Be still and know that I am God.

OK, trying the “be still” practice. Uh huh. Right now…practicing being still. Yep…really working on this stillness thing...

…jack hammer…drums...car alarm...motorcycle...
...barking...pounding...yelling...buzzing...

Not very still. Perhaps I’ll stop my thoughts. Yes, that’s it, just stop thinking. Deep breath. Ah...

No thinking. Thinking of not thinking.
Not thinking of the thoughts I'm thinking.
Thinking no thinking is never going to work.

Crap! Not working. Time to regroup. Slow the thoughts. That must be it! Think less and then I’m sure I’ll find God. Slow…slow…

…slow ride, da da, take it easy. Slow down - go down - got to get your lovin’ one more time.

DAMN IT ALL TO HELL!

This is completely pointless! I can’t rest my mind. There are a billion screaming people in my head. And they’re all freaking nuts!

I’M HUNGRY. WHAT’S FOR DINNER? I’M BORED. WHEN WILL THIS BE OVER? MY LEG IS STIFF. MY FEET HURT. I COULD BE DOING SOMETHING SO MUCH BETTER. MAN! I DON’T KNOW WHY I TRY THESE THINGS. WHY DO I WANT TO FIND GOD ANYWAY? WHAT IS GOD? IF I COULD GET MY MORONIC MIND TO SHUT UP FOR MORE THAN 5 SECONDS, MAYBE I’D BE ABLE TO FIGURE THIS OUT. IF I COULD JUST STOP THINKING, MAYBE I’D FINALLY BE ABLE TO THINK!

But the thoughts keep coming. It’s NASCAR on steroids. One after another after another. An endless stream of baseless dreams. Words pointing to symbols. Symbols pointing to words. There is no substance yet I believe it. All of this is conditioned. Thoughts are patterns carved into the mind without consent. There’s no real “me”, just the compulsive movement of thought!

I cannot make thinking stop. And if I don’t find some way to drown it out or distract myself from it, I will land so far across the line of sanity that no one will ever see me again!!!

So pour me a drink. Turn on the TV. Play me the “blues” and have a smoke. I’m in the constant pursuit of a better state. Something’s got to give because I will not, should not, can not put up with this incessant, meaningless sideshow any longer!

It is not possible to find God or Allah or awareness or conscious. It is not possible because no human being can ever be that still. No one can reach that level of quiet. Believe me. I’ve tried and tried and tried. It is not possible to MAKE IT QUIET.

OK? Got it? Fine!

And then, in the midst of this relentless chatter, I hear one more thought…

What if it’s quiet before I try to make it quiet?

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"An Open Invitation" is a multi-part journey from the known into the unknown.

HANG WITH ME KIDS - IT ALL COMES TOGETHER IN THE END

If the noise is the most true thing, why do I have to continually generate it?
Why does it die as soon as my mouth stops moving?
– Adyashanti