March/April 2001
Articles on the theme "Controlling the Mind"
Good Servant, Bad Master
by Patrick Plaskett
Recognizing how little we control the
mind. How to gain control.
Choosing Love
by Edward Abel
Releasing ourselves from fear and other
negative energies.
The Greatest Discovery
by Betty Perry
The Silva Method approach to controlling
the mind.
Past Life Alert
by June G. Bletzer
How productively to use our mental
and physical links with past-lives.
Calming the Unruly Mind
by George J. Felos
A lawyer's account of how meditation
can help control the mind.
Moving Into Mindfulness
by Jeanne Fortunato
Of creative visualization, yoga and
meditation.
Thoughtful Use of Reason
by Dolores T. Puterbaugh
Impulse; the traps of the Ostrich,
the Foolish Optimist and the Hopeful Christian; reason and principal.
Your Mind... A Control Issue
by Ernesto J. Fernandez
What is the mind? Is it ours? How can
we control it?
Battle For The Mind
by Charles Larsen
External vs. internal mind control.
Hypnosis and psychotherapy.
Human Vs. Divine Mind
by Rev. Pat Cross
Choosing to use the mind consciously
rather than trying to control the mind. Becoming at-one with the Divine
Mind.
A Wild Horse
by Steve Shealy, PhD
Taming the mind to experience mindfulness.
Informal and formal meditation.
Other Feature Articles
Natural Health Q & A
by Maria Moraca
Of blood sugar levels and chelation
therapy.
What is... Natural Progesterone?
by Vanessa Lee Hurst
The differences between natural and
synthetic progesterone. The relationship to estrogen. How natural progesterone
can help both women and men.
PeopleTalk
Readers' Open Forum
Minerals from Mother Earth
by Judy Power
Features stones for March & April.
Agate and Elestial.
NEW SECTION!
COMMON-SENSE SOLUTIONS
David Findlay
Thoughtful Use of Reason
Dolores T. Puterbaugh
How do you decide what to do? What is the basis for your action?
We constantly decide what to wear what to eat go to work or call in sick stay in an unrewarding situation or make changes? Do we challenge ourselves to higher levels of achievement - whether in raising good children, creating art or thinking - or simply get through the task at hand? How do we choose, moment by moment, throughout our days and nights?
There are three basic modalities for decision-making. First, pure impulse. Second, decisions based on hopes and wishes. Third, an assessment of facts and a core set of principals.
Animal impulse
Impulse is the privilege of infants. Impulses, the reflexive responses hardwired into our neural pathways, are by nature short-lived. It is not useful to seriously discuss this, except to warn against interchanging childish and childlike, mistaking immaturity and untempered egocentrism for mature openness to the joys of life.
The Ostrich, the Foolish Optimist and the Hopeful Christian
The second modality for decision making is treating hopes and wishes as if these were facts. People avoid acknowledging the frequency with which they use this mode. There is an old saying "If ifs and buts were fruits and nuts, we'd have Christmas every day." It's quaint but true: wasting time and energy planning and acting on wishes and hopes is the foolish pastime of children arguing over as-yet unreceived Christmas goodies.
Many people are burdened with unhappiness, disappointment and unrealized dreams. They resent others and feel hopeless. In self-examination, it becomes clear that the actions leading to this moment were often based not on reason and values but on wishing and hoping that things would somehow end up the way the client wanted despite the facts. These same people would never spend money they haven't won based on purchasing a lottery ticket, but their intelligence often fails them in truly important realms, such as relationships.
The three primary rationales for acting on hopes and wishes can be described in metaphor as an Ostrich, a Foolish Optimist and the Hopeful Christian. Consider the following examples.
"I keep hoping that next time I'll get promoted." Why would you expect this, if you've been passed over for relatives of the boss five times? "Can't move on until I get my parents' approval." Why after forty years should they change? Why should your life be on hold until someone else decides to make a change? "I know she/he's lied to me before. But this time it will be different." On what basis do you make this assertion?
How are these speakers, so typical of our human condition, like an Ostrich, a Foolish Optimist or a Hopeful Christian?
It has to do with decision-making style.
The Ostrich ignores all evidence contrary to the way reality should be. This is the equivalent of sticking your fingers in your ears, shutting your eyes and saying "Blah blah blah!" when someone tries to give you unwanted information.
The Foolish Optimist is like the rat who hits the bar in the cage thousands of times because food came out once. The Foolish Optimist uses one or two exceptions to prove things really can be the way he hopes and clings to this despite stupendous odds.
The Hopeful Christian believes it is wrong to act on realistic expectations because faith and love for God and people require constant hope. Many deeply religious people, whom one would expect to act on principles, act instead on hopes. (As a Catholic Christian, I have struggled with this particular issue.) They suffer needless guilt in choosing based on reality and values rather than "hoping for the best" from some person or situation. They believe hoping is an action verb, when it is really an attitude.
Science and Soul: Reason and Principles
The third way of making decisions is to use reason and principles.
Reason requires that we gather and assess the available information. We must battle our inner ostrich and not ignore or evade information that doesn't suit our wishes. Assessing the information requires squelching our internal, foolish optimist; the facts may not support an expectation for things to be different.
Principles are our internal compass, a thoughtfully adopted guide to life. An example are the Commandments or the Golden Rule. Principles make sound decisions possible when our emotions are conflicting, overheated or on the fence.
It is not cold or unkind to make decisions based on principles and a rational assessment of facts. Facts are the only basis for an informed guess about future expectations. Forgiving does not require forgetting! Accepting an apology and letting go of the anger and resentment that hurts you more than the perpetrator doesn't have to include being a doormat for future mistreatment.
Applying reason and principles will not produce a completely happy, unconflicted life. Your desire for a peaceful existence and profound relationships will battle with lust and impulsiveness; the blind desire for security will arm wrestle with a chance for positive change; fear will engage in a blood-match with aspirations to new heights of accomplishment.
Reason and principles will give you greater peace of mind over time and a more deserved self-esteem. You will not have to wonder whether you have done the right thing, even when circumstances are trying. Over a lifetime, the thoughtful use of reason and sound principles can bring the gift we all want: wisdom.
Dolores T. Puterbaugh is a licensed mental health counselor
practicing in Largo,FL. (727) 559-0863. puterbaugh@mindspring.com.
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