The Harm of Unchecked Thoughts

a reply to: Talorc

Now I am not moved to post very often, but this is a most eloquent and beautifully necessary post Talorc! One which resonates most strongly with my own thoughts, and I find that being directly in the present moment brings a calm like no other. I have a tattoo that says "Decide To Let Nothing Ruin Your Day" - and I stand by that.

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We are all mirrors for each other, if we but choose to see.

But do you know what the best mirror is? Re-reading what we post, as it were advice for our very own selves.
Because that's what we do (and how we teach ourselves) subconsciously, whether we are aware of it or not.

There is also a global consciousness, and we all contribute to it.

Such a pleasure to read so many great replies herein! Everyone has wisdom to offer, if we can learn to listen.

originally posted by: IntelligenceNH
Everyone needs help, everyone's scared, but what everyone believes is true.
If the human mind thinks it, it becomes real even if only for that individual.
When we cast these people out that have labels as crazy, nut, or psycho. We don't realize that leaving them alone and treating them different, truly makes them fit their label.

Thank you for posting this, there is much truth in what you have stated. I sincerely hope that this won't be the only post you ever do, as we the readers would be poorer for it.

This is a very Important message for humanity, thanks Talorc for taking your time to write this. ATS and the rest of the world certainly needs to hear this message although many will most likely find it provocative due to their inner confused state of being and consequently lack of clarity. This is unfortunate.

People aware of and not identified with their own thought patterns and harmful emotions generated by thought lives in a blissful/happy state compared to the rest, they create harmony with others instead of division and don't generate/project fear based emotions on outside objects(Typically other humans). Don't seek angry confrontation such as philosophical/political/religous debates and are instead focused on acting/healing the world like they themselves have been healed, inner well being leads to beautiful things for everyone affected by it.

So, each day people everywhere around the globe suffer unnecessarily because they think others outside of themselves are the main cause of their own self inflicted condition, ''he did that to me'' or ''she'' makes me so angry, that's why i can't be happy(From early childhood, we're all being indoctrinated with judge/victim mentality by parents/society/etc). The truth is that even if you were all alone in the world you would soon start to blame nature or anything to avoid confronting the truth(This is what Ego does), that you're the main cause to your own suffering most of the time in your life and this is why most people can't go on a single day without feeling misery of some kind, or one day of uninterrupted happiness. Not a single day in an entire lifetime, then something is obviously wrong.

Like a certain guru would put it, ''if you never read the instruction manual then how will you know how to operate the most sophisticated technology available on the planet(Human body)''. It's like driving a vehicle blind or not knowing how the steering wheel/vehicle works, sooner or later you're gonna hit the tree. To succeed in life, people everywhere try to enchance their abilities, but very few try to enchance their being, this is fundamental for well being, i.e. being self-aware and consequently taking responsability for oneself.

What else can i say? It's certainly about time humanity started with understanding how the mind/body works, it's very delicate and there are lots of processes most human beings are not aware of, if you mess up the psychological/mind the body will also grow sick in time.
Philosophy/religion or theory can not teach inner well being because it belongs in the realm of imagination. Science focused on understanding outside objects and rejecting consciousness as nothing more than an epiphenomenon of the physical body, can't teach you ultimate happiness, has never experienced it and thus have no knowledge about it. Only with the aid of our own consciousness/intelligence can we do it, meditation/introspection as the ancient science of Yoga will teach us, is essential for not only knowing yourself but how life works in general.

originally posted by: Omnik
Like a certain guru would put it, ''if you never read the instruction manual then how will you know how to operate the most sophisticated technology available on the planet(Human body)''. It's like driving a vehicle blind or not knowing how the steering wheel/vehicle works, sooner or later you're gonna hit the tree. To succeed in life, people everywhere try to enchance their abilities, but very few try to enchance their being, this is fundamental for well being, i.e. being self-aware and consequently taking responsability for oneself.

i agree with your thoughts and great analogy!

originally posted by: antiguaEstrella
a reply to: Talorc

There is no bad thought, only bad action.

A bad thought is an action of the brain, so I guess we only have bad action left.

a reply to: Talorc

I'm incensed by idiocy of all kinds and from all sides...

Jaden

originally posted by: BrokedownChevy
a reply to: Talorc

You are really full of yourself.

wow....you should REALLY re-read the OP - lol

Great concept OP....and quite true. This is precisely why I cam to the conclusion that my reactionary ways were just that....MY problems

Everyone here can take a page from this

a reply to: Talorc

Thought is reified as an autonomous, automatic process, aping the machine it has itself produced, so that it can finally be replaced by the machine. Enlightenment pushed aside the classical demand to “think thinking.” … . Mathematical procedure became a kind of ritual of thought.

Dialectic of Enlightenment

And yes, spot on!

a reply to: Talorc


Consider how many problems have been solved in this world by nut cases that couldn't eat or sleep, so to speak, until the thing was solved. Decades in the lab working on a cure for something, starting from scratch and obscure articles in medical journals for example.

On another side of this.....its why we have civil law, to give power to the powerless ostensibly. The idea that a group or jury could hear your claim and render a binding decision is an idea contrary to your opening.

Nothing in this world can disturb you unless you allow it and give your consent.

