This post is a reminder of what I often share with you. It’s not just about intellectual understanding but about practicing and experiencing until it truly sinks in.
Our Reactions and How to Approach Them
Every day, we encounter a variety of events and situations. Each time, our minds naturally react. For example, we might wonder, “Why is this happening?” or feel confused, thinking, “Why do I feel this way?” Sometimes, we may even think, “I don’t like my internal reaction.”
While these reactions can be bothersome, they are not something we consciously choose; they occur automatically and unconsciously.
So, is it possible to change these reactions? And how should we approach them?
When something happens, our minds react automatically. At that moment, you cannot stop these reactions because they arise naturally. Many people feel, “I hate this reaction,” “I hate this situation,” or “I hate myself for feeling this way,” and wish to erase or eliminate these reactions. However, it is not possible to erase them directly.
Trying to control these reactions is futile because they function like unconscious reflexes.
What’s important, then, is to shift your perspective from lamenting what you cannot do to focusing on what you can do. This is one of the universal principles of happiness that applies in any situation. Practicing this principle daily can bring remarkable ease to your life.
So, What Can You Do?
The answer is to become free from your reactions. Instead of trying to change or stop them, accept them as they are and choose a way of being that doesn’t get caught up in them. Leave the reactions as they are without clinging to them, and simply remain “free.” This is the one choice available to you now—and the only one that’s truly possible.
The Practice of SONOMAMA (As-It-Is-Ness)
The practice of SONOMAMA is like a workout for your mind, strengthening your ability to remain free. For example, when something unpleasant happens, let the emotions that arise flow without judgment and “just let them be.” Avoid getting swept up in thoughts like “It shouldn’t be this way” or “Why is this happening?” Don’t analyze why you feel this way. Instead, let the emotions flow naturally without interference.
By repeating this small practice, your mind will gradually transform. As you continue, your mind will naturally regain a sense of calm, and the reactions that once troubled you will arise less and less over time.
We all have a natural healing power—trust the process. Trusting in this innate healing power is yet another universal principle of happiness.
Living Naturally with Freedom
In other words, there is no need to try to change your reactions. Simply be free from them. To be free means to let your reactions exist as they are and to live in a natural state of being. Doing so allows you to move through life effortlessly, without resistance.
Not grasping onto your reactions and leaving them as they are holds the power to fundamentally change your mind. There’s a paradox in the fact that letting things be is what allows true change to happen. Isn’t it magical?
This simple practice draws out your innate strength, guiding you toward a more abundant and freer life.
Take the First Step
Let’s focus on what you can do rather than why you cannot do it. Why not take a small step today? Instead of being trapped by unpleasant events or reactions, try leaving them as they are and take your first step toward living lightly and freely.
Trust in your essential natural healing power and allow yourself to fully embrace the way things are right now. Everything is unfolding and changing naturally.
A small step is all it takes to start—and that step will eventually lead to a profound transformation.
White Rainbow in OZE National Park Words and Photo is by K E I K O
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