“You can’t change something from the level of thinking that created it.”
Albert Einstein
Some clarification about thought is needed here. There has been a great deal written about positive thinking, positive psychology, seeing the bright side and changing your thoughts from negative to positive. At first blush, it may sound to you like I am saying that same thing. But I am not.
I am pointing to the Power to Think – the neutral gift of thought before the content of thought is formed. The notion THAT you think not so much WHAT you think. This spun me around a few times as well…
Michael Neill, a great coach of this understanding, tells a story in his book, SPACE WITHIN about a client who was obsessing about dying and that it might be soon. At first Michael checked out the circumstances – (cause he forgot) – so health issues, did he have his will and finances in order…you get the drift. Michael finally told him he didn’t have to think about it. This was a great relief to the client and seemed to alleviate the immediate problem.. But Michael on the other hand, intuitively felt there was more to uncover. When he spoke with his own coach he thought she gave him the same advice…tell him he doesn’t have to think about it. Still it didn’t seem like enough – when Michael revisited the conversation with his coach, she pointed out to him that she said “HE doesn’t have to think THAT.” You may have to read this paragraph a few times to get what I am pointing to.
Content thinking and any replacement of it – is only manipulating the situation in hopes of coping. Understanding that the power to think and that the principle of consciousness brings those thoughts to life is where the action is.
When we try to mess with the thoughts themselves – oh please trust me on this – I have done it again and again…only to have them resurface and cause me more mental anguish – when we know that we are the thinker and the nature of thought is to come and go – we can relax and allow the wisdom of MIND to provide insight and original thought or new thinking- no muss no fuss.
Until next Friday….let me know what you think!
