The journey of our life continues to evolve every moment, every day. Who we were at 5 years old or 10 years or 15, 25 or more in terms of things that were important, what occupied our minds, what we obsessed about was different at each and every life stage we have been through. Similarly, as we grow older our needs, desires, pre-occupations, focus will continue to change. This evolution and change is bound to introduce all kinds of thoughts, emotions, feelings, reactions arising from desires and beliefs that we carry within ourselves. Some of these thoughts, emotions, feelings, reactions are good for us and drive us to better places in a worldly sense but some thoughts create worry, anxiety, stress that take over our lives at different stages.
A pointing that I recently heard from a spiritual lecture has deeply influenced me as it has started to shift my axis on how to perceive thoughts, emotions, feelings that come into my life every moment. This in turn is helping me handle my reactions to the various thoughts, emotions and feelings especially those which previously had a capacity to affect me negatively.
They are three powerful words – I Don’t Mind.
These words encapsulate a deep rooted philosophy and truth which has been shared and continues to be shared by influential spiritual thinkers of our time. By acknowledging and embracing this philosophy as we live our daily life, we open the door to truly honor and surrender to whatever the present moment brings. We also open the door within ourselves to a realization that every”thing” is transient and ephemeral – the key word here being “thing” in the shape of things, thoughts, emotions, situations, events, reactions to a situation. These “things” are like clouds passing by or the wind blowing in the sky. However, there is something which is eternal. It is that which is witnessing the movement of all things which is also within us as our true self – infinite and a witnessor to everything that occurs on a canvas and landscape. Where thoughts are like clouds, the sky is the infinite. Clouds cannot exist if the sky did not, yet it is infinite.
By surrendering and saying – I don’t mind, everything becomes possible in our life.
To the skeptics, I’d like to say – these three words do not point to inaction. They are not about sitting on our hunches or waiting around or procrastinating. On the contrary it is a total acceptance that what arises within us and around us inspite or due to our actions as thoughts, emotions, events, situations will pass. Just learn to allow, accept and surrender to “I don’t mind”.