No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.
– Albert Einstein
Floating around in the surf the other morning, immersed in the cool salt water and enjoying the warm sunlight on my face, I was struck by how lucky I am to live in such a beautiful place and to be able to enjoy such simple freedom.
Meanwhile, another surfer turned and stroked for a wave, kicking and splashing then swearing as the wave slipped by underneath him. He proceeded to complain loudly about how ‘crap’ the waves were, and lament the fact that he missed the previous days swell.
How is it that the same apparent conditions can create such wildly conflicting experiences?
The reality is, the experiencer IS the experience.
What we perceive, how we interact, and what we attract is all determined by the state of our mind. It follows then, that if we want to upgrade our experience of life, it is essential that we learn to master the mind.
So how do we master the mind? – By transcending thought. Through the simple art of meditation, we learn to dive beyond our thoughts and experience the peace, that’s always there, buried beneath the noise. The more we do this the more we become a witness to the minds conditioning. Without a meditation practice we may be aware of why we do certain things that make us suffer, but we won’t be able to move past it.
Only when we transcend thought, can we begin to witness our conditioning and all of the old patterns we’re stuck in. In witnessing these patterns, by definition, they are no longer unconscious. Through a consistent meditation practice, the mind begins to clear, letting go of these once unconscious patterns that no longer serve us.
I’m not saying don’t use the mind. Absolutely not! The mind is completely essential if we’re to successfully navigate our lives in space and time. What I’m suggesting is rather than existing with the false notion that you are your mind, learn to meet yourself before the mind. Don’t exist as the mind; use the mind… for the mind is a wonderful servant but a terrible master.
