What is working with the mind?
What is working with the mind? It’s a process for understanding and experiencing ourselves, and our reactions to the world around us, that can be thought of as similar to the spread of Information Technology. Not that long ago (in the grand scheme of things) before computers were basic life tools for schools, homes and businesses; not everyone could do simple stuff with basic computing technology, and many still cannot. The skill of using computers to process and access information, make documents, compile reports and communicate with each other, weren’t as commonplace as they are now. There were IT consultants teaching people how to do it, showing pupils, students, employers and employees the how and the why (or the process and benefits) of using IT. Working with the mind is similar; because right now there are those working in schools, communities, businesses and on other scales, introducing the process of greater awareness of the mind and the benefits this has.
We’re exposed to more information and have more responsibilities in life today, so much so that balancing family and social life, and business and health well-being can be challenging. We have developed these areas of life and live longer, with better access to finances and other resources than ever before in the history of humanity; but we are not necessarily all the happier, healthier or free from suffering because of it. We emphasize the importance of keeping the mind on health, work and family, as some of the most significant concerns of our time that impact all areas of life.
Yet mostly we don’t have skills to act on this! We all know the struggle of stress or anxiety in balancing family and work life, have experienced depression or know someone who does; and that it’s supposed to be OK to talk to people about these. But many of us cannot truly do something practical about these when they arise for us or those we care about, because we are unfamiliar with the idea of working with the mind.
Actually all of our states of being, emotions, and areas of challenge and difficulty we face in life stem from the mind. In addressing the mind so too can we then take steps, to transform some of the roots of what we find difficult then how we react to it, and the affects this has. The implications and impacts of negative states of mind, and the precursors to these are wide-reaching. Our financial and family life, and even our well-being and health are determined largely by the mind. In this sense then, working with the mind should be a personal process.
It should be something practical we can engage with, like learning how and why to use a computer. There is support available to implement strategies for working with the mind into our lifestyles, towards whatever benefit and improvement applicable to us, so we no longer need subscribe to ideas too far outside our comfort zone!
