| Once you understand how your mind works, you | | | | yourself for daydreaming. |
| must question the truth of what it has been | | | | |
| telling you. This allows you to shift from a | | | | What occurred is that your conscious |
| closed state of mind to openness. First, we | | | | awareness was attracted to a distant thought, |
| will describe how your mind creates your | | | | focused on it, and lost itself in the |
| story, and then we will give you a simple | | | | thought. This thought process is going on |
| method to shift your view of the story it has | | | | within you all of the time. It is the source |
| created. Notice we did not say you created | | | | of the parasite mind's story creation. |
| the story. Your mind did, and as you will | | | | Throughout your life the parasite mind takes |
| see, you are not your mind. | | | | imprints from your experiences and creates a |
| | | | blueprint, which becomes what you operate |
| The illusory sense that your mind is you is | | | | from. For most of your life, this thought |
| what is often referred to as the ego. Albert | | | | blueprint stays the same, because these |
| Einstein once commented that the ego is "an | | | | thoughts are familiar and safe. They are what |
| optical illusion of consciousness." The | | | | you know at the parasite mind's level. |
| Toltecs of Mayan culture called it the | | | | |
| Parasitic Mind. In Zen Buddhism it is | | | | The emotions that arise from your thoughts |
| referred to as Monkey Mind. You might have | | | | are also recognizable, with fear and love and |
| also heard it called your Gremlin. Call it | | | | other types of feelings appearing based on |
| what you will, this parasite mind creates the | | | | your personal experiences. In this case, the |
| interpretations that you use to create your | | | | annoyance arose from self-judgment for |
| reality. Your external world is a reflection | | | | missing your exit. If you had a past |
| of this illusion. | | | | experience of being punished for daydreaming, |
| | | | the resulting emotions might cause an even |
| If you've ever felt as though you've been | | | | stronger reaction. |
| possessed by an outside entity, it's because | | | | |
| in effect, you have. Unfortunately, most | | | | When something happens to trigger an emotion, |
| people have completely lost the awareness | | | | your reaction to the event will be fairly |
| that the voice in their head isn't them; they | | | | predictable. Eventually, the thoughts and |
| are in a form of denial. Of course, that | | | | feelings will dissipate. Meanwhile, the |
| denial is also the parasite mind speaking. | | | | parasite mind continues to create stories |
| The very survival of the parasitic mind is | | | | based on the mental, emotional, and physical |
| dependent on your belief that the story it is | | | | inputs that triggered the painful emotions. |
| creating is true. When you live in this | | | | As a result, you lose contact with where your |
| state, you are what some refer to as | | | | thoughts actually originated. Although they |
| spiritually unconscious. | | | | were caused by an external source, they are |
| | | | now controlling you and the way you live your |
| So how exactly did the parasitic mind take | | | | life. |
| control of your consciousness to create its | | | | |
| story? Your parasite mind focuses on three | | | | As time goes by, the parasitic mind observes |
| types of objects: mental, emotional, and | | | | and records more and more objects, drawing |
| physical. These objects are separate from | | | | your consciousness deeper and deeper in to |
| your consciousness, but the parasite mind | | | | that inner surround-sound theater. Your |
| wants you to believe they are one and the | | | | parasitic mind has gained control because |
| same. | | | | you've lost perspective: the cause of your |
| | | | thoughts is not you. But your true self is |
| Here's a simple illustration of how the | | | | always at the center, looking out at the |
| parasitic mind works. Imagine you are driving | | | | feelings, thoughts, and physical objects the |
| on a long, straight highway. You notice a | | | | parasitic mind is focused on. You are not |
| house that you admire and you begin to think | | | | orbiting around those objects; they are |
| of all the things you could do in that house, | | | | moving around you. However, the parasitic |
| your children playing in the backyard, the | | | | mind has tricked you into believing that the |
| way holiday lights would be seen by people | | | | reverse is true. As a result, you are now |
| driving by, what you would plant in the | | | | living an unconscious life with the parasitic |
| garden. Your consciousness is drawn in to the | | | | mind directing the show. |
| story the parasitic mind is creating. As you | | | | |
| think of all the possibilities, your emotions | | | | When you lose your consciousness to the |
| and mental reactions draw your consciousness | | | | parasitic mind, the natural tendency is to |
| in further. Your awareness is now in an inner | | | | close down because the emotions that |
| movie theater watching your thoughts create a | | | | accompany the parasitic mind's thoughts are |
| major motion picture, a story that begins to | | | | real, and often uncomfortable. When you make |
| expand in your thoughts. You are no longer | | | | a choice to stay safe instead of recognizing |
| sitting in your car; you are focused on the | | | | that your thoughts are the cause of your |
| inner show that's playing, which is | | | | discomfort, you become what you are observing |
| completely unrelated to your driving. All of | | | | and experiencing. The parasitic mind and its |
| a sudden, you look up and realize that you've | | | | external focus is driving you instead of your |
| passed your exit. Now you have to drive to | | | | consciousness and inner awareness being the |
| the next exit, turn around, and head back to | | | | source of your actions. |
| your destination, quite likely annoyed with | | | | |