CONTENTS
What is a thought? What is a belief?
To totally change your life, understand more deeply
The recordings are created this way
A complex of programs and sub-programs
Adding meaning
How our programing is developed
The form of the "programs" in our brain
Since physical parts can be changed, programs can be mechanically changed
How the programming is done - it's all just physical
To overcome the old pathway
The ability to choose
The roles we choose to operate within and from
The way out
The endpoint we seek
We choose the result...
The importance of the role from which one operates
There must be a strong commitment to the role
Knowing that the picture is not reality
No new program, no new way, no new result
Persist, not allowing to succumb or deny
My commitment
The complete causal chain
Your job will be to be a master of this
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WHAT IS A THOUGHT? WHAT IS A BELIEF?
A thought is a mental representation of an idea, object, event, emotion, etc., usually involving a sequence of pieces. A belief is a thought about how something works to create an effect and/or that it will have that effect. The distinction between the two, in terms of the programming in the brain are identical, so we use them interchangeably.
TO TOTALLY CHANGE YOUR LIFE, UNDERSTAND MORE DEEPLY
To adequately understand this at the level where it is useful in changing your life through changing your beliefs, we need to start at the beginning and build from there. When we intercede in thoughts or beliefs, we need to utilize this deeper understanding in order to be more effective at it.
THE RECORDINGS ARE CREATED THIS WAY
We are physiological beings composed of physical matter (namely chemicals, cells) and we operate from energy. The energy is basically the same as electricity (energy that passes along some conduit).
We “evolved” (grew into more complex surviving mechanisms) over time to include “programs” that would run things so that we survived. The programs consist of a specific combination pattern of potential places in our body that will fire off together in some sequence that will in turn cause the result that is part of the program.
Our body “remembers” programs by maintaining a physical pattern. When something occurs we recognize it through a program (perception) that matches to some record. The body basically searches for a match and then applies the program to that seeming matching event.
That event is called a stimulus.
Note that if an event occurs, one person might not experience any stimulus while another might. The difference lies in the first person having no match for that event being something to react to, i.e. the person has no program for it or a program that does not cause a reaction or action. In this case, the event is simply “neutral”, as it does not serve as a stimulus.
In other words, for something to be a stimulus, there must be an existing program to react to it. The event is otherwise not actually a stimulus. The event is actually neutral, in and of itself.
Physically, simplified, this looks like this:
Event occurs → Program matched → Action specified in the program occurs
There is no action or reaction if there is no activating program.
You must buy into this idea, which is a fact, if you are to change anything in your life. If one thinks that events cause the reaction, then one cannot intervene or do anything about it. But the truth is the opposite, as one can intervene in the middle, in changing the program so that the result will be changed.
A COMPLEX OF PROGRAMS AND SUB-PROGRAMS
The human body/mind has by far the greatest capability in the animal kingdom to adjust and to construct complex programs to fit various events. So you’ll find that there are programs that hook into other programs to produce a series of results and/or programs to be fired off when they match. No match, no firing.
We are literally computers in how we function, but remarkably more complex. More complex or not, we operate the same way. We are mechanical. That’s it.
The difference is that we have “programs” that include “feelings” that we have the ability to sense. But these are part of what is simply an expanded program.
ADDING MEANING
We also have the (programmed in) ability to put together a new set of programs “on purpose” and to add “meaning” to them. Those are just programs constructing programs. They ordinarily would just be events causing events causing events except that we experience various feelings that we classify, via our advanced programming, as “good” or “bad”. That additional classifying is “the process of adding meaning” to something.
The something itself is just neutral and has no meaning in itself. It is us who construct ("make up") the meaning. At higher levels of meaning, different people will add different meanings depending on their programming.
In different religious cultures, we find people form programs that believe there is a specific meaning to an event. This event may be “good” or “bad” depending on what the program says. We experience the “good” as “pleasurable or positive” and the “bad” as unpleasurable, negative, and/or “uncomfortable”. The meaning simply is added by the programming we received.
If the religion says dancing is sinful, we're likely to think of dancing with a negative feeling. If the religion says dancing is a great way to express ourselves, we're likely to think of dancing with a positive feeling.
HOW OUR PROGRAMMING IS DEVELOPED
We receive our programming from our DNA (which has an amazing amount of programming), beliefs and inputs from those who raise us, from what we read, and from anything or anyone we are associated with or see. This programming may put us at a disadvantage or cause us to be dysfunctional in ways. We are not responsible for that programming, as we are the natural products of it. There is no blame or judgment justified about that.
We also use our programmed-in programming ability to construct complex programs from the above inputs. We may “decide” that belief A will mix with Belief B to mean Belief C. An example might be "People are dangerous" together with "I am dependent on others for survival" might produce "I must be on guard around other people always and my survival depends on it."
