The mind is an incredible phenomenon. It has the power to innovate and make new paths in life for us to follow. But the mind can be as frightening as it is creative. There is one factor of the mind that displays this dichotomy of scary and interesting. This factor drives all of the mind’s decisions and influences your thoughts and actions. It can promote people’s ambitions, or keep you stuck in limiting beliefs.
But the good news is – you can control this one factor and establish a robust and stable mindset. You can maintain a positive attitude towards life and change your perspective on the nature of the world. The more you understand this one concept, the more self-control you can build.
Today, we are going to be talking about the inner voice – also known as self-talk – and how it can affect the mind if not controlled. We’ll also discuss how to control the inner voice and use it to your advantage to prevent harmful things such as mind viruses, which we will explain later on.
The inner voice is a constant stream of thoughts that we carry throughout our minds that influences how we think. We listen to our inner thoughts more than anything else.
Your inner voice acts as a bridge to connect the mind and body. It’s the mind’s way of communicating with you through your thoughts. And those thoughts usually reflect how you feel about your life at the current moment.
Our inner voices are the loudest during positive or negative events that happen throughout our lives.
Let’s take a job as an example. You walk into your job and ask for a promotion – in one scenario, you get fired, and in the other, you get promoted. The time you get fired may bring out some negative self-talk. Your inner voice may tell you things such as “I’m not good enough” or “I’ll never be successful”.
When you get promoted, it may inspire some positive self-talk. Your inner voice may instead sound like “I’m great at my job” or “I am a huge success”.
The experiences we have and have had dictate the way our inner voice speaks to us. If we incorporate positivity and seek goodness, we can develop a helpful inner voice that guides us in the right direction. Research from Mayo Clinic has shown that incorporating positive self-talk can help reduce stress and improve your health.
If you spread negativity and disregard the truth, you can create a harmful inner voice that distracts you. A negative inner voice endorses chaos for you and everyone around you. It builds an illusion by deceiving you into accepting limiting beliefs that keep you from being your best self. Studies from Very well mind have found that constant negative self-talk can lead to feelings of depression, increased anxiety, and lower motivation.
Most people tend to ignore the inner voice which allows it to become wild and impulsive. We must understand and manage our inner voice so it does not get out of hand. A lack of control can generate all sorts of harmful things such as internal conflict, limiting beliefs, faulty perceptions, and mind viruses.
Mind viruses can build a foundation for bad habits. We all know how tough it is to eliminate a bad habit.
Mind viruses also disrupt the natural state of the mind – peace. Peace and tranquility are our natural states of being because humans make the most progress when they are aware and relaxed. Anything that gets in the way of these states can lead to a loss of focus, stress, and a clouded mind.
One effective way to control your inner voice and bring it over to the good side is to identify and remove the viruses of the mind. Our favorite method to clean the mind is a consistent meditation practice. But before we get into any of that, we have to know what these viruses are.
Craving is the most influential virus of the mind. This craving feeling awakens your impulses, temptations, and desires. It also leaves you unsatisfied with life, always wanting more.
“What I have is never enough”.
Craving comes from the constant unfulfillment and lack of contentment that someone feels from everyday things or events. The unfulfilled feeling provokes an urge to try to fill that void with more of whatever the mind wants.
They desire more and more until there is either no more to give – or no more of them to ask.
The mind of a craving person is detached from reality and is extremely clouded with their temptation. All they see is what they want – and they will do whatever it takes to get it. It could be money, items, power, sex, or whatever else can distract them from real life. They feel the need to attach themselves to unimportant things to continue the facade that these distractions promote. Research from Medical News today shows that more materialistic people are more likely to be miserable, depressed, and unsatisfied with life.
Anger is a very forceful virus of the mind. When we are clouded by anger, we are blinded by our emotions – especially frustration. Frustration causes us to act in irrational ways if we are not careful. You become upset with the world around you as you blame everything else for your faults. The Harvard Business Review also supports these findings by mentioning how angry people impair their decision-making by relying on cognitive shortcuts.
“I want a solution now, the world owes me one”.
The virus of anger stems from impatience. We want the world to cater to us as we are, so we do not have to change.
People living with anger in their hearts walk this world with unrealistic expectations. That is why they become so upset with the world. They create false expectations of how everyone should be under their worldview. An angry person assumes that the world owes them something – while the world owes them nothing.
