Welcome to August - you can now read the first day of our 15-day meditation course, "Your inner narrative," below.
Day 1 - The root cause of your struggles
We are continuously held hostage by the next thought that pops into our heads. We spend most of our days like this: lost in mental activity, swept away by emotions, habitually reacting to the stories our minds are forever telling us. - meditationSHIFT
Average read time: around 6 minutes.
Our minds are always going.
Thoughts, emotions, urges, stories – all of it takes the form of your inner narrative, which constantly plays in your head. The same way my inner narrative constantly plays in my head. The same way everyone else's inner narrative constantly plays in their heads.
This inner narrative comments on everyone and everything, including ourselves. It’s filled with labels and judgment. And, it does one thing really well: it distracts us from what’s happening right here and now.
It pulls us into the past to dwell on things that have already taken place. Or, to relive times gone by. Or, to second-guess what we’ve done (or haven’t done).
It pushes us into the future to worry about what might happen. Or, stress about whether we’ll ever make anything of ourselves ("Will I be as successful as Mary, or have as much stuff as Bob?"). Or, endlessly fret about imaginary scenarios it invents ("What would I do if 'this' happened, or say if 'that' happened?").
Realize the folly...our minds ruminate on the past. Or, they create a future "something" that hasn't happened and isn't real. As a result, we get anxious, depressed, or suffer in some other way. We’re like actors in a play, unwittingly participating in staged scenes.
And, when it’s not pulling us into the past or pushing us into the future, our minds create alternate realities – daydreams and fantasies – for us to get absorbed in.
Living in this constantly-distracted state leads to the struggles we deal with every day:
Why does being constantly distracted lead to these struggles? Because, it causes us to operate on "autopilot." You and I are like puppets, and our minds are the puppeteers. Non-stop thoughts, emotions, urges, and stories are the strings that make us do the things we do...and, feel the way we feel.
Being constantly distracted is our normal state of being. The problem is, most of us don’t realize it's our normal state of being. It takes a certain amount of awareness to recognize we are continuously caught up in the activity of our minds. And, most of us lack this baseline level of awareness - we certainly lack it with any consistency. Which means we’re usually oblivious to the discursive thinking that drags us through our days.
We are like fish who don't realize they are surrounded by water because they are always surrounded by water.
Our minds are always going.
Thoughts, emotions, urges, stories – all of it takes the form of your inner narrative, which constantly plays in your head. The same way my inner narrative constantly plays in my head. The same way everyone else's inner narrative constantly plays in their heads.
This inner narrative comments on everyone and everything, including ourselves. It’s filled with labels and judgment. And, it does one thing really well: it distracts us from what’s happening right here and now.
It pulls us into the past to dwell on things that have already taken place. Or, to relive times gone by. Or, to second-guess what we’ve done (or haven’t done).
It pushes us into the future to worry about what might happen. Or, stress about whether we’ll ever make anything of ourselves ("Will I be as successful as Mary, or have as much stuff as Bob?"). Or, endlessly fret about imaginary scenarios it invents ("What would I do if 'this' happened, or say if 'that' happened?").
Realize the folly...our minds ruminate on the past. Or, they create a future "something" that hasn't happened and isn't real. As a result, we get anxious, depressed, or suffer in some other way. We’re like actors in a play, unwittingly participating in staged scenes.
And, when it’s not pulling us into the past or pushing us into the future, our minds create alternate realities – daydreams and fantasies – for us to get absorbed in.
Living in this constantly-distracted state leads to the struggles we deal with every day:
- stress
- endless worry
- extreme emotions
- an inability to break bad habits
- feelings of anxiety and depression
- a negative self-image
- sleep problems
- tension headaches
- neck and back pain
- a lack of focus
- and on and on...
Why does being constantly distracted lead to these struggles? Because, it causes us to operate on "autopilot." You and I are like puppets, and our minds are the puppeteers. Non-stop thoughts, emotions, urges, and stories are the strings that make us do the things we do...and, feel the way we feel.
Being constantly distracted is our normal state of being. The problem is, most of us don’t realize it's our normal state of being. It takes a certain amount of awareness to recognize we are continuously caught up in the activity of our minds. And, most of us lack this baseline level of awareness - we certainly lack it with any consistency. Which means we’re usually oblivious to the discursive thinking that drags us through our days.
We are like fish who don't realize they are surrounded by water because they are always surrounded by water.
