The mind is a wonderful thing. With the power of the mind, we can use warm, loving, and inspiring thoughts to create our own heaven on earth.
The mind however, it is a poor master. Negative thoughts have a way of sneaking into our consciousness under the false pretense that they represent the ultimate reality. This couldn’t be further from the truth. This dark undercurrent of thoughts is often so subtle, that by the time we notice them, it’s too late. We’re hooked.
It is important to maintain a flow of warm, loving, uplifting thoughts through the mind. Otherwise, our minds tend to fill the void with thoughts that tend to pull us down. if one is mindful, one will see that this is true.
You are what you think. Pain will follow bad thoughts
as certain as happiness will follow good ones.
Buddha (563 BC – 483 BC)
As a whole, we spend too much of our time brooding over things that don’t really matter. This robs us of our happiness. It doesn’t have to be this way.
Mindfulness is a wonderful practice that replaces the tyrant of the mind with the warm, loving Spiritual Being that lives in our heart.
Through practice, we hone our ability to be aware of every thought that pops into our head. If any thought is unloving, has a negative undertone or doesn’t feel. We recognize it for what it is, an unloving thought, and let it go. Life is short and we really don’t have time to waste on unloving thoughts. Let this understanding help you purge the dark, unloving thoughts from your mind.
Keep asking yourself, “Does this thought lift me up?”
If the answer is no, let it go.
Again, and again disturbances will arise. Expect it. Be prepared for it. Disturbances will come up. It’s going to happen whether you like it or not. You are going to have to deal with it.
Don’t be afraid to talk back to your negative self-talk. Tell yourself, “At this moment, I am doing just fine, as long as I am not trying to re-live the dead past or worry about things that may never happen.”
Tell yourself, “I am more fearsome than fear and I am not going to allow anything to come between God and me.”
Here’s a secret. You don’t have to just survive. You can thrive! Use the disturbances as part of your Spiritual practice to recognize illusions when they arise and bounce back quicker.
Be especially mindful during potentially disturbing situations (such as when you are driving).
When the discomfort arises, we need to take a deep breath and pull ourselves back to our point of power, the present moment, then rise up! The quicker we do this, the better off we will be. This needs to be at the core of our practice.
In this very moment we can shine as bright as the sun, as long as we are not holding ourselves back with our self-limiting believes.
When you realize that you are under the dark spells of your illusions, they begin to lose their power.
The present moment is the sweet spot. It is the space where we are not dwelling in the past or worrying about the future. It’s good to keep reminding ourselves to “Breathe.” This pulls us back into the present moment and helps reduce the amount mental chatter that the mind produces. We can’t make our thoughts go away completely, but it is certainly within our power to choose not to dwell on thoughts that pull us down.
If you cannot alight your attention on a positive thought, then return your attention to your breath.
Use the disturbances as reminders to wake up and be more present.
It only takes one conscious breath to return to the moment. If you can just be aware of one breath, that is a great start.
Dwell in your center and live life one breath at a time.
When going about your daily activities, maintain some of your attention on your breath to remain centered.
The great sages through the ages tell us to stay awake to the warm, loving presence that is within us, and all around us.
Wake-up calls are all around us. We are surrounded by opportunities for mini-moments of enlightenment. Maybe it’s a warm summer breeze, a ray of sunshine or a lovely flower. The opportunities are always available. We only have to open our eyes.
Slow down and let these moments soak in. They are portals into heaven on earth.
Whenever the mind is not required for constructive purposes, such as expressing one’s love, it’s good to return your awareness to the point of goodness that resides within your heart. Some people call this God. This is where the Kingdom of Heaven resides.
Slow down, relax,
and dwell on your inner-goodness.
If something comes up and we need to respond with our mind, our thoughts will arise from the perspective of love.
Being mindful is a much more enjoyable way of living life, because it allows us to focus on what we want more of in our life, such as being closer to God.
So, remember, post the watch-man of mindfulness at the door and relax back into your inner-state of goodness.
Below are additional inspirations to help keep you mindful:
It is in your power to withdraw into yourself whenever you desire.
Perfect tranquility resides within.
Paraphrasing Marcus Aurelius (121-180)
Admire a flower and know God.
Feel the love in your heart and know God.
Take a walk in the woods and know God.
It’s all quite simple.
Don’t think too much.
Inspired by unknown author
How does one break out of their self-imposed prison?
Simply pause for a moment and keep coming back to your breath
until you recover your present-moment awareness.
“If God had wanted me otherwise,
he would have created me otherwise.”
Johann Wolfgang van Goathe (1749-1832)
“Life is what your thoughts make it.”
Marcus Aurelius (121-180)
The primary sign of a well-ordered mind is a man’s ability to linger in one place
and enjoy his own company.
Paraphrase Seneca (4 BC – 65 AD)
Copyright © 2019. Mark Ellison. All Rights Reserved.
Living in Heaven on Earth 