Eldon Taylor's Blog, page 8

What it means to surrender

In this week’s spotlight I want to explore what’s involved in surrender. Now I’m not thinking about the type of surrender that occurs on a battlefield, although it might sometimes seem like one. Rather, I’m addressing what is meant when we speak of surrendering to that which is larger than ourselves. Let me clarify that some by borrowing the words of Eckhart Tolle, “Always say ‘yes’ to the present moment . . . Surrender to what is. Say ‘yes’ to life – and see how life starts suddenly to start working for you rather than against you.”1 Turn it over ...

Mind Training 101

In this week’s spotlight, I want to remind everyone of just how important training your own mind is. Surprisingly, at least to me, there are many people who do not understand what it means to train your mind. Perhaps we need a beginner’s book for dummies on how to train your mind. Indeed, I think it would be a great thing for young people to encounter an illustrated version when they first begin to read, but let me flesh that out some. More Than Positive Thinking Training your mind is much more than positive thinking. That said, when I address ...

Understanding Habits

For this week’s spotlight, I chose to turn to habits. Not long ago I attended a CEU dedicated to understanding habits and addiction. The presenter shared a personal story about his own battle with weight control. From appearance sake alone, he could easily afford to lose over 100 pounds. He explained that there was a time when he was addicted to Krispy Kreme donuts. As he could eat two-dozen or more a day, he decided he could lose a lot of weight if he just gave up Krispy Kreme. This was working well for him until one day he had ...

Discussion or Argument?

In this week’s spotlight, I wish to approach the subject of disagreements. It’s not possible in today’s world to avoid coming across events, beliefs, customs, and/or moral issues, which we may not agree with. Sometimes it seems that it is also almost impossible not to engage in a disagreement, for as the adage (paraphrased some) goes, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.” That said, how we engage is also important for as Robert Quillen put it, “Discussion is an exchange of knowledge, argument an exchange of ignorance.” Engage? What are ...

Givers and Helpers

Today, I would like to focus on those people who take an interest in helping others. We live at a time when conflict is everywhere, and it ranges from the strictly verbal to the most violent of extremes. Indeed, if we turn to the news, whether print or electronic, the promotion of anger and enmity confronts us on a 24/7 basis. Nasty labels and poisonous vitriol thrown this way and that contaminate content and undercut all integrity, and yet it is more and more common everyday. Time and Treasure Still, amidst the argument and divisiveness there are those who make ...

Where Do Ideas Come From?

Today I wish to address the idea behind ideas. Think about that—where do our ideas come from and can we somehow encourage more of them? I mean, wouldn’t it be nice if we could magically turn a switch on in our minds and voila, some tremendous far-sighted innovation! According to Abraham Loeb, an Israeli American theoretical physicist and Professor at Harvard University, “They’re nurtured by informal dialogues in environments where mistakes are tolerated and critical thinking is encouraged…Ideas originate from pregnant minds, just as babies emerge from the bellies of their mothers.” If so, what then makes a mind fertile? ...

Words Can Change Your Brain

In this week’s spotlight I would like to discuss the power of words. In an earlier article I have discussed words as slicers and dicers—reflecting on one of my old modified sayings, “Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will slice and dice me.” Slice and Dice When we think of hurtful words, we usually think of their emotional toll. How nasty words said in the past feel—then and sometimes still today. The emotional sting from some words can last a lifetime, but setting that aside for a moment, do you know what words can do to the ...

The Story Begins Here

I have often been asked what we do at InnerTalk. In answering this question, I usually begin by saying something like, “Well that begins with a story.” So please allow me to share that story with you now. In the mid 1980s I owned a private agency specializing in intelligence and counterintelligence. The practice of lie detection testing and forensic hypnosis were among my specialties. I had developed a form of dichotic masking that we used to play subliminal messages such as “the truth shall set you free” during detection of deception interviews and examinations. The use of this technology ...

Practical Reasoning

I want to suggest in this week’s spotlight that it is neither unscientific nor irrational to hold spiritual beliefs. Indeed, I intend to go further and suggest that it is the only rational way to live. To that end, let’s examine the nature of reason. There are two general types of reason. Philosophically speaking, practical reason is the use of reason to decide how to act. It contrasts with theoretical reason, often called speculative reason, which is the use of reason to decide what to follow. Theoretical reason tries to assess the way things are. Practical reason decides how the ...

Perception and Life’s Stressors

In today’s spotlight I would like to discuss the relationship between perception and the stressors in our lives. Whenever I ask someone about the stressor in their life there are certain answers that are common to almost everyone. That is, their job, money, the children, finances, misunderstandings, and money once again. Oh, there are also those habits we want to break, the weight we want to lose, issues around health and wellness, and so forth—but it seems for most people the daily stressors are all wrapped up in the job, family, and money. Why These Stressors? Think about that for ...