Associations are very powerful tools. If I associate someone with a favorite thing, their name with another person or a word with an object, we most often remember faster than when we don't associate with another thing or person. Yet most often our associations also have our "thoughts" attached to them. A mere word like "flower" represents something to us, but nothing in particular. It could be a rose, a daisy, or a carnation, but when we name it we lose the beauty in looking at and appreciating it for what it is in the moment, instead of what we remember about it. It slips through our mind because we already processed what a rose looks like and in doing so miss the beauty of the rose in the moment.
Naming things is similar when we name and remember people. When we think of our mother, we have many thoughts associated about who she is, what she did, and who she represents. If we think about our friend "John", we also have associations. It could be what he did to us last year, how many times he lied, our relationship that failed with him, or his unruly children that visited our house. We still "associate" most often in the present things, events, and people from our past. To step into the present try the following exercise:
Today with everything you see and every one you see or speak to, don't name it. Don't name your car, the road, your spouse, your children, or anyone at work. You'll notice the recognition come in your mind automatically. When you see John, your mind will automatically recognize John and the thoughts and feelings about John will rise to the surface. Today when you see John, or anyone else, dismiss the name John, and notice whoever is before you for what they are in that moment. Study their face, how they talk, what they may be wearing, and the feeling that you have in the moment with them without associating anything from your past history or what you already know about them.
This exercise may give you a fresh perspective on many old thoughts and patterns you have set for yourself. Freeing you from seeing things in your past as you once had, you can now gain a new perspective and recolor your thoughts about people, places and things in your present.
Naming things is similar when we name and remember people. When we think of our mother, we have many thoughts associated about who she is, what she did, and who she represents. If we think about our friend "John", we also have associations. It could be what he did to us last year, how many times he lied, our relationship that failed with him, or his unruly children that visited our house. We still "associate" most often in the present things, events, and people from our past. To step into the present try the following exercise:
Today with everything you see and every one you see or speak to, don't name it. Don't name your car, the road, your spouse, your children, or anyone at work. You'll notice the recognition come in your mind automatically. When you see John, your mind will automatically recognize John and the thoughts and feelings about John will rise to the surface. Today when you see John, or anyone else, dismiss the name John, and notice whoever is before you for what they are in that moment. Study their face, how they talk, what they may be wearing, and the feeling that you have in the moment with them without associating anything from your past history or what you already know about them.
This exercise may give you a fresh perspective on many old thoughts and patterns you have set for yourself. Freeing you from seeing things in your past as you once had, you can now gain a new perspective and recolor your thoughts about people, places and things in your present.
No comments:
Post a Comment