Rechanneling thoughts

 “We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world.” Buddha

Today, I want to focus on rechanneling thoughts. We all have them, and some are better than others. In my own experience, I have found that negative thoughts tend to have more impact than positive ones. After reading A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle, I was in a holding pattern trying to figure out how to deal with recurring negative thought patterns. I felt stuck after reading thoughts are part of the isness of the now and cannot be fought with. The idea being that “what you resist persists”.  Eckhart points out the ego and thoughts are closely connected, and emphasizes the importance of bringing more presence into our lives to eventually dissolve the ego and the pain body (old emotional pain). I understood it conceptually, but was struggling with how to implement it in my own life. I think much of it had to do with my analytical personality and need to know why. Soon after, I purchased Kim Eng’s Meditations for a New Earth CD. The most important lesson for me was realizing meditation is not a tool to get you anywhere or become anything. I was so caught up in striving for a future state of being that I was ignoring the beauty of the present. 

In time, I moved on to study Shakti Gawain’s Creative Visualization book. Shakti has a way of explaining the importance of being that had a dramatic impact on my relationship with the present. Up until that point, I was forcing myself through personal development so fast that I wasn’t really enjoying it. By stating I should take a break when I wasn’t enjoying it, Shakti gave me permission to take as much time as I needed. Sounds like common sense, but my previous mental conditioning meant I forced myself to take on more than I could digest in one sitting. Once again, my own expectations of where I should be were destroying the beauty of where I was. To the satisfaction of my analytical side, I also found some scientific basis for cultivating positive thoughts. In Part One, Pg. 9, Shakti states “thoughts and feelings have their own magnetic energy that attracts energy of a similar nature.” This was a moment of transformation for me, because I realized negative thoughts would only bring me more negative energy! I vowed to find a way to generate more positive energy to get positive energy in return. Shakti includes various tips and techniques to manifest your dreams that I highly recommend and use on a regular basis.

I am currently in the process of listening to Joan Borysenko’s Minding the Body, Mending the Mind CD. I was again shocked to learn of another scientific link to thought energy. Because of the fight or flight response that is hard wired into our psyche, many of us have conditioned emotional responses to thoughts or events. Like Pavlov’s dog, we are conditioned to elicit a similar response each time stimuli from memory are introduced. For example, when scared you’ll notice your body responds to the emotion with a reaction. Maybe your heart starts beating fast, or you get butterflies in your stomach. Left unchecked however, this can lead to anxiety and other health problems. Your body doesn’t know the difference between an illusory thought and an actual event. The only way we can begin to change this is through bringing more presence into our lives.

I have found focus on the breath and meditation to be the best tools for quieting the mind. Don’t have time? Even a few minutes a day will help. Shakti and Joan introduced breath with counting that helps to increase focus. Joan suggests counting one on the inhale, and one on the exhale, until you get to ten. According to Eckhart, even one-three conscious breaths several times per day will gradually bring more presence into your life. Ready for more? Free meditation resources are available at Sounds True. For maximum benefits, meditation practice is typically recommended one-two times per day, preferably morning and evening.

These tips have truly changed my life, and I would love to hear how they have changed yours. Please feel free to comment below or Contact Me directly.