#506 How Accurate is "Self-talk" - the Stuff We Keep Telling Ourselves?

     Many of us, by default, take our self-talk, opinions & perceptions as objective truth - a direct readout on reality. Furthermore, we assume these are stable, unchanging. Interestingly & paradoxically, we also recognize that "who we are" has a major impact on all of these. In other words, we know very well that different people have differing takes on the same experience. We also know very well that we see things very differently now than when we were 2 or 12 or even 22 years old. So the more closely we investigate phenomena, the less puzzling the statement:

     “We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are.”                 Anais Nin

     In other words, we project our constantly changing inner state of being onto the outer world. When we're down, the world looks like a miserable place, when we're up, the world miraculously transforms into a joyous place.
     So the tone or quality of our self-talk might be more accurately interpreted, not as caused by what's out there right now, but rather as our current mood, which is brought about by many factors (internal, external, past, present and or future).
     Can we simply observe our mood as a transient energy and nothing more? Can we hold it lightly instead of merging with it (cognitive fusion)? What happens to transient states?

Steve McCurry   stevemccurry.com

#374 Unbinding from "Our" Thoughts and Emotions

     Gradually, with ongoing mindfulness practice, we come to see clearly, directly experiencing, that like all other phenomena, thoughts & emotions arise, abide for a while, then cease. We become increasingly stabilized in observing the impermanent, evanescent nature of all phenomena, that are like birds that suddenly appear in the backyard, land, chirp a few times, then fly away. This includes "our" thoughts & emotions - just transient guests to observe in flight - not to be taken seriously, nor to identify with - these are not who or what we are - not 'I', 'me' or 'mine'.
     This gradual shift in perspective is tremendously freeing, a huge weight off our backs.

     "Can you imagine the possibility of having anxiety and not being anxious about it? Or having depression & not being depressed about it? In other words, can you imaging feeling discomfort without trying to get rid of it? The question is, how do we learn to live in this way? There is no easy answer, but the key is to learn how to welcome – with curiosity – whatever our life is in each moment.”            E. Bayda

Tyne   www.dpreview.com