Thursday, February 28, 2008

The Simplicity of Wonder

_________________________________
The Simplicity of Wonder
by Alice Gardner
_________________________________

One of the things that our minds do all the time is to decide what is important enough for us to notice and what is not. If we didn't discriminate with our perception, we would get overwhelmed with too much information, so our minds are habituated to helpfully sort the wheat from the chaff, so that we notice what it important to us and not the rest.

The trouble with the whole system is that mind (if its running the show) thinks what really matters is anything that is a threat, and what doesn't matter are the things that don't change. Things that change and move and have drama get our attention, while the simple unmoving true nature of the people and things around us are not deemed to be worthy of our attention. Mind is just trying to be helpful, but without the influence of our true Self, no wonder we are having a hard time staying calm!

If we can notice this process at work we are well on our way to opening our perception out of its habitual narrowness. We can now intentionally put a portion of our attention on that which doesn't change, even while mind is being riled up about something. We are then open to the incredible peace that radiates from the world that is really here, behind all the thinking.

Wonder is the best word that I can think of to describe the way to apprehend the world behind thought—the world as it is before we think about it. To meet the world with wonder is to become like little children. This is the way an innocent child will perceive things for the first time. With the eyes of wonder we see without preconceived ideas that would cause us to no longer notice what is there (and only relate to the labels that we give things). We don't pretend that we know all about what we see. We just see. We just feel. We just know and are known directly and simply.

This is an experience of utter simplicity. It is an experience of just being Here and whatever we are perceiving being Here too. As we look around, we meet the world just as it is, without labeling it, comparing it, or deciding whether we like it the way it is or not. We meet the simple cup we drink from, the computer in front of us, or the tree outside our window with the wonder of being open to what they are, to what is there and simply being there with them. We meet our own selves the same way. We let it all be here with us, just as it is, and we allow the thought-based world that had shrouded it from our view to become the thing that is barely worthy of our notice.

_________________________________
© 2008 Alice Gardner
awakepublishing.com
_________________________________

With Love and Light
Tami

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hello. This post is likeable, and your blog is very interesting, congratulations :-). I will add in my blogroll =). If possible gives a last there on my blog, it is about the TV Digital, I hope you enjoy. The address is http://tv-digital-brasil.blogspot.com. A hug.

Anonymous said...

Dudley, LOL :)

Buy Steroids said...

Hi, thanks for sharing this information. good job

Buy Steroids

E-Clinical said...

i like the theme of your banner, it excellent

E-Clinical

Anonymous said...

I do not even know how I ended up here, but I thought this post was great.
I do not know who you are but certainly you are going to a famous
blogger if you are not already ;) Cheers!

My web-site; online airplane games

Anonymous said...

click to view GTwnUJQr [URL=http://www.cheapdesigner--handbags.weebly.com/]knockoff handbags[/URL] for gift eHDZjPdt [URL=http://www.cheapdesigner--handbags.weebly.com/ ] http://www.cheapdesigner--handbags.weebly.com/ [/URL]

Anonymous said...

Hey I know this is off topic but I was wondering if you knew of any widgets I could add to my blog that
automatically tweet my newest twitter updates. I've been looking for a plug-in like this for quite some time and was hoping maybe you would have some experience with something like this. Please let me know if you run into anything. I truly enjoy reading your blog and I look forward to your new updates.

Here is my weblog Klean Slim And Revolyn

Anonymous said...

Currently it seems like BlogEngine is the best
blogging platform out there right now. (from what I've read) Is that what you're using on
your blog?

My web-site - Green Coffee Diet

Anonymous said...

ecig, e cigarette, electronic cigarette starter kit, smokeless cigarettes, e cigarettes, smokeless cigarettes