Hi Friends,
Much interesting conversation arose various places on the net in regard to my previous blog: “Why should I let go of thinking?” I get it because over the years I have read discussions regarding letting go of the thinking mind, and I thought, “Huh? How do we give up thinking?!” There are 86,400 seconds in a day, and so it would seem that we think at least that many thoughts!
Much interesting conversation arose various places on the net in regard to my previous blog: “Why should I let go of thinking?” I get it because over the years I have read discussions regarding letting go of the thinking mind, and I thought, “Huh? How do we give up thinking?!” There are 86,400 seconds in a day, and so it would seem that we think at least that many thoughts!
So first, if you have a problem with letting go of the “thinking mind”, don’t let words get in the way, think of it as letting go of ego, which is the voice for the belief in separation. If you begin to really listen to this voice and look at your thoughts, you will see that this is true.
In the previous post on “thinking” I wrote about a recent experience when my mind was spinning on grievances and resentments that I could not seem to let go of. I heard the Inner Voice break in and remind me to focus on resting the mind, trusting the healing process and being grateful for all that is, and then I was led into prayer.
On first note, however, the grievances, the reminder from Spirit Within, and the prayer would seem to be coming from my “thinking” mind. Yet, when my thinking was caught up in grievances and resentment I felt a sense of heaviness and agitation; and then when I momentarily tried to stop thinking with my thinking mind I experienced more of the same! When I rested my mind and focused on my willingness to trust and be grateful, I felt a sense of lightness and peace.
Until recently, I had not thought of “thinking mind” as being synonymous with ego. As a student of A Course in Miracles I now recognize that every single lesson in its workbook, as well as the many prayers throughout the Course are practices for letting go of the ego thinking mind.
A question came up this past week over the idea of letting go of thinking: “If we give up our thinking mind how can we reason, read, write or study the Course?”
While studying the Course, NTI, the Bible… most of us have come across passages that we did not understand. There were times when I spent hours thinking about what something meant, only to end up confused.
Ultimately I learned to turn to my Inner Teacher and ask for an experience that would help me to understand. Each time I did this, within three days I would receive understanding either through a book, audio, an insight, conversation… The answer didn’t come through thinking, it didn’t come through trying to figure it out, it came through surrender, it came in stillness, it came when I was not seeking it. In my experience, we can study anything a whole lot easier with the Inner teacher of wisdom leading the class rather than the teacher of confusion.
“Single Quiet Thought” ~105~ speaks of this:
Beyond the thinking mind,
within the heart,
there is reason and knowledge
that guides you.
When you are lost from the heart,
caught up within the stories
of the thinking mind,
you are lost from this reason
and from this knowledge
This is why you suffer.
You do not know your Self.
Let go of the stories
By not believing them
And listen intently
to the silent reason
and knowledge
of the heart.
The thinking mind does not know who I am and does not know Truth. The stories running through our mind with the plot themes of attack and fear, worry about the future, and conflict with our brothers…are these stories helpful? If not, why do we listen to them? The inner work involves learning to stop listening to these stories that are not true.
Throughout spiritual literature we are taught:
Be still…and know.
I’ve never read anything that said, “Think…and know.” But that’s what we think right? The more I think the more I’ll know. Be still…and know.
~
Over the years I experienced much healing in literally every aspect of my life through practicing the principles I learned in the Course, and I see that throughout those years I was learning to undo the ego. I had learned how to still the ego mind, I had learned how to choose peace, but to a great extent, and unbeknownst to me, I was still identified with the thinking mind.
A few years ago my Inner Teacher began to have me look at the thoughts going on in my mind all day long, like when driving or shopping…those seemingly innocuous thoughts that we pay no attention to. As I was taught to look at them I saw that they were all judgments.
Then I was led to The Holy Spirit’s Interpretation of the New Testament (NTI), and specifically to NTI Luke which gave me deeper understanding of this process. I began to understand that this voice I think of as “my” thoughts is really ego; it is the voice of unworthiness, the voice of separation – and all this time I thought it was me! Yikes!
It’s taken a couple more years to work through my resistance, and to increase my willingness to let go of what I once thought was me. For fun, I began to think of this voice as the Toxic Chatty Cathy. I didn’t realize it initially, but when I started calling the voice chatty Cathy, I had switched from being the “thinker” to the observer.
