119- Unleash Your Mind

Last week, I was processing, and it wasn’t an active process, meaning I wasn’t doing it by choice. My mind was running a marathon, and it seems it had been training to go the distance! Some of it was painful, some of it was eye-opening and life-affirming. Many Ah-HA!’s were had.

I was snorkeling out by the old Maui Prince, one of my fave spots, and my mind just went off on it’s own. I was thinking about rumination, but also about allowing thoughts and emotions to rise, and the subtle/not-so-subtle differences between the two. The first takes one down the proverbial rabbit hole, and the second implies being the observer of your own self.

The constant processing was tiring my brain, and I was tempted to resist it so I could enjoy the beautiful ocean I was submersed in. Suddenly, I thought that it would be good, instead of resisting it, to LET THE MIND GO. And I realized there are two ways to look at that. Ah HA!

Picture the mind as a dog on a leash. It is constrained by the leash and when restless can yank you off your feet. Indeed, the more it resists, the more you resist, and a perpetually pointless battle ensues.

Let It Go.

The dog may see a rabbit and chase it.

Let it go.

Don’t go down the rabbit hole with it. Watch it go down the rabbit hole, see how long it stays there, and note if there is a scuffle causing wounds you may need to tend to.

The dog may also choose to run off, or wander a bit, coming and going, spinning, jumping. Watch it, and let it go as it will. Follow if you want, let it lead you on a journey of instinct and discovery.

Or let it vanish out of sight, trusting it will come back, knowing you cannot truly own another being. We do not have control of our minds, but we can choose to watch the mind and not react, not embody the thoughts that arise, and instead value the organic process of thought.

In calm times, the dog may sit quietly next to you when you let go of the leash. It may be a time of deep connection, loving companionship and trust.

As we trust our mind more, we let it go and let it Be in its true nature, just as with pets, children, and people in general. I am learning bit by bit to value the natural course my mind takes.

I have my own unique path, completely my own! And I want to run free on my path, wherever it may lead.

 

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