by Joe Facinoli | Joe’s Corner |
Almost two years ago, a book was written and published by David Masters, whose purpose was to awaken those who have allowed their thoughts and feelings to be controlled by seemingly common everyday sources, outside of themselves, which appear and sound innocent and well-intended enough, but have much more dire consequences, when followed.
His book, “How to Escape from the Prison of Your Mind”, subtitled “How the War Between Good and Evil Is Waged in the Battlefield of the Mind”, dives deeply into why so many folks today are trapped within their most unchangeable thoughts and feelings, which control them so completely, but emanate from sources and places far outside their own minds and thought processes.
The sole purpose of these particular outside ideas, being to control the individual’s very thoughts and feelings, entirely.
Sounds very deep, and a bit like George Orwell’s “1984”, or Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World”, and is probably more than most people want to even consider as possible, muchless think very “deeply” about. But it is worth the effort.
This 300 page book, as well as some companion pieces by others such as Jazell Shelley, Sonny Sharma, and a few others, cover much more than a simple and short column could ever hope to discuss properly, muchless fully.
But, one solid theorem from this work can be summarized quickly, and should motivate almost anyone who would give it a chance.
That being: “Strength of Mind”.
By having the strength to free our minds of these outside influences, which we allow so easily to just enter into our thoughts, and what we think we believe, we open ourselves to a potentially much stronger belief system, which instead, will be based on what WE think and believe, after much of our OWN self-deliberation.
Strength of Mind is like the forgotten character trait today, and one which is attacked continuously by those who want us to believe them whole heartedly and indisputably, without the slightest doubt of independent thought.
This is accomplished through the constant pressure and pounding for “one way of thinking” from the mass media, and politicians of all sides, social media on every level, organized religions (particularly), as well as civil and social justice advocates, much of whom aren’t actually advocating anything, except themselves.
Really, think about this. Since the time we are born, through our schooling, to work situations, and community or social circumstances, and especially the self-serving religious organizations, and even individual preachers and evangelists, and so many more, we have been bombarded with continual messages and “must do” things, all of which are made to sound life or soul threatening, if we don’t follow them.
Some of these messages are very subtle, some not so much. While some are so brutal and blunt that we can’t help but believe they have to be true, or how else could they get away with saying these vicious and totally one sided things.
But all of these are accumulative, and all of them work.
So, when confronted with an issue or a problem, or a situation that could change your life, based on a decision you are being asked to make, instead of saying things like:
“Oh my, what would so and so say, or what would they do, or, what would our sacred Book of Words say (written by other humans, by the way), or, what would our political or religious leader say or think?”
How about saying or thinking to yourself: “What is the right thing to do here?” In your own thoughts and words, and for what’s best for your own life, no matter what others think, nor say.
Strength of Mind, just as with one’s personal Spirituality, is an individual thing. It should never be influenced nor justified by “group thought”, nor some arbitrary policy or supposed guidance, put forth by others whom we know little to nothing about.
Live you own life, think your own thoughts, and believe what you feel is right, and that which you can have your own faith in, to trust to be what is best for you.
The only way we can change all the massive problems which society presents us today, and to make right the terrible divisions which separate us all, politically, racially, and culturally, is to allow ourselves, individually, to do, and think, and believe what is right and best for ourselves, and all of us.
Toss out the old, and the easy. It’s most likely phony, and only serves someone else.
Life is hard. No need to make it harder by giving in to what others want and say, just because they sound so authoritative. They probably aren’t thinking of you, anyway.
Happiest of New Years in 2023 to all !!! And let’s get started today, doing and thinking all the right things, on our own, and then making them work for everyone we encounter each day.
Feliz Ano Nuevo !!
© Copyright Joe Facinoli, 12-31-2022
Intelligent Response Encouraged.
joefacinoli@yahoo.com