I love this beautiful quote from
Mahatma Gandhi: “Your beliefs become your thoughts. Your thoughts become your words. Your words become your actions. Your
actions become your habits. Your
habits become your values. Your
values become your – destiny.”
Working the program of
Alcoholics Anonymous, I began reclaiming my life by simply reversing this
beautiful thought from Gandhi. I didn’t know it at the time. I didn’t even
think about it. The life I had created for myself had taken me to the absolute
rock-bottom. It had almost financially ruined my future. It had almost ruined
my career. It had definitely destroyed my children’s trust in me. It had
destroyed my faith and confidence. It had bolstered my toxic shame. I was virtually dead inside.
As my life began to improve in
sobriety, my thoughts had already changed. My habits began to change
automatically – by not drinking alcohol and working the program. Different
things were important to me now and my actions and priorities reflected that. I
thought differently. I spoke differently. I was focused on different things. I
was no longer the “old me.” I didn’t quite understand who the “new me” was, but
I knew it wasn’t the “old me.” My life had absolutely turned completely around
– which is the literal meaning of experiencing a conversion.
The first few lessons from the
Workbook in a Course in Miracles (ACIM) have focused on the thoughts I think
and the effect they cause. The Lessons are trying to reinforce that my thoughts
cause my perception – not the other way around, which is how Felix (my ego)
wants be to believe. Felix sees something “out there” happen and it causes me
to react or behave in such-and-such a manner. It is just the opposite according
to ACIM. I “think” my thoughts and then “see” the “out there” event. The two
things – thought and sight – are virtually simultaneous. What I “see” with my
eyes is what I have already “thought.” Throughout ACIM physical sight is
sharply contrasted with spiritual vision.
Unity Churches and Science of
Mind congregations are places where I first heard the phrase “Thoughts Are
Things.” In short, how you think – the thoughts you harbor, fear or hold dear –
determine what it is you will see in the ego’s world. This echoes the message of ACIM. It also
echoes advances that are being made in the arena of noetics (consciousness and
spirituality). Noetic Science, according to the Institute of Noetic Sciences,
is the study of “…how beliefs, thoughts and intentions affect the physical
world.” (www.noetic.org)
Dan Brown’s newest novel, The Lost Symbol (Doubleday, 2009) is a
story that swirls around and through the field of noetics. It’s as fascinating
a read as was his previous novel, “The Da
Vinci Code.” The protagonist understands the theory of noetics, and,
perhaps, the reality of spirituality, but cannot bring himself to really
believe in what it is saying. “…Professor,” the old man said, “I realize
that you, like many educated people, live trapped between worlds – one foot in
the spiritual, one foot in the physical. Your heart yearns to believe…but your
intellect refuses to permit it. As an
academic, you would be wise to learn from the great minds of history…. If I’m
remembering correctly, one of the greatest minds ever to live proclaimed: ‘That
which is impenetrable to us really exists. Behind the secrets of nature remains
something subtle, intangible, and inexplicable. Veneration for this force
beyond anything that we can comprehend is my religion.’”
“Who said that? … Gandhi?”
“No, … Albert Einstein.” (p, 308)
Deepak Chopra has talked about
the existence of holographic phenomena, which allows for small particles to
contain the whole of which they are only a part. Gregg Braden has talked about
the instant communication that seems to exist between objects at the sub-atomic
level. He doesn’t know how it happens – but it does! Masaru Emoto (a Japanese
scientist) has conducted tests that proved human thought and intentions could
(and did!) change the crystals of water as it froze – whether in test tubes, in
lakes, or in rivers.
Our thoughts influence what it
is we “think” we see. ACIM says that our thoughts determine what we see. If I
change my thoughts I change my world. Felix looks at the world “out there”
trying to find support for his belief that he is “special.” He doesn’t find it
and gets angry. This anger colors all his perception, and he concludes (on a
subconscious level): “I’m angry at the world I see because it doesn’t reflect
my desire for specialness.” What he sees he interprets as attacks / disappointments
/ resentments coming at him from the world. He retaliates, justifies his
fear/anger and defends himself. This is Felix’s world. It is not filled with
peace, acceptance and serenity.
I no longer want to see my world
in this way. Friends from Saint Augustine who moved to Charlotte NC about this
time we moved to East Tennessee shared this idea with me: We have moved from Homo Erectus to Homo Sapiens. Now we are moving from
Homo Sapiens to Homo Noeticus.
I believe humankind is moving in
that direction. The highly motivated hate-fear reactions to that movement –
from those whose power, money and prestige are rooted in maintaining a sense of
fearfulness – underscore the reality of it.
Although these messages are
mostly for me, thanks for listening. As always – feel free to forward this
message to your friends, family, and those accompanying you on your spiritual
journey.
Don
#4 January 2015
Copyright, 2015
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