Tag Archives: mind

Retraining the Mind

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Retraining the Mind

I repeatedly refer to The Infinite Way by Joel Goldsmith.  Whenever I feel that I am not sufficiently progressing towards the spiritual awareness I desire, I find passages that let me know that I am being judgmental and self-condemning.  Enlightenment is not a static condition, a place where you arrive and remain in eternity.  Life in all its forms ebbs and flows, dies and is resurrected.  The nature of existence is change.

Joel Goldsmith states: “Spiritual illumination may be attained by living constantly in the consciousness of the presence of perfection, by the continual translation of the visible picture into the reality.  We are being faced with discordant appearances all through our days and nights, and these must immediately be translated through our understanding of the ‘new tongue,’ the language of Spirit.

Translate the pictures and incidents of daily existence into the new tongue, the language of Spirit, and consciousness will expand until translation occurs without even taking thought.  It becomes a habitual state of consciousness, a constant awareness of Truth.”

Many mornings, I wake up worried about my finances.  How will I pay my bills this month?  It is challenging to keep my mind stayed on Reality and not be distracted by the Illusion of my daily visible pictures.  Utilizing various tools, I analogize a given situation to the suggestion for monitoring alcohol consumption at a party: one glass of water to one glass of wine.  As I worry, I replace anxious thoughts with exercising, reading, listening to inspirational music, writing, meditating, or stating a mantra “This isn’t my Reality” or “As the Principle of Supply in action, it is impossible for me to have any needs or unfulfilled desires.”  The latter is taken from The Abundance Book by John Randolph Price.

Worrying can become so constant that it becomes an unconscious normal state of mind.  Thus, I have to incorporate new habits of thinking throughout the day with every activity.  While driving, when I think my car is overdue for maintenance that I can’t afford, I switch to giving thanks that my car is still running, getting me to and from where I need and desire to go.  As I walk, instead of focusing on all of the undone items on my to-do list, I am thankful that I am able to walk unassisted.  I revel in the beauty that surrounds me.  Thank God for my sight!  When I hear a song, I think of happy memories associated with it.  I change the station if a song is not pleasing to me.

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In Order to Go, You Have to Leave

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The spiritual journey does not consist of arriving at a new destination where a person gains what he did not have, or becomes what he is not.  It consists in the dissipation of one’s own ignorance concerning oneself and life, and the gradual growth of that understanding which begins the spiritual awakening.  The finding of God is a coming to one’s self.  Aldous Huxley

Set peace of mind as your highest goal, and organize your life around it.  Brian Tracy

A negative mind will never give you a positive life.  Ziad K. Abdelnour

The one who follows the crowd will usually go no further than the crowd.  The one who walks alone is likely to find himself in places no one has ever been before.   Albert Einstein

In order to go, you have to leave.  Grey’s Anatomy, Season 11

We can let the circumstances of our lives harden us so that we become increasingly resentful and afraid, or we can let them soften us and make us kinder.  You always have the choice.  The Dalai Lama

Maturity is learning to walk away from people and situations that threaten your peace of mind, self-respect, values, morals and self-worth.  Tiny Buddha

Quotes by Prince

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when doves fly

Maybe I’m just too demanding
Maybe I’m just like my father, too bold
Maybe you’re just like my mother
She’s never satisfied
Why do we scream at each other
This is what it sounds like
When doves cry

 

A strong spirit transcends rules.

Time is a mind constraint.  It’s not real.

The gatekeepers must change.

If you set your mind free, maybe you’ll understand.

The most important thing is to be true to yourself.

I’m not a woman.  I’m not a man.  I am something that you’ll never understand.

Yeah, everybody’s got a bomb.  We could all die any day.  But before I let that happen, I’ll dance my life away.

There are no accidents.  And if there are, it’s up to us to look at them as something else.  And that bravery is what creates new flowers.

Perceptions of Our Minds

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perception tzakol deviantart

Being dependent on everything external allowed me to feel happy and fulfilled.  Being stripped of many material supports is teaching me to clearly see and comprehend the True Source of all that is; that everything that I had, have, and will have is but an expression of that Source; and that I am one with all that is – not better, not less than, but one with.

This concept is very hard for me to put into practice.  I think I’m getting better.  At least I’m aware.

We are all that we can be at this very moment.  It is good to strive to be and do more in order to move towards our promise and destiny.  However, being happy with the miracle of whatever is happening now can help create a happier tomorrow.

Temptations of the flesh are difficult to resist and overcome.  By temptations, I don’t only mean lust, greed, envy, or other such attractions.  I mean perceptions of the sense body.  We look at the material world as the source and end of everything with little or no regard to our spiritual origins, our command of energy, and our dominion.  We allow material existence (persons, places, and circumstances) to have power over us because we have forgotten the reality of our Higher Selves.  We have forgotten who and what we are.

We can become so involved with and drawn into the dramas and traumas of our loved ones, jobs, community, society, and world that we drift into negativity, forgetting that we are Spirit – clear, free, and unlimited.  In our essence, we are like air.  We forget that we are transcendent, that only the perceptions of our minds can entrap us, hold us, and imprison us.  That is the ultimate temptation of the flesh body.  We let the material world make us blind and deaf to our true nature and, thus, become bound to the earth.

