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Considering Wisdom #54
A weekly newsletter from BobBarnardnm.com
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Please share this with your friends so we can encourage others to consider wisdom.
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Thoughts on the intersection of Society/Culture, Productivity/You, and Wisdom/Knowledge.
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Without freedom of thought, there can be no such thing as wisdom – and no such thing as public liberty without freedom of speech. Benjamin Franklin
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This week, I went to see the New Mexico State football in the stadium that was built about two years after I left school. I had forgotten how slow the game seems when you are sitting in the stands, and there are TV timeouts. My alma mater won, so it was a good game. Sat with a group of friends, which made it even more special. Other than that, it was a normal week of Zoom meetings.
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Life is from the inside out. When you shift on the inside, life shifts on the outside. Kamal Ravikant
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Do you realize that you and your mind control your world? Can you imagine that happiness and success begin and end in your mind? Life starts in your mind and is controlled by it. This is what Kamal Ravikant is telling us in his quote. We control our world rather than our world controlling us. How can that be? Here are some clues.
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Most consider that we are controlled by what the world does to us. But I'm afraid that's not right because we have all seen examples of happy people who have nothing and miserable people who seemingly have everything. So, let's look at this from Kamal's point of view- If I have decided in my mind that I am happy, then it doesn't matter whether I am rich or poor in the world's eyes because I present to the world a cheerful demeanor.
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My mind controls my framing of how I see the world and how I let it affect me. This is why when terrible things happen to people- some are devastated, and some seem to roll with the punches. Their mind's response controls it. This, of course, isn't easy. It takes reflection every day on your reactions to what happened and why you responded the way you did. But over time, with reflection and meditation, you can control your world with your mind.
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Let's look at this another way. I haven't always done the right thing or responded rationally. I let my emotions control my response rather than my mind. Now, I can either dwell on the past and feel bad or realize in my mind that the past is gone and done, and no matter how I think about it, I can't change it. However, if my mind is in control, I can let it go and realize that I must live in the moment I have and not worry about the past or spend too much time worrying about a future that may never come – especially as I continue my journey toward eighty and ninety.
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Here is the most effortless mindfulness meditation practice I know and use.
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a. Focus on your breath. Breathe in for a count of 5.
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b. Hold for a count of 5.
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c. Breathe out for a count of 5.
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d. Repeat until your mind is calm.
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While doing this, focus your mind on your body; see the air flowing into your lungs and your chest expanding. Then, feel your muscles hold the air in before releasing it. This focus brings your mind back under your control, along with your world.
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1. What can I do to make sure I let my mind control my world?
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2. What has happened recently where I didn’t do this? Why?
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3. Do I take time to reflect on my day and meditate? Why Not?
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1. List those times you let the world control you.
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2. Reflect on each item and make a journal entry about why you let this happen.
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3. Start a breathing meditation practice.
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