MORE On The Mind And Soul
The soul likes ‘new’ not because it is easily bored, self-destructive or anything trivial like that. It likes ‘new’ simply because reality is always new.
I might not be used to walking so far, or sleeping so long, or drinking so much coffee. But the soul can want it, or even demand it, from you!
And that’s a wonderful thing!
That’s change, that’s evolution, that’s growth!
The mind likes to support its familiar view on things. The soul, however, cares little for such ‘opinions’ or old ‘ideas’ and is driven towards ignoring them, providing another fresh reality time and time again.
Today I walked 10 miles so I should rest tomorrow, the mind says.
Let’s just see what tomorrow brings, is what the soul is secretly whispering, quietly beneath.
But the Mind will not disappear. Thoughts are there and always will be.
Meditation, after all, is more about thinking less about one’s thoughts than seeking some entirely ‘empty’ mind.
Thoughts are helpful and sometimes are absolutely necessary. But it can be too easy, especially for naturally thoughtful or reflective people, to become driven (or even addicted) to the ‘zero thought’ scenario.
Let me isolate myself from all others, no longer work, get rid of my phone, stop pursuing my interests, because then my mind will disappear – I will have reached enlightenment.
Such a ‘Death’ instinct I can certainly recommend as an experience, but not as a lifestyle. I would even go as far to call it ‘irresponsible’ for a conscious human being to live solely for the means of basic survival and nothing more.
We, as aware and transformative beings, need not fight the fight of the poor when we are so rich.
And so, from such Death can always be born Life; creativity, ambition, physical energy, passion, innovative ideas, the will to work and re-enter the world in more ‘soulful’ ways than before. It is as the Chinese would say: ‘the snake that eats its own tail.’
Death finds life, pain discovers joy, love invites the capacity to hate, light becomes dark, and so on.
Though the mind is confused, tired or perhaps even outraged by such movements, the soul has no notion of the words (or ‘concepts’) I’ve used to explain this process.
It is simply reality, moving from one thing to the next and, like a sunrise or sunset, is very subtle actually once one surrenders to it.
Reality is always kind. It is only our Mind’s ideas about it that decide otherwise.
Imagine a rare sunny day in the middle of January for instance. It is so easy for the Mind: I should be outside. What a glorious, rare opportunity. There will be fresh warm air. Sun on my face. Happy people.
The soul has no ‘explanation’ for walking outdoors on such mornings; it just does so. It recognises the Sun, the blue sky, but has little predetermined plans or expectations for it. And so, the soul chooses to walk even amidst hailstorms at times.
For the soul, every moment is of equal significance and opportunity. A chance for death, for life, for emotion, for simplicity, for connection, for sleep, or something else.
It always desires the reality of each passing moment and nothing more….
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