
“Crowded Mind” Photo Credit: Manish Doshi – Indian Banyan at Hindu Monastery, Kauai
As precious little humans we are often perpetually running in our minds, with the relentless churning of thoughts. We go through the day, and our lives, one escape after another, and back to the inner running mill of thinking, and more thinking.
“What? Meditation? Do you know how excruciating it gets when I try to sit still with myself? I just want to sleep and not wake up …not to these thoughts …not when I seem to have a knowing that they are not working for me, my thoughts won’t just leave me alone, so I can Think of doing something with my life. There is this stuck tape on repeat … over and over, 10, 000 times! My thoughts are sometimes killing me.”
I confess that the one above was me, seems like a lifetime years ago, and it felt lousy to be that one. If you are that lucky one who doesn’t know what I am talking about, you truly have a gifted life.
I never really trusted myself. Trust was never a part of the foundational paradigm of my living. The gift of that is, it made me into a greedy seeker. Always yearning for a teacher and teachings to guide me. I also lived with a fear of going wrong in some way in life. So I always chose to have a personal check on myself, by having a teacher or mentor, one way or another.
I became aware when enough was enough to stay with my own thoughts alone. I used a lot of Thought Replacement Therapy. That is my fancy way of saying I listened to or read from authors/teachers tremendously.Β Reading from masters like Wayne Dyer, Louis Hay and studying the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, personally with teachers gave me a good influence on my thought direction.
I was still aware of times when my own company was useless for me, while doing mundane chores. Talking to other humans had its own limitations. So I listened to audios to replace my thoughts, particularly the dim ones. β
2 major influences on me are Dr. Dain Heer of Access Consciousness and Abraham Hicks.
Dain Heer gave me the childlike lightness in my living. While reading his book ‘Being You Changing the World’ my heart danced with delight, like a kindergartner. The book exactly described how my child-mind worked, before I began, fearfully trying to fit in, in society. We make too many things way more serious in life than required. His audios are a profound and phenomenal work. It basically replaced my thoughts with what would have been my original thoughts. In a language, as refreshing as it can feel to the heart and soul. Gary Douglas and Dr. Dain Heer, founders of Access Consciousness, you helped change my life back to my true self!
When I stumbled upon the recordings of Abraham Hicks accidentally, I felt like she knew exactly how I feel and how I wonder and imagine in my innocent phases, about how this Universe functions. She spoke the Truths from the depths of my being and helped me see why I suffered. She described the exact ways that I had implemented intuitively to fulfill any of my desires and the exact ways I perceive life. What an affirmation! I may easily have 1000s of hours of Abraham in me …OK, that is an exaggeration, but I mean it.
My Yoga teachers/mentors, a longish list from India and US, the audio teachers and authors are an integral part of my Being. I am in deepest gratitude for each of these teachers that appeared for me at exact times that I was ready for them.
When you awaken to your own thoughts and their influence, you find access to the space beyond thought, from where true beauty & joy of living emerges!
Don’t trust yourself too much, if your own company is not being helpful to you. Seek out a book, audio, mentor, teacher for a good Thought Replacement Therapy. I found my trust in myself through them.
I am deeply grateful to those in turn who have used my writings and/or sessions with me to replace their thoughts, successfully creating change in life. I take immense joy in facilitating the journey of awakening, that I have chosen for myself too.
I like that idea: Thought Replacement Therapy. It’s necessary sometimes.
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I am glad you like my way of making this idea sound big and fancy. Surely necessary, thank you! π
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This is really wonderful! Fabulous tips for the harrowing voices and ceaselessly chattering mind. Blessings sweet lady! β₯οΈ
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I am so happy to have your beautiful words in response! Thank you very much for your lovely kindness.
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You are welcome! π I am very fond of you; your written expression and most importantly the content of your posts. Truly lovely πΈπ
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You made my eyes and my heart all smiles π π π You are sweetness and kindness! Thank you very much.
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My pleasure always… let the smiles and warm heart carry through the week sweet one! πΈπΈπΈ
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π π π
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Thanks for sharing Pragalbha. I have their talks opened up and will surely listen to them. Sometimes, our own thoughts pull us down so much, we sure do need some replacement therapy for that !!
