Tolle Part II

As promised in my last entry, I am going to explore how we can become more aware–of ourselves, of our environment, and of others. Once again, we begin by checking in with Tolle.

It is when we are trapped in incessant streams of compulsive thinking that the universe really disintegrates for us, and we lose the ability to sense the interconnectedness of all that exists.

It may seem counter-intuitive for those of us who live in our heads most of the time. But if we really want to be in touch with ourselves and the world around us, we simply must silence our own thoughts. If you're anything like me, your tendency is to have a non-stop running commentary in your mind ALL THE TIME. Everything that occurs, everything someone (in person, on television, or online) says, every stray thought or feeling–it's all replayed and over-analyzed like a goal-line play in the Super Bowl. What did that mean? What is the hidden meaning in it? What is the subtext of that statement? What will be the eventual outcome? What do other people think of this? Is this a good thing or a bad thing?

OMG! It's no wonder that we suffer from fatigue and all manner of mental and emotional distress. I can't even keep up! And you can multiply that by several factors when it's our own actions/thoughts/words that we are evaluating. As Tolle and many mystics and contemplative types will tell us, we've got to slow down and breathe. Quiet the constant chatter.

Unfortunately, some might think, there is no real set of steps or process to this idea. (Well, I guess there is, but it's pretty simple!) It's mostly a matter of slowing down the body, mind, and spirit. There are many ways to do this. Some like to go into nature. The beach or the woods is a great place to be still. Others like to listen to Enya or some other type of new age music. The biggest thing, I suppose, is to eliminate or minimize external stimuli. I find that even soft, quiet music is too much if there are lyrics. But that's me. You may find such things helpful. Deep breathing exercises are especially helpful as well. Pay attention to breathing in, breathing out. Notice your lungs and chest expand and contract. And some choose to use some meditative or other repetitive words (the classic om). Try not to have any real thoughts. Empty your mind as best you can. The idea is to free yourself from the tyranny of your thoughts, not to entertain them. And don't worry if you fall asleep. Your mind or your body might need that. Chances are that it might be a very restful nap. We can all use those most of the time!

It's helpful to repeat this exercise periodically. Once you start to become familiar with the feeling of turning off your mind, it gets easier. And you can go through parts of your day like this. Especially something repetitive or menial. Try turning off the music and driving to work with a quiet mind. It's amazing how you can start your day more relaxed! Gardening, doing the dishes, cooking (as long as the recipe isn't too complex!), and other chores are great, too.

If you're not in the habit of quieting your mind, it'll seem weird at first. You'll probably feel self-conscious and uncomfortable. That's okay. Stick with it. And if it's something that you've done before but got away from (like me from time to time), it'll feel like a sort of homecoming. Don't beat yourself up over lapsing. It happens to all of us. But every time we come home, it's refreshing and recharging. There's enough noise going on in the world these days; let's at least quiet our own piece of it.