DISPELLING A POPULAR ILLUSION

I find it strange that so many are still talking in terms of positive and negative thinking. Many years ago, it occurred to me that it is so obvious that the concept of positive versus negative is not a valid concept in the context of consciousness.

It is obviously an idea that still prevails as so many have not yet understood, dare I say ‘realised’, that consciousness is what we are. It is what you are. Not form, you are not what you see in the mirror in the morning. But the animating energy of form. Many other names for consciousness are used such as soul, spirit, self or just the I that says I am!

Where does a positive thought end and a negative thought begin? I dare you to discern and describe. I would wager you cannot! Has it never occurred to anyone that a positive thought to someone is a negative thought to another, for example, the stock price has crashed is positive news for those who are ‘shorting’ that stock but negative news for the person relying on the price rising to profit from their investment? “I hate war!” … Positive or negative? A whole page could be filled with these kinds of examples.

In the same way, there is no such thing as a negative emotion and a positive emotion. It is just lazy and automatic thinking that arises out of a programmed set of beliefs. All emotion is caused by the ego. And there is definitely no such thing as a negative/positive ego. “But surely”, some say, “You need some ego to get through life”. If you believe this then prepare to suffer.

So where does this concept of positive/negative thinking come from? Yes, the material world around us seems to have such opposites inherent within it. It is a world of duality, of polarity. So, the language we invented to describe that world, the material world, has such descriptors as up/down, hot/cold, here/there, left/right, positive/negative. Have you ever noticed how they morph into good/bad and then right/wrong and then into one’s personal identity! Big mistake.

But when you understand consciousness is what you are, when you cultivate your self-awareness and see clearly the nature of consciousness, the nature of you, then you start to realise you cannot use the same language to describe what is created in consciousness.

There are no opposites in consciousness, there is always just one, or oneness. It is just one energy from which thoughts emerge and feelings are felt. It is never positive or negative. Yes, it may be skewed, it may be arising, some would say radiating, and being distorted as it radiates, but it is impossible to polarise the singularity known as consciousness.

And to those who might say, “But we hold the polar opposite beliefs!”. They are not opposite, simply different. Besides, you are not your beliefs. Beliefs come to pass, like all other ‘thought forms’, but consciousness does not. You are always here. Not here, but HERE!

Mike George is an author of 16 books on self-awareness, spiritual intelligence and personal ‘undevelopment’. To subscribe to Clear Thinking, go to www.relax7.com.