Creation and Interpretation. These are two primary functionalities of what is called “the mind”. For the purpose of this article we examine only those two functionalities.

The Temple Teachers called them the “Twin Minds: The Creative Mind and The Perceiving Mind”.

The Teachers also talked about Consciousness and Volition, which, interestingly, come down to about the same thing: Consciousness relating to the Perceiving Mind, and Volition, the ability to use what you know to change/enhance your environment, relating to the Creative Mind.

So there is a constant Yin/Yang of

1) perceiving something and interpreting it and,

2) to the extent you have the interest, opportunity and ability to act, you make a change by creating something. For one thing, a focus is created, an interpretation of value to the focus, and you give this creation a supply of significance and sustainability. It may be simpler to say that you interpret it good or bad, give it a degree of good/bad, name it, focus on it, define it, then do what you have to do to manifest it. If it suits enough of your fancy, the creation reaches significance sufficient to be visible (in physical) to self and others.

“OK…”, you may say, “what does this mean to me right now?” Does seeing this motivate me to focus any energy somewhere and enhance life as I know it?”

As humans, we have a relatively high ratio of volition to consciousness, i.e. the ability to use the knowledge we have to do something to enhance life. The Teachers talk about creation being “conduction” of life force, creating the present moment by moment in the direction of our choice, almost like spraying a hose of life force, if you will.