Week 9 – What we thinketh

This week we continued concentrate and visualize more intently on what we think by using one of the 7 Laws of the mind. The Law of Growth is the briefest of the seven laws;

“Whatever we think about grows. What we forget atrophies.”

Seems simple yet it is not. We think approximately 3,000 thoughts every day and the goal is to only think positive, constructive and useful thoughts. Sounds easy to just think about rainbows and lollipops but in practice rainbows usually don’t cut you off in traffic and lollipops aren’t responsible for wasting a half a day  chasing down an elusive piece of information that is caught in a merry go round of pass the buck. A vehicle title is what I was looking for. Trip to the DMV? Nope no answer. County Courthouse? Nope. Wrong window. Next Window? Nope. Last window? Nope. Back to the DMV to plead for assistance. How does a person keep a level head in this sea of bureaucracy? Patience and realizing the people at the window(s) are my only rays of hope and by treating them with love according to Scroll 2 of Og Mandino’s Greatest Salesman in the World is the only way to get them to look a little harder or reach out to greater resources.

There have been times in my life that I wouldn’t have been able to keep my composure but I kept a positive mindset that someone somewhere would be able to locate that elusive title. I looked them in the eyes and smiled as in my mind I told them I loved them even after they pointed me to the next person in the carousel. I kept my mind full of love and whether they found my missing title or not I did not make a scene or cause anyone any distress  because of my predicament. They didn’t misplace the title in the first place.

I didn’t pollute my mind with wasteful frustration and I didn’t pass any negative energy to anyone either. That’s a win  – win situation.

One of the reading assignment this week was Chapter nine of the Master Keys by Charles Haanel. Our mind expanding exercise was to visualize in our mind the growth of a flowering plane from germination to the blooming of the flowers. My choice of plant was one of the phalaenopsis orchids we grow and maintain  here in central Minnesota. They are a stunningly beautiful here in cold country as they bloom during the coldest months here yielding thoughts of spring on the way.

I really had to think hard as I had to imagine the initial germination and sprouting of the seed and then it’s growth through the bark laden soil it grows into. Once the up growing sprout breaks into the light a small stem with a small leaf bud appears. More and more leaves sprout during the growth phase of it’s life alternating left and right. No flowers for the first year only root and main stem development. During the next growing season new leaves grow and sprouts appear from the lowest part of the main stem that look like pea green roots but are branch like tendrils that seek out and absorb moisture in the air. To the novice eye theses look like flower stems but these are not flowers. Orchids grow well damp damp but not wet roots so these tendrils bring in needed moisture.

When the days start to becomes longer another leaf growing stage begins. When the light cycle changes to shorter days flowering sprouts appear in between one or more of the main stem leaves. They grow fast sometimes 2 to 3 inches in a day. Other flowering stems may appear and they also grow fast. As the stem grows you can see flower buds develop. When the stem(s) reach ~14″ the buds grow a stem about an inch long and then the bud starts to swell and turns a lighter green. Within a few days the bud slowly explodes and the orchid flower can be seen. In another 24 to 48 hours the first flower is fully open and one by one the next buds inline begin their slow-mo explosions.

These gorgeous flowers will remain magnificent and beautiful for 6 to 8 months! It is amazing to behold these delicate flowers in their glory through out the winter, spring and into the summer months. All the care they need is 2 to 3 ice cubes a week until the blooms start fading. Then the growing season begins anew with new leaf growth.

The  exercise asked us to concentrate and visualize in our minds the evolution of the life and power of the inert mind of the cells of a flowering plant. Every cell in the plant has it’s own will and knows what to do, when to do it and how long to do it. It has it’s own will to be the best it can be. How does it know how to grow? Why does one stem grow down to become the root and the other grows up to become the leafy and flowering part we see? Every cell has it’s purpose and desire to fulfill it’s definite purpose in life. I am an beautiful Orchid! it shouts every minute of every day as it strives for perfection. It never quits unless it is starved, left with out water or light. If it s nearly dead and is given what is is missing it will come roaring back to life.

What did I learn from this exercise? It increased my concentration, gave me a better sense of how to see things before they manifest in real life. All things in life start with a thought whether it be growing a plant, running a 4 minute mile, building a football stadium, solving a problem or achieving your definite purpose in life. It had to be a thought that was visualized and acted upon before it became a reality. If we are to grow in manifesting goodness in our lives we must see it before we can act upon it. If we plant great ideas within our minds and then visualize them from inception through full fruition we will achieve great things. If we keep out any idea that is destructive, negative or useless it will happen sooner and be a more perfect version of our idea.

My favorite parts of Haanel’s MAster Key reading this week were Chapters 24 and 25. They yielded a powerful affirmation for myself and for others in my world.

9-24. I built up an affirmation for myself, taking the qualities I most needed, and affirming for myself over and over again, “I am whole, perfect, strong, powerful, loving, harmonious and happy.” I kept up this affirmation, always the same, never varying, till I could wake up in the night and find myself repeating, “I am whole, perfect, strong, powerful, loving, harmonious and happy.” It was the last thing on my lips at night and the first thing in the morning.

9-25. Not only did I affirm it for myself, but for others that I knew needed it. I want to emphasize this point. Whatever you desire for yourself, affirm it for others, and it will help you both. We reap what we sow. If we send out thoughts of love and health, they return to us like bread cast upon the waters; but if we send out thoughts of fear, worry, jealousy, anger, hate, etc., we will reap the results in our own lives.

I created index cards to put around the house, my office, in my pocket and in my car to prompt me to keep repeating it outloud and in my mind. This affirmation is;

” I am whole, perfect, strong, powerful, loving, harmonious and happy!”

Repeat this 100 times a day WITH GUSTO and ENTHUSIASM! This will crowd out negative thoughts and create new positive energy in your brain. The negative thoughts will become bored and wither away.

You will become whole, perfect, strong, powerful, loving, harmonious and happy! It’s the law of growth.

My name is Michael Puffer and I always keep my promises.