Today I went for my usual walk with my two four-legged friends, Milo and Nala. As we set out I thought “Will I listen to a podcast?” but immediately heard, “No, I need some quiet!”
We stepped on autumn leaves and lots of freshly fallen chestnuts, acorns and beech nuts as we walked. Nala played with them, scooping them up in her mouth and tossing them ahead on the path so she could chase after them.
The waterfall was louder than usual and fell forcefully into the stream below the lake. The heavy rainfall from last night and this morning was making its presence known.
About halfway around our walk, I became aware of the intermittent loud bang coming from somewhere in the neighbouring fields. It was one of those ‘bird scarers’ that farmers use to stop the birds from eating their freshly sown seeds.
Even though I couldn't see the ploughed fields or the crops they were trying to protect, in my mind's eye I began to imagine a huge murder of crows swooping down onto the field and gobbling up the tasty grains.
Then suddenly the boom rang out again and I imagined the blackbirds taking flight and flying away into the distance.
This vivid image being created in my mind, made me begin to think how similar it is when we have so many thoughts fighting for attention inside our heads, it can feel like the multitude of thoughts are swooping down and clouding our minds. In the image, each blackbird could represent a thought, one after another, after another… as we get stuck in a concoction of ‘thought’ and end up trapping ourselves in a certain story which then becomes our reality.
It’s our thoughts that accumulate to form a story in our mind. A story that we so often accept and choose to believe. It’s only when the mist of thought starts to clear, that we can see something new. We might begin to catch a glimpse of how the story is thought-created and isn't actually real. Let me say that again in a different way, “Did you know that our thoughts are NOT true?”
When the truth of that hits us, it's like the ‘Boom’ of the bird scarer going off, causing all those thoughts to take flight.
As we let those thoughts pass by, our mind becomes quiet and we find there is a space beyond our thoughts and our thinking where peace and clarity reside.
We begin to see that our moment-to-moment experience of life comes from inside our own thinking. Another way to say this is that we create how we feel from the inside, depending on which thoughts we attach to and choose to believe.
Our thinking is so often either ruminating about past events or worrying about the future. The past and present do not exist except in our thoughts in the present moment. When we grasp the depth of what this means it turns something formless - before words, into form and we begin to catch a glimpse of how our thinking innocently covers over our true essence, our inner guidance system.
It only takes one new thought to create the Boom and we have an insight that enables the jumble of thoughts to clear. The darkness lifts and our perspective widens, showing us how our beliefs, habits and prejudices are all just thought!
So next time you get caught up in your thinking remember it's not true, let it pass and instead find the quiet place where clarity and wisdom arise.
I can honestly say this understanding of how life happens from the inside out, has brought me so much peace even in difficult circumstances.
If you are interested in some more information on this understanding called the Three Principles, send me a message or drop me an email at julie@mfrni.com and I will happily send you some book recommendations, podcasts or you-tube talks. Just let me know what works best for you.
Blessings for a life unfurling,
Jules
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