Robert Gale Ongley

Month: September 2019

  • ON MAGICAL THINKING

    It has been suggested to me recently that I’m inclined toward magical thinking. It’s set me to thinking, analytically that is. It doesn’t come as a surprise that I would be seen as a magical thinker. I’m a believer in a lot of stuff, probably bordering on naive at times. I don’t see myself as gullible, but I tend to believe all things are possible. I have a deep sense that everything happens for a reason. I believe that our identity lies in our spiritual nature, not in our names or bodies. I see complete understanding (enlightenment) as our destiny individually and collectively. But I haven’t always been right in my beliefs. So, I’ve decided to take a closer look at magical thinking versus critical thinking. Perhaps we can all benefit from greater clarity along these lines.

    What is Magical Thinking?

    I’ve had the impression it meant different things to different people. To provide a thread of consistency, I’ve now found a few definitions I’ll share with you.

    From Brittanica.com: “Magical thinking, the belief that one’s ideas, thoughts, actions, words, or use of symbols can influence the course of events in the material world. Magical thinking presumes a causal link between one’s inner, personal experience and the external physical world. Examples include beliefs that the movement of the Sun, Moon, and wind or the occurrence of rain can be influenced by one’s thoughts or by the manipulation of some type of symbolic representation of these physical phenomena.”

    From Psychology Today.com: Dr. Alex Lickerman writes, “Magical thinking is defined as believing that one event happens as a result of another without a plausible link of causation.” He follows this with an excellent discussion about what constitutes magical thinking and what does not. Among many others, he makes the point that truth is largely subjective, but we must be sure to maintain a healthy skepticism when coming to any conclusions.

    From Scientific American.com: “ ‘Magical thinking’ (as it has been called) is defined as the belief that an object, action or circumstance not logically related to a course of events can influence its outcome.”

    Critical Thinking

    The Oxford Dictionary defines critical thinking as “the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgment.”

    Here’s a more sweeping description from the website criticalthinking.org: “Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action.”

    The Envelope, Please

    Based on what we’ve just read, it would seem a person would have to be a fool to consider magical thinking as superior to critical thinking. Being a critical thinker means using actual proof versus belief or blind faith…working with scientific method as opposed to someone’s word or one’s own intuition…determining answers to questions without bias, rejecting findings that don’t stand up to the scrutiny of logic.

    I can’t argue with that, as far as it goes. Admittedly, it goes pretty far. Science does have its limitations, however. Ponder this for a moment. Of all that is knowable in this universe, what percentage of it has science proven to be true. Must it not be infinitesimal? And doesn’t science deal primarily with matter, energy, and space? There are still frontiers on this planet alone that are largely awaiting investigation, such as the deep ocean or the plane of quantum fields. The full workings of the mind are far from understood by scientists. They are good at what they do, but there’s so much they haven’t done.

    By the way, science evolves. Many of its discoveries of truth are eventually proven untrue and replaced with better ones.

    What Do You Know?

    I submit the concept that we can know things without having performed experiments to prove them. Here are some common examples.

    1. People can realize who is calling them before the phone rings.
    2. I think, therefore I am.
    3. Having certainty of an ability to do a challenging task.
    4. Understanding truth when it is realized.
    5. Sensing a bond of friendship.

    These are levels of knowing that are personal and unshakable if we just accept our capability to know. Can transference of this knowing into intention and exerting it upon the exterior world only through thought have observable influence? Is this merely magical thinking or is there some potential in this type of thinking? At this stage of our development, it’s a matter of faith, but there are cases where people have made convincing demonstrations of “mind over matter.”

    The Truth Within

    Critical thinking is a vital part of our survival skills. The human brain gives us this talent we should never waste. By the same token, some of the great minds in history have told us “Truth lies within.”

    Within lies conscience, untapped love, compassion and wisdom reflected back to us if we will just look in honest inquiry. There is so much to be found and this too should not be wasted. Carl Jung stated it magnificently. “Your vision becomes clear when you look inside your heart. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens.”


