Downwards Thinking…

Posted on November 6, 2007
Filed Under Society |

I have noticed more and more lately how easy it is to get caught up in a spiral of ‘downward thinking’. Generally getting tied into the negative side of things, seeing the ‘faults’ in others, focusing on the problems in society etc. It’s the sort of thinking and conversation that ends up leaving a trail of negative feeling. We very much identify with what we think and what we say; after all, it’s totally possible to go from a beaming good mood, to a lousy mood simply from getting involved in a negative subject.

That’s not to say we should avoid these thoughts and talks of course, far from it. But for me at least - it is a sign of how far we can personally allow ourselves to grow. When I was younger I always would focus on the negative side of just about everything, and that sort of attitude can stop you in your tracks - it roots you where you are. Every so often I still find myself doing similar things - talking behind peoples back for example, or looking for cracks in something shiny and new - it’s like a weight that ties around my waist, dragging me down deeper and deeper.

And that’s the truth of it in the end, isn’t it? We are what we associate with, we are what we do. Maybe not on a deep inner level, where our true self resides - along with our shadow and other darker things - but on the surface in our day-to-day life.

It’s very hard to improve our inner being, become increasingly aware and raise our energy levels - when on an outer level we are caught up in drama and problems. When we get involved in arguments or spend excessive energy on worrying how we appear to others - these things are as weights. They are reductionism for the soul and spirit, causing us to associate with an increasingly heavier body.

Looking around it’s easy to see how these negative attitudes are encouraged. The media only ever shows violence, trouble, anger and hostility. We are generally encouraged to competitively compare ourselves to each other in terms of our possessions, wealth and success. In many ways it is these things which stop us from seeking anything higher - any sense of true spiritual wellbeing. The mind and body get bogged down in material concerns - leaving us no time for the spirit.

I don’t believe this is all about thinking ‘positively’ so don’t get me wrong there. We don’t control our thinking process as such - it is simply something that happens, just like breathing. But we can have a degree of choice over how we respond to our thinking.

So from now, I am taking up the task, of slowly expunging those mental weights from my life. I have a innate trait of needing to compare my beliefs to those of others, and in loose terms have a desire to be recognized and respected. These are things that sit in the murk of my Ego…the sort of thing we don’t normally talk about. But here it is, the torch is being switched on, and one by one I will highlight each of my personal-weights for all to see.

The first thing I am going to do - is to learn to distinguish between those who are genuinely wanting help, conversation, discussion and clarification on anything I do or can involve myself with. As opposed to wasting energy on trying to convince those who simply don’t ‘get’ where I am coming from or why I live the way I do, that I have any form of wisdom or knowledge…after all that is just my ego trying to guide me…

If we want to move upwards - we need to identify the things which are keeping us down. And that is a power we have in abundance.