Tag Archives: the power of positive thinking

Chuck’s Place: Gratitude Now!

Turn thoughts to gratitude for a brand new attitude…
-Artwork © 2024 Jan Ketchel

The subconscious mind is the creative powerhouse at the core of our soul. It links with the limbic system in the brain, which houses our instinctual and emotional primal self. The subconscious is vastly influenced by the survival suggestions of this primal being, with self-preservation as its number one priority.

The ego is the conscious thinking part of the soul, that corresponds with the neocortex in the brain while we exist in human form. This analytical center provides us with the ability to exercise free will, even overriding the hardwired genetic programs of the limbic system. We are free, for example, to make decisions and take actions that the limbic system would have us avoid in order to remain safe.

The subconscious is also powerfully affected by the thinking suggestions of the ego, and, if impressed enough, may manifest them, despite the more conservative suggestions of the limbic system that run counter to the ego’s wishes. Emotion is the significant variable in the subconscious mind’s choice; what we put a lot of emotion into usually wins out.

The highly emotionally charged fight/flight/freeze reaction of the limbic system is its central program for self-preservation. When the subconscious mind manifests this natural reaction in the nervous system, the ego’s neocortex center is compromised. We simply can’t think rationally, as the subconscious sends all available energy to the body to fund survival.

The result of this fear-based internal environment is the flooding of the body with adrenaline and cortisol, which generates a hyper-alert physical and emotional state to fend off real or imagined attack. Without the ego’s ability to contribute alternative perspectives and suggestions that could release the perception of danger, the body remains captive to this ever-present threatened state.

Emotions of fear, anger and hate tend to be reinforced by triggered memories of prior threats or imagined potential threats, which the brain treats as real, intensifying the emotional panic. Fearful thoughts generate negative emotions, which trigger more fearful thoughts in an ever-escalating loop of deepening negativity.

In this low frequency state of negativity, the subconscious manifests a state of exhaustion and hopelessness, matching the suggestions of the activated limbic system. In order to shift from this disheartened state, the ego is tasked with exercising its will over the limbic system’s hardwired programs, introducing new suggestions to the subconscious mind.

The decision to breathe for several minutes to an 8-8-8 count and then a 8-16-8 count will begin to shift brainwaves away from an anxious beta mental state into a calmer alpha/theta state. From this calmer place we can state our desired intent, perhaps for a more peaceful inner, as well as outer, world.

This is the opportunity to raise the emotional vibration to the heights of gratitude, an extremely attractive vibe to the subconscious mind. Begin with deep appreciation first for the divine intelligence of the subconscious mind, which places itself at our creative disposal. Send love and gratitude toward every other part of All-That-Is because, regardless of circumstance, we are all in this together.

With deep gratitude and awe, imagine the manifestation of that which you seek as fully formed. This accomplished deed in the heart and mind causes the brain to form the neural circuits and release the appropriate hormones to match the body with the mind’s imagination. The subconscious further supports this transformation by attracting outer physical reality to it that matches its inner high vibration of loving gratitude.

In this time of pervasive outer negativity, no one can be stopped from an inner practice of deep gratitude that radiates and attracts a reality that matches its love and appreciation for all. Be the gratitude rainmaker whose solo practice releases a thunderstorm of love upon the world.

Gratitude Now!
Chuck

Chuck’s Place: Rising Above The Negative Swing Of The Pendulum

Love, it’s a choice…
-Artwork © 2024 Jan Ketchel

All of life swings back and forth, like a pendulum. Civilizations rise and fall, moods run high and then swing equidistantly low, the tide goes out and returns with equal force. This is the law of rhythm, with its inevitable cycles, as well as the law of cause and effect that insists that every action be compensated with an equal and opposite reaction.

Although we cannot stop the multitude of storms that affect our lives, we can position ourselves to neutralize their impact upon us. On the physical plane, the decision to evacuate from a coming hurricane removes us from immediate danger.

