the Space Between: mind your thoughts
Be very much aware of all the thoughts arising. We often tend to associate deeply to whatever arises between those two ears 😄, and start identifying ourselves with the thoughts. But no, we are not our thoughts, we are part of one conscious Life- our body, thoughts, living/non-living entities surrounding us like trees, this keyboard, everything around are just forms within the space of one Life. We are in fact not ‘living life’, rather life is living through each one of us- that’s a singular large entity, and merely can not be described in words cooked up by human beings. Ok this might hit the ceiling- but bear with me..
let us take a turn here..
Thoughts are a derivative of fear, greed, ego, social constructs, often shaped by repetitive external interactions- they are never real. Unless put to use, for solving problems, or to improve external conditions- just no point in thinking, or taking it too seriously. Every thought shouts out loud, to emphasize its importance and garner more attention that eventually translates to actions. Don’t be moved into actions via uncontrolled delusional thoughts, rather ONLY let it think when we really want to use it as a resource and then take relevant steps to move towards whatever it is we are trying to achieve.
In our previous letter, we alluded to the interconnectedness of environment, cue, attention, dopamine, action. The brief moment between attention and dopamine is where our thoughts occupy or reside. While we can try to bring a lot of intention, observation and thereby presence into our attention- we still seem to give in to anticipatory thoughts. In fact our mind constructs fascinating future scenarios, and dopamine responds to this, and not the reality there is, here and now. This creates a loop where the entry of neurochemistry then influences subsequent. thoughts, creating elaborate anticipatory patterns!
At any point in time a few thoughts are trying to draw us in, and we come to believe that it's only our thoughts that dictate actions. But practically once dopamine is in the house, it hijacks control of the spotlight and lights up the thoughts driving the highest level of anticipation. It is indeed a silent choreographer, that can either serve or subvert our intended direction.
The Quantum of Possibility? Where does this lie?
Between thought and neurochemical hijacking our moment! This space between is an opportunity for us to practice consciousness.
Fun thing is everything compounds! Thoughts compound as well- this is bad news for those, who have become their thoughts characterised by the kind of content that can be really harmful for a sane identity. These egoic, harmful thoughts come and go in high frequency, and we can only get into the habit of emptying our minds right away rather than paying attention. Since, if we try to logic around those and spend more time with such negative thoughts, eventually without even knowing we start embodying it- and this is the end game, a downward spiral of outcomes.
On the contrary, it can be extremely good for those who cultivate and deliberately sow their thoughts to their own advantage aligning it towards things they really want to do as part of value positive outcomes.
The take away framework:
- do not believe, your thoughts are you. notice and observe them
- Pause, create space between thought and reaction. Try and note if it is influenced or intended
- direct attention immediately to what matters now
- Ultimately, practice letting go non serving thoughts