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I am so glad and grateful you are choosing to listen to them π Thank you very much for your words in support!
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I do not trust myself at all. I am very suspicious of my own motives, thoughts, and actions, Weird, but there you go.
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To me weird is unique and I find it precious π I have lived quite a bit fearful of my own self – with awareness and conscious choices, freedom is what I feel now.
Thank you for kindly sharing your thoughts.
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Those quoted lines at the start is me π¦ and I hate it whenever someone asks, “do you trust me?”….this post is just so me!
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I am glad you could relate π Awareness is the key. Once we are aware of what we wish to change, our choices change in that direction. Thank you for kindly sharing.
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So wonderfully written and deep! It always helps to find good audio to listen to or even a book when thoughts start to get overwhelming. Thank you for sharing xox
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It makes me happy and content to know that you found this agreeable and deep π Thank you for affirming.
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I’m going to keep reminding myself of this: “Don’t trust yourself too much, if your own company is not being helpful to you.” Such a helpful, insightful post!
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I am glad and grateful that you found a useful reminder from this work. Thank you very much dear friend for your kindness always π
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I’m grateful for the important reminder. π
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Much Love π
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It comes down to the question, “Who are we?” Am I a bundle of experience that causes an incessant inner hum, or am I something greater than that. It’s both.
On a physical level, the physical person is just that, a sum of experiences and the inner hum of the brain which those experiences create.
But on a spiritual level we are something much greater than this. We can transcend the inner busy-ness and the hum.
We can use the Abraham Hicks among us to get there …or move fully into our own spiritual self and become the Abraham Hicks, One-on-One with the Infinite.
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Yes, I understand the 2 levels, to me there is this blank space underneath that is quiet and calm. And then there is myriad ways our perception of experiences play in that space. Sometimes it takes effort to transcend that busy play and be a part of that space.
I love how you say ‘become the Abraham Hick’ – that’s exactly my experience. I haven’t met her personally, so she is a voice to me. And often that voice becomes my voice, it is amusing how I feel Being Abraham, and a part of me teases me later for the audacity of imagining that I am the great Abraham. I just don’t feel any separation. I experience a similar play, the kind between how Esther and Abraham alternate with each other in their way of Being. Thank you for your kind reflection that is always of immense value to me.
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Loved the post.
I’m grateful to you for sharing this πβΊοΈ
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I am very happy that you read and you loved it π Thank you dear friend.
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I always read your posts βΊοΈπ
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True π Thank you.
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Straight from the heart. Like the post so much!
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Thank you very much for your kind visit and words!
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A beautiful write Pragalbha, soaked in inner cult & deep philosophy …
a fine tuning of self , knowing the self in first place ..pave the way really for greater realization. Trust draws it’s strength from faith with the later emanating from knowing the truth !
The external sources do help in making us knowing better at a high consciousness level to transcend ahead in right direction!
Loved reading it. Peace.
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Respected friend, You humble and honor me with your profound words in response. I derived great affirmation from your descriptions and how trust, faith and truth connect with each other. Much gratitude to you for reading and taking the time _()_
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My pleasure reading your posts π
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Thank you π
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Simetimes we have to seek a lot before we find our inner self. As we seek, we learn, grow and shed that which is not useful and then we can learn to trust ourself.. until then the journey of self discovery will make one realise, oh was i so silly to think like that, thank god i know better now.
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You traced this line of journey so well! π So true, we keep shedding until we can no longer recognize the person in the past, and the trust feels great. Thank you very much for your thoughtful sharing.
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Always welcome
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Wonderfully written post , thank you so much for this inspirational gem.BTW.I love Abraham Hicks too π (but who does not? π
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Thank you very much your kindness! Wow, glad to know our resonance with Abraham! π
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π
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yes it is certainly dangerous to trust yourself too much. It makes you arrogant and makes you want to learn nothing more, because you think you’re doing everything right anyway. too little trust is also bad because it just depressing.
I definitely trust too much, because I trust almost everything and everyone anyway ( next to me) and since I never step far out of my environment, such a life is actually possible. I think I’ve never lost that childlike lightness, so I’m sure I get along so well with children. For that I am missing so far probably completely the greedy seeker in me. I’m probably interested, but even here I often thought I did not need teachers. But then I’m learning now, here with you infinitiv living I’m learning a lot, how to become not only a seeker but also maybe one day a finder. Thanks for that!