Many of the beliefs (programs) we take in from outside sources are false. Many of the decisions and self-programming are unreasoned and/or just plain false, but the best we could do at the time. Until we have sufficient programming (which includes information in it), we do not have the ability to see the falseness.
Therefore, if a belief is important, we need to reexamine our belief at the time we have gained a greater programmed ability to see if it is true.
However, some people do not see this and they keep on operating on those outmoded beliefs. Of course, people will learn that a few need to be changed just in the process of life itself, without effort. Some of those lessons will be harder than they needed to be if a person learned sooner and more systematically.
I believe from all my study and research, that one absolutely must reexamine all important beliefs and reconstruct them into what is true and what works if they are to have highly happy lives and be very effective in their lives such that they attain what the satisfaction and fulfillment they want from life.
THE FORM OF THE “PROGRAMS” IN OUR BRAIN
The brain records these programs in patterns of neurons with connecting synapses (“chemical” bridges, in a sense) that carry along the electricity to fire off the neuronal pattern. The neuronal pattern is a sequenced physical “program”, just as in a computer, differing only by the fact that it is magnified in complexity by a factor of thousands.
SINCE PHYSICAL PARTS CAN BE CHANGED, PROGRAMS CAN BE MECHANICALLY CHANGED
Science has proven, over and over, more recently, that the brain is “plastic” (called “neuroplasticity” by the neuroscientists). We can engrain new pathways (patterns) on purpose, through our main ways of programming, and we can have old pathways disintegrate by non-use. [Actually, in the latter case, the programming of the brain takes over and deconstructs the old pathway to use the material elsewhere where it will be more productive.]
If the new pathway is used more often, then it becomes dominant. However, until the new pathway is used sufficiently, the old pathway is more likely to be dominant and stronger - meaning that it is more likely to be used more automatically. Since we can’t physically go in with an eraser, we can only keep on choosing to use the new pathway more in order to have it become dominant. When it is dominant, it becomes the natural pathway for a charge to go down from the initial stimulus.
People miss this point so often – even those who study this area (but who fail to “complete” their knowledge sufficiently). Let’s see how this occurs, by going through some more facts and then some examples.
HOW THE PROGRAMMING IS DONE
We can only program things by inputting some information (patterns of neurons representing a fact or thing).
The more complete the information, the more complete and workable is the program.
If we put in “cow” and what it looks like, we will have a program representing a cow, but nothing more. If we put in “cows are good because we get milk from them and they are nice”, then we have added some meaning and significance – meaning and significance are composed of extra electrical charges and/or extra neurons that strengthen the path. “Cow” as only an image may be remembered, but is not as powerful as it would be with added meaning.
Take the great memory experts. Besides knowing how to run the patterns over and over (at least repeating a person’s name) to gain more recall, they also “associate” the person’s name with something else of significance (attaching another set of neuronal patterns), such as Mr. Brown has a red nose so I’ll remember him as Mr. Brown the Clown.
So, our programming, or imprinting in the brain, results from:
Repetition of a thought (e.g. the person’s name)
Adding significance and/or associating other patterns with it
Adding new meaning and/or higher significance levels
The latter is a method of programming I have yet to explain.
If we take a belief and we figure out that it makes no sense, we then add some meaning that implies “don’t use that old program” – like putting a detour to reroute the traffic to somewhere else. If we put extra emphasis on the fact that it makes no sense by saying "it is absurd, it is stupid to believe that old belief," or “I declare I will never do that again in that situation. I absolutely commit to doing this other action instead”, you’ve improved the programming strength. Saying something in a stronger voice and/or with more certainty also creates stronger programming.
It's all just physical.
TO OVERCOME THE OLD PATHWAY
But remember, the primitive brain will tend to naturally physically connect up with the old dominant programming until we sufficiently program in what is new.
You might hear people say “I just can’t get over that thought. I am a helpless victim of it every time. It rules me.”
But all it is similar to a "wheelbarrow" going down the biggest rut in the road quite naturally. We just need to figuratively fill in or eradicate the old ruts by building new “good” ruts. Actually, what happens physically is that we build a stronger cable by more use, which adds more wires, plus the body builds a stronger myelin wrapping around the cable, both protecting it and making it faster.
An example of adding both new meaning and new significance lies in shaking a child and saying with great emotion “don’t you ever run into the street or you’ll get killed” and then spanking them. I don’t recommend those specifics, but they serve well to illustrate the idea of effective new programming.
THE ABILITY TO CHOOSE
We as humans have the unique ability to choose intelligently (with logic and reason and knowledge) the means to change a program that is producing results that we choose to not experience anymore.
