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I like shortcuts. I like to find the quickest path to receiving the
greatest benefit in almost all departments of life. I'm not in the least
bit ashamed of this any more than I am by the fact that I used to move the
furniture around when I vacuumed and now I use the vacuum to move my daughter's
toys out of the way as I blaze a path down the carpeted hallway. It's a
matter of priorities. I'm a single, working mom who insists on remaining
as awake as possible to the realms of living that extend beyond the body and the
realities of my lifestyle dictate the level of my devotion so cultivating a
knack for shortcuts is a necessity. My quiet, serene mountain-top had
better be conveniently located to the local grocery store or it's never going to
be visited. In the course of my spiritual studies, I have found this
strategy to be effective after I have derived a significant understanding of the
material and further learning is not sacrificed just because I haven't devoted
years of contemplation to the subject. In fairness to the diligent souls
who do dedicate substantial amounts of time to certain lessons, I don't mean to
treat these topics casually and I recognize the deeper understandings that come
with more concentrated efforts.
There is an outstanding self-exploration program that's been circulating for
a few years and is rapidly gaining popularity from which I have extracted one
single question to reinstate my peace of mind at times when I am tempted to do
otherwise: Who Am I Without this Thought? This one little question
has the unlimited potential of bringing back into focus the core truth of most
situations and moving me out of a mind set of fearful thoughts and re-aligning
me with loveful, peaceful thoughts.
Take any nagging, frustrating, concerning, worrisome, ridiculous,
overwhelming, terrifying or tragic thought and pose this question to it:
Who Am I Without this Thought? For example, "It would have been so
much easier to have devised a better system throughout the year for keeping
track of expenses and receipts instead of having to scramble around looking all
over the place to get my taxes done." Who Am I Without this Thought?
I am someone free of this nagging thought. Reality is not at all changed
by the fact that I have the thought or not (or is it?): I still have to
get my taxes done. However, my state of mind is considerably changed if I
don't have the nagging thought bogging me down which in essence does change
reality because I am calmer without the thought. I am simply someone
getting ready to prepare my taxes. I am free of this nagging thought.
Sometimes thinking less can equate to doing more/being more.
Take any person in your life with whom you have a conflict and find the core
thought that is creating this difficulty and pose this question to it: Who
Am I Without this Thought? For example, "My partner only considers my
needs when I'm standing right in front of him, but otherwise, out of sight, out
of mind." Who Am I Without this Thought? I am someone who
allows my partner the freedom of expression that suits him and I am not
concerned about what he thinks or how he considers my needs. I am free of
a concerning thought and can relax more easily with my partner.
Take any situation in your life that you don't like, understand, agree with
or feel worthy of and find the core thought that is creating this concern and
pose this question to it: Who Am I Without this Thought? For
example, "My co-worker's negativity irritates the heck out of me and makes
it difficult to get through the other stressors of the day." Who Am I
Without this Thought? I am someone who lets others be who they need to be
and accepts what is. I am free of this irritating thought.
For the record, you can replace the word "thought" with
"feeling", but in my opinion our emotions follow our thoughts so if we
can establish the core thought than we've gotten to the root of the matter.
There are occasions when I ask this question and the answer I receive clearly
indicates that I am not ready to release the thought/problem or I need some
clarification from another person involved in the concern. This simply
tells me the degree of emotional investment I have in a certain outcome and I
can expect more learning in this area. Most of the time, however, this
question has saved my sanity more quickly than anything else I've yet to
discover. One question and I'm free because that's always the answer:
without this fearful, nagging, ridiculous, worrisome, overwhelming, frustrating,
terrifying, tragic thought, I am free. Free of the loveless thinking that
is attached as the result of the fearful thought I am holding hostage.
Thoughts don't hold me; they may come to me from some unknown source, but
they only stay by my invitation. This question is the fork in the road
between thoughts I want to travel with and ones I want to leave behind and if
there's a shortcut to peace I'll take it.
©2004 StoriesByEmail.com
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