APRIL: Unselfing
Consider the mind as an attention machine. An untrained mind struggles to focus its attention, lacking the discernment to notice what is relevant right now, and gearing up to notice only that.
Alain De Botton writes: “A healthy mind is an editing mind, an organ that manages to sieve from thousands of stray, dramatic, disconcerting, or horrifying thoughts, and is able to discriminate which ideas deserve attention and which will sabotage our effectiveness.”
Additionally, Iris Murdoch writes: Unselfing is quieting the buzzing distractions that constantly find fault with the self. A well-functioning mind that recognizes the futility and cruelty of constantly finding fault with its own nature. Unselfing means stopping the voices of any nagging, perseverating, criticizing, and sabotaging behaviors in yourself.
In this conversation, we invite you to use the prompts for writing first and then share your responses.
Reflect on your ability to discern useful thoughts from distracting thoughts. Comments?
Replay these words: the futility and cruelty of constantly finding fault with your own nature.
—Write a few fault-finding or self-deprecating thoughts you can have.
Unselfing involves unpacking where those thoughts come from.
—Write: Whose voice says these things to you?
Decide how the unkind voice could be filtered, ignored, or dismissed.
—Write a ‘dismissal’ to any negative thoughts.
—Write your highest intention for your well-being.
Takeaways.