Inner Voice = stupid most of the time.

buckdawg · 10-21-2007, 09:48 AM

Picked up a book the other day, "The Untethered Soul". It's pretty good. First section covers the inner voice which is a constant thorn in my side. The book points out how the inner voice is constantly arguing with itself, oftentimes telling you what a bad person you are or pointing out your glaring deficiencies. Think about it, if this voice was a real person, who you listen to it? Of course not. Not to mention the fact how wrong this voice is. We still listen to it though don't we?

It tries to predict the future, it tries to read others minds and it is always stuck in the past. My inner voice is the single biggest obstacle I have to personal growth.

We don't have to listen to it though and it's not who we are. It's put there by our sub-conscious to protect us, as a defense mechanism. But what it really does is create a shell around us that no one can penetrate and we can't leave. When we're in this shell we can't truly love and we can't grow.

How do we deal with it? We observe. Try not to get wrapped up in it but just listen to what it's saying. I won't take you long to realize that this voice is really a whack-job. Instead we need to separate ourselves from this voice and realize that this voice is not who we are. While it may be a part of us it's not a significant part. It's a part we have that we have to overcome, nothing more nothing less.

istillluvu06 · 10-21-2007, 10:03 AM

Sounds kinda scary when you think about it, that you almost have another entity inside of you ruining your life.
I know what you mean about this inner voice, it can help in alot of instances but also hurt you too.
Does the book mention how to decipher between what is gut feeling and what is negative inner voice?

buckdawg · 10-21-2007, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by istillluvu06

Sounds kinda scary when you think about it, that you almost have another entity inside of you ruining your life.
I know what you mean about this inner voice, it can help in alot of instances but also hurt you too.
Does the book mention how to decipher between what is gut feeling and what is negative inner voice?

i don't know that it's a whole other entity but part of our sub-conscious which we all have. the sub-conscious stores all our thoughts and feelings from infancy and tries to protect us in potentially harmful situations. problem is it acts mostly as a boat anchor weighing us down instead.

and you're right too, the inner voice can be right but unfortunately it is totally discredited by being wrong a lot too.

with regards to the 'gut feeling'. i think if you trust yourself then the right answer will be obvious.

Timebandit · 10-21-2007, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buckdawg

How do we deal with it? We observe. Try not to get wrapped up in it but just listen to what it's saying. I won't take you long to realize that this voice is really a whack-job. Instead we need to separate ourselves from this voice and realize that this voice is not who we are. While it may be a part of us it's not a significant part. It's a part we have that we have to overcome, nothing more nothing less.

Great topic. Theres a lot of buddhism in these thoughts.

It can be quite a shock to realize, that we are not able to be in the present moment for just brief moments (anyone who has spent just a few minutes in meditation will know what I mean). Starting to become aware of the silliness of most of the inner monologue is an important first step. Only then we can start to become free of the slavery of the mind.

I might pick up the book sometime.

buckdawg · 10-21-2007, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Timebandit

Great topic. Theres a lot of buddhism in these thoughts.

It can be quite a shock to realize, that we are not able to be in the present moment for just brief moments (anyone who has spent just a few minutes in meditation will know what I mean). Starting to become aware of the silliness of most of the inner monologue is an important first step. Only then we can start to become free of the slavery of the mind.

I might pick up the book sometime.

actually Buddhism is mentioned throughout the book and the more books i pick up that interest me the more i'm thinking of researching buddha more. maybe it's just suited better for my personality but so much of it just 'clicks' with me. know what i mean?

love4life · 10-23-2007, 04:44 PM

Just have to say that I love the title to this thread. Makes me laugh!

10-21-2007, 09:48 AM	#1
buckdawg Offline Gold Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Central Ohio Gender: Male Age: 37 Posts: 928	Inner Voice = stupid most of the time. Picked up a book the other day, "The Untethered Soul". It's pretty good. First section covers the inner voice which is a constant thorn in my side. The book points out how the inner voice is constantly arguing with itself, oftentimes telling you what a bad person you are or pointing out your glaring deficiencies. Think about it, if this voice was a real person, who you listen to it? Of course not. Not to mention the fact how wrong this voice is. We still listen to it though don't we? It tries to predict the future, it tries to read others minds and it is always stuck in the past. My inner voice is the single biggest obstacle I have to personal growth. We don't have to listen to it though and it's not who we are. It's put there by our sub-conscious to protect us, as a defense mechanism. But what it really does is create a shell around us that no one can penetrate and we can't leave. When we're in this shell we can't truly love and we can't grow. How do we deal with it? We observe. Try not to get wrapped up in it but just listen to what it's saying. I won't take you long to realize that this voice is really a whack-job. Instead we need to separate ourselves from this voice and realize that this voice is not who we are. While it may be a part of us it's not a significant part. It's a part we have that we have to overcome, nothing more nothing less.

10-21-2007, 10:03 AM	#2
istillluvu06 Offline Gold Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Stuck in NY But soon to be under the sunshine, next to the ocean, sand on my feet Gender: Female Age: 43 Posts: 758	Sounds kinda scary when you think about it, that you almost have another entity inside of you ruining your life. I know what you mean about this inner voice, it can help in alot of instances but also hurt you too. Does the book mention how to decipher between what is gut feeling and what is negative inner voice? __________________ **We must be willing to let go of the life we had planned, so as to accept the life that is waiting for us** Joseph Campbell

10-23-2007, 04:44 PM	#6
love4life Offline Platinum Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Arlington, VA Gender: Female Age: 28 Posts: 1,683	Just have to say that I love the title to this thread. Makes me laugh! __________________ "Don't jump FROM something; jump TO something."