Have you ever wondered how much you know, how much you think you know, and how much you think you know because someone else thinks so?
The information we have bouncing around in our brains is divided into three categories: what we experience first hand, what we hear from others, and what we believe about the things we hear.
99% of our information (totally made up statistic) comes from other people — the media, our friends, our families, and our communities — and from what we choose to believe/think about the things other people tell us.
But here’s the kicker. We get most of our information from other people who ALSO get most of their information from other people.
So whether we realize it or not, we are all playing a global game of telephone, where the truth often gets lost in the mix.
Most of the time, this is no big deal. We are born into this world knowing nothing and so we have to rely on those around us to mold us into functioning people. And hopefully, happy and healthy ones.
But the most insidious way this manifests in our lives is when people say unkind, mean, hurtful things that stay with us for the rest of our lives. We can all probably remember someone saying something about us from our childhood that created an insecurity and damaged our self confidence. In this video, I talk about why there will always be bad-mouthers, how to ignore the haters, and how to create a positive reputation despite them.
Similarly a person may say something to us about another person that may be entirely untrue, but this can negatively affect our impression of that person. We may even end relationships over the opinions of others. So how can we overcome anger and hate? How can we love a violent and troubled world? More on this here.
How can we navigate this game of telephone? How can we stop letting other people plant thoughts in our brain? And how can we unlearn things we’ve believed for decades?
First, we have to recognize the power words have. Words are like spells. In a very real and tangible way, they can possess us to become totally different people and they can change our whole life.
Second, we have to stop believing and start understanding. We must embrace not knowing in order to develop true understanding. The fact is, anything we hear we either choose to believe or not believe. We do not know it for sure. This may sound scary, but it is actually liberating because we are free to hold our own opinion as high as anyone else’s.
The things we see and experience with our own senses are far more real and important than any gossip or opinionating. The endless word salad from our mind and from others’ minds only covers up reality and disconnects us from the oneness of this universe.
The third thing we can all do is attune ourselves to our own heart’s calling. Learn to hear your intuition and instincts, which go beyond the conditioned thinking mind. Explore everything you hear, give greater weight to that which you can test or observe for yourself. This is how we find our truth and get closer to reality. To do this, we have to practice listening. Get away from the influences of others for a little bit of time everyday, get centered and calm, and feel the life that calls you.
Meditation and being present are vital tools for quieting the noise and connecting with ourselves beyond all mental concepts. Here are my 3 tips for having a powerful meditation experience.
Some people have asked me, “Can meditation lead to enlightenment? Is enlightenment even possible? Can a person really be in a zen state all the time? Even at work?!?!” Here are my answers.
Much love,
Todd
P.S. I have read every review you have shared on Amazon for the book Aloneness to Oneness and I am very humbled and deeply touched by your support. Since many people have requested it, I am happy to share that I am currently working on the audiobook version for people who like to listen. Hoping it will be out next month. In the meanwhile, you can download a free chapter of the book here.
