INTRODUCTION
-- The "doctrine of mentalism" demonstrates that our experience of the whole world is nothing but our THOUGHTS of it.
-- NOTHING can come into human experience which does not come as THOUGHT.
The truth of these statements, simple as they may seem, has been known for thousands of years by Orientals and Asiatic philosophers and sages, and has likewise been acknowledged and accepted by the leading thinkers of all times up to the present day.
In its last analysis, it may be simply expressed as follows:
Every sensation, feeling, desire, and emotion - EVERYTHING we experience, ultimately registers in our minds as thought.
The only way we ever become aware of any feeling or idea is as a thought, and it is only then that we can recognize it. If we do not experience it as a thought, we are unaware of its existence. The moment we experience it as thought, it becomes real to us.
THE LESS ATTENTION - THE LESS REAL
"I think, therefore I am", Descartes stated as his conclusion after prolonged self-study. An Asiatic sage once declared that "the world was just one's thought". Nothing exists but thinking makes it so, or simply stated - NOTHING can bother you unless you let it.
Any thought or idea becomes real in ratio to the amount of attention we give to it. The more we dwell on an idea, the stronger and more real it becomes. Deeply concentrated attention on an object of thought may even make it objectively visible as hallucination, a common phenomenon in hypnosis or deep meditation.
The less attention given to a thought, the less real it becomes. The world, all emotion, suffering, and problems cease to exist for one who is unconscious, in a coma, or in a state of deep dreamless sleep.
AVOID HURTFUL THOUGHTS
We suffer in ratio to the degree of attention that we put on an undesirable thought. This thought produces an undesirable feeling at first, which is quickly followed by emotion.
This merging with the emotion is called identification. This identification with unhealthy thoughts is the cause of all suffering.
We should learn what is good for the body, the emotions and the mind and then identify with these thoughts. Then let us learn to disidentify with those thoughts which are hurtful to us.
THE KEY TO HAPPINESS
The understanding of this profound principle and the use of its infallible technique is the key to happiness. With it you may shape your life in any manner that you wish.
He who has the ability to choose his thoughts at will has the ability to control his destiny. He who accepts only the right thoughts - he who discriminatingly chooses the thoughts which are conducive to his highest physical, emotional and mental wellbeing will perform the right actions at all times.
THE NATURE OF THOUGHT
All actions are always preceded by thoughts and follow thoughts. We are not ordinarily aware of this, due to the nature of thought. In one second, fifty or more thought impressions may move through the mind with such incredible rapidity that we are for the most part unaware of what is taking place.
A person who undertakes the practice of meditation is faced with the initial task of observing the behavior of thought while in a relaxed state. The endless series of thoughts following each other in amazingly rapid succession immediately becomes evident to the observer.
The next stage of controlling or slowing down these thoughts or even of focussing them on a single subject indicates how difficult a task it is. We are then made aware that we have been prisoners of the thought process all the time without knowing it.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
We may now ask, "How does knowing this help us? How can we use this knowledge in a practical way to improve our lives - to live the good life?" The answer may now be given.
Once you have thought a thing out to the very end and have reached a decision that a thing is not good for you and you DEFINITELY want to give it up, then ABSOLUTELY REFUSE to consider it even for a second from that moment on - FOREVER - if need be.
- As soon as you determine (a) what you must AVOID and
- (b) what you must DO to improve your health
- this should be followed by a watchful attention to the thoughts which pass through your mind.
Just as soon as you become aware that you desire a food which you have resolved to avoid - AT THAT VERY MOMENT - without a second's delay, REFUSE TO THINK ABOUT IT.
You must he very alert here.
Just a few seconds of involvement or identification with the desire may suffice to arouse you emotionally, and if you are weak (unattentive - that is all that weakness is), you will find that you are becoming overshadowed and obsessed by the emotion of the desire.
If you play with the desire you will soon be lost. The emotion will be in and you will be out.
DO NOT STRUGGLE
Once the emotion creeps in, the struggle to gain control begins. It is this struggle with the emotions which produces the attendant suffering and misery. The very moment you realize that an undesirable craving has entered your consciousness, DON'T grit your teeth or try to use willpower to force it out of the mind. DON'T struggle with it. Any fighting with the thought will only accentuate it and make it stronger and you will end up becoming frustrated and upset. Don't risk losing the battle. Just simply drop the desire/thought from your field of attention. Absolutely REFUSE to consider its existence.
Instead, at this very moment immediately put your mind on another subject. Let it be any unrelated subject which will hold your interest and give it your FULL ATTENTION. Keep your attention fully immersed until you are completely calm. Then you may go about your business as usual.
Emotions are much stronger than reason in most people. Emotions will always dictate to reason or intellect. Remember as we said before, thoughts move with the speed of lightning, but they can always be recognized by an alert attention.
THE TRAP OF OVERCONFIDENCE
A word of caution must be interjected and emphasized here.
A beginner in this practice is apt to commit the error of being overconfident that he can cut off the desire/thoughts anytime he wishes. He will thus allow himself the liberty of dwelling on the sensations of visualizing, eating and enjoying the food he wishes to avoid. He continues in this manner for just a few minutes and before he knows it the trap has been sprung.
The next thing he is aware of is that he is saying to himself, "Oh I know that I can give it up. Today is not a good day for this. I'm a little nervous now. I will give it up tomorrow without fail." He has lost the battle already.
If he has exceptional willpower, he will cut off all identification with the desire here, and steel himself to the importance of the desired goal. And after a struggle against his emotions, he may succeed.
