Where did that thought come from, and that one, … how did that pop up in my mind? If you ever find yourself caught in the mental popcorn popper, the reaction to the reaction, the mental loops and the self sabotaging stories that just won’t stop, you’re not alone.
Our lives have been shifted over the centuries from a survival based existence on the plains, or in the forests or caves, to a civilized(?) lifestyle that works toward safety, security, low-risk, existence.
In brief, our minds are bored. They’re built to keep us alive in the direst of circumstances and quite honestly, we engineered a lot of that need right out of our society. So what’s a survivalists brain to do?
Look for problems to solve, mountains to climb, stories to get attached to, positions to argue for and against, incessant worries to ruminate over, etc.
The mind is a wonderful servant… terrible master!
So what’s a human to do? What’s the alternative to being run by a reactive, survivalist mind?
Inner exploration is the key. As you become aware of your inner landscape, how the mind reacts to various internal and external stimuli, you’ll develop the inner spaciousness and ability to say thank you for your efforts mind, but today, I’m going to make a different decision. Today I will love, not argue, today I will make peace with myself and others rather than challenge, today I will focus on my values and vision rather than allowing my passions and desires to run the show through my reactive, albeit often helpful, mind.
It’s easy and yet hard to do this in our success oriented, go, go, go, competitive, externalized, society. It is possible with the right approach and by building your listening skills and inner awareness ability.
May we all find the love, peace, strength, courage and joy that is within us and has been there the whole time.
Soul Journeys 