On Introspection, Pondering, and Clearing Your Mind
With the increasing pace of society, our minds must facilitate an ever-growing amount of data. This makes sense, as the more we aim to accomplish, the more bits of data we must remember about each thing. In other words, living as we do requires that our conscious minds be filled to the brim, active and working through choices and problems at every moment. Because of the fast pace, another demand we face is the ability to switch tasks at a moment’s notice. This is further aggravated by the use of television and other electronic devices which monopolize our senses.
It seems that our society is causing a kind of social attention deficit disorder. It never allows for peace and quiet. It is a solitary famine which does not cause you to push and grow.
When will I be able to watch the episode of 24 I have on my DVR? How can I ever get all this laundry done? When can I get that email answered? My facebook profile is out of date. My kids feel ignored, I should take them on a walk. The web server is down, I need to get it back up ASAP. I need to get some new shoes. I have to text this person back. I have to win Guitar Hero and Rock Band. I need to win Need for Speed. As soon as I get home from work, I’m going to get that World of Warcraft character up another level.
These types of things keep our minds constantly running at a red-lined pace. An interesting side effect of this is that people get bored to tears if they don’t have that steady stream of instant gratification.
Is it possible to enjoy peace of mind living in our society? Can we ease up a bit and not lose any quality of life? Let’s assume we can, and explore some ways we might accomplish this.
The first approach I would like to suggest is by transferring everything that occupies your mind onto paper. Write down any tasks that you need to accomplish. Any problems that are causing you anxiety. Any accomplishments you want to achieve. Write down everything. Keep this list as a running, changing list. Prioritize each thing. Begin working on the two or three things that are of the highest priority. Doing this relieves your mind of feeling like it has to remember and keep track of everything. Once you write it all down, your brain realizes that nothing will be lost, and that it need not try and keep track of it all. There is another benefit of doing this. Those mental resources that were used to remember and keep track of everything are now freed up to focus on whatever you are doing right at the present moment. Thus, your productivity and performance increase.
This is a great way to help your mind relax and relieve some of the anxiety you may be feeling. This is in preparation to the next step.
Once you have become adept at this technique, there is another which will bring general overall peace of mind. The effect of this technique augments with time. Done properly, it can be healing to your mind, and even to your body. This natural and powerful tool can be used to assist you in becoming a better person. Its primary focus revolves around reflection and introspection.
It has been said that meditation is the language of the soul. You don’t have to wear long robes and live in a monastery to learn effective meditation.
For example, let us try a small experiment. Sit alone in a dimly lit room. You may also wish to lie on a couch. Actively envision in your mind what “nothing” looks and feels like. Once you feel you have achieved this, begin to reflect on uplifting, edifying questions. Meditate and ponder about the things that are of the highest importance in your life. This may include things like ways you might improve your relationship with your spouse, or that of a really close friend, how you can be a better employee or employer, how you can influence the lives of others for the better, or how you can be a better person in general. Infinite are the things about which you may wish to ponder, meditate, or explore.
When thoughts come to your mind, write them down if they meet your moral and ethical criteria.
Make it a goal to do these two things whenever you start to get overwhelmed with the things happening in your life. These two techniques have been useful to me when I have difficulty sleeping, for example.
Prioritize the important things, but leave time to play. Then, think about ways you can improve your life, and contribute to the well-being of those around you.
