observe
your mind
ARE WE OUR MINDS?
For some of us, the mind is spitting out mental dramas everywhere we turn and we don’t even see it, it’s like we are taking orders from a dictator that we don’t realize is there. Yet for others, the thought system is a bit slower, still thinking, but not quite as chaotic or chatty. Wherever your current mental state is operating, there is always the chance to choose to see it differently even if you don’t see it yet.
You CAN consciously choose to play a silent witness to the mental gymnastics, to watch how your mind reacts to any given situation. It is only then, that you can begin to make changes. If you do not see it, you cannot get out of a cycle you don’t realize you are in.
The challenging part is recognizing that you are not your mind. Most of us are too absorbed in our thoughts as ourselves that we don’t see it yet. If you are able to observe your thinking mind, then what or who is doing the observing?
how do you step out of your own thoughts?
LEARN TO
observe yourself
Take time out of each day to notice what your mind is thinking, perceiving, believing, you name it just WATCH IT. Put on your new clear vision glasses and start watching everything.
Begin to see if you are reacting to life, or if you are accepting life as it comes to you. Do you believe everything is happening to you, or do you see you have a role in how you perceive it?
Wherever you are, just take a mental note of it, and be honest with yourself. There is no judgement in this exercise, nothing to do other than noticing.
Watch how you interact with yourself, your own mind, your thoughts, your environment, and notice other people. Others can be wonderful teachers.
See yourself as the actor or actress on the stage of life. Don’t try to fix anything, just OBSERVE without judgment, or at least with as little judgment as possible.
The mind naturally judges everything. When you see this, it will start to become very obvious just how much it has an opinion about anything and everything.
Remember, this exercise of observing can take a long time until you feel it is a natural part of your life. You are learning to join with the vast field of awareness that is surrounding all things.
If you have never done this before, it may be difficult, so be patient and remind yourself it’s just as simple as being aware of yourself and everything around you.
Eventually you can incorporate this practice into your waking state regularly. It’s not about having perfect thoughts, or a perfect mind, it is simply about having the willingness to look, to notice what your ego mind is doing. When you see it, then you can choose how you wish to see any given situation.