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Re-Programming

I believe that each of us, mostly, own a laptop. Do we agree that whatever programs that we install into the hard disk of the laptop, are the programs that run in the hard disk and thus, the multiple functions usable on the laptop such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access would be the effects of such programming and we are the experiencer of the whole programming?

So, if I were to put in a ‘I love me’ program; it is likely the moment I switch on my laptop, the screen on my laptop would show me how beautiful I am, remind me how much I am being loved, show me beautiful images of love, probably narrate love poems to me or even serenade love songs to me.

On the contrarily, if I were to put in a ‘I hate me’ program; it is likely that the moment I switch on my laptop, the screen on my laptop would show me images on how ugly and imperfect I am, how others despise me, shows me hate notes and play out hateful or hurtful songs to me.

If I, the experiencer of the latter, do not like what I am experiencing; would it be effective for me to blame the laptop for making me feel bad and lousy, or perhaps tear down the screen of the laptop if I wanted to change my experience in the hope that the next time I turn on my laptop again, those images, words, songs would not reappear?

We all know how laptops or computers work; and we know that it doesn’t work that way. We know and understand that if we wanted to experience a different effect or usage for the laptop, we would have to reformat or reprogram the hard disk to the specifics that serves us. The unhelpful programs have to be thrown away.

Our lives are as such. Never mind about the no “I” concept or what is beyond the world at the moment. Let’s look at life as it is now. We feel like life is unfair to us, because people are treating us this way; because situations are like not in favor – we are constantly depending on outer conditions to make us feel better about ourselves – same as depending on the screens of the laptop to make us feel a certain way and when it does not happen, we blame it on the screens on the laptop, on what is only the projection of the programs in the hard disk, instead of remembering or being aware that these projections are NOT the source of the problem. Even that, we also conveniently forget who is responsible for the programming, when it is no one else other than ourselves. Are we not the writer of our own lives, are we not the masters of our own mind? So nicely said, and yet, so little truth in it in most of us.

We fail to see that we are the ones narrating our own lives; from moment to moment, consciously or unconsciously. If we had understood the mechanics of how the programming works in the hard disk of a laptop, then it is not possible that you would not understand how our minds work. All our minds work the same, only there are some tricky parts to it which requires our uncompromising integrity and honesty to get at it. And it starts with the observation of the mind.

Similar to the text contents of reading or watching the documentary, The Secret. There is truth to it, but yet not it. However, it is necessary to understand such possibilities – in fact, it is a start. But what the book or the documentary doesn’t cover is the underlying process that leads one to it, which is why most people experience mixed results.

One of my teachers reminds me, that no one can get hurt in this dream. This is not a dream of impossibilities but a dream of possibilities, which is why it is important to observe the mind thus understand how it works in order to master it. We do not tame it by suppressing it, but understand it in order to work with it. If we do not understand the characteristics of something, how do we maneuver it?

I believe that in each of us, all we ever truly want is to be at peace with ourselves; and the first step to that is to start turning the radar inwards to investigate each trigger we experience. When we stop pointing fingers outside, or rather, at the ‘projection’, we come back close to home, to the ‘projector’ and then to the program in the hard disk, i.e. the ideas in the mind. When we are able to get to the root idea of the programming, then can a re-programming be possible.

2 Responses to “Re-Programming”

  1. mun says:

    The ideas in our minds are a result of the way we were brought up, what we were taught in schools, what we learned when young by observing the adults and society around us.

    Is there a way we can bring up children from a very young age so that they can be mindful from the start and not be programmed with the current mainstream society’s ideas, concepts and etc. So that later on when they become adults, they do not need to deprogram everything that they have learned during their childhood in order to be at peace with their adult selves? Can children be taught from young how to be adults who are at peace with themselves?

    In a nutshell, how to teach young children the “correct” way so that they do not need to reprogram themselves when they are adults. Can it be done?

    • GG says:

      Hi Mun, I so apologise for my late reply. Was overseas for the past few days. 🙂

      I am so thankful for your question because I asked one of my teachers the same question as well some time last year. Apparently, we cannot really interfere with the ideas other individuals or children ingrain in their minds, except our own – it is their journey, you see. Having a child my own, I too had the same worry – and my wise teacher told me this, all I have to do is to take care of my own mind, and all others will take care of themselves. The most basic thing we can educate children is mindfulness and self-awareness, and in order to do that, we would need to be in the practice ourselves.

      A parent who is aware of him or herself and who understands the workings of his or her own mind, would understand others as well. With that understanding, which eventually becomes an asset to us, can then serve as a form of guidance to children. Since programming is necessary anyway to live, it is important to continuously question ideas which binds us or rather brings us sufferings and for that, we can too guide the children to inquire their own ideas eventually.

      I have a friend who uses Byron Katie’s 4 Turnaround Questions on his kid to guide his kid to inquire his own perceptions which eventually lead to his kid’s own peace of mind. By using this method, which is called ‘The Work’ by Byron Katie, the kid answers his own questions and then realises for himself. Feel free to click on this link to read on his sot-sot parenting with his kid. 🙂

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