Thought Pollution: Overcoming Negative Judgments

[Stiggy]

Thought Pollution: Overcoming Negative Judgments

 

[For those who don’t want to read the whole thing, or don’t have the time to, I’ve underlined the major themes for quick reading]

 

(Now on to the reason for this thread…)

 

I write this, not for my own good, but so that whoever looks on these words will know the truth. And that truth is freedom!

 

Where to start…

 

Let me start with this: there is a bondage and freedom that are both found through the mind. This is backed by proof that some people who are physically bound, or ill, have found a truth that sets them free from the suffering that doesn’t reflect their current physical situation. Equally, there is proof that some people, who are physically free and in good health, find themselves in some of the worst bondage known to man.

 

That brings about two important questions, ‘What is it that binds us?’ and ‘what is it that sets us free?’

 

To the first, many things can bind someone. Anything that keeps you from enjoying life is bondage. Since I cannot help one solve every type of life situation, I would like to focus on the one thing that can be solved, and that happens to be one of the most common types of bondage, as well as the most treatable: the self-inflicted suffering.

 

Suffering is non-acceptance of pain or difficult situations. Both pain and difficult situations will come, but suffering is a mental rejection and, in effect, deepening of the pain that is, or will be, regardless. Pain will come, but the degree of suffering will most likely depend on how you face it. Resisting the situation makes it worse, but accepting alleviates it to a large degree.

 

But in this thread I’d like to focus more on the answer to what’s been plaguing mankind for eons.

 

It boils down to either, a desire for what you don’t have, or a desire for what you wish you didn’t have. In effect, it brings to life our dualistic nature.

 

Now, the road most traveled in this subject is ‘acceptance,’ but I want to approach it from a different view (or at least word it in an accessible way): to enjoy what you already have, and nurture a desire to enjoy it no matter what.

 

And that is life.

 

Acceptance, in a way can be boiled down to - Live life as it comes, and don’t let things you have to do, or go through, become a ‘problem’ or a ‘thorn in your side’ (and, a ‘problem’ is a mental bondage, where you tell yourself ‘this isn’t good’ – or the likes. And this judgment becomes a reason to not enjoy life.) And the thought of ‘I can’t enjoy life because of this…’ is non-acceptance.

 

For situations come and go, but why resist what is? To go with what life gives you and be ‘okay’ with it is what I call ‘the path of least resistance.’ Have you ever heard someone say, ‘why make a mountain out of a molehill?’ Well, instead of facing the situation with just an ‘I can do it’ attitude, one might say, ‘I can do it, but it’s gonna be hard, and I’m not going to like it!’

 

Which brings me to a very important understanding: would even some of the toughest things to do in life become easier if I’d just accept them as they are? Accept it? That right there is the answer to many ‘self-inflicted’ punishments. Our very judgments shade our existence. Instead of going with the flow, from a sense of inner peace and accepting ‘what is,’ one might resist it and make the job harder than it really is, with an inner tension and loathing for what you are doing or going through.

 

Now, let’s touch on the next obvious lesson: life in its fullest. This part is a little more elusive to nail down, but I believe it can be done. And it’s a question of life itself: what would happen if we were to just ‘live’ and be in the present moment?

 

But this takes a separation from thought, and the mind. Now, pretty much, our minds can only focus on, or do, one thing at a time. And if we are thinking, or judging life as this or that, that is all we will see. But, if we focus on the present moment, and pay attention to only that, we will live in a fullness of life that cannot but help bring us an inner peace.

 

In such a state, acceptance doesn’t even matter, but for a way to detach from negative judgments, and return us to the present moment where life is in bloom.

 

Remaining fully present can seem near impossible, especially when thinking about it, but quick glimpses evolve into longer, more sustained reflections. So, for beginners, if thoughts rise and cloud out the moment, just slowly tell yourself, “I am here” or “here I am.” The more we intertwine with the present moment, the closer our mind comes to stillness. Just like meditation will show you, the mind takes time to slow down and detach from its own thought-life, but it can be done. Just keep returning to the present, and focus there, and a new-found peace will arise and take over.

