Manansh Shukla

"All statements are equally true" - Jim Leonard

How? Context.

When looking at the sun with green-tinted sunglasses, the statement: "The sun is green" is very true.

In that context, the sun is green. But it's also true that the sun is blue, red, pink, and all the other colours. What matters is the context, or what sunglasses you have on.

Our minds work like sunglasses, but it's not one pair. Imagine a "pocket dimension" that stores sunglasses. An infinite hallway storing all types of sunglasses.

When you put on a pair of glasses, you adopt certain assumptions about the world that come with them.

Some of these glasses are helpful, but many are not.

And they determine our lives.

But the awesome thing about being human is that we can choose which sunglasses to wear.

How?

1. Words are magic. Use words to create a statement that represents the new context you want to live in 

ex: "It's okay for me to do things without others permission."

2. Mentally repeat that statement to yourself, then listen for parts of you that object to it. Note down their fears.

ex: "No! It's not okay, it's too hard, you need other people's help"

3. For each fear, construct a new statement that addresses that part's fears 

ex: "It's completely safe for me to do things with others permission"

4. Then prove to the objecting part how this new statement is true -- feel the part, accept it, or reject it.

ex: "Remember when we closed that deal without anyone telling us to? Doesn't that support this new context?"

5. If you feel resonance with the statement, move on to the next objection

ex: "It's okay for me to do things without others permission"

6. Repeat 2-5 until the original statement becomes true for your system.

This works because all statements are true. You can find contexts for them.

You are always happy.

You are always sad.

Both are true in different contexts.

Here is how this change process works:

Your mind is a 'pocket dimension' that already holds contexts. When you introduce a new context, the entire system of contexts changes.

Conflicts in assumptions and beliefs arise. But, by addressing each one, you can install new software. 

All statements are true, you have complete control over your mind.

All that it wants and needs is proof.

All spiritual practice leads you to this basic routine:

1) Ask the body, "What now?"

2) Recieve an answer

3) Act on that answer

The mind is there to help us work with the body. It's not the source of knowing. It's the facilitator. 

It's the tour guide to the greatest wonder in the world: your body.

Your body processes reality. It stores every good, bad, nasty, joyful thing you have ever experienced. 

And it knows what to do right now.

It knows what you must do to live the life you're meant to live. The problem is that we seldom listen to it. But it's always ready to work with us once we're ready to listen.

So ask it. Listen. 

Then, do what it offers you. 

Try it as an experiment. See how your mind protests. But follow through. Always follow through.

Consider the body's directives like divine commandments given to you as blessings to guide you through this life.

Treat them as holy. Because they are. And so are you.

The next time you feel a really strong feeling, I want you to ask yourself this question:

What does this feeling want to integrate into?

It might feel odd to ask your feelings a question, but when you do, you'll receive a "signal," a subconscious thought, image, or feeling, with an answer.

So, if you ask your "anger" what it wants, notice what comes back. In most cases, it is trying to point you towards some action you need to take in your life.

It's even odder to think that your feelings have wants. But they do! They want:

1. To be noticed

2. Help integrating so that they can help you

3. To be loved

The strong, painful feeling is a "scary mask" designed to get your attention.

And once it does and is honestly, sincerely, and impartially seen by you, with as much detail as possible, it will transform into something completely new.

Your "anger" turns into "action".
Your "grief" into "gratitude".
Your "shame" into "love".

So, again, the next time you notice an intense feeling arise, don't fight it, don't be scared of it, don't run from it, pay attention to it, ask the question, and give the feeling what it wants.

Journalling advice is dangerous.

Be careful of people who tell you to write about your problems. It's usually well-intentioned, but there is a hidden result that often bites you in the ass if you follow it.

By writing about your problems, you're solidifying them, reinforcing them in your brain. And you rarely find any solutions.

What usually happens is that you start writing in circles, finding more and more details about the problem that you didn't notice before; it may feel "productive" or "helpful," but it doesn't do anything.

It just keeps your problems going. Writing about your problems gives you more of the same problems.

It's a self-fulfilling prophecy. By writing about them and feeling the negative emotions associated with them, you are just telling your brain that this "problem" is important. There is not a lot of processing happening at all. No healing whatsoever. Which means there is no resolution.

Instead, write about what you want.

If you have a problem and want to resolve it, don't waste your time writing about it; instead, write about its resolution.

This will tell your brain that resolving the problem is important and will bring you closer to a resolution.

Some tips for doing this:

• Avoid negative language (stuff like "I can't do this", or "It's way too hard to do this")
• Use positive language instead ("I want to feel relief from this situation," "I can't wait to figure this out."
  
• Have compassion for yourself (everyone has problems; beating yourself up just creates tension in your body)
• Write until you feel a release (keep writing until you feel your emotions shift)