Mind over Matter

Nice post.

In my opinion, the mind is limiting itself. I believe that when we are far more evolved, things that are impossible for us now will be routine in the future.

I'm sure we all know what percent of the brain is actually utilized...

Welcome to A2K, Unforgiven. It is a pleasure to have you here.

"I'm interested to hear everyone's thoughts on what limitations the mind sets for the body."

This part of your post is what captured my attention the most. I personally would be interested in knowing how limitLESS the mind can be over ones body.

In my own opinion, and it is just that, the mind is an incredible tool, that some have learned to use very well, as in your example of martial arts. I think most others though take that tool and just let it run its own path over the course of their lifetimes.

I think it is a choice, either consciously or unconsciously that we all make about how we use our brains and in what way we use them. We have all heard of the power of prayer in overcoming illness, the will to survive when all odds are against us Tapping into what I believe is unlimited potential of the brain is not limited to physical feats alone. I use the mind over matter technique quite often by talking myself out of a cold that I feel coming on, using the power of meditation to ease the pain of an excruciating fibromyalgia pain flare up and I also use my brain a great deal at night during sleep (I call it night school) to problem solve and gain a greater understanding of life in general..

I think one of the neatest stories I ever heard about mind over matter was the story about a man who was in a very severe auto accident and upon arriving in the ER, all of the Doctors and Nurses did not think he would survive and it was shown by the shakes of their heads and their
pre-set attitudes. The man gathered the strength to tell them, "Treat me like I'm going to live, damnit, not like I'm going to die!" And live he did.

In the end, I think we all have the tool...it's what we do with it that makes the difference.

It is a matter of harnessing energy, and focusing it where it is most needed. A human being contains more energy than any stone. This energy is divided equally in your whole being. What the kung fu masters do is that they focus their energy into the single blow. Bruce Lee's one inch punch is the same thing. He could stand still for a long time, his fist posed one inch from the target (A man with padded armor). When Bruce Lee hit him he just moved his fist that one inch and closed the gap, but the target flew several paces backwards. That was because he had focused all his energy into that tiny movement. Concentration is the key.

Re: Mind over Matter


Welcome.



Pain is its own creation, so I would say the limit of pain resistance is theoretically infinite. As for mental limitations the mind IS the limitations (and strengths) thus using it to overcome the limitations is a bit like opening a crate from the outside with the crowbar that's inside the crate. Physical limitations I don't see any evidence that it can overcome at all.

However you should remember that the brain DOES limit how much the muscles can be activitated as a safety precaution. Long term excercise allows the brain to more accurately determine the safety limits and makes you stronger without any muscle growth required. Through force of will it may be possible to go far beyond the safe limits of muscle usage but this can damage your body. Thus you can make yourself stronger by overcoming mental barriers.



It's not as hard as it looks.

Determination can overcome incredible obstacles. Many wonderful examples have already been given. My own personal example is when I quit smoking after 27 years. For a long time I'd wanted to quit but I was afraid that if I tried and failed, I'd never try again but when my mother passed away, well, that was the extra push I needed. I was committed to quitting, determined NOT to fail. Altho' it was hard, it wasn't nearly as hard as I had imagined and I never had another cigarette. Mind over matter.

Uhhh... Mind over mind mate.

Uhhh...don't quite get you but in case you're questioning the source of the MATTER here, we're talking tobacco. Nicotine. Is this not matter?

welcome unforgiven;
[but a warning, a2k is a very 'forgiving' site, i hope you won't be dissapointed.]

my take on the subject comes from a slightly diferent source; i have no great respect for 'biology' - it's just the way things developed, and we are currently stuck with it.

I look forward to the day where we exert our mind's control over a more highly developed mechanism, actually designed to interact, and respond effectively over the entire spectrum of 'will'.

[flesh is a dead end; cyber is the way to go; 'silicon system'! - (sorry carbon system).]

Yeah but the addiction (which is what you conquered) was in your mind.

To me this makes it more impressive, not less. It's harder to conquer things in the mind particularly addictions because they twist your logic and thought processes until it's hard to even want to fight them.

Still, it's not really mind over matter. At least not in my opinion.

Hey, Unforgiven, we'll forgive you for being C.S.'s kid brother. My way of marking.

Interesting topic. I think the bottom line is that nobody actually knows the limits of either the mind's potential or the body's potential strengths. We've all heard the story of how a frail 100-pound woman was able to lift the rear wheels of a car off the ground with her bare hands to rescue her child, stuck under the car. Nobody can explain how that kind of an adrenaline rush could happen.

That's true Merry Andrew. Another thing I've heard is that it's a mystery how the bumblebee flies, although I cannot say wether this is true or not. The thing is that the body weight of a bumblebee is too great for it's wings to lift it, but it still flies...

That's probably because the bumblebee can't read and, therefore, doesn't know it's not supposed to be able to fly.

Maybe. But if so, I am not exactly thrilled that I have learned to read.

Ignorance is bliss.

"....where ignorance is bliss, tis folly to be wise..." Thomas Grey.

My idea of mind over matter has to do with the mind producing a calming effect when things get really scary. By listening to that "inner voice" I have staved off panic several times. I suppose, in a way, it's a meditation.

It is letty. As the world becomes ever more noisy it is a feat among the truly great to be able to maintain one's inner equilibrium.

If I don't mind it doesn't matter.
I think with positive thinking you can usually ward off or at least lessen the effects of colds and such.
I can get rid of headaches by that method.


The mind is more powerful than any of us really know. Someone mentioned the amount of the brain we use. I wonder if ESP, telepathy, or even the ability to move objects are capabilities we are able to do if we could only unlock that portion of our mind.

"If the doors of perception were cleansed every thing would appear to man as it is, infinite."
-William Blake

Unforgiven, this is a very good first thread, and brings to mind the eternal search for the differences and the relationships between brain and mind:

> TEShow > BRAIN MODULE > THE MIND
The Difference Between the Mind and Brain

The mind is something very different from the brain. It is our awareness of the world the terrain of our reasoning and beliefs. Science can't explain the human mind, the human culture and the artifacts like are movies that we create, but we can certainly tell you a bit about the brain.

We all have the same brains made up of massive networks of neurons as well as things like blood vessels and other cells, yet we think, feel and react in our own special way. This happens because the experiences we have through our bodies interacting in the world are so wide and varied. Our languages, cultures, activities and friendships also provide for varying perspectives and perceptions. Our environment helps shape what our mind is to become.