Clearing up the inner clutter.

Having done quite a bit of it over the years, I have discovered that hoovering is a form of meditation!  When I put a new bag in I also add a tissue with some drops of rosemary and lemon essential oils, they create a wonderful aroma of freshness and cleanliness as I work and also allow my mind to sink into a relaxed state where I become more observant of my thoughts.

As I pay attention to the floor and direct the hoover toward the dust and dirt, I do the same to the chatter that clutters my mind.  I notice what is going on in my inner world, the negative self-concepts, limiting thoughts, judgments and beliefs I'm running, and I use the time to focus in on them.

Two worlds, one set of footprints.
We inhabit two worlds; the outer world where we encounter people and events and our inner world, filled with emotions, self-concepts, wisdom and chatter. It is our inner world which determines the quality of relationships we have in our outer world.

If we don't address the emotions that run in our inner world, or maybe don't believe our inner world has any effect on outside events, then emotions will burst out like a wild flood, driving our actions, overwhelming and destroying everything we value. Although there may be some relief after the dam has burst, there is often irreparable damage; trust is broken, people are hurt.  We may feel bad and try to do something to repair the damage, but the feeling of guilt and shame never seem to go away.

The fastest route to understanding what is going on is to know when you are feeling vulnerable and why. Vulnerability is always a sign you're trying to protect something, usually a negative self-concept that you believe to be true.  Rather than quickly trying to vacuum it up or kicking it deep under some heavy furniture, it helps to get to know it.

Painful emotions are like an invisible wall, keeping you on the outside of your life. By just noticing them, not trying to run away from, deny or disguise them, you can change your relationship to them.  Any negative emotion we try to hide away actually helps it grow in strength and it begins to dominate all other fine emotions like hope, joy and love.  Our inner world becomes bogged down, cluttered and full of regrets.  Shame stops us from moving forward.

Learning to identify emotions through inner work takes the sting out of them.  Becoming conscious of how they look, feel and behave - perhaps by writing in a journal, or talking to someone you trust - will weaken their hold over you and allow your mind to break free of the inner stress they create.

Learn to surf the waves of emotion.
Emotions don't go away; like waves they will keep on coming, so we need to develop the ability to work with them differently.  Relationship Training views them as a rich resource and helps you use them to move your life forward.  That way, rather than being swept away when a wave of emotion rises, you'll know how to ride it!

Whether you want to improve your health, get on top of your finances, heal your relationship or change the world, use and harness the power of your mind to help you reach your goal.  Doing inner work allows you to use the mind differently.

You have wonderful creativity and amazing inner resources, why not use this powerful time of year to clear out the junk hidden in the corners of your mind, blow the dust off your inner power tools and build yourself a bright future?

Anxiety uses the imagination to picture something you don't want.  Vision uses the imagination to picture something you DO want.  Either way, your mind opens a window to the future.   Ian Lawton