On the mental plane, reaching the place of radical acceptance for all-that-is can largely mitigate the impact of negative emotional storms upon our lives. To accomplish this, the shamans of ancient Mexico teach us to suspend judgment.

To suspend judgment means to not take offense, even when someone very intentionally targets us. Here, we seek no solace and waste no energy in excusing the offender because of some tragedy or misfortune in their lives that may have caused their actions. We fully accept the possible coldblooded intent of their behavior. We don’t seek to find forgiveness. If we are not offended there is nothing to forgive.

Shamans view all encounters in the all-that-is of human life as opportunities to hone their energy for life beyond human form, on the subtler planes of infinity. Souls that are burdened with resentments are too weighed down for subtle flight and must first take up residence in dream bardos, where they learn to lighten their load by truly letting go of all earthly strings of resentment.

Shamans use the fact that any moment could be their last in human form to arrive at an equanimous attitude of presence to every experience in life. Easy to say, but while in human form we are subjected to very powerful emotions that would have us fully drive the pendulum’s potent swing of anger right back into the heart of our offender. How do we rise above such an instinctive reaction?

My High Self immediately responded to this question by singing to me its own version of Steve Winwood’s Higher Love : “Bring me to Higher Ground!”, with the chorus belting it out louder and louder. The message, immediately channeled from my High Self, was to sing, with passion, this suggestion to my subconscious mind.

The actual lyric is, “Bring me a higher love!” My High Self ingeniously delivered two messages to catch my attention and answer my query: To rise above an instinctive reaction, going to a higher ground, and to raise my vibration to the spiritual level of non-attachment, to the place of higher love.

When we raise our consciousness to the positive vibration of love we avoid the impact of the pendulum’s swing to the negative pole of hatred. We let that negative swing pass by, refusing to participate in its call for vengeance. We neutralize the consuming impact of negativity upon our raised ego state. Of course, we might need to take firm action, but it won’t be emotionally driven from negativity, but rather from the clarity of objectivity.

This exercise of the will, to shift its fixation from the negative to the positive poll, is accomplished, in this instance, by singing, with powerful emotional exuberance, the suggestion to the subconscious mind to manifest a landing on the higher ground of love.

Once the subconscious receives the suggestion, we experience calm and clarity, as we employ our intuition and reason to guide us to action. All we truly need is love.

Chuck

Soulbyte for Tuesday October 8, 2024

-Artwork © 2024 Jan Ketchel

Keep a positive attitude if you want to see and experience positive change in your own life and in the world around you. Positive thoughts, positive language, positive actions will have a positive outcome, increasing positivity in your life overall. Negative thoughts, language and actions will increase negativity. Good health, good attitude, good emotions within and good circumstances without will all prevail when a positive spin is put on everything. Give it a try and see what happens. Your words matter more than you think.

Sending you love,
The Soul Sisters, Jan & Jeanne

Soulbyte for Friday September 20, 2024

-Artwork © 2024 Jan Ketchel

Remain in a positive frame of mind. The power of your own thinking is undeniable. You prove this to yourself every day in every thought you have, how it makes you feel and how it affects your mood and thus your environment. Become the agent of change that you desire to see in the world around you by becoming that agent of change. Begin with your own thinking. Study how your mind wanders so that you get to experience its rapid decline into doom and gloom. Take control by filling it with positive words, and then watch what happens. You will be amazed!

Sending you love,
The Soul Sisters, Jan & Jeanne

Soulbyte for Wednesday September 18, 2024

-Artwork © 2024 Jan Ketchel

Despite what your eyes see and your ears hear about the state of the world around you, keep your focus on the positive, within and without. The more positivity there is in the world the more the negative will recede. The more you are reminded of the magical powers of your own spirit and your own mind the better off you will be. A positive attitude is responsible for great healing, great change, and great progress in the direction of the good. Be a part of the change that is worth working toward. Keep a positive outlook, speak positive words, and, most of all, stay open to receiving and giving the goodness of heart centered positivity.

Sending you love,
The Soul Sisters, Jan & Jeanne