Day 320, Wednesday, November 20, 2024
Reflections
Inspiration
What you intend to work toward are the contents of your mind. However, “monkey-mind” replaces that content with whatever you pay attention to. Some things are transient, such as the movie you just watched, the book you are reading, or the song you are listening to. But if there are trials or tribulations, problems or struggles that are constantly circling your mind, please replace those with your basic intentions that lead to a meaningful goal.
If you don’t have an immediate goal, then think of your mantra, a favorite song, or an inspiring saying, and make that the content of your mind. Your brain will no longer constrict with the burden of your problem. It is not to say to avoid the problem but rather to not make it a broken record in your mind.
Think and say what you feel passionate, excited, inspired about. Thinking and saying galvanizes you to action. But don’t be in a state of exhalation all the time. Continue to practice silence and solitude, take a nap, read a book, go for a walk and observe nature.
Too much of creativity and spirituality may blaze you. But being too much in the world may crush you. Follow the Buddha’s Golden Path practice and live wholeheartedly. With a balanced day of practice and daily life you are bound to experience more awe-filled moments.
Journal Prompt
Journal a list of worries and woes that have been troubling your mind. Now add a list of positive replacement thoughts, or reframe the negative into a less limiting context, so you can move forward today with a brighter outlook.
Today’s Practice
Meditation: “Gratitude”
Read, reflect, and journal.
Lorraine
Great prompt today – reframe the negative to less limiting context. Wishing you a positively joyful and productive day.
Madhu B. Wangu
Thank you, Lorraine! You too!
Jenn Diamond
Good evening, Madhu! Thank you for this prompt. I feel it ties in well with a book I’m currently reading called, Coming Alive, by Phil Stutz and Barry Michels. In it, they give specific visualizations to help deal with the trap of negative, racing thoughts. In one, they instruct to visualize negative thoughts and emotions as a nasty substance that falls out of your body… when I do this, it looks like a black liquid sludge… then we’re to watch as “Mother” (or Angel or the Sun or however you see her) absorbs the unwanted substance and then gives only unconditional love in return. But I costuming this technique when I combine this with YOUR meditation, Madhu, the one where you tell us to pay attention to our negative emotions and watch them sail away. My negative thoughts and emotions are the black oil outside of myself, then I watch as “Mother” loads the oil onto an ancient Viking sailing ship, then “Mother” lights that ship on fire, and I watch the burning ship, with my negativity on it, sail out of view. Namaste
Madhu B. Wangu
What a vivid image, Jenn! Thanks for sharing it with us! When some method/practice used to inspire me I too combined them and modified them according to what felt most effective. Good for you!