Well-being day
Have you ever noticed that you have a voice inside your head that is always talking? Even as you’re reading this you will probably notice that your mind is articulating the sounds of each word, and another part of you is listening. A question that springs to mind then is: who are you? Are you the voice that’s talking or the voice that’s listening?
According to some psychologists, identifying with the voice that is talking can cause many problems with mental health. If the voice says mean things, you will believe it. If it praises you, you might be happy for a moment but then become too proud. According to Michael Singer in The Untethered Soul, thinking of yourself as the one who listens to your thoughts is the key to happiness. This is different from thinking that your thoughts reflect who you are. Remembering that you are conscious of your thoughts makes you free to see them as a natural process of the imagination running its course. Whilst the rational side of the mind is incredibly important, thoughts on their own do not express who we are. We exist regardless of what we think, and it is very easy for our mind to play tricks on us when we feel tired, angry or depressed.
For well-being day, Year 8 and Year 9 read The Untethered Soul and tried some of the exercises the book suggests. One of these was repeating “Hello” in one’s mind three times. This deceptively simple exercise helps one notice how the mind forces us to come up with, and listen to, one’s own thoughts. These exercises try shifting the focus of consciousness. Most of the time, our awareness is almost entirely dependent on our thoughts and emotions.
What if you could be free of that incessant chatter in your head which is fickle and unpredictable? Remembering that you are not your thoughts but the one watching your thoughts is the key to true personal growth. Detaching yourself from your thoughts leads to objectivity, self-control and an awareness of one’s true nature. The students responded incredibly well to this activity, and opened up some thoroughly engaging classroom discussions!