and all

are

you

joyful

you

are

joy

and

all

are

you

unhappy

you

are

unhappiness

and

all

senses

thoughts

feelings

opportunities 

resist

or

embrace

om

notice and release

notice

body

form

senses

witness

thought

feeling 

breathe 

smile

relax

release

to

pure 

love

all

om

stay here

do

not

be

pulled 

into

mind 

thought

emotion

stay

here

with

all

om

practice: breath triggers

start

a list

call it

breath

triggers

write down

one

activity

during

your day



before it

occurs

breathe in

breathe out

your phone rings

breathe in

breathe out

return

each

breath

is an

invitation

to return

you may

not remember

you may

only

remember

after

that is

fine

this is

a start

in a few days

add another

activity

to your

list

slowly

build

your

list

review it

each

morning

—

consider

waking up

going to sleep

dressing

undressing

getting in

the car

driving

getting out

preparing

eating

washing dishes

phone

computer

tv

reading

seeing

hearing

tasting

smelling

touching

thinking

feeling

om

how do we find rest?

dust

sand

beaches

deserts 

atoms

cells

animals

humans

earth

worlds

galaxies

universes

actions

thoughts

feelings

i

let

them

dissolve

rest

om

i am that

look

who

is

seeing

i

am

listen

who

is

hearing

i

am

i

am

that

om

beneath the din

I am

here

beneath

the din

unnoticed

in

silence

om

opinion

have

no

opinion

about

yourself

om

practice: energy tracking

each

evening

pause

reflect

on the

emotions 

of the day

what did

you feel

reaction

upset

shift

joy

write it

down

not to

fix

not to

change

just to see

how did

it feel

at first

it may be

difficult

stay

with it

each

evening

for

20 days

then

in the

middle

of the day

pause

reflect

on the

emotions 

of the

morning

write it

down
 

in the

evening

write

again

for

20 days

you may

not

remember

that is

fine

you may

begin

to notice

emotion

as it

arises

before

you are

lost

om

listen

if

you

are

thinking


you

are

not

listening


om


self

higher

self

is

not

higher

and

not

self

it

is

om

source

personalities

do not

have a

soul

soul

has

infinite

personalities

om

here

be empty

nothing to be

nothing to prove


set all

aside


be

here

now


peace


om


inward to peace

as one 

moves

outward

to grow

one

moves

inward

to

peace

is this 

a paradox

growth

is often

imagined as

striving

expanding

reaching outward

peace

is often

imagined as

stillness

silence

return

are they

opposites

one

engages

life

to grow

through

relationship

through

challenge

through

the full range of

human

experience

responding

to reality

moment

by

moment

growth

is the

soul

discovering

peace

through

personality

learning

as reality

unfolds

peace

remains

as one
grows

one

softens

samskaras
dissolve

old patterns
lose
their hold

the mind
quiets

the heart
becomes
lighter

peace
is
always
here

growth

and
peace

are

one

one
unfolding

we grow

outward

returning

inward

we engage

life

to discover

stillness

we move

through
the world

coming
home

to soul

om

what comes first, thought or emotion

The relationship between thought and emotion is more dynamic than it first appears. Sometimes thought gives rise to emotion. At other times emotion comes first and thought follows. Understanding how mind, heart, and awareness interact can help step out of this cycle.

what

causes

what

 

does thought

trigger emotion

 

or does emotion

trigger thought

 

can both

be true

 

when

presented

with

reality

 

the ego

may respond

with

thought

-this is wrong

-this is perfect

 

these

thoughts

can stir

emotion

-fear

-anger

-happiness

 

heart rate

rises

chest tightens

breath shortens

 

however

when

presented

with

reality

 

the heart

may respond

with

emotion

 

the

mind

jumps in

with

its stories

-what is wrong

-this is wonderful

 

thought

is of mind

and

may begin

the

dance

 

emotion

is of heart

 

they interact

constantly

but they originate

in different parts

of our inner being

 

most of the time

thought and emotion

are not separate

 

They trigger

and reinforce

each other

 

thought triggers

emotion

emotion fuels

thought

 

the cycle continues

ego maintains

its hold

 

where is the way out

 

awareness

 

when one observes

-a thought just arose

-a feeling just arose

one is no longer

caught

in the

cycle

one is

witnessing

from stillness

we are not thought

we are not emotion

 

we are the space

in which both

arise and pass

 

summary

-ego generates thought

-thought may evoke emotion

-heart generates emotion

-emotion may evoke thought

 

the practice

is not to control

the practice

is to watch

and put

them

aside

 

without

clinging

or

resistance

 

om