LEARNING THE PRACTICE OF THE QUIET MIND

© Belinda Gore, Ph.D. 2005

The Enneagram teaches us that our mental bodies are designed to be a still and empty space onto which Being can imprint itself in thoughts and impressions to inform and guide us. For most of us, however, our minds are anything but still and quiet! Because we have not learned to be mentally receptive, and are instead full of opinions and data and continual internal dialogue, we are often tense and preoccupied with trying to solve problems. To add to the cacophony many people are almost never without the background noise of a television, radio, or CD player.

EXERCISE

With the purpose of discovering what your mind is up to, try one full day without television, radio, tapes or CD's. Of course you can't control Musak in the elevators and the radio playing at the gym, but do your best to avoid having background sounds during the day and evening. Notice how your home feels to you without music or commentary during the morning. What do you think about during your drive to work? How do you spend your time in the evening if you are not watching television? Do you feel anxious, calm, or not any different at all? Talk with the people you live with or work with to get their support and also to share with them your experiences with this experiment.

As more and more people practice meditation, there is some common familiarity with learning to empty one's mind. Some people say they can't meditate; too many thoughts start entering their minds and it seems a hopeless exercise. Those people prefer guided meditations, in which a voice (on tape or in a class or group) leads them through an inner journey of relaxation and often a "story" that opens up access to intuitive knowing, similar to dreaming. This is a good way to begin the practice of developing a quiet mind.

EXERCISE

A simple practice that you can do regularly is to learn to focus on the tip of your nose as you count your breaths, each count as one inhalation and exhalation. As you slowly count your breaths, you will begin to notice that the mind, unaccustomed to such boring activity, will start to pursue other thoughts. Soon you are busy again with the usual inner commentary and problem solving. If you have not learned this practice, find a quiet place in your home and sit comfortably; close your eyes and begin noticing your breath, the gentle rising and falling of your chest or belly as you inhale and then exhale. If you can, bring your awareness into your belly and begin to count each breath as one sequence of inhaling and exhaling. Count ten breaths, noticing when your mind becomes active, just noticing, then bringing your awareness back to your belly and your breath. Then count another ten, then another, always bringing your attention back to the breath and the belly. Five cycles of ten breaths will take about five minutes.

As you become proficient in sitting quietly you can begin to observe the content of what arises in your mind and your emotions. Emotionally it is helpful to identify the content as one of five major feelings: sadness, anger, joy or peace, loneliness, or fear. Or, to make it easier to remember: sad, mad, glad, alone, afraid. By just observing and not getting hooked into the current personality drama, we can go progressively deeper to discover what is driving us at the moment.

Notice what resistance you may have toward practicing any of these exercises. The resistance is usually the personality not wanting to let go of its usual control of our consciousness. However, the personality keeps us in a rut. We learn from the Enneagram that deep in our consciousness are basic fears that we are continually trying to avoid. Our behavior is likewise modified by instinctual energies that we are usually unaware of. How much more flexibility we have, how much more freedom, when we can make choices and receive guidance rather than being driven. Liberation is the term given to the highest level of personality health and it is the sweet reward of undertaking spiritual practices every day.