Repetitive Thought Patterns - The Mind Thief
Awareness is crucial in identifying addictive thought patterns. Becoming the observer rather than a reactor, seeing the mental chatter rather than becoming lost in it.
In a society driven by activity, productivity, achieving, endless doing, being and having more. The saying 'patience is a virtue' is lost in our busy world of endless distractions.
Q) So, what does patience have to do with observing?
How many times a day are we quiet? Without distractions from phones, TV, computers, or endless jobs and activities. Being quiet, allowing thoughts and feelings to surface, can feel uncomfortable, time-wasting, and even irritating.
Meditation is likely the most opportune time to witness the mental chatter at its loudest. No wonder so many of us find meditation a challenge.
It's as though the mind has suddenly realised we're observing, and like a thief suddenly caught red-handed, the mind invariably comes up swinging. Often attacking critical thoughts to run away or avoid introspection and remain the unexposed thief.
Justifiably outraged at the thought of someone stealing possessions from our physical home. The mind is no different and perhaps a more challenging opponent. How so? Our lack of recognition that this stealthy process is subconsciously going on throughout our day-to-day lives, robbing us of valuable time and energy.
Yet if we focus only on reacting, suppressing or avoiding the mental chatter, we miss the opportunity to understand why the mental thief is there in the first place.
If we're patient, the apparent mental abyss can reveal opportunities and insights we may have previously overlooked.
A poignant scene from the movie Peaceful Warrior in which three robbers confront the mentor and young gymnast. Aware of the mentor's supernatural abilities, the young gymnast is appalled as the mentor refuses to use these powers but instead willingly hands over not only their wallets, watches and even their clothes.
Handing over more than the thieves requested acts as a metaphor for surrender. Momentarily letting go of the need to control - seeing this as the thief's attempt to distract us with superfluous thoughts, needs and wants.
Whilst not suggesting we hand over all our possessions to an opportunistic thief, we metaphorically hand over our thinking faculties to the mental chatter thief.
Drawn into this drip feed of mental distraction, we lose sight of insights the observer within us may offer.
Explore the article: Emotional Funnelling (EF)
- How EF interrupts repetitive thought patterns
- How EF increases focussed attention
- Why EF increases clarity