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UNIVERSE WITHIN by Gwen Randall-Young
A quiet mind cureth all. – Robert Burton
Have you ever wondered why time spent in nature can
be so peaceful and nourishing to the soul? Sometimes, the silence
seems immense, almost overwhelming. We often simply stand still,
almost mesmerized by the fresh, pure air and the surrounding beauty.
The reason the silence sometimes seems to echo endlessly
is because for a moment, at least, we have stopped all thinking.
The silence fills both our external and internal worlds. Time seems
to stand still. It is a transcendent moment. Such moments are rare
because the mind usually fills our consciousness with uncontrolled
chatter. Like a radio or television, there is a continuous stream
of comments, reflections and replays. Whether driving or making
dinner, the commentary is there.
Sometimes, it can be pleasant, as when we are remembering
something that warms our hearts. At other times, it is more like
a "worry channel" that delivers all the bad news. If there isn't
something real to worry about, the mind can always make something
up.
It can also be a "self-criticism" channel, which
berates, chastises and belittles all of who we are and what we do.
It may be generalized to all aspects of our being or it may focus
on one area. The channel might also be dedicated to belittling and
judging other people. Everyone has their faults, but this channel
replays them over and over, until finally we define other people
in terms of our own judgments of them, rather than by who they really
are.
It is easy to see how this mind chatter can set our
emotional climate. Thoughts are a form of energy and the energy
of these negative thoughts is broadcast to every cell in our body.
It fills our consciousness and sets our mood. Even if they are not
so much negative, but just telling us how much we have to do, we
are still deprived of any sense of calm and peacefulness.
Think of the calmness you feel when you enter a clearing
in the forest. Imagine it to be spacious and filled with light.
Now imagine that you can create such a clearing in the forest of
your own mind. It is a special sanctuary that is open and clear,
regardless of how entangled and overgrown the rest of the forest
might be, and regardless of whatever beasts might be lurking out
there. This is your safe place where you can come to rest, revive
and rejuvenate.
Aim to spend more and more of your time there. The mind
does not need to be running all the time just as a light does not
need to be left on after we leave a room. Yet it is certainly helpful
when we return to the room and need to see. The mind is a necessary
tool and it can be extremely effective, but if we learn to focus
our mind, it will not need to keep "running," going over the
same thoughts without doing anything productive about them.
If we must figure out what to do about a situation,
we can sit down and bring the light of our consciousness to illuminate
all aspects of the situation. We can generate possible solutions
and decide on the best one. Then we can leave that room.
If we notice we have left our mind "idling" and
it is stuck in a negative rut, it is time to turn it off. This can
be done by visualizing our "clearing" and going there for a
time. It can also be done through the practice of meditation or
listening to a guided meditation. If all else fails, sing a song
or say the alphabet backwards.
The more that we practise interrupting a "polluted"
stream of consciousness, the easier it is to do. Over time, our
thoughts become more positive and pure because that is what we are
choosing. This is one way of creating within the beautiful peace
that nature both reflects and offers to us.
Gwen Randall-Young is a psychotherapist in private practice and author of Growing Into Soul: The Next Step in Human Evolution. For articles and information about her books and “Deep Powerful Change” personal growth/hypnosis CDs, visit www.gwen.ca
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