Regret is a complicated feeling state, and the mind has more depth than is commonly considered when we tackle our challenges in daily life.
Let’s start with the root of consciousness, the subconscious mind. It has been established that it perceives only identities, presences, what is. In hypnosis, they cannot make a negative suggestion. Like if the hypnotist said “You will not smoke”, the subconscious would understand you-will-smoke and it would agitate their addiction.
First I need to define regret and I will define it by what it is not. What does it mean to say “I have no regrets”?
This would mean “You do have regrets“ to the subconscious? To the subconscious, but that phrase is said by the conscious rational mind. What it means is that my intentions and my actions are consistent with each other. When we have a regret isn’t the common complaint “I didn’t mean it”? Would that not mean they perceive their action not to reflect their intent?
True, and it sounds hollow. It always sounds hollow, because even a moments reflection shows us that is not how human nature works.
Why should modern civilization demand the demeaning of the individual to that degree. That they must express emptiness as a punishment? Very valid question. Regrettably it does, but in fact no one is genuinely empty.
Where is the break in communication and understanding when we regret an action we undertook?
We admit in some way that the regret indicates a disconnect often accompanied with some fear that the disconnect might stick and end that connection with that person. True, and a deep insight.
There is a problem when someone has regrets, yes? If they have a regret as a burden, then yes, it’s a problem, but what really burdens them? The memory or something else?
What burdens them is a lack of a sense of intent. They think it’s possible not to intend something. This is a mistaken notion. They did intend it, but they mis-identify intent.
“I didn’t mean to hurt you.” Like that? Yes. They do not know what it is to intend, not with any clarity.
Back to the subconscious mind. Our intent comes from there, and you can always predict intent based on your dreams. The subconscious doesn’t hum and haw about anything. If you dream of hostility toward a member of your family, you may have not done it yet, but your intent is there, and you would need to be prepared to make a more informed choice. That is the purpose of the conscious mind. When you have the flight or fight response triggered, you do intend to fight or flee. So what is the actual operation going on that makes one happen and not the other?
Choice? Yes, but higher thought isn’t generally possible in the grip of panic, yet only one behaviour happens. So how was that chosen?
Instinct, but I’m still not sure how it decides. Perhaps it chemically measures the threat? Attention sets intention, and there is a chemical response to stimuli yes, but it’s not actually mechanical. With clarity of attention the flight or fight response is often avoided in its entirety, but no thinking allows this does it? How often do we regret “knee jerk” actions?
Does not the body’s preparation “ballet” with the driver’s? Oh, indeed it does, but it’s subordinate and people forget that. Ideally one could reach a genuine state of no regrets if there is symbiosis between body and mind, but instead there is conflict. Why is that? The body is often not given its proper priority as an object of attention, so while its building up tension, stress, anxiety, the mind is busy imagining what an appropriate response to that is, and gets only a portion of the body input.
I made a point once of watching my bodies reaction to things, and events, and people at work. It was full of information I never saw before. That information is wisdom, and imagination is a good and proper faculty. It’s our one creative ability, but when attention is narrow the imagination is often ill informed and will miscreate, and you will do what you “didn’t mean to.”
Your thoughts are welcome. Be well friends.
Travis Saunders
Dragon Intuitive
~science,mysticism,spirituality~