The Stillness Within

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ImageOur minds are seldom focused on the present moment.

If you have an issue with obsessively ruminating, then drawing back from such tedious thinking can feel impossible. 

I am becoming increasingly aware of how I can use my disposition for ruminating as a cunning tactic to avoid dealing with what is important in the present moment.  Anger can be a powerful distraction.

The responses to my last posts have been awesome.  The support from so many amazing comments is what’s guiding me through the fog.

In the last couple of days, I’ve been pondering the comments from my post, “BurningImage Bridges”.  Most people have similar ideas on how to change repetitive thinking.  I suppose it’s like reprogramming our brains by consistently cutting down on the negative thoughts, in favour of the positive ones.

Fellow-blogger, Victoria from ‘Neuronotes’  http://victorianeuronotes.wordpress.com/  made an enlightening statement about  “becoming an observer of our own circumstances”.  She also shared her own research into how neural connections work and how we can change patterns of thinking. 

Victoria believes – and I’m sure most will agree – whenever we ruminate over negative things, we are strengthening those connections in our brain.  Those connections are what keep our mind stuck on replay.  She shared this short video clip that shows neural connections at work… pretty amazing.

http://youtu.be/Nmvk3zlyQ2w

So, armed with everyone’s supportive comments and (when I remember) being more an observer of my own circumstances, I’ve been pushing forward.  Each time I catch myself ruminating over trivialities, which is pretty much constantly, I drag my thinking back to the present moment.  Admittedly, the continual change from negative to positive thinking is like a vigorous tennis match being played inside my head.

I must confess, “Being an observer of my own circumstances” is not easy when you don’t like what you see, but it does help to defuse the anger that comes from dark repetitive thinking. 

Occasionally, I have been catching glimpses of the stillness within.Image

On a much lighter note, two comments from my last two posts certainly contributed to my sense of being supported by an amazing blogging community.  I have been nominated for another two awards – The Sunshine Award and the Family Award.  A BIG heartfelt THANK YOU goes to those two wonderful bloggers who sent me the nominations…

Vicbriggs’s blog http://shardsofsilence.wordpress.com/

And

http://lifeconfusions.wordpress.com/

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39 thoughts on “The Stillness Within”

  1. dharmagoddess

    “I am becoming increasingly aware of how I can use my disposition for ruminating as a cunning tactic to avoid dealing with what is important in the present moment.” I do the same thing. In fact, my PhD and related work is a beautiful tool to justify my constantly being lost in thought…

    You nailed it when you said staying in the negative for too long reinforces those neurologic connections to negative things in our thought processes.

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      1. dharmagoddess

        …uh, I’m sorry, did you say something?

        LOLZ! Just kidding. I have to laugh about these things or else I’d worry about early onset of that horrible Alzheimer’s.

        And BTW, baby you are ROCK STAR. mwah!

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  2. lifeconfusions

    I have to admit it was a little hard for me to understand but when I really focused on it, This is such a great piece. Very though provoking. Every word you wrote requires to be pondered upon(in a good way).
    Very well written.

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    1. Cat Post author

      Thanks for taking the time to try understand my post. It does feel a little jumbled in my head…that might show in the post.

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    1. Cat Post author

      I remember reading that book many years ago. It meant a lot and I guess my awareness of NOT living in the ‘here and now’ came from Eckhart’s wisdom. “Living in the here and now” is one of the most difficult things to do. You will become more aware just how far off that mark we are. It’s a fabulous & a life changing book. I actually have “Practicing the Power of Now” also by Eckhart. I find it difficult to read right now, but it is always close by me waiting for that moment…

      Thank you for dropping by….appreciated! Hope you enjoy your book

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  4. N℮üґ☼N☮☂℮ṧ

    Gosh, Cat, thank you so much for mentioning me in your post. I am honored. After reading your post, I was reminded of a book I read in 2005 that changed my life, and started me on the path of pruning those neural networks that were causing unneeded suffering. I found a copy of the book online. There is some woo woo in there, but over all it’s an excellent read.

