Thread by @drlouisehansen

Why the divide and conquer mindset? Since we know it kills countless lives? It has destroyed this planet? Most people would agree that human being always want more. We consume, consume, consume. Then we consume some more. 1/20 #HealingTrauma

What most humans beings do not realise, is that we do not want more. What we are really after is all: Freedom. Except we can never have “all” physically or psychologically. Why not? Our body has a boundary. Our mind also has a boundary. 2/20

The boundary is what makes you, you, and me, me. So we cannot have “all” when you are half and I am the other half. Despite this, we persist endlessly. We divide and conquer: “I want the best job. The best house. 3/20

The best car. The best wife. Except once I have this, I am still miserable. Why?” More can never be all. This is what spirituality was designed for. It is not about God. It is not about Heaven. It is not about Hell. It is about your direct relationship with Existence itself. 4/20

It is the realisation that “consciousness” is the only dimension of life that is boundless. I remember playing with Mindfulness 🧘‍♀️ years ago. Mindfulness is “nonjudgmental acceptance of the present with openness and curiosity”. Essentially, the opposite of your Intellect. 5/20

The Intellect is a cutting instrument (i.e. it is what divides and conquers). So it goes like this: The less you judge, the more present you are, in this moment - right here, right now - with openness and curiosity, naturally your box (i.e. Mind) opens up: Freedom. 6/20

I remember thinking, I cannot believe Psychiatry has embraced Mindfulness. I honestly thought to myself, do they truly understand the implications of it? For example, Psychiatry might go out of business! Mindfulness takes you to the centre of yourself, to Existence. 7/20

Not your name, age, gender, job, house, car, wife, and yes, not a diagnosis. So how could these be permanent? This is what “spirit” (i.e. essence) in the word spirituality represents. Not a God. Not a Heaven. Not a Hell. You within Existence: Freedom. 8/20

When the whole Universe dwells within you (i.e. Namaste) what is there to unnecessarily gain or lose? Naturally desires drop. We live simply. The implications of are worldwide. It is not only a tool to reduce suffering, it is a ticket to world peace. 9/20

A fatal error that humans have made is to conclude we are simply selfish; that we only want more, so we consume, consume, consume. An equally valid explanation, that many have argued for thousands of years, is that, it is just that, we are using the wrong tool. 10/20

No amount of more will ever satisfy our hunger for all: Freedom. As science, psychology, psychiatry and wisdom traditions begin to converge, peace is no longer a fanciful idea. It is a possibility for us all. Psychiatry will likely stay in business, for various reasons. 11/20

However, if practitioners do their job correctly, we should all arrive at this basic truth: Reality. Some say the greatest problem with Enlightenment is that it is so simply, we miss it. Others say, Enlightenment is the ego’s greatest disappointment. 12/20

When we drop fanciful ideas (i.e. Intellect) and see for ourselves (i.e. Mindfulness), any genuine seeker will not be disappointed. If you need inspiration look to children and animals. Much healthier than us. Often more peaceful and joyful too. Do they have more or all? 13/20

Adults could learn a lot from them as we face humanity’s greatest emergencies: climate change and human rights abuse. This will require that we switch from self esteem: the need to be special and above average; aka “more”; competitive; “survival of the fittest”) 14/20

to self compassion: kindness, common humanity, mindfulness; aka “enough”; collaborative; “Enlightenment”). This can be done; it has been done for thousands of years. People make the switch everyday. Why? Because our fight mode drops (fight, flight, freeze, collapse). 15/20

Because our social engagement system turns on (peace, joy, love, compassion, blissfulness, ecstasy). Fight mode will always be there for a genuine “physical” life and death threat. Not what we see too often today: a culture responding to “psychological” threats in our 16/20

effort to be “more” (i.e. not good enough, smart enough, pretty enough, skinny enough, wealthy enough). So next time you are hungry for more, ask yourself: “Do I really want more, or do I want all?” If you want more, your mind will carry on consuming. 17/20

You will continue to divide and conquer. You will never win, nor be satisfied. Once you realise, that what you really want is all, you will stop and smile, have a quiet laugh, since it was always here, within you and all around you. Right before your eyes. 18/20

Here we can celebrate our lives and relationships, knowing that at the deepest level, we are all enough - not more or less. We all belong. What a great mindset to work with climate change and to end human rights abuse. 19/20💜🕊 #HealingTrauma #Justice4Australia #WeAllBelong

p.s. If some people say God, let them. So long as it is more helpful than harmful. God is a metaphor, for what is essentially nameless. When a metaphor is used correctly, it will bring us closer to reality. Otherwise, a metaphor will send us mad. They are even used to kill. 20/20