Chapter 18 Understanding Our Thoughts As we begin investigating our inner world,
We'll start to realize how abundant our thoughts actually are.
We'll see more clearly how they can lead us astray or overwhelm us with their intensity.
In those moments when we're feeling helpless or trapped by our thoughts and unable to do anything but suffer their burden,
It's important to realize that they're not menacing villains bent on destroying our enjoyment of life,
But actually very useful tools designed to help us better understand ourselves and recognize our true nature.
Although it may seem as if they're harassing us,
Our thoughts are often trying to alert us to those feelings which we have not fully integrated.
Like flags attached to sunken artifacts,
They can point the way to our inner treasures,
Those precious parts of us that we have long hidden away or ignored.
Demanding or invasive thoughts often arise when we're unable to accept the emotions they represent.
Instead of feeling the emotion and allowing it to pass through us,
We resist it,
And its energy and message persist in the form of thoughts.
As we learn to see our thoughts in this way,
We can begin moving our awareness away from them and back into our bodies,
Slowly becoming comfortable with even the most difficult emotions.
In fact,
When any thoughts do threaten to overpower us,
It's important to follow their lead and feel the emotions that they're attached to.
This is the best way to avoid spiraling into panic or obsession.
By staying grounded in our bodies and feeling any sensations that are present,
We can find a measure of control in even our most challenging moments.
As we continue doing this,
We'll discover ways to change our perspectives and actions,
And we'll slowly integrate all of our emotions.
We'll live more in the present moment and less in our heads,
Moving from a state of constant thinking and worrying to one of simply being.
We also have to realize that it's impossible to escape our uncomfortable thoughts and emotions by simply focusing our attention on the outside world.
We must,
First and foremost,
Be present within ourselves.
We cannot ignore ourselves and live in peace.
Trying to live in the moment by forcing our attention onto the world around us is akin to holding an extremely heavy door open.
We'll succeed only until we become too tired to keep holding it.
We'll then have to run out of the way as it closes,
And we'll once again be trapped in an inner world of thought and sensation.
Rather than desperately forcing our awareness outward in the hopes of being present with life,
We should instead look inward and direct our efforts toward taking the door of our own ignorance off of its massive hinges.
By inspecting it carefully and learning how to loosen the rusty screws that keep it fastened to our own discomfort,
We'll slowly start to be more present.
This takes a lot of patience and perseverance,
And we should be careful not to get frustrated when we are,
Time and again,
Locked up with only ourselves.
If we can continue to soak the old screws of desire and pain in a solvent of our own love and compassion,
However,
We'll begin opening to a world of greater peace in every moment.
