Your Left Little Finger Can Teach You a Powerful Lesson
The question is, “Are you ready to listen?”
Sometimes, in my public speeches, I pick on a member of the audience and ask her – or him – how often she has thought about her left little finger in the last twenty-four hours.
Invariably the answer is that she has not thought of it at all. If she had to clip or polish her nails, she paid attention to it for the few seconds or minutes it took and then promptly forgot about it.
And that is as it should be.
When your left little finger is healthy and doing what left little fingers should, it does so quietly in the background and does not draw attention to itself.
Now imagine that two days ago someone had slammed the car door on your left little finger. You can readily accept that, in such a situation, you would be constantly thinking about your left little finger.
And that is the point I am making.
When any part of you is healthy and well adjusted it just does its thing quietly and with no fuss. You don’t have to pay any attention to it.
Now let’s talk about your mind.
Do you notice how it is constantly howling, chattering, shrieking, gibbering and clamoring for your attention?
Consider Susan’s mind at the office holiday party: “Why is she looking at me like that? Does she think that I don’t belong here? I am a lot smarter than she is. I went to an Ivy League university and she went to community college. I wish I was as good looking as she is. That’s how she got into the company – by flaunting her body. Why can’t men see how hollow she really is? I’ll show her up at next week’s meeting. But what’s the use? She has such a glittering exterior that no one cares that she has no substance. Maybe I should go for that class on modelling. I could do with some training on poise and how to look elegant. I hate this party. How much longer do I have to wait before I can sneak out quietly? But what will I do when I get home? I know,, I’ll call Fred over for a drink. He is always available and ready to come by. I wish I liked him.. I mean I do like him but not that way. He’s from California. I had such a fun time when I went to Santa Monica. Maybe I can take some time off and go there again. Maybe I should just look for a job there. I hate it here anyway. If only I could…”
This monster will not let her be.
And your monster will not let you be.
Have you ever turned on your Television or surfed the web not because there was something you wished to watch or read but simply to placate your demanding mind which needs something, anything, to beguile it?
OK, you get the point. Your mind is incessantly demanding that you pay attention to it because it is, literally, sick.
This sickness is widespread and afflicts everyone.
And we have a peculiar way of dealing with it.
We call it ‘normal’.
Everyone around you has simply accepted this but you do not have to. You can break free from this tyrant.
And the way is simple.
Simple, but not easy.
Just observe your mind as it takes you on one journey after another.
Susan’s mind told her that she was smart but not good looking and the latter was the way to go and she should change her geography and possibly her job and even change her posture and looks and perhaps she would find romance and all this in a few minutes.
Your mind is no better.
If you observe your mind you find that it does not have the ability to take you on these tiresome journeys.
One of the exercises in my program is for persons to sit in a comfortable armchair and simply observe their mind and its constant struggle to capture attention and drive emotions and dredge up scenes from the past or possibilities in the future.
Just observe. Do not judge, do not label, do not engage.
If you merely observe your mind, you have no problem.
You have no end of problems because you identify with your mind rather than simply observe it.
Think about what I have shared with you.
And become a witness of your mind.
Peace!
