Sometimes you just need to rest that ever-steaming skull engine

As a self-employed creative (a sort of rewarding torture) without a twenty minute breather to focus, become present, quiet the chatter, and reprogram the vast recesses of my consciousness, I’d be flinging my poop around Main and Broadway, singing hymns of the coming apocalypse.

Stress arises when you focus on too many issues, without resolving any. It can mess you up.

Many of us deal with stress by self-medicating with alcohol, drugs, video games, tv, Internet, or other forms of absorption. We use these for creative inspiration, as well as escape. Though helpful, these are passive solutions, and are like a band aid over an axe wound.

The first step to solving a problem, is to realize and admit you have one.

Are you lazy? Admit it. Are you lacking in creativity? Ambition? Focus? Are you riddled with fear and doubt and anxiety?

Yeah. Me too sometimes.

So anyway, meditation.

The Eternal Chatter—The Question Asking Machine

We never stop thinking…not ever. The human mind is a question asking machine. It never stops asking: “Is that true dude?”

Check it right now. Take a minute, close your eyes, and try not to think.

Is it true what he just said?

Is it true?

It doesn’t stop.

And I’ll be you didn’t close your eyes and listen. Try it now before you read on.

Go…

You can only notice the chatter, and either listen, or choose to ignore it.

The chatter never stops.

Make Art – Stay Sane

Most of our thoughts bounce around all day, chattering, without a single bit being remembered, or shared. That fucker is just, “Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, is it true? What does it mean? Blab, blah, blah,” and when we close our eyes at night we’re bombarded by nightmares.

Art is the expression of ideas; the remembering and sharing of sights, sounds, emotions, conversations.

Good art takes time to create, to mould. I had to re-write this article fifteen times. It wasn’t easy.

For most of us, ideas are easy. It’s the, “doing,” we struggle with.

Meditation can help with that.

Art is creating something beautiful, or useful, or thought provoking, out of ideas.

Even if that’s a family.

Even if that’s crafting your body at the gym.

Not, “doing,” what we’re good at. Not being, “good,” at anything, makes us miserable.

Absorbing: Watching a movie is enjoyable, but does not make us happy. A video game does not make us happy. A text message does not make us happy. These things might give us a brief emotion, but they don’t fill us the way creation does.

Cleaning your house can be art.

Calling an old friend can be art.

Writing a ten word poem is art.

Doing the things that need to be done, can be art.

Because these activities put us in the flow state.

But what if we can’t even get started? What if we are locked into absorption and hampered by resistance?

Meditation clears the baggage, confirms goals, confronts resistance, and eliminates doubt.

That and more.

When I meditate it’s usually for about twenty minutes.

I use it to clear my mind, eliminate resistance and get my work done.

Inside this trance I simulate the situations I need to overcome in order to have a prolific and fulfilling day. I see my future as a vivid, waking dream.

The more time we spend in the zone, in the flow, the better we feel about life. But the laziness, the distractions, the resistance to, “doing,” is strong. This is where meditation can help you.

So how to meditate?

It’s free. I don’t make any money if you click on it. It’s a start.

There are many online courses, or community courses. Try one. Meditate on trying one. How could it hurt? You will find only benefits from trying.

Create Your Future

In your mind’s eye, when you meditate, simulate the chore, so you can also experience the reward; the joy of getting it done.

While in trance, experience the future as if it is present. Eliminate resistance by feeling the reward. See yourself doing what needs to be done, and enjoying the feeling of accomplishment.

When you come out of your trance, you will go straight to the task. I promise. Just try it.

I use it to simulate certain situations, whether that’s cleaning my bedroom, working on a novel, or going out to dinner with a friend.

A trance is deep relaxation. The actual task becomes easy, because it’s already been dealt with in your mind’s eye. In your imagination

I suppose it’s similar to praying, but instead of asking the universe for something, like love, or money, you imagine that you already have it. Imagine that you’ve already been there, and done that.

Why stop with cleaning your room? Let’s get a little woo-woo.

Visualize having abundance, love, health, wealth. The amazing thing about our mind, is we can feel the sensations we strive for whenever we want, simply by closing our eyes and imagining it.

You can feel what it’s like to be free. To travel. To have sex. To have love.

I’ve seen the Matrix, and I believe there’s something to it. Whenever I do these exercises, like imagining clients contacting me, meeting a nice woman who finds me attractive, or my bank account filling with money– within a few weeks, my drought seems to end.

Magic? Are we living in a video game simulation?

I doubt it. But, what do we really know? Not much.

Of course, meditation must also be paired with action. So after you meditate–take action!

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