Liberate your mind to avoid the confusion that comes with trying to make sense of this complex world in which we live.
When I reflect on it, it becomes clear that life is a mosaic of themes - personal, work, family, social, spiritual, economic, and political. Though, unlike a mosaic, the lines between the themes are not firm, the themes blend together as in a symphony or abstract painting.
Themes overlap and influence one another, for example for some people, the spiritual theme occurs in and around the others; economics and politics are tightly coupled; politics and religious beliefs may impact social and family relationships.
As in a symphony, the result may be beautiful or not. The themes may be in conflict with one another. The lines between them may be either too weak or too strong. They may be (or seem to be) perfectly aligned with one another.
It takes a liberated mind to fully experience it all without becoming confused and lost in the details or to miss the details while focusing on the big picture.
Liberate the Mind
Liberated mind? Such a huge philosophical clich�. There are many names for it - Illuminated Mind, clarity, wisdom mind. Even God, to some, may refer to this liberated mind.
What does it mean to have a liberated mind? It means being aware of your conditioning so that instead of being reactive you can choose what to think, say and do. The liberated mind is free from unnecessary suffering and able to function in the world under any circumstances. The liberated mind knows that you are limited, the result of thinking, memory, biology, and experiences and are subject to change.
It is easy to get lost in any of the life themes and lose perspective. You might experience anxiety about how to balance themes like career and family or politics and economics. Inner conflict makes you feel bad, particularly when there is no immediate resolution or there is attachment to an alternative. You experience fear, anger, or any of the many negative emotions. You reactively think, say or do something that is more about soothing or hiding the bad feelings than resolving the conflict.
Step Back
Can you accept what is happening? Can you see the big picture?
When you accept the fact of what is, in the context of the big picture, you see that everything else is opinion based on memory and interpretive thinking. Then you can choose to change the dynamic.
See the big picture objectively; witness it. This liberates the mind from being driven by programmed reactive thought. Nonreactive thought leads to behavior that suits the needs of the situation and fulfills your intentions and expectations.
Stepping Further Back
What happens when you continue to step back to observe things as they are - to be aware of any thinking, feeling, sensing and consciousness that might occur until there is observing without an observer? Will you still be able to be you; to do the things you do, to experience pleasure, to love and serve, to be spontaneous?
Only you can answer those questions. You can listen to teachers or read books or poems about it. That can give you an idea and maybe motivate you to see for yourself. However, you must see for yourself - have the personal experience - if you are to go beyond thinking about things to being present with them and aware.
Motivation
Why bother, you might be thinking. Is it some self-centered mental game? What purpose does it serve? The answer depends on your intention.
Whether your intention is to be better at what you choose to do - your job, art or relationship - or nirvana, you will be able to identify barriers and opportunities to improve. No matter what your intentions, liberated mind frees you from the reactive behavior that gets in the way of achieving them.
Liberated mind is not self-centered. It is entirely aware that we are basically all alike and sharing in a common experience, aware that any act anywhere effects the whole. Liberated mind is compassion and acts skillfully to give rise to great happiness and peace.
Begin to understand how things are - read, listen, analyze, question and observe. Set your intention - what do you want to accomplish and why? Observe, mindfully aware of the arising of thoughts, feelings, physical sensations, and mental concepts - anything that can be observed, including your own consciousness. Open your heart. Continue.
