Unlocking Your True Potential

Coming to light from the book The Secret, manifestation has been a trendy topic for the last few years.

Dream, Believe, Achieve

It is a subject that has perplexed me for when you research it, it is basically all about repeatedly thinking about something you want to happen to make it happen. For me and my inclination towards Taoist philosophy, it all sounds like there is a bit too much trying going on!

For so many people to be talking about it, there must be something in it though…

What I have discovered, is that a two-pronged approach is required, and this all centres around how the human brain functions.

Consciousness

First let’s consider two phenomena of the human brain: the conscious mind and the unconscious mind. We can keep this simple…

The conscious mind is the bit that you use to think.

Your unconscious mind it the bit that you are unaware of, which controls your breathing and other autonomic functions of your body. It is also the source of the thoughts which just pop in to your mind.

Think of it this way… let’s say your home is in the middle of a land locked country. You cannot see the sea. Your view of the sky represents your conscious perspective on the world. The bit you can see right above you.

Sometimes clouds float in to view. These clouds were formed hundreds or even thousands of miles away out at sea. You did not see them being made and you are not consciously aware of the process… This is how the subconscious mind influences your conscious perspective… It produces the weather that then influences your day.

Even though you are not aware of the formation of the weather, you can still influence what is happening… just think about humans causing the effect of global warming…

Intention and Undertones

When you interact with other humans, your intention and as such the undertone of your engagement will be in alignment with the programming in your subconscious mind.

This mean that if you honestly respect the other person and want the best outcome for both of you, this will be evident within the subtext of your conversation. The other person will be aware of this; more as a feeling than a conscious thought though.

Transversely, if you do not really like the other person or have selfish intentions, this will be felt in the interaction.

Take a moment to consider how much of the time your mouth spends on auto pilot. Do you really pause and consider every word that comes out of your mouth? When our mouth is running on auto pilot, the words that come out and the choices that we make are the stuff of the subconscious mind. We engage in the situation in front of us and unconsciously make manifest the vision of the future that our subconscious mind knows will unfold.

I specifically use the word know, rather than think; this is because the subconscious mind does not think and try, it only knows and does. Hesitation is the domain of the conscious mind.

Programming your Subconscious

This is a subject of an entire blog! Not just a single section in a single blog post! I will however attempt to give a simple explanation of the fundamental principle behind programming the subconscious mind:

It is always listening.

Everything you think and say is recorded as a true fact.

If you consciously have negative self-defeating thoughts, your subconscious mind will think this is true and help you to make them happen. If you have positive self-affirming thoughts your subconscious mind will influence all the choices you make to encourage this to manifest.

Key to programming your subconscious is being able to imagine the future you want to manifest….

With enough practice, repetition and authentic action of thought, your subconscious mind will eventually begin to accept your vison as the reality.

This however this is just the first part of the process…

Mindfulness Creating the Void

In a previous post: Intermittent Fasting for the Mind, I explore the practice of mindfulness and the benefits it can bring to our lives. The specific focus of this post was about how to develop the skill of focussing in on the present moment by filtering out the idle chatter of the mind.

The practice of mindfulness and present living aims to create a thoughtless state where we engage fully with, and as such are immersed in, the present moment. In essence, what we are doing is creating a void in our conscious mind – an empty space which can be filled wholly with the experience of the present moment.

The dualistic nature of the universe means that the presence of the void (nothingness) will equally give rise to that which fills the void – you cannot have yin without yang.

What will fill the void is the programming of your subconscious mind sprinkled on top of the experience of/action in the present moment.

When in this mindful state, your actions will be purely guided by the programming in your subconscious mind and be geared towards making manifest the vison of the future that you have created. A vision that you already perceive as real in your subconscious mind.

The Takeaway

Creating a vison for the future by visualising what you want to happen is the foundation of manifestation. Without the practice of mindful living though, the seeds you have sown in your subconscious mind will not bear fruit.

You see, ultimately, you are the one that is going to create the future that you desire.

Through action in the present moment.

The two-pronged attack of positive affirmation and mindfulness is the way to do it – visualising what you want to achieve then creating the right conditions to succeed.

This insight can be applied in every single aspect of your life. Be that creating the home environment you want, succeeding professionally or excelling athletically.

The principles are universal.

Focus on what you want so it becomes real in your mind, then focus on the present moment.

Trust in the process.

Trust in yourself.

Trust that your journey in life is perfectly imperfect in every way.