The important role of the mind

         BY Jimmy Henderson (Hons (phil) MA (psychology) FRC

‘Mind is consciousness which has put on limitations. You are originally unlimited and perfect. Later you take on limitations and become the mind’.
Ramana Maharshi (Indian philosopher)

              The power of our mind is such that it is believed that our thoughts can even attract favourable or unfavourable life-experiences and circumstances into our lives. This idea is often been given a mystical or magical tone in many spiritual publications. However, it is also well-known and explained in psychological terms as the ‘self-fulfilling prophecy’, a phenomenon which suggests that one’s central beliefs (especially about oneself), can result in attitudes and behaviour which affect decision-making and outcomes, even drawing one to those things one desperately seeks to avoid.

              As an example, let us consider the example of a young man with a childhood history of humiliation, someone who has entered adulthood with major social insecurities. As a result, this young man, in all likelihood, entertains ideas such as ‘I am not popular’ and ‘I never get invited to parties’. The problem is that these beliefs eventually filter into his unconscious and become like written ‘scripts’ for his future social behavior. In other words, as a result of these thoughts, he presents or projects a total lack of self-confidence and an unwillingness to participate in social activities. This is reflected in his non-verbal communications (body-language), his actions and his social behavior, which are, in turn, noticed by his peers (especially women), and they simply disassociate from him, and he is no longer invited to social events. This only further reinforces his deeply-held belief that he is unpopular and causes him to withdraw further. The negative content of his beliefs about himself has now become a self-fulfilling-prophecy.

              Fortunately, these same processes also form the basis of ‘positive thinking’ and the laws of manifestation, and it is therefore often said that the individual merely has to ‘reprogram’ himself (or herself) (change those underlying self-beliefs ), in order to achieve success. 

Jimmy Henderson a well-known metaphysician and regular radio talk-show guest. He is the author of many articles as well as two self-help books titled ‘Multi-Dimensional Thinking’ and ‘Multi-Dimensional Perception’ which are available at Exclusive Books, Amazon.com and Kalahari.com. You are welcome to visit his website at   www.jimmyhendersonbooks.com