Except for those guys that stabbed me and beat me with cinder blocks.

I don't dwell on it, but I did take steps to ensure it won't happen again.

I'm not sure the message should be, if it bothers you, just don't think about it.

It should be, if it bothers you, find a solution. There is always a solution, if it's not possible to figure it out on your own, get help.

Also, it is healthy to vent out feelings, regularly; do not bottle up those feelings.

a reply to: Talorc

Well thank you Frasier Crane, when can we expect your next show?

My Aunt is a psychologist and has risked her life many times to help others in nations of turmoil; Snipers, Bombs, you name it. The one thing she hasn't done is exploit her extensive vocabulary to treat patients or pretend to be something she's not-she talks like people in a way they can understand instead of becoming a stereotypical shrink that bangs on about the Oedipus complex.

All the quotes from every textbook in the world won't mean a thing to poor folk who aren't oxford scholars, and maybe your unchecked thoughts are misguided as much as mine may be. People are not a treatise at a shrinks symposium, they are people and my aunt treats them as such. So when you get your Ph.D I would gladly shake your hand but until then I'll quote Frasier "good day and good mental health."

a reply to: Thecakeisalie

I'm not trying to be a shrink. All I did was post this anonymously to an Internet forum, for people to read or ignore as they will. I'm not giving anyone advice in a professional capacity, and I wouldn't pretend to. Don't know why you'd think otherwise. I wrote this as much for myself as anyone else.

A lot of these ideas are drawn from very old literature, stuff that's been around long before psychology ever existed.

a reply to: Thecakeisalie

Obviously most of us understood it. Sorry if you didn't.
Get a dictionary. I'm not trying to be ugly, just stating the obvious.

It was awesome and not at all pretentious. Just wise.

hmm

originally posted by: Realtruth

originally posted by: antiguaEstrella
a reply to: Talorc

There is no bad thought, only bad action.

A bad thought is an action of the brain, so I guess we only have bad action left.

Folks, agree, disagree. Doesn't matter and it won't hurt my feelings if you don't agree.

I feel like this is an exercise in futility at this point.

I'm reminded of this analogue: "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink."

How many of us would consider what he said, to be common sense? If someone must be told that this is truth, then they, in an of themselves, don't have the ability to comprehend his/her mental shortcomings.

As far as our own thoughts being our only limiting factor, that just simply isn't true. External circumstances have a grave effect on all of us; passive thoughts by themselves affect those around us. A lot of what goes on in our psyche is in direct correlation to what's happening in the world. A pseudo-group-think, if you will. Some have stronger minds than others and are better equipped to deal with the bleed-through. We are not equal, not a one of us. Each of us struggles with different aspects of this life and there is no one physical solution to combat our combined suffering in this world.

And of course a lot of us blame the "world" for our problems and it isn't the "worlds" problem so-to-speak, but every choice and every decision that's been made for us before we were even a twinkle in our mothers eyes and forced into these insipid, loathesome bodies. Let's not get started on the terrible parenting in this modern generation, sowing seeds of depression and anxiety in their kids, instead of wisdom and knowledge. There are more factors then simply "thought" which creates the climate of mental instability that we see today.

a reply to: Talorc

After quite a while observing commentators on various forums and coming to know them, I'm struck by the sheer predictability. Various topics and news articles become like mental Rorschach tests--- few people will speak to the topic so much as take the opportunity to expose their mental hang-ups. In many cases I can safely say I know what these people think about, how long they think about it, and how silly it is to think about such things so excessively and fruitlessly.

For these people, my advice stands: observe your thoughts and emotions as you would words on paper, to be entertained or rejected as logic prescribes. Avoid letting them carry off your mind unnoticed, stealing away like a thief in the night.

Very carefully chosen words but what about people that fall into the same group but are not able to see what you are saying and are inclined not to question themselves as their truth is the only truth in which they are right and you are wrong? Wrong to question your thoughts as you propose becuase they know better.

So the real question is...how to make these people check their thoughts?

originally posted by: antiguaEstrella
a reply to: Talorc

There is no bad thought, only bad action.

I have to disagree.

Bad thoughts exist, there is no doubt every bad action stems from a bad thought, thoughts, words and actions are the trinity of good.

They have bad counterparts.

originally posted by: ZoeEleutheria

originally posted by: antiguaEstrella
a reply to: Talorc

There is no bad thought, only bad action.

I have to disagree.

Bad thoughts exist, there is no doubt every bad action stems from a bad thought, thoughts, words and actions are the trinity of good.

They have bad counterparts.

Good that you do. Having an opinion says something in and of itself. But, as I said, there are no bad thoughts. There are no bad emotions. A bad thought is a gun. Guns don't shoot themselves.

“There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” William Shakespeare.

The mind cannot see what just is - the mind divides 'what is' into opposites (duality) - it is either good or bad, right or wrong. The mind rarely says - it is what it is.

The biggest issue mankind has is that a thought happens and then the thought is judged as bad (or good) and then the person who believes he thought it thinks he is bad (or good or clever). No one is doing thought.

Remember that Adam and Eve were banished from paradise when they learned of good and bad.

I share this with anyone who is interested in the subject of the danger of thought.