Being raised Roman Catholic, I was taught at a very early age that if I even thought about rolling my eyes behind my mother’s back I would have a black mark on my soul.
I was constantly evaluating myself based on whether I was having good thoughts or bad thoughts. Whenever I had a bad thought I felt like a bad person.
Mindfulness meditation has helped me realize I am not my thoughts.
The truth is that the mind is constantly thinking thoughts. Some are helpful while others are not.
Mindfulness meditation invites us to notice thoughts without judgment, in a more neutral way. We observe thoughts without clinging or rejecting. We notice a thought, let it go, and come back to the breath.
Over time, we can train the mind to more quickly let go of negative thoughts. I call this “cowgirl mindfulness”. As soon as a “bad” thought comes into my mind I shoot it. POW!
This makes me chuckle and keep my sense of humor as I continue to take steps along my mindful path.