Are You Out of
Your Mind?
Our Minds. The most powerful and creative tool we have to enable us to live the fulfilling, peaceful, happy and loving life that most of us want.
So if our minds are so good, how is it that most of us experience our lives as consisting of endless routine and struggle, leaving us unfulfilled with a sense of unworthiness and a lack of freedom?
Because we have been fooled, perhaps embarrassingly by ourselves, or more accurately by our minds. For we are controlled by a whole range of subconscious (and therefore invisible) mind programmes.
One simple but powerful programme creates the belief that we are not good enough as we are. So we are driven driven by our desire to be seen and acknowledged as important, to have more and better things, and ultimately be loved, accepted and valued by others. This programme can hugely affect our lives as it runs whenever it has the chance, and is hugely persuasive. And because its roots are in early childhood, it works at a fundamental level, so we fall victim to it again and again. And you are not your mind, you are not who you think you are, you are something far deeper.
It doesn’t take much reflection to see how these programmes are affecting us. How being stuck in the same old patterns leads to us feeling rejected, not good enough or worthless. Whether in a relationships, socially or at work, these patterns are played out like little dramas: you cast the roles, you are the director, you are the star. Emotions arise (sometimes very strongly), blame is apportioned to the main protagonists and some temporary relief may be obtained, but the underlying feelings of pain, anger and/or unworthiness remain.
We are trapped within our programmes allowing our mind keep generating conflict and creating problems for us. And where do we turn for help to sort them out? We immediately go to exactly the same place that created them, our minds. And we are usually offered a quick fix such as alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, caffeine, chocolate, comfort foods etc because they appear to fix the symptoms quickly, are readily available and are largely socially acceptable.
Longer term, we come up with elaborate ways to try and solve the problem that our minds created, but again we usually use our minds. This is doomed to fail right from the start because we are simply replacing one mind control with another. We have become prisoners of our minds – they run us, they create the problems and then we go to them and allow them to come up with a solution. Our mind has become our master, rather than us being masters of our own minds.
You may feel stuck in your prison and are resigned to be there for life – so you keep decorating it to make it look as nice as possible – more false offerings to keep up superficial appearances to the self and others.
But there is a part of you that doesn’t want to live like this, and is seeking an alternative. This is self-awareness.
So you may want to try one of the following ways out of your prison that does not involve giving control back to your mind:
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Meditation - there are many methods but fundamentally they are all aimed at allowing the mind to be quiet – not forcing it to shut up or suppress it, that is counterproductive, if you fight the mind then you will lose - you need to allow your mind to become quiet.
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Focus attention on your feelings – turn your attention on yourself and actually notice how you feel in any particular moment. This can be challenging as these feelings can be subtle, especially at first, but as you tune in to how what is going on for you, even the smallest change or feeling can be noticed and acknowledged. These feelings are not your true self either, but they are a lot closer than your mind, and are far more consistent, so a much more reliable guide.
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Focus on another – you could put all your attention on a person but judgements and comparison often get in the way, so it is easier to use a tree, a flower or something else from nature, or even something ‘man-made’. Don’t just look at it, don’t think this is beautiful (your mind again) simply connect with it by putting your full attention on it, and let its beauty fill your soul! (This technique is one we explore in the Living in the Moment workshop - see opposite.)
So there is a lot to be said for being out of your mind. It has been said that the difference between a mad person and an enlightened being is simply self-awareness, because both are states of no-mind. Awareness that you are not your mind and that you are using it as a tool to live your life, rather than it disabling you by keeping you imprisoned within its patterns.
So when you allow yourself to realise you have the key to your mind created prison, and you have the courage to leave (and it usually takes some courage to step into the unknown), then you may realise that both you and the world are enough just as they are. Perfection needs no decoration, and truth needs no papering over the cracks. So let go of your mind and take a few steps into the unknown...
Hope to see you soon
Best Wishes
Love
Ankur
For details of all events see: www.SchoolofAwareness.co.uk
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Walk, Meditation and Social in the Forest (FREE!)
Living in the Moment