Maria Duval - Nature Of the Human Mind

Nature Of the Human Mind
Nature of The Human Mind

On Earth, man occupies a peculiar position that sets him apart
from all other entities in our planet. While all the other
things �" animate or inanimate, living or non-living �" behave
according to regular patterns to balance nature, man seems to
enjoy �" within definite limits �" a small amount of freedom. Man
controls his way of living, speaks his own language, perceives
and learns great amount of knowledge, manages his emotions, and
deals properly with problems he faces. All of which is unique to
man only. There is, in fact, within the infinite expanse of the
universe a small field in which man's conscious conduct can
change the course of events.

It is this fact that causes man to distinguish between an
external world subject to unstoppable and endless necessity, and
his human faculty of thinking, cognising, and acting. In
Philosophy, mind or reason is contrasted with matter, something
that is extended in space and persists through time. Fully aware
of the fact that his own body is subject to the same forces that
determine all other things and beings, man attributes his
ability to think, to will and to act to an invisible and
intangible, yet powerful, factor he calls his mind.

The mind, including the processes it carries out such as
thinking, learning, memorizing, remembering, and the likes, is
one characteristic that distinguishes man from any other being
in the world. The nature of the human mind is like that of a
mirror; having different functions and features: (a) open and
vast, (b) reflects in full and precise details, (c) unbiased
towards any impression, (d) distinguishes clearly, and (e)
potential for having everything already accomplished.

Open and Vast

Martin H. Fischer (1879-1962), a German-born U.S. physician and
author, quoted “All the world is a laboratory to the inquiring
mind.” Isn’t it ironic how small the human brain where mind
processes undergo is, and yet it encloses matters in as huge as
the universe? That’s how open and vast the mind can be. It can
consist of things as trivial as the number of moles you have in
your body, or as essential as how many dosages of cough syrup
you need to take in when you are sick. It can create illusion or
reality, bring delight or sadness, trigger conflict or peace, and
generate love or hatred. And most importantly, it can make you,
by influencing you how to be the best of who you are, or break
you, by covering you with all the fears, embarrassment, and
shame you least need in going through everyday.

The exposure of the mind to practically ‘anything under the sun’
keeps it from hiding any secrets the world unfolds from us. But
again, all information that we can easily gather from outside is
not always being marked off by the society �" which is good and
which is bad, which is right and which is wrong, or which is
divine and which is evil. Therefore, the mind, as an
all-encompassing system, accesses everything and yet restricts
us from nothing.

Indeed, we have to agree with Fischer that the world is just a
laboratory of the inquiring mind. A gigantic world of mind
exists to which we are almost totally unexposed. This whole
world is made by the mind. Our minds made this up and put these
things together. Every bolt and nut was put in by one after the
other’s mind. This whole world is mind’s world �" the product of
mind.

Reflects in Full and Precise Details
In her outstanding book, Choose the Happiness Habit, Pam Golden
writes: "Take the story of two brothers who are twins. One
grows up to be an alcoholic bum. The other becomes an extremely
successful businessman. When the alcoholic is asked why he
became a drunk, he replies, ‘My father was a drunk.’ When the
successful businessman is asked why he became successful, he
says, ‘My father was a drunk.’ Same background.
Same upbringing. Different choices."

The brothers chose different thoughts regarding the identical
experience they’ve been in. One took the fact that their father
was a drunk as an example for him to imitate; thus, making him
one too. In contrast, the other brother thought the same idea as
something not to be mimicked, making him doing the opposite thing
until he became successful. Those thoughts over the years shaped
the circumstances where they are now. Whatever viewpoint they
had about the situation was reflected on how they are doing now.


In other words, whatever there is in our mind can be fully and
precisely reflected through our actions. It is due to the
process where thinking creates images in our mind. These images,
in turn, will control feelings like joy or sadness. Such feelings
will cause us to do actions on how we would deal with each one of
them. And lastly, these actions shall create results. Therefore,
the mind, particularly thinking, implies reflection and creation
of results. This is simplified through the very common cliché
“You are what you think of.”

Aziz Meknassi
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Aziz Meknassi is the webmaster of www.azmek.co.uk, a website
dedicated to self-help
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Aziz Meknassi is a self improvement addict, martial arts instructor, multi-lingual and webmaster of http://www.azmek.co.uk a free self help online reading.

Surrendering To Freedom: Stepping Into Grace
Earlier this month as I sat at the desk by the upstairs hall window, looking down on the blossoming apple trees and the vineyard beyond, I suddenly heard a fluttering sound behind me. A house finch had flown into the open window at the other end of the hall. I watched her fly around the hall and into my office where she began banging against the window, struggling to find a way out.

