often will fret about yesterday or worry about tomorrow. They realized that a person could use the mind to reach new heights, to push their own limits, or defend what they believe to be their limitations. They knew that the mind could be used to settle for less, or for dreaming big. They knew the mind is dualistic and limiting by nature, but also could be trained to be stretched beyond what it had been previously taught. The great masters taught their disciples to understand the mind, so they could use it purposefully, as well as to live beyond the mind.
