by Frank M. Wanderer Ph.D.
We have all heard that we humans do not utilise the full capacity of our brains, and that only a fragment of the forces of our mind are used in our daily lives. The full utilisation of the potentials of our mindwould, however, add to our personality an immense creative force. The question therefore arises, how are we able to access the creative forces of our Mind?
In the Captivity of the Mind.
The creative force of the mind is only accessible in the present moment, in the here and now. We need to live in the present time and concentrate our energies on the actual moment in order to be really able to live our lives to the full, to be present in life, and to access the creative forces of the mind. We are only able to enjoy the happiness and pleasure of the actual moment in the present.
If our mind is roaming the paths of the past or the future, the opportunities that are open to us in the present moment will close down and we will be unable to access the creative forces of the Mind. Instead, we will find ourselves in the captivity of the Mind.
Being in the captivity of the mind means that we are either the prisoners of our past, or we live under the spell of an imaginary future. If in the majority of our waking hours our thoughts are engaged by the past of the future, in most of the cases we will not be able to act when it is necessary in the opportunities of the present.
Too often, our mind is locked up in the prison of the past by an event which is unpleasant to us. We spend time thinking about how we would like change the course of the events and the outcome. We worry about what others might think of us because of our improper behaviour in that past moment.
Another way of becoming prisoners of our mind is when we put the spell of an imaginary future, or the image of a desired, idyllic state upon ourselves. Then we mobilise all our energies to make those images come true, passing by the opportunities offered in the present.
Yet another way the mind chains us, is our constant worry about what might happen in the future. We are afraid of, or even fear, the future. Our mind constantly produces scenarios the outcome of which are disastrous for us. We lose our job, we fall ill, our partner leaves us, etc.
A characteristic dimension of the captivity of the mind is that the mind rejects, or is hostile to the present moment. We often think that this or that should not happen in such a way eg. I should be somewhere else now, in some much better place. Why do these things always happen to me? Our mind is thus in a constant struggle with the present, and that very struggle is what keeps us in captivity.
Living in the prison of the mind, we are not in control of our lives, we just drift among the illusions generated by the mind, and in a lot of cases we are unable to act in the present moment.
Accessing the Creative Powers of the Mind
Let us take a look at a few methods that may enable us to access the creative forces of the mind, and at the same time may help us to break free of the captivity of the mind.
1. We must reach beyond the past. Nobody has ever been able to change the past, so all the energy that we use to mull over the past is wasted energy. Instead, concentrate that energy on the present moment. Be alert and conscious in connection with everything that we are experiencing in the present moment.
2. Have no fear of the future, since the future is not a reality, it is just a projection of the mind. Only the present moment exists. What is our present moment like, our imagined future will be like too.
3. It is only possible to make our future plans come true through our present actions. It is only in the present moment that we are able to do what will affect our future. Let us be careful, however, and do not sacrifice the opportunities of the present on the altar of an imaginary future or the image of an ideal situation. If we are really present in the here and now, and we are able to be happy there, we are not going to have any problem with that in the future either. Future is just a present moment, too.
4. Let us accept the present moment as it is, and do not struggle against it. Do not look at the present moment as an enemy, and do not make a judgement over it. Give up the fight, and just be simply present in the here and now. Turn with a conscious and alert attention to whatever is happening in front of your eyes in the present moment.
