Stilling the Mind

Patience is so vital in today’s day and age. It’s nearly impossible for us to sit still when we’re so used to having our minds overly stimulated by technology. When I go out exercising, I’m shocked by how many people are out watching TV on their Smartphones. Why do people bother even being in nature if they aren’t going to really be present? I suppose it’s better than just staying at home.

Even listening to music is a distraction when we’re outside exercising. What is it about life that makes us want to escape? At times, it seems hard to deal with simply being in the moment because our minds are demanding either entertainment or a distraction from the responsibilities of everyday life. Sometimes the motor just keeps going and it won’t stop.

How do we still our minds? At first, it may seem boring. When I was younger, the last thing I wanted to do was to be sitting in silence and try to find peace with it. I wanted to experience as much as possible and do something exciting. There’s nothing wrong with wanted to become a more experienced person, but it doesn’t always take the form of productivity. It wasn’t until later in life that I realized that I was much more stressed than I needed to be. It surprisingly crept up on me, and I thought it was just a “normal” experience – what else would I have compared my experience to? Later, I realized that I was addicted to entertainment.

Our minds are usually constantly busy when we feel like this present moment is not enough. When we feel like something additional is needed to find a sense of satisfaction, we then will be left wanting. It can be hard to imagine that we have everything we need. It’s human nature and instinct to crave more and desire for what he or she doesn’t have. However, aside from eating, breathing, and sleeping, we have a spiritual hunger.

This hunger is mysterious and not as clearly understood as are the former mentioned necessities. Many don’t understand this need and try overcompensating by excelling or indulging in another area. Perhaps it’s a good thing that we’re not perfectly happy all the time, or we’d become lazy and unproductive. Regardless, we need to tune into our inner selves and find out exactly what it is we need. Step by step we can eliminate distractions of life and get to the core of where we need to go.

Don’t skip vacation, and don’t work over the weekend. Time spent internally understanding one’s self is time well spent. We can never sacrifice the importance of what lies within us for the sake of earning some money and getting “ahead” in the business world.

For further related reading, please check out: Time-Killers.