Inspiration – Author John J. Prendergast

This post is part of my spiritual decluttering.

“Much of what we call the spiritual journey involves a shift of attention from the head to the heart. Although they are only a short distance from each other, they are worlds apart in terms of experiencing life… We live in our heads when we are lost in our thoughts. It is easy to do. To live in our head means that attention is largely centered on the forehead…. Thinking in itself is not the problem. We often need to think – the clearer the better. The problem arises when we believe our thoughts and identify with our thinking. We let our thoughts define and confine us, by extension, everyone and everything else. When we believe our judgmental thoughts we are in a prison.”

~ John J. Prendergast, PhD
from “In Touch, How to Tune In to the Inner Guidance of Your Body and Trust Yourself”

My spiritual journey started to take hold and unfold when I realized that my thoughts were not the truth. They were simply thoughts that I had. I still have the yellow sticky note on my filing cabinet to remind me today.

Early in life, we get attached to our thoughts and opinions, and think that they are who we are. We identify with them, teach them, preach them and defend them. Our thoughts are right. Others’ are therefore wrong. These are creations of our ego-mind and conditioning from the world around us as we grow up.

Becoming aware of our thoughts is the first step. The second, is to detach from them. Developing the state of the observer or witness of our inner being. We find ease in this state of neutrality and non attachment.

It becomes a place to rest in… and to live by.

Namaste