Chapter 5 – The power of thought
Whether we are aware of it or not, we are always directed by internal images, thoughts, beliefs and feelings. These depend on our knowledge, our experiences as well as the understanding of existence (our “interpretation program”) that we have developed throughout our life. Do I interpret life in a safe and harmonious way, or have my experiences led me to interpret most things through anxiety and fear? Often, we regard our interpretation program as a truth.
In order to create the ”inner climate” for which I search, and to be able to raise myself to a higher level of consciousness, it is imperative that I know how I use my thought processes. Do I have thoughts that support me, that make me happy and satisfied, or do I have thoughts and beliefs that make me feel irritated, angry/unhappy or perhaps even worthless?
Heaven or hell
Studying our thoughts can start off as quite a depressing task. Usually it is the negative – the things I do not want – that first appear. One consolation may be that all this negativity has been within me all the time and drained my energy. The only difference is that now I can see it and also realize that I am fully capable of creating heaven or hell – through my way of thinking and my beliefs. If I want to develop and enhance my wellbeing, it is necessary that I can manage my thoughts consciously. Our habitual thinking is said to make up approximately 95 percent of the thoughts we have, while our conscious thinking only about 5 percent. So, expect some internal resistance in the beginning and accept that this will be a long process.
To succeed I need to develop a good inner observer, so I can start to study what is going on within. Without this ability of self-observation, I cannot develop in a conscious way. Here, we have a definite reason to spend a great deal of energy. Having a good observer is essential in order to see through our thought patterns and also for us to dare to approach our painful feelings. By having the inner observer with us we can free ourselves from old stereotypes and painful emotions without being affected negatively by them, or giving them energy to grow. More on this later.
Most exercises in this book assume that you have developed an inner observer – you can read more on how to do this on the next page. Allow yourself to go on a real expedition to explore your inner self – you will be surprised!
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Thoughts are energy
Thoughts are energy. Creative energy. Energy in motion. Every thought I think has a consequence, even on an emotional level.
Practice noticing for a while how it feels in your body after a period of positive and then negative thinking. Sense the vibrations different thoughts give rise to. They will take you to a higher or lower energy level.
Our senses give us a very limited perception of life and it is important that I am aware of what I focus on, because that is what – taken together – will form my life. Remember that we are caught by the thought and the image which contains the strongest emotion – both positive and negative. It is the feeling which gives our thought its power.
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