What is behind all the noise in my mind?

What Is Behind The Noise In My Mind?

Some days I am truly vexed by the running and re-running of a series of unuseful thoughts. Old tapes with false information about who I am, how worthy (or actually UNworthy) I am, my lack of skills or abilities, my looks and so on run incessantly in my brain. These unkind rumors cast a pall on my daily activities, my relationships with others and ruin the spontaneity of joyful living. Sometimes the silent radio of this false information is so incessant that I wonder if there is any reason to be here.

This mind noise is a Big Fat Lie. I am not, I could not be, as bad, failing, lacking, valueless, as this mind chatter makes me seem. I don't have to be enthused with every activity, every action, every connection in my life for life to be of value. The negative thoughts are casting a pall over life; life is worthy. So am I.

The discipline of finding and listening to my wisdom inner mind comes from practice. Practice redirecting the negative, purging the negative by leaving it alone rather than yelling at it, and sitting in meditation. Yes, meditation not only gives me a period of time where my intention is to be at peace- that intention flows through my day. It takes time, it takes discipline and the results are comforting. 

I am fine, I am enough; if I don't know how to do something I can learn it and I can get help. In time I can go even deeper and live in that space where I trust my own inner wisdom to guide, nurture and sustain me.

Dismiss all the thoughts which bother your mind. Train yourself during many days, many months, many years, to retain this pure mind. One day, when your empty mind has become crystallized, suddenly it will be illumined by its own intrinsic wisdom. At that instant you will realize the state of pure awakening. - Sokei-an, "Return to Your Original State!" 

And then there is this wonderful article about the brain: https://tinyurl.com/yagwql2x

Kyczy Hawk RYT E-500 is the author of “Yoga and the Twelve Step Path” , “Life in Bite-Sized Morsels” and “From Burnout to Balance” she continues to submit articles to recovery and yoga oriented publications. Her new book:”Yogic Tools for Recovery: A Guide for Working the Twelve Steps” and it’s workbook are available now.
Kyczy is very proud of her family; husband, kids, and grandkids, all who amaze her in unique and wonderful ways. More about her work can be found at www.yogarecovery.com.

Busy Brain Messy Brain

For a person who wants to live from the heart, my head sure gets in the way. Currently I have been meditating a little longer, a little more frequently and what I discovered is that my brain can be a snarly mess. Not snarly in the growly hissy way, but in the my earbuds have mysteriously tangled themselves up again way. 

I go to bed feeling calm, I have a good sleep, perhaps even with pleasant, if just barely remembered dreams. I get up- wash my face, brush my teeth and sit down to meditate. 

Two breathes in and my thoughts shoot out of the gate like thoroughbreds at Pimlico!! On Acid. They don't go in a straight line race- it is more of a maze and with multiple changed courses.

And I have to remind myself "of course"! Of course the mind will bolt around, scampering freely over the meadow of my mind. I just have to watch. I just note it and sit there. There is nothing to do but sit.

Breathe and be quiet and watch the chaos under the hood.

"No matter how savvy and independent and self-controlled we may presume ourselves to be, without mindfulness, chaos is what we discover when we begin to look under the hood."

—Kathleen Dowling Singh, "The Chaos Under the Hood" Kyczy Hawk RYT E-500 Author “Yoga and the Twelve Step Path” and “Life in Bite-Sized Morsels” and “From Burnout to Balance” among others. She is the founder of S.O.A.R.(™) Success Over Addiction and Relapse You can join Kyczy and a host of other people in recovery every Sunday morning at 7am PT (10 am ET) on In The Rooms for the Yoga Recovery meeting. More about her work can be found at www.yogarecovery.com.