Small mind and big mind

Small Mind and Big Mind

Our minds are more powerful than we can imagine. We are choosing, moment by moment, what we focus on. As you read this sentence, your mind might be a million miles away, remembering the past or predicting the future, stop.

"Stop" is an extremely powerful word used in hypnosis. Most of us go through our lives in a trance, running on auto pilot, relying on old thought patterns, stop. Let the word echo in your head: "stop." Nothing matters but right now - this moment is all we have.

Eye contact, facial expressions, body gestures and movements, specific phrases and words - these are all part of "small mind," a term I learned from a great Buddhist teacher. I'm not Buddhist, but I appreciate its wisdom. Beliefs, values, ideas, and attitudes - these are all part of "big mind."

When we focus on small mind, we become neurotic, small, insignificant people. When we focus on big mind, we become healthy, larger than life, significant people. Small mind deserves small attention. Big mind deserves big attention.

Let go of small mind. What are your beliefs about reality? What do you value in life? What unique ideas do you have? What is your attitude right now? Hold on to big mind.

Have 10 minutes to devote your *full* attention ? Tell me how you feel about the lyrics to this song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiV_ue-PbL4

If by small mind you mean things involving culture and society, then yes they are most insignificant in comparison to the big mind as it were.

But in my opinion, it must be balanced, cannot ignore them really otherwise your missing out on the depth it brings, but getting wrapped up in them is agreeably worse.

The song is about belief in everyone having an immortal 'soul' and the power of life imo.

Hey thanks for the reply

Doomed2Die said:

If by small mind you mean things involving culture and society, then yes they are most insignificant in comparison to the big mind as it were.

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I meant it in a more straightforward way. When we pay close attention to the little things that don't matter (a common problem with SA sufferers) this is small mind. Focusing on eye contact, trying to figure out exactly what words to say, being too self conscious of body movements, etc, that's small mind. Big mind is focusing on our ideas, beliefs, values, and attitudes.

Doomed2Die said:

The song is about belief in everyone having an immortal 'soul' and the power of life imo.

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Awesome, yeah I agree it has a powerful message about life and living in the moment.

flakeybark said:

if i hear 'live in the moment' one more time i'm going to have a shit fit something fierce////////////

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Live in the moment!!!!

But really, why don't you like that expression? Most of us are constantly remembering the past or predicting the future, like we're watching movies in our head. Just breathing and being fully aware of this moment is a really powerful thing.

flakeybark said:

man overboard

cause you might as well be saying 'please take out the trash' it just goes over my head entirely

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Yeah, nobody wants to take out the trash. So maybe you don't want to face the reality of this moment, because you'd feel more comfortable inside your head, with the company of your memories and future predictions?

Ok, that'll be $270 for the therapy session

flakeybark said:

hey were/are you by chance goth?

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In high school I was a hardcore computer gamer, and I played football in an attempt to be cool. I was sort of a generic kid with no enemies, very few close friends, and lots of acquaintances. Where'd you get the goth idea?

I'll say the reason why alot of people are so wrapped up in the small things is because they have no big thing to guide them, strong personal beliefs, religion, higher than average confidence ect. Without one of those, the big way of thinking is pretty terrifying.

SA of course compounds some small things into something more than small, and it stops becoming something easy to ignore. I personally have quite a strong belief, but that as it stands now is not enough for me to change instantly and shake off the small things. But still, very useful to learn the true values of the small things, and to remember them when feeling caught up.

(Off-topic: Heh wow, Tool has some pretty awesome music videos. Funny, never really bothered with them, but it's pretty interesting. Vicarious ftw.)