Our thoughts arise from within us, like air bubbling to the surface of water. The thoughts are not “us", yet they do point to the source of that “air" that is us.
That air comes from our foundation. The thoughts are more like mangled remnants by the time they reach us, though ; almost useless. Thoughts try to describe truths that our minds cannot hold all at once. They are “pointers” to much larger blocks. As humans, we have to deal with abstracts and faith to make use of these thoughts.
We shouldn’t assign any meaning to thoughts that we don’t desire. We recognize they are “ours” – or at least that they are there if you wish to remain more open to their source – but they are “out of service” or not informative. Meaning construction is an important concept I need to write about and it isn’t restricted to thoughts.
I’ve been hearing this term “mental diet” and it is a good one. I need to read a whole lot more Goddard, because he has great subtle ways of perspective that are transformative.
Our efforts should be focused on changing this foundation so that the thoughts that bubble up are the thoughts that we want, rather than battling thoughts that do not serve us. We want to ask ourselves to be supportive and encouraging, not afraid or doubting. The diet should feed itself, in other words.
Imagine thoughts that don’t question, or doubt, or plan. They don’t worry how long something will take or what issues you are dealing with. They just tell you: “You got this! Go for it!” We want to eliminate “buts” and “shoulds" in a way that aligns with heart/body/mind. We do NOT want to create willful ignorance, apathy, or denial.
We want to address the root of the environment – not be on cleanup duty at all times, or “eating” all the time. Consumption of any kind is a warning that we are lopsided towards complacency. We have to do these things, because that’s where we are in our development, but we can recognize this is not the “ideal.” I think we are all tired of this janitor duty.
I emphasize the warning of becoming complacent simply because you master aspects of this process. If you are not reinvesting into “the work”, it will fade just as surely as anything