Simplify! And Quiet the Mind!
What to say today? Where to go? It seems like I keep getting the word “Simplify” for some reason. I think this refers to clearing out stuff that is not needed. This may be physical items around the house, studio, and office, and even garage, but I think it may also be anything not needed mentally and emotionally. Even spiritually. It is easy to overcomplicate things. Life is not complicated unless we want it to be, unless we make it that way. Ego wants it as complicated and messy and confusing and dangerous as possible. All of those attributes keep us from the quiet of Presence and Spirit. Shutting off the “noise” allows us to grow spiritually. Especially the noise in our own heads. Words...buzzing on and on. Thoughts that go nowhere and serve no purpose, except to exist as worthless entities and energies. If our minds and souls can find some quiet time we can overcome the ongoing noise, but it takes practice. This leads me to this: how do we define “quiet time” when our thoughts stop? Meditation is the first thing we think of, and it is a wonderful path with great benefits. But, there are other ways to let the soul breathe. Anything that shuts down the unceasing stream of repetitive dialog in our heads is helpful. So, playing music, or listening to music, or any kind of true focus away from our thoughts is good. Creative activities like painting, writing, drawing, rearranging furniture, and so on are excellent. Just as long as we move away from ego. But, it does not have to be creative in that sense. Mowing the lawn, washing the dishes, and activities of that sort also can be beneficial for the soul. Any action that helps us move out of ego, and any action can if we allow it. Even walking, concentrating on breathing, those kinds of things.
I have written about this before, but it is an interesting concept. What if as of right this second, your entire past didn’t exist? What if you were starting completely new and free? Crazy, eh? No. It actually is true. As I’ve mentioned before, the past is gone. We are not the sum total of our past. The events of the past help shape us, that is true, but the events of the past are not actually us. We experienced those events, we did what we did, we made mistakes, me moved on, and now here we are. The present. The only time we actually have. Now. We don’t necessarily have to forget the past, but realize it is nothing but memories floating around, no longer real. The issue is when we focus in the present on those memories, keeping them before us as real. Living in the memories of the past causes us to lose the most precious time we have, which is the present. So many of the people I know live in a combination of past and future. Regrets of the past, hurts of the past, and of course, happy events of the past, too, but they seem to be outnumbered by the former. The ego loves to focus on the past, especially so grudges and hurt feelings can continue to fester. Many also live with the expectation of future fulfillment and happiness. “Not now. Later. I need to do this and this, and then I need to work for twenty more years, raise the kids, and especially get that promotion at work, then I’ll have the money I need. And of course, we need a bigger house. THEN I’ll be happy.” Well, this is the common thought process of modern man. Modern man who is in egoic control, that is. You find individuals who have no interest in a better job, bigger car, nicer house, clothes, and so on, they may be content, and living in Presence. Living in the past and/or future are unhealthy and unfruitful. Not to say that planning ahead is not a good thing, it is, but if the daily focus is on future events, again, you miss the now, you lose the present moments, they don’t even register and are lost. One other note, don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with a bigger house, new car, etc., everyone deserves whatever they manifest, as long as those things are not taking the place of true soul growth. So back to the first statement: simplify! Dump the egoic garbage and be free! Now I just have to take my own advice.
What to say today? Where to go? It seems like I keep getting the word “Simplify” for some reason. I think this refers to clearing out stuff that is not needed. This may be physical items around the house, studio, and office, and even garage, but I think it may also be anything not needed mentally and emotionally. Even spiritually. It is easy to overcomplicate things. Life is not complicated unless we want it to be, unless we make it that way. Ego wants it as complicated and messy and confusing and dangerous as possible. All of those attributes keep us from the quiet of Presence and Spirit. Shutting off the “noise” allows us to grow spiritually. Especially the noise in our own heads. Words...buzzing on and on. Thoughts that go nowhere and serve no purpose, except to exist as worthless entities and energies. If our minds and souls can find some quiet time we can overcome the ongoing noise, but it takes practice. This leads me to this: how do we define “quiet time” when our thoughts stop? Meditation is the first thing we think of, and it is a wonderful path with great benefits. But, there are other ways to let the soul breathe. Anything that shuts down the unceasing stream of repetitive dialog in our heads is helpful. So, playing music, or listening to music, or any kind of true focus away from our thoughts is good. Creative activities like painting, writing, drawing, rearranging furniture, and so on are excellent. Just as long as we move away from ego. But, it does not have to be creative in that sense. Mowing the lawn, washing the dishes, and activities of that sort also can be beneficial for the soul. Any action that helps us move out of ego, and any action can if we allow it. Even walking, concentrating on breathing, those kinds of things.
I have written about this before, but it is an interesting concept. What if as of right this second, your entire past didn’t exist? What if you were starting completely new and free? Crazy, eh? No. It actually is true. As I’ve mentioned before, the past is gone. We are not the sum total of our past. The events of the past help shape us, that is true, but the events of the past are not actually us. We experienced those events, we did what we did, we made mistakes, me moved on, and now here we are. The present. The only time we actually have. Now. We don’t necessarily have to forget the past, but realize it is nothing but memories floating around, no longer real. The issue is when we focus in the present on those memories, keeping them before us as real. Living in the memories of the past causes us to lose the most precious time we have, which is the present. So many of the people I know live in a combination of past and future. Regrets of the past, hurts of the past, and of course, happy events of the past, too, but they seem to be outnumbered by the former. The ego loves to focus on the past, especially so grudges and hurt feelings can continue to fester. Many also live with the expectation of future fulfillment and happiness. “Not now. Later. I need to do this and this, and then I need to work for twenty more years, raise the kids, and especially get that promotion at work, then I’ll have the money I need. And of course, we need a bigger house. THEN I’ll be happy.” Well, this is the common thought process of modern man. Modern man who is in egoic control, that is. You find individuals who have no interest in a better job, bigger car, nicer house, clothes, and so on, they may be content, and living in Presence. Living in the past and/or future are unhealthy and unfruitful. Not to say that planning ahead is not a good thing, it is, but if the daily focus is on future events, again, you miss the now, you lose the present moments, they don’t even register and are lost. One other note, don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with a bigger house, new car, etc., everyone deserves whatever they manifest, as long as those things are not taking the place of true soul growth. So back to the first statement: simplify! Dump the egoic garbage and be free! Now I just have to take my own advice.
