“Damn, I’ve done it again!”
Falling into an old pattern is easy.
Breaking them can feel hard.
What I notice is an instant reaching for the whip of self-flagellation.
“You didn’t do it right.”
As a long time sufferer of a harsh inner critic, I have had to learn to be gentle on myself.
And practically, this means noticing when I am engaging in negative self-talk.
Rather than try to supplant this with positive self-talk, no-self talk is the path for a meditator.
When we notice negative thoughts, trying to drown them out in positive thoughts keeps the inertia of the mind rolling.
True love is empty awareness, not cheesy one-liners.
True love is an inner wish of positivity, not reciting some self-help line.
Next time you find yourself falling into a habit or a pattern you are trying to break, simply sit and notice. Pay attention. That’s it.
Watch the narrative.
Smile if you feel like it.
Simply by seeing the pothole, you have a choice; jump in or bypass it.
Over time, this softer response (rather than say, berating yourself for succumbing to a vice or not doing the thing you know you need to) results in less negative emotion and thoughts to surface.
And that is moving in the direction of peace.
From that stillness, you may even wish to ask your ‘wound’ or whatever you are grappling with, what it needs?
For me, 9/10 times the need is love. Pure positivity. That’s it.
Awareness, Love and the Soul. To me, they are all the same thing!
If I notice prodding, poking and examining the wound, this is 9/10 times the mind.
Ming, negativity, darkness and suffering. To me, they are pretty much the same thing.
Relegating the mind into the place of a tool, rather than the boss, is what the Himalayan Meditation path supports you in doing.
When the mind is harnessed, it can help you accomplish nearly anything. When it is ruling the roost, watch out (you’ll certainly be suffering!!!)
The most accessible way to learn this ancient practice is on the Soul Retreat, where you will be guided not just in the practice, but taken through an experiential journey that will take you beyond your mind!