The person who chooses to do so is doing what we call “responsible” behavior. That person is programmed to believe that he/she has the ability to take a bad result and figure out how to avoid that result and how to get a good result – i.e. develop a new program.
When a person does not choose to make a different choice that is, other than ignorance, because the person’s programs say something like “I don’t have the power to change that,” “I’m stupid and can’t change it,” or “I can’t change that because it’ll threaten me getting the approval I need as a dependent person,” and the like. This is called “irresponsible” – not choosing a useful response to get a better result. (It has nothing to do with right/wrong, good/bad, or moral issues, it simply is not a useful ‘response’ – or the person, because of conflicting programming, is not “able” to construct and use a better “response”, so he/she is 'un-response-able.')
THE ROLES WE CHOOSE TO OPERATE WITHIN AND FROM
The first person is operating using functions that are characteristic of a rational adult and the latter person is operating similar to a child.
In being in the adult role, a person is believing he is powerful and able to cause a result. A person operating within the child role is believing he/she is dependent and powerless (plus a whole set of beliefs that go along with that).
The latter is associated with the role of being a victim, which means that the person is not acting on his own behalf very effectively and that his/her life is determined by others and/or circumstances, which is the opposite of being “at cause in the matter” (i.e. being “at the effect of the circumstances and/or other person). While an adult is seen as being powerful, the victim is operating from beliefs such as “I am not powerful” (or “I’m powerless” or “I need approval so much I can’t change this” and the like, on and on).
THE WAY OUT
The way out of unresponsibility, victimhood, or operating as a child is to install programs (beliefs) that will produce the opposite effect.
Some see the above terms as being pejorative (negatively judging another), rather than a description of a position or way of being (both are a set of programs) that doesn’t work to get the better results. Those terms are not judgment labels but logical deductions along the chain of cause and effect – i.e. if there is an effect, we can reasonably back up to determine what the cause was, such as using the programming of a child).
THE END POINT WE SEEK
In a chain of events, thoughts, beliefs, feelings, and actions, the end point we most often seek is a “good feeling” (or something that we equate to producing a good feeling in the future).
When we have a bad feeling, it is normal to try to avoid that. The question is how to do that.
WE CHOOSE THE RESULT...
When a “scientist” views this, the scientist might say that the person who chooses not to do whatever it takes to remove a bad feeling and/or replace it with a good feeling is also, if he/she is aware, choosing to have the bad feeling.
Technically, nobody in their right mind would choose a bad feeling, so that statement gets a lot of objections and statements like “I’m trying my best and it just isn’t working” or insisting “I am not choosing to feel bad”.
The scientist “means” to say that a fully rational, fully functional, fully knowledgeable person knows the law of cause and effect and will accordingly rationally choose to seek and do that which produces a better result (and that is the definition of a person who is responsible). He/she has chosen to be responsible for producing good results, learning what it takes and then deciding how to do it and to actually do what is necessary NO MATTER WHAT, without an excuse.
The responsible person is choosing to get the better result by choosing to do what it takes to get the desired result. The "not responsible" person is choosing the bad effect instead of choosing to do what it takes to not have the bad effect.
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ROLE FROM WHICH ONE OPERATES
The start of the solution to living a better life is always shifting one’s modus operandi, or the role one takes on, in life over to the responsible, adult, causative side and away from the beliefs and actions of the irresponsible (or less responsible), victim, and/or child roles.
In almost all personal growth and personal effectiveness programs, they are attempting to convince the participant to “be” responsible and to “do” what responsible, effective people do. This is the only way to achieve better and greater results in life.
A person who has not yet made the choice to go fully into the role of the responsible adult will not, even if he/she sees the proper things to do, implement the actions necessary to be effective – as he/she has conflicting programming.
Indeed, that would be the same effect in any computer. No computer can operate effectively if Program A says to do Y when X happens and Program B says to do Z when X happens – and don’t forget that we are simply computers (just incredible ones!).
THERE MUST BE A STRONG COMMITMENT TO THE ROLE
Without the commitment to be in the role of a responsible powerful adult, little progress is made and/or there is a lot of reversion that gets in the way of progress, no matter how smart the person is.
It is only with that commitment that people will have the persistence to push through the old beliefs and to change them and then put forth the necessary effort to install the new programs!
Part of what hijacks this commitment is the belief that recordings coughed up by the primitive brain represent something real in the here and now.
Part of almost all recordings include pictures, meanings, and emotions plus what was done about something (which, if not questioned, will turn into what “to do” about something, i.e. how to react or act).
Recording # AXZ549635xy matches closely to being snubbed as child, resulting in being very scared and reacting childishly with anger believed to be an effective way of handling this. Even if the now "grown up" person stops the anger action (via a conflicting, but helpful, program), he/she will still feel the emotion – and be scared.
