Random Thoughts II – The Predators Within

Watching my resident squirrel racing across the top of my garden fence with a chestnut in his (or her) mouth, stopping occasionally to check out that he is safe, and the small birds swooping into my bird feeder whilst also constantly checking that they are safe from their predators, has led me to another Random Thought… or perhaps an Insight!

In our westernised world we really have no natural external predators now but in their place we appear to have created our own internal predators… doubting ourselves and our capabilities, beating ourselves up if we make a mistake, believing that we are a neurotic imposter, being in fear of being found out, fearing and fighting criticism, lacking self belief and, most of all, believing that external circumstances or events can cause us anxiety, worry, stress etc; in some ways similar to the creatures in nature who live each day with the real possibility of being attacked by one of their predators.

A mind that is in regular turmoil living in illusionary fears, anxieties, doubt and worries has little space for insight and peace. When we realise that by dissolving our predators within, i.e. our habitual thoughts and associated emotions - our fallback take on our world - we gain access to our innate wisdom, knowledge, love, compassion, serenity, wellbeing etc. All qualities to which everyone has access when we quieten our thoughts and resultant emotions and return ourselves to our ‘factory settings’.

“It is not the power of the word or determination of the might, but the deep silent workings of our minds which bring the inner self and the outer self together into harmony.” Sydney Banks