book by Michael Bernard Beckwith | reviewed by June Mulligun |
Michael Beckwith has a unique way of describing processes that can help anyone, regardless of economic status, biases, religious upbringing or personal challenges. He knows people are asking the questions, “How can I have a sense of well-being when life as I know it is dissolving right in front of my eyes? Where can I find happiness in such an unpredictable world? How can I determine what is causing this illness? How can I develop some peace of mind?”
At the end of each chapter, Beck-with provides introspective exercises that are designed to lead you into an exploration of your heart sets and mind sets. These “sets” will show how you currently perceive and experience yourself. The exercises will show you how to discover deeper dimensions of your being and how to become aware of unproductive conditioning and programming. Regarding the subject of happiness, he explains that many of us make our-selves miserable by talking about our pet peeves. An incident which may have lasted only 15 seconds will be hashed over for 15 minutes while we talk to every friend about it. The speaker would be offended if they were called ‘negative’ but she doesn’t realize she lives in a paradox where her unhappiness actually gives her a false sense of happiness. Otherwise, why would she describe the negative incident over and over?
People who wonder why they still feel unfulfilled after fill-ing their lives full of activities are told that external events are neutral. Those activities do not in themselves produce happiness. It is the consciousness with which we participate in those activities that brings happiness. If we have a mind set of happiness, then the occasional sadness passes through us quickly because that is not our main focus.
The author explains that when we are happy, our hearts and minds are open, receptive, flexible, creative and teachable. As we consciously choose positive thoughts and attitudes, we realize that joy is our natural state of being and that happiness generates more happiness. However, we are encouraged not to confuse happiness with pleasure. Gaining a new car, a new credential, a new piece of furniture is pleasing, but it is a superficial, temporary pleasure. The author gives five different ways for people of different mind sets, to achieve that happiness, one of which will surely resonate with you and work for you.
He asks, “Have you ever noticed that your mind carries on a conversation without you?”
It gets swept away, gossiping about thoughts; opin-ions, convictions and concepts that have become habitual thought patterns. On they roll, cheered-on by the condition-ing of society, parents, education and theology, thoughts that may never have been examined. “Finally you realize that you were not present, that you had gotten hooked, and your inner observer shouts, ‘Enough! Come back!’” We don’t want our mind set to get stuck on default (past programming), as that leads to our attracting all manner of undesired conditions and events.
Unexamined opinions and beliefs are not harmless and ignorance is not bliss. “Ignorance can become a filter through which we avoid things we want to deny, in order to maintain the status quo, or to avoid the lessons and gifts that life is offering us.” Beckwith explains that questioning is not a lack of faith; asking questions inspires us to move beyond faith into trust. He asks, “What have you recently changed your mind about or shifted your point of view on, through the process of questioning?”
The author explains that the questioner, the act of questioning and the answer are all part of one unified field. Questions are our steppingstones to a revelation of a larger existence. “Every answer requires a questioner. Therefore, The Answer is You.” The answers to your questions are woven into the very fabric of your own Inner Being; there can be no other answer than You.
For more info, contact June Milligan, specializing in helping people learn how to let go of unproductive thinking. (775) 786-9111
