Thursday, December 30, 2010

How hard can it get?



Is a thought that comes to most of us at some time or another

Everything seems to be hitting on us at once

No let up

Just endless problems

Feel tired too

Run down

Had enough

No choice though

Have to plod on

One day after another

Life can feel like this

Share a thought with you

Letting your mind control you does not help

So few of us ever think that our minds control us

First point though brain is not mind

Brain and mind are different

Brain is more mechanical

Mind does the thinking

Brain is more like a computer operating system

And before you argue about the exactness of the comment on brain and mind just look at them as components in your system

The one giving input to the other

Here it is mind I am talking about

When we allow the mind to control us our negative side keeps the brain full of scary "what ifs"

Endlessly worrying about the negative possibilities of our situation

Going round and round day in day out

Driving us into despair

Stop the mind though and you have peace and quiet

Literally

Still the mind and you can feel good whatever your situation

Animals live in the moment with quiet minds

Sure one part might be looking out for predators

The mechanical brain part most likely

Predators might be looking out for prey also using their brains

They are not worried about future possibilities

They have no thoughts in this direction just instinct and what they have been taught

Just visual impressions

Sitting in the now of life

Humans on the other hand having self reflective consciousness are busy worrying

About the future

The past

You name it our minds are busily working overtime

Imagining every permutation of disaster

So stop the mind and you stop the endless debilitating pressure of thoughts

Stopping the mind is hard so we prefer to divert it instead

Alcohol, drugs, TV, endless amusements

Diversions

Anything to divert mind from our worries without thinking to stop mind

Controlling mind is not easy

In fact as the Buddha Gautama once said it is the hardest thing a human can do

We believe him

However steps in this direction yield quick benefits as we come to realise how helpful controlling our minds can be

The only known approach that really works is meditation

Do not believe that meditation is easy it is not

This is why all the good books from bible to kabbalah talk about the inner struggle, the struggle with our inner selves that is

A simple meditation will do

Every day without fail

Otherwise your mind will know that you are not serious and will continue to interrupt you whenever it wants all day 24/7

A meditation of ten to fifteen minutes will suffice

Dress comfortably

Turn off all cell phones and other likely distractions

Face the East where energy comes from, where the new day comes from

Sit in a semi lotus back straight or on a chair legs and arms uncrossed, hands relaxed and palms facing up

Breath in and out naturally

Listen to the in and out of your breath

Push away all thoughts that come into your mind

Tell them to go away, not now

Keep doing this every day

Then one day in weeks or years, yes sorry sometimes it does take years, you will know you are not thinking

Once you have experienced this amazing feeling you will want more

And so you will continue and as you do your energy changes

Your life changes

More of this elsewhere

Nuf for today

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