Acceptance:
Acceptance is to see the mind as it is without any particular desire to change it. We do not take the mind too seriously, but relate to it with gentleness and a sense of curiosity. We let the mind be as it is, and in this act we relax. The moment we relax, the grip of the mind loosens, for without our involvement it has no one to control. Acceptance is not psychological abnegation or indifference. It is a profound affirmation of the mind as an indivisible part of who we are.
One of the pitfalls in the work with the mind is aiming for perfection. Psychological sanity is not based on having a flawless mind, but on being at ease with its imperfections. In truth, the mind can never reach perfection. What it can achieve is relative harmony, purity and wisdom. In the very act of accepting the mind, we can actually transform a large portion of its unconscious energy into an open space of well-being.
Embracing negativity:
The acceptance we apply to deal with negativity is characterized by an absence of struggle. The mind has to be seen as a part of our existence that needs not only to be accepted, but also embraced with love and forgiveness. It is not the enemy, but an aspect of our identity that has been corrupted by the dust of negative impressions gathered along our journey through time. We tend to view the mind horizontally as something that exists in front of the observer, but to embrace the mind is to see it as contained within the soul’s body. By embracing the mind with the light of I am, one creates an environment of non-violent transformation and healing.
Understanding:
Having embraced its negativity, the next positive movement towards the mind is our attempt to understand it. That which we do not understand will naturally rule us. For example, if we do not recognize that the root of our envy is our own sense of deficiency, there is no real way to transform it. The role of under standing is to illuminate the mind with a non-judgmental consciousness that sees through and beyond the causal forces that create our thoughts and subconscious tendencies.
The term ‘understanding’ as it is used here should not be seen to suggest an excessively psychological approach that is overly self-analytical and introspective. We can easily become mired if we delve too deeply into the complexities of the mind. Rather, we require a gentle yet penetrating understanding that will help us to gain clarity about the mind’s nature and mechanisms, as well as the psychological roots of our thoughts and emotions.
~ Gilles Chamboraire
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