And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharoah – Exodus 9: 12
Probably, the Pharoah is the first recorded person who had the opportunity to be ‘twice born’. The Bible says that his heart was hardened and didn’t let the Israelites to their place.
You may wonder the connect between twice-born and hardening of heart.
Twice-born is the process of renewal of self, soul and mind. Jesus speaks about it in John 3:5. It is a condition for entry into the Kingdom of Heaven. Hardening is the opposite of twice-born.
I propose, from the neurological point of view, the process of how one might change (soften) his heart and be twice-born.
We have a fixed mental model of the world that comprises of opinions, moral values, assumptions. For instance, taking an object from an owner without his knowledge is labelled as stealing. A brain associates through memories of a) object, b) owner, c) relationship between a) and b), d) value system about the concept of stealing, e) a thought to trigger the act of stealing and f) the movement of hand to steal. All these memories are linked. When such an action occurs by someone, then another memory g) thief is created.
We may not know the logic of the action, but if g) and d) are not in sync, then the resultant state is guilt, hardening of the heart towards b).
How do we get rid of it?
I will not venture into the religious aspects of redemption, purification, etc. However, I will retain the concept of twice-born, i.e., renewal of the self.
Synchronization of g) and d) above can happen if d), the value system changes to accommodate the act of stealing. Then, in that case, one is no more of guilty of the action.
In another way, when we give up our old ways, thoughts, assumptions and opinions, the world comprising of people, objects, experiences would become fresh and new. One is twice-born.
Memories are connected through association. If there is a conflict, then it results in guilt, confused state of thought, ill-planned decision-making process for future, close-mindedness for new thoughts, experiences, etc.
The concept of twice-born is not just restricted to the realm of religion and spirituality. It is to realize one’s way of life, whether it be business, entrepreneurship, relationship with loved ones, etc.
If one is aware of the opinions, assumptions, experiences that shape us, and constantly removes them, reconciles them with the value system positively, then one is twice born. It also helps to write down on a paper all the memories – person, object, experience and value system as a map and link the memories that are in sync and cross the ones that are in conflict. If we make sincere effort to correct the crosses and reconcile, then we will realize a light-heartedness, sense of serenity, etc.