Clearing Your Mind

Photo from my first morning here, Sunday, August 24, 2014.

August 27, 2014
Day 119

Before I began my Vermont vacation, my mind was feeling ultra stressed.  A large confluence of issues and causes was creating a high-blood-pressure, low-comfort annoyance, and a headache in my soul.

Now that I'm here, I'm feeling more and more like my true self again, the person I always think I am, but not always in touch with.

Obviously though, Vermont is not someplace I go too often.  Though I'm sometimes here twice a year, more often than not, it's just this one week or so at the end of summer.  And I'm guessing for most who will read this, any mountain getaway is not as easy or as often as you'd like it to be.

Nature is everywhere around us, of course, and though we can't always find a mountain vista, or a fresh mountain lake to sit beside with our coffee or cocktail, we can find clear thinking and a refreshed soul if we just make the time to sit alone apart from everything for a while.  And by everything, I mean your phone, your TV, your radio, and every other piece of electronic distraction you might want to use.  Don't bring ANY of it on your walk or trip.

I have my netbook computer with me on this vacation, so I can keep up with my blog writing, but I've mostly stayed away from it while I'm here.  I'm also here with some of my family members, so I have to walk away from people too.  Even the talking distracts me from my meditation and reflection.  Sometimes I just walk out on the dock or find a chair away from everyone, but other times I'll just take a drive or a walk to get away.

Clearing your mind is easier than you think, but you have to want it to happen, and you have to make every effort to relieve tension and stress from your brain.  Invariably, I'll get a response like, "Yeah Sean, but for some of us, it's just harder."  I understand.  We can work on that together though if you'd like.  My "Be still and know that I am God" meditation helps me enormously, as does just listening instead of talking.  Listen to the sounds around you--every sound--and don't think about the sounds, just hear them.  Be a passive soul among active souls, allowing the earth and all its creatures--and people--to envelop you and exist around you.

And when all else fails, practice, practice, practice.  You can't be a Zen master on the turn of a dime, so lower your expectations if you think it's that easy.  At the same time, double your efforts to attain inner peace.  If you're failing so often, work even harder at it.  Silence yourself and the noise around you more often.  Be.  Be.  Be.  Do or do not; there is no try.