I entered my office and watched as she flew against the window unaware that the just 10 inches away, it was open. Slowly and peacefully I approached her with my open hands prayerfully offering guidance and help. At first she refused, fluttering with even more determination and desperation up and down the invisible obstacle that held her captive. I remained calm and present, ready to enfold her gently yet firmly when the opportunity appeared.

But suddenly, she stopped her frantic flapping and flew onto my finger, sitting there as naturally and calmly as if it was a tree branch. There was a communion in that moment, an understanding that passed between that finch and myself. I was reluctant to let go of that connection, and yet I knew that was part of our connection, part of the trust she had placed in me.

Slowly I shifted my hands towards the open side of the window. Somehow the clarity and awareness that had been lost during her struggle had returned in her calmness. She knew the instant she was in front of the opening, and immediately flew out the window to freedom, gifting me with two bright, clear chirps of gratitude as she went.

When I returned to the desk I began thinking of how much I am like that little house finch: Resisting the hands that offer me help, desperately running from the guidance that is constantly being offered. The hands may be human, or divine, or they may be the wings of a house finch, but they are always here, always reaching out gently to guide me to freedom.

Admiring the beauty of the Sonoma County landscape, I imagined myself settling into the hands of the Divine, just as that bird settled so gracefully onto my hand. I felt the release of tension and worry as I allowed myself to rest in the hands of God.

Since that day I have been away of the times when I am struggling like that finch. It sometimes feels out of my control, as if I am watching someone else struggle, unable to reach them and let them know that the window is open just a few inches away. But it is me. I am struggling. I am resisting. And like that finch, I am slowly learning to let go of that resistance, and to allow myself to be shown the way to grace and freedom.

Edward Mills, MIM, is a life coach, teacher and speaker, empowering people to more joyfully and abundantly share their essential gifts with the world. You can sign up for his monthly ezine, Evolving Times, at his website: http://www.edwardmills.com or blog: http://www.evolvingtimes.com

Meditation: Meditation for Improving Concentration
I was reading an article in an American Medical Journal a few days ago that talked about how keeping your mind active and improving your concentration will help you as you get older. The focus of the study was looking at how people aged 70 plus could ensure their minds stay active by improving their concentration. There are simple meditations techniques that you can use to improve your concentration that if you practice regularly will ensure your mind will maintain is stature. There are two meditation techniques for improving concentration that are easy to use. The first technique is using the number meditation technique; the second technique is using the object visualization meditation technique. The Number Meditation Technique: The first step in this meditation process is to find a comfortable place to sit and close your eyes. The potential distractions are a big issue with this technique because you will be challenged by noise both internally and externally. With both of these techniques I recommend that you do NOT use meditation music. The next step in this meditation technique is to ensure that your back is straight, with good posture. Start by breathing slowly and lightly. As you are breathing on the exhaled breath visualize the number one in your mind. When you see the number then breathe in. Whilst you are focusing on the number one, breathe out and then visualize the number two. Continue breathing and visualizing each number till you reach one hundred. Once you reach one hundred then you may stop the meditation session. Here is the catch, you cannot continue to the next number until you only have focus to the previous number. If at any time during your visualization that your mind wanders or starts thinking about something else, you must stop the counting process and start from the number one again. The objective of using this technique is to help maintain your concentration and ensure that you maintain the focus on the numbers you are counting. You need to practice this technique till you are able count to one hundred without losing focus on the first go. Continue to practice this technique till you have mastered it. Once you have mastered this technique and have control over your focus, the next step is to use the object visualization technique. The Object Visualization Technique: The object visualization technique is designed to help you visualize an object. To start this technique, begin your meditation just as you would any other meditation session. The first step is visualizing a common object that you know like a flower, a car or a cup. You will find that when you first try the object visualization technique that using a simple object will make life easier to help maintain focus and concentration during the meditation session. During your meditation session you need to visualize the object by literally drawing it with your mind. Start with an outline, making sure it looks as beautiful as possible. Visualize its shape of the object, the color of the object, any pictures or colors on the object, the texture of the object such as whether it is smooth or rough. Whether there are any words on the object and then rotate the object on a 3D axis. As you are visualizing the object, test to see if the object has a distinct smell in your mind. Visualize that smell clearly in your mind. Now during the visualization meditation session, should at any point you lose focus and visualize on anything else. Simply stop the visualization process and start again by redrawing the object in your mind. Continue this process for a period of ten minutes each day, till you are able to visualize the object without distraction. You should continue using this technique till you can meditate up to twenty minutes a day using this meditation technique. The number meditation technique and object visualization meditation technique are designed to help program your mind to concentrate. The more you practice this mediation technique the better your concentration will become and the easier it will be to attain focus during your meditation sessions.

We have Meditation Music available to help you with your meditaiton. If you are suffering Asthma then check out our Buteyko Breathing Method training program. If you would like to read Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill to learn how you can achieve greater success then you can get access to this book.