Better Out Than In
There is a phrase I’ve herd in many in Denis Mortons Peloton classes, It goes like sweat, tears and dance moves are “better out than in.” Or maybe you’ve herd that phrase spoken from your parents speaking on passing gas. Shrek has certainly said it. To me, the this sentiment of better out than in could be expressed about thoughts.
Thoughts are one of those things that if you let them bounce around for too long they can be quite damaging. Thoughts need to be checked on, examined and most importantly released. Thing is no one really wants to release some thoughts. Some thoughts are unkind. Some thoughts can be very judgemental. It seems as many kind and loving thoughts we have, we have equal number of unkind ones. And no one wants to tell that person exactly what they “think” about them and their behavior. No one wants to intentionally hurt other peoples feelings…
So what do we do? We fester in these thoughts. The thoughts bounce around gaining more and more velocity as they make their way from the Prefrontal Cortex to Anterior Cingulate Cortex. The part of the brain that helps protect you from conflict and unwanted feelings. Its that part of your brain that safegaurds you from saying anything rash that might cause negative repurcussions.
What could we do? What should we do? Aside from not having those thoughts in the first place, which there is no way to control the impulse of thought. Those ANTS (automatic negative thoughts), there is no way to prevent them from coming to your picnic of a day. But there is a way to combat them when they start gathering on your blanket. Write them down. Write them down to get them out. Write them down so you can see them for what they are, mere words on a page. Write them down to remove the power they have over your mind and spirit. Write them down so you an look at they letters square in the face and then maybe laugh at how ridiculous they are with there loops and lines because love, that is all they are. Loops and lines. They have no power aside from what they mean and when they are on a page they are now meaningless. Sure you can do something about those thoughts. Maybe burn them up in fire. You could crumple up the paper and throw them in the trash cus that’s where they belong. You could save them to refer back to someday when you have a clearer perspective on the matter. It doesn’t matter really, the important part is to get them out.
And if writing them is not an option, speak them. I have taken up the lovely practice of video recording my thoughts. One thing, it gets me to release them, two I can look over my recording (that doesn’t always happen). Its the practice of looking at myself when I’m talking that I believe helps because I am talking to someone I love and someone who has my best interests at heart. It is someone that wont judge me, thought that certainly happens at times. I try not to over think it. Point is, It does help me to get the thoughts out. And once they are out I feel freer, lighter. Like I’ve had a release. Best place is in the security of your car. Second best place is where ever you are alone.
I’d love to go on about some science when it passes thought our throat chakra… the wonderful rabbit holes of distraction. I will share that its like magic happens. When thoughts travel from the brain towards the hand / mouth, they pass thought the heart. And the heart rewards us with peace.
Along those lines…
Journaling. Having a repeated practice of writing down your thoughts…. More is having a consistent bridge to your own psych and consciousness. First you’ll get rid of the noise…. the slew of how you’ve been wronged or what you feel you did wrong or what happened wrong or what is wrong with everyone then it will get quiet.
Then you can hear the whisper of your truth. Hey remember me, I love when you spend this time with me. I love this attention because I love you. And then you’ve done it. Bridged the gap. Brought mind and spirit together. And you’ll know you have because you’ll feel it. Its that warmish hovering glow, its that … not tingling, not racing, not pushing, not “I gotta do xyz,” its after all that. It’s the loving voice that only wants what’s best for you. It’s your God. Because God does live inside, it’s in each and everyone of us. We are all connected to this source of love and light. That’s what makes humans so special. We are these spirtual beings of love and light having this experiment of a human experience to reach a state of peaceful bliss. Every harmful thought is a test for us to examine and practice with. Its our past programing trying to relinquish itself over our grasp. Its God speaking to us telling us where we need to look deeper to find the truth.
Truth is, God loves you always. Nothing you could ever do could make god love you any less and nothing you could do would make God love you more. And by getting those thoughts out of your head you can hopefully see and feel that love. Because it is real. It is one of the only real and true things in this world. “Only love is real. Anything that is not love/real is an illusion.”
