| "The more tranquil a [person] becomes, the greater is | | | | It is our intent that governs whether or not we are able |
| his success, his influence, his power for good. | | | | to have a calm mind throughout our day - not just |
| Calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of | | | | during meditation. Our ego is deeply addicted to |
| wisdom." --James Allen, 1864-1912, Author of As A | | | | thoughts that create fear, anxiety, depression, anger, |
| Man Thinketh | | | | hurt, and agitation. As long as we unconsciously |
| Of all the challenges in life, calmness of mind is | | | | choose the intent to control, we will automatically think |
| probably one of the greatest challenges for many | | | | the thoughts that create these painful feelings. We |
| people, especially in our busy urban society. | | | | cannot consistently change our thoughts without |
| One of the reasons for this is that most of us have | | | | changing our intent. When we consciously choose a |
| been far more trained to think from our left-brained | | | | deep intent to learn about truth and love, our thoughts |
| programmed mind than from our holistic, spiritually | | | | will follow this intent. |
| connected, creative right brain. Our programmed ego | | | | What can you do when your ego mind is going full |
| mind is deeply devoted to controlling our own feelings | | | | force and you feel stuck in anxiety, depression, panic, |
| as well as others' feelings and actions and the | | | | fear, and so on? How can you stop these negative |
| outcome of things. It likes to think non-stop about how | | | | thoughts and move into the calmness of your right |
| to have control. But the challenging thing is that this | | | | brain? |
| programmed part of our mind often thinks negatively - | | | | Perhaps we can learn something from Dr. Jill Bolte |
| thinks about all the bad things that can happen, worries, | | | | Taylor, author of "My Stroke of Insight." Dr. Taylor's |
| ruminates, judges, blames, projects, analyzes, and so | | | | left-brain was completely off line due to a stroke. As it |
| on. All of these are ways our ego - the programmed | | | | gradually came back online, she decided that she didn't |
| wounded part of ourselves - tries to control feelings, | | | | want to continue with some of her old negative |
| people, and outcomes. And the ironic thing is that it | | | | thinking patterns. Not only does she tell her "Peanut |
| creates the exact opposite of a calm mind - the exact | | | | Gallery" - her name for her ego - to "Knock it off," she |
| opposite of what is needed for wisdom and success. | | | | says it out loud "while waggling my pointed finger in the |
| Our ego mind is our default setting. It is where we will | | | | air, or standing firm with my hands on my hips. A |
| automatically be focused unless we consciously | | | | scolding mother is more effective when she says |
| choose an intention other than to protect/avoid/control. | | | | what she means with passion and communicates her |
| When we choose the intention to learn about truth and | | | | message multidimensionally." |
| about what is loving to ourselves and others - what is | | | | I often see my ego voice like a child or adolescent |
| in our own and others highest good - then we move | | | | who is acting out. After becoming aware that my |
| out of our default thinking and into our right brain. | | | | intent is to control and accepting what I can and can't |
| Moving into the calmness of our right brain takes much | | | | control, I might say to her, "If you can't be quiet, you will |
| practice. Many people meditate for years to attempt | | | | have to go to you room!" But this works only when I |
| to achieve this calmness. The problem is that, while | | | | have consciously shifted my intent from controlling to |
| they may achieve calmness of mind during meditation, | | | | learning about loving myself. Once I do that, I |
| what happens to the calmness when their intent shifts | | | | immediately move back into calmness of mind. |
| into wanting to control? | | | | |