Reclaim Your Mind

We live in a world where we are required to perform hundreds of tasks by hundreds of people on a routine basis. We have work responsibilities, family responsibilities, social responsibilities, and personal responsibilities. We have overburdened ourselves so much that it is no surprise we have turned to multitasking as a way out of this mess. The only problem with multitasking, is that the task lists never ends and we find ourselves shouldering more and more of a burden.

Mindfulness

Through the process of never ending multitasking, we find our minds become fragmented and child-like, unable to focus on anything for long periods of time. We can feel the changes in our psychology, and yet we find ourselves fascinated by it and addicted to it, we simply can not stop.

We need to reclaim our lives again in order to make ourselves whole. We cannot live fulfilled lives, let alone follow our dharma, if we are constantly distracted by the chaos of ordinary life. What I propose is that we concentrate on returning to a life of mindfulness and learn to harness our potential by living each moment as a whole, rather than a segregated part.

One of my favorite spiritual books of all time is a book called Be Here Now by Ram Dass. In the narrative portion of this book, Ram talks of a young man he meant in India that constantly reminded him to stay in the present and remember that “now is all there is.”

I think this is an incredibly valuable lesson that we could all benefit from. Here are some ways to implement this in your life:

• Do one thing at a time. Only multitask if you must. Distractions are Samsara’s way to keep you from the truth.
• Pay attention to your actions and contemplate why you do what you do.
• Pretend that everything you see, hear, and do is brand new to you. Don’t get caught in a routine.
• Don’t worry about the past, and try not to think about the future. Be present in the moment of “now.” Remember that the future will come with its own intentions, whether you like it or not.
• Spend time in meditation to train your mind to behave. This will make your practice of mindfulness much easier.

Being mindful of our actions can help us repair our minds to a state where we are capable of being in tune with what God intends for us. If we are distracted and out of tune with our dharma, then their is no way for us to follow our path. A life of distraction can only lead to our own destruction, either physically, mentally, or both. Find a way to take your mind back and make it whole, your destiny depends on it.

Tags: dharma, meditation, mindfulness