The Dehypnosis of the Mind-- Habits

Since the day we are born, we find ourselves raised up in a family or in a wider community with certain habits, and without much thinking we integrate the same habits-- or painkillers into our lives.

At home, the habit of always having the TV turned on, with no much filtering of what is coming out of this small screen and getting into our minds; the habit of opening the fridge late at night and getting whatever is there into our mouths.

And then with our friends, we go out, smoke shisha and cigarettes after work mindlessly just to make the pain a little less, not thinking much about what kind of poison we're getting into our bodies and how it'll affect us ten years from now. We spend the after work hours backstabbing people we don't like, making dirty jokes and engaging in violent conversations .

And then at night before sleeping, we run away from the cruelty of life by fantasizing a different life full of love and butterflies..sometimes, sleep never comes and we spend the whole night with our mind racing from one memory to another---crying the past and fearing the future.

Well, that was my life until recently. Running in a wheel that never stops, with guilt building up slowly until a thick wall came up that blocked my vision and choked my soul.

Back to the questions dilemma, I had lots of questions and for my good, I kept asking them, every single day. Yes, I was lost in the daily hypnosis, yet my only refuge were the questions I had in my mind. Until one day, a voice dominated my mind and ordered me to "leave it all."-- to take a break from life, from the daily routine, from work and people I see everyday, and chase my questions. It was crazy for me at first, how can I leave the routine I'm used to for years now. I thought I might die. I was wrong. It turned out that I was in fact dying slowly and this voice was that of my savior trying to wake me up.

And now I in the process of being dehypnotized .I can feel every single pain in my body and around me without having to run away from it--but embracing it, listening to it and responding. I quit many of the habits that were dragging me even further into the darkened circle and working on cultivating positive ones instead.

So, here is  my two cents out of all of this , never ignore the questions you have in your mind; make sure to have silent times during the day to hear that inner voice inside of you and get back to your senses. And above all, be mindful of your daily practices-why you do them and what are you trying to run away from..That's the first step towards an awakened life.

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Namaste! 

Questions that Matter

I just came back from a heavenly two-week meditation retreat at Mooktawan Sanctuary in Thailand, organized by Peace Revolution Org and Dhammakaya Foundation. It was the first time for me to come this close to the Buddhist philosophy in life, since I live in the Middle East region that doesn't practice Buddhism. I was blown away by the values and practices of Buddhism that revolve around loving kindness, detachment from worldly pleasures,and stillness of the mind to be able to find the Dhamma or truth inside of you.

At the first week of the retreat, my mind was trying to resist some of the teachings, as being a follower of Jesus' teachings, I was afraid of conflicts that may arise. However, smoothly and gradually, I started to listen, to think and to reflect on every single word and messages behind the words. I sat after every meditation and lecture to ponder on the teachings, and the similarities between Buddha and Jesus' teachings struck me. I found that religions in general are trying to answer the following questions:

*The purpose of life "What are we living for...?"

* What is the truth or "the way of Life"? And how can we discipline the body, mind and soul to reach this truth or the joys of the spiritual realm?

* How can humanity awaken from the "hypnosis" of material life, and achieve enlightenment?

* What will happen after this life? What is death?

* What is good, and what is evil?

* How can humanity break free from the sufferings and pain of material life (Nibbana)?

* How can we share love, wisdom and knowledge with all mankind without discrimination?

There are many more questions, but I believe those are the core questions that humanity tries to find answers for in whatever spiritual or religious path they follow. For me, mindfulness starts with thinking about these questions as they provide the essence of life, the foundation for all our values, attitudes, thoughts and actions. Some people choose to ignore those questions because it is a painful and daunting process, and proceed in their lives with no clear destination. And others spend their whole lives looking for answers. 

Eventually, it all starts with a "question" , and the answer will always follow...!