In the pursuit of spiritual awakening, we often create a fierce internal war: the battle between the “centered” mind and the “unconscious” or wandering mind. This conflict is the very thing that prevents us from finding peace.
The secret to true centering is not fighting the dark, but allowing yourself to float.
The Danger of Spiritual Suppression
The spiritual journey is not about achieving perfect mental hygiene. If you feel fear around going unconscious or letting your mind wander, you are actually more likely to go unconscious. Why?
Whatever you try to suppress will work very quickly.
Anything you attempt to deny or repress will become intensely attractive and powerful. This is the root of dualistic suffering.
Therefore, do not have any condemnation of unconsciousness. In fact, go with it.
If it happens, let it happen; there is nothing wrong with it. Sometimes, falling into unconsciousness—allowing the mind to wander, dream, or rest—is exactly what your system needs. There must be some reason for it to happen; that is why it happens.
The Freedom from Worrying About Centering
A person who truly wants to be centered doesn’t have to worry about being centered.
If you worry about it, that anxiety will create the very turbulence you are trying to escape. Anxiety can never be centered; it requires a restless, striving mind to exist.
So, it is better to wander—to allow yourself the freedom of a restless mind—because there is nothing wrong with that.
Surrender and the End of Conflict
The core spiritual teaching is to stop fighting with existence. Stop thinking of winning all conflicts; surrender.
When someone surrenders, they stop forcing an outcome. If the mind wanders, you let it go; if it doesn’t, that is also okay. Sometimes you will be centered, sometimes you will not.
The true breakthrough is this: Deep down you will always be centered because there is no anxiety.The center is revealed when the struggle ends.
Without surrender, everything becomes a problem. The lack of mindfulness will feel like a sin that one should not commit, and you will create conflicts that are not there.
The Trap of Duality
Never create duality in yourself. When you forcefully define a “good” or “true” state, you automatically empower its opposite:
- If you always decide to be true, then there will naturally be an attraction to be false.
- If you decide to be nonviolent, violence will become a sin for you.
- If you try to be centered, ignorance will feel like a sin.
True freedom is accepting the entirety of your being, light and shadow. Stop trying to win, and simply rest in the truth of your existence.