I’ve got nothing at all against a good cup of coffee or a drink with my wife or friends. That’s part of what makes life sweet.
The part of that which confuses me though is the haste with which we tend to run towards a cup of coffee or a drink as a medicine.
“I need a cup of coffee to get started,” or “I’ve gotta have a drink to unwind.” And it’s not just for “negative” things. We work out intensely and create all kinds of terrific chemicals and states of mind too.
But all of that can be overused and become a replacement for something even more reliable and powerful—our own minds!
Is it possible to find a compelling and inspiring reason to get out of bed or to forge ahead in the afternoon after lunch? Can I develop a passionate vision for the day or for my life?
Is it possible to find ways to relax and breathe and have a relaxing moment or conversation without relying on some external thing to change us?
It seems necessary to have that skill! We have it inherently and innately.
When our innate skills relative to our minds are augmented or side-stepped frequently, our given power to create meaning, to find inspiration, passion, and peace diminishes, like a neglected muscle. And then we lose awareness that the thoughts we choose have great power.
It’s not a stretch to imagine how we move into a place of consuming this and that substance, believing we need them, forgetting the power we possess, seeking this or that thing (or person) outside ourselves to create the desired energetic state within us. And now we’re just hustling for stuff.
It’s a conundrum, having both bodies and minds. Push the Mind button and get an outcome; push the Body button and get an outcome. Both are part of being human. And we all weigh the costs and benefits of how frequently we push em.
Author – Jeffrey L. Cohen – The Shaman Lawyer