    Click to access A_New_Earth.pdf

    Another book by him that I enjoyed reading was titled “Stillness Speaks”. Both played a role in helping me realize that I had given my power away through my thought-life.

    At the time I read these books I was going through a deconversion, so it might not mean as much to you as it did me at that time. They were transitional books — but as I mentioned, life changing. I became aware of ‘the pain body’, too. Very eye opening, to say the least. Eckhart Tolle wrote:

    There is such a thing as old emotional pain living inside you. It is an accumulation of painful life experience that was not fully faced and accepted in the moment it arose. It leaves behind an energy form of emotional pain. It comes together with other energy forms from other instances, and so after some years you have a “painbody,” an energy entity consisting of old emotion.

    Every interpretation, everything it says, every judgment about your life, about other people, about a situation you are in, will be totally distorted by the old emotional pain. If you are not there as the space for it, you are identified with the painbody and you believe every negative thought that it is telling you. If you are alone, the painbody will feed on every negative thought that arises, and get more energy.

    I’ll leave the link to that quote in my next post since posting two links may alert the spam filter.
    After doing some serious research (for several years) on rewiring/reprogramming my brain, I gained a great appreciate for his awareness, even though he never talked about the neurological aspects involved.

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      1. Cat Post author

        Hi Victoria. I have already read New earth, as well as Eckhart Tolle, ‘The Here and NOw”. I haven’t heard of ‘The Stillness speaks’ but it sounds wonderful. After reading Tolle’s, I read some Deepak Chopra and Synchro-destiny was a particular revelation. I have a dreadful memory and struggle with books at the moment. I’m guessing it was those theories that heightened my awareness for the ‘here and now’ concept. Awareness is one thing, knowledge is what brings about changes. They are definately books I will go through again. It’s difficult to find the time lately, but they are on the agenda.

        Being abe to write and here what others have experienced, is invaluable to me right now. Thank you, Victoria for taking so much time to read and reply

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        1. N℮üґ☼N☮☂℮ṧ

          Cat, someday I will share with you the details of what happened to me after I read that book, A New Earth. I had read the Power of Now, but this one did something to my inners in a profound way. I could read it again, but I doubt it would have the same impact on me as it did back then. The info in that book was exactly what I needed to read at the time, and I’d been searching for a very long time for some answers that nobody, nor any religion could answer. My diligent search paid off.

          To make a very long story short, it affected me so profoundly that my mind went completely silent. It stayed that way for the longest, and all I did was observe. I cried for weeks afterwords (happy weeping) because of what I experienced, which I’ve not been able to articulate yet. Up until that point, that had never happened to me. A silent mind. Not even close. The mind chatter was completely gone. I saw the world through different eyes from that point on. Now, after much brain research, I’m pretty sure what happened, neurologically. I’ll share that with you another time. Like I said, it changed my life. It saved my life.

          Pssst, just thought I would share some good news. I found out about 2 hours ago that WordPress is going to Freshly Press my post about vulnerability. 😉 Needless to say, I was stunned. Thanks again for posting a link to my 2nd blog in your post. Meant a lot to me.

          Cheers,
          Victoria

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    2. Cat Post author

      That’s excellent about your post being Freshly Pressed. I’ve just read through the post again and it is very deserving! Congrats, Victoria

      A few years ago – during my “lost years” – I was reading a dog training book by Cesar Millan. He talked a lot about dogs “living in the moment” and mentioned a Deepak Chopra’s book.

      From that point, book after book came to my fingertips and lead me to where I am today – searching for the knowledge and ability to live in the moment.

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      1. N℮üґ☼N☮☂℮ṧ

        Thank you, Cat. =)
        Btw, I love watching the TV series,The Dog Whisperer. Cesar Millan rocks!
        One of the things I love about blogging is that even though I may be talking about things from my past, or hopes for the future, I’m always in the present moment as an observer of what I’m writing or have written. I’m in the present moment when I’m reading other peoples blogs and commenting. Same with searching for knowledge. It’s a present moment activity, and as we both know — that’s where the living resides — in the here and now.

