Reading and Thinking

The 12th century French abbot and mystic, Bernard of Clairvaux, once wrote, "Reading without thinking makes you dull; thinking without reading goes astray."

All these centuries later, his words still ring true. If we read without thinking about the words we are taking in, if we accept them uncritically, without really thinking about what we are reading, we are not doing justice to them. I am guilty of this at times - when I have a new book, I tear through it at a rate of knots, desperate to find out what happens next. But I am not savouring each word, each sentence, each paragraph, let alone thinking about their deeper meaning. Which is doing an injustice to the author, who will have chosen each word carefully.... It is also likely that we will miss the deeper meaning of the words, if any.

Or not. Many of the posts on social media are dashed out without thinking at all about the impact they might have on those who read them. Or worse, in the sure and certain knowledge that they will upset or inflame people. Which is equally as bad.

On the other side of the coin, thinking without reading can be equally dangerous. Our minds can be seized by an idea and we rush off and do something impulsive as a result. Which may be unwise, or even dangerous. When we are presented with a new idea, it is our duty to receive it critically, to fact-check it, and to read around it. Many illustrations of this are in the popular health TV series Dr Xand's Con or Cure, which features people who have been taken in by posts on social media which promise instant cures for their ills. Viewers are warned to do their research before ordering anything, rather than relying on the website's own claims. I tested this for myself last night - a post popped up on Facebook for some sleep patches, claiming that using them results in 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep every night. I remembered what they had advised on the programme, and checked the product on Trust Pilot. To find that 93% of the reviews were one star ones.

And the moral of the story is that we need to both think and read critically, so that we are able to respond wisely and with judgement to both thoughts and written material.

Mind over Matter

I had never heard of Avicenna, the 10th century Persian philosopher and physician, who wrote this week's quotation. But according to Wikipedia, he was "a pre-eminent philosopher and physician of the Muslim world, flourishing during the Islamic Golden Age... He is often described as the father of early modern medicine."

And he once wrote, "Strong thinking can bring a camel down."

Which I guess refers to the importance of our human powers of thought. Which could be interpreted in different ways. First, it could mean that if we think about a problem (the camel) hard enough and long enough, a solution will present itself, and we will be able to "bring the camel down." Second, it could refer to the power of our minds over our bodies: if we think we can do something, we will be able to do it, however unlikely that may seem at first sight.

So for example, practised meditators are able to bring their heartrates down to levels unachievable by the rest of us. And the Japanese Ama divers are able to hold their breath underwater for long periods as they dive for pearls.

On a more prosaic (but still important level) the power of thought can help us to change long-held but no longer constructive patterns of behaviour. For example, I, as an habitual drinker, was able to quit alcohol in September 2013 and haven't touched a drop since. I needed all my strength of will to achieve this, all the "strong thoughts" Avicenna speaks of.

And we have to really want whatever it is... to desire it with our deepest hearts. And be willing to change our lives permanently, not just for a few weeks. Which is why most diets don't work. Permanent change is not a "quick fix". It is the work of a lifetime.

I think that more than "strong thought" is involved in this. It also means throwing our free will into the fray and having a strong and unquenchable desire for a particular outcome. Thought and willpower between them can indeed move mountains in our lives. Yet we also need the encouragement and support of others - their "strong thought" in terms of prayers and good wishes can also bring amazing results.

What camels do you want to bring down? And how might others help you?