We all create our paths and earn the lives we live. The world does not owe anyone anything – but YOU owe yourself the best possible life YOU can reach.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
Ignorance is the most subtle virus of the mind. Ignorance occurs when we misunderstand the difference between truth and falsehood. This causes a strand mentality shift. This new mentality is arrogant and clouds the mind to believe that you are always right and everyone else is always wrong. The line that separates fact and fiction begins to disappear in the mind of someone that grows in ignorance.
“I know everything and you know nothing”.
There are two types of people in this world:
People who know that they don’t know – and people who don’t know that they don’t know.
Ignorance usually arises when someone avoids or misunderstands the truth. There are always three sides to a story: your side, the other person’s side, and the truth. A person that shows ignorance tends to only view the world through their subjective lens rather than an objective one. They ignore facts and logic – resorting to personal biases and judgments for every decision.
Ignorance is stronger than we realize. This is because ignorance can affect your moral foundation. Not only do we misunderstand the world around us, but the world within us becomes confusing as well. We lose a sense of right and wrong and create shaky morals. These morals can be unstable because they are made from ignorance and false perception. A study from Carnegie Mellon University has shown that information avoidance and will-full ignorance can lead to selfish or immoral actions.
Your morals can remain resilient to ignorance by engaging your mind, learning, and seeking truth. The more we learn, the more we can understand and put lessons into practice.
All of the viruses of the mind have one thing in common. They can all be cured with one simple thing that you can practice daily.
When you develop awareness, you can easily notice the things that damage your mind and eventually your body. In this sense, you can identify the viruses before they become too overwhelming and clear them for good.
Remember, our original mental state is peace. When our harmony is disrupted, it leaves room for psychological or physical troubles. Awareness helps us maintain that state of serenity and relaxation for the mind to stay balanced.
So, how can you increase your awareness? Well, the most common way to do so is through meditation.
Imagine your mind as a glass of water.
Initially, the water should be clear and we can see everything that is going on in the water. The water is transparent, as our minds should be. With a clear mind, we see our problems, goals, challenges, and dreams. We also see the solutions and best directions to follow for a fulfilling life. This is where meditation comes in – it is the key to maintaining the clearness of our mind.
Now, envision your mind as a glass of cloudy water.
This glass of water has been injected with ink. The ink clutters the water and makes it cloudy. When the water is clouded, nothing is visible but the dirty surface that blocks everything out. We cannot see anything so we assume everything is okay underneath. We have to rely on assumptions to guide us in decision-making, which can lead to faulty perceptions. In this instance, the ink is made from the negative experiences that alter your perception of the world. The link is your biases, judgments, stereotypes, and negative beliefs.
A good meditation practice can help clear the mind of the black ink that stains our perspective. Think of meditation as a life dye that cleanses the mind. This is because meditation can build curiosity and creativity – these things can encourage you to ask questions about your life and what you believe. A clear mind is one full of curiosity and drive.
So, how does one incorporate meditation into their life? With some help of course! And Samavira Meditation is here to help you.
Samavira is a global community of people just like you. People are interested in meditation and want to learn more or start practicing. Samavira hosts beginner-friendly training that is built around the style you desire. Yes, you create your meditation style. At Samavira, we promote creativity and flexibility. Meditation doesn’t have to be boring or difficult – it should be fun and relaxing!
We want to help you maintain calmness and clear your mind of its defilements. You do not have to go through hardship alone – join an uplifting group of other individuals who love wellness! Samavira has been an effective starting point for so many people looking to start mediation. It can be for you too!
If you’d like to know more about Samavira and how we can help you get started with your meditation practice, visit our website. Also check out our Instagram: @samavira.meditation, for daily inspiration and wisdom.
Experiencing flashbacks and emotional triggers can be an overwhelming challenge, often leading individuals to seek various coping strategies. Among these, meditation has emerged as a
You may be wondering, why meditation for seniors? The truth is, no one is too old or too young to meditate. Meditation is for everyone,
Being a meditation teacher is a beautiful path to personal growth, career satisfaction, and creating a positive impact in your community. If you have ever
In today’s busy world, many people are looking for ways to find peace. Meditation has become very popular because it helps people feel calm inside.
Adjusting to a new environment can be a daunting experience, filled with challenges and uncertainties. Whether it’s relocating to a different city, starting a new
The Power of Reflective Meditation Meditation is a practice that has been around for centuries and is known for its numerous benefits on mental, emotional,
