The Reactive Mind
It's amazing how easily we're taken in by the things our
ego-minds tell us and how we automatically default to believing
that what we are thinking is truth. We immediately react to
everything we see and hear around us, thinking that we clearly
understand what we're perceiving. But this is not the case, what
we are thinking is not necessarily the truth at all.
When someone says something to us that we don't agree with or
that we don't like, what do we normally do? We immediately
project outwards and say that "they" are wrong or that "they"
have a problem and we use what they are saying to further cement
our personal point of view and beliefs. If anyone says something
that we don't like, rather than projecting outwards, take a
moment to ask why we're in reaction. If we are having any
reaction at all, it's about us, not about them.
As spiritual warriors we seek to take responsibility for what's
happening in our own ego-minds, rather than being concerned
about what others are thinking and believing. Any idea we have
about the way a conversation should look is problematic. In
fact, the expectations we have about anything and everything
regarding others is worth taking the time to investigate. The
ego-mind drains us of our personal power and energy by creating
fear-based reactions within our bodies. Every time we react to
something we are being given the opportunity to perceive our
ego-mind at work. For example, many times I've made the offer
for people to email me if they have a question, are in reaction,
or have an issue after a workshop but it's rare that people take
me up on my offers! People would rather be right or martyr
themselves then pick up the phone or send an email. So what's
that saying to me? It's telling me that people's ego-minds are
stopping them from learning and growing because of some nonsense
they believe. Nonsense like, "I don't want to bother her," "I
don't like what she's saying," "I don't need her help," and so
on... rather than taking action and calling me. In essence,
we're creating limitation by refusing an opportunity that life
is giving us.
Whenever my teacher made himself available to me, I took him up
on the opportunity. Why? I realized that he was testing me to
move past what my ego-mind was telling me and take the minimal
chance to freedom. He was making an offer; it was up to me to
take him up on it rather than letting my mind steal an
opportunity from me. Ask yourselves how often your ego-mind has
stolen an opportunity from you in order to further support your
personal point of view and beliefs?
When any teacher, myself included, takes the time to share with
others, we're sharing ourselves and the way we live our lives.
We don't need to defend our lives, or prove ourselves to others;
we're already happy. It's up to you to decide if what we have to
offer might be what you would like in your life. The way to
figure that out is not by thinking with your mind, but instead
by feeling it in your heart. If you want to be free, I encourage
you to take the actions necessary to get past all the
justifications and rationalizations of your ego-mind.