Live Intentionally, In Freedom
Vive intencionalmente, en libertad--por Eknath Easwaran
La psicología moderna afirma comúnmente que no podemos entrar en el inconsciente plenamente conscientes. El místico responde: "¡Oh, sí, tú puedes, yo lo he hecho". El viaje no se puede describir adecuadamente, pero me gusta pensar en él como un retorno del exilio. En esos extraños y maravillosos reinos también podemos ir, desafiar a las bestias salvajes que vagan por allí, buscar el castillo donde el viejo rey Ego reina en nuestro lugar, y reclamar nuestro trono y el inmenso tesoro interior que es legítimamente nuestro. Pues esta es nuestra tierra, la tierra en la que hemos nacido. Incluso si temporalmente soportamos el destierro, incluso si el reino se encuentra en algún desorden debido al mal gobierno del usurpador, podemos regresar triunfantes y arreglarlo todo.
¿Pero "desafiar a las bestias salvajes"? No es exageración: me refiero a los deseos egoístas y sentimientos negativos que nos acosan. ¡Cuán poderosos son! Siempre me ha parecido que decir "pienso" o "me siento" es algo un poco anhelante. En su mayor parte, nuestros pensamientos nos piensan, nuestros sentimientos nos sienten; No tenemos mucho que decir al respecto. La puerta de la mente permanece abierta todo el tiempo, y estos estados mentales desagradables pueden entrar cuando quieren. Podemos tomarnos una copa, tomar un tranquilizante, perdernos en un best-seller o en una carrera de diez millas, pero después de que regresemos las bestias seguirán ahí, rondando por el umbral.
Por otro lado, podemos aprender a domar a estas criaturas. A medida que la meditación se profundiza, las compulsiones, los antojos y los ataques de emoción comienzan a perder su poder para dictar nuestro comportamiento. Vemos claramente que las elecciones son posibles: podemos decir que sí, o podemos decir que no. Es profundamente liberador. Tal vez, no siempre tomaremos las mejores decisiones al principio, pero al menos sabemos que hay elecciones que hacer. Entonces nuestra destreza mejora; Comenzamos a vivir intencionadamente, a vivir en libertad.
Preguntas semilla para la reflexión: ¿Cómo te relacionas con la analogía de regresar del exilio para entrar en el inconsciente plenamente consciente? ¿Puedes compartir una historia personal de algún momento en el que claramente experimentaste la libertad del control de las compulsiones, los antojos y los ataques de emoción? ¿Qué te ayuda a vivir intencionalmente, en libertad?
Extracto de "Meditación" por Eknath Easwaran, maestro espiritual y fundador del Centro de Meditación Blue Mountain.
Excerpt from ‘Meditation’ by Eknath Easwaran, a spiritual teacher and founder of the Blue Mountain Center of Meditation.
SEED QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: How do you relate to the analogy of returning from exile to enter into the unconscious fully aware? Can you share a personal story of a time you distinctly experienced freedom from the control of compulsions, cravings and fits of emotion? What helps you to live intentionally, in freedom?
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7 Past Reflections
On May 28, 2017 jenifer vanquez wrote :
Hi , I read your article and its true Everyone wants to live intentionally, to live in freedom. I completely agreed with you that Choice making is in our hands . I must appreciate of your article .I love this website , they provide me interesting articles . For more information visit reecoupons.
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On May 23, 2017 Bradley Stoll wrote :
If our thoughts think us and our feelings feel us, do then our choices choose us? This is the thought that first entered into that which I refer to as "my mind." Choice seems to imply control. I just keep trying to feed the good wolf and let everything happen from there.
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On May 22, 2017 Kristin Pedemonti wrote :
Having choice or even the illusion of choice can be liberating. It takes some pressure off. We can choose different thoughts. We can choose how we react. How empowering! This happened the other day after a challenging conversation. I reflected on it and realized my part and that I could choose a different response which in the end served the other person better and me too. Here's to the power of choice in our thoughts and our actions!
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On May 21, 2017 Jagdish P Dave wrote :
Choice making is in our hands. We all know that as human we have mead self-and-other hurting choices. In all relationships there is no the other without me. We all are intertwined. When I make a wrong choice, focusing only on my interest, I am going to hurt the other and the other may counteract to hurt me or teach me a lesson. Tooth for tooth and eye for eye becomes a vicious cycle hurting each other on all levels.
So it goes back to choice making. Wrong or crazy choices are made when the mind is buzzing with wrong or crazy thoughts, when we are not awake. All wisdom traditions have emphasized the value of taming the monkey mind, the wandering mind. Meditation is one of the most effective ways of taming our wandering mind, quieting our noisy mind. We need to be aware of the light or heavy clouds passing through the sky of our mind. We let these clouds come and go without reacting to them or letting ourselves be hijacked by them. I practice mindfulness meditation. "Mindful... [View Full Comment]
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On May 20, 2017 david doane wrote :
By definition, the part of us that we are unaware of is the unconscious. What I become aware of is no longer unconscious. I may think of the unconscious as full of nothing but wild beasts and other evil -- Freud called it a seething cauldron, Jung called it the shadow -- but it's all me. When I was a kid, I was convinced there was a boogeyman that I desperately feared in the attic of our house, and sometimes I could see him through the attic window. One day I went into the attic, with the protection of my mother of course, and saw that my boogeyman was a dressmaker's form, really harmless and something that had its use. What we fear as wild beasts are the inner treasures. The wild beasts are the unknown, and the more I fear and separate them from myself the more they become wild beasts. As I meet and become aware of what I fear and keep unconscious, I can incorporate in ways that are healthy and constructive. I never become aware o... [View Full Comment]