I do not have to get involved on any human level with shauris. Shauris are made by recognizing a wrong idea and then embroidering upon it with rumination, which is a constant return of the thought to a wrong idea.

 

 

 

When there is an idea you cannot let go of, when there is a negative something, perhaps a fear, that your mind keeps returning to, once you have embraced the possibility that something could be wrong, you are so frightened by it that you cannot put it by. Over and over again your body reacts to it, manufacturing fear receptors like an octopus spraying ink.

 

Think again

 

To interrupt any part of this process is to circumvent all of it, so let us begin with the physical. Begin with four breaths.  Inhale for a slow count of four, hold the breath for a slow count of five, exhale so gently that a candle flame before your lips would not flicker, for a count of nine.

 

 

If there is noise or distraction, take care to tune it out. Welcome the opportunity to exercise your ignoring muscle.

 

 

 

I hereby delete all causes of stress from my experience.

I realize that by focusing on them endlessly as I do, I am giving them all the life that they have.

Let me now, by my deliberate intent, deny these familiar causes of distress any of my attention.

I realize that this is an endeavor that will require some of my conscious attention, before I can relegate it into habit.

 

 

 

 

So let me now turn the light of my holy, dispassionate attention onto each cause of stress that materializes before me today like a black crow alighting in my path.

Let me dismiss anger and fear as mere interference, so I can regard each cause as an outside observer, and be amazed at their puny, misshapen aspect, and amazed that anyone could possibly be afraid of such a tiny, broken, puffed-up thing.

And as I reduce each cause of fear to dust, I open a channel for new, helpful information to come in.

 

 

 

Nature abhors a vacuum.

So let us send out all our fears, let us consciously dismantle them, dismiss them forever. Do this each time one occurs to you. Show the universe what you are about.

 

Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think on these things

Paul’s letter to the Philippians, 4:8