I Can Make My Mind Be Quiet For A Little While

Category Ego, Enlightenment

In a recent comment here on this site, Anthony brought up an excellent point. It is so important that it’s worth dedicating a post to. Let’s see what Anthony has to say:

I wonder about the mind. It causes a lot of problems. I wish they’d teach us this stuff in school – how to handle the mind, life, and relationships.

Ariel – do you think it advantageous to completely step away from the mind? Is just being a witness enough to reprogram it? Because, some days i’ll have so many negative repetitive thoughts going over and over, i have to step in and say ENOUGH. Funny thing is, when i tell my brain what to do, it usually complies.

It is helpful, Anthony, if you truly want to awaken, to let go of any identification with the mind.

photo by SantiMB

You have probably discovered that trying to replace negative mental noise with positive mental noise is still just noise. Instead of enjoying life as it is in this moment, a delicious meal, a deep massage, or whatever else, the mind is thinking about how great it is, how wonderful life is, how appreciative it is, all the wonderful things it’s going to manifest, and so on. Just be quiet and enjoy the moment!

As you said, it is possible to tell the mind to be quiet for a moment and experience that. The thing is, however, and this is very subtle: you are not the one telling your brain what to do! You are not in control of the brain. It is thought directing thought, but thought is not you!

There’s this trick where the mind can tell itself to be quiet for a moment, and it will. Then it gives “you” credit for this action. By giving you credit, it gives you the impression that you are in control of the mind and if you engage in this game more and more, you can (theoretically, with enough practice) get to the point where you can overcome the mind. You can dominate and win, given enough practice.

However, any time you try to go to battle with the mind, you lose. It’s a game you can not win.

Why? Because there is no “you” to win the game! The “you” who thinks it’s in control of the mind is still only a thought in the first place!

There’s a “you” who doesn’t exist competing against a mind who also is not you. There is no “you” involved in the game at all!

So if you’re not even playing the game, how on earth do you ever expect to win?

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