Let me start by asking you, what is it that you desire ?
… in this moment?
… tonight?
… this week?
… coming month?
… next six months?
… this year?
… two years from today?
… five years from today?
You may benefit by classifying your personal desires as
- personal health & well being
- family matters
- matters of the heart
- professional life
- financial comfort
- social bonding
- inner/ psychological/spiritual growth
- ….
Desire for change! but don’t let your mind get stuck obsessing over it. Only when you are clear about your desires can you intentionally work towards making change. Formalize all your conscious & unconscious desires by penning them down. As you formally acknowledge your desires, you may notice that not all the desires of your (conscious & sub-conscious) mind may be wise or even true. You may even experience difficulty identifying what you want, as the negative-looping mind may only churn what you do-not desire. In such times, take time and exercise silencing the mind.
Meditate to quieten the mind first in order to surface authentic self-awareness! Set out some quiet time for self-reflection. It could be in early morning hours or just before bedtime. Meditate as you pay attention on your breath, focus on an imaginary point of light within your forehead. This shall help your brain relax and slow down the number of thoughts & brain waves (yes! there is science behind it). Shift your awareness beyond thinking/feeling mind into stillness. Into a state of present moment. Experience this stillness, just for 5 minutes. As you do, you will notice that your inner-consciousness holds the wisdom to distinguish what truly matters. You will find clarity around what to focus on, how to prioritize.
Remember, mind is just a tool. Don’t let it rule you. Calm & soothe its way into stillness. In stillness, you will experience your self-awareness. Living life from this authentic place holds much power for accuracy, focus, love and compassion. Desires and change is most natural.
Through this mindful work, you can make life’s changing moments more conscious and intentional. I hope you take sometime today, to nurture your breath and share some compassion towards your desiring heart. Nurture away your desires today balancing it with moments of stillness.
In case you want to learn how to practice mindfulness meditation, here’s some more write-up.
With Metta,
Minniie Juneja 