  • CREATIVE LIVING FOR A SMOOTHER LIFE (PART TWO)

    Living in this universe can be a rough ride. We often don’t make it easy on ourselves with our decisions and our mindsets. Why would this be? It has to do with violating certain laws of the universe or misusing them.

    Commonly Known Universal Laws

    I have in mind taking some laws of the universe that can be used in everyday living, then presenting how we can use them to flourish and prosper individually and collectively. Let’s start with some big laws and work our way into a tighter focus on ones that relate to our ways of life.

    Isaac Newton had one of the greatest minds ever. Using some basics postulated by Galileo, he discovered laws of motion. Quoting Brittanica online, “Newton’s first law states that, if a body is at rest or moving at a constant speed in a straight line, it will remain at rest or keep moving in a straight line at constant speed unless it is acted upon by a force. This postulate is known as the law of inertia.”

    The law of conservation of energy states that energy cannot be created or destroyed. It can only be transformed to another form of energy, such as when water is boiled and converted to heat. Water has potential energy and heat has kinetic energy.

    Cause and effect is the law which states that every cause has an effect and every effect becomes a cause onto something else. This suggests everything happening in our lives is the result of a cause and effect chain of events.

    Make Them Work for You

    If you find motivation to be in short supply, Newton’s first law is a reminder that in order for you to accomplish anything, you first have to move. Putting your body into motion will get you started. Once you’re in action, keep in mind that the tendency to keep moving will eventually get you to a goal or the ultimate finish line on a project.

    Although our energy does ebb and flow, it’s good to know there is no shortage of energy in the universe. Proper eating and getting plenty of rest regenerate your energy resources, fueling your creative efforts.

    The law of cause and effect brings us the assurance that we can make things happen. Do anything to create or improve conditions and you can be certain there will be an effect that will lead to more cause and more effect, forever really. It’s comforting to know that even a destructive act can create an effect that, by our will, can be turned into a benevolent deed.

    Social or Spiritual Laws

    From what I can tell in my limited research, social and spiritual laws are conclusions drawn based on observation. They are not created or arrived at by use of scientific methods and the demanding criteria natural science requires. To refer to them as laws may be considered a form of exaggeration. However, it doesn’t mean they aren’t necessarily true. It would be advisable to use critical thinking when considering their validity. I suggest trying them out with no attachment to the outcome of your own experiment.

    In the book of humor titled Theories on Stuff and Stuff penned by Froth P. Harrington, Etc., one of the theories is that in an automobile accident, the driver who is at fault is not injured. The driver not at fault is injured. This theory is tongue-in-cheek, but it could be considered a social law because of the frequency with which injuries are claimed per this breakdown. It may be observable in the majority of cases, yet not rise to the level of being a law since there will be many exceptions.

    When it comes to creative living to make a smoother life, I’ve found some “laws” that I have found to be true for me. Accordingly, I submit a couple for your consideration.

    Deepak Chopra wrote a remarkable book titled “The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success…A Practical Guide to the Fulfillment of Your Dreams.” One of my favorites is The Law of Pure Potentiality. His introduction speaks to me. “The source of all creation is pure consciousness…pure potentiality seeking expression from the unmanifest to the manifest. And when we realize that our true Self is one of pure potentiality, we align with the power that manifests everything in the universe.” One way to access that field of pure potentiality is meditation, silence and non-judgment, per Chopra.

    The Law of “Dharma” or Purpose in Life is another of Chopra’s Seven. The introduction on this one sums it up beautifully. “Everyone has a purpose in life…a unique gift or special talent to give to others. And when we blend this unique talent with service to others, we experience the ecstasy and exultation of our own spirit, which is the ultimate goal of all goals.”

    Smooth

    I believe the best way to enjoy life is to take it without judgment as it comes, not resisting what the intelligence of universal nature sends our way. We can then create in joy and harmony.