Observing, Watching, Witnessing Your Mind

 The idea that you can merely observe your mind and experiences was first suggested in the A Course in Miracles community by Ken Wapnick and has become popular as students branch out and study other nondual teachings. So, let me address some confusion about these ideas.

This suggestion is often put forth as observing, watching, or witnessing your thoughts and feelings to get some distance from them. But I hear things from students like, “I don’t want to watch these thoughts. They’re terrible!” Or, “What am I watching for? What’s supposed to happen?” The word witnessing especially has connotations of watching for a purpose.

But what these words mean is that you can learn to let your thoughts and feelings be, without engaging with them, resisting them, or judging them. You are not asked to watch them for any reason, but when you let something be, all you end up doing is watching it. In other words, watching is an effect of not engaging with, judging, or resisting thoughts and feelings.

So, if the words watching, observing, or witnessing confuse you, instead you can say to yourself, “I’m going to just let these feelings be.” Or, “I’m going to just let these thoughts happen and not judge them.” It is a way of reminding yourself, “hands off.” You will not engage; you will not resist.

If you feel this is an ineffective approach to discomfort, be aware that engaging with, judging, and resisting thoughts and feelings only prolong them. By letting them be, you let them pass. And sometimes just by being with them, you discover something deeper beyond them, perhaps deeper beliefs that you will benefit by seeing. You get to know your mind on a deeper level when you are just with it instead of judging it or trying to change it (resistance). 

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If you have a question the answer to which you feel may be helpful to others, send it to Liz@acimmentor.com and I will answer it in this newsletter/blog

Comments

will said…
Thursday night, Friday mornings when I can't sleep, I wait for the blog to come online.
10:43 AM
will said…
I found at one point I was floundering in ACIM and wasn’t even aware of it. My spiritual efforts flittered from one thing to another. I had lost any sense of direction or discipline. I would go from chapter 5 to 20 and then to 15. A very effective ego strategy. I didn’t like how I felt and that awareness allowed the HS/Jesus to lead me back to the lessons. This time I was not going to be in control. I would be led and taught by Jesus. He would show me how He would have me grow and learn spiritually. What followed was an out of this world experience of being Taught instead of the egoic way of learning. He would set the pace, knowing when I had learned each lesson. My closeness to the HS/Jesus grew by leaps and bounds. I had become a happy learner.

The Course is written in layers. A lot of them. For me I found my spiritual growth was tied to accessing these layers both in the Text and Lessons. Giving up control of learning and being led I found was the only way to access these layers and make them mine. I use lesson 365 every morning to get my mind straight for the day. Maybe you will like it too.
5:01 PM
will said…
A sense of 'hurry or impatience' in all things spiritual are your signal that the ego has taken control again.
5:33 PM
will said…
When you read Course literature fast, at your usual pace of reading fiction or even a magazine article, the ego has blocked your learning. Being taught by the HS requires ‘slow reading.’ Goggle it and then go to the HS and ask to be taught how to do this slow reading. He will lead you to the optimum pace so you can hear his teaching as you read.
8:12 PM
will said…
Having practiced slow reading I felt led to read the text again and do the lessons. In reading the text I soon found I had no memory of reading it before! My first thought was dementia! But I soon calmed down and realized that everything I had read before was safely stored away and that I was being taught at a different level (or layer). Going through this is great reassurance I am on the right track. Over the past three years I have been led to read the text several times. It’s always the same. A new book! Another layer of text.
8:56 PM
will said…
For me, 'Hearing the Holy Spirit or Jesus teach' is not of the ears or even a voice in the mind. It is just an awareness it is happening.
2:22 AM
will said…
My experience with the HS/Jesus is only my subjective experience. It may something completely different to other people.
2:38 AM
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