The Mind: Is Our Mind Always Right?

Although change is part of life and is something that can’t be stopped, our minds don’t always embrace change. At times it is going to be necessary for one to hold onto what they believe and know and at others, it will be important for them to change what they believe and to learn something else.

Just because something was true at one point in time, it doesn’t mean it will always be true; beliefs are just that, beliefs, they are not the absolute truth. And the same applies to knowledge; what was relevant at one point, might not be the case at another.

Logical

This outlook could be classed as logical and even obvious. And yet even though this is the case, it doesn’t mean that is what always happens. The trouble with the mind is that it holds onto things.

It is then not always as simple as one realising that something is not longer accurate; as the mind can be so attached to it, that it won’t let go. And anything that goes against what the mind has identified with will be filtered out in some way.

Consciousness

So with this in mind, it illustrates the importance of being the observer of the mind and not the mind itself. To be completely identified with the mind is going to mean that one is a prisoner of it.

Unless one has this ability or is naturally curious for example, they are going to go along with the minds tendency to hold on. And then it won’t matter if what they believe is wrong or if the information they have is of no use.

Resistance

So without this, the mind will remain fixed and resist anything that goes against what it believes or is different to what it knows. Having an open mind and therefore being receptive to new ways of looking at life and taking in new information is not going to occur.

But to due to how the mind is, one might have no idea that there are other ways of seeing life or that the information they have is outdated. The mind can be so sure of itself and all self doubt can disappear.

Beliefs

These beliefs can end up defining ones whole life and while they are just beliefs, they will shape ones experience of life. This will include what one can or can’t achieve and what other people are or are not like.

Ones reality will reflect these beliefs and even is something happens that goes against what one believes, the mind can still block it out. It could be dismissed or minimized in some way.

Knowledge

There was a time when people thought the world was flat and now this is no longer the case. And there are numerous others examples like this and this is something that is always likely to take place.

To not question what one knows and to stand by it when it has been proven to be wrong is not only going to affect one’s life, it is also going to impact other people’s lives. And at times, this might create consequences that are easily overlooked, but at others, this might not be the case.

Identification

It could be said that it is normal for one to think they are their mind and that what their mind comes up with is the truth and that’s the end of it. But even though this is what is generally accepted in today’s world, it is far from the truth.

Ultimately one is the observer of their minds and this means they are part of the flow of life; whereas the mind is fixed and resists the flow of life when it is not being monitored.

When one is completely identified with their mind, it wouldn’t be a surprise if they acted as if they were the centre of the universe and are always right.

Always Right

If one is in this position, it is going to be a challenge to see that there are other ways of looking at things or that what they know might not be correct. Being right is incredibly important and that is because it is connected to ones survival or so the mind thinks.

To the mind, being wrong is interpreted as death. And so the more invested one is in something, the harder it is going to be to let go and to embrace something else. It won’t matter if this is not assisting one’s life, the mind doesn’t work that way.

Death

It could be limiting one’s life and causing one to suffer, and yet the mind will hold on regardless of this. So even though change might allow one to avoid death, it would rather hold on and experience death; even though this is what it is actually trying to avoid.

Detachment

If one has been identified with their mind for as long as they can remember, it might take a while to detach from it. And this process will involve letting go of certain ideas and this could be painful.

However, all one is doing is getting back in touch with their true nature and part of this involves realising they are not their mind. One might need the assistance of a therapist, healer or a coach to develop this ability.

Awareness

Beliefs can always be changed and if they are not assisting one’s life, then it will be the empowering thing to do. The mind will always find evidence to support any belief that one has, so with this in mind, one may as well have beliefs that enhance their life.

As today is the information age, it is only natural that ideas and outlooks will change and at a faster rate than they have before. However, it doesn’t mean that what’s new or different is always accurate. This is why critical thinking is a vital skill to have.