Being in Two Minds

A being in two minds, should recognize the qualities of their faculties. In explaining the difference between the conscious and unconscious mind, a straightforward definition is that the conscious mind is the thoughts, memories of which we are aware of. It has the ability to analyze, make judgements and decisions and decide what is or is not possible to enact. Some people link it to the left hemisphere of the brain and refer to it as left brain thinking, as it contains the logical and verbal facets of the brain.

The unconscious holds all the experiences and feelings that have been acquired in a lifetime. It contains all that is out of our conscious awareness, including automatic functions such as breathing and muscle memory. It is also referred to as right brain thinking from the right, or silent, hemisphere of the brain. It comprises of intuitive, creative thinking that uses imagery and metaphor to communicate.

While a straightforward explanation may suit some people, it may be more appropriate, considering the nature of hypnotherapy, or healing trancework, to explain it to others in the form of analogy for which I would begin by asking my client to look out of the window at the sky…

Our minds are as infinite as the sky out there, though most of the time we are unaware of this and keep our eyes down to earth, focussed on the day-to-day concerns of our reality. Upon waking, ready to start another day in our lives, the Sun illuminates our world, and its light is so bright that it obscures the depths of space, and we are aware only of what is revealed to us under its light. And light and the Sun is the metaphor belonging to every culture throughout the ages to illustrate the conscious mind, whenever understanding “dawns” and truth “comes to light.” Our thoughts are the clouds as they move across the sky, some dark and thunderous, others merely vapours that catch our awareness before drifting away again.

The night sky is the metaphor of the unconscious, when the sun sets, and the vast darkness of space is revealed. It is the infinite illumination of the stars, each light a memory of a world far away, like all our experiences in our lifetime. Sometimes clouds, like thoughts, obscure the night sky and all its wonders, sometimes the night sky is illuminated by the reflected sunlight of the moon, which distorts our perceptions of the world. The word, “lunacy” comes from the word “lunar,” as madmen were once thought to be influenced by this ‘false’ light’. Those moments of dusk and dawn are where the night and day meet, the dreamland where the conscious mind merges with the unconscious mind, sending dreams and inspiration from our infinite selves ...

The unconscious mind never sleeps, it is always present, influencing the conscious mind, just like the stars that are there every day that we don’t see.