Fluctuations of the Mind
Our minds are often untenable, inhospitable places to live.
Our minds are often amazing, womb-places where we birth new ideas that lead us to new lives.
So which is it?
How do we know when to trust our thinking and when to question the moves our brain is making?
The mind has fluctuating states that can, if we are without tools, wreak havoc in our lives and leave us feeling victimized and without solidity. A mind left without an aware observer (read: YOU) can often be the equivalent of the shitty, rundown motel you had to sleep in that one night when you were in your early twenties and you had 39 dollars left to your name and Amarillo, Texas was a place you landed after driving for 14 hours straight on your way back home from Joshua Tree. You know that place. The lock is sketchy, there is carpet that used to be some shade of red, but now it’s pukey orange, and the comforter on the “bed” definitely has been showcased on that Dateline episode where they use blacklight to show you all of the unmentionable fluids crusted into the fabric. NO ONE WANTS TO LIVE IN THAT MIND. It is a place we pass through in desperation, but we do not stay. In fact, if we can, we leave before dawn…
Somatic practices, meaning ANY embodiment practice layered with intention and attention, lay groundwork for the awareness it takes to leave the “shitty motel” version of our minds. These practices offer us a closer way of “knowing” our presence in the world, and in that seat, we can see how the mind fluctuates! Engaging in somatic practice on a regular basis allows you to be the observer of these fluctuating states, rather than the victim of their rollercoaster. We can see how we thought the bathroom tile was clean in there, and with a closer glance, it’s reallllllllll crusty.
We practice regularly, and the incremental shifts teach us to look, observe, feel, see, and move with love as we peel back the layers of fluctuation and find a solid, sturdy place beneath it all. The YOU that awaits behind all of the fluctuations is the beautiful Villa with Spanish tile and bone-colored walls, and flowers that are real and abundant. And there is always an open spot here. This place has been waiting for us to check in, lay down, and rest here.