The first step in training your mind requires you to actively participate in the process of sorting information and experiences. You need to realize exactly what sensory information your mind is receiving. When I first began to explore this sorting process, I had to actually stop what I was doing and sit down. The more willingly I allowed for this "down time," the more quickly I was able to sort this data and continue with my day. It was during this period in my life that a teacher of meditation inspired me with a story of a wood-chopping contest.
According to legend, in the great northern woods of Wisconsin there was once a contest between two wood-choppers. Whoever could chop the greatest amount of wood in eight hours would be the winner. With shiny, sharpened axes, the two contestants approached their enormous woodpiles.
From the moment the contest began, one woodsman chopped continuously. For the entire eight hours he never stopped chopping wood. The other fellow chopped for an hour and then stopped to rest for ten minutes. And then, like clockwork, he would start to chop again. At the end of the eight hours, it was the man who rested every hour who won the contest by a dramatic margin. Amazed and confused, his fellow contestant inquired about the winner's secret. Without hesitation the winner freely told him: "Every time I stopped to rest, I sharpened my axe."
You also need to stop throughout the day and take time to sharpen your mind. Your sharpened mind will not allow your ego to torment you. Once you can objectively observe your sorting process in action, you will start making better decisions quickly and feel the stress falling from your shoulders. You will develop sturdier senses. I will show you which foods and beverages can further fortify your senses.
The next time someone says something unpleasant to you, actively try to find some hidden positive value in their comments instead of allowing your mind to focus only on the negative aspects. Many people have completely trained their mind to discard all positive comments and focus only on the negatives ones.
If you win a tiny goldfish at the local fair, only to have it suddenly die the following day, then it is appropriate to temporarily feel sad about your loss. However, if you are grieving for 12 years after this brief experience with the goldfish, then the mind has become too fond of disappointments, having completely forgotten your success of winning the goldfish. Everyone experiences grief, but a person on the path to happiness understands the nature of life and focuses on the positive successes and does not dwell on the momentary failures. Once you have extracted the useful positive wisdom from every life experience, then you can discard that which is no longer useful as historical trash.
Thus, you force yourself to benefit from all situations (whether they initially appear as positive or negative). Training your mind in this manner is learnable and attainable. When you live your life with a trained mind, it is impossible to become bitter or harbor ill-will toward others because you simply don't retain negative comments and useless losses of the past.
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Note: This article was sent to us by: Paul D. Seikal at 06082010
1. Pay attention to your mind and body and become happier
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