Abstinence, and “Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself”
I’m experimenting with abstinence again. It’s a practice I uphold in small senses regularly – we all do to varying degrees – and then sometimes, I get more extreme. A year of sobriety might be an example of that. A raw diet, or fasting – it’s all relative.
I believe our society is entirely too unfamiliar with abstinence. From cell phones to food – why want? “Want” as in lack, absence … abstinence, which we have to create for ourselves, with an instant-gratification environment in consistent opposition to it.
So, why?
Abstinence, being resistance from something, reveals exactly what our relationship with said something is.
Without said something, you’re left with yourself. And/or a replacement, which may or may not be just as well. After you’ve processed the realizations about your relationship with that ‘something’ you’ll be in a position to either return to it, or not. That is, and this is the magic, you’ll be in the position of choosing the habit, routine or relationship you proceed with. Rather than being a victim of dependency, you are in control. Not only that, but you’re also free.
We don’t often consider how much we’re dependent on. What are habits, what do we think we need versus what do we need and, what do we really want?
I dance with abstinence in order to suss out my lifestyle and psychological processes, from time to time.
And, I love the topic of habits and how to break them. Which is one in the same as neural reprogramming, also a favorite. I mean, that there is mind control. (Hot.)
I’ll write more on this in the future – it’s definitely one of the high road mile markers. In the meantime, this is an excellent podcast, which “coincidentally” turned up in my feed today, after I’d decided to blog the topic.
While I loved all of it, one part in particular threw me for a loop: I don't believe I've written about it here but I live in a perpetual state of gratitude. I always have. Since childhood and generally (e.g. thanking the stars) though absolutely consistently. I refuse / cannot allow myself to feel any other way. Which I also don't take for granted for obvious reasons. According to Dr. Dispenza:
"Gratitude is the ultimate state of receivership."
Giving thanks before the experience causes your body to believe that the future (that future you want, dream of, envision) is happening.
And as you'll see below, when body and mind are in concert, we may well be creating reality.
Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself:
Interview with
Dr. Joe Dispenza, author of the bestselling books Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself: How to Lose Your Mind and Create a New One, and Evolve Your Brain: The Science of Changing Your Mind.
(Skip to 2:20 to dodge the intro, which sounds like a Twilight Zone piece.)
Here are the highlights:
Does your environment control your thinking, or does your thinking control your environment?
Your brain is a direct reflection of your environment.
Our personality creates our personal reality.
To change, we must be greater than our environment.
Your body is the unconscious mind. It does not know the difference between an actual experience and a conjured one.
Live as if the future (reality) is happening in the present.
Your body will believe that that future reality is happening in the present moment.
Our behaviors then match our intentions.
Think: “What thoughts do I want to think?” (Because, thoughts are things.)
Most people live in the past, because emotions are a record of the past.
The process of change requires unlearning and relearning
Thoughts are the language of the brain; feelings are the language of the body. (Paraphrased: You can think positively but if you’ve learned negativity, your body is trained in negativity, your mind and body are then in opposition. We have to unlearn our feelings – our “reality” in order to retrain, relearn, actuality.)
We have to “light a match in the dark places” of our subconscious in order to change.
Meditation allows access to this place, as does simple daily reflection on intent.
As soon as you feel something from a new experience or a new habit, you’re chemically instructing your body to understand what your mind philosophically or intellectually understands.
Repeating results in "mastery".
According to Dr. Dispenza, the most difficult part of change is taking the daily time to remind ourselves what we are doing and why
Re The Quantum Model of Reality:
Your subjective mind has an effect on the objective world. If we sharpen our skills of observation, we may be empowered (realize that we are empowered) to actually create our own destiny. It is not predetermined.