 

This is a profound spiritual practice, and will change your life forever if you invest in its exploration. For many, this is the answer, for if you desire the present moment, you will always have it within reach. And joy will always be found when you find what you’re looking for. So, why not make living life itself your one and only desire?

 

Freedom is found in the present moment, and the peace of mind it brings.

[poppy]

Very wise words Stiggy, and very well written.

[bree]

Hello Stiggy,

 

That was very interesting. I can't say I understood it all - I'll need to read it again.Slowly.

 

I agree that living in the present simplifies things and brings clarity.

 

But I can't help but wonder about when I'd find the time to dream, or to contemplate, if I'm always in the "now"...

[vodkafan]

Hi Stiggy , nice piece but I am not sure it fits every situation. For one thing, how do you define the path of least resistance? For instance, the effort required for you to write one of your poems. It would be a lot easier not to write at all wouldn't it? , but you still feel compelled to do it according to your nature.

I have a bit of trouble with the "Acceptance" thingy in every situation. Sometimes deciding to struggle against something, even though you know it will be hard, brings inner peace because you know you did the right thing. Inner peace is not only gained always by passive acceptance.

What I am getting at is that deciding to struggle is the essence of free will. We change the world around us when we intervene and make conscious decisions.

Otherwise we become passive blobs that events just happen to.

Edited January 15, 2013 by vodkafan

[poppy]

I love the Serenity Prayer

 

God, grant me the serenity

To accept the things I cannot change,

Courage to change the things I can,

and wisdom to know the difference.

[Stiggy]

Hello Stiggy,

 

That was very interesting. I can't say I understood it all - I'll need to read it again.Slowly.

 

I agree that living in the present simplifies things and brings clarity.

 

But I can't help but wonder about when I'd find the time to dream, or to contemplate, if I'm always in the "now"...

glad you brought that up

 

When I wrote that you'd have to disconnect from your mind, I was saying that in light of negative thoughts and such. Meaning, when we are in a rough situation, and our mind becomes destructive to our happiness, that disconnecting from these patterns, that are brought to life by our mind, and entering into the present moment is a way to find relief. Dreaming and contemplating are not the issue, I'm saying that when life seems a nightmare, that is when you need peace of mind. This essay was geared towards 'self-inflicted suffering'...

 

 

 

 

Hi Stiggy , nice piece but I am not sure it fits every situation. For one thing, how do you define the path of least resistance? For instance, the effort required for you to write one of your poems. It would be a lot easier not to write at all wouldn't it? , but you still feel compelled to do it according to your nature.

I have a bit of trouble with the "Acceptance" thingy in every situation. Sometimes deciding to struggle against something, even though you know it will be hard, brings inner peace because you know you did the right thing. Inner peace is not only gained always by passive acceptance.

What I am getting at is that deciding to struggle is the essence of free will. We change the world around us when we intervene and make conscious decisions.

Otherwise we become passive blobs that events just happen to.

It's okay.

Edited January 19, 2013 by Stiggy

[Stiggy]

I wanted to add this to the discussion (and I did it in response to your questions vodkafan)

 

 

The Path of Least Resistance

 

To go with what life gives you and be 'okay' with it is what I call 'the path of least resistance.'

 

Where to start....

 

Let me start by stating that this deals with 'spiritual' aspects (such as thoughts and feelings, you know, the inner world) and doesn't make much sense when you apply it to the mundane (or physical aspects.) So, a mental rejection of what 'is' deals with spiritual, and a fight for world peace is physical by nature. Two totally different worlds, the spiritual and the mundane.

 

First, you must think of 'the path of least resistance' as getting to the other side of a mountain. Instead of climbing to the peak, one chooses a lower path, that leads to the other side. This path therefore takes less 'exertion' because you didn't have to climb so high. Having gone around the mountain instead of over, you still reach the other side, but with less work (due to less resistance.)

