Understanding Precedes Change
We want to understand how our mind works so we can thrive in this world. The easiest way to explain how the mind works is to use an image. However, since no one has ever seen the mind, we must engage our imagination to build this image.
The Stickperson
The Stickperson is built upon the premise that you have a power within you that is far superior to any condition or circumstance around you. You can use your thoughts to direct this power to whatever results you choose. Although the graphic may seem elementary, if you truly understand this graphic, it can reveal to you a wonderful world of power, possibility and promise.
Conscious Mind—Thinking Mind
The top half of your head, the conscious mind, is the part of you that thinks and reasons. It’s also where your free will lies—where you decide what you want to do and what you want to focus on.
The conscious mind is also where your sensory factors and intellectual faculties are…
Sensory factors allow you to correspond with the outside world through sight, sound, touch, smell and taste. When you allow outside stimuli to direct your thoughts, you focus on ‘what is’ rather than ‘what can be.’ On the other hand, intellectual faculties, such as your will and imagination, allow you to direct the power (the energy) that is always flowing to and through you inward. By focusing there, you can build any idea or thought you want.
The conscious mind can accept or reject any idea. No person or circumstance can force you to think any thoughts you do not want. This is important because the thoughts you choose—whether they come from outside or inside—will eventually determine your results in life. As you accept a thought, it is impressed upon your subconscious mind.
Subconscious Mind—Conditioned Mind
This part of you functions in every cell of your body. However, for our image, the bottom half of your head will represent your subconscious mind.
Every thought or word your conscious mind chooses to accept (whether it’s currently true or not), the subconscious mind must accept… it has no ability to reject. This part of your mind knows no limits, except those you choose.
Any thought you consciously impress upon the subconscious over and over (such as affirmations) becomes fixed in there. Fixed ideas automatically express themselves in feelings and actions, until they are replaced. (Fixed ideas are commonly referred to as habits.)
Body—Instrument of the Mind
The body is the physical representation of you, the material medium. It is merely the house you live in.
Here’s why we say the body is the instrument of the mind…
The thoughts or images which you consciously choose and impress upon the subconscious (which is in every cell of your body) move your body into action. And the actions you take determine the results you get in life.
So, it looks like this:
Thoughts → Feelings → Actions → Results
It’s really simple…
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