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  5. N℮üґ☼N☮☂℮ṧ

    I forgot to mention that in the pdf link, Chapter 5 goes into detail about the pain-body, and Chapter 6 is about breaking free from it.

    One more note: Congratulations on your new awards. Very well deserved. 🙂
    Kindest thoughts,
    Victoria

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  6. ziggy40

    Thanks for sharing these great links. I have been looking into this. I find it so hard to practice,’mindfulness’, which is in essence, my take anyway..’watching yourself with open curiosity’, accepting the thoughts and learning that these can’t hurt me, they are thoughts! Finding stillness and ‘sitting’ with difficult emotions. I find ‘balance’ very difficult. Sorry this is all over the place. Sending support and fluffy white clouds to rest those racing thoughts on…lol
    love Ziggy

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    1. Cat Post author

      Mindfulness is one of the most difficult things to achieve, but it is achievable. For me, the blessing often comes from trying…parctice makes perfect.

      Thank you Ziggy, I really appreciate you dropping by.

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  7. Susan Irene Fox

    Cat, every time I read your posts, I can see so many steps forward, so many ways your heart is opening. There are so very many distractions that take us away from the present moment, anger included. Learning to “be” instead of “do” all the time helps to find that peace. For me, just letting myself spend time watching the birds outside my window helps to ground me, helps remind me there is a Creator, and fills my heart with enough peace to start my day. So glad you are finding ways to do the same. Love to you.

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  8. Pingback: Why ruminating is bad for you | Cool lady blog

      1. Borderlion

        Yeah, I don’t expect to make massive inroads given how spectacularly un-mindful I can be at present, but you got to start somewhere! I figure learning about it can’t hurt. I’ve been quite cynical about it in the past but I’m less so now.

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        1. Cat Post author

          Learning about it is MANY steps nearer achieving it. I always think the blessings come from learning. Maybe your therapy might delve into it more. I think the Metallization Based Therapy (MBT) does, which I’m currently on a never-ending NHS waiting list

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            1. Cat Post author

              Yes, borderlion., they did say an Autumn start and when I smirked and said that means January, they said, “Oh no, September or October time”. I once waited on Group Therapy for almost 3 years. I wouldn’t mind so much but it is interupting plans to move back to Scotland

              Anyway, thank you for your support….

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      1. Gel

        Yes a rough patch….but not rougher than usual…just that sometimes it helps to write and other times it doesn’t or I’m affected by not being able to think clearly enough to write…something like that. I’m doing OK though.

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  13. Athena Brady

    Hi Cat, I really enjoyed this post and the great blogs you mentioned which I will check out next. I have read the books you mentioned many years ago and they are brilliant resources thay stay with you, throughout your life. I have not read a new earth but will get a copy and start reading it. I am so glad you are beginning to find some peaceful moments. You are a fabulous writer and a real treasure to the blogging world.

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    1. Cat Post author

      Well, thank you, Athena, for your lovely comments.

      I quite fancy re-reading New Earth again, although I do struggle to take it all in at the moment

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  14. Cate Reddell

    This is what I think I need to get my head around. Ruminating is such a killer in so many ways, but right now I don’t have the energy. Maybe that’s an excuse but sadly it’s as far as I’m getting right now. Thanks for writing this Cat. I needed to read it and see you determination to beat it.

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    1. Cat Post author

      Ruminating is my worst enemy, Cate. Thankfully, we have it more under control this week.’Living in the moment’ does help.

      Hope you are feeling better soon

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  15. Chatte Nocturne

    i’m glad you’re finding ways to let trivial things go, I find myself clinging to little things so much sometimes…and I may even realize it’s not important, but that doesn’t stop me from feeling anger, even rage, or the lowest lows (though the meds helping with that). I’m will sure visit those links right now!

    How are you today my friend? xoxo

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    1. Cat Post author

      I’m doing a lot better this week, Chatte. Ruminating is my biggest problem, but it is under control at the mo. I also ruminate over silly things that are unimportant – sometimes it seems I just like to moan, but it is a huge problem. Hope you’re doing okay

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