If we allowed our bodies to run as freely as we do our minds we would dash around constantly and only get where we were going after innumerable dead ends, endless detours and countless arguments with strangers as well as friends.
If our mind was a horse, we would get on without bridle or saddle, wrap our legs around its belly, our arms around its neck, close our eyes and let it run wild. If we spoke out loud all the noise in our minds none of us would look any more sane than the “crazy people” we see walking down the street in conversation with themselves.
Take a moment, close your eyes and listen to your mind. Better yet, try to still it. Time yourself. How long can you go without a thought? I do not mean to imply that thinking is bad. In fact, it is just this black and white, good and bad thinking we need to bring into some semblance of balance. What I am asserting is that we must learn to observe our thoughts with some measure of detachment and then intervene on them when they are unhelpful or ineffective. When we have honed our skills in this practice we will be able to take hold of our minds and choose our responses and behaviors much like we could take back control from our bolting horse by picking up the reins.
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