“Be present in all things and thankful for all things.” – Maya Angelou
Day 9 – Lose Your Beliefs About Time
CENTERING THOUGHT
I make time today for my healing.
SANSKRIT MANTRA
Ananta Swa Bhava (My true self has no limits or boundaries.)
Message of the Day
By participating in modern society, it’s difficult not to automatically adopt many limiting beliefs about time. For instance, we believe that our time is limited, and we only have so much time to meet our demands. We often have to race against time, and expect that our time will eventually run out. These beliefs depend on the false premise that our true nature is as temporary as our changing bodies and our transitory thoughts. In today’s meditation, we learn that when we know our true self as present awareness, we transform our beliefs about time. We realize that time is not a fixed thing outside of us that measures our life, but a malleable experience we create from within our awareness.
Journal Questions
- How you experience the here and now depends on your beliefs about time. Write down three negative beliefs you hold, such as “I don’t have a good time anymore,” “Time is running out,” “There’s no time to waste,” “I never find the time to do what I really want,” or “There aren’t enough hours in the day.”
- Taking each item on your list in Question 1, say to yourself, “This is just a projection.” Now jot down the root cause of this projection, such as “I’m afraid of aging,” “I’m afraid of death,” “I keep running around and not getting enough done,” or “Others are much more efficient than I am.” Detail why you hold this belief inside of yourself – where does it come from, what tells you it’s true, and why do you still hold it? Remember to be honest with yourself during this self-examination. There is no need for judgment or self-censure during this process.
- Having seen that negative beliefs are a projection, write down how you feel about each of the following statements: 1. Life renews itself at every moment, 2. The best experiences are timeless, 3. This can be the best time of my life, 4. Every moment can matter. Now, notice where your answers seem more negative, and journal about some ways you can adopt a more positive perspective.
- Reflect further on your experience today.