When you notice your brain is bouncing from one thought to the next, or emotions rise up such as anxiety, fear, anger and overwhelm and … do you notice what you do?
For me, I used to distract myself with entertainment or find solice in smoking, alcohol and icecream. For others it was cleaning house, going on a shopping spree, making soup and donuts!
Numbing our stress is a strategy that most of us can relate to. Yet there is an other approach worth considering. Instead of beating ourselves up, can we let the mind be the mind, and begin to explore the stillness and peace below the surface.
When we become aware of our habitual patterns and behaviors to avoid our feelings, it’s often the first step to find our Middle Ground.

Donna Faulds poem inspires me here:
LET THE MIND BE THE MIND
Let the mind be the mind.
behind its restless activity,
just one layer deeper
is stillness, and beneath
even that, is an ocean
of mystery and truth.
Swim in this eternal sea
until you know yourself
to be infinity, and bring
that knwing back into
your day. Why struggle
to be what you are already?
Let the mind be the mind,
but dont bind yourself
to its limited reality.
Trust your experience of
vastness. Trust the truth
that never loses potency
of disappears in fear.
Let the mind be the mind
and identify not with
thought, but silence.
~ Danna Faulds taken from “Limitless New Poems and Other Writings”
Thanks Val! Those words resonate and are well-timed for sure.
Sent from my iPhone
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Thank you Sharon 💛🙏💛
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Such a beautiful poem. And a wise introduction. Thank you Val ❤️
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Thank you Ananda 💛🙏💛
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Thank you, Val. Wishing you beauty today.
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Lovely and thank you Val ☮️🕉💟 sending joy hedy 💫
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I feel you and appreciate you. 💟🕉❤️
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Wonderful to relax into your post, Val, and Donna Faulds’s poem. I espec. like these words she wrote: “Why struggle
to be what you are already?”
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Thank you Jet 🎈recognizing the struggle begins the journey to freedom and love ❤️
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It is powerful once we realize what our stress responses are and what better choices we can make that help us in the long run. Beautiful post and poem!
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Thank you PD 💕🙏💕
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It sounds like I’ve got the first step down, I know what I do when my mind is racing – nothing like watching an episode of King of Queens with a cup of Dunkin Donuts coffee. That’s my escape, my happy place…
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Thanks Jim 😎
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Beautiful, Val. Thank you for this. 🙂
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Thank you Diana. So glad this resonated 💛🙏💛
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When we are feeling overwhelmed, we can dive deep, go within, and take a breather by returning to the still, silent core of our being. Aah . . . that’s where peace resides. Better!
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Me too! Thanks for this Nancy 💕
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Beautiful Val 👍❤️
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Thank you Kellie 💛🙏💛
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Hi Val, I loved this post and will include it as a link in my monthly wrap up post. Please let me know if you would prefer it is not included ❤️👍
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I would be honored. Thanks Kellie 🙏
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Love the poem and the message Val 🙂
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Thank you Karen ❤️
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The introduction and the poem picture what I am going through these days.
Too many thoughts and emotions marrying, leaving me astray.
Thank you.
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Thank you for being here Shyamini 🙏
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Beautiful, Val!
Wishing you a positive week further 🙂
Pat
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Thank you Pat 💛
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🙂
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Pingback: Let the Mind Be the Mind – Inspirational life Lessons
Well expressed!
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Thank you 🙏
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You’re welcome!
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Pingback: Inspirational quotes and blogs monthly #12 | Cognition and crochet
Thank you so much for re-posting 💛🙏🌼
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So beautiful. Thanks for posting 💜😊
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I really liked the intention behind “let the mind be the mind’. For me it means not running or hiding from what the mind can bring us. Thanks!
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Letting things be as they are is an important step in the journey.Thank you for being and claiming your blogging space 💛🙏💛
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