 

So, I'm not saying you just 'accept' things as they are and do nothing about it. I'm saying approach every obstacle with an inner calm or peace. - In effect, getting to the other side with less 'resistance.'

 

It's the inner turmoil of not coming to terms with something that I want to point out. Take for instance:

 

You owe money to the bank, and they are going to be taking your house from you if you can't come up with money, or a solution.

 

You can either freak out, and get yourself worried sick about it, and resist that fact that you owe money (which is non-acceptance, and clouds your thoughts with so many worries) or you can tell yourself that you owe the money, and from a sense of calm (where you can think and act more appropriately than freaking out) you do what you can AS you can.

 

This is especially important, because if you do things AS you can, you won't get all wrapped up in turmoil UNTIL it gets done. Yes, you may feel a sense of urgency, but you will have a piece of mind that 'I'm doing what I can, while I can' and 'I'll take it one step at a time.' – ‘that’ is the path of least resistance.

 

Even if you lose the house, what good would it do to resist then? Besides, it most likely wouldn’t be the end of the world.

 

It shouldn't be confused with giving up, but a 'giving up' of the inner turmoil of resisting the situation in the present moment (again, where you get wrapped up in turmoil UNTIL it gets done.)

 

Take the game ‘Tetris’ as an example (you know, that game where the blocks fall from the sky and stack up, and your job is to keep them from stacking all the way to the top by completing solid lines which takes them off of the screen so that they don’t pile all the way to the top and end the game?)

 

Well, the block’s falling is what I want to point out. Take their falling as life dealing you things you have to sort out. You can resist it, and say ‘I hate how they keep falling!’ and keep saying that about every block that falls. Now, that would sound like a pretty dumb thing to say, considering it’s part of the game, but that’s exactly what we do sometimes with situations in life. We get all wrapped up in how bad it is, and don’t just focus on what we can do with them as they fall into place. So, to not accept that you will have to deal with things as they come, would be to resist what ‘is’ in life.

 

And, I’d like to point out, that once you find a place to put the block (or how to solve the situation) you have to do what you can IN the moment and guide it to where it needs to be.

 

If you worry too much, and get all up-tight about the game, Tetris will absolutely suck for you! The same goes for life. The only way to avoid ‘situations,’ is to not play the game at all - and that would be giving up. (Sounds like an oxymoron, but that is not the path of least resistance, that is the path of total resistance.)

 

So, that is what I meant by ‘the path of least resistance.’ (again, it’s a spiritual thing, and won’t make much sense if you apply it to mundane things)

Edited January 20, 2013 by Stiggy

[bree]

glad you brought that up

 

When I wrote that you'd have to disconnect from your mind, I was saying that in light of negative thoughts and such. Meaning, when we are in a rough situation, and our mind becomes destructive to our happiness, that disconnecting from these patterns, that are brought to life by our mind, and entering into the present moment is a way to find relief. Dreaming and contemplating are not the issue, I'm saying that when life seems a nightmare, that is when you need peace of mind. This essay was geared towards 'self-inflicted suffering'...

 

Thank you Stiggy.

You know after I re-read your words I came to the same conclusion - but I as still hoping you'll answer so that I could read your reply.

[Stiggy]

my pleasure,

 

I know that this discussion is so deep that many of you guys might not get some of the things I'm talking about, but I will gladly answer any questions you all may ask as best I can. I'm sure I'll write more for you guys, but I really need to know what to elaborate on so that I can help guide you to an understanding.

 

best wishes,

Stiggly

 

p.s. - The next addition I'm working on is 'Why Disconnect From Thought, and How?" (in a sort of way elaborating on your original question, bree.) Expect to see it in a few days.

Edited January 20, 2013 by Stiggy

[bree]

I'll look out for it Stiggy.

And thank you

[FAD_FC]

Very wise words,

 

Brings home reality to live life to the max, I used to live on that path of least resistance until finally I opened up my mind and realised there is more to life. Very interesting to read, I look forward to more...