Which way should I go? What should I do? The typical questions of the indecisive mind.
"Before falling in love with a thought, go there first." - Eckhart Tolle
Life has been nudging me to go there first and to keep going on daily basis. In the past week, I've been experiencing inner conflict as to what path to choose. Inner conflict and anxiety arise whenever I choose to sit and do nothing, but worry about that I should be doing something. Or doing one thing and worrying about that I should be doing another.
Here's where living intentionally transforms inner conflict to inner peace:
- Bringing our full attention into activities or non-activities that we are already doing or not doing.
- Shutting down doubts by reminding ourselves that we won't know if the thing that we are working on is IT until we try it first. If it is, then we need to keep doing that. And if it is not, then we can move on and choose differently knowing that it wasn't IT, in which case it is still not a mistake because it showed us the way to go.
- Navigating around defeatist thoughts by knowing the difference between fear and foreboding. My Reiki Master pointed out the difference between the two. Foreboding is an intuitive feeling that we should not do something. There is no fear around it, it's more like a feeling. Fear is when we start feeling anxious about the situation and we start rationalizing why we should not do it. Let's see where Life takes us when fear is NOT a factor.
- It's not about the end result. It's about the moment in which action or non-action happens. It's about enjoying the challenges and doing things for fun. Remember the time when we did things just because. Let's bring that aimless, childish drive into our activities today. If the answer is needed, it will come. If a specific person is needed, he or she will too come.
I heard the following words inside my mind's eye: "If I did not want you to have it, I would not give it to you."
Join me in transforming inner conflict to inner peace.
Thank you!
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Over-analysis Kills
An inner curiosity told me “watch the discovery channel.” I got all excited and my body moved me toward the remote control and then I stopped mid-way because my mind went, “Wait! Why do you wanna watch the discovery channel right now? Don’t you have better things to do? Shouldn’t you be writing instead of watching TV?” But it didn’t feel like one of those times when I wanted to veg out in front of the TV. It was a deeper curiosity. It was not even a thought, but more like a burp – involuntary gut reaction. It’s what some people would call intuitive guidance, which I completely missed because my mind came and began to question it. That said, I am letting go of missing the guidance because it will come again and is coming now.
HOW NOT TO KILL LIFE'S GUIDANCE WITH OVER-ANALYSIS
We are being guided all the time, but keep missing it with over-analysis. Watching the discovery channel in that moment could have been the answer to a plot point I was looking for or whatever. No need to dwell in the past; however, it did give me a nudge to pay attention to intuitive signals without mentally raping them first, pardon the language.
Join me in following our higher intuitive power without killing it first by:
First - Listening... to our intuitive signals, which are any inkling of aliveness inside our body. It's when we suddenly feel more awake, energetic, or inspired toward something - even if it's sitting in the chair and watching the birds. It's nothing more or less than what feels good.
Second - Following it without questioning. By following it we are trusting Life to work through us and do what's best for us. If questions arise, it's best to set them aside by reminding ourselves, "It's just mental work in process. Nothing to panic about." The brain does its thing and Life does its thing. When we listen to our brain, we worry, which is always a good sign to watch out for. When we listen to Life, peace always accompanies it.
Third - Following what feels good, not what feels bad. Be mindful of opposing thought that give rise to the "yucky" feelings. We don't even need to know what the mind is doing because the body will tell us immediately. When I stopped myself from watching the discovery channel, my stomach churned. But be careful not to fall into the trap of "eating ice cream feels good right about now instead of hiking," because if we look closely we don't really want the ice cream, we just don't want to experience the emotions that lie underneath. Geneen Roth writes extensively on the subject of "it's never about the food" in her book Women, Food, and God.
Last, but not least - Enjoying the sweet fruits of living aligned with Life. We know it's Life and not us when peace and ease follows the intuitive guidance.
Thank you!
HOW NOT TO KILL LIFE'S GUIDANCE WITH OVER-ANALYSIS
We are being guided all the time, but keep missing it with over-analysis. Watching the discovery channel in that moment could have been the answer to a plot point I was looking for or whatever. No need to dwell in the past; however, it did give me a nudge to pay attention to intuitive signals without mentally raping them first, pardon the language.
