02-15-2022, 08:24 AM
The Mind/Body/Spirit (M/B/S) Complex
For some the following may seem obvious. Likely when described it will become obvious if it is not.
We are born into this world with a conscious mind and an unconscious body (and a spirit not yet awakened – consciously or unconsciously). We say conscious mind because we immediately begin to absorb everything possible about us – recording information about this new environment, through our physical senses. We say unconscious body in that all the basic functions are taken care of via the autonomic nervous system – we have but little control over what the body does. Thus life’s journey begins.
The mind is constantly active on a conscious level, processing sensory information and experimenting with how to use the body to effect that which the mind desires. NOTE: the body is really just a means to an end for the conscious mind. In and of itself, the mind cannot “do anything”.
As we progress, the body is informed so that many activities of the body become unconscious. An example, we cannot tie our own shoes – we are consciously incompetent; we know that we don’t know how to tie our shoes. Then we learn to tie our shoes – first we inform the fingers from the mind on how to manipulate the strings; concentration is high and the fingers stumble but eventually get it right. We are now consciously competent – with great use of the mind and concentration we can tie our shoes. After practice, and without realizing it, we tie our shoe with no effort or thought – we are now unconsciously competent.
This simple example is offered to demonstrate just how the mind and the body work together. This process is repeated throughout all aspects of our physical life. Sports, education, sex, career, family, relationships, etc. We acquire information about how to manipulate the world to produce what the mind sees as satisfying and that which avoids harm to the body. All seems pretty good at this point – with practice and a keen eye for those things we can manipulate to our liking (by the way this includes manipulating others), we are getting “what we want out of this life”.
Oh, by the way, nearly everyone else is doing the same thing just described. Everything, including YOU, is nothing but a tool that when properly managed provides personal satisfaction and self-fulfillment for others. This is the source of much conflict, sore feeling, resentments, anger and the list of negative emotions goes on and on. For many the learning ends in this physical illusion when we haven’t figured out how to cope, or we resigned ourselves to “I have achieved the best I can” in the limits of my capability or willingness to learn.
(to be continued - NEXT: A brief reprieve--> Why "We Are Seekers")
For some the following may seem obvious. Likely when described it will become obvious if it is not.
We are born into this world with a conscious mind and an unconscious body (and a spirit not yet awakened – consciously or unconsciously). We say conscious mind because we immediately begin to absorb everything possible about us – recording information about this new environment, through our physical senses. We say unconscious body in that all the basic functions are taken care of via the autonomic nervous system – we have but little control over what the body does. Thus life’s journey begins.
The mind is constantly active on a conscious level, processing sensory information and experimenting with how to use the body to effect that which the mind desires. NOTE: the body is really just a means to an end for the conscious mind. In and of itself, the mind cannot “do anything”.
As we progress, the body is informed so that many activities of the body become unconscious. An example, we cannot tie our own shoes – we are consciously incompetent; we know that we don’t know how to tie our shoes. Then we learn to tie our shoes – first we inform the fingers from the mind on how to manipulate the strings; concentration is high and the fingers stumble but eventually get it right. We are now consciously competent – with great use of the mind and concentration we can tie our shoes. After practice, and without realizing it, we tie our shoe with no effort or thought – we are now unconsciously competent.
This simple example is offered to demonstrate just how the mind and the body work together. This process is repeated throughout all aspects of our physical life. Sports, education, sex, career, family, relationships, etc. We acquire information about how to manipulate the world to produce what the mind sees as satisfying and that which avoids harm to the body. All seems pretty good at this point – with practice and a keen eye for those things we can manipulate to our liking (by the way this includes manipulating others), we are getting “what we want out of this life”.
Oh, by the way, nearly everyone else is doing the same thing just described. Everything, including YOU, is nothing but a tool that when properly managed provides personal satisfaction and self-fulfillment for others. This is the source of much conflict, sore feeling, resentments, anger and the list of negative emotions goes on and on. For many the learning ends in this physical illusion when we haven’t figured out how to cope, or we resigned ourselves to “I have achieved the best I can” in the limits of my capability or willingness to learn.
(to be continued - NEXT: A brief reprieve--> Why "We Are Seekers")