A Higher Level of Thinking
A recent essay of mine, “A Higher Level of Understanding,” contains the context for this present article. Click on this link: https://www.wholelifehealthcaresolutions.com/a-higher-level-of-understanding-2 for more in-depth information. Briefly, I was inspired to interpret words spoken by my husband (Cecil) while he slept: “We must move to a Higher Level of Understanding; a Higher Level of Thinking; a Higher level of Being”
The first manuscript focused on a Higher level of Understanding. Now, it’s time to examine a Higher Level of Thinking.
- When it thunders and lightning and the winds begin to blow
- When it thunders and lightning and the winds begin to blow
- There’s thousands of people
- They ain’t got no place to go.
- My house fell down, and I can’t live there no more.
(Bessie Smith, Back Water Blues 1927)
James Baldwin, the prolific writer is asked to interpret Bessie’s lyrics. Baldwin explains: “What struck me is her singing [as you say], about a disaster which almost killed her, and [YET] she accepted it and was going beyond it.”
In other words, the starting place [after a misfortune] begins with your perception of present circumstances. Bessie Smith’s lyrics demonstrate important actions needed to move forward in a crisis: Observation and acceptance. She observes her situation [My house fell down]. Bessie accepts what she cannot change [I can’t live there no more]. As I see it, Bessie is thinking on a higher level. Moping, brooding, grumbling, and living down in a funk leads to more of the same. Once you come to terms with the “Here and Now,” then you are ready to think beyond present circumstances and see the ocean of possibilities in God’s Universe. When you do, you have moved to a Higher Level of Thinking. The challenge is to maintain this focus.
Thoughts are dynamic, alive, powerful, and sometimes paralyzing. Our minds are cluttered with imaginable, unimaginable, some positive and some negative thoughts. It is estimated that 2500 and 3500 thoughts occur in the mind per hour. Most thoughts pass through unnoticed by us. Because of thoughts, even before a conversation takes place, we make inferences about another person’s behavior based on personal and paranoid ideas floating in our head. Most times, our thoughts are far from reality. What is the answer to a cluttered mind? How does one reduce over analyzing situations (paralysis of analysis)? Are there ways to reduce anxiety and fear without medications? Are there strategies to help one move forward decisively and confidently?
A Higher Level of Thinking can interrupt this pattern of making assumptions, surmising, judging sometimes resulting in unintended consequences.
Take for example, the story In the Gospel of John [5th Chapter]. This narrative demonstrates how paralyzing thoughts are. The story is about a man paralyzed for 38 years with an avid desire to walk. He was one among a throng of sick people who gathered daily around a ‘Pool’ known to have healing powers. However, healing depended on his ability to be the first one in the pool when the pool waters started to stir. The parable goes on to say that Jesus observes him day-after-day laying around the pool. When Jesus asks if he wants to be made well, he answers YES, but… everyone else moves quicker and jump in the pool before him. However, he reasons, if there was someone to help him, he could beat the others. After listening to his story, Jesus confronts him: “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” And immediately the man is made well, takes up his bed, and walks.
Is this gentleman physically or mentally paralyzed? My instinct leads me to believe that this is not a physical disability. First of all, because, he says others “move quicker and jump in before him.” According to him, he was not as quick. One who is paralyzed is unable to use arms or legs or both. “No one was willing to help him.” Secondly, how did he get to the pool every day? If he was physically paralyzed, someone had to help him. Why wouldn’t those who help him get to the pool help him get in before the others?
The confrontation/intervention he had with Jesus was powerful. In spite of this, he had to generate the power from within to get up and walk. How often have you heard – I been down so long, getting up never crossed my mind? Unlike Bessie Smith, this gentleman was not able to think beyond his present circumstances. As a result, his situation had not changed in 38 years.
There are many life experiences, fearful events, anxious times that paralyze our thinking and keep us from moving to a Higher Level of Thinking. How is a Higher Level of Thinking achieved?
In my opinion, Philippians 4:8 found in the New Testament Bible describes clearly what a Higher Level of Thinking is:
- Fixing your thoughts on what is true, honorable, and right.
- Fixing your thoughts on what is pure, lovely, and admirable.
- Thinking about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
MEDITATION and PRAYER are strategies to achieve this goal. Here is information taken from one of my earlier articles about both meditation and prayer.
1. Meditation–This is a habit that helps to de-clutter the mind. It is a time to be still and quiet. Here is my path to meditation:
- Sit upright in a comfortable chair. Place your hands on your lap with palms facing upward. Relax your legs and feet to your liking.
- Turn off the computer, phones, I pads, TV and radio. Set a stop watch to how long you want to meditate
- Start slow. As you move along, increase the time spent in meditation.
- My goal is 20 minutes twice a day (Russell Simmons advice). Right now, I meditate 20 minutes each day.
- Sometimes I incorporate meditation tools by experts (Deepak Chopra and Oprah Winfrey).
- Most times, I select my own Mantra (usually spiritual words like God, Jesus, Yahweh). When thoughts pop up in my head, I repeat my Mantra. It is amazing how clutter thoughts vanish
- When the timer goes off, I am done, feel marvelous, and at peace.
2. Prayer–This habit helps to strengthen one’s relationship with the Almighty Sovereign God.
- Prayer changes “me.”
- Prayer changes my response to life circumstances.
- The effectual glowing prayers of a righteous man/woman are beneficial paraphrased John 5:16 the New Living Translation Bible
3. Reading and memorizing positive prayers, poems, or biblical passages is another meditation technique. Memorizing does take time and patience! You can find any of these poems or prayers by just using Google on the internet. Here are some of my favorites:
- The Prayer of St. Francis
- If by Rudyard Kipling
- The Serenity Prayer by Reinhold Niebuhr
- 1 Corinthians 13 on Love
- The Fence (around the cliff) or the Ambulance (in the valley) by Joseph Malines
- I’d Rather See a Sermon by Edgar A Guest
