For many of us change is difficult, but not impossible. We’ve been programmed since we were babies to act and think a certain way. We didn’t have a developed larynx to speak out in rebellion, so we remained silent and soaked it all in. Our first programming came from our immediate family, who gave us a variety of data that could help us as we grew older and going along with the program seemed the natural thing to do. Our loved ones would not hurt us intentionally, so we hoped. Those who where sanctioned to teach us right from wrong, or something as simple as history, social studies and/or religion would not lead us astray or would they. As our young minds would not yet be developed, it wouldn’t take much to corrupt it.
As we grew older and adopted the illusion that we thought for ourselves, and that we were free thinkers. We went out into the world not fully prepared for what was to come. We live in a society that have rules we have to live by and laws we must follow if we don’t want to be like so many millions incarcerated throughout the U.S.. We arrogantly thought that with our youth and new thinking that we had all the answers, but we had forgotten that our thoughts was not our own, there wasn’t anything new about them because after all, we were programmed as infants to think and act the way we do.
The hard part, the most difficult of it all, is to realize that we’re slaves to our own illusions, and that we must change our thinking if we want our circumstances to change. I know! It’s no easy feat, but a process we must undertake nonetheless. Our programming has been long, rigous, and repetitive. So our deprogramming has to be equally long and rigous, if not more so. There are many individuals who don’t want to change, who take pride in saying, “I’m the same everyday”. We shouldn’t be content with being the same everyday, we should be more and strive for that. I know most don’t mean it literally, but too many do.
I am a practioner of Raja Yoga Meditation and there is a saying, “Be the change you want to see in the world”. Meaning if you want peace in the world then be peaceful and if you want to see love then be loving. Change your thinking and your actions will follow. There is no one to blame except ourselves, because everyone else was only following the programming that were layed out for them years before we came along.

Rodney M. Siler
DOC #312-312