Now About Those Nagging Thoughts…
“There is an enormous difference between being hostage to one’s thoughts and being freely and non-judgmentally aware of life in the present. ”
From where do such thoughts arise? From themselves. Thoughts generate thoughts. There is no past (or future) except for these thoughts. Without them, where exactly is the past? It really is a fiction, a fabrication of the mind. This, which I call “psychological time,” doesn’t actually exist and yet our minds behave as if it does. The thing we call “the past” is made up of memories and stories of our own making. Most people spend their lives in this fabrication and miss out on what is actually alive right here and now.
The obvious response is, “Well, yes, that [fill in the blank] really did occur so what the [bleep] are you babbling about?”
Yes, that thing happened but is not happening now.
The only thing that could possibly be arising now is what is arising exactly NOW.
Whatever feelings arising now are not a problem. In reality, it never is. So then where does this thing (and feeling, anxiousness, or stress) we call “a problem” come from?
It is when the mind uses what is arising now as a springboard for thoughts based on its own historical thinking patterns that our attention gets sucked down the rabbit hole and onto a non-joy ride. Thoughts beget emotions which beget more thoughts and the mind then spins in problem solving mode. That’s what it naturally does.
If your only tool is a hammer then the whole world looks like a nail. In the same way, when the mind lives in problem solving mode, everything that arises looks like a problem. And then if we are conditioned to believe everything our minds tell us, we reify these thoughts as being some kind of reality, which then feeds more emotions, and loopity loop we go.
So what’s the way out?
It always starts with Awareness - being aware of being aware. Without awareness we are merely robotically reacting to what the mind presents. Does the name “Pavlov” ring a bell?
Now Be Here Now. (Thank you Neem Karoli Baba and Ram Dass for giving us this most simple and infinitely powerful teaching.)
Now add to this a healthy dose of “don’t believe everything you think.” Which is to say, see thoughts for what they are — just thoughts — and do not engage in giving them meaning or in trying to figure anything out. Just watch and let them be.
Simply rest in awareness as you watch the mind process running. Awareness is corrective.
Notice that as you rest in awareness, an ever-deepening peace arises. This is a level of peace that is unconditional, also known as the peace that passeth understanding — the goal of all spiritual practice.
Rinse and repeat.
Let your direct experience be your authority. Notice (with a laugh) when the mind tells you this practice is silly or boring or ridiculous or won’t work. This practice may even feel uncomfortable at first but it really is worth mastering.
Feel free to send in questions. As you adopt this new practice, let me know what you notice about how it transforms your experience.
A good follow up to this is I Don’t Mind.
🕉 Eric