What do you contain?
If you have given the "Come-Go-Come-Go..."(see last posting) a few goes, what did you realise? (Not as easy as it sounds ah? Have patience -- persist.)
I found that the surge and retreat of thoughts is ramdom and ceaseless if uncontrolled, that is left in its natural state. What this means is that these thoughts in your mind are in a constant flux. This is not something to be afraid of. It's normal! This is the way the mind works. The realisation that this is our natural raw state is empowering because this is the key to our freedom. If these thoughts are in constant flux, then we can choose not to be troubled by the effects of this flux, we can choose how we want to be today. We realise that the random thoughts and their constant nagging does not make up who we are. These thoughts are not us. What we are is shaped by what we DO with these thoughts. Your do not allow your emotions to be pulled helter skelter by these random thoughts, you rein in your thoughts and DISCERN what's worthy to act on. You are in equanimity always.
While I can explain this, you may understand it logically but you need to experience it to realise what this can mean for you. The more you practice yoga and meditation, the more you can learn to discern the true nature of your mind. However, I feel that even as you begin to practise meditation, you can experience what we call in yoga, Santosha -- Contentment. As Donna Farhi (yoga teacher) puts it, Santosha is the "ability to feel satisfied within the container of one’s immediate experience. . . Sustaining hopefulness even when there are few signs that things will improve." You sit in meditation and let the thoughts flow without clinging nor fighting them, completely at ease. As you sit, you grow more and more patient and comfortable with this restless mind. You will learn then that when you see clearly what is the endless picture-show of your mind, you find that real happiness is to allow the flux to pass right through you, without resistence nor fear, you become grateful for all you have in the present moment and are not afraid of what the future may bring nor resentful of what was already past. As Donna Farhi said above, the neat spin-off of this is that you learn to develop a positive frame of mind regardless of external circunstances which are beyond your control anyway. Isn't this the meaning of being free?
Something to ponder:
The really interesting thing is this: when you realise the endless picture show of your mind is not you --- Do you begin to wonder who is the one running the projector? . . . The projectionist is your true Self. . .
I found that the surge and retreat of thoughts is ramdom and ceaseless if uncontrolled, that is left in its natural state. What this means is that these thoughts in your mind are in a constant flux. This is not something to be afraid of. It's normal! This is the way the mind works. The realisation that this is our natural raw state is empowering because this is the key to our freedom. If these thoughts are in constant flux, then we can choose not to be troubled by the effects of this flux, we can choose how we want to be today. We realise that the random thoughts and their constant nagging does not make up who we are. These thoughts are not us. What we are is shaped by what we DO with these thoughts. Your do not allow your emotions to be pulled helter skelter by these random thoughts, you rein in your thoughts and DISCERN what's worthy to act on. You are in equanimity always.
While I can explain this, you may understand it logically but you need to experience it to realise what this can mean for you. The more you practice yoga and meditation, the more you can learn to discern the true nature of your mind. However, I feel that even as you begin to practise meditation, you can experience what we call in yoga, Santosha -- Contentment. As Donna Farhi (yoga teacher) puts it, Santosha is the "ability to feel satisfied within the container of one’s immediate experience. . . Sustaining hopefulness even when there are few signs that things will improve." You sit in meditation and let the thoughts flow without clinging nor fighting them, completely at ease. As you sit, you grow more and more patient and comfortable with this restless mind. You will learn then that when you see clearly what is the endless picture-show of your mind, you find that real happiness is to allow the flux to pass right through you, without resistence nor fear, you become grateful for all you have in the present moment and are not afraid of what the future may bring nor resentful of what was already past. As Donna Farhi said above, the neat spin-off of this is that you learn to develop a positive frame of mind regardless of external circunstances which are beyond your control anyway. Isn't this the meaning of being free?
Something to ponder:
The really interesting thing is this: when you realise the endless picture show of your mind is not you --- Do you begin to wonder who is the one running the projector? . . . The projectionist is your true Self. . .
