We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.–Buddha
The other night I couldn’t sleep as I was getting all inspired about something I wanted to write about. I was practically wide awake but somehow I convinced myself that I could just “hold that thought” and I surely would remember it the next morning. Well, the next morning I did remember the subject matter, but one I had put it on paper it didn’t sound so “wow” is it had the night before. The spirit was willing but the flesh was weak, and unfortunately the flesh won the battle over the spirit!
I’m sure it happens to all of us, but I have been a victim of my lack of mind discipline. I will think of something that I need to do in another room, reach the room and I have already totally forgotten what it was that I had gone there to do! Our minds will just keep on working away, thinking of so many things during the course of the day, that if we are not disciplined we can get lost along the way.
It is as though there is a mine field of distractions that are set there to keep us form getting anywhere, and unless we work towards getting rid of these distractions, we can do all kinds of great things, but miss out on getting the exceptional done! This is just an innocent problem we encounter on a daily basis. But it can get worse of what we expose our mind to a constant flood of useless or even negative muck! We have to be on guard so as not to allow this mine field to get there in the first place.
I have witnessed an amazing come-back in my stepmother’s health. She has been paralyzed from her waist down now for the past 5 years. Jut 2 years ago she was totally bedridden, she had a tremendous problem with negativity, entertained negative feeling and thought about others and was generally confused most of the time. (I believe that the medicine that she had been on played a role in her state of mind). Once she was taken off certain medicines (she was at that time on hospice) she began making an amazing turn for the better and the nursing home took her off of hospice and placed her on a physical therapy course. Today, she is able to sit up in a wheel chair all day, spends most of her time reading and had regained a very positive attitude.
Just the fact that she is now able to train her thoughts and exercise her mind has given her a new lease on life and changed her overall condition! She had to take the stand, make the effort, clear the mines and get her mind back under her subjection. It takes a concerted effort, just as it would have taken for me to get out of bed, write down my thoughts of inspiration the other night and not expect that my mind freeze and hold that thought!
Do you ever battle with your mind? What do you do to overcome?
