A lot of our mental habits and resistances are just reflections of our animal nature. Beyond a certain point, the basic external functions of an animal no longer work on a psychological level, and do not work well for inner peace.
Inwardly, we treat things as if we are animals - because of course as human beings, we are animals. If an animal finds something unpleasant where it lives, it will grab hold of it and remove it. We do the same. If the animal is given pain, it will try to escape from the pain. We do the same. If it cannot escape the pain, or if it is particularly angry or protective, then it will fight. We do the same. And that's all fine.
But when we have an unpleasant thought or emotion enter our inner realm, our animal mind tries to do the same thing. It tries to grab, fight or push away the unwanted energy, just as it would in the outside world. But it is not so effective when it comes to thoughts and emotions. Our minds are built to seek out problems - to find unwanted things, focus on them and remove them with relative ease.
We have the same habit when an unwanted thought enters - we focus on it and try to remove it through resistance. When it comes to thoughts or emotions, this habit seems to amplify thoughts and emotions that we don’t want, and gives them an importance they don’t have. How can we correct this ?
We have the same habit when an unwanted thought enters - we focus on it and try to remove it through resistance. When it comes to thoughts or emotions, this habit seems to amplify thoughts and emotions that we don’t want, and gives them an importance they don’t have. How can we correct this ?
For one thing, thoughts are not static things. They are not like rotten fish in your bin that you have to remove. Thoughts and emotions are flowing energies, but we treat them as if they are static, so we try to hold on to them and deal with them. We have to realise that thoughts and emotions are fluid. They move. If we don’t obstruct them, then they can’t stick around for so long.
We also have to simply notice that the habit to hold on to our pains and limitations is just that primal part of our mind trying to eliminate problems. It is not that "you" can’t help but resist your mind or your thoughts, but that the biology of the organism is conditioned to fight and resist. So it’s not you, it’s just biology, and when the biology becomes conscious, then a greater space becomes apparent.
Once a habit that keeps us feeling anything less that good is recognised and becomes clear, then all we have to do is notice its functioning. In this case the primal mind is fighting what is not wanted, which is all it knows how to do. All that is required is for us to notice that it is doing its best, and that the resistance habit is not serving as effectively on an inner level as we have unconsciously expected it to.
When we are no longer fully identified with the resistance habit (the reflex to fight against our own minds), then the whole thing softens, and we begin to become more free.
eHowtwo 2020
eHowtwo 2020
This post first appeared on EHowtwo - Expand And Inspire Your Life And Mind, please read the originial post: here
