SELF CONSCIOUSNESS, by Bill Sain In the Concept Therapy philosophy, we begin our studies with the phases of creation, and this parallels the Christian teaching in Genesis of an orderly, evolutionary sequence of creation. And when we finally reach the Human Phase of creation in Concept Therapy, we are introduced to that new element of consciousness, “self-consciousness.” This “new” consciousness in the evolutionary scheme, which follows simple consciousness, enables us to say of ourselves, “I AM.” It is the consciousness which enables us to identify ourself as the “thinker apart from our thoughts, the actor apart from our actions, the feeler apart from our feelings, the willer apart from our voluntary activities, and the conscious subject apart from the phenomena of our senses.” These words of Dr.Fleet [founder of Concept Therapy] have always given me cause for serious reflection, and have enabled me to see beneath the superficial layers of my conceptual understanding , for a glimpse into my very Soul! Recently, I came across a Buddhist Sutra which expresses a similar sentiment; “Observe the body in the body, observe the feelings in the feelings, observe the mind in the mind, observe the objects of mind in the objects of mind.” This means you must live in the body in full awareness of it, and not just study it like a separate object. Live in awareness with your feelings, your mind, and objects of your mind (thoughts). Do not just study them with the objectivity of a scientist. But experience their subjective reality, within. All subjective phenomena present an objective fact, and the cause (our awareness) precedes the effect, and expands our awareness. When we meditate on the body, or on our thoughts, or on our actions, or on our feelings and emotions, and especially when we think, reflect, consider, and meditate upon Spiritual Ideas, we should live with them as truth, and give them our most lucid attention; we thus become one with our meditation. “The flower blossoms because the sunlight touches and warms its bud, becoming ONE with it.” Meditation reveals not a concept of truth, but a direct view of truth itself. This we call Insight, the kind of understanding based on attention and concentration. [understanding means literally to “take something and join together with it.” If we only analyze something from the outside, without becoming one with it (or them), we will never really understand it (them).] Mere thinking is to take cinder blocks of concepts from our memory warehouse and build monuments. We call these hovels, or palaces, “thoughts.” But such thinking, by itself, has no creative value. It is only when lit by our understanding that thinking takes on real substance. Understanding does not arise as a result of thinking. It is a result of a long process of consciousness awareness. Sometimes understanding can be translated into thoughts, but often our thoughts are too rigid and limited to carry much understanding. Sometimes a look or a laugh expresses it much better than words or thoughts. In other words, Truth cannot be captured by concepts. The sword of conceptual thinking only cuts truth into small, lifeless pieces all seemingly independent of each other. While watching a beautiful sunset, as soon as one brings it down to words and concepts, the feeling has gone, and so has the understanding. You’ve lost it, in thought. So, to return to my original exposition, we must find the Truth of our existence in the silence of our very Soul. We are not our thoughts, our actions, our feelings, our activities, or our senses! They are but tools and instruments of our expression. We are the Soul within, the entity which is conscious, that eternal, unchangeable drop of the Great Spirit Ocean—that spark from the Sacred Flame. Perhaps now is the time to assert yourself as the Master of your Mind. Sign the Declaration of Independence from your moods, emotions, and uncontrolled thoughts, and assert your Dominion over them. Enter into your Kingdom, thou manifestation of the Spirit! Peace be to you who read and understand. [for more information about the Concept Therapy philosophy, go to Concept-Therapy.org]
Posted on: Mon, 20 Jan 2014 02:37:13 +0000