We don't realize we are living in this constantly-distracted state because we are almost always living in this constantly-distracted state. We don't realize we are lost in thoughts because we are almost always lost in thoughts.
There is good news when it comes to the struggles we face every day: strengthening and applying awareness takes care of them all. There isn't one solution to be "less distracted," another to reduce stress, and another to help with feelings of anxiety and depression. There isn't a different solution for breaking bad habits (or instilling good habits), another for developing a better self-image, and another for dealing with the voice in your head, easing tension, and sleeping better.
The root cause of all the struggles we deal with every day is our compulsive mind. And, strengthening and applying awareness is the solution that addresses the root cause.
How do you strengthen and apply awareness? Meditation and mindfulness. We'll delve into what they are and how to practice over the next few days. Today, we want you to spend some time listening to what your inner narrative is telling you, and watching where your mind is trying to take you in any given moment.
What stories are playing in your head when you stop and listen? Stories about the past, dwelling on or reliving something that already happened? Stories about the future, planning or worrying about something that might happen – or, participating in a "mental play"? Stories about an alternate reality where you can escape the present moment and get lost in fantasies and daydreams?
Your mind is rarely comfortable with what's going on in the present moment. So, where is it trying to take you in order to escape that discomfort?
Another way to explore this is to look and see if your mind is wishing for things to be different than they are. If it is - and, it almost always is - then it's distracting you from right here and now and taking you to the past, future, or an alternate reality. The end result will be more struggles.
If you need some tactical help with this exercise, try setting a timer on your phone to go off at a regular interval (for example, every 30 minutes). When it goes off, ask "What stories is my inner narrative telling me?" and "Where is my mind taking me?"
Or, if you prefer, ask "What is my mind wishing to be different than it is?"
To elaborate, what does your mind want changed, or what does it want frozen in time so it doesn't change? What does your mind want to add to or take away from the present moment? Put another way, what does it want to "fix" about your current experience?
Or, is your mind telling you that what you’re doing right now is boring, and "this" or "that" would be more exciting, fun, or a better use of your time?
In addition to the timer on your phone, there are other "mindfulness cues" you can use as a prompt:
That's it. Today, just make the effort to look and ask the questions. Start becoming aware of your inner narrative, the stories playing in your head, and where your mind is trying to take you in any given moment.
Tomorrow we'll delve into the actual exercise of meditating.
<<>>
Did Day 1 resonate?
If so, you'll get a lot from Days 2-15 (and everything else).
Table of Contents:
Day 1 - The root cause of your struggles
Day 2 - Leave the mind alone
Day 3 - Meditation and mindfulness, explained
Day 4 - Building momentum
Day 5 - Let it be (not The Beatles song, but kind of...)
Day 6 - Notice and return
Questions and answers
Day 7 - The anatomy of annoying
Day 8 - Introducing impermanence
Day 9 - Nothing lasts unchanging over time
Day 10 - Arising and passing
Day 11 - Notice and return, again
Day 12 - What if you don't "own" thoughts?
Day 13 - Remove the "I"
More questions and answers
Day 14 - Knowing vs. doing, and the quality of action
Day 15 - Is your mind your enemy?
Supplemental reading:
Average read time for the daily posts is around 5 minutes, and meditation time ranges from 4 to 10 minutes (you can do more if you choose). You don't need to download anything - the content is browser-based, and you read it on your computer, tablet, or smartphone (like you're doing now).
"Your inner narrative" is priced at less than a dollar a day ($14.00 total). As with all our online courses and programs, you receive lifetime access, and never pay for updates, revisions, or added information.
>>> Start "Your inner narrative" today
Carol Withers, Denver, Colorado:
There is good news when it comes to the struggles we face every day: strengthening and applying awareness takes care of them all. There isn't one solution to be "less distracted," another to reduce stress, and another to help with feelings of anxiety and depression. There isn't a different solution for breaking bad habits (or instilling good habits), another for developing a better self-image, and another for dealing with the voice in your head, easing tension, and sleeping better.
The root cause of all the struggles we deal with every day is our compulsive mind. And, strengthening and applying awareness is the solution that addresses the root cause.
How do you strengthen and apply awareness? Meditation and mindfulness. We'll delve into what they are and how to practice over the next few days. Today, we want you to spend some time listening to what your inner narrative is telling you, and watching where your mind is trying to take you in any given moment.
