Virus Within The mind

Sometimes we get into patterns of behavior that are not helpful to us. As a matter of fact there are some behaviors that are down-right destructive. Some does something to us, later they apologize or attempt to make up for it, yet instead of extending forgiveness, we hold a resentment - and build a negative wall of energy and emotion. I tend to think of these instances as bad computer code or a virus that it executing its malicious code.

You might ask how this virus or poorly written code gets in us? To that question, I might have a part or small piece of an answer. When we are growing up or just moving though our daily life, a part of us is programmed by our experience. It often has a very powerful effect on us. Some might experience rejection, verbal or physical abuse, or some other sort of negative experience that has a powerful impact on the psyche and code is then written or inserted into us. On top of that there is the tendency that we know that this virus is there and we intentionally hold on to it. We usually call this holding on "resentments, grudges, emotional scars or wounds."

If this virus or poorly written code goes unchecked, it has the ability to expand and consume more and more of our psychological, emotional, physical and spiritual resources. Unchecked and allowed to run rampant, eventually the dysfunction can become so pervasive that we can begin to not only have self-defeating behaviors, but actually shut down. Due to my line of work, I meet a lot of people who want to shut down, either through the use of alcohol and other drugs, eating disorders or thoughts and feelings that they would prefer to end their life. All of these things are signs that the virus code written into their brain has become to strong. It cannot be dealt with alone.

Towards a solution, every serious spiritual or religious tradition encourages us to meditate. The way I was taught through the Rinzai Zen tradition, it's is to have the capacity to rest in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. By resting in our selected path, we have the opportunity to allow the mud, dirt and turmoil created by the virus in our mind to drop and we can cease being deluded. Not enlightened.... just not deluded. And as we allow the virus to pass from us, we progressively find it possible not to be dominated and mismanaged by the self-centered nature of this delusional force. In essence we can become genuinely free.

Genjo Osho says, "Sitting on the [meditation] cushion is not a pretty picture. We want to runaway [from ourselves]." True, true, true. But with consistent and strong effort and determination we can gain our so-called "Center," and be free of this virus within the mind.

May Your Life Go Well,

Jaye Morris, Curator
digitalZENDO