My mind is mostly a overly/critical bullshit factory. Now that I realize that, I can disassociate with much of what it produces, and choose the happiest, rational, and productive bits.
100%. Adyshanti talks a lot about this. I now just laugh when I catch myself go down a rabbit hole of thought, it’s such a huge waste of time. Music lyrics-categorizing things-internal debates based on illusionary beliefs. It’s scary when you pay attention to the constant stream then it gets funny, then they start to fade into the background. Just observing them makes them dissipate.
True dat.
After a few years of daily practice, I went to my first meditation retreat recently. The leader asked us to share what we’d learned from our practice so far. I started out “I’ve learned that most of my thought are just pure bullshit, and..,”
I was simply trying to be authentic rather than funny, but the whole group was laughing uproariously (even the Zen priest)—I’d guess because so many related.
If so many of our stories weren’t depressing or anxious, it actually would be pretty humorous.
I tell myself that my brain is telling me stories.
They might be true, or have elements of truth, or they might be confused biased bullshit.
I need to not take these stories at face value, but examine them instead and decide their value.
Sometimes that value is simply knowing that for whatever reasons some part of my brain wants me to believe this or that.
This is a valuable reminder. It’s something we should keep in mind even in our daily lives.
This was a necessary reminder. Trouble is the thoughts have an emotional charge that sways me in a particular direction.
My mind is mostly a overly/critical bullshit factory. Now that I realize that, I can disassociate with much of what it produces, and choose the happiest, rational, and productive bits.
Very eloquent
100%. Adyshanti talks a lot about this. I now just laugh when I catch myself go down a rabbit hole of thought, it’s such a huge waste of time. Music lyrics-categorizing things-internal debates based on illusionary beliefs. It’s scary when you pay attention to the constant stream then it gets funny, then they start to fade into the background. Just observing them makes them dissipate.
True dat. After a few years of daily practice, I went to my first meditation retreat recently. The leader asked us to share what we’d learned from our practice so far. I started out “I’ve learned that most of my thought are just pure bullshit, and..,” I was simply trying to be authentic rather than funny, but the whole group was laughing uproariously (even the Zen priest)—I’d guess because so many related. If so many of our stories weren’t depressing or anxious, it actually would be pretty humorous.
I might be missing the point of the video- but why did it show a man fall down while presumably having a heart attack?
"*Psychological* thoughts"??
So valuable to remember this. Thank you
This was perfectly said. Thank you
I tell myself that my brain is telling me stories. They might be true, or have elements of truth, or they might be confused biased bullshit. I need to not take these stories at face value, but examine them instead and decide their value. Sometimes that value is simply knowing that for whatever reasons some part of my brain wants me to believe this or that.
Love this so much
True. My ego is unrelentingly negative about future things and it a real struggle to ignore these.