7Qi Essentials: Qi 5 - Mind
What you really need to know about how your way of thinking (Qi-5) works and how other Qi affect it.
Topics:
1. What is Thinking?
2. Energetic meanings/functions Mind-Qi
3. Symbolic meanings/functions Mind-Qi
4. Disruption of thinking & blockage
5. Therapy
1. What is thinking?
Thinking (thinking or mind-Qi) is the mental process of processing information, forming ideas, solving problems and making judgments (not the judgments themselves, that is Ego-Qi)
You are not what you think, but you have thoughts! Thoughts are your “translation” of your subjective reality.
It includes various cognitive activities such as reasoning, planning, reflecting, understanding, and remembering. In computer terms, thinking is using your processor (reasoning and judging) and hard drive (for storage/memory).
Thinking can occur both consciously and unconsciously and often focuses on interpreting external and internal stimuli. Abstract and complex such as conceptual thinking, but also concrete as in practical decision-making.
Physiological:
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- Thinking involves the passage of electrical signals through your brain and nerve pathways. At the end, the electrical signal is converted into a chemical signal which can cause body reactions (organ function, facial expression, movement, speaking, expressing emotions, etc.).
- Neural pathways are groups of interconnected neurons that work together to perform specific functions, such as motor control or memory.
- Synaptic plasticity (as in learning or common thoughts) allows for adjustments in these pathways by strengthening or weakening connections.
So you are actually a “self (conscious and unconscious) programming system”: you create quick connections for commonly used thoughts that make those thoughts more likely to be “thought or experienced” or “preferred.
2. Energetic meanings/functions Mind Qi
Thoughts are electrical energy that is “transported” through your neural pathways.
Thinking is like “muscle development. By training, you can develop 'preferred' neural pathways. The neural 'highway' of conducting nerves for the most frequently used thoughts is wider than the narrow path of infrequently used thoughts.
Therefore, the thoughts and way of thinking that you use the most will form the first thought produced by your neural pathways in your neocortex and nervous system.
This is good news because it allows reprogramming in three ways:
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- making your brain “forget” what thought your major and minor neural pathways are built for (we can do this with “limiting beliefs”-EMDR) or
- train your brain to think empowering/positive (empowering) thoughts and build more neural pathways for these thoughts (you can do this with, for example, repeated positive affirmations or by taking in a lot of information in positive form. (You can imagine what happens with negative news and aggression in movies...).
- tricking your brain with placebos / totems / (super)beliefs to create energy pathways that you would create when having confidence, a healthy body or a real (but 'dreamed') situation with positive and manifesting effects
All of your 7Qi influence your thoughts! Physical health or unhealthiness, emotions or blockages/trauma, previously stored beliefs, norms and values, your talents and inspiration. Awareness of these can help improve thought patterns and preferred thoughts.
In addition, your subconscious brain plays a huge role in the creation of your thoughts.
This means that your thoughts and your actual behavior sometimes do not match up.
Are you aware of your helping thoughts and limiting thoughts?
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- Do you think in “problems” or in solutions?
- Do you think in terms of problems or challenges?
- Are you consciously thinking about your needs and boundaries?
- Are you rigid, dogmatic, or do you dare to think outside your comfort zone before judging or adjusting your judgment?
- Do you think in “fears” or lovingly toward yourself or others?
- Can you believe, hope, comfort?
- Do you dare to see/think beyond merely rational? What could be benefits of that?
- What holds you back (to ....)
Can you bring subconscious thoughts (partially) to the surface, into your consciousness?
Can you think and reason empathically when it comes to others? And can you minimize projection of your own thoughts onto others? By asking and questioning, and observing, form a picture. Or do you judge and condemn from your own system body experiences and sensations Q1, Emotions Q2, Beliefs Q3, feelings Q4, thoughts Q-5, Inspiration Q6. Do you compare or dare to explore uniqueness?
Do you dare to step out of your comfort zone? Do you see through the power of discomfort, conflict, failure, or making yourself vulnerable?
'Did you know that meditation and mindfulness are 'techniques' for more creative thinking! This has been scientifically proven! Some large companies even have employees in creative departments meditate during work hours!
3. Symbolic meanings/functions Mind Qi
Why would you want to know symbolic meanings? Your subconscious mind often works with images and symbols. A kind of summary of a combination of things, feelings you had with them, or ideas and beliefs you have with them. Once this comes to the surface or appears in your consciousness (e.g. during therapy sessions), it can help to clear up confusion, create clarity or bring desires or fears into focus. Or to bring concrete life goals into focus.
I list some commonly used symbolic meanings of Qi5-Thinking:
Mulling, confusion, getting lost
Images or (lucid) dreams of brooding confused or lost people or animals can symbolize indecision or confusion.
Intelligence or lack of intelligence, being stuck/knotted/tangled
Images of clever solutions, or conversely being constantly unable to come up with a solution, or a stuck object, or tangle of objects can symbolize the (inability to) overcome problems can symbolize inner strugle, confusion, feeling lost.
Inaccessibility
Images of unreachability, being closed off, being trapped can symbolize loneliness or not being able to think of solutions, not being able to achieve goals. Thinking of powerlessness, wrong focus or feelings of unworthiness.