But do we need to still feel scared and to think that is just the way I am?
No.
KNOWING THAT THE PICTURE IS NOT REALITY
This is similar to a child believing a motion picture or a nightmare is real.
Your recordings are not real.
Only when the person goes into being an objective, knowledgeable adult about this will the person accept that the recording and the pictures are just representations, and then, having realized that the picture is not real, the person can “check in” to what is actually going on, which is what reality actually is – and, since the pictures are not real, there need not be such an emotional response.
The adult can even talk back or rise above it, using coping statements or applying other beliefs.
Or, if the adult, is caught in the illusion, the adult will then look at what actually occurred and look at what the illusion was and construct a new way of dealing with the situation via a new program.
Note that the realization that thoughts are not real is a primary tenet of great philosophical disciplines, including effective meditation. Until someone breaks the spell (sees the falseness), a person experiences the recordings as if they are real and experiences fear and negative emotions most of the time - and the person spends his/her life trying to offset those (needlessly experienced) undesired emotions. Being able to say "those aren't real and they don't need to be taken seriously" is part of the "way out" of this self-trap. (See Self-conversation About Thoughts.)
NO NEW PROGRAM, NO NEW WAY
No new program, no new way.
Other non-workables: Poor analysis, poor solution. Incompletely dealing with it, incomplete and poor solution or non-solution. Incomplete installation, no new effect.
PERSIST, NOT ALLOWING TO SUCCUMB OR DENY
The “child” will give up early, not seeing the long term benefits clearly, or out of lack of commitment, or allowing conflicting sentences to discourage him/her. Of course, since we are all human beings who have not yet mastered all of this, some of the remaining weaknesses will show up – and that is when we have to persist and not bring up the weakening behaviors of seeking sympathy, making excuses or reasons why not, telling stories, or going into denial or escape.
Also, from a child view, a person will often be in denial or resistance.
But the emotionally bad results in life are themselves sufficient evidence of taking that position. Based on the irrefutable rule of “where there is an effect there must be a cause”, one can assume the lack of good results indicates the "come from" of a child. Then one can look to see if there is any sign of a behavior or belief similar to a child. If one finds that, then it is appropriate to choose to move further into the adult role, doing the opposite of the child behavior.
Another source that an adult would look at would be what a fairly knowledgeable person or persons might point out. If that person(s) identifies that one is acting like a victim or being a victim or a child, then the adult would look at that as a possible indicator of what may be true, and accordingly look deeper, as it is almost a sure sign (as the people are knowledgeable and capable of discriminating and thinking rationally! The amazing thing is that the person in the child role will dispute this indicator regardless of having good sources!).
MY COMMITMENT
I acknowledge and agree: (check of each of these you agree with, show the results to your partner in this process):
___ The brain is strictly mechanical
___ I won’t believe that a record from my brain (a thought that comes through) is
real.
___ As a consequence of that, it is logical that I will not suffer any negative
emotion from it.
___ Though I cannot control all that is external to me, I am responsible for all my results and for making the best of all that is out there.
___ I am not cowed by it, for I am more powerful and able to choose than some old mechanical program. I have the power of choice in the matter!
Further:
___ I commit to installing new beliefs/thoughts/programs that will get much better
results in my life. I realize this will take some time and some effort and some
persistence, but I see the long term benefits of it.
___ I commit to going through each major belief that results in a negative emotion
and working out a new belief to then install.
Signed this ____ day of ______________, ______
_________________________________________
THE COMPLETE CAUSAL CHAIN
The whole chain looks like this, with the influencing factors directly below each part of the chain:
Event → Perception → Thought/belief → Emotion → Action
Low awareness Wrong beliefs Hypersensitivity Poor impulse
control/low
knowledge
At each point in the chain, there is something that can be done to correct the faults in the chain.
Corrected perception can eliminate the cause in the first place. It could be as simple as “that dog is chained so is no threat”.
The wrong belief “all dogs are dangerous” could be corrected.
Or a too often activated danger system that overreacts or reacts too easily could be "soothed" and given to "calming inputs" (meditation, relaxation signaling "safety" to the primitive brain, etc.)
Sometimes chemical intervention is used to suppress the reaction, solving the symptoms but not the cause. But sometimes that intervention allows the time to address the cause.
And, then, of course, knowing that anger is often not justified and/or it is not proper to express it in a threatening way can help in the action result.
YOUR JOB WILL BE TO BE A MASTER OF THIS
Your job will be to become a master of beliefs, changing them, controlling them, and installing them.
This is what it will take for a person to have the life that he/she really wants and to achieve the effectiveness in life that having an excellent belief system is necessary for supporting.
