My understanding (and experiencing) is that the brain has two modes. One is the Default Mode Network. This mode is also called the rumination mode, which builds narratives and continuously cycles thru them, causing the mind to fixate more and more on those narratives. (The media feeds this mode!) The other mode is the Task… Continue reading The place of mental and emotional freedom
Category: How to Practice
Peeling the Onion – Part 2 Returning to Zero, being the peeling off of our Layer of assumptions
If we are interested in knowing what our un-impacted direct sensory experiencing is telling us, we will have to peel off the layers of assumptions and verbal interpretations that we work from subconsciously: Returning to a place of, as few assumptions as possible... which I like to call Zero. Of course, there are not that… Continue reading Peeling the Onion – Part 2 Returning to Zero, being the peeling off of our Layer of assumptions
Why does Mental Fixation make us unable to see things clearly
What happens when a person is mentally fixated? They become more and more focused on one issue (thing), which in turn increasingly exaggerates the importance of that one issue. The issue becomes totally blown out of proportion, and the ability to find balance on that issue it is lost. This is why, when a person… Continue reading Why does Mental Fixation make us unable to see things clearly
The Frog’s Tongue
This illustration, is using the Frog's tongue as an analogy for mental fixation. From the time we wake up, until we fall asleep. The mind continuously jumps from one focus to the next. This is really "what the frog does". When the frog sees something it wants to eat, it shoots out its tongue, and… Continue reading The Frog’s Tongue
Always be returning back to Zero
"Always be returning to Zero. It is a wonderful place. It is clean and fresh, with the ability to act in response to life without having old built up responses controlling us." Continuously getting back to Zero is SO important. Opinions and attitudes build up without us noticing them, and suddenly we find ourselves reacting… Continue reading Always be returning back to Zero
Fixation, Depression… potayto, potato
Depression is the same as fixation. Suppressing doesn't work, and trying to fix it doesn't work. The answer to fixation is to shift the attention fully onto something else (running or whatever works!). Find something else, and believe it or not depression falls off. When the fixation tries to re-awaken, just say "ok, I am… Continue reading Fixation, Depression… potayto, potato
“Oh, that is SO unfair”
The more we start to think that life is "fair", the more dissatisfied we will be..... why? because Life simply IS WHAT IT IS. It is only our human mind that starts to make comparisons of "better and worse", " Fair or not fair", "like and dislike". When we begin to mistake our comparisons with… Continue reading “Oh, that is SO unfair”
Mental quietness and sleep
The concept of "returning to the breath" or "returning to a mentally neutral place", is something that we can practice while we are awake, but it does not help us much when we are sleeping. I am not an expert in neuroscience, but I am sure there are studies that show what happens when we… Continue reading Mental quietness and sleep
Escaping the ruminative process prison of our brain
It is very repetitive saying this.... but the same problem comes up time after time. People don't seem to be interested in this ........ but for myself, I found that understanding how the DMN ruminative brain system ties me up into a downward spiral, and how learning to do a simple breath counting practice can… Continue reading Escaping the ruminative process prison of our brain
Life’s Lesson
We must live like heroes.... it may be the only true lesson of life. Life can be like a vampire standing outside our door. If we invite him in, he will play havoc with our minds.. the outside world is not inside our mind unless we invite it in. Our original mind is quiet and… Continue reading Life’s Lesson
Reality is Dharma 