A process of change is never straight but more like a winding mountain road with switchbacks, curves, and steep areas of incline and decline. And though it may seem as if progress is slow there are enough subtle shifts each day to warrant feelings of accomplishment. Better to stay positively focused than to fall into a trap of negativity and despair. Allow change itself to propel you onward each day, as you take a new step and make new plans for your forward journey. At day’s beginning rejoice at the opportunity to start off fresh and at day’s end rejoice in a well traveled day.
Refrain from thinking negative thoughts about yourself; it only makes matters worse and keeps you in a gloomy state. Look at yourself with fresh eyes and point out to yourself all the ways you excel, all the ways you are good, all the positives—and there are many indeed! No need to stay mired in the shadows. Time to come out into the light, little by little proving to yourself that you are beautiful in so many ways, that you are worthy and acceptable, and that you belong here, that you too came to make your mark.
I place my awareness on my calf muscle. “My left calf muscle is warm,” I state. I notice that a faint warming sensation appears in my left calf muscle.
My thinking mind remains passive; it simply observes. My subconscious mind, however, takes my suggestion as its command and orchestrates the body activity needed to create the sensation of warmth in my calf muscle.
My conscious mind has no clue as to how to create warmth in my calf muscle. Active thinking is limited to abstract thought and reason. In contrast, my subconscious mind holds the keys to the kingdom and can manifest, in some material form, any suggestion presented to it.
For instance, if I actively think the thought, “I can’t hula hoop,” my hips will rigidify and the hoop will hit the floor. In this case, the negative suggestion to the subconscious is manifested by the body.
Of course, one might protest, quite accurately, that without practice one will be unable to successfully hula hoop. This is true, but once the ability has been achieved, through diligent practice, a trial performance will most likely fail if one negatively thinks, “I can’t do it.”
What we tell ourselves is what we become. What we listen to we become. If I incessantly listen to negative thoughts broadcast from a television station, I will become a negative person. In this case, the thoughts and beliefs I hear expressed become the command to my subconscious mind to generate the emotional body state that creates the negativity of anger, vigilance, and discontent.
Beliefs are highly insulated thoughts. Thus, if we state a suggestion that opposes an ingrained belief we confuse the subconscious mind with opposing commands. In this case, the more exercised and repeated belief is likely the suggestion the subconscious will follow.
For instance, if one holds a deep belief that they are inadequate, the command to the subconscious that “I am competent” may actually manifest as self-doubt and defeat, felt as anxiety and depression. In this case, it is best to acknowledge the underlying belief and perhaps first process experiences that have contributed to that belief, in an effort to neutralize it.
Bob Monroe suggested using an imaginary heavily-lidded box to place one’s negative beliefs in before giving a new suggestion to the subconscious, to allow for an unfettered experiment of exploration. This is akin to a scientist that may not believe something is possible but suspends judgment and submits to legitimate experimental conditions to see what happens.
Thus, for example, one might not believe they can experience their energy body. By placing their doubting mind in their imaginary storage locker, they are free to suggest to the subconscious that they experience the vibratory state connected to their energy body. In this case, with doubt suspended, one becomes open to a new possibility.
So what is the subconscious mind? The subconscious is the mind that used to completely direct the human animal, prior to the birth of human consciousness. When the subconscious ruled, it responded to the world instinctively. All stimuli to the senses evoked evolutionary programs that were automatically selected to respond to a need or challenge. No thinking was involved, simply stimulus and preprogrammed response.
Animals, for instance, know instinctively how to give birth. With the birth of consciousness, humans lost this connection to immediate, direct knowledge, as they added doctors to the birthing experience to attempt to improve on nature’s instinctive programs.
Though our connection to the subconscious is less direct than in the animal world, we are nonetheless afforded the opportunity to volitionally suggest directly to the subconscious in a way not possible for other animals. This is both a blessing and a curse.
The blessing is, we can manifest a world that functions more efficiently than our evolutionary programming. The curse is that we can manifest a world based on narcissism, which is unsustainable. This, in fact, is the crossroads that we, and our world, currently find ourselves at.
If one aligns one’s suggestions with the truth of one’s heart, one is sure to manifest a world that cares for all beings and is deeply sustainable.
Process limiting beliefs, or put them in the box, while you experiment with the subconscious mind. This is where one might truly experience a world where all things are possible.
Without regret for what transpired the day before, begin each new day on firm ground by declaring it of sacred beginning, clear and free of the past, and with an open heart allow the self to be kind, loving and compassionate in all you do, say, and think. A new day is a gift, so make it worthy by accepting it as such. And have a great day!
A plan of action will aid in setting you on a new path, a determined intent to change. Progress will be achieved with intention, discipline, and action. At the same time, it is important to not be too rigid but to go with the flow of life, accepting what it offers as you go through each day. For you are also being guided by unseen forces, by caring helpers and loving guides. Allow for the multitude of synchronicities and enlightened beings to be part of your progress. So balance discipline with openness and surely you will progress in a positive direction.