EMOTIONS ARE STRONGER THAN REASON
What has happened here? The explanation is this - once the strong senses or emotions are aroused, the intellect or the reasoning faculty becomes overshadowed. The emotions are stronger than the reason and tend to have the final say.
The logical sense becomes its slave and begins to justify the emotional behavior with false logic. It finds all kinds of rationalizations to justify the fulfillment of the desire at that moment, the chief one being procrastination (starting self-control later or tomorrow).
The emotions have conquered! Hours later, after you have satisfied your desires, you reflect on what has happened. Once your emotions have subsided you realize very clearly that you have been tricked. This can happen over and over again daily even for years.
I know one fellow who has been rationalizing for ten years and another who has fallen into this trap for fifteen years - always starting tomorrow.
Whatever you do; - don't play this game. Watch your thoughts at all times whenever you are in the presence of temptation and don't let yourself get aroused.
After a few weeks or less these temptations will begin to subside and you'll be able to relax your alertness with increasing safety. However, it is wise to be alert to the mind's tricks until you are firmly anchored in the new desired habit.
BE VERY ALERT TO NEGATIVE THOUGHTS
With just a little practice you will develop the knack of immediately dispelling undesired thoughts just as quickly as they arise; with almost no effort. It is simply a matter of learning HOW and WHERE to place your attention.
Through continued practice you will become very alert to all negative thoughts and you will be able to use this technique in ALL departments of life to achieve self-mastery with ease. The simplicity of this technique is amazing. You will instantly be able to succeed in overcoming emotions which have victimized you for years.
TECHNIQUE FOR RIGHT THOUGHT-HABITS
I know of several other people who struggled for years trying to get up enough willpower to overcome bad habits. Some had very strong wills and would succeed for a period of time, but when they became careless and dwelled upon their previous bad habit-cravings, their emotions took over and they were pulled back into doing the wrong things.
DON'T PLAY WITH UNDESIRABLE THOUGHTS... Shun them as you would the plague. Only when you have become well established in the right habit pattern is it safe to play with memories of food or habit addictions.
To reach a safe plateau involves time - weeks for some and months for most people. Even then, don't do it. There's no point to it. Put your mind on the habits you want to cultivate and keep it there - always - whenever you think of the subject.
Just do the right things and keep doing them until they become a habit. Then you will become addicted to the right habits and reap the inevitable reward; joyous health, happiness and peace of mind at all times.
EASY TO MASTER TEMPTATIONS
Once you put this technique into operation, you will be amazed at how easy it becomes to master even the most difficult temptations.
To repeat, all it requires is an alert attention. If you switch your attention IMMEDIATELY as you recognize the enemy thoughts, you will always win without fail.
I would have gladly given all that I had as a young lad to have learned this method. I could have avoided all those years of suffering and struggling with willpower and all of its attendant misery. It was a blessed day for me when my eyes were opened by studying the philosophical writings of Paul Brunton, wherein this profound truth of the nature of mind was revealed.
May Eternal Intelligence forever bless those great souls of all ages, who have condescended to share their best thoughts, experiences, and meditations with us. Let us open our hearts and minds to their wise counsel as we reach toward happiness.
WITH OTHER PEOPLE
A few words on how to cope with temptation when you're out with friends may be helpful here.
If you're out socially with people and they converse about food or indulge in eating, which includes those foods you are trying to avoid, it is wise to stay out of the conversation and put your mind on another far-removed subject to avoid temptation.
If they engage you in the conversation directly, try to introduce another subject. You may comment on how nice this suit looks - "where did you get it?" etc. An easy way to change a subject is to ask an opinion on a current idea or subject as a stock, a quotation or news article that may interest them.
If they directly confront you with the question of why you don't join them with a particular food, simply state that you're not hungry now, and try to change the subject. It can be done skillfully quite easily.
The idea is to stay away from the undesired subject in order to avoid any emotional involvement with temptation. It may be advisable to avoid social gatherings for a few weeks until you get accustomed to your new routine. Then, when you socialize, play it safe by using the above techniques so that they don't try to pressure you into conformity.
SHORT-CIRCUIT TECHNIQUE
There is another method which is closely allied to the one mentioned in this article which is equally worthy of serious study. This is a technique that has been taught from time immemorial by great sage-philosophers to their disciples. It is the system that was taught by Gurdjieff and Ouspensky to their students in recent times. This method, while it is simple requires persistence in practice and ultimately leads to profound self-revelation about how we function on all levels.
This practice may also be used to overcome ANY undesirable habit-response of feeling, emotion or thought. You try to develop the habit of watching your own feelings, emotions or thoughts. Just observing them short-circuits their hold on you. It makes you objective to them and instantly breaks any emotional attachment or identification.
You will be amazed at how much you find out about yourself and your behavior response patterns. You will learn more in a few hours of alert watching than by reading ten books on psychology. You will become aware of facets of your behavior that you never dreamed existed.
GREATER SELF-CONTROL AND FREEDOM
When you watch yourself you'll find many thoughts arising that you don't like, and will want to change.
One can, however, only change those thoughts that one is AWARE of.
In order to become aware, start by watching your own thoughts and you will automatically change your behavior.
Become MORE CONSCIOUS by watching your thoughts, and you will start to improve every facet of your functioning existence.
It will not make you "self-conscious" in its negative sense or neurotic, but instead will lead you to greater awareness, self-control and freedom from the tyranny of undesired random thought.
Dr. Stanley S. Bass
First published in Dr. Shelton's "Hygienic Review" September 1974.
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