First a follow-up about the Chamber Of Commerce, after a website was setup called, stopthechamber.com, there has been many threats directed toward a progressive advocacy group called the Velvet Revolution who set up that site. Read more here. There is much more going on here than supporters of the Chamber of Commerce are willing to be open and honest about.

I want to return to my post about how our busy minds can greatly unsettle our lives. Our minds are often so out of control that we are running around full of anxiety caused by nothing other than our thoughts. Heaven or hell exists in the realm of our thoughts much more than they exist in any physical reality. If we are anxious, we can find peace of mind by changing our thoughts. If we are depressed, fearful, angry, hurt etc we can turn towards our thoughts for healthier states of mind.

What else can we do to take back the workings of our mind? The first step was to get to know what was going on and if we pay close enough attention we can hear/see that our thoughts are out of control and causing us real discontent. (See Busy Mind, Unsettled Life below for more details.) Once this becomes clear then it is time to see what can be done.

With awareness of our predicament we can then set about to make the needed changes. The next step is to attempt to regulate our thoughts. Thought regulation sounds logical but remember that is just another thought and more complicated than most would guess. There is where mindfulness is a very powerful tool. With mindfulness, there is no agenda to make something happen, instead the goal is to watch your thoughts without judging them and in the watching things begin to change. Change happens because we bring our focus to what we want to change. With the intention of watching, we step back from the mental drama and free ourselves to be more present to what is and less attached to what should be. As we deepen our ability to be present to what is, the more our thoughts can slow down and become manageable.

Our mind wants to be managed because it feels better to be in control of our thoughts and feelings. Mindfulness is a simple but very useful way of bringing order to disorder. As we slow down and observe ourselves: we gain compassion for our journey; we learn that kindness towards self feels better; and we gain a sense of hope because we see we can make a difference in our own life. This sense of being able to make a difference translates to taking more responsibility and to feeling more empowered.

Each of you is invited to take some time today to bring some mindfulness into your life. Every moment spent mindfully encourages more mindfulness. Here are some ways to begin:

When you wake up in the morning tune in and commit to watching your thoughts and feelings objectively and with kindness.
As the day proceeds, keep watchful on the morning commute, walking your dog, stopping by the coffee shop, while sitting at your computer or whatever happens in your morning.
At lunch take a mindfulness break even if it is just to walk around outside and make contact with nature or finding a quiet place to reconnect with your inner self.
When you eat dinner do so mindfully and appreciate the food and the people you share your meal with. Eating mindfully expands the appreciation.
A meditative walk or sit before you head to bed will allow you to survey the inner happenings of the mind and invite a deepening of peacefulness both of thoughts and feelings. Sleep will come with greater ease in this peaceful state.

Have a mindful day.