Calm Mind

Being able to go from an agitated mind to a calm mind is like turning on the television and seeing a talk show arguing politics. You can get caught up in the argument and become involved in the agitation or you can decide to switch to some calm, relaxing music. It's your choice.

It is better to be in control of the mind than the mind having control of you for many reasons. One reason is you don't have to keep doing what your mind is telling you to do. For example, you have just gotten into bed, ready for a good night's sleep, and your mind says, "Oh yeah, Jenny (my best friend) wanted me to call her tonight." So, you get up and call Jenny but her mom tells you that Jenny has gone to bed, you can call her in the morning. Or, you pass by an ice cream shop and your mind says, "Wow! That looks good. Some ice cream would really hit the spot right now. But I'm trying to lose 10 lbs. for the summer. But I could get run over by a truck and it wouldn't make any difference if I lose the 10 lbs. or not. I'll just have a small scoop." You buy the ice cream but rather than having one small scoop you have two large scoops.

If you were in control of your mind you wouldn't be jerked around by it all the time. Rather than getting out of bed to call Jenny you would remain in bed and go to sleep. Rather than eating the ice cream you would pass right by the shop.

When you recognize that your thoughts are erratic you are half-way to calming the mind.  At that very moment you have distanced the "I" (the awareness) from the thoughts. That is a big step because many people cannot do that very thing.

The next step is to go into the body and feel the energy that exists within it. When you go into your body, energy passes from the mind into the body. When you recognize erratic and disturbing thoughts go immediately into your hands and feel the energy they contain. It may be a tingling feeling or a warmness.. Once you get in touch with the feeling in your hands allow your consciousness to flow into other parts of your body. Allow your awareness to fill your entire body.

When you become aware of the whole body the mind becomes calm. It has to be because the focus - the attention - the energy has passed from the mind to the body.