Being pulled back by the past.

Most of us have the feeling of being pulled back by the past.  It may be memories that are sweet and full of the magic that made an aspect of our lives more vivid.  Such as attending a beautiful ceremony, listening to an opera with a great tenor or something that captivated our soul.  Most of us however, are drawn back into the past because we feel the longing to complete an aspect of our lives such as a broken relationship.  Unresolved conflicts with loved ones who were cruel to us that we hang onto because that pain has found a perfect home within us and it's easier to keep a feeling that is familiar than learn how to clear the negativity from our consciousness.  They don't have to exist because quite simply they don't exist any longer.  It is your minds propensity to drag you down that never ending spiral of negative emotions when we start to recall the past.

It is not a blocking, denying or suppressing that I am talking about.  It is an inner clearing and recognizing when negative emotions grab our inner soul and turn our inner experience into one of pain and anxiety.  When you go back into a bad memory all of the emotions associated with the occurrence are rekindled and the more you allow your mind to take you back the faster the experience will recreate and the more intense the feelings.  The reverse also true.  Once you are able to clear inner negative junk that has accumulated from past experiences through meditation and other spiritual practices such as prayer and mantra repetition called jappa you will be able to monitor your inner state and immediately recognize and respond when negative thoughts occur or a negative feeling attaches itself to your inner state. 

Set aside at least half an hour daily to meditate.  Choose an area that will be undisturbed and keep it clean and prepared for meditation.  As you sit there and meditate regularly the energy or power that you tap into in meditation will accumulate thus making it easier to go into meditation.  Please see my Youtube.com meditation tape for instructions.  Your mind will come up with all kinds of reasons why not to meditate and when you sit to meditate it will chatter and your body may ache.  Let it all take its course as it will eventually go away as your heart becomes lighter and full of love.  The heart rules the mind and you are in control of your mind and emotions.  It takes a disciplined practice to walk the spiritual path but your choice is to stay at the level of pain due to spiritual contraction or to follow the teachings of liberated Master's who can show you the way.  When I taught adolescents in a detention center how to meditate I used the analogy of what it's like to keep walking into a brick wall and then realizing that life can be approached differently.  It's up to you when the time is right you will want to change.

Things that you can do to focus your mind on positive things when you wake up is to keep a picture of your higher power by your bed so that you connect visually with that Being before you have time to think of anything negative.  Repeat the name of your higher power or mantras that you have been given by a Master.  Breath deeply and easily and thank God for the new day.  Gratitude is an uplifting spiritual practice.  One practice that I have done and found beneficial is to picture my Master's feet above me in the shower.  In the East the feet of the Guru are conduits for God's power or Shakti to pour out to the devotee.  That is why Indian's touch the feet of the master and some worship the sandals or padukas that represent the Guru's feet.  Know that you are being cleansed of all past actions as the power of the Master's feet flow down to you and all negativity's are washed away in the water from your body.  Grow in silence.  Learn to be quiet with God.  That means not having the television or radio on even as background noise.  The more you are silent and the less your senses are pulled outward the more you will connect with your heart.

If you have a particular issue with someone that is causing you inner distress try to go inside and ask yourself to identify what it is that needs to be resolved.  Journal after meditation and what that you experience in meditation will come up if you need to work on particular issues.  Try to resolve problems with relatives and friends and if they are not open to discussing the issue then you will have to pray and release them from your life.  You cannot win every person or battle in the way you would like to end things.  People can have control over many aspects of your life.  They can steal your money for instance or try to do you out of an inheritance as has happened in my family but they cannot change how I respond with detachment and love.  This Power that we possess likes to be in harmony and if people cause disharmony it won't be something that we can live with.  Especially as we are developing on the spiritual path it is good to stay in good company with others who are also on the spiritual path.  For enlightened Master's they can handle the bad karma and energy of people.  Learn to be protective of your own Power.

Your diet is a key component for your spiritual development.  Choose foods that are full of life and have the energy giving force in them still.  I have often seen people eat vegetables that look wilted.  How can that possibly charge your cells?  Become mindful about all that you expose your body to.  That means buying clothes and products that have not been produced by way of harming animals.  In the health food stores there are many organic products that are non-animal tested.  Be aware of the harm caused through dies.  I am a nurse and a patient told me that his great toe and bone became infected due to wearing socks with a dye that got under his toe nail.  If you can wear organic cotton socks with natural dyes.  Gradually your consciousness will want to choose these things for now be mindful and decide what you can give up.  If you can eat only vegetarian foods.  If you buy animal produce Wal-Mart buys from farmers who allow the animals free range.  Buy locally if possible from farmers markets and select the heirloom fruits and vegetables.  The usual store varieties and genetically modified and there are questions about the risks to our health.

Be gentle with yourself.  Learn to structure your day and keep to routines.  Cook for yourself instead of eating out and enjoy the simple foods.  Rest and keep to a regular sleep pattern that will support you spiritually as you meditate and connect with your heart and higher cortex of the brain.  You have been used to responding to emotions that can be brought under control.  Keep to the practices and you will reap the fruits of your efforts because you will have the Grace of your higher power to support you.

Please feel free to contact me at: lawrencerita511@gmail.com