It's become clearer and clearer how important this is, the fact that most (all?) of us inhabit a mind of repetitive thoughts...
- I don't have enough money. We are running out of money!
- I don't feel well. I feel so sick.
- Does he really love me? Am I crowding him?
- My stomach isn't flat enough. I need to lose more weight.
- Why hasn't she called yet? She doesn't like me.
- I'm not good enough.
- I am so sad.
It's not always negative, I know, but I'll get to that part in a second...
It reminded me of a quote in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance:
“We take a handful of sand from the endless landscape of awareness around us and call that handful of sand the world.”
Or, the line at the bottom of all my friend Porter's emails:
"Our view of reality is only a view, not reality itself."
There is a vast array of activity going on around us all the time, both within view and out. Our minds are only able to see a little at a time, and what we choose (often unconsciously) to focus on has a huge effect on how we feel, how we move forward. In addition to this repetitive dialog, there are tons of people who love you, something you accomplished well today, perhaps a roof over your head and a good meal available at the end of the day. There are great memories and gentle hopes, compliments you receive and laughter that fills you up inside. And on and on and on. All of these exist in addition to these (potentially) negative, looping ideas that take up a good deal of time and energy.
The Hare Krsnas know this. It's why they chant so often, keep the chanting on in the background, and do at least 108 mantras a day:
Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna
Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama
Rama Rama, Hare Hare
It fills up your consciousness and pushes other thoughts out. Only room for God.
Whether or not you believe in a higher being, the idea is astounding. What does that mean to repeat something positive in your head all day? Thinking about what you love in life, how much you care about someone, how great laughter is. It's self hypnosis. It's looking at a different part of the ever existing spectrum. It is, I have learned in the last few days, a key to something great.
You Really Need to be Drinking Vermouth Right Now
10 years ago
1 comment:
You're on to something fundamental here. I have approached it with different language, I think. Since a person's attitude is often arbitrarily chosen (maybe subconsciously? - due to limitations of view/reflection), just arbitrarily choose a positive attitude.
Those dudes Bad Brains sort of refer to it as a virtual third party, 'PMA' (positive mental attitude). It can be thought of outside of the self, sort of like a Platonic universal or something.
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