A Thought Or Two

[Traveler]

A little while back I attempted to interest the forum in the importance of familiarity with one’s own thoughts. I said at that time that for those who focused on their thoughts that I would inform them of a couple of things. Though there did not seem to be much interest I am disposed to offer a bit more on this subject.

Two things I will tell concerning thoughts. First is that thoughts are presented in language and culture to which you are familiar. Though there are few symbols given in thought it is most interesting that there is no ambiguity of understanding. Words that have dual meaning that come with thoughts present no such variations. There are no misunderstandings or miscommunications. When you examine your thoughts you know exactly the meaning of every image and every word. I have found nothing to which this compares.

The second thing is that you will either be unable to tell from where your thought seem to appear or if you can determine a source you will realize that you are not the source of your thoughts. They seem to appear, if you will, from somewhere outside yourself.

J. K. Rowling in speaking of her Harry Potter stories = “the idea … simply fell into my head.”

Mozart produced unbelievable amounts of music that he claimed to copy – in ink without later making corrections from thoughts that he said were vivid both with sight and sound.

Nicola Tesla never produced a drawing or blueprint of any of his inventions in order to build even the most complex of his inventions but said he would see them as visions in three dimensional working models. He once claimed to have spotted an imbalance in one of his turbines that when reaching high RPM developed vibrations and forces that would have torn the turbine apart. But he made the corrections according to the thought that came and when the turbine was finely built it worked without flaw. 100 years ago he built a brushless electrical motor that not only worked from his first efforts to build the motor but in 100 years since, no one has been able to improve on the design that existed in his first model.

Not so many years ago the LDS Apostle Boyd K. Packer gave a talk that is titled “Worthy thoughts, worthy music.” The essence of his talk is that pure and wholesome thoughts come in like atmosphere. Like wise so do unwholesome thoughts come in like unwholesome atmosphere.

I could tell other stories of thoughts – some of my own experiences. But that is not the point. The point is that when you begin to believe or not to believe any thought that you encounter – Why? When you give yourself over to a thought that just popped into your head – what surrounds you? Why do you believe a thing? From where does you thought to believe and pursue a thought come from? And what atmosphere encapsulates your favorite thoughts?

The Traveler

[Gaia]

The point is that when you begin to believe or not to believe any thought that you encounter – Why? When you give yourself over to a thought that just popped into your head – what surrounds you? Why do you believe a thing? From where does you thought to believe and pursue a thought come from? And what atmosphere encapsulates your favorite thoughts?

The Traveler

GAIA:

Fascinating questions, Traveler.

Psychology's "Attribution Theory" says that we make attributions AFTER the fact - we never really know why we say or do things, we only try to provide an explanation/ attribution AFTER saying / doing them -- often, ones that tend to try to make us look or sound better. "Oh, i did that because i felt compassion" or "I said that because i suddenly thought of the answer...."

Another interesting thought is that we are constantly taking in information -- even when asleep, our "subconscious" is collecting data; and often, when we have a sudden realization or insight, it's because the subconscious has put together all those little scraps of observations, sensory experiences, etc, and we make a"leap" of intuition.

I'm not sure just what those have to do with your questions, but i thought of them when i read your msg.

~Gaia

[tiancum]

i believe every thought we think is a choice.

the above quotes of people saying they were simply put there, is true too. but ultimately we foster the garden of thought that flows into our bodies. Or, should I say, we choose to whom we listeth to obey.

Therefore some thoughts can attract more thoughts of the same type.

if virtue garnishes our thoughts continually, then we will sow a garden full of good thought, beautiful revelation, and beautiful feelings. If we nurture dark thoughts, then we will reap a bitter harvest, and discover that our thoughts are affecting our emotions gravely.

I assert that the emotion is never a "sin" but the thought we harvested to fuel that emotion.

[Traveler]

I would submit to the readers that thoughts are spiritual in nature. Because we live in a universe of physical sensation it is difficult to comprehend things that are spiritual without some effort and practice. I would compare the reception of thoughts to receiving a radio signal. There is nothing to see, hear, smell, touch or taste – yet there is power and intelligence to be accessed. The better you tune in the more power and intelligence you experience.

Some thoughts here. G-d is to be worshiped in spirit. It is possible that the Holy Spirit influences only one person in a crowd of hundreds. Jesus many times spoke of eyes that see and ears that hear – he was not talking about regular sight or hearing. He was referring to spiritual eyes and ears. The most powerful tool of Satan is temptation or if you will access to thoughts.

The Book of Mormon tells us that to be physically minded is death but to be spiritually minded is eternal life or if you will – a connection to the mind and thoughts of G-d.

The thought I have attempted to pass on is that there are holy thoughts and there are unholy thoughts. Sometime the unholy thoughts are presented in such a way to conceal what they are and where they lead. Many times in discussions I am shocked to hear someone say – Do you think I choose to be like this? This is what I am – I could not have done any differently. I wish I could say that I am sure that at the point you were making decisions that you had no clue you would end up were you are today. Strange as it may seem hoyl thoughts are not natural but require effort and dicipline. This is both interesting and a challenge.

The truth is that we really do not end up anywhere – we only pass through the place where we are because it lies along the path we are traveling. Our thoughts are our compos. I suggest that you get to know your thoughts and why those particular thoughts come to you. I suggest that if you would change – you begin with your thoughts.

And the final thought I leave with you in this post – Repentance is a change of heart that results in a change of thoughts. Repentance is spiritual and requires a spiritual connection or reception.

The Traveler

[Alaskagain]

Thank you, thank you.

I have something I have been struggling with. This helps me a lot. Makes me feel better just reading it. I am cutting and pasting it to my notebook, if that is okay with you all.

Thank you. Thank you.

[onyx]

I would submit to the readers that thoughts are spiritual in nature. Because we live in a universe of physical sensation it is difficult to comprehend things that are spiritual without some effort and practice. I would compare the reception of thoughts to receiving a radio signal. There is nothing to see, hear, smell, touch or taste – yet there is power and intelligence to be accessed. The better you tune in the more power and intelligence you experience.

Some thoughts here. G-d is to be worshiped in spirit. It is possible that the Holy Spirit influences only one person in a crowd of hundreds. Jesus many times spoke of eyes that see and ears that hear – he was not talking about regular sight or hearing. He was referring to spiritual eyes and ears. The most powerful tool of Satan is temptation or if you will access to thoughts.

The Book of Mormon tells us that to be physically minded is death but to be spiritually minded is eternal life or if you will – a connection to the mind and thoughts of G-d.

The thought I have attempted to pass on is that there are holy thoughts and there are unholy thoughts. Sometime the unholy thoughts are presented in such a way to conceal what they are and where they lead. Many times in discussions I am shocked to hear someone say – Do you think I choose to be like this? This is what I am – I could not have done any differently. I wish I could say that I am sure that at the point you were making decisions that you had no clue you would end up were you are today. Strange as it may seem hoyl thoughts are not natural but require effort and dicipline. This is both interesting and a challenge.

The truth is that we really do not end up anywhere – we only pass through the place where we are because it lies along the path we are traveling. Our thoughts are our compos. I suggest that you get to know your thoughts and why those particular thoughts come to you. I suggest that if you would change – you begin with your thoughts.

And the final thought I leave with you in this post – Repentance is a change of heart that results in a change of thoughts. Repentance is spiritual and requires a spiritual connection or reception.

The Traveler

'A thought or two' that came to mind when reading this thread and in particular your last post traveler"

'"For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he;...."

- Proverbs 23:7

"Attention is prior to mind.

Where you focus your attention, your mind follows.

You are what you give your attention to."

- Adi Da Samraj