Join me in following our higher intuitive power without killing it first by:
First - Listening... to our intuitive signals, which are any inkling of aliveness inside our body. It's when we suddenly feel more awake, energetic, or inspired toward something - even if it's sitting in the chair and watching the birds. It's nothing more or less than what feels good.
Second - Following it without questioning. By following it we are trusting Life to work through us and do what's best for us. If questions arise, it's best to set them aside by reminding ourselves, "It's just mental work in process. Nothing to panic about." The brain does its thing and Life does its thing. When we listen to our brain, we worry, which is always a good sign to watch out for. When we listen to Life, peace always accompanies it.
Third - Following what feels good, not what feels bad. Be mindful of opposing thought that give rise to the "yucky" feelings. We don't even need to know what the mind is doing because the body will tell us immediately. When I stopped myself from watching the discovery channel, my stomach churned. But be careful not to fall into the trap of "eating ice cream feels good right about now instead of hiking," because if we look closely we don't really want the ice cream, we just don't want to experience the emotions that lie underneath. Geneen Roth writes extensively on the subject of "it's never about the food" in her book Women, Food, and God.
Last, but not least - Enjoying the sweet fruits of living aligned with Life. We know it's Life and not us when peace and ease follows the intuitive guidance.
Thank you!
Sunday, July 11, 2010
The One Step
Checking in...
In the past week I've been falling into the anxiety trap. "There is too much to do. There is not enough to do. What should I do?" are some of the thoughts that have passed through the anxious mind. Although, I know that these thoughts are not me, but are the old conditioning of the mind (it can't help itself), I still fall into the "Oh, My God, what am I going to do!" hell. And it is never about what I'm doing or not doing, it is always about what inner baggage I'm bringing to the doing.
I am accepting my mind for what it is - a producer of old, useless thoughts - and am I also kindly letting it slide and coming back to the present moment. It's only ever this moment. It's only ever this one breath. It's only ever this one step.
Creating this one step is the only one we ever need to create. We were not built to worry about what all the steps in their entirety will produce. We were not built to take on more than we are capable of. We are more than capable of taking care of the ONE thing we can do right now. I know this sounds like common sense, but do we actually follow it on day-to-day basis? If we did, then Life would be effortless. It's easy when we don't add the imaginary mental steps on top of the one step we can take now.
What is the one thing I have to do now? I am typing these words right now. There is nothing else for me to do than to type one word after another. What's the point of worrying or even thinking about the results of these words when the only thing I am actually doing in the moment is typing. Of course, I am using my brain in order to write and come up with the words. But upon closer look, in the moment of action without the extraneous thoughts about what else I could be doing or what comes after writing this post, the words come out effortlessly and without worry unlike my other experiences with writing.
How's Life calling me to serve at this moment?
"At this moment" part is the crucial part of creation. It's the only part that matters. In this moment, I am doing the one thing and in the next moment I am again doing the ONE thing. It is never two things. Even during multi-tasking, it is always the one step I am taking in each given moment. And this one step reveals the next step and the next step and the next step and before I know it, the whole thing reveals itself to me - whatever it may be.
So, how's life really calling me to serve?
It's calling me to take this one step and it will do the rest.
Join me in taking the one step, the only step you will ever need to take.
Thank you!
In the past week I've been falling into the anxiety trap. "There is too much to do. There is not enough to do. What should I do?" are some of the thoughts that have passed through the anxious mind. Although, I know that these thoughts are not me, but are the old conditioning of the mind (it can't help itself), I still fall into the "Oh, My God, what am I going to do!" hell. And it is never about what I'm doing or not doing, it is always about what inner baggage I'm bringing to the doing.
I am accepting my mind for what it is - a producer of old, useless thoughts - and am I also kindly letting it slide and coming back to the present moment. It's only ever this moment. It's only ever this one breath. It's only ever this one step.
