Perpetual Blocks
ultimately the point is, is to have an open mind to allow better thinking.
One of the primary blocks that we encounter in the practice of thinking is what is referred to as 'perpetual blocks'. These are all self driven block. Things about ourselves that can hinder the thinking process. Now, some of these are genetic inflictions, some are socially induced afflictions and some are just ways we convince ourselves that we are entitled to be lazy in our thinking. What I will do here is go through the possible reasonings of the blocks and try to get a point of understanding across why they should be challenged.
The first and most important block that can be defined in this category is 'Laziness'. This does not necessary manifest itself in physical laziness. What it basically means is the process by which you use you brain and the method of skipping tasks and steps in the process of getting to the better result. An analogy would be being at a crossroad and having the long path (filled with beauty and knowledge and interest) and the short path, that basically gets you to where you need to get to, but quicker. Many people given this choice would opt for the short path. Why not? Saves time and gives more time for other things. Well, in reflective commonality to the Buddhist saying; "The journey of a thousands steps must begin with the first", there is also a conclusive point that the journey must also have 1,000 to finish that journey. Not less, because you took a short cut. Those 1,000 steps could reveal all that is necessary information that will help in the thinking process. Less could make you miss something.
One of the aspects that makes us mentally lazy in the thinking process is our healthy state of mind. I have talked about this before. The brain needs exercising, but also needs the correct nutrition. One of the best forms of brain nutrition is vitamins, and therefore eating fruit can stimulate the mind. Something in the adage about "an apple a day keeps the doctor away!"
Another aspect to perpetual blocks is attitude and health. For a start I will clear up the misnomer that people are born clever or born unintelligent. This is not true. We are all born equal in every respect. We all have the same amount of brain cells. Using another analogy; we are like computers and our brain is the processor and hard drive. We all have the same capacity hard drive, but if information isn't store and retrieved then the result is obvious. So, the only other aspects that can affect us regarding our physical state are inherent conditions. These can be obviously connected to the brain function or not. Having impaired eye sight could trigger the previous aspect of lazy short cuts, simply because your eyes get tired reading too much. Also, you could have incurred an injury that even though doesn't affect you physically can mentally promote extra effort in thinking. All these have to be things that are challenged. There is nothing that can really be done about them, but as long as you are willing to acknowledge their existence then it could give you reason to understand the approach you should take.
The next aspect of perpetual blocks is experience. This is going a little back to where I was with the computer hard drive and storage of information. It is an obvious statement that the older you get the wiser you are. The reason for this (hopefully), is that you take in more information and therefore have more information to retrieve from. On top of this however is the need to use this information. The brain is not a simple photocopier. The information will over time be archived and lost if not analyzed and developed. Read a book, say, on creative brain development and memorise it, but never understand it? What is the point of this? The whole simple fact is that we, as human's, have developed a cognitive centre in our pre-frontal lobe. This gives the ability to evaluate and understand and make decisions. That is the aspect that makes us more intelligent. The learning from information. Not the simple storing of information.
Several things make us more, or less, experienced. Again, some may seem afflictions, but are simply blocks. The main one for example is gender. Now, that could be seen as a sweeping sexist statement. However, it is true that certain aspects of our id (remember that?) kick in more appropriately when a gender related function is initiated. Other blocks on this line can also include lack of experience. Trying to do something without lack of prior knowledge is like climbing a hill with your legs tied. And finally, a common ailment to many of the students I teach. The simple lack of maturity. The funny thing on this level, is that the person may have knowledge on something. Maybe clever and able with this information. The lack of maturity simply comes out in the way they deal with it. Many students are unable to have an intellectual debate on something because their maturity status tends for them to become more emotional that subjective. That is a thing that realising what is said is more important than how it is said.
The final aspect of this block is the more more serious disability aspects. Not having the use of certain limbs that are paramount in the completion of a certain task. There are solutions. One thing that comes to mind is the work of Christy Brown. An artist without arms who managed to respectfully gain the world's attention by training himself to use this feet to paint. This was highlighted in the film; "My Left Foot", and is a testament to the power that the mind can have over such blocks.
So in conclusion, and not to say I am absent of any of these blocks, is that the brain is a continually working machine. It needs to be worked and maintained to work properly. What can happen, is a grain of sand will enter the works. If that sand is left then the machine will suffer. If the knowledge of that sand is used in a positive way then the problem will happen again, but the solutions will also come, and come quicker. The next post will be on another of these blocks.
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