Guest Author - Andrea Gardiner, Ph.D.

The subconscious mind is not as inaccessible as most believe. In fact, the degree of separation between the conscious and subconscious minds is not really as hard fast as most assume either. The subconscious mind is as readily available to be explored as the conscious mind; all it takes is a little imagination. No really, all it takes is a desire and a little conscious imagination.

When addressing the subconscious mind it is beneficial to understand that there is no barrier between the subconscious and conscious minds. They are both continuums of the mind with varying functions. While it is understood that the conscious mind is well adapted for dealing with conventional external activities, the subconscious mind has long been seen as the step child of the conscious mind. It has been believed that the subconscious holds many secrets, most of which is usually unwanted. When we want to keep an appointment or make a decision on an investment, we usually look to the conscious, rational mind; however when we behave in ways that escape our obvious logic such as sabotage a diet or rip of the patch for another cigarette, we tend to blame the subconscious mind. In instances like these, the assumed plausible explanation is that the answers must lie within the deeper parts of ourselves and is therefore inaccessible. This is not really the case.

First, all such answers concerning hidden beliefs are usually laying unexamined within the conscious mind. With a little attention to the direction of thoughts, the beliefs (desired or undesired) will usually be brought to light. Second, the subconscious mind is not really a repository for beliefs, but rather an ally and conduit between the conscious mind and inner portions of you. The subconscious mind behaves more like a relay station that helps the communication between the Selves. Believe it or not the inner self is in as much need for external information as the conscious mind is in need of internal insight.

So how do we access the subconscious mind? As stated earlier, imagination is the key. The language of this area of the mind is not the spoken word that we are accustomed to; instead, it is pictures, symbols, and images. If you want to unearth pearls of wisdom within the subconscious or transmit desired information to your inner Self, you must be willing to consciously imagine as well as allow ideas to flow to you via symbols and imagery. Your mind is not separated like layers of an onion. It is more like a spectrum or continuum that flows, and in order to adequately utilize one area you must engage the other. So ironically, to access your subconscious mind you must consciously speak its language and listen to its dialect.