Creating this one step is the only one we ever need to create. We were not built to worry about what all the steps in their entirety will produce. We were not built to take on more than we are capable of. We are more than capable of taking care of the ONE thing we can do right now. I know this sounds like common sense, but do we actually follow it on day-to-day basis? If we did, then Life would be effortless. It's easy when we don't add the imaginary mental steps on top of the one step we can take now.
What is the one thing I have to do now? I am typing these words right now. There is nothing else for me to do than to type one word after another. What's the point of worrying or even thinking about the results of these words when the only thing I am actually doing in the moment is typing. Of course, I am using my brain in order to write and come up with the words. But upon closer look, in the moment of action without the extraneous thoughts about what else I could be doing or what comes after writing this post, the words come out effortlessly and without worry unlike my other experiences with writing.
How's Life calling me to serve at this moment?
"At this moment" part is the crucial part of creation. It's the only part that matters. In this moment, I am doing the one thing and in the next moment I am again doing the ONE thing. It is never two things. Even during multi-tasking, it is always the one step I am taking in each given moment. And this one step reveals the next step and the next step and the next step and before I know it, the whole thing reveals itself to me - whatever it may be.
So, how's life really calling me to serve?
It's calling me to take this one step and it will do the rest.
Join me in taking the one step, the only step you will ever need to take.
Thank you!
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Shake it Off!
What do you do when your mind sends you on a wild goose chase?
I've been on one of those for the past couple of days. Most of the time, I am aware when my mind starts getting away from me and I perch up like an owl and stay alert. However, a few days before the start of my period, my mind takes me on a fun mental and emotional ride to the point when I start doubting my own name. If you are a female reading this post, then you are all too familiar with side effects of PMS. No matter how varying these side effects, the underlying quality of this state is diminished alertness or presence. You're rearranging every life decision you've ever made before you know what hit you, at least I do.
If you suffer from excessive thinking and you can't turn your mind off whenever you want, then practice the following along with me:
1. Shake it off - Whenever you find yourself in states of anxiety, worry, confusion, emotional turmoil, unexplainable anger, or any other state that does not equal peace, than literally stand up and SHAKE IT OFF! For 5 to 10 minutes straight stand there and shake every part of your body. I learned that technique from Kim Eng's Retreat and now all I have to do is do it.
2. Change locations - If you are at work and anxiety or excessive thinking plagues you, then get out of your workspace completely, even if it's for 10 minutes or so.
3. Go to your breath and stay there for as long as you need to.
4. Choose the opposite - if someone asks you a question and you usually say yes, say no. If you're on your way home, go the other way. If you're in the middle of an argument, stop arguing or say something loving to the person you're arguing with, throw them off guard.
5. If you're home bored or feeling worthless like you're not contributing, go one of two ways: 1) do something, anything, even if it doesn't make sense and you have no idea how this applies to the rest of your life 2) do nothing - I know, I know, it's contradictory, but hear me out. Stay with it; see what feeling bored or worthless feels like. The mind controls boredom as well. It's putting stories in your head that don't serve you and you can hear those stories when you listen to what your mind is saying. But if you can't take it anymore, then perform one of the above exercises.
Join me in shaking it off no matter what the mind is telling you!
Thank you!
I've been on one of those for the past couple of days. Most of the time, I am aware when my mind starts getting away from me and I perch up like an owl and stay alert. However, a few days before the start of my period, my mind takes me on a fun mental and emotional ride to the point when I start doubting my own name. If you are a female reading this post, then you are all too familiar with side effects of PMS. No matter how varying these side effects, the underlying quality of this state is diminished alertness or presence. You're rearranging every life decision you've ever made before you know what hit you, at least I do.
If you suffer from excessive thinking and you can't turn your mind off whenever you want, then practice the following along with me:
1. Shake it off - Whenever you find yourself in states of anxiety, worry, confusion, emotional turmoil, unexplainable anger, or any other state that does not equal peace, than literally stand up and SHAKE IT OFF! For 5 to 10 minutes straight stand there and shake every part of your body. I learned that technique from Kim Eng's Retreat and now all I have to do is do it.