What stories are playing in your head when you stop and listen? Stories about the past, dwelling on or reliving something that already happened? Stories about the future, planning or worrying about something that might happen – or, participating in a "mental play"? Stories about an alternate reality where you can escape the present moment and get lost in fantasies and daydreams?
Your mind is rarely comfortable with what's going on in the present moment. So, where is it trying to take you in order to escape that discomfort?
Another way to explore this is to look and see if your mind is wishing for things to be different than they are. If it is - and, it almost always is - then it's distracting you from right here and now and taking you to the past, future, or an alternate reality. The end result will be more struggles.
If you need some tactical help with this exercise, try setting a timer on your phone to go off at a regular interval (for example, every 30 minutes). When it goes off, ask "What stories is my inner narrative telling me?" and "Where is my mind taking me?"
Or, if you prefer, ask "What is my mind wishing to be different than it is?"
To elaborate, what does your mind want changed, or what does it want frozen in time so it doesn't change? What does your mind want to add to or take away from the present moment? Put another way, what does it want to "fix" about your current experience?
Or, is your mind telling you that what you’re doing right now is boring, and "this" or "that" would be more exciting, fun, or a better use of your time?
In addition to the timer on your phone, there are other "mindfulness cues" you can use as a prompt:
- Put a post-it note on your computer monitor, bathroom mirror, or some other visible location. When you see it, stop what you're doing and ask the questions above.
- Wear a rubber band around your wrist. Every time you look at it, stop what you're doing and ask the questions above.
- Make a pen mark on the back of your hand. When you notice it, stop what you're doing and ask the questions above.
That's it. Today, just make the effort to look and ask the questions. Start becoming aware of your inner narrative, the stories playing in your head, and where your mind is trying to take you in any given moment.
Tomorrow we'll delve into the actual exercise of meditating.
<<>>
Did Day 1 resonate?
If so, you'll get a lot from Days 2-15 (and everything else).
Table of Contents:
Day 1 - The root cause of your struggles
Day 2 - Leave the mind alone
Day 3 - Meditation and mindfulness, explained
Day 4 - Building momentum
Day 5 - Let it be (not The Beatles song, but kind of...)
Day 6 - Notice and return
Questions and answers
Day 7 - The anatomy of annoying
Day 8 - Introducing impermanence
Day 9 - Nothing lasts unchanging over time
Day 10 - Arising and passing
Day 11 - Notice and return, again
Day 12 - What if you don't "own" thoughts?
Day 13 - Remove the "I"
More questions and answers
Day 14 - Knowing vs. doing, and the quality of action
Day 15 - Is your mind your enemy?
Supplemental reading:
- More questions and answers
- The illusion of control
- It's okay to be uncomfortable
- Stop being a victim of compulsive thinking
Average read time for the daily posts is around 5 minutes, and meditation time ranges from 4 to 10 minutes (you can do more if you choose). You don't need to download anything - the content is browser-based, and you read it on your computer, tablet, or smartphone (like you're doing now).
"Your inner narrative" is priced at less than a dollar a day ($14.00 total). As with all our online courses and programs, you receive lifetime access, and never pay for updates, revisions, or added information.
>>> Start "Your inner narrative" today
Carol Withers, Denver, Colorado:
'Your inner narrative' is the best resource I've come across to learn meditation and mindfulness. It takes complex topics and makes them easy to understand, and all 15 days are packed with valuable insights. Whether you are just starting out, or you've been meditating for years, what you learn here can change your life for the better.
____
Thanks for visiting meditationSHIFT!
In addition to "Your inner narrative" (detailed above), here's what you'll find on our site:
Click the sitemap in the upper right corner for everything else.
note: We respect your privacy, and don't track (stalk!) you around the Internet. If you enjoy our content, bookmark our site and remember to come back in the future (and, join our mailing list).
- Almost 20 years of writing about a topic we all wrestle with: the non-stop thoughts, extreme emotions, and overwhelming urges that push and pull us through our days (writing index);
- "An owner's guide to the mind" - your mind creates your struggles and suffering. We teach you how to interrupt that process, take your life off autopilot, and live better (click here);
- "Path to realization" - are you who you think you are? We guide you through a detailed investigation of direct experience to find out the essential nature of your being (click here);
- "ARC: mindfulness for children" - lay the foundation for a strong, healthy relationship between your child and their mind (click here).
Click the sitemap in the upper right corner for everything else.
note: We respect your privacy, and don't track (stalk!) you around the Internet. If you enjoy our content, bookmark our site and remember to come back in the future (and, join our mailing list).
