kahuna model of 3 minds

06.24.22

heard in prosperity consciousness by fredric lehrman on audio book in the car up to a meditation retreat, ironically about to head to hawaii.

there is an ancient hawaiin understanding that we are not made of one mind, but instead have three: the higher mind, middle mind, and lower mind.

(father) the higher mind is like a higher self, one that is unknowable as it connects to absolute knowledge and could potentially be shared with everyone. it's likened to looking directly at the sun, too much to take in consciously. he cites the stories of paul on the road to damascus getting knocked off a horse while traveling, or ramana raharshi blacking out to wake up as a saint as ones with where insights are hard hitting.

(mother) the middle mind is where conscious decisions and actions sit. it is made of words but no memory. logic and ideas but not emotions. it functions when awake.

(child) the lower mind is the subconscious and keeper of memory. it is like a child, and the other two are likened to parents, that is emotional, reactive, and demands attention. it reasons by association and feelings. it's the part of the mind that takes over when asleep and is a finer more subtler energy.

interesting points from lehrman come from his applied practice in trying to understand what to do with this framework to integrate life principles.

• the story: understanding where emotion (subconscious) does not match with logic (conscious) mind is like training a dog that doesn't know what to do. the lower mind needs very clear instructions that can be written and reminded. the mythology says it then communicates clearly with the higher mind to open up new beliefs as the middle mind won't have any of it.

• the practice: turn affirmations into intentions, and consciously finding ways to act on them.

1. write down a certain principle or value.
2. verbally say it outloud, as if instructing the lower mind. this sets intention.
3. figure out what action items try to live that principle more truly.
4. come back to reflect to see if there is self acceptance in acting from the intention or if the middle mind disagrees with it.

it resembled the awareness, intention, action, reflection cycle.

the mythology continues beyond this where the higher mind is one shared with many people and so different lower minds can converse with others to make relationships or connection happen.

while this is an anecdotal model of the mind, i found it helpful as i'm curious how consciousness works and where it exists.

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