2. Change locations - If you are at work and anxiety or excessive thinking plagues you, then get out of your workspace completely, even if it's for 10 minutes or so.
3. Go to your breath and stay there for as long as you need to.
4. Choose the opposite - if someone asks you a question and you usually say yes, say no. If you're on your way home, go the other way. If you're in the middle of an argument, stop arguing or say something loving to the person you're arguing with, throw them off guard.
5. If you're home bored or feeling worthless like you're not contributing, go one of two ways: 1) do something, anything, even if it doesn't make sense and you have no idea how this applies to the rest of your life 2) do nothing - I know, I know, it's contradictory, but hear me out. Stay with it; see what feeling bored or worthless feels like. The mind controls boredom as well. It's putting stories in your head that don't serve you and you can hear those stories when you listen to what your mind is saying. But if you can't take it anymore, then perform one of the above exercises.
Join me in shaking it off no matter what the mind is telling you!
Thank you!
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Do and Let Go
Checking in...
"The Master gives herself up to whatever the moment brings. She knows that she's going to die, and she has nothing left to hold on to: no illusions in her mind, no resistances in her body. She holds nothing back from life; therefore she's ready for death, as a man is ready for sleep after a good day's work." - Tao Te Ching
The one-hour non-resistance exercise has been working really well. Somehow knowing that an activity is just a meditation takes away the stress, the doubt, and any other resistance-type emotion and replaces it with aliveness and enjoyment. It doesn't even matter what it is that I'm doing, be it washing dishes or writing a novel, it's all one activity and if there is resistance, it's the same resistance I feel toward washing dishes that I do toward writing. Hence, what I do doesn't matter, it's how I do what I do makes all the difference.
How's life calling me to serve?
Do and let go. Letting go every step of the way is the true kind of doing. As the wise Lao-tzu points out there can't be illusions and resistances when one knows that she's going to die. And it's not meant to creep us out, but rather see life for what it is and not hold back. If not now, when? Do and let go. Do now and don't think about it later. "Did I do that right? I should've done it differently? What if this happens?" All the questioning and thinking about the result of action is not true action, but action based on fear and ego. The ego says, "what's the best thing can I do in order to make sure that I succeed?" The only true success is doing and letting go. Holding on to something that has no grasp is illusory and painful. However, creating something and releasing it is freeing and alive. When you know there is no need to grasp, then there is no fear.
Free the doing as you would a bird and let it fly free. See it flap its wings. Hear it chirp to the world, "wake up, you are already here."
Join me in doing and letting go of doing.
Thank you!
"The Master gives herself up to whatever the moment brings. She knows that she's going to die, and she has nothing left to hold on to: no illusions in her mind, no resistances in her body. She holds nothing back from life; therefore she's ready for death, as a man is ready for sleep after a good day's work." - Tao Te Ching
The one-hour non-resistance exercise has been working really well. Somehow knowing that an activity is just a meditation takes away the stress, the doubt, and any other resistance-type emotion and replaces it with aliveness and enjoyment. It doesn't even matter what it is that I'm doing, be it washing dishes or writing a novel, it's all one activity and if there is resistance, it's the same resistance I feel toward washing dishes that I do toward writing. Hence, what I do doesn't matter, it's how I do what I do makes all the difference.
How's life calling me to serve?
Do and let go. Letting go every step of the way is the true kind of doing. As the wise Lao-tzu points out there can't be illusions and resistances when one knows that she's going to die. And it's not meant to creep us out, but rather see life for what it is and not hold back. If not now, when? Do and let go. Do now and don't think about it later. "Did I do that right? I should've done it differently? What if this happens?" All the questioning and thinking about the result of action is not true action, but action based on fear and ego. The ego says, "what's the best thing can I do in order to make sure that I succeed?" The only true success is doing and letting go. Holding on to something that has no grasp is illusory and painful. However, creating something and releasing it is freeing and alive. When you know there is no need to grasp, then there is no fear.
Free the doing as you would a bird and let it fly free. See it flap its wings. Hear it chirp to the world, "wake up, you are already here."
Join me in doing and letting go of doing.
Thank you!
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