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Do you ever feel overwhelmed by your own thoughts? As if your mind was controlling you instead of the other way around?

John Cali

It often amazes me how much we can learn by simply observing ourselves. Especially when we do it deliberately and as objectively as possible.

I’ve been doing that with myself this past month or so. As much as I pride myself on being on a conscious, deliberate path of personal and spiritual growth, it surprises me how easily I can stray from the path. Sometimes without even noticing.

As Chief Joseph once said, "Pay attention to what you’re paying attention to." In other words, be fully present in the moment. Instead of allowing our minds to go in ten different directions at once. "Mind clutter" is what I call that.

How often have you noticed (and you will notice if you’re paying attention) your mind is somewhere off in space instead of being here now? For example, you’re talking to your mate, but not hearing what she’s saying. Instead your mind is preparing a reply to what you are guessing she’s saying.

I use that example because it’s so common for many of us, whether it’s our mate or anyone else.

Another example, and here I’m telling tales on myself: As I’ve been observing myself when I’m out jogging, my mind is often somewhere else. Maybe on the next newsletter. Maybe on someone in my family who’s sick. Maybe on what I’m going to make for supper that night. And so on -- you get the idea.

Instead of seeing all the spectacular scenery around me, instead of thinking about how perfectly my body is performing, my mind is cluttered with things having nothing to do with the present moment. I’m not fully present in the moment.

The Tibetan yogis speak of meditation as a tool to create a mind at ease, a mind at peace. A quiet mind.

Here's Chief Joseph.

Chief Joseph

Your modern world can be a very distracting place. There is so much available to you out there, especially with your modern technology keeping you connected to the whole world 30 hours a day, 8 days a week.

So it doesn’t surprise us so many of you feel little peace in your lives. Your minds are too cluttered with all that’s happening on your planet.

Unfortunately for those -- probably a majority -- who pay more attention to what’s "out there" in the world instead of what’s "in here" within themselves, life becomes a daunting and often depressing challenge. It’s a struggle just to get out of bed each morning and face another dreary day.

It does not have to be that way. It is a choice you make. You can choose to give more of your thoughts to the world outside, or to the world within.

We are not advocating you ignore the world and all its problems. But we are advocating you pay more attention to the world within you, to your thoughts and feelings.

When you get to the place where you can be fully present in the moment with love, you will find yourselves becoming much more peaceful, more at ease amidst the clutter and chaos of your modern world. And then you will see, despite all the clutter and chaos, there is much beauty and good in your world.

It is certainly important you remain in the world around you -- the only alternative is to leave your physical bodies. But it’s even more important to remain centered in that still quiet place within you. That place where you can be fully in your physical bodies and your physical world while, at the same time, remaining aligned with your higher selves.

When you can do that, you will find the worldly "distractions" become a blessing. When the noise and chaos become too much for you, you can go to that place of peace within yourselves.

One of the best ways to develop the habit of inner peace is to do just what John is doing now -- pay attention to yourselves, especially your thoughts and feelings. When you find your minds going in many directions at once, then stop -- and look, and listen.

Look and listen to where you are right now in this present moment. Just be in the present moment fully -- not in the past, not in the future. Just be here now.

That is the key to a quiet mind.

For more of our articles, go here.

Chief Joseph speaks more on this subject here.

This article was originally published here.

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Since 1992, John Cali has been communicating with a non-physical entity called Joseph. In one of his many physical lifetimes, this spirit was incarnated as the legendary Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce tribe in what is now the state of Oregon in the northwestern USA. These messages are a blend of information from Joseph, other spirits in the "Joseph group," and John.

John can be reached by email here or through their website
Private readings with Chief Joseph are available here: http://www.greatwesternpublishing.org/rdg/readings.html
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Copyright © 2007 by John Cali. All rights reserved.

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