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What a wonderfully truthful and heart-warming response, dear Anie! You are so right about trusting too much or too less. You have a beautiful heart that sees the goodness in all. Your awareness and reflection is so rich. I am grateful to be a contribution to you! Thank you very much for sharing π
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I have to thank you Pragalbha. I have to admit to being critical and to think, trying to understand other points of view is very arduous and tiring, but it’s certainly more rewarding than ever to realize that you have little time left and you wasted your time on unimportant things.
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Arduous is indeed the right word Anie, yet the results are just amazing π Yes in hindsight most things that we stress about seem trivial. I am very glad to have these conversations.
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yes, well, everything is very relative. Of course, most problems are trivial, but if they are just the biggest problems you have, they are relatively large. Just as I do not mean anything to humankind as a person, but for me, I am my universe. I have just come from yoga. And our teacher emphasized again today. Peace comes from inside us and we have to make sure it is not destroyed or manipulated by exterior. This is one thing that I will now close to my heart, even if therefore any conversation, even this sentence of my yoga teacher must be taken with caution, because in principle, everything manipulates from the outside! ohhmm and I will try to stay zen!
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π π you are on the path of a Seeker with child like innocence. Any problem in the present is often indeed huge until we get past it. Stay present within, With Love.
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Thank you Pragalbha … yes the feelings are very jumpy. I never had such jumping feelings in my life, but that too will be a learning process. In any case, I have also the feeling now, that things are going uphill and because I know that I did not chose a simple way, I also think, IΒ΄ll find peace with myself.
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You are welcome. Your last statement is very wise.
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I completely understand what you mean about not trusting yourself too much. If you are sharing negativity and bad thoughts, the last thing you want is to depend on it. You are a complete inspiration and so I am going to look up Dain Heer and Abraham Hicks.
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Your visit and thoughtful words always make me happy π I am glad you are going to explore the masters who inspire me. Thank you very much for your kind regard always!
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You’re most welcome. I always enjoy reading π
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Such a sound message :
“Donβt trust yourself too much, if your own company is not being helpful to you. Seek out a book, audio, mentor, teacher for a good Thought Replacement Therapy.”
Thank you for sharing this wonderful post and insight. Loved it.
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Thank you very much for your kind visit and thoughtful comment in agreement, truly appreciate it!
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The post was thought provoking…
I am glad to come across it! β€
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Makes me very happy you think so π
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Thanks so much Pragalbha for sharing this here. I totally agree with you here, sometimes we do need to listen to the wiser and the higher voices, and stop trusting ourselves too much π
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I am sincerely very glad that you read this post my friend π Thank you very much for sharing your words in agreement.
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Your Path is very similar to my own, dear friend. For years I did exactly as you. I sought. And I found. I was a dry sponge just soaking up everything I read. Holy Scriptures, authors as you have mentioned, anything that rang true with me regarding life and spirituality. Then the Voice told me do not look to man for guidance. And from that day it has been just that. I put away the seeking. I began to really LIVE what I had learned. Stumbled, fumbled, fell a lot, and grew in ways I knew not I possessed. And funny you should mention thoughts … my next post (tomorrow) touches on how elusive our thoughts are especially relating to fear. GREAT post!! One that I so relate to. Now I look at all those books and plan on giving them away. They are no longer needed. Much Love to you this day!! π
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It is so heartwarming to encounter a fellow traveler on the path π Yes a thirsty sponge is what it felt like. I am yet to get where you are. I look at my books and I think I won’t read them anymore, but still feel attached to them. Like they are my guardians and I need them close by. Very true living what we learn is quite an adventure. The habit of seeking has not completely shed off of me. It still nags me. I sit with myself a lot to train to truly tune in underneath it. Your words assure me, much gratitude and love dear Amy!
You truly understand me Amy, I have this wish that you read my previous post, the poem, ‘What if poetry never comes through me again?’ It just feels like a pure joy to have your presence in my space.
