Your mind is an antenna, and it is often blasting a bunch of fake news.
This month I have been holding up a magnifying glass to my thoughts, words, and actions to discern their level of truthfulness.
I mess up a bunch. I think about work emails while I am rocking my baby to sleep. I use an untrue description playfully to comment on my friends excitement and it hurts her feelings. The harder I look, the more I see little lies. Gossip, judgment, criticism, exaggerating… these all shape our mind, our relationships, and our life but are not established in truth.
Big questions I found myself asking this month:
Is my daily life true to my values?
Am I being honest with want I want and what I need?
Are my words to others truthful?
Are my thoughts true?
Give yourself a moment to reflect on these.
I love the last one. In meditation I started asking- where did this thought come from, is it mine and is it TRUE?! When I say true I am talking about “piercing through the veil of illusion” true. Like, on my death bed will I still perceive this thought/ value to be important?
We experience life through a conditioned mindset. This means that the lens we see life through is shaped and colored by everything that has happened to and through us. We don’t even choose our thoughts as they arise, they just come into our mind according to the few things our individuated mind can understand from it’s past experiences.
Like a lightning storm with electricity striking the same metal rods over and over again, our mind blasts quickly and confidently to connections it has made in the past. We must put great effort to widen our perspective and change the patterns our minds are hardwired to think OR we let our mind lead us to a false perception of reality. (Avidya)
When I am able to see this rare and beautiful experience called “life” truthfully, I cannot stress or suffer over money and work! But, like I said, I mess up all the time and forget not to believe:
“You are not good enough.”
“This will never work.”
“You are alone in this.”
It’s wrong. Our mind lies to us because it is trying to protect us. It will do anything to keep us from getting vulnerable and taking risks.
My question/ challenge:
How can we get real honest with ourselves, especially in times of stress?
Can you begin to investigate what really matters in your life and start to observe your thoughts with more discrimination? Let’s stop assuming our mind brings us honest answers and ultimate truth!
Sutra 2.36: satya pratisthayam kriya phala ashrayatvam
“When you are established in truth your thoughts align with your words, your words align with your actions, and your actions bear fruit!”