The mind is always at war with itself, and with us. It always finds something to complain about, or something to question. No wander it makes us unhappy, if we treat what it tells us as gospel. You can never be at peace unless you learn to judge what your mind is saying objectively, and choose whether it’s useful to you.

Not every thought you have is true, relevant or logical.

This is key to understand. Most of us grow up identifying with our minds, thinking we are our minds. Therefore we take everything it tells us far more seriously, and think it’s all relevant. Once you see this is not the case then you are free from the main cause of human suffering.

You also learn not to be afraid of your thoughts, when you are choosing whether to listen to them. Thoughts are just thoughts, what you do with them is up to you. So many people are fighting their thoughts, hoping they’ll go away. However if you fight negative thoughts it just makes them stronger. It’s classic negative suggestion. I mustn’t think like this anymore, or I mustn’t cough…
Rather than strain against them simply accept they are there, and accept the emotions that come with them. The only way out of pain is through it. Once you accept the bad feelings, and know that they are just feelings you are no longer afraid of them. Just like your mind, don’t identify with them, simply observe them without judgement. This will dissolve them, as they are no longer frightening.

It’s a long journey. When I first started learning about acceptance I saw the logic. My main issue quickly became beating myself up for not being in acceptance of difficult situations. My mind would say, ‘come on you’ve been studying this for ages, why are you still not accepting this? Why are you still in resistance?’ This itself is resistance. You also need to learn to accept when you are in a state of non-acceptance. Say to yourself, ‘It’s OK I’m in resistance now, it takes a long time to change the habits of a lifetime.’

It’s OK to be sad, to be tired, or to not feel like doing something or seeing someone. There are no real rules or obligations, only concepts.

It’s OK to be fed up at work even though you are trying to enjoy your work more.
It’s OK to be anxious even though you’re trying to be more relaxed.
It’s OK to be unsure, even when you are trying to make your mind up.

Sometimes the worse thing to do is to try too hard – even worse than not trying at all.

What you resist, persists.

 

 

Author: Chris Ashwort, http://manchesterawakening.weebly.com/blog

I’ve been interested in spirituality and peace since my early 20’s, as I found it gave me a lot of answers I’d been searching for. As I continue on my journey, I have turned my hand to writing articles as a way to express myself and connect with others. I hope people can find some peace and understanding in them.

 

 

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