TWO QUESTIONS TO A CALMER YOU | Few People Ask Them, But They Change Everything
With three of my books having 'CALM' in the title, my online community being the Calm Clan, and training Calmologists via my Calm Academy for over a decade, it probably doesn't come as a surprise to you that I LOVE CALM! :-) But even after all these years, I still find it incredible how a simple shift in attention can change everything.
In fact, there are two questions I always return to - both for myself and my clients - because they have the power to unlock lasting peace. And today, I want to answer them with you:
1 How do I know I have a mind?
You know you have a mind because you are aware of it, right? By that rationale, inside you right now, you have a mind and something that is aware of your mind.
Until we recognise this fact, we usually overly-identify in the mind (i.e. gain our identity from it) and in doing so, not know who we really are (because you are SO MUCH more than only your thoughts). We also tend to over-think and feel a roller-coaster of emotions - with our mood going up and down - depending on the quality and quantity of our thoughts. Every time our mind is busy or negative, we feel bad and lack peace. However, and this is a BIG HOWEVER... when you recognise your inner awareness (that is aware of your mind), you can discover something really quite remarkable:
The still silent awareness that is aware of your mind is always calm. Or in other words, peace is aware of your mind!
It is therefore a myth that we need to 'think better' or perfect everything in our life, in order to find peace. When we are Self Aware (i.e. aware of the Self that is Aware), we naturally and without anything needing to change, experience inner calm. Still with me? Great! Now on to the next question:
2 Where is most of my attention, most of my day?
Most people have most of their attention upon what they are aware of, rather than what is aware within them. Read that again, as it's a genuine game-changer. Their attention is 'outwards' and away from their awareness - only on what they are aware of (i.e. on their thoughts, feelings, body, and life happenings), and as a direct consequence, they are missing the inner peace that's always present.
Why? They are looking in the wrong direction and therefore in the wrong place.
Rumi said: "You wander from room to room, hunting for a diamond necklace that is already around your neck". St. Francis of Assisi said: "What you are looking for is what is looking". And my friend Tim Freke (who is the guest expert this weekend inside my Calm Clan) once said: "Become conscious of being consciousness".
As awareness is calm and there has never been an iota of a second when awareness hasn't been present within you, it means that the peace you're looking for never left you. Instead, you left peace by getting too caught up in what you have been aware of. Wow!
You can find peace (along with more happiness, love, fearlessness, freedom...) from a simple shift in the direction of your attention - from being outwards and away from the 'Aware Self', to being inwardly attentive to the Self that is Aware. And best of all, with this solid foundation of peace, you can still fully engage your life and world. There's no need to hide and no spiritual bypassing required.
Empowered by peace, so much becomes possible!
If this resonates with you, then you're not alone. They aren't just concepts - they are the foundation of lasting peace - and via my books, courses, one-to-one's and Calm Clan community, they've helped thousands of people I've worked with to release anxiety and overwhelm, reconnect with their true self, and live from calm clarity.
For some, simply knowing what I've shared today, can be enlightening - like a light being turned on within - as they recognise, rest into, and be That which is aware.
If you'd love to go deeper - to experience this awareness shift in real time, to live more from your soul, and to learn the tools that make this more than just a momentary insight - join me for my Soulutions Masterclass and Soul Calm Retreat.
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About the Author
Sandy C. Newbigging is a therapeutic coach, meditator, author of twelve books and award-winning coach trainer. His books include Mind Calm, Body Calm and Calm Cure (Hay House Publishing) and Mind Detox (Findhorn Press). Sandy has been featured doing his Mind Detox therapeutic work on three television documentaries.
Sandy offers one-to-one Sessions, his Calm Clan Membership community, online Masterclasses and accredited Academy courses in this Calmology methods.
