If the Buddha Got Stuck_ A Handbook for Change on a Spiritual Path - Charlotte Sophia Kasl [30]
If you become distracted and preoccupied, you can observe that, “Wow, my mind is sure wandering around.” It’s like throwing out a line and reeling yourself back to center instead of spiraling off into speeding thoughts and agitation. Developing your observer means tapping into your consciousness, which is timeless and non-judgmental, a wise friend to guide you.
It’s important to understand that observing oneself creates a dynamic process that forms a continuous circle. In other words, the observer affects the observed. This concept stems from physicist Werner Heisenberg’s assertion that in the subatomic world to observe a phenomenon is to change it. Likewise, when you bring awareness to a part of yourself that has operated on automatic pilot, you are bringing consciousness to what was formerly unconscious. You are creating the possibility of choice instead of feeling driven. Once observed, you can no longer repeat an action quite so unconsciously. This raises inner conflict: the “I want to sit around all day” part now has to contend with the part that says, “But I really planned to take a walk and get some exercise.” The conflict will eventually dissipate as you more fully settle into conscious behavior.
In working with addictions, for example, I often counsel people to stay awake, stay aware. I might say, “If you’re going to have an eating binge, invite a friend to be with you.” This suggestion usually brings a look of astonishment because part of bingeing is perpetuating the shame cycle, which requires secrecy. Similarly, I tell people, if you are going out to try to seduce someone, be aware of what your heart is truly seeking, the strategies you use to seduce her/him, the con, the charm, the physical high, the experience of sex, how you feel afterward, and if you got what you were longing for. This, of course, interferes with the unconscious compulsive act, and is not always welcome. I’ve had more than one client irritated or outright angry at me for bringing consciousness to their addictive behavior. It messes up the game.
As you become the observer, or bring conscious awareness to your behavior, you may experience an inner rebel—“I don’t want to have to think about everything I’m doing!” This journey of waking up does not come without effort, but it also can be quite amusing . . . if you observe yourself!
17. Clear Out the Chaos and Make Room for Life
The Zen masters have nothing to defend, for the simple reason that they possess nothing.
—ZEN SAYING
Go Sweep out the chambers of your heart make it ready, make it ready to be the dwelling of The Beloved.
SUFI PEACE DANCE—MUHUMMED SHABISTARI
Living with constant chaos around us is like listening to static on the radio—we can never get a clear channel, we never hear the music or the beating of our own hearts. To make room for the Beloved, the spirit, a clear idea about our future, or our heart’s delight, we need stillness and relaxation. Junk food, junk mail, junk thoughts, and just plain junk often get in the way of feeling calm.
Focus your awareness on the physical and emotional effects of a chaotic life. Are you often frustrated or cursing because you misplace the keys, run out of milk, trip over shoes in the front hall, or run out of clean underwear? Do piles, stacks, and overstuffed drawers get on your nerves on a daily basis? Do you tighten up or stress out when you get a penalty for a late bill, or do you plough through a crowded closet looking for a favorite shirt? Do you have to try three pens before you find one that writes? Notice the irritation and agitation that arise from these little pieces of chaos. While each part may seem small, added together over time it’s like collecting little pebbles in your shoes.
Think of your body revving up in frustration—muscles and tendons constrict, stress hormones are secreted, and the receptors throughout