An attitude of mind that relies on, and has faith in the creative intelligence to bring about a happy solution to every question, is one that will bring peace, harmony, and order to your life.
In this chapter Murphy talks about the habits we have created in the physical world and how we as humans can either break or build these manners. We are all creatures of habit and these habits are actually the functions of our subconscious mind. At a young age we all had to learn to do things that seemed foreign to us but are now second nature. This may include riding a bike, swimming or driving a car. At first we had to think very hard and concentrate when doing these actions, but now they are automatic and the subconscious mind has taken over.
It's important to remember that thoughts can become habitual. What kind of messages are constantly being repeated in your mind? Are they thoughts of things that are good, positive, and true? Or are they negative, gloomy and charged with fear and anxiety? "The law of your subconscious is compulsion." Just as you are free to choose a good habit or a bad habit you are also free to choose the nature of your thoughts.
Recently, I had an epiphany about the habitual thinking that I had fallen into. My thoughts were constantly charged with negativity, anxiety, and often times exaggerated real life scenarios. I am someone who works very hard as a teacher and not only do I want to serve my students and their parents, but I also want to please my administration and colleagues. Last winter, I began experiencing a great deal of anxiety that seemed to last through the end of my summer vacation. I tried so many things to keep the emotions at bay. I exercised, changed my diet, kept positive quotes in my pocket and gave myself plenty of time to relax. However, near the last two weeks of my summer break, the anxiety seemed to lift and I felt returned to my normal self. What was different? Stepping away from work for such a long period of time gave me a new perspective. It took about four weeks for me to stop THINKING about work. It was then that I realized that I really hadn't taken hold of my thoughts as much as I believed I had. Many times in the teaching world you have to analyze things from many angles. It may be figuring out the details of a lesson, which takes a great deal of thinking ahead. Teachers do not just need to select the content that is being taught but they also need to think of things like, how will students retrieve materials? What if one gets done before the rest of the class? Which students will need more support and which ones will need to be challenged? How will I keep the noise level under control? How much time will they take to complete the activity? Who will the students work with on this project and why? I would also face scenarios with parents and colleagues that I believed I needed to reflect on and "think through."
In my mind I thought I was problem solving, when in actuality, I was allowing the problem to grow and making it worse. I discovered that one of my habits is to have conversations in my head. For example, if I had a confrontation with a coworker or parent I would imagine what he or she might say to me about the situation. I would then come up with a response to their answer and then he or she would reply. As I walked through these conversations, which occurred silently in my brain at all hours of the day, I felt emotions that were very real. I would feel the heat of frustration start to well up in my stomach as I brushed my teeth, or did the dishes. I wasn't even at work! That conversation had not happened and there was no reason for me to be frustrated. I was simply manifesting a negative situation that was not real in the slightest. Later on at work, I would then be on edge when I would see that specific person because I had just associated very real feelings with a completely negative mind set.
I was experiencing a mental block. When I finally got to get away from work for a while and hit the "reset" button, it gave me the opportunity to truly change my thinking. I now focus on things that are true...not what I think might happen. If I have just come home from work and want to relax, that doesn't just mean my physical body relaxes, it means my brain must relax as well. I had to stop discussing negative things that happened at work with whoever would listen, and I had to stop replaying scenarios in my brain. I am now back at work and have surprised myself with how calm I feel internally. When I start to slip back into my negative thinking pattern, I instead sing an uplifting song or imagine how positive and blessed my day is going to be. Quite frankly, if I'm not at work there is no reason I should be thinking about work. If you never allow your brain to rest and relax then you might as well never leave the office in the first place.
This habit I developed was a mental block that got in the way of all of my positive desires. It was through a change that I was finally able to remove it.
In this chapter Murphy says, "when you really have an intense desire to over come any block in your life, and you come to a clear-cut decision that there is a way out, and that is the course you wish to follow, then victory and triumph are assured."
I was able to relate this next paragraph to my own life as he wrote, "If you really want peace of mind and inner calm, you will get it. Regardless of how unjustly you have been treated, or how unfair the boss has been, or what a mean scoundrel someone has proved to be, all this makes no difference to you when you awaken to your mental and spiritual powers. You know what you want, and you will definitely refuse to let the thieves (thoughts) of hatred, anger, hostility and ill will rob you of peace, harmony, health and happiness. You cease to become upset by people, conditions, news, and events by identifying your thoughts immediately with your aim in life. Your aim is peace, health, inspiration, harmony and abundance. Feel a river of peace flowing through you now."
In every chapter, Murphy shares the actual prayer/meditation that one of his acquaintances has used to bring an intention to pass. In this blog, I would like to personally share something that I have been doing every morning. My goal this school year is to have inner peace and remain calm in all situations. Too many times last year my blood would quickly boil when a student did not follow directions or an administrator asked yet another thing of me. I know from reading this book that it is in my power to be calm no matter what scenario I am in.
Each morning, after my shower, I put on a fluffy robe and sit on my recliner. For ten minutes I use a meditation timer app that plays the wonderful sounds of a rainstorm mixed with 4 rings of a low toned bell. I relax my body and put myself in the rain (one of my favorite places to be). I smell the fresh, cool air that I know exists there and breathe deeply. On each bell I say a word, and my sentence ends up being, "Peace begins with me." No other words enter my thoughts or leave my lips except for the sentence, "Peace begins with me." This is a wonderful reminder for me of not only my intention, but of my power. It is not "I will be peaceful until someone pisses me off.." It is, "I am the source of peace."
No one can stir up negative emotions within unless you give yourself permission to do so. I spent so many months bringing anxiety, fear, and stress upon myself when it never needed to occur. I had to remove the mental block.
I want to end this blog post with a final quote from this chapter. It applies to our everyday lives whether we are facing a major crisis or simply trying to maintain the peace we have already achieved. "When fear knocks at the door of your mind, or when worry, anxiety, and doubt cross your mind, behold your vision, your goals. Keep on, persevere, until the day breaks, and the shadows flee away."
Other important notes from this chapter:
* The solution lies within the problem. The answer is in every question. Infinite intelligence responds to you as you call upon it with faith and confidence.
*Habit is the function of your subconscious mind. There is no greater evidence of the marvelous power of your subconscious than the force and sway habit holds in your life. You are a creature of habit.
* Whatever mental picture, back by faith, you behold in your conscious mind, and your subconscious mind will bring to pass.
*The only obstacle to your success and achievement is your own thought or mental image.
*When your attention wanders, bring it back to the contemplation of your good or goal. Make a habit of this. This is called disciplining the mind.
*The statements of others cannot hurt you except through your own thoughts and mental participation. Identify your self with your aim, which is peace, harmony, and joy. You are the only thinker in your universe.
*Excessive drinking is an unconscious desire to escape. The cause of alcoholism is negative and destructive thinking. The cure is to think of freedom, sobriety, and perfection and to feel the thrill of accomplishment.
*Your imagination took you to the bottle; let it take you to freedom by imagining you are free.
*When fear knocks at the door of your mind, let faith in God and all things good open the door.
No comments:
Post a Comment