On Earth, man occupies a peculiar
position that sets him apart
from all other entities in
our planet. While all the
other things – animate
or inanimate, living or non-living
– behave according to
regular patterns to balance
nature, man seems to enjoy
– within definite limits
– a small amount of
freedom. Man controls his
way of living, speaks his
own language, perceives and
learns great amount of knowledge,
manages his emotions, and
deals properly with problems
he faces. All of which is
unique to man only. There
is, in fact, within the infinite
expanse of the universe a
small field in which man's
conscious conduct can change
the course of events.
It is this fact that causes
man to distinguish between
an external world subject
to unstoppable and endless
necessity, and his human faculty
of thinking, cognising, and
acting. In Philosophy, mind
or reason is contrasted with
matter, something that is
extended in space and persists
through time. Fully aware
of the fact that his own body
is subject to the same forces
that determine all other things
and beings, man attributes
his ability to think, to will
and to act to an invisible
and intangible, yet powerful,
factor he calls his mind.
The mind, including the processes
it carries out such as thinking,
learning, memorizing, remembering,
and the likes, is one characteristic
that distinguishes man from
any other being in the world.
The nature of the human mind
is like that of a mirror;
having different functions
and features: (a) open and
vast, (b) reflects in full
and precise details, (c) unbiased
towards any impression, (d)
distinguishes clearly, and
(e) potential for having everything
already accomplished.
Open and Vast
Martin H. Fischer (1879-1962),
a German-born U.S. physician
and author, quoted "All the
world is a laboratory to the
inquiring mind." Isn't it
ironic how small the human
brain where mind processes
undergo is, and yet it encloses
matters in as huge as the
universe? That's how open
and vast the mind can be.
It can consist of things as
trivial as the number of moles
you have in your body, or
as essential as how many dosages
of cough syrup you need to
take in when you are sick.
It can create illusion or
reality, bring delight or
sadness, trigger conflict
or peace, and generate love
or hatred. And most importantly,
it can make you, by influencing
you how to be the best of
who you are, or break you,
by covering you with all the
fears, embarrassment, and
shame you least need in going
through everyday.
The exposure of the mind to
practically 'anything under
the sun' keeps it from hiding
any secrets the world unfolds
from us. But again, all information
that we can easily gather
from outside is not always
being marked off by the society
– which is good and
which is bad, which is right
and which is wrong, or which
is divine and which is evil.
Therefore, the mind, as an
all-encompassing system, accesses
everything and yet restricts
us from nothing.
Indeed, we have to agree with
Fischer that the world is
just a laboratory of the inquiring
mind. A gigantic world of
mind exists to which we are
almost totally unexposed.
This whole world is made by
the mind. Our minds made this
up and put these things together.
Every bolt and nut was put
in by one after the other's
mind. This whole world is
mind's world – the product
of mind.
Reflects in Full and Precise
Details In her outstanding
book, Choose the Happiness
Habit, Pam Golden writes:
"Take the story of two brothers
who are twins. One grows up
to be an alcoholic bum. The
other becomes an extremely
successful businessman. When
the alcoholic is asked why
he became a drunk, he replies,
'My father was a drunk.' When
the successful businessman
is asked why he became successful,
he says, 'My father was a
drunk.' Same background. Same
upbringing. Different choices."
The brothers chose different
thoughts regarding the identical
experience they've been in.
One took the fact that their
father was a drunk as an example
for him to imitate; thus,
making him one too. In contrast,
the other brother thought
the same idea as something
not to be mimicked, making
him doing the opposite thing
until he became successful.
Those thoughts over the years
shaped the circumstances where
they are now. Whatever viewpoint
they had about the situation
was reflected on how they
are doing now.
In other words, whatever there
is in our mind can be fully
and precisely reflected through
our actions. It is due to
the process where thinking
creates images in our mind.
These images, in turn, will
control feelings like joy
or sadness. Such feelings
will cause us to do actions
on how we would deal with
each one of them. And lastly,
these actions shall create
results. Therefore, the mind,
particularly thinking, implies
reflection and creation of
results. This is simplified
through the very common cliché
"You are what you think of."
Aziz Meknassi
About The Author
Aziz Meknassi is a self improvement
addict, martial arts instructor,
multi-lingual and webmaster
of http://www.azmek.co.uk
a free self help online reading.
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