SELF:
Peeling the Onion
What makes up who we are? If we were to be asked to paint a self portrait or write an autobiography. How would that look? Would it be the stoic portrait over the mantle or a simple diary of a day's events? A lot of who we are is how we perceive ourselves. Our brains tell us a lot; what to wear, how to cut our hair, when to react, what's appropriate and not. It's a place that remembers the past...or not. It's a place that gathers information, some of which is helpful and some which is not. It's a virtual room of books, images and characters. In that room lies what we call the little mind. It's that inner voice that tells us we can't, that we're not strong enough, not smart enough, and on and on. Where did this voice come from and how does it affect how we walk in the world? That's for each one of us to find out and to answer. My answer might be from past failure or criticism that I carry. Each one of us is different in how we process this constant onslaught of external input and inner dialog and each one of has different levels of tolerance and coping skills.
How do we quiet the little mind? First we become aware of the little mind and then we find and listen to what we call the heart mind. The heart mind is that which is known as intuition or genius. It's like a room with a doorway opening to a universe. It's the place we attempt go to in prayer in difficult times of decision and in times of pure adrenaline survival. At times, some of us get there quite easily and... many of us have relied so much on our brains to think our way through situations or are on such a constant hamster wheel of negativity, that finding the heart mind becomes difficult, but not impossible. Through practice, quiet, and patience we can find our true selves peeling off layer upon layer, mask apon mask, we find our true nature of authentic self.
