In the western world, we often times have a different view of reality: We tend to think that we are in control of every situation, and that we are the master of our environment; when in fact, we are shaped by our environment, and the way our environment shapes us is what controls how we will act in any given situation. In other words, your environment has a greater affect on you than may think or be aware of.

So, why is it that we are so bad at seeing how are environment really affects us? It probably has to do with that fact that we are always looking at the world outwardly, from our single perspective. From behind our eyes, it very much looks and feels as if we are in the driver’s seat. If something around you doesn’t suit you, simply change it, right? Well, what if you’re not really noticing what’s around? How can you change something if you don’t know it’s there?

The mind is an unbelievably complex piece of machinery. So complex, in fact, that examining and understanding how it works has been one of the greatest challenges in modern science. If you really started to pay close attention to every choice you make, every preference you have, you’d probably soon start to realize that you can’t actually explain exactly why you like chocolate more than vanilla, or why you decided to wear your yellow tie to work instead of your blue tie. The truth is, the outcome of these choices that only take a fraction of a second to make are deep rooted in past experiences, memories, genes, and cues, or triggers, from our environment.

Even genes in your DNA can be switched on or off by triggers in your environment. The study of this phenomenon is called epigenetics. Just think about that for a moment… the environment you’re in has such a powerful effect on you that it can actually cause changes in your DNA. That is mind blowing.

If you want to start paying closer attention to your environment, you should try meditating. Mindfulness meditation, in particular, will help you become aware of your surroundings. It will help realize a oneness with the Universe and allow you to see the world from a new perspective. If you’d like to learn more about the power of meditation, please spend some time browsing through my website.

Note: Specifically, with regards to medical issues, always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the Web site.