Associative images
The most common thought symbols are picture-thought combinations. Various images can portray your way of thinking about realities. E.g. a stone as a problem, a mountain as a difficult road, a border as a barrier.
4. Disruption of thinking and blockage
Excessive brooding, constantly and repeatedly thinking about and about something. This can even lead to illness and depression.
Dissociating instead of integrating (black and white thinking). By “merging” with a thought (always part of a duality) you dissociate from the alternatives and lose nuance or learning ability.
Dogmatism and being stuck in an illusionary 'truth': constantly clinging to an illusionary thought conclusion that there is a truth and ignoring that change is the only constant in life. In a sense, Ego (I am .....) is a mind dogma, energetically stored in your 7Qi. You create a selffulfilling prophecy by making your behavior follow your beliefs. you say, as it were, “I can't (do) it any other way, because this is how I am!”.
Negativity, cynicism, and limiting thoughts (instead of self-confidence and power): Negative thinking can lead to powerlessness and insecurity, and it can interfere with constructive social interactions
Fear-oriented thinking (instead of love-oriented thinking): manipulating, controlling and limiting (protection is sometimes ok but not always) instead of love-oriented thinking (accepting reality, facilitating optimal creativity/diversity and freedom).
Distorted balance between realism and idealism. Sometimes it is good to “dream” about a possible better future, but letting go of all reality can lead to problems in the here and now.
Ignorance of other Qi, and especially (needs of) body, ignore to process feelings in your mind or ignore inspiration as a source of inspiration and renewal. “Habitual thinking” means that you reason according to logic and ‘renewal’ then takes place according to a pattern. This is actually a blockage of your total potential. It is precisely by allowing other dimensions such as feelings or inspiration that the possibility of developing totally new thoughts arises.
Frequent thinking about the past: be aware that the past cannot be changed, but the way you think about it can.
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- you can change your conclusions that you have made in the past. This can make sense and provide a learning and cathartic experience. Or make you relive old feelings and discharge emotions.
- But continuous reminiscing about past events without changing conclusions can get in the way of your focus on learning and growing, and applying in the present, or dreaming about a different future. Even more, you can limit your synaptic plasticity (alternative thought paths) with it.
Trust and allow yourself to learn and grow. It will keep your mind-Qi alive and creative.
5. Mind Therapy
Maintenance:
- sleep and healthy diet are essential for optimal brain/nerve function (and thus thinking)
- mindfulness/meditation,
- positive affirmations/affirmative therapy
- maintain positive contacts with others (and minimize toxic contacts)
- minimize violence and fear-inducing images (social media, television)
- all stress-reducing activities (hiking, seeking nature, hobbies, sports)
- Learn nonviolent communication as a technique (Read a book by Marchall Rosenberg: nonviolent communication) to learn to reason more respectfully, ask through and postpone (judgments). Something that can also be taught in your mindset.
- Journaling (keeping a journal, or, literally writing down all thoughts that come to mind for 10 minutes) can provide insight into thought patterns and subconscious thoughts. Our mind can be a terrible dictator. Without us even realizing it! (See, e.g., the book The Artist Way by Julia Cameron).
- Minimizing judging and convicting keeps your mind more open for various options and observing the reality
Therapy:
Cognitive or integrative therapy now exists in endless forms. 'If you're in your head a lot or suffer from a lot of fear-based thoughts or are very dogmatic/expressed about situations then therapy episodes are absolutely recommended. Referral by your general practitioner unfortunately usually results in a long wait and only a limited number of possible sessions. Investing yourself in coaching or therapy is one of the best gifts you can give yourself!
- Psychotherapy (schema therapy/associative therapy) or coaching,
- EMDR and hypnotherapy
- Body-mind therapy/integrative therapy, trauma therapy, breath work, heart coherence work.
- Placebo, shamanic and inspiration work: gemstone and essential oil treatment, music and sound therapy
Group work
A (yoga) retreat, silent retreat (vipasana) or being with others where life questions can be safely discussed can greatly influence thought patterns in a positive sense.
Compassion: helping others, volunteering, holding out your hand unasked, little acts of kindness will usually influence your thought patterns in an enormously positive way.
Main themes are usually:
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- Learning to deal with dualities (“swopping”) can broaden your horizons. (E.g. with Byron Katy's The Work), detoxifying trauma, supporting self-forgiveness and grief counseling. Can I learn to let go of beliefs? Or apply them selectively?
- Learning to break through repeated thought patterns about fears, guilt/shame, (self) blame is essential. How do I break through fretting?
- Learning to see through fear-based and love-based thought patterns and working on self-empowerment, making conscious (love-based) choices and self-forgiveness (I am allowed to learn).
- Breaking attachment related thought patterns and being able to have better relationships with others. Learning secure attachment.
- Identity questioning, self-awareness, and clarity about your life choices
Affirmations
I do not judge or expect (sooner than necessary)
I can make choices and change them again
I can fail and learn and grow
I play in my imagination
I create my reality in many ways
I embrace change
I challenge my truth
I trust
I forgive and practice empathy and compassion
I play with my illusions and those of others
