Taking Life Off Autopilot

In our opinion, our conscious mind can develop self-fulfilling feelings of inclusion, love, compassion and the like with contemplative learning when it is in deliberate control of life. To be in control of life, it must take life off autopilot. Simple practices such as conscious breath taking are invaluable for that purpose. Ordinary breathing is on autopilot while conscious breathing is in our conscious control. Because we breathe all the time, we can practice conscious breathing at any time. Its magic of taking life off autopilot is incomparable. It transforms our body with good health preventing disease, makes our mind calm, happy and friendly, managing stress, and focuses the attention of our mind to pursue learning, exploration and purpose, preventing random distractions and fluctuations.

Conscious breathing is rooted in ancient yoga. Because of its deceptive simplicity, it is easily overlooked. It got lost and was rediscovered by Lord Buddha (Anapanasati Sutta). It may be too simple, but its effects are profoundