I love the idea that change is a universal property. All things change and all things are constantly changing. And that includes us! Our sense of Self may feel eternal, and I do think on a deep-spiritual level, we have eternal qualities...but I also believe that we hold the capacity to create ourselves, every minute of every day.
One of the basic concepts of the Law of Attraction is that our thoughts create the world around us. It's one of those things that people often look at just the surface of the idea, and think it looks crazy. But the deeper you delve into it, the more it makes sense. The more connections you see between spirituality and science, and the less fantastical it becomes.
We are often so focused on the external world, that we don't look at the root of it all: how the Self changes and how those changes ripple outward. One of the reasons why I first started walking this path I am on is because it demands a level of self awareness and acceptance. You start off with the premise that YOU are responsible for your actions, your growth, your path, your evolution.
And while I do think that we all start off at different places, we are gifted (or challenged) with certain qualities and capabilities. But, for the most part, we can work and change just about everything! I was blessed with parents that told me I could do whatever I set my mind to, and who also made me appreciate the benefits of hard work.
It sounds like an inspirational poster, but science has been looking into how our thoughts effect not only our mental outlook (which is why affirmations are so powerful), but also how they literally effect our body chemistry and how our physical selves are made up.
When you have a thought, you are creating a connection between the things that thought is associated with in your brain. The more you have similar thoughts, the more connections are made. If those thoughts are emotional, there are often chemicals released by the brain, chemicals that create responses in our body.
What is really interesting to me is that the cells in our bodies become attuned to the chemicals we habitually expose them to. Not only do they become more receptive to them, but as they die and are replaced (as a natural part of their growth cycle), the new cells will come into being with more receptors for the types of chemicals their 'parent' cells had the most exposure to. Our body will actually become better at experiencing certain emotional responses, through repeated exposure to them.
So what does this mean? It means the more you experience feelings of love, the more your will feel love! The more you practice feeling calm, the more your body will respond with feelings of calm, and the quicker it will respond. But also, the more you let yourself be angry, the more likely you will to be overwhelmed with anger!
Knowing this, you can take your own life into your hands (or rather your mind). You can take time to build up practices that embody what you want to feel in your life. If you want more calmness, you can meditate. If you want more love, spend time looking at pictures of people (or animals!) that you love. Find your triggers, figure out what makes you feel a certain way, and adjust your life based on what you want to have more or less of.
We can feel physical sensations when our brain tells us we feel them. There is a really interesting experiment where someone will sit, with one of their hands on the other side of a barrier (so they can't see it), and a fake hand will be placed where they can see it. Both the fake hand, and their real hand, are stroked with a pen, so they see the movement and feel the sensation. But then, the fake hand is pricked with a pin (or hit with a hammer!), and the person feels a reaction...because their brain has identified that fake hand as part of them. A similar experience is when people who have lost a limb feel phantom sensations, because their brain remembers having that limb.
An interesting application of this is using visualization to increase physical competence. By fully visualizing a physical action, say for example shooting a basketball into the hoop, your body will actually become better at doing it, almost effective as if you had spent the same amount of time physically practicing shooting hoops. Adding visualization alongside a physical practice makes both more effective. Even better, when you visualize, you can practice making the perfect shot every time, so you are creating repetition with the best possible outcome.
It can feel very intimidating to try to think about retraining your mind, especially if you suffer from repetitive thought patterns. But, there is a lot of work being done right now in how to break free from these bad habits that our brains have developed, and to start changing how we react to things. One simple way to start creating change is to notice where you are having undesirable thoughts, and to find something positive to say in response to the automatic, negative thought.
For example, if you are in the habit of feeling frustrated when you get a setback, and your mental talk is always something like, "Of course this would happen, I always have bad luck!" you could reframe that thought to, "Okay, I made a mistake, but now I know next time to do something differently." If even that is too hard for you, start by taking a deep breath, and just being grateful that you are there, and that you can take that breath. You could try telling yourself, "Things feel bad right now, but I am alive and that means I can try to make it better."
The biggest thing to remember is that this is a process. And that EVERY single time you take a step forward you are creating change. It will take time, and it will take doing the same thing over and over. And there will be mistakes, there will be days where you just can't think positive or you slip back into your old habits and don't notice it until much later. But that is okay! Just give yourself a little mental hug, and tell yourself that you can do it, and repeat your positive thought, and keep your eyes focused on where you want to be.
Our bodies are amazing things, and we are just now starting to really explore the breadth of what they are capable of, and the connection between mind and body. There is definitely a case to be made for the accuracy of, "I think, therefor I am."
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