The Seven-Day Mental Diet
“The food you furnish your mind determines the character of your life. The subjects that you allow your mind to dwell upon make your surroundings what they are. As thy days, so shall they strength be (Deuteronomy 33:25) which in modern language may be translated as thy thoughts so shall thy life be.”
Emmet Fox
As I wait for these wonderful holiday photos to continue to upload, I am writing another post on an entirely different subject, one of spirituality. I have mentioned that I am letting go of my will, trying to just go with the flow, not worry too much (or at all) and not try to control any sort of outcome. I have been focusing on myself, my son and my life these past few days. Your prayers have carried me, this I know. I have been set free for now, one day at a time. I understand this is a roller coaster ride of emotions for me, but today, I'm in a good, good place. I thank you for all you have done for me!
Now about this diet....
I have shared with you my daily readers. One of them is a compilation of various writings by Emmet Fox called Around the Year with Emmet Fox
. The last 6 pages of this meditation book entertain an exercise in thought and restraint. He calls it the Seven-Day Mental Diet. It consists of paying attention to our thoughts. “Thought is the real causative force in life, and there is no other.... This is the real key to life...” (All quoted words are from the aforementioned book unless otherwise specified.)
And be not confirmed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind… (Romans 12:2)
“The practical difficulty in applying it [Romans 12:2] arises from the fact that our thoughts are so close to us that it is difficult, without a little practice, to stand back and look at them objectively. Yet that is just what you must learn to do. You must train yourself to choose the subject of your thinking at any given time, and also to choose the emotional tone.”
He goes on to say that training yourself in this particular habit will be difficult for the first few days, that we will be amazed at the things we learn about ourselves. “This may be the most significant week in your whole life; not only will you be able to face your present difficulties in a better spirit, but the difficulties will go. You cannot change conditions directly — you have often tried to do so and failed — but go on the seven-day mental diet and conditions must change for you.”
How did he know? That is exactly what I had been trying to do... to change my conditions directly. I made changes in myself so that my conditions would change. I tried to convince my husband several different ways. I've made many desperate attempts to appease him, to sway him to my way of thinking.
What I am finally realizing... finally... is to let go. Completely.
“This then is your prescription. For seven days you must not allow yourself to dwell for a moment on any kind of negative thought. You must watch yourself for a week and must not under any pretense allow your mind to dwell on any thought that is not positive, constructive, optimistic, kind.”
Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. (Matthew 26:41)
So, no negative thinking. Think only constructive, optimistic and kind thoughts.
Emmet Fox
As I wait for these wonderful holiday photos to continue to upload, I am writing another post on an entirely different subject, one of spirituality. I have mentioned that I am letting go of my will, trying to just go with the flow, not worry too much (or at all) and not try to control any sort of outcome. I have been focusing on myself, my son and my life these past few days. Your prayers have carried me, this I know. I have been set free for now, one day at a time. I understand this is a roller coaster ride of emotions for me, but today, I'm in a good, good place. I thank you for all you have done for me!
Now about this diet....
I have shared with you my daily readers. One of them is a compilation of various writings by Emmet Fox called Around the Year with Emmet Fox
. The last 6 pages of this meditation book entertain an exercise in thought and restraint. He calls it the Seven-Day Mental Diet. It consists of paying attention to our thoughts. “Thought is the real causative force in life, and there is no other.... This is the real key to life...” (All quoted words are from the aforementioned book unless otherwise specified.)And be not confirmed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind… (Romans 12:2)
“The practical difficulty in applying it [Romans 12:2] arises from the fact that our thoughts are so close to us that it is difficult, without a little practice, to stand back and look at them objectively. Yet that is just what you must learn to do. You must train yourself to choose the subject of your thinking at any given time, and also to choose the emotional tone.”
He goes on to say that training yourself in this particular habit will be difficult for the first few days, that we will be amazed at the things we learn about ourselves. “This may be the most significant week in your whole life; not only will you be able to face your present difficulties in a better spirit, but the difficulties will go. You cannot change conditions directly — you have often tried to do so and failed — but go on the seven-day mental diet and conditions must change for you.”
How did he know? That is exactly what I had been trying to do... to change my conditions directly. I made changes in myself so that my conditions would change. I tried to convince my husband several different ways. I've made many desperate attempts to appease him, to sway him to my way of thinking.
What I am finally realizing... finally... is to let go. Completely.
“This then is your prescription. For seven days you must not allow yourself to dwell for a moment on any kind of negative thought. You must watch yourself for a week and must not under any pretense allow your mind to dwell on any thought that is not positive, constructive, optimistic, kind.”
Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. (Matthew 26:41)
So, no negative thinking. Think only constructive, optimistic and kind thoughts.
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