One Effective [but crazy] Way To Free Your Mind
Do not seek the truth, only cease to cherish opinions. – Zen saying
Who really likes to diet? Nobody. And to go on an “opinion diet”? Oh my… It would be like giving up our IDENTITY!
This is the reason I’m not suggesting to give up your opinions and judgements forever. Our opinions let us feel seen, significant and may even decide about our survival. Personally I don’t want to deny myself the pleasure of stating that something is crazy. Usually using language not suitable for children.
And. When you get dizzy from the judgement overload, you know it’s time to:
FREE YOUR MIND.
I have done it and loved it. And loved what came as a result. Perhaps first you need to know, I also have strong opinions. Many of them seem to form without my participation, out of bacteria in the air or my emotions, I don’t know! I have judgements running in my bloodstream (and this is good because I get to transform them into acceptance, oneness and compassion)
So please know: if I didn’t die on the opinion diet, neither will you, and people around you will do JUST FINE (wink wink)
[Next, you may check out how to free your mind the kind way and and the selfish way, or continue…]WHY IS IT A GOOD IDEA TO TAKE A BREAK FROM OUR OPINIONS AND JUDGEMENTS
- It’s a practice mindfulness and turning off the autopilot: we form opinions all day long… whatever happens we need to classify it in our mind as good, bad, wrong, insane, crazy, inappropriate, unprofessional, interesting, boring, etc. It’s our nature. And then we share it on social media. It’s our second nature.
- But the truth is: unless something really depends on it, unless you are REALLY going to DO something – the world DOESN’T NEEEEED your opinion! The world doesn’t need my opinion. Nobody needs our uneducated opinions (that means most of them: see Oct 2014 issue of Pacific Standard )
- People around us – of whom inner motives, pain and reasons, we know nothing – DO NOT NEED our judgement.
- Take a break from opinions and you will feel relieved. Suddenly there will be room in your mind for something better. Maybe it will be better for your health: our negative opinions make us more tense, they make us participate in a drama, in situations we are not even a part of, while we could be quite content with what we are doing NOW. If only our mind was free.
HOW TO FREE YOUR MIND by SUSPENDING YOUR JUDGEMENT
a. So every time you start forming an opinion, catch it. And just tell yourself.. “oh no, just for today I will not form this judgement. Just for today, my mind is free.”
b. When judgement wants to be formed and verbalized in your mind, catch it before it happens. Catch and release. Throw it out the window. Fill the space with an inner smile. In this moment I go for the feeling of confidence, lightness and positivity.
c. After any interaction with other people, after work, meeting, workshop, or a date, when you are alone, you may want to rerun the events in your mind. Don’t. Do something different. Suspend your judgement. Practice noble silence. See what happens next.
When we stop verbalizing our opinions, it’s interesting to notice how little changes about the state of things we judged.
What’s left: a mind that’s light and free.
Peace.
***are you interested in another (possibly selfish) way to free your mind? Read this. Stop accepting Invitations to other people’s drama