The Interplay of Mind, Consciousness, and Thought | Mindful Musings Newsletter #9

Dear Readers,

Welcome to my ninth edition of Mindful Musings. Today, I want to explore insights from my recent conversation with Hari Kalymnios, MSc. that delved into awareness, choice, and the transformative power of understanding our minds.

The Three Principles: A Framework for Understanding

In our discussion, I was reminded of Sydney Banks' Three Principles: Mind, Consciousness, and Thought. These principles offer a robust framework for understanding our human experience and I believe they can be transformative when applied to our daily lives.

1. Mind: The universal intelligence behind all life.
2. Consciousness: Our awareness of our existence and the world around us.
3. Thought: The source of all our feelings and experiences.

"If the only thing people learned was not to be afraid of their experience, that alone would change the world." - Sydney Banks

This insight resonates with the many challenges we all face on an ongoing basis in our modern, fast-paced world and lives.

The Power of Awareness in Action

I shared an experience from my recent half-ironman in Swansea during our conversation. As I cycled through challenging terrain, my thoughts drifted to memories of my dad, who we sadly lost in March of this year. The emotions that surfaced almost instantly drained me of energy, giving me a powerful appreciation of how mental fatigue can impact physical fatigue.

As humans, we are incredibly connected, and it is therefore only possible to optimise performance if we focus adequately on training both. A holistic approach to wellness, fitness, health, and wellbeing is way more productive in maintaining balance, progress, and vitality.??

This moment also perfectly illustrated the interplay of the Three Principles. My thoughts (Principle of Thought) created my experience, and my awareness of this process (Principle of Consciousness) allowed me to recognise what was happening. Tapping into a more profound wisdom (Principle of Mind) enabled me to shift my perspective.

In the race itself, I knew that if I didn't change my thought patterns, then it was likely that I wouldn't be able to finish the race. Emotions can quickly take over, especially when you feel physically spent 80km into a challenging hilly ride along the coastal roads of South West Wales.

However, by focusing on a different view, by changing my thought patterns and concentrating on being grateful for the opportunity to ride at all, of the beauty of the coastal surroundings and the ability to compete after such a tumultuous year enabled me to reframe my experience. The result was like someone had given me an energy shot. From a seemingly empty reserve, my body responded to the mental reframe and provided me with renewed energy to not only keep going, but also remain competitive.

So, Reader, I'd invite you to reflect in the same way. Don't worry; you do not need to put yourself through an The IRONMAN Group race to discover if mental fatigue is impacting your physical-self. However, in my experience, people rarely take the opportunity to self-reflect, so instead I want to invite you to self-evaluate in the same way.

Consider the following questions:

1. How often do you notice the connection between your thoughts and experience?
2. How might increased awareness of this process change your daily life?
3. What is causing you mental fatigue right now, and can you do anything to reduce it?
4. What energises you, and what drains you? Consider people, places, projects, thoughts, locations and anything else that could impact you.

I often recommend that my coaching clients undertake a complete energy audit. If you would like a copy, email me at [email protected], and I will send you a copy to complete. Self-reflective exercises like this can be life-transforming.

Choosing Our Responses

One of the most empowering realisations I have discovered on my journey into coaching, wellness, and wellbeing is that we are not our thoughts or our psychology.

We have the choice to choose who we are at any moment. If we change how we think, we can change how we feel.

As Michael Neal says,

"Every feeling lives in a shadow of a thought".

This is one of my favourite quotes because life isn't about denying our emotions or experiences but recognising that we have the agency to respond to them.

Sydney Banks beautifully articulated this idea:

"Your thoughts are like the artist's brush. They create a personal picture of the reality you live in."

By understanding this, we can begin to paint a different picture when the one we're experiencing doesn't serve us.

Happiness Created from External Things is an Illusion

My recent discussion with Hari Kalymnios, MSc. on the Mindful Paths Podcast explored the common misconception that happiness comes from external sources. This belief often leads people to seek fulfilment through technology, achievements, or material possessions.

However, as Hari explains on the show, we believe that true contentment and peace come from within, from understanding the nature of our experience created by thought in the moment.

Hence, Reader, I want to highlight these conversations to challenge you to notice moments in your day when you seek happiness externally. Then, ask yourself, this

• How might my experience change if I looked inward instead?

A Call to Inner Wisdom

As we navigate the complexities of modern life, with its technological advancements and constant connectivity, it's crucial to remember that our most accurate guide is our innate wisdom.

Turning inward and trusting our innate intuition can help us to create lives of greater meaning, purpose, and fulfilment.

You know that feeling you get in your gut when you instinctively know something doesn't feel right? This is an excellent example of how interconnected we are. The mental thought and the internal, physical manifestation of instinct that forms in the gut as a result is our body's interconnected way of telling us that, innately, something feels off.

Ignore these feelings at your peril.

Your body and innate wisdom is trying to tell you something, and it is important we take a moment to listen. Even if only to consider new opportunities, questions or alternative solutions. That's because only when this feeling goes away can we be more sure of the direction we need to follow.

If you've found value in these musings, I encourage you to dive deeper into these topics by tuning into our Mindful Paths Podcast. Available on all major podcast platforms and YouTube, Hari and I explore these concepts and more, always to help you live a more mindful, balanced life.

You are not the sum of your thoughts.

As Sydney Banks once said:

"Your true self is the part of you that sees your thoughts."

Remember that your day does not dictate your mood; your mood dictates your day.

Until next time, readers, thank you for staying the course.

In Gratitude,

Nick Day

JGA Recruitment Group Founder

P.S. As always, I want to take a moment to remind all men to prioritise their health and get checked for prostate cancer regularly. Early detection can make all the difference. For more information, please visit https://prostatecanceruk.org/.