Sometime go back to the workbook of the Course and read the “first review” which is a review of the first fifty lessons, and you will see that these ideas are all there. Many of us took umbrage to those early lessons that told us our thoughts were meaningless. Remember that?
From lesson 51.4:
“The thoughts of which I am aware do not mean anything because I am trying to think without God. What I call “my” thoughts are not my real thoughts. My real thoughts are the thoughts I think with God. I am not aware of them because I have made “my” thoughts to take their place. I am willing to recognize that my thoughts do not mean anything, and to let them go. I choose to have them be replaced by what they were intended to replace. My thoughts are meaningless, but all creation lies in the thoughts I think with God.”
Despite how much healing I’ve experienced over the last twenty plus years, there are areas in my life where I continue to remain stuck. And now I see why. In those areas I think thoughts of lack and limitation, I think thoughts of unworthiness, fear and guilt…
I have learned to see those thoughts, and question those thoughts, and thus I have learned that the thoughts I think stem from beliefs and desires that I no longer want. When I am willing to rest the thinking mind, then I hear thoughts that remind me of who I am.
In the last few months with rising gas prices, I noticed that I had let go of focusing on personal lack, but then focused on those people who most likely have to choose between gas and food. As I looked at those thoughts, and recognized them as stemming from a belief in lack and limitation, I questioned them: “Sheryl, is this what you want to teach your brothers? Do you want to teach them lack and limitation?”
“No, I do not.”
Holy Spirit,
I see these thoughts and beliefs in my mind
and I am willing to let them go.
Please take them from me
and correct them for me.
I know that only truth
will correct all errors in my mind.
Thank You.
Willingness to focus on the truth of our Being is the most helpful thing we can do for one another.
I know how difficult it can be to walk through the 86,400 seconds in a day and keep our mind focused on Purpose instead of mesmerized by all that’s going in our lives. Nevertheless, we can let everything be an opportunity for the healing of our mind.
“This is something you must be willing to do:
You must be willing to rest the thinking mind
at every opportunity given you.
“Learn to recognize your opportunities to rest the thinking mind. When you feel to go into prayer, rest and let a prayer rise from the Heart. When you feel to answer a question in the mind, rest and let the answer find its way into your awareness. When you feel tired and unsure as to what to do, rest and let a feeling of what to do enter you. When you feel inclined to speak and don’t know what to say, rest and let what to say be given. And when you feel upset or saddened or afraid, rest and let illusions fade. When the thinking mind is rested, the Vision of Spirit is given.” (NTI Revelation 20.v1-3)
What I love about this paragraph is the many times that it says: rest and let…
Rest and let the truth within teach to you and through you.
We remember who we are through the willingness to listen to the Voice that remembers who we are. Stop and rest your mind, and simply let.
I have something wonderful to share with you. Some of you may remember Michael Carlucci, who wrote such inspired spiritual poetry before he passed from this realm. By chance I came across this poem recently:
Rest, Accept, Trust
I think, “Wouldn’t it be terrific if…
Then my life would be so great
And then my spirits would elate.
All my problems would be gone.”
And then a fear creeps in.
It also says, “What if…”
And then I must begin
Other thinking tasks to win.
A whisper in my mind says, “Trust.
What if all your need has been supplied
And trusting mind need not resist
Whatever comes your way.”
With that a peaceful rest
Finds calming spot in thinking’s place
I know that thinking ‘bout is gone
That grace has taken every space.
~ Thank you Michael ~
I love it, the “trusting” mind versus the “thinking” mind. We can readily see how the thinking mind chatters about how our lives will be better if this or that happens, or it shrieks about the fearful things that could come along in the future. It spins all kinds of tales about the future and the past, always taking us out of the present. Trust says, in this moment, all is well.
So how do we let go of thinking mind?
Through willingness to do so. And our willingness is, indeed, everything. Through our willingness we will experience healing. It is time to make a decision to commit more fully, and more deeply to listen to one Voice, the Voice that speaks from Love.
“When you prefer love to conflict, you will begin to listen to Me. When you prefer oneness to separateness, you will ask Me how to think. When you are tired of loss, lack and suffering, you will give yourself to Me to be made complete. All this you can choose, and in all this, I am with you.” (NTI Matthew 24v32-35)
~ Thank You ~
*********************************
Single Quiet Thoughts (SQTs) can be found at: http://www.reginadawnakers.com
The audio was recorded on 6/5/11 and contains much more than is here, it is 57 min.
How to Let go of thinking
0 comments:
Post a Comment