Does thought command you?
Yoga uses the term monkey mind. We can’t stop thinking, and so much of what we think about is critical in nature. By critical, I mean judgy instead of truly important. Our thoughts are often left unquestioned; we just run with them, and our mind, body, and emotions subconsciously responds to them as if they are the real thing.
Our monkey mind exhausts us and puts us, or the perception of others, either down low or unfairly high. It keeps us up at nights and makes us anxious or irritable during the day; forget about peace. Our breath is negatively affected, which negatively affects our physiology, which feeds our monkey mind, and the cycle continues.
Our thoughts are prayers…?
I once heard that our thoughts are prayers. When I heard it, I was a bit irritated because at that point in my life I had not had a good relationship with religion, and, to me anyway, prayers equaled religion.
While irritated, I simultaneously realized that I hadn’t heard prayer tied to thought before, so I inquired. Up to that point, prayer was just something I was told to do as a child before a meal, before bed, when someone was super sick, or when I badly needed something to happen (“Dear God, please…”). It was something I did to ask a greater force outside of me for help.
So what’s this about our thoughts being prayers?
I learned that we pray all day through our thoughts.
If you believe in God, he’s not just listening when you put your hands together to “pray.” He’s listening all the time, through your thoughts (and feelings).
Call it God, the Universe, Energy, Cosmos, Consciousness, Vibration - your thoughts are “heard,” and they are answered.
Take religion and spirituality out of it, and still, what you get is this: your actions, how you vibe, and how others perceive you, stem from your thoughts, and your thoughts stem from your perceptions and beliefs - not what you want to believe but what you actually believe.
What you think, you feel. What you feel, you think. And you then act accordingly. Change what you think, and you will feel differently; and vice versa.
This is why yoga works on alignment: of your breath, to your body, to your mind, to your emotions, to your spirit, to your relationships, to your life experience. Yoga works on flow over manipulation.
Be careful what you think.
Which is where meditation comes in. Meditation gives you command over your mind and codes over your negative self talk to one that supports your greater good. It quells the monkey mind and puts YOU back in control. It helps you realize that you are not your mind. That person inside of you that can observe your thoughts - that’s the YOU you’re looking to connect with.
Set your thoughts in the direction that you wish to go.
Do this by setting an intention, focusing your attention to what you want to see, and expressing gratitude before doing things throughout the day. You can start with one of these practices below and add on as you get better at including them into your day.
Before each meal, I take a moment to take in the meal through my senses, appreciating the aroma and the amazing colors and textures. If I’m with someone, I might even remark delightfully about what’s in front of me. Before I dig in, I say to myself: In this food I see clearly the presence of the entire Universe supporting my existence. In doing so, I acknowledge the seed, soil, earthworms and other insects that enrich the soil, rain, sun, shade, the farmers, packagers, transporters, sellers, the cook, and all the other providers who made it possible for me to enjoy this nourishing plate of deliciousness set before me. This is a powerful way to transition into a meal and set your digestion and experience in the right direction. Spiritual thought leader Michael Beckwith said in an interview that we can’t always control access to organic and nutrient dense foods (because so much of the soil’s nutrients have been depleted), nor can we control how the food has been handled, but we can control the energy we put into the food we consume. What you put in your body impacts your thoughts.
In the morning, when I wake up, I start with a warm sip of water to hydrate and to help with the elimination process. Just before I take a sip, I hold the cup in my hand, and I whisper into it: Thank you for my life. You will notice the difference in how you take it in saying this before you sip rather than just doing it habitually and subconsciously.
As I go to bed, I lie on my back and shift attention to my breath, making it long and deep, and I go over the good things that happened today: where I showed up strong, where others showed up strong. What I accomplished, even if it’s something “small.” Where I accepted help. Who I was with today and how they shined. Because what you pay attention to grows. This is what I bring into my sleep. I don’t get far with this exercise because I fall asleep pretty quickly. On the other hand, when I ruminate on issues, I’m up. We think we’re being productive and responsible when we ruminate. The most productive and responsible thing we can do is to wake up rested, clear, and content.
In the morning, before I get out of bed, I lie on my back, breathe, and say mantra (sometimes out loud, sometimes in my head), for 5 to 20 minutes.
My go-to is: Ek Ong Kar Sat Nam, Karta Purkh, Nirboa, Nirvair, Akaal Moorat, Ajoonee, Saibjung, Gurprasad, Jap, Aad Such, Jugaad Such, Haibee Such, Nanak Hosee Bhee Such eleven times.
Mantra sets the mind in a specific way. This one expands creativity and projects you into action in line with the Universe (making creative flow easier). It also strengthens your sense of security, making you more centered and grounded. It’s worth learning. You can also choose a much simpler mantra, like Sat Nam (rhymes with “but mom”), which means Truth is who you are. Or Wahe Guru (wah’-hay-groo), which seeds the feeling of bliss you experience when you move from darkness to light, or from ignorance to wisdom. Mantra puts you in a more sacred, elevated space with yourself and others; a magnificent way to start the day before the monkey mind takes control.Before I do most things throughout my day, I often pause and ask myself, What do I want to get out of this? or What do I want to happen as I go into this? This could be before a meeting, before I sit down to write, before I call my mom, walk with my dog, have dinner with my person, before I shower, and so on. This may seem crazy, but it awakens and activates your ability to be present for the most routine and regular activities in your life instead of going on auto-pilot and then wondering why nothing great happened. It initiates a more active presence to heighten your experiences towards your desires. I feel a noticeable difference when I do this versus when I don’t.
After I do anything, I take a moment to acknowledge where I stepped up and what I learned.
Can’t remember all this? Choose just one. One that resonates most to you today. And if this entire article resonates, bookmark it and come back to it later to add another practice to your life.
Here’s the most important thing I’d like you to take away:
Your thoughts are prayers. Prayers are answered. You can train your thoughts.
Love, Savitree
Thank you, Savitree!! Also, happy belated birthday!!!
Thank you!