The Unfoldment of Mind

The Unfoldment of Mind

By Jimmy Henderson  

Hons (phil) MA (psychology)

‘Consciousness, like the universe, is ever expanding, moving outwards to fill the framework of all possibilities’

J. Henderson

At present our mental, perceptual and interpretative processes are wired to function on this (so-called) physical realm or plane of Mind, and in order to engage higher levels of consciousness and reality, our cognitive structures will have to be developed or upgraded.

Such development can occur naturally over time if we respond to new life experiences and are able to redefine reality in terms of more complex, multi-dimensional and comprehensive schemas, language narratives and metaphors.

At present, our knowledge is gained from human interaction and conversation, books, the media or abstracted from our personal experiences. However, the deeper levels of knowledge and reality will remain hidden from view until we can gain a more complete understanding of self and the full power of the thinking mind, obtain the cooperation of our unconscious minds, and actually practice extending our consciousness into the higher realms of Mind. This can usually be accomplished through advanced mental techniques such as meditation and mind-programming, but can also be initiated by simple exercises such as introspection, affirmations, setting intentions and dream interpretation.

God-concepts

The gradual process of the unfoldment of Mind and Thought can be seen in the historical and cultural development of concepts of God. In this regard, psychological research suggests that all perceptions or conceptions of God (or reality), as expressed in mental schemas, language narratives and metaphors, are constructed within particular historical, cultural and moral-ethical contexts and reflect the thinking, perceptions and experiences of the people of the time.

As a result, early ideas, such as those relating to traditional religious beliefs formed in historical contexts involving patriarchal societies, powerful sovereign leaders, inter-tribal wars and bloodshed, may no longer be fully intelligible in the light of recent scientific and psychological research and advancements in literacy, education and moral imperatives. In other words, the old metaphor of a wrathful, vengeful and uncompromising God no longer corresponds to the modern-day personal experiences of those who have come to know and appreciate the universe as essentially harmonious, benevolent and non-judgmental.

As more of the true nature of the Universe is revealed by scientific and social research and advancement, it is therefore of utmost important for us to be able to evolve our understanding (concepts and metaphors) of God to match these new socio-cultural realities.

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 and is busy with his PHD in cognitive psychology. 

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