Tina ThrussellA share from Tina Thrussell: This is the second article in a series covering the four initial Shin Dao pillars written for us several years ago by Patricia Atchison.
By Patricia Atchison
We have four separate, yet wholly sustaining entities, that make up our ‘selves ‘ or our ‘being’. You’ve no doubt heard about the Mind, Heart, Body and Spirit connections. All function as a whole, but are often separated as individual pieces in written articles, general topics of discussion, and courses that are offered everywhere, such as: Learn How to Open Your Heart; Listen to Body Wisdom; Gain Spiritual Growth; Mindfulness 101.
One of the guiding principles of the Shin Dao Institute is, “Inspire Your Mind”. An easy task, but what does “Inspire Your Mind” really mean?
Our bodies live in the now, the present. Our mind can be in the past, present and future. Being in the past is necessary, sometimes, if we are working our way through grief or tragedy, but it isn’t a healthy place to stay for any length of time.
Practicing mindful meditation brings our minds to the present. To be present and mindful in each and every moment allows us to define current successes, make choices, discover motivation, and overcome obstacles.
Looking into the future helps fuel inspiration and keeps our minds animated, which enables dreaming of the future and setting goals. Maybe you’ve read this popular quote,” Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve” by Napoleon Hill.
Inspiring your mind helps unlock creative potential, and that can lead to innovation, productivity, engagement, and creative flow to tackle obstacles. When you’re inspired, you have better focus and mental clarity. Your willpower and personal courage is stronger. You’re able to find self-control under pressure and live ethically.
How do you inspire your mind? Where can you find inspiration? Resources are everywhere! Events are everywhere! Make it a habit to look for inspiration in your daily life. If there is a topic that intrigues you, that you would love to learn about or take part in, you can search the internet, visit a library, or research it a number of ways. Listen to impulses. Feel enthusiasm. Use your imagination.
Maybe you have a parent, friend, relative, mentor or organization who motivates you to try new and different things when you see their positive outcomes. Perhaps an educational course offering speaks to you and you ‘must’ attend the class. Reading a magazine article or hearing something on the news might give you that brainwave rush of, “I must try/do/be that”. Travelling and learning about new cultures and languages is quite inspiring to the mind as well, as you’ll never know who you’ll meet or what you will learn along the way.
A fantastic example of inspiration, for me, was watching the recent summer Olympics in Rio. It was awe-inspiring to see every athlete perform; to learn how they trained and succeeded as I listened to their stories of accomplishment and saw their faces of jubilation. It would be impossible to journey in their exact footsteps, but feeling that rush may inspire you to new ideas and trying something you have never thought of.
The definition of ‘inspire’ is to be filled with the urge or ability to do or feel something. Let that something take you on a journey you never thought possible.
Now that inspires the mind!
