Many supporters of the spiritual and quantum physics communities have held true to this statement, otherwise the documentary and book “The Secret” would not have been a huge success; in a belief that humans have the power to change their perception of anything and build synchronicity with the future.

With notorious groundbreaking works, Plotinus – a Hellenistic philosopher – says that one of the ways to elevate our perception of reality is through contemplation, to set our attention with purpose. It can be used to elevate consciousness “vertically” (as directed by him), aiming for the noble and virtuous, or plunge it, downwards to a negative focused point. In the elevated case, by using the concentration of the mind, one can achieve high levels of consciousness, eventually, “accessing” inner wisdom.

“In this state of absorbed contemplation, there is no longer any question of holding an object in view; the vision is such that seeing and seen are one; object and act of vision have become identical”; Plotinus, quoted by his disciple Porphyrys in the Treatises of the First Ennead. Ultimately, according to Plotinus, a man would see the world as one, in unity with the higher Self.

Thoughts and beliefs are a popular topic in psychology too, when somebody is suffering from negative repetitive thinking, i.e. related to family or work problems, and therefore feels powerless to change it. However, once an accumulation of similar negative thoughts become repetitive, we can say the attention was then placed (given). “Multiple studies have identified that people who are experiencing depression are more prone to rumination and repetitive thoughts of shame, anger, regret, and sorrow”, completes Christopher Bergland in Psychology Today magazine website.

What you focus your attention on, may become part of your reality

Yet the magic of the psyche will not allow any thought bind, unless permitted. By knowing that an individual owns the faculties to change their thoughts at any time, thus being the conductor of their lives, one can introduce a new thought pattern, preferably a noble one, that may bring at least a sense of calmness. “Where you place your attention, is where you place your energy”, says Dr Joe Dispenza in You Are the Placebo.

Times of uncertainty, due to their own nature are in the future, and so too is all time ahead. To give some context, a common example is when most of us set the alarm clock before sleeping, resting assured that it will ring at an allocated time. However this cannot be literally accurate. Many variants like a power cut, finished battery or even a malfunction of the device can change the outcome. This offers basic proof that we cannot control the future, which shouldn’t be a reason to make us feel powerless, quite the contrary.

So, is there anything that would give us assurance of a good outcome?

There are many spiritual traditions that help us to look inside ourselves in order to find the right answers. Kabbalah and Buddhism, for example, understand that the “real reality” is in the unseen and within us. These traditions believe that we live through the perception we construct of the physical world, interpreting its events by the experience of five senses. There is the belief that we inherit a “spectator”, that would already have experienced it all, at some point in the cycle of lifetimes. It’s the sparkle of the divine, present in all living beings. It knows there is no risk to lose anything – as with this point of view, we don’t really own anything -, one can then perceive physical reality as a harmless vehicle to achieve higher states of consciousness.

Building this inner certainty is one of the most beautiful attributes one can possess and pursue. It can be a catalyst by overcoming numerous holdbacks in life.

Having a purpose – not considering the nowadays overuse of the word – is something inherent of any living organism. It comes installed in the “software of life” and it helps us to build strength over adversities. When we are born, we are granted with many skills and inclinations that beautify our actions, being them in motion or still. And even in the case of a motionless action, such as “intention”, meditation and consciousness movement, the purpose would still be there and will fulfil its function. By acting through our very nature we can overcome fear and doubt, therefore enhance our sense of awareness and personal growth.

When we act out of fear, in communion with “the qualities of the heart”, we simply know the action is the right one. By expanding consciousness – the higher Self – we also expand our eyes, mind and heart; we become less identified with our life conditions such as race, work, religion, sexuality, social class and other vane attributes. The non-identification eases the symptoms of fear and promotes clarity in our decisions and conduct. It provides us with a closer understanding of this brief life we are all in. In summary, we do what we know to be right when acting from the heart.

Sometimes it takes many “life-cycles” to understand one’s journey – the dharma – but any self-improvement to become a better human being is already a big step towards a remarkable life.