From Mindlessness to Mindfulness – Part 1 of 2
wvlju2019-04-13T18:33:47+00:00Because we have been unaware of being under the influence of unconscious authority and that the separation we feel toward each other is an illusion, we have gone about life mindless to the effects of these false premises. Mindlessness When we operate from a mindless state we act impulsively, foolishly, or single-minded, often blind to other possibilities and the effects our decisions will have on our ultimate happiness or on others. We are not concerned with others or maintaining harmony in situations. We are acting from impulses aiming to either protect us, or get what we think we need to be happy or feel empowered. This article is an excerpt from my New Book See here for About Book and below for info on the next 2 books in this series due out shortly. (See below for information on my 1st book, "Your Journey to Peace...", ) An example of this might be a spouse who, without consulting his or her partner, takes a job that makes more money but means less time for family. The partner making this decision may have been influenced by a disadvantaged background and be blind to the effects this decision would have on the rest of the family. By making this decision on his or her own they are being mindless to the reasons they want the job as well as to the effect on those around them. Being mindless usually causes conflict with those around us. Mindfulness Conversely, if we are mindful when making decisions or taking action we are not in denial of the reasons for our desires or choices, and we consider their effects on others. We instinctively maintain harmony in situations.. When we decide to shift to becoming more aware and away from the negative and/or being mindless a conscious effort is required. However, we don’t have to examine every thought or attitude we hold. We can start by examining our general focus, thoughts, motives, and reactions and consider how our choices impact ourselves and those around us. We still get to live normal life, but we just do a bit of self-reflection. Our minds can decide whether our emotions are showing us true pictures or are based on false created Self that does not guide us to ultimate satisfaction. Unless we are mindful, we will fall prey to emotions influenced by our unconscious. For example, it is our neediness which speaks through our emotions―that wants us to overeat or indulge in something that is not good for us. We can engage our conscious minds to override those emotions by using self-talk. We can say something like, “I have decided to eat healthily, but I now feel the urge to eat something unhealthy. I can overcome this urge. And I will.” We take a few deep breaths to anchor in this intent. If the urge is still there, we can have a healthy snack, a cup of tea, or go and do something that will distract us. When someone is rude to [...]