Intentional Thinking

“Man is made or unmade by himself; in the armory of thought he forges the weapons by which he destroys himself. James Allen

I know this to be a fact. How many of us inherit our way of thinking and being from our collective group? How clearly, I remember struggling with life’s situations that at that time in my life I had no clear answers for. I started life early, hence I dealt with life’s problems much earlier than most people. Though ensconced in a religious organization, I found myself with a very negative thought pattern.

First and foremost, I thought negatively of myself. How could I not, since it seems from a child, I could never do anything right. I remember when I became cognizant of the fact that when I met someone for the first time, I only saw what was wrong with them. I never saw the good in them, I only saw their shortcomings. I came to realize I was only being my experience. In a sense, religiosity contributes to these negative thoughts. As a believer, particularly if you are a member of a chosen group, then you are better than most because you believe certain things and have certain practices. I am still consciously working on seeing the good in others when I initially meet them.

 From birth to 6, we learn what to believe and how we think. This is the period when our subconscious mind is being programmed. This can be likened to learning to drive a car or playing the piano, eventually, you just do it naturally. How ingrained are our childhood experiences? How different would be the thought pattern of a child who is raised to think positively of self and others?  

Eventually, after many years of trusting and believing, though still very negative, my negative thought pattern affected my life. I became clinically depressed. I was told by the psychologist that I became ill because I was negatively dealing with life’s problems. In other words, I didn’t have the right thoughts in my armory. My symptoms caused me to believe I was physically ill, so  I went to see a doctor, that same day he sent me to the mental health clinic. I was evaluated and put on medicine that immediately made a difference in how I saw the world. I never became suicidal; I just was not coping very well with my life.

I was on and off that medicine for more than 10 years. It was not until I became acquainted with Eckhart Tolle in 1999 that I learned how instrumental I could be in creating the thoughts that would make me mentally well. I needed Tolle’s truth of living in the present moment. I learned that it was my addictive thoughts that caused my clinical depression. I particularly needed to be aware of my thought system and how it could derail me.

Dysfunctional thoughts contribute significantly to the dysfunction of our world. Dwayne Dyer challenges us to change our thoughts and we would change our lives, and if I might add we will change our world.  While thinking is a useful activity, required for solving problems, analyzing, comparing, studying, planning, etc., most often our thoughts are just mental noise whereby we make ourselves mentally and physically ill.

Examples of dysfunctional thinking are 1.  thoughts that are like a tape that keeps playing the same tune over and over; 2. reliving negative past situations, visualizing the worst, 3. Dwelling in the past and fearing the future; 4. a compulsive inner monologue that disturbs our peace, 5. Never being present with what we are doing, always thinking of something else we must do; 6. constant analysis of our or other people’s situation, reactions, and, behavior,7. Involuntary background thinking intrudes into everything we do.

  Scientists and spiritual leaders most recently have become aware that we have a thought system as real as all the other systems in our body. i.e. our unitary, endocrine, nervous, digestive and, the list continues. Our thought system is equally as involuntary as all these other systems. Have you ever wondered what wakes you up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom? In a similar vein, how do our thoughts happen? 

Although thoughts are involuntary, meaning they just happen. They are nevertheless influenced by our experiences. Many years ago during my depression period,  I was advised by Dr. Andrew Weil, not to read Newspapers and watch the negative things on TV because they could contribute to my negative thought pattern. Being a committed Christian at that time I embraced Philippians 4:8: Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

It is habitual thought that frames itself into our life. It affects us even more than our intimate social relations do. Our confidential friends have not so much to do in shaping our lives as the thoughts that we harbor.  J.W. Teal