Tag Archives: freedom

Thoughtful Thursdays #91 Arguing With Yourself

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Are you unhappy with what is happening at the moment or events that have happened in the past?

That is arguing with yourself.

Frustrated and overreacting with everyday dramas?

That is arguing with yourself.

Are you over thinking, feeling stuck and have racing thoughts?

That is arguing with yourself.

Worried, fearful, stinking thinking?

That is arguing with yourself.

The antidote:

Accept what is going on right now without judgement.

There really is nothing in your current circumstances

that can stop you from making the changes you need to make to be happy.

Stop arguing with yourself.

Thoughtful Thursdays # 90 – The Voices In Your Head

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There is one voice in your head which is the one that is constantly chatting, has racing thoughts and is fatality minded.  It’s the voice that can send you from the highest hopes to the deepest despair.  The voice in your head will automatically default to what is negative. Especially when things are going good.

But it is not you.

There is another voice in your head that is barely audible. It is drowned out by the chatting and racing thoughts etc. We can’t hear it because we don’t listen for it. This is the real you.

How can we observe what we are thinking to get clarity?

Detach from your thoughts and feelings and observe them. Thoughts are like waves in an ocean. Waves rise, crest and crash on the shore. Let your thoughts rise but don’t react to them. Let them crest observing them. Let them crash out of your consciousness.  Let them go without judgement.

Then relax. Take a breath.

In the action of daily activities this may not be possible. There are ways of carving out time for getting in touch with the quiet voice.

Meditate, go for a walk, exercise, do art, write, do something that is not part of your regular routine.

You will know that you are making progress when you feel at peace.

Happy Listening!

 

 

 

Thoughtful Thursdays # 89 Commitment

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What is commitment?

Dedication to a cause.  It is loyalty, devotion, a promise, a pledge, an action that transform something into reality.

We can commit to pay our bills on time.

We can promise to be faithful to someone.

We can pledge to self-improvement.

So why is it so hard to transform our actions into a realistic outcome?

Because we don’t commit with our whole being. Commitment requires a certain amount of fearlessness and being uncomfortable with change. So how do we start?

Slowly, very slowly because with small changes, tiny choices one by one eventually become the commitment to change anything for the better.

 

 

Thoughtful Thursdays # 86 – Coloring Books

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Coloring books are mostly thought of  as a children’s activity. We all remember a time as a child that we sat with a coloring book and a new box of crayons.

Coloring books are not just for children. I went to the dollar store a few weeks ago and bought three coloring books and a new box of 64 crayons. I just wanted to color so I indulged myself.

I used only my non dominant hand to color. I went inside the lines and outside the lines. I noticed I couldn’t color very fast so my entire being slowed down. Coloring became a meditation, a stress reliever, my thoughts slowed down. I felt little again. Feeling little felt natural.

I was reconnected with simplicity, coloring was a quick creative fix. I noticed when I was finished with a few pages I was more focused and calm as I resumed my daily life. And occasionally forgot myself and used my non dominant hand for various actions like writing and picking things up.  That made me smile.

What a wonderful form of therapy. Cheap, works fast and gives both sides of your brain an equal workout.

I bought the simplist coloring books however there are many types of coloring books. Check your local craft shop or bookstore.

I plan on continuing coloring.

Try feeling like a child again and color. It’s endearing and delightful and it will brighten up your day.

Happy Coloring.

Blue, Pink, Indigo, Purple, Yellow, Cornflower, Timberwolf, Magenta, Black, Orange, etc., etc., etc…………………………

 

Thoughtful Thursdays # 85 – Going To Fearful Places

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Machig Lardron was a famous female 11th century Tibetan tantric Buddhist teacher. Her birth was predicted by Yeshe Tsogyel.  She was as mystic and shaman. She wanted to know how to end human suffering. She wanted to wake up so she could heal the suffering in the world. So she asked her teacher at the time what was the best and fastest method of achieving this. This is what he told her. She followed it to the letter and gained much spiritual power. And you can too.

1. Confess your hidden faults

2. Approach what you find repulsive

3. Help those you think you cannot help ( also translated as to help those you do not want to help)

4. Anything you are attached to, give that ( let it go )

5. Go to the places that scare you

Each slogan amounts to the same thing. Facing your fears.

1. What am I afraid of admitting

2. What do I find completely and utterly unapproachable

3. Who do I not want to help because I am afraid to admit my true feelings

4. What am I afraid of losing

5. Where am I afraid to go to in the real world and where and I afraid to go in the dark recesses of my mind.

As a spiritual practice of mindfullness examine each fear you have and face it. What is this dark side telling you.

There is tremendous benefit in facing fear rather than running from it.

You will gain a confidence no one can ever take from you.

You will be a guiding force for yourself and for others to emulate.

There is so much strength in you that you don’t take credit for.

Do it now. See fear for what it really is. Lies. Don’t believe the lies. Don’t believe you can’t do something.

There is nothing that cannot be solved. You are more powerful than any trouble. Use your own power.

You can do it. Believe in yourself and do it now.

 

 

A Sense of Accomplishment

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Often I have a nagging feeling of something that I can’t put my finger on. I feel edgy, uncomfortable, restless. I try different things to find out where the feeling is coming from. For example, eating, watching TV, socializing, any anything else that is out side of me.

None of those things work. I finally realized what I was denying. My own creativity. There is nothing in my world that is more staisfying as being creative. Whether it is painting or writing, I get a tremendous sense of accomplishment.

Most of us deny our true selves and the best way to get back in touch with it is do the thing that makes us feel accomplished.

It is our job to figure what that feeling of accomplishment is and build on it. Even if it for five minutes a day.

Happy days are created by not denying what makes us happy. Happy days are created by doing what makes us happy.

Figure it out for yourself. What makes you happy? Where can you fit in 5 minutes of this action that makes you happy?

Self discovery will take you to where you are supposed to be in all areas of your life. Seems unrealistic? Not really, the happier you are the more your life will come into the balance of where it’s supposed to be.

Happy Adventures………

Thoughtful Thursdays #82 – Hurting Others

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No one attacks without the intent to hurt. Cruelty becomes protection. You mean to hurt others  to have freedom. You attack because of fear. Fear of invasions or fear of a feeling. You are looking for freedom from fear. Freedom from feeling your own inadequacy.

If it is you that is lashing out, talk it out with someone who is sympathetic to you. If you are the victim of this type of lashing out let it go because they are hurting and have bad people skills.

Let it go.

This is paraphrased from a section in a Course In Miracles.  Poor behavior is reflection of the person doing the wrong action. It is not a reflection on the intended victim.

Equanimity

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Equanimity is viewing

those we love

and those we hate

and wanting both to be happy.

Shi Wuling

Thoughtful Thursdays #79 – Going with the Flow

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I wonder if anyone else goes through this. I find when I push and try to force an event, it usually doesn’t work.

When I go with the flow of events, things work out perfect.

I must remind myself that stepping back and letting life flow without my interuption is the better way to get what is perfect and necessary.

Happy flowing.

 

 

Fate

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do not resent the heavens for ones’s fate.

do not blame our problems on others.

realize the negative cause

lies within us,

was created by us,

can only be changed by us,

resolved by us with

understanding,

diligence,

love.

Shi Wuling