Change of State
Table of Contents
When we are looking to improve ourselves, for whatever reason, it always helps to understand what it is exactly we are aiming to change.
Broadly we can break down self-improvement into two camps; Is it a state of mind we want to change or a mental trait? The difference between the two is a question of time.
Change of state
During your sessions you have likely experienced a moment or two of calm, even if just for a flash. These instances are extremely rewarding and pleasant, no matter how brief they might be.
As exciting as they may be, it is important that we do not become attached or expecting of these moments. As soon as we are ‘chasing’ these moments, we are applying pressure and creating a state of mind that is not conducive to experiencing these valuable moments.
Reactions
Enjoyable as it may be, we should avoid falling into the trap of labelling these changes as ‘good’ or ‘bad’, this leads us to become disappointed when the ‘good’ can’t always be achieved.
This could become detrimental to your practice and cause your mind to become too ‘goal’ oriented. The correct way to combat this is to simply become aware of it when it happens, accept it for what it is without labelling it as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ and return to the mantra.
At the end of your meditation, take the opportunity to stay with your eyes closed and sit in silence for a few minutes.
Take note in the difference, if there is any, in the state of your mind and relax into this new sense of being.
If we were to just stand up and start rushing about, we could instantly drop back into a feeling of tension and stress, and not allow ourselves to experience the full benefit of our practice.
Whatever it is that we want to achieve in our day, we can give ourselves a huge advantage by approaching all problems from a place of inner peace.