This book was one of the recommended readings before my Meditation & Mindfulness teacher training which starts late June 24. Not often does a book transport you to a quiet place of contemplation, while showing you how to cry and smile from the heart as the words touch your soul and your understanding of stillness emerges. An easy-to-read deep dive into the powers of the mind, the clutter of the thoughts and the truth that none of your thoughts matter. We are not our thoughts and we can choose to live more lightly.
20 of my favourite moments in this book include:
A reminder that “success and happiness are two different things” and that one does not lead to the other.
“That which is peaceful inside of us humans. That which is still and calm, that isn't ruffled by thoughts that are always present in the background - that is valuable, that is worth taking note of. That has rewards.”
“Breathe more, think less.”
“I have thoughts, I am not my thoughts.”
Our expectation of meditation could be more realistic. “Only dead people have quiet minds.” Meditations is about many things one of them is that the interruptions from the monkey mind are “thoughts - no truths.”
Three gifts from Buddha:
1 Focus on the breath
2 “Nothing lasts. Not even the difficult times.”
3 “Directing our attention, choosing what we aim it at, is the best and possibly the only thing we can do when things get really hard.”
To keep a pure heart; “either you do nothing wrong, or you admit to your transgressions.”
“All we have to do is pay attention, because our wisdom isn't as loud as our ego.”
“All of us are like pebbles washed up on a beach. When we get there, we're rough and jagged. Then the waves of life roll in. And if we can find it in us to stay there and let the other pebbles on the beach jostle us and rub against us and wear us down, our sharp edges will slowly but surely fade. We’ll become rounded and smooth, we’ll reflect the light and begin to shine.”
Save yourself energy and frustration by learning to like others “exactly as they are”
Be open to always learning. “Knowledge is proud of all it knows. Wisdom is humble before all it doesn’t know.” There is always more to understand.
“Practising letting go is one of the most important things I’ve learned. The wisdom of that is profound. We never stop benefiting from getting better at it. The only way to get rid of thoughts that are harming us, that are making us feel small, useless, lonely, afraid, sad, angry - is to let them go. It's the thoughts we have real trouble letting go of that tend to harm us the most.”
“I may be wrong.” The idea is that when going into any conflict you repeat this to yourself 3 times. It’s simple but very effective.
“The more refined forms of happiness are characterised by the absence of things, rather than the presence of things.”
“If you don’t unquestionably believe everything you think, if you’re completely mindful (and only when you are), if your attention is unfettered, you will discover a fundamental truth. That the universe operated according to this principle: You will know, what you need to know, when you need to know it.”
“There are two types of thoughts that dominate almost all humans: thoughts revolving around our own history and thoughts revolving around our own future. It’s as though you’re walking through life lugging these two big, heavy, important bags with you. Try putting them down, just for a bit.” Taking a break from these thoughts allows for intuition to be heard. If the future is a plan and the past is based on memories, which are normally rife with inaccuracies, there is only the now which we have control over and access to.
“Responsibility - is the ability to respond.” Are you taking on more than you should?
“We learn in stillness, so we remember when the storm comes.” This is true of Yoga and Meditation. We are learning to be more present in times of struggle and to respond with more grace and ease.
“The meaning of life is to find your gift and give it away.” Have you given yourself the time and energy to explore your gifts, so that you can share them with the world?
“I can dance with life instead of trying to control it. I can live my life with an open hand rather than a clenched fist in fear. I really don’t want to give anyone the impression that you have to go and live as a monk or nun for 17 years to access the kind of wisdom I’m talking about. In Hinduism, there is a saying: ‘God hid the most precious of all jewels where he knew you would never look for it: in your own pocket.’”
Some of these lessons have been heard before, and some are repeated in other books but there is something about Bjorn’s story, his sacrifice, his trust, his surrender that shows us that anything is possible. Listening to our inner voice, nurturing it and allowing it to be heard more than our ego is a practice, that takes patience and compassion but what if he is right? What if the secrets to a more wholesome and happy life live within each of us? Just under the surface, just within reach.
I highly recommend this book, it filled my cup and set the tone for my Meditation and Mindfulness Teacher Training, that everything is within reach. I look forward to sharing more about my next dive inward over the coming months.
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20 Moments From 'I May Be Wrong' by Bjorn Natthiko Lindeblad
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