The Adventure

Negative contemplation of the past is the origin of thought patterns such as “If only I had … ,” “I should have … ,” and “I could have … ,” which are entirely futile and serve only to make us feel more dissatisfied.

There is even a modern philosophy called “antinatalism” whose premise is that it is better not to be born. Parents wrong their children by bringing them into the world, the thinking goes, by exposing them to the sufferings of life, which easily outweigh its positive aspects.

Most of us spend very little time being. It would be more accurate to call us human doings, human thinkings, or perhaps human wantings — with being somewhere near the bottom of the list.

Attention is an alchemy that turns dullness to beauty and anxiety to ease.

Where is my story right now? Where are my achievements? Where is my success or status? Where are my failures and losses? Where are my painful memories? Where are my ambitions for the future? None are here. They are not part of the present, because they are unreal abstractions. All that exists right now is your experience of the present moment, inde

Another issue is that thought chatter triggers emotions and determines our moods.

Identification with the thought mind is the greatest single obstacle to spiritual awakening. And in the same way, disidentification with the thought mind is the most important initial step in awakening.

The thought mind is very powerful, like a dictator who has taken complete control of your identity. Like all dictators, it doesn’t relinquish power easily.

Observe yourself closely. When you feel the impulse to avoid the present — by latching on to distractions, looking forward, reliving the past, doing unnecessary things, or rushing — pause for a moment. Rather than immediately acting on the impulse, allow it to flow by. Remain in the present, in a state of awareness.