“Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind.” —- Ralph Waldo Emerson
The above quote embraces the selective substance of conscious discernment. Maureen DuFermont suggests this . . . “The essential foundation for distinguishing who you are begins with recognizing, appreciating and honoring your prized individuality.” After we have bumped along through our “growing-up years,” involving grammar school, high school, for many it is university and perhaps on with chemical/electrical engineering specialty courses, a law degree or even an MD, we make choices based on information, and from that we begin to form character, personality, individuality, core values, and principles which pivot into decision-making. DuFermont also states that “Reflecting on your innermost values requires a great deal of self-honesty, compassion and empathetic understanding of the human condition.”
Given all that, additional invaluable ingredients are self-direction, focus, discipline and a willingness to surrender. Yes . . . in the last analysis within the innermost recesses of who you believe you really are, letting go of that which is not working, or with an individual who is completely clueless of what you are about, leads to the ultimate understanding of just letting go, which doesn’t mean giving up, but just stepping back and allowing the gift of time to reflect another path. This process doesn’t mean you have lost by any measure, it is quite the opposite. Once you have done this enough in every facet of your life’s journey, you finally come to realize these words of Dr. Dennis Merritt Jones, from The Art of Being . . . “No matter what the gift of your genius may be, the magic ingredient in manifesting is always the same: discipline! The ‘D’ word sends chills down many spines, and there are times when I resist it with all my might. Discipline gives focus and direction to our energy of intention, which in turn unleashes the genius.”
Why would discipline send chills down many spines? From an extremely young age if discipline was not demanded of you on several levels, you missed the opportunity to exercise your ability to understand consciously, who you were, what you were made of, or how to problem solve during every turn of your life. Discipline is beyond challenging, because it builds character, integrity, honor, core values and embraces the principles that we live by in every circumstance we experience. Finally, from any perspective or perception where you have embraced critical thinking, self-examination/honesty, while knowingly implementing the purpose of intention, the bottom line as characterized through the Science of Mind is, “Life is a state of consciousness, and unless you change your state of consciousness, nothing else can change.” Add to that discernment, which only amplifies how necessary it is for all of us to become engaged in the balance of purpose, through intentional awakening based in discipline. JLR