This post is in response to The Call to Action by OccupyWallSt. I’m especially commenting on item no. 5, which states:
“If you agree that state and corporation are merely two sides of the same oppressive power structure, if you realize how media distorts things to preserve it, how it pits the people against the people to remain in power, then you might be one of us.”
Though I completely agree with the above statement, we are just looking at the external power structure of state, corporations, and media and ignoring the other side of the coin. The other side of the coin is an internal power structure.
There is an internal power structure that is latent and waiting to express itself within all of us. This internal power has nothing to do with who does (state and corporations) something or says (media) something it has completely to do with our own thoughts – which are entirely within our control. If I don’t become aware of my inner power then I become a slave – both an inner slave and a slave to external forces. My inner power reflects what happens externally.
It is perfectly understandable that people are fed up and want to change the system. However too many revolutions have gone awry, almost all of them in fact, so how do we make this a real change for the better? This can only happen if we ground ourselves in becoming a spiritual master as opposed to an inner slave.
When I say inner slave, I mean being completely controlled by my mind, by my thoughts, my feelings, my past, and worries about my future. Are you wondering why I’m talking about thoughts? Well, if you think about it, thoughts are the basis of everything. Everything starts with a thought. For example, if I want to go from here to Japan, I can reach there in a second with my thoughts, or I can experience closeness to any person by just thinking of them, or I can experience again the feeling of having eaten something by just thinking of it etc. etc.
What happens when I’m a slave to my thoughts? I become confused, I’m unable to make good decisions, I become upset easily, and/or I don’t experience the joy of life.
The mindset of a slave (this is being a slave to my thoughts – an inner slave):
- Plays the blame game. If I’m confused or not happy, I blame external factors for it. I’m always looking to change external things to gain inner peace and happiness.
- Thinks that he/she is always right and the other is wrong. In a differences of opinion with someone thinks that their point of view is right.
- Is clever at giving excuses. I’m not able to be happy because of my crummy job, I’m angry because my relationship is toxic etc. . . This is not to say I shouldn’t change external things, but that is not the only thing I have to change.
- Laziness or procrastination is also part of the slave mindset. I put off doing something . . . Does not usually feel like doing anything . . .
The mindset of a master (a spiritual master):
- Is aware of what is happening in his/her mind as the shenanigans of their own thoughts. If I’m thinking something then I’m the creator of those thoughts and hence feelings so I’m responsible for changing them.
- Takes responsibility for what is happening within them and to them.
- Thinks about justice but, first starts with his/her own thoughts, checks his/her thoughts . . .
- Has the power to control his/her own thoughts. Has the power to control the speed at which they think.
- Has the ability to change confused, negative thinking into powerful thinking.
If we have control over our thoughts, then we can make intelligent effort for the right reason, and with the greatest effect. I completely support the OWS movement, but, we all do need to look at our internal power structure and take steps to change that too. What transpires in the external power structure is connected to our inner power. Protesting and taking action to reform the external has to be rooted in inner work. Inner power is the seed and our thoughts are like the soil in which the tree of benevolent external power can grow. Both are important for deep sustainable change. All this requires is awareness of my thoughts and to seize my thoughts. Carpe diem!
Be well my fellow human beings,
Shireen
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