Hello,
I'm Susie Hewlett.
Welcome to this audio track,
Understanding Our Mental Weather.
How the mind and our thoughts create our lived experience of reality and how to enjoy every season.
Mental health and feelings of well-being are actually our natural state,
But they get covered up through life and our conditioning,
Like scratches on glass distort an otherwise clear view.
As newborns,
We react and respond to life naturally,
Without thought or limitation.
As we grow up,
We are influenced by our experience and adapt to people's expectations or guidance.
We subconsciously try to fit in by managing our behaviour.
This is normal and natural,
But it's worth being aware of this.
We can look to uncover the natural mental health and well-being at our core through understanding how the mind works to filter and manage life.
The mind will look for patterns and plug gaps to make sense of the world,
But this can lead to misunderstandings and limitations.
Once we understand this,
We can uncover any layers of misunderstanding,
To give us more peace of mind and a sense of ease.
A good example of how the mind can innocently or mechanically create illusion is the blind spot,
Which you have no doubt heard of or even experience,
Especially if you drive a car.
The retina at the back of the eye sends messages to the brain about what we see.
Where the optic nerve connects to the retina is a blind spot that the retina can't see.
We don't tend to notice or be particularly aware of this,
However,
As the eyes and brain cleverly work together to plug the gap or fill in the missing information.
This creates an optical illusion where perception is different to reality or what's really present.
Understanding how the mind works allows us to use our mind more effectively.
It's like reading the instruction manual for a new mobile phone or following the instructions when putting flat pack furniture together.
If we know how something works,
It's more likely we'll operate it correctly and to its maximum functionality.
Dysfunctional thinking can cover up our mental health.
That doesn't mean to say thinking positive thoughts only is the answer.
Whilst this may sound good,
We can't change how we automatically think,
Feel and see things.
It's much more complex and subconscious than that.
What we can change is our understanding of how thought works in us all to bring our experience to life.
Mental Weather If you think of the mind as the clear blue sky,
Our thoughts are more like the passing weather.
We can't control what the weather does.
We might be disappointed it's going to rain instead of being a sunny or dry day,
But we don't go out and try and change or manage the weather.
Our thoughts,
As well as feelings and sensations,
Will come and go without our input or control in the same way.
We don't need to try and change them.
We can just accept that we all have mental weather,
Knowing that,
Underneath it,
We have a clear mind that's mentally healthy.
This is freeing and much less serious than believing we have to work everything out to make ourselves feel better.
What to do One thing that is certain with the weather is that it will change all by itself.
It's the same with our thoughts,
New ones come and go all the time.
Focusing our vigilant attention on fears and worries can make those thoughts stick around and feel more important.
It's like poking a bruise,
Rather than letting it heal as nature intends,
Or trying to digest our food somehow.
We don't tend to get involved in that at all,
In fact we barely notice it.
Maybe we can have the same ambivalence to thoughts with this new understanding or awareness.
If you feel bogged down or concerned and serious,
Try to slow down and think of yourself as the clear blue sky.
Stopping for just a moment or two can help us drop into the present moment,
Out of our busy mind.
I think of it as settling back into the background.
You may find that new thoughts come to mind and you move on.
If negative thoughts do loop back round again,
Perhaps you can see them for what they are,
Temporary passing mental weather that will blow through by themselves if you let them take their course as you do the weather.
I'm pointing towards innate mental health and maintaining it,
Rather than mental illness and trying to treat or remove it.
It's very simple and hopeful and I think it's how we're really designed to operate,
More in the moment responsive.
If you have any questions or comments about this alternative approach to finding mental health,
Please leave a comment,
I'd love to hear from you.
Thank you so much for listening.