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Honey, you will know when to let go of your books. It took me years and still I stumble about letting them go. I’ve even attempted to crack open a book but my interest quickly fades away. The “draw” is no longer there. I will not kid you … it is scary at first to be totally on your own without ANY guidance except from what I term, “Inner Guidance”, which I know you to understand. My husband at one point in all my seeking asked me, “What have you NOT done or tried?” I will most certainly come and look at your previous post. I’m honored that you asked me to. π
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I exactly know what you are saying. I can’t seem to finish a book now, because it doesn’t hold me down for long. I understand, I am suspended in the middle because of the fear of being on my own. Yet I am allowing myself time in the middle.
My husband’s version is “Why are you so crazy?” LOL
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Let it all go, Prag. Just TRUST in the process. That is not easy to learn but yet you can. If I can you can as well. Don’t fight what your soul wants to unfold. I know how scary change is. Once you Surrender to the process, you will not ever ever regret it. (((HUGS)))!!!!
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π π π YES
You are channeling divine guidance to me.
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*tears* That is exactly as it feels. The words are just coming (for you).
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Silence and Smile.
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β€ β€ β€ β€ β€ AH, priceless learning β€
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Having you visit with your time is priceless to me π π π Thank you very much.
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β€ β€ β€ β€ β€ sorry it took me so long π life happens and I'm learning to go with the flow, snipping away what doesn't serve, you always do so stay you will π peace and foreverness of words to come π
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My friends, a bow and a hug to you. I am honored and humbled to be of company and contribution. You also model to me the process of letting go and going with the flow with grace and beauty and gentle kindness as you do it. Peace and Love π
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This is a very good piece Pragalbha. It is very difficult to “quiet” our mind and then to teach our mind how to think in a way that is most useful to us. I like you concept of “Thought Replacement Therapy.” Thank you for some of the reading references above. I have read Wayne Dyer, but am not familiar with the others so thanks for sharing… I will check them out. I start every day at work reading a passage from “The Book of Awakening” by Mark Nepo. It helps me reflect and get centered before the work day get crazy. Hope you have a wonderful day. π
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The Book of Awakening by Mark Nepo is very close to my heart. The audio version had given me soothing solace through some trying times. I wonder how it didn’t come up while writing the above post, probably there are some others too that didn’t make it there. I am delighted to know that it is one of your choice too π Thank you very much for kindly taking the time to share your thoughts with me on this! I truly appreciate it.
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Yeah…. True… Great thoughts
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Thank you very much for your kind visit and words!
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You’re gladly welcome
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I can so totally relate to this one. There are a lot of times that I have conversations running in my head and I am so lost in them to even realize it. These unnecessary thoughts sometimes drain me and my mood. ‘Thought replacement therapy’ sounds very inviting. Will give it a try. Are any of the above tapes (audio) that you mentioned available in a particular site that I can access? Please let me know. Would love to give it a try.
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There are a lot of Abraham Hicks videos and audios available for free on YouTube. You can also search your favorite topics.
Access Consciousness website has a whole lot that you would have to navigate from. There are free Hangout discussions of Being You Changing the World by Dr. Dain Heer. I listened to those after reading the book. There are free short videos called Tour of Consciousness by Dr. Dain Heer, on YouTube or you can sign up to receive by email. They might take time getting accustomed to, as the language and how the Universal concepts are approached are novel and also weird to some people. I find the weirdness refreshing π
I am so glad that you are finding my posts useful. Thank you very much, truly!
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Thank you for that info, Pragalbha. Will try them soon and let you know.
THank you for all the positivity.
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You are most welcome, have an amazing time!
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This is new! Before today, I’d never heard of Thought Replacement Therapy. Fascinating. I even looked it up and WOW, I suspect it could be very helpful to anyone who has lots of recurring negative thoughts. Personally, I listen for mine, and when they do attempt to sneak in, the first thing I ask these thoughts is…Are you true? They usually back off immediately because 9 times out of 10, they are not! C ‘ya pesky thoughts!!!
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Wow you looked it up and actually found something like that? ^^:) Here I thought I had coined something up in the flow of writing!
Oh I love your Are-you-true? test! Pesky indeed, most aren’t truly ours. Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness in responding.
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