Thursday, March 12, 2015

Winston Churchill Statement on the Mind

Although the topic was Churchillian advice on hobbies (he believes we should have 2 or 3), this statement is interesting for the understanding of the mind. 


It is no use saying to the tired ‘mental muscles’… ‘I will give you a good rest,’ ‘I will go for a long walk,’ or ‘I will lie down and think of nothing.’ The mind keeps busy just the same. If it has been weighing and measuring, it goes on weighing and measuring. If it has been worrying, it goes on worrying…It is useless to argue with the mind in this condition…A gifted American psychologist has said, ‘worry is a spasm of the emotion; the mind catches hold to something and will not let it go.’ One can only gently insinuate something else into its convulsive grasp. And if this something else is rightly chosen, if it is really attended by the illumination of another field of interest, gradually, and often quite swiftly, the old undue grip relaxes and the process of recuperation and repair begins.”

8 comments:

TxTchr said...

Peter, your post is interesting to me. I admire WC because he stood for truth and he stood up against the (to use a school term) "bullies" in Germany. Let me share something with you that does call for "worry". I was required to attend a parent meeting with my other core teachers. The administrators attending the meeting told us that the father of the child we were meeting about was angry. The child accused us of being mean and picking on him. Once the meeting began, the father began to rant and rage. We had to sit and be insulted and demoralized repeatedly for 45 minutes with no intervention on our behalf. He eventually threatened to go to the school board to have us fired. Administrators met with us (teachers) later and explained that the lawyers for the district have said that teachers are required to listen to what parents have to say. Apparently that means even if it's rude and inappropriate. This is what is also contributing to the destruction of this country. The father of this child is teaching him that if things don't go his way that it's perfectly ok to bully his way around. I am considering leaving my career after 23 years. What's happening on a global scale has roots in schools. This man's son will not be a productive member of society because of his upbringing. Where are the Churchills of our time?

Tx Tchr said...

Plus the childs Muslim views often"overpower"any discussion the Christian children are having.The usa needs to close the doors,fast.

Anonymous said...

Has anyone read the book on"powerfull leaders phsyce?

Kellie said...

Great quote, brilliant man!

Most people have no concept of how deeply external conditioning dictates ones thought habits and therefore life experiences.

Anonymous said...

Passing a girl scout cookie table at a local retailer, I was reminded of how hobbies not only enhance life, but also provide skills in life.
Photograpy, art, hiking, first-aid, cooking/cleaning,gardening,sewing etc.

Hobbies bring us back to what we once were.

To create that spectacular water color piece of art using food dye and plastic bags inside of a glass jar. Or, catching fire-flies, toads, and other natural wonders.

I also admired the vest with the badges and the jeans tucked into the fur lined boots. So, so cute!

It's that time of the year again folks! Mints, peanut butter, savannahs-you name it!

Statement Analysis Blog said...

Heather likes to cook and bake.

I like to eat.

hmmmmmm


Peter

Skeptical said...

I am going to make an assumption that this was a way to battle the life-long depression from which he suffered and so appropriately named "the black dog".

Sara said...

I agree with WH. I refer to my hiking as a Brain Vacation. He also stressed the need to choose a diversion properly. If your brain vacation is drinking copious amounts of alcohol, your relief will be temporary and upon return to your problems, you will find that they increased during your absence.
Hiking is awesome--try it! I hunt mushrooms, discover forgotten ruins of early 1800's homesteaders, and collect old bottles that are beautiful works of art and craftsmanship not found in today's modern glassware. This leads to learning about science (how is glass made? What makes the color different? How do mushrooms reproduce? Are they edible? What poisons lurk inside and how exactly can they hurt you? What's a neurotoxin? What plants are to be avoided? Etc etc etc)