The natural reaction to having one's fingers trapped in the bamboo wrapper is to pull them apart, but due to the weave of the fibers, pulling binds them even tighter. In order to be released from the grip, one must push the fingers together and then ease them out slowly.
This is a metaphor that illustrates how control can often be problematic in our inner worlds.
Consider this: We can control our environment. You could re-arrange the furniture in the room you are sitting in...paint the walls your favorite color...get new art work...buy a new car...a different house...etc. I'd venture to say that 95% of the time we can control, at least elements, of our external world.
But when it comes to our thoughts and feelings control does not work as well. We think it should...it seems like it should. Sometimes it seems like it works for other people. And maybe it does a little, some of the time, let's say 5% of the time.
But I'll prove to you right now that you can't control your own thoughts....
Think about anything you want to for 30 seconds...except a White Polar Bear. Go!
I won't even post a picture of one here because I bet your mind came up it's own image pretty quick. Even if you have a mind made of steel and didn't think about a polar bear, how would you know not to think about a polar bear unless on some deep level you were thinking about avoiding thinking about a polar bear?
So I hope I proved my point that we can't control our thoughts and let's face it, Sometimes our Mind is Not Our Friend. Sometimes trying to control our thoughts and feelings (especially negative ones) can even make them stronger. That which we resist persists.
What does this mean for us? I think I'll pick up on this for the next post...stay tuned.
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