How do I change what I think and feel?
At any given point, you are operating with a blending of subconscious, conscious, and super-conscious brain functioning as well as with aspects of the emotions, ego, and physical body. Awareness of what you are receiving, interpreting, and responding to gives you control over how you perceive and respond.
For example, when in a state of confusion and emotional pain, you try to understand what is happening using your rational conscious mind, but nothing makes sense. Your present situation doesn’t explain why you feel so intensely, so perhaps your system is responding to an old trauma. “Is this triggering something from the past?”
You can delve into the truth hidden away in the subconscious by asking, “What am I really afraid of? Where does that come from?” Look beyond yourself in the moment to access the soul truth of the matter. Perhaps you are dealing with someone whose disturbing behavior has nothing to do with you. To see the challenge they are facing helps you have compassion and not take in their emotions. Perhaps you can tap into the story of a past life or dynamic from childhood to understand that your instincts and emotions are reacting to a perception of danger rather than a real problem. Getting clues as to the true source of trauma allows your fear to dissipate. Perhaps you can receive an insight about how to see it all differently. Ask your higher self, “What am I supposed to be learning here?”
To reveal the subconscious (what was) as compared to the conscious (what is), and then turn to the super-conscious (what could be), is to become open to inspiration and creativity. Change is born from the ability to wonder – a unique human quality.
Creative thought allowed the caveman to switch from eating rancid meat, “Meat taste bad.” After licking a burnt finger, he began to “wonder” what would happen if the meat went in the fire. A new idea led to experimentation, evaluation, and improvement.
To shift the old patterns, you need to see the possibility of a new way beyond your present circumstance, beyond the limitations of your human frame of reference, and for that you need imagination.
Is imagination the same as inspiration? What about creative thought?
Each of these terms relate to thinking of a thing that is not yet evidenced. Often used interchangeably, the terms are more accurately defined as three parts of a process.
Imagination is the mental activity of opening to receiving a new possibility; “I wonder how this could be.” To imagine is to allow an “image” in, a conscious intention to have an idea or image in your mind of something different than what already exists. To imagine is to be open to the new thing that could “pop” into your head. Imagination breaks through the limitations previously created based on your own restricted experience and frame of reference.
Inspiration is direct insight through the super-conscious, the action of Spirit energy moving inward (in-Spir-ation). Inspiration is a co-creative process, a blending with Universal Soul, which comes through most easily when unhampered by your conscious mind. Maybe you are busy dancing, painting, or taking a shower; something that doesn’t take much mental activity – you’ve washed dishes a million times – and suddenly you are inspired with a solution to a sticky problem. The trick is to get your busy brain out of the way so that a free flow of vibration can be received. Inspiration is then automatically sent, like a messenger delivering a new thought to your reasoning mind that says, “What do you think about this idea? Analyze it. See if it makes sense.” Inspirations received may not always be practical, but they lead to creative thought.
Creative thought is inspiration embraced by the conscious mind. It is the function of your mind that transforms a new idea through focus and brings that refined vision into the physical. Simple examples of using creative thought to manifest a vision include painting, music, gardening, and cooking. Creative thought does not take the concentration of other conscious thought, only a willingness to play with the Power of Pretend.
What is the Power of Pretend?
The Power of Pretend recognizes attitude and perspective as the driving force of what you are able to create in your life. What you anticipate is what you feel. What you hold in your vision manifests. With that in mind, you have the power to design a new life for yourself.
Create an image that only includes those things you want to bring into your new life, and leave behind the things that cause you pain. It is not a package deal. You get to be more selective. It is time to use your imagination. Forget limiting yourself. Forget being reasonable. Forget being realistic. It is time to use your imagination and pretend that you get to have a better life now, because you do.
© Daeryl Holzer and SoulShift Publications, 2008
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