7 minute read
soul MatteRs: Painful tHougHts
What if… (Insert any worry/challenge/problem When we consciously decide to focus on shifting that currently occupies your mind). our (often painful) thoughts, we set in motion We humans are masters of playing the what- palpable on the outside, or we might not be able if game. We do it constantly, sometimes to see and feel it in our present life. Often, in consciously, and often subconsciously. As kids, hindsight we see how much we have achieved by this whole thing starts usually some time during simply deciding to use our ‘think switch’ and to our primary school years. Once we have grasped repeat this switching motion again, again and the concept of rational thinking, we start playing again. One foot in front of the other, step by step, it. Our mind gets stronger and we turn down the one moment at a time, all day every day… As with volume of our inner voice, of our soul. Kids do what any kind of training to become more experienced their parents do, and so as kids we copy the way in something, frequent repetitions are the key to our parents play the what-if game. Although our our anchoring this tool in our conscious mind. inner voice is turned to low volume, we intuitively The side effects of the think switch might include get it when our parents stress or worry about us noticing a change in our behaviour in everyday something, even when they don’t tell us anything. life. Or we might look at ourselves and the life We start copying their coping mechanisms we live from a different perspective. We might too, which often involve strategizing, thinking start looking after ourselves in a different (maybe rationally through any worst case scenario, and more positive way), and we might find that rarely visualizing a best case scenario… Then through changing our active thoughts, our body we grow up, finding our space so we can fit into is affected in a good way too. the frame of society, noticing that most people do play the what-if game on a regular basis, and The concept of body, mind and spirit cooperating mostly it is played about worrisome situations. So on all levels as a team is worth looking into when we join in and follow the herd. Maybe at some it comes to painful thoughts and also chronic point, we notice where we put our energy, and we pain. Sometimes, our body creates chronic pain re-evaluate. And maybe we reconsider too, and for seemingly no reason, and we still have a choice we turn the game around into playing a positive how to think about this experience. We can use what-if game, visualizing only good outcomes the think switch when in pain too. Our mind is a and results for whatever challenges we are facing powerful tool, and when we use it to support the in life. body, it can help us relax even while we are in We have a choice about the thoughts we think. loving gentleness towards ourself, where before And we can restart our system every day, upon we succumbed into suffering. It might not lessen waking up. Even during the day, when we notice the physical pain at all, yet it might help shift our our thoughts feeding a mountain of worry rather focus. than a sea of solution, we have a choice to refocus. a chain reaction, which might be visible and pain. It might support our practice of executing Acting out this choice means regular training, When a migraine attack hits me, and they have like visualizing a switch we use, to switch the hit me on a regular basis for over 20 years, I now flow of our thoughts and energy towards joyful focus on consciously relaxing, lowering my (tense) solutions instead of unbearable challenges. This shoulders and breathing deeply to slow down my awareness of our thoughts is a process, which for whole system. For me, my body is the extended many people requires a lot of patience and loving alarm system of my soul. When I cannot hear my gentleness towards themselves. Practicing loving soul voice, my body starts giving signals. Subtle gentleness towards ourselves is not something signals to begin with, which I often ignore, even we are taught in today’s education system. So after so many years of training my mind to use we might need to dig deep to connect inwards the think switch and to also listen to my inner with the concept of self-love, self-acceptance and voice. When my mind receives the body signals, I gentleness towards our self. have a choice how to respond. I can either ignore
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the signals, or I can listen to my body. What does my body need now? For me, it is warmth on my shoulders and neck, it is lying down and sleeping – or I need to go outside and take a walk in nature. Having a choice to actively exercise physically to release the pain is something I have taught myself over the years. For a long time, my only solution for treating my migraine was to lie down immediately and take a pain killer, and to yearningly wait for the numbness to kick in.
My changing process began when I actively thought ‘I am grateful for the pain killer working’. From there, I worked my way towards recognizing my body-soul signals early, and to act accordingly, so I don’t need to take pain killers anymore. Gratitude is one of my go-to’s when I use my think switch, and I use it often in many situations and challenges. It takes my mind and my whole system on a very different path than my self-chosen suffering did for such a long time. I had become a very slick master of succumbing to suffering and pain, feeling quite alright being the victim of this darn migraine hitting me AGAIN! Why, why, why me? Why do I deserve to be in such pain? Feeling immobile and so very limited when I suffered, disconnected from my soul quite some. At present, I am still working on finding my personal balance between body, mind and soul. It is an ongoing process, and the migraines are taking up less space in my mind and my body than they have before. I don’t know if they will ever stop or if they will be part of me for another twenty years, yet knowing I can use my think switch motivates me to continue on my quest of hearing my soul voice every moment of every day.
A Blessing For One Who Is Exhausted by John O'Donohue When the rhythm of the heart becomes hectic, Time takes on the strain until it breaks; Then all the unattended stress falls in On the mind like an endless, increasing weight,
The light in the mind becomes dim. Things you could take in your stride before Now become laborsome events of will.
Weariness invades your spirit. Gravity begins falling inside you, Dragging down every bone. The tide you never valued has gone out. And you are marooned on unsure ground. Something within you has closed down; And you cannot push yourself back to life.
You have been forced to enter empty time. The desire that drove you has relinquished. There is nothing else to do now but rest And patiently learn to receive the self You have forsaken for the race of days.
At first your thinking will darken And sadness takes over like listless weather. The flow of unwept tears will frighten you.
You have travelled too fast over false ground; Now your soul has come to take you back. Take refuge in your senses, open up To all the small miracles you rushed through.
Become inclined to watch the way of rain When it falls slow and free.
Imitate the habit of twilight, Taking time to open the well of colour That fostered the brightness of day.
Draw alongside the silence of stone Until its calmness can claim you. Be excessively gentle with yourself. Stay clear of those vexed in spirit. Learn to linger around someone of ease Who feels they have all the time in the world.
Gradually, you will return to yourself, Having learned a new respect for your heart And the joy that dwells far within slow time.
