The Conditioned Mind
Let's talk about mind. Not in any metaphysical sense but from a colloquial understanding. Starting with the conditioned mind. Conditioned by what? The past.
Everything we like and dislike is based on the past. I like that person. Why? Because my prior interactions with them left me with a good feeling. I despise that other person. Why? Because they said/did unkind things.
And if we probe a bit deeper we'll see that even our sense of good and bad, right and wrong, virtuous and evil is itself conditioned on past learnings of subjective qualities. Which, to us, are hardly subjective.
OK, so we have a conditioned mind. What's the big deal? Well, all sadness, all sorrow, all stress are the result of this conditioned mind. You see, we've taken everything that's ever happened in the past: all our experiences, all our learnings, all our beliefs, all our judgments and stuffed them into our mind - which is what makes it a conditioned mind.
The mind is a beautiful thing, until we condition it. Then it becomes an incessantly neurotic chatterbox. Just listen to what your conditioned mind has to say. Are you worried about the future? Who tells you so? Your mind. Are you disappointed with yourself or others? Who tells you so? Your mind. Are you experiencing blissful, joyous, serene peace? Who tells you you're not? Your mind. Your conditioned mind.
Is there a way we can experience life without conditioning the mind? Indeed there is. By not identifying with everything that comes into awareness. A person says or does something. Fine. By not identifying ... by not "making it about me" - we allow the event to enter the unconditioned mind.
What's the unconditioned mind? Now we'll step into the metaphysical realm for a moment. The unconditioned mind, what A Course in Miracles calls the right mind and other paths refer to as "Christ mind" or "universal consciousness", is the province of perfect peace. This mind is not conditioned by anything. No judgment. No distinction. The eternal, infinite is-ness of pure love.
And so, if we'd like to experience this "peace which surpasses all understanding" and we'd like to respond to each moment in a way that is most helpful for everyone and everything involved - then we'd be well-served letting go of the conditioned mind.
Join me in Thursday's class where we'll discuss practices for doing just that. I look forward to seeing you then.