An interesting phenomenon is that there are things we can pick up as little tools to apply in our life everywhere we go. This was passed on to me yesterday ... on a truck show, the host asked people to call in to tell him a minimum of two ways that they have become more efficient at what they do .... a mechanic called in and said that it was the Three C's he learned while studying to become a mechanic .... Condition, Cause and Correction. He said that he used this tool as a mechanic and then found it applied to life too.
He noted that there is often something in the present that becomes a condition we no longer can tolerate ... we then decide that something has to be done. Then we begin to look into the past or near past to see whether we can determine the cause ... usually, with good investigating skills, this can be determined ... then we have to decide on and apply the proper correction ... and if we do so, the condition we do not desire is eliminated. If we are effective in this and do not wait until the Condition has run rampant, we become very efficient in whatever we are doing.
So why did I call this blog topic the Four C's? Well, if you've been reading my other blog notes and check out the website, you will that I repeatedly use the phrase consistent effort over time. I do so because it is what I have applied in order to get the results I have worked at achieving in various arenas in my life. So we can add to this tool and call it Condition, Cause, Correction and Consistency. With Consistency in Application of a Correction, we will maintain the results we want.
I like this tool, because it can demonstrate something we can apply - whether it is to our spiritual practice ... and some of the pitfalls we will experience along the way .... or whether it is a health concern, financial concern, relationship concern ... and so on.
Without calling my method such, I realize that this is one of my ways of approach in Souhl Counsel sessions and other Work we do. Anyone who has been to see me will realize this. We discuss the reason for coming (Condition... we also look for multiple conditions which can be related). We then look at the Cause ... understanding and insight can assist us tremendously - can assist us with gaining awareness of what we do and how we do it in the moment ... which can be contributing factors to our Condition. Finally, we focus on Correction (solutions... tools to apply...what are you going to do about it? ... whatever we want to call it). We are also reminded in session that consistent application over time is the key.
Here is an example. This example is health related, but also contains mental/emotional and spiritual aspects: An individual comes in to see me many years ago due to an appearance of arthritic conditions in their joints ... something they observed had appeared slowly over the last two years. This person was quite distraught, as they were very active in sports, health conscious and was used to viewing things with a positive mindset.
We proceeded to examine some history. We found that there was a turning point in this person's life several years ago where stress became an overwhelming factor. This person relates that their eating and sleeping habits were poor (and not typical for them) and that their negativity in thoughts, words and actions also increased due to feelings of helplessness regarding their situation.
So the person came in with the Conditions they desired to alter: mental/emotional overwhelm - leading to behaviours not typical for them, arthritic symptoms and insomnia. With work, we discovered the Causes: perceptions of being trapped in a situation they did not feel able to alter, poor eating habits, poor thinking patterns relating to themselves and their situation, and ultimately lack of the necessary action of dealing with their situation effectively ... in a way they really had the desire to do it (which opened up another area of Work where we went from there... not the focus, here).
We worked with practical actions (Corrections) the individual could take in order to deal with the Conditions, and with Consistent Work over time, these Conditions were corrected. The person felt better - regaining their balance and harmony inside and out.
Consistency over time is a key. It is true that it takes time to develop these conditions - they usually do not show up overnight. Our being can handle certain amounts of stress and strain ... however, consistent stress and strain (of the damaging kind) over time wears us down in many aspects and the effects creep up over time. This means consistency is key in reversing the effects of the causes. Then it becomes a lifestyle if one wishes to maintain the positive benefits.
So if there is something you wish to alter ... however big it may feel or appear to you ... despair not, but take the necessary steps to attain what you desire - in any aspect of your being. Remember that the sooner we we are able to detect the condition creeping up, the easier it is to deal with it effectively.
