Taking Conscious Charge of Our Lives
Human mind is in charge of human lives. Sigmund Freud aptly used the metaphor of an iceberg for the mind: 10% of the human mind is conscious (above the surface of water) with 90% (below the surface of water) as subconscious and the unconscious. Thus, human behaviour is largely run by the 90% in an automated way.
Fear and greed are basic emotions underlying automated behaviour. They keep us forever seeking refuge in our limited identities.
Ten percent conscious part of the mind is unable to change the automated behaviour run by the 90% subconscious and the unconscious. Natural lives are largely unconscious.
Ordinarily, our breathing function running 24/7 is controlled by the 90% unconscious and subconscious. It is autonomous. We are totally unaware of our breathing.
Life experience shows us that we can control the breath with conscious effort applied to the muscles that move our lungs to make us breathe. We can use this conscious control by the 10% to work in synergy with its counterparts in the 90% subconscious and unconscious.
This practice of taking charge of our unconscious and subconscious functions by the conscious mind in fact teaches us to move from automated to conscious behavior. The more we engage in conscious deep breathing, the higher is the degree of conscious behavior that we enable.
Fear is natural, unconscious and automatic while love and compassion are conscious. If life is automated, love and compassion are not going to happen, neither are health, harmony, wellness or oneness.
Self Discovery, Introspection and Stillness also are conscious activities which likewise are not going to happen if life is automated by the unconscious and subconscious faculties of the mind.