The more status we give to tangible things and people, the more we forget that the Infinite even exists.  We drift further and further into anguish and hardship.  The day of reckoning always comes.  Judgment Day comes in different ways and times for each of us.  Cumulatively, all of our unhappiness makes it difficult for the great healers of the world to survive in physical form and help us through this medium.

Great joys come from being in the body.  However, the suffering of human existence becomes quicksand from which it seems impossible to emerge.  Constant struggle grounds one increasingly into the material and away from the reality and source of our being.

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Thoughts Held in Mind

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One of my constant phrases is “Thoughts held in mind produce in kind.”

I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to continuously plant positive messages into our brain.  We are faced every minute of every day with news of war, chaos, catastrophe, and mayhem.  We have to consciously and continuously fill our minds with the joy that surrounds us.

I constantly read and listen to scriptures, interpretations, stories, and songs from a variety of ancient and current spiritual and religious philosophies, even those that assign limited human attributes to what I believe to be an indescribable and infinite Presence.  I disregard the superficial labels and characteristics and focus on the message.

The story of Daniel lying down to sleep in the lion’s den encourages me to face my fears and trust that all is and will be well.  Joseph was sold by his siblings and unfairly put in prison.  Through all of his troubles, he maintained his integrity and commitment to do his best and rose to have power second to the King’s.  The Brave Merchant walked through fiery hells to receive a blessing from the Buddha.  The fairy tales I read as a child taught me that good shall ultimately prevail.  I take inspiration from the many stories of people who faced tremendous challenges and, not only persevered, but prospered.  When I feel like giving up, I recall these stories and keep it moving.

Even though differently stated, inherent principles are the same in every wisdom tradition. The more I hear and read, the more they sink in.  The repetition becomes part of my mind’s litany.  One morning, I woke up late.  Realizing that I wouldn’t be able to devote much time to meditate, I decided to forego it.  Instantly, a Biblical story popped into my mind: “If she could just touch the hem of his garment, she would be healed.”  I then recalled that the intent to meditate can be powerful and even a second of awareness adds to a cumulative total that will eventually develop a higher level of consciousness.  That morning, I had a short, but excellent meditation.

I need proper tools to fulfill my destiny.  I need consistency, practice, strengthening, and stretching.  I need to stay alert so that I can think clearly and effectively.  I need to have endurance.  All of these require a tank full of premium fuel.  There is no sustenance in a diet of pain, degradation, disrespect, and dishonor.

When I reach my wit’s end, upon what will I draw if my tool bag consists of unfairness; resentment; misogyny; the F, N, B, and H words; and destruction?  What will be my vision of myself and others?  How will that perception affect my actions?

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Calming My Chaotic Mind

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Sunset at Sea Thomas Moran

I went to the law library to research various subjects and practice guides.  In order to minimize my time in the library, I copied certain documents on a small flash drive.  When I completed my tasks, I gathered up my belongings, removed the flash drive from the computer, and left.  I was very busy for the next week and a half.  At some point, I missed the drive, but figured that I had misplaced it and, like other items, it would eventually show up.

After two weeks, I began to panic.  I looked everywhere – in my purses, my car, pockets, desk, floors, in between couch pillows.  Waking up at 2 AM, I turned on my laptop, and discovered that I hadn’t downloaded any documents from the library.  Thus, I presumed that I hadn’t removed the device from the library’s computer.

The next day, I called the library and was told that, when found, they throw the drives away. They don’t have space to store the many USB devices that people leave behind.  I thought of all of the time I spent at the library, carefully selecting my desired documents.  The librarian had to contact another staff member to access the database that contained what I needed. All that effort was worthless now.  How could I have left the drive?

The day before I began to miss my flash drive, I had a dream in which I was swept into the ocean by huge waves.  I knew that I could swim, but I was so far out, I began to feel hopeless.  I wondered why I had this dream.  I didn’t feel overwhelmed or lost.  The next morning, during meditation, I felt tired. The loss of my flash drive was consuming my thoughts.  I felt that, metaphorically, every time I get close to shore, a big wave comes and carries me far away.  I use much effort to swim back only to find myself swept out again and again.  In my meditative flashback of my dream, I decided not to swim back and to just drift out to sea.  I had no more energy or inclination.

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Self-Imposed Blocks to My Good

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beauty of nature

My alarm clock woke me to go to my swim team workout.  I am trying to be consistent.  My coach counseled: “Even if you don’t feel like it, come anyway.  That’s how you’ll improve.”   That morning, not only did I not feel like getting out of bed, I felt dizzy.  My stomach hurt.  I felt abnormally tired and achy.  I concluded that I was sick.  I should just get back into bed.

Despite my excuses and my body discomforts, I continued to get dressed and pushed myself out of the door. Surprisingly, I had one of my best swims!  I got into a faster lane and was able to keep up with my lane mates.  I felt so good after the first workout, I stayed for another!

This revealed to me that my mind seems to resist going to a higher level.  It likes routine and doesn’t want to venture into the unknown.  It wants to maintain the present comfort zone and keep things right where they are, even if the conditions are not optimum and going forward would be better.

When I’m about to go to a new level, be involved in something new, or expand my horizons, hardship and obstacles seem to occur to keep me from progressing.  Could I be creating these blocks to my good?  Sometimes, everything seems to be going well, but I become lethargic. I don’t want to do anything but eat and watch TV.  Why?

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