| We are defined by our forms of expression and for | | | | we want to deflect rather than be a sponge and |
| each of us these are unique. The way we express | | | | 'soak it all up'. One of the best ways to discard |
| ourselves tends to be the result of past impressions | | | | negative expressions is to re-record over them with |
| in our life. Impressions result from people or events | | | | positive powerful impressions that is, create new |
| that have influenced us deeply. When we are | | | | habits through positive responses to the old stimuli. |
| touched in a negative or positive way we are left | | | | Our conscience (damir in Arabic), is the gauge that |
| with a mark, an impact - an impression - on the soul. | | | | helps us monitor which impressions to accept and |
| And if we look at our family history we may find | | | | which to reject. The conscience acts as a sieve, |
| that certain traits from a relative have also made it | | | | sorting out what is useful and what is waste. There |
| into our own 'bag' of traits. | | | | is sorrow and regret only when there is something |
| In fact, it would be true to say that the essence of | | | | done against the conscience, that is, when the |
| life is to experience and express - 'impress' and | | | | thought and what is etched on the soul do not tally. |
| 'express'. Yet how we use this formula makes all the | | | | When we misuse our judgement we say that the |
| difference to the quality of our lives. In this context | | | | conscience has fallen asleep and so needs an |
| we become creators of a vicious or virtuous cycle of | | | | awakening - a nudge of some kind. |
| experience. For example, positive impressions create | | | | To awaken our conscience is more profound than |
| positive expressions and vice versa. | | | | simply knowing right from wrong; it is to take heed |
| As we repeat an action (or reaction) it becomes a | | | | from our inner spiritual guide. Our conscience should |
| habit. These habits create our personality and define | | | | give us an experience of peace not an intellectual |
| us in the eyes of others. Through the process of | | | | judgement of our self. As we engage in reflection, |
| reflection we not only begin to slow down our | | | | we begin to awaken our conscience and knowingly |
| thoughts, and in consequence our actions, but this | | | | take responsibility for our words and deeds by the |
| act of reflection allows us to understand ourselves, | | | | power of our thoughts. As we understand this link |
| to pause and regain control of our actions and move | | | | and invest in reflection we take charge of the pen |
| away from reactions or from absorbing scenes | | | | that writes our life story. And at the end of it all, we |
| against our will. We are then able to filter out what | | | | will be 'impressed' by our own reflection in the mirror. |