In order to make changes in your life you must start by looking at things differently. Your old views, your old ways of thinking, could be the reason that you are no as happy as you might be. Your old thought systems keep repeating the same way to deal with circumstances in the same manner time after time, the same way you always have. But how do you begin to change your perspective when you don't see it any other way?
What if you explored the possibility that there might be another way to look at things? What if you could bring a perspective to situations that would not cause you to be upset, perspective to situations that would not cause you to be upset, saddened or disturbed? What if you could bring an outlook to a situation that would leave you feeling peaceful and confident? This other view sits quietly beside our thought systems, waiting for you to tap into it. It is known as our natural state of mind; a place where there is peace, solutions to problems, creativity and a general feeling of personal well-being!
How do we get from our thought systems to our natural state of mind? The first step is that you have to want to be there. Some of us wouldn't trade our thought systems for anything. Some think there is only one way to look at things and that's their way! For those of us looking for a more peaceful, less stressful life, we can find it in our natural state of mind.
We have all experienced our natural state of mind when we take a break from our thought systems. Suppose you have plans to pick your friend up for a day of shopping, but you can't find your keys. You look here, there, and everywhere! Frustrated, you call your friend and have to reschedule your shopping trip. You gradually calm down as you go on to another activity at home. After awhile, guess what happens - you remember where your keys are! You knew all along, but in your frustration, their whereabouts eluded you. When you stopped fretting, the answer appeared effortlessly. That's your natural state of mind at work. All the answers, solutions and inspirations are always available to us. Sometimes our thought systems get int eh way and keep them from surfacing to our consciousness.
So you want to get to your natural state of mind. Now what? Next we have to practice the experience f being there. Here's one way to do it. Turn off the TV, the phone, and any other electronic devices that might distract you. Sit quietly in a comfortable chair and relax. Keep your focus on your breathing - you breathe in, you breathe out. Continue to breathe in and out quietly. A thought will come to mind. You recognize it as a thought and you let it pass out of your head, again focusing on your breathing. What is this exercise called? That's right, meditation!
This practice of quieting your brain allows you to access the power of your natural state of mind. The more you experience your natural state of mind through meditation, the better equipped you will be to access that state when you want to The trick is to notice when your thought systems are causing you to feel bad. When you notice a bad feeling, instead of reacting in a way that can make the situation worse, you will be able to access your natural state of mind and deal with the situation from a different perspective. Moving to your natural state of mind gives you a chance to deal with the situation form a position of patience and compassion, which in turn will offer an outcome that will most likely be much more satisfying to you.
There are many fine books you can read about meditation. In its essence, meditation is nothing more than quieting the mind and letting thoughts go from your head. You'll get better at it with daily practice. The more you practice the easier it will be to gain access to your natural state of mind.
This ready access comes in handy also when you begin to feel stress. As you begin to feel the first signs of stress, take notice. It is in noticing the stress that helps you to slow down. In this slower state you understand that the thoughts causing the stress are just thoughts. Once you realize that they are just thoughts, you can more easily move into our natural state of mind, deal more peacefully with them and then let them go. Practicing being in your natural state of mind is a fun way to discover that "simple happiness" is only a thought away!
