Ripples and the Mind Stuff

The world is in a constant state of flux or change.  The ripples of time and life affect us on many levels.   We learn in yoga the “mind stuff” flows in these ripples.  The stuff of the mind is our awareness, our thoughts that reverberate to and fro.  Imagine dropping a stone into still waters.  Watch how small it begins and as it expands and lifts, you can visualize the initial circle becoming many, working it’s way to the shore.  Once there, you can see that it builds with force and maybe so much that it crashes only to reverse and begin moving fro again and again.  So many ripples equal a larger wave and before long you can have many ripples and waves moving in so many directions.  Confusion ensues. This is when the mind is full of clutter or what some refer to as the “chattering monkey”.

The meditative mind practices of observing an individual ripple without attachment are the trick.  Just to watch, imagining you are a tiny boat caught in the wave is a scary feeling, we don’t want to do that and we don’t want to be on that boat!  So we must learn to not be the boat. After all, we are the creator and we can control the waves.  It’s possible to control the “mind stuff” to a point that we actually want to be in that little boat! Imagine that.  Soaking up the breeze and the sunny rays of peace and joy, the mind quiet and at ease, accepting and observing, relaxing yet in control. 

This is an intense time to be alive and there are plenty of our own stones not to mention all the ones being thrown into our waters.  This why we practice!

One simple way to catch a ripple is when we hear “Of course….”, whether in our mind or from someone else.  This thought really means, “Well I’ve seen this before, so I know what’s next…” Situations from our past often are rippling back and forth for periods of time so this thought is when a memory or ripple is triggered and another pebble falls or the same pebble falls again.  Sometimes those same pebbles fall over and over again, it’s time to let it go, let that one sink and just watch it fall to the bottom, it has no control any longer.  Picture it resting peacefully at the bottom of a lake or river that is the mind. 

Thoughts and emotions are often represented by water, the moon controls the tides, and the moon represents emotions in Astrology.  See how wonderfully everything is connected?  This is no coincidence. This is synchronistic.  Synchronicity helps us to see the connections without attachment, realizing  “I am the observer” or “I am observing”.

The flow of the “mind stuff” is beneficial in many ways.  It is a natural process to ride the waves of bliss.  It is the Divine intention.  Think about how many times we loose a profound thought, a distraction happens, and swoosh! The way back is through the same ripples.  With one-centered awareness we can navigate and recognize the thought when it comes again, this is when it really sticks.  Those wise words of advice from a beloved elder make so much more sense when we think, “Of course…”.  It’s all in the perception right? This can be a positive lesson if the thought is observed with no attachment. When we realize the thoughts are just “mind stuff” it takes away the mind’s power and restores it to the proper owner, you!  After all, you are not the mind, you are not the body; you are divine absolute! You are a soul.  Your spirit is eternal.  We all are learning many valuable lesson together so remember that the next time the ripples and waves are turning within yourself or someone else, when you practice observing life’s flux and change, and then you just happen to say to yourself, “Of course…”.