How can I know Myself?
Knowing ourselves, and feeling that we are in our right mind or at ease in our mind is not always easy. Our mind is continually a writhe with a steam of thoughts which often govern our emotions, choices of action. In some cases, thoughts and experiences make us feel out of control of our emotions and may shape how we process information about ourself and others and make it difficult to feel sure of who we are or to maintain a stable positive self-identity. The mind processes past and present awareness and even imaginations, hopes and fears, to govern the perception of who we believe we are. Our minds present us with an amazing and vast array of potential views of ourself ever added to and subtracted from which can be unsettling.
A STABLE SELF- SOUL IDENTITY
A stable Soul identity, bourne of the same beautiful creation as the vast visible and even invisible world we sense around us lies at the source of our very essence. This Soul consciousness, ultimately intelligent and peaceful a part of a loving and God-given is a perfectly ordered universe. Just like the center of any perfectly spinning sphere, a fixed center peaceful and stable. We, like the universe, containing the essences of the very sparks of live, love/ and brilliance of our origin.
Just as all things created we receive and emit energy from the universe. As a powerful receptor, we feel various vibration of energy. We have a brilliant brain and mind tool which analyses and interpret everything in order to make suggestions on how to move, grow and be fulfilled. The mind has a powerful influence on us, which is to say we are not purely our mind. The tool should not rule the master. When this is allowed to happen chaos ensues.
OBSERVING MY MIND – DETACHMENT
Taking in the different scenes within and generating thoughts without, proposing different interpretations for my consideration. I realized that the mind tool (hopefully a sharp one) was never meant to be the ruling factor in my life. Now it was time for me to take charge, accept thoughts under the light of scrutiny and critical thinking, and discerning which I would keep on the basis of logical and rejecting others. I should add that if you do not have a long-suffering friend or a coach it is important in this process to be able to talk to yourself! (Yes I really did say that).
HOW TO DISCOVER YOURSELF – A MEDITATIVE EXPLORATION
I have come, through the use of meditation, to know myself better, by exploring the 4 different aspects that make up the self but the journey was not that straightforward. I share it nevertheless in a straightforward a manner as I know how. Some time has been spent practicing practiced self-observance, which involves carefully watching my thoughts, I have come to realize far from having a MINDSELF that mind is not set.
Once I was introduced to the concept of the mind as a tool of examination, which is forever moving and presenting scenarios and thoughts for my consideration. The journey became much clearer. The scriptures had always said we must watch our thoughts, but until this learning of meditation on how to do this completely alluded me. Once I realized meditation was about focus rather than emptying your mind and studying thoughts as they enter and leave the mind, the whole work became clearer.
CONNECTING THE PHYSICAL SPACE
I began to notice more acutely that had physiological responses to thoughts and actually heat up if stressed like a wave of heat washing over me. I wonder that I had never noticed this before (except once during my dissertation hand in day). Seriously before that, I did not recognize or is it acknowledge any such feelings. After several bouts with a major illness, I now realize that is vital for me to take notice of how a thought makes me feel.
MEDITATION STRATEGIES
If a thought is disturbing (and even if it is not) I will first accept the thought but detach and remind myself it is one thought or suggestion for consideration and ‘park it. I have become quite visual in these meditations. This is important as I notice I become ill, to a greater o lesser degree, with pains, headaches, colds after stress has passed. Stabilizing the relationship between ourselves can be difficult at times and people even report not feeling like themselves as if some aspect of self is out of synch or alignment.
Meditation is one way of stabilizing how all incoming energy effects us. I have learned by experience that by referring every thought that comes into me to this fixed center or soul consciousness (core identity). In this way, the mind must be managed so that this tool to process a vast array of information from the senses does not rule the roost. (see meditation on weakness)
HEARTFELT MATTERS
I noticed or rather acknowledged that I had long since stopped volunteering opinions or stepping forward to pursue some goals due to fear, but this was very rational, everyone dislikes criticism but I noticed that I had stopped speaking up unless it became really necessary or uncomfortable to remain silent. Once i examined this (especially in line with knowledge of ego divestment, I took some quite drastic steps to overcome the fear, In any case, I hate being hostage to circumstance. (even if they are self-created). Wow, I was starting to understand myself not just overall, but moment to moment, which became more acute with the practice over what will soon be ten years.
- Detaching from suggestions that the mind presents,
- Imagine/visualize holding the thoughts in hand and collecting and then putting them aside for a moment
- See what else comes rather than running away with a single thought and do the same. visualizing resting it aside. In essence, a receive a suggestion and ‘park it’.
- When no more thoughts come, my mind is quiet, and I sit in the peace of myself, without thoughts, remembering my original self.
- I then choose to examine each thought more closely whenever I wish from a peaceful place.
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