In the first part of this article, I exposed some flaws in the way spiritual leaders are teaching about the mind. Now, let’s explore Dr. Thurman Fleet’s famous stick-figure diagram of the mind (on the right). First, I will explain his diagram, then I will propose an alternative diagram, and from that new perspective, we’ll then look at how Thurman’s diagram is limiting our understanding of the mind and what are the implications of it.
What he says is very simple: we are a spiritual being, we are gifted with an intellect and we have a physical body. We have a subconscious mind that runs on auto-pilot and that cannot filter information, and we have a conscious mind that can filter information and make decisions. We also have a body, but it is the least important aspect although we do need to take actions. The actions won’t do much if they’re coming from the wrong state of mind, and the actions will flow effortlessly when coming from the proper state of mind. Many self-development and spiritual teachers use this model all the time to explain how the mind works in very simple terms.
Now, let me propose an alternative model. I first drafted this new diagram at Rion Freeberg’s Self-Awakening Immersion Party in Thailand last October. One of the reasons I am writing this is to clarify how what I’m learning based on the previous model fits with the rest of what I’m teaching, because confusion causes inaction and …Read More
