WORKPLACE WELLNESS
Transform yourself one thought at a time
Film shows science behind
emotions There is a new flower shop that recently opened in my neighborhood. As soon as I went in, there was a sense of beauty and expansion. I felt
welcomed and at ease. When I go in to buy flowers the shop owner always relates to me in a kind and uplifting manner. The place is a delight for all the senses; it is obvious that the owner has paid attention to every detail. She loves
her work, she is inspired and it radiates. Last month I saw the movie What the bleep do we know and was reminded in a very persuasive way of the
effect our projections have on reality. We are aware at an early age of the power of thoughts as a precursor to action. But because of this movie, many of us are becoming more aware of the direct effect thoughts have on one’s own
physiology, perceptions, moods, as well as the physical environment around us. For those of you who have not seen it, this movie - a blend of quantum
physics, mysticism, religion and drama - it conveys awesome evidence that we transform ourselves and the world around us with merely the thoughts we harbour.
Everyone has heard the expression “I’ve taken a quantum leap.” But what does it mean? How can we apply it to the everyday? How does it affect my business or my life?
When we take a quantum leap, we jump into uncharted territory, we give up our preconceived notion about life and accept that fundamentally the universe is
paradoxical. Quantum physics has introduced to the western mind notions long embraced in countries like China and India: the interconnectedness of everything, the multidimensionality of existence and the principle of indetermination,
also known as the unknown. These notions are now at the forefront of innovative contemporary thinking in many domains, including medicine, psychology and business.
When we suspend our beliefs about doing things a certain way, there is room for a new way to emerge – a fresh point of view. The
new flower shop owner told me what drives her in the morning is creativity. When she opened shop she felt a sense of scarcity from the previous owner. She exerted a lot of energy to cleanse the space of this feeling of “not having
enough.” Among the 14 scientists interviewed in What the bleep, neuroscientist Candace Pert eloquently reveals how the brain, nervous, endocrine and immune
systems form an interdependent nexus in which every part communicates with every other. One of the powerful ideas she expresses is the fact that emotions do
not randomly occur; rather they are constructed from neuro electric pathways. In the same way that water cuts a path in the earth as it flows, our emotions flow through the path most traveled. If someone is happy, it’s because she has
created more “happy” connections; conversely, if someone is often angry, it’s because she has created more “angry pathways.” What she is saying, in essence,
is that we have a choice – we are not slaves to our emotions. The act of observing our emotional reactions, and becoming aware of our favourite neural paths, is the first step in helping see alternatives to the emotional routes most
traveled. How many of us wish we could choose to have more freedom from jealousy, addiction or anger? Another revelation in the film is Masaru Emoto’s
enlarged photos documenting the formation of rapidly frozen water crystals. In his art/science experiment he applies one of several phrases – such as “love,” “gratitude” or “you make me sick” – on to glass jars containing water. The next
day he photographs the crystals using a microscope lens. The water in the jar with the word “love” formed symmetrical crystals that resembled perfect snowflakes; the water in the jar with “you make me sick” were distorted, gnarled and
formed no crystal. Such is the power of intention according to this experiment. Water is the most receptive of all the elements; it is highly responsive to
the vibration and energy of everything around it. Our bodies as well as the earth are made of about 70 percent water. We are composed of billions of cells that hold liquid. In light of Dr. Emoto’s findings, the impact of our thoughts on
one’s own body happens on a molecular level. One thought triggers an emotion and then a physical reaction. The thoughts we have shape our lives; not just in
action, but at a molecular level. Some thoughts will create crystals and bring more joy while others will make us feel sick or depressed. Some thoughts will breed cooperation and friendliness while others will make people cautious around
us. It has been observed that when we feel joy the functioning of our whole being is more optimal. Like the flower shop, all of us have been in businesses
that are pleasant at all levels; where staff is genuinely content, where it’s clean, where it’s bright. We’ve been in homes and places of worship that radiate a similar joy. We’ve been in workplaces where people feel happy, full of
purpose and respected. And if we’re not lucky enough to be in one of those places today, we wonder how can we create it? The answer, at the very least, begins with our thoughts. |
