The Path Ahead
The Body of our Ark is being repaired and we are under way. Our mind is clearing as we journey onward. The path ahead may be fraught with uncertainty, but we possess the ability to direct our lives. There may be times when our way is obscured, but doubt and fear have no place in the Peaceful Mind. As the mind quiets, we begin to take notice of our lives. Like taking a moment to peer over the railing of your Ark, you are become aware of the ebb and flow of life and the world as it washes around you.
The Ordinary Mind
The Ordinary Mind is just what it sounds like. It is the state of our normal waking consciousness, that part of the self that is concerned with day-to-day living. It is where all of our likes and dislikes live. It is where our emotions are created and acted upon as we respond to our environment and the other living beings we encounter. The Ordinary Mind is a state of going through the motions of life without being aware of actually living.
Before beginning meditative practices the Ordinary Mind is often a chaotic jumble of fragmented thoughts, emotions, regrets, desires, and memories of past experiences (and of course the nonstop reverberation of advertising jingles…if you haven’t unplugged yet.)
As the Ordinary Mind becomes peaceful we notice an awareness within us. This awareness is our higher self. By bringing peace to the Ordinary Mind we enable that higher self to grow. Usually it is noticed at moments of peak experience when we are tuned into the flow of the present moment. That awareness of the present moment is based on intention.
Which brings us to the discussion of…
The Intention Mind
If the Ordinary Mind is the navigation system of our Ark then the Intention Mind is the pilot. The Intention Mind enables us to make choices about how we live and how we act. It has the ability to clearly focus on the path ahead. Intention is a concentrated focus of the mind, causing the occurrence of events in our lives. When you intend to do something, you have the ability to cause it to happen. The action of Intention Mind plants that seed which, if allowed to grow undisturbed, will eventually attract to itself all the conditions necessary for its manifestation in outward tangible form. Learning to stay present is training intention. Training intention creates the potential to be successful in whatever you attempt.
Which brings us to the discussion of…Manifesting Reality
Manifesting reality is something that sounds absolutely wonderful in theory, but doesn’t always work in practice. The reason for this gap is undisciplined intention and the misdirection of focus.
The Intention Mind provides the focus to manifest a better reality. However, there are challenges. The more scattered and unsettled the Ordinary Mind is, the harder it is for the Intention Mind to stay on course. The undisciplined, unconscious thoughts of the Ordinary Mind are contributing to the manifestation of your reality. It can be like having a monkey running around inside your head. Manifesting anything positive can be rather difficult with the monkey sabotaging your mental process.
Misdirection of focus is even more troubling. While we actually do have the ability to create our own reality, it is not in the sense that most people tend to focus on. Manifesting reality is not a free pass to fill our lives with monetary wealth or material distractions, yet many people think that truly believing in the object of their desire and focusing on it will lead to that object or goal being realized. Of primary concern should be cultivating peace, joy, happiness, integrity, honor and purpose in life. If you are focused on material gain you are missing the point.
Start by recognizing where you are right now. The present reality you are living in is a direct result of the actions, behaviors and thought processes you have engaged in throughout your life. You have created the reality you exist in already. If you don’t like who you are or what you are doing, it may be time to take a long look at the choices you have made and determine the role they have had in creating the reality you are living in. Everything we are is a direct result of our actions and behaviors. Manifesting reality is not something you start doing now to get something in the future. It is what you have been doing your whole life and the reality you exist in now is a result of what you have already manifested.
If you are not happy with the reality you are living in, perhaps it is time to do something different.
Further Training:
The Inner Sunrise CD is a guided meditation journey that can assist in calming the mind and relaxing the body.
1 comment:
Looking forward to the next posts!
Post a Comment