By Jimmy Henderson
‘Developing
inner values is much like physical exercise. The more we train our abilities,
the stronger they become. The difference is that, unlike the body, when it
comes to training the mind, there is no limit to how far we can go’.
The Dalai Lama
Developing the mind should begin with some changes to reduce the
distractions in one’s life. One simply cannot expect to discover new depths to
self and reality when engaged in a lifestyle of all-night partying, pleasure
and excess. Being serious about inner development means redirecting the focus
inwards and should include simplifying and balancing one’s inner and outer
activities wherever possible. By simplifying one’s life, the time and
psychological space for self-introspection will be created. This does not mean
that one has to isolate oneself totally from the world, but rather, to shift
one’s focus and priorities from outer to inner consciousness.
A powerful, focused and clear state of mind is important for
self-exploration. As mentioned earlier, one can become entangled and lost in
thoughts and patterns of doubt and negativity and end up like a rat running around in
a maze. In order for consciousness to move, mental pathways need to remain clear and
free of obstacles. Regular periods of reflection and introspection may be
necessary to identify these unresolved psychological blockages in the mind such
as doubts, fears and inconsistent and incoherent thoughts and ideas and to deal
with them constructively.
Quieting the mind
The ‘mental space’ required for exercises such as meditation and
imagery will also need to be cultivated using techniques aimed at quieting the
mind. These have been discussed in my previous articles on meditation.
‘Minds are like parachutes. They only function when they are open’
Sir James Dewar, Scientist (1877-1925)
Maintaining an open mind is also important, as this allows for the expansion of
framework of thinking and the shift into a more universal paradigm in which
anything is possible. This expanded paradigm will facilitate the evolution of
existing schemas and metaphors which will then act as gateways for the passage
of personal consciousness into the unconscious and beyond into higher levels of
Mind. In this regard, one should be prepared to embrace more inclusive ideas
about self, the universe and reality by reading widely and considering
important new universal principles.
An assimilation of universal
concepts can actually improve one’s perceptual processing, as they provide the
basis for new schemas, narratives and metaphors which can improve the
classification, interpretation and understanding of new and radical inner
experiences
The process of expanding narratives and evolving one’s metaphors
should therefore occur during periods of reflection in which one re-arranges
one’s thinking in relation to self and reality. As shown
previously, an example of an evolved metaphor would be seeing one’s body as a
vehicle for one’s higher consciousness (the authentic self or soul) and no
longer as just as a body. These periods will also provide the clarity, focus,
purpose and vision for the journey ahead and prepare the mind for processing
and interpreting the powerful inner experiences that occur during a conscious
connection with higher realms of Mind.
A thinking paradigm which is fully open and able to embrace
holistic and universal thoughts and ideas will also reduce uncertainties and
avoid the pitfalls and contradictions often associated with dogmatic scientific
and religious approaches. In this way it will be possible to assimilate and
include any new knowledge emerging from the physical and human sciences.
Jimmy Henderson is a philosopher,
metaphysician and the author of a number of books and articles on
self-development. He has an Honours degree in philosophy (metaphysics) and a
Masters degree in Psychology. He is presently busy with his PHD in cognitive
psychology and his books ‘Multi-Dimensional Thinking’ (2007)
and ‘Multi-dimensional Perception’ (2010) are available on
Amazon.com and Kalahari.com and can also be ordered via his website www.jimmyhendersonbooks.com
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