The Clouded Mind

 

It is an aspect of the human experience that the mind sometimes gets clouded. A clouded mind is not clear, concentration can become faulty, doubt and worry can come in. For some people it can be cloudy for so long that one may not see that their life could be otherwise, cloudy is just what it is, with occasional moments of relief.

When we don’t notice the clouds or we ignore them, then the mental turning, with its story, tends to run in the ‘background’ — part of the ‘unconscious’ patterns that can keep people feeling stuck in repeating cycles. And consciousness gets obscured by the mental clouds, even though it is consciousness that perceives the mind and worldly experience.

For those who really want the clarity to recognize freedom, it’s important to first notice that the mind is clouded. Because when we see this we are conscious enough to choose. And the choice is — to turn attention to inner quiet. Quiet consciousness is the dimension of Being.

If need be, use what ever technique you feel called to; meditation, yoga, chanting, whatever it takes to help focus attention toward inner quiet and stillness. That ‘place’ of inner quiet is really simple and not foreign — it is the true heart of yourself. And as consciousness stands out, it will ‘teach’ you. That is the true guru, the ‘sat-guru’, the revealer of the light of infinite Being.

Playing Whack-a-Mole With The Mind

Many people who are working on themselves have struggled with annoying thoughts. And most have found that trying to make the mind be quiet is like playing a game of whack-a-mole. Negative or unwanted thoughts rise up, you whack-’em down, only to see those nagging thoughts pop-up somewhere else — defiantly sticking its tongue out at you.

We can play whack-a-mole with ego-based thinking forever — or we can see the futility of this strategy and stop. When we stop nourishing mind-talk with our attention, stop making a big deal of it, the nagging thoughts begin to lose energy and power over us.

By making time to be conscious in the present moment, we notice there is some space between thoughts. And as we relax and stay alert, the space or silence gets bigger and the unchanging field of conscious presence is revealed.

The recognition of this opens us to a realization that consciousness is infinite and that we have never been separate from that. And a peace, harmony and love take over in the unfoldment of our lives.

Rise Above The Layers

 

Many people feel bound by layers of memories, thoughts, emotions and imaginings. And the discomfort caused by the experience of ‘inner-bondage’ motivates many people to do whatever ‘personal-work’ to fix or heal the past and be free of it. And while those efforts can certainly create a better quality life, many people can still feel stuck in layers of mind and continue searching for release. So without a recognition and realization of one's conscious Being, at some point one will likely find themselves back under clouds of doubt.

When we add more presence in our daily lives it lightens our spirit so we can ‘rise’ above layers that obscure the light of our natural Being. And from this perspective of being consciously conscious, we can see or realize that those layers of mind don’t actually have any solid existence but are a way-powerful hallucination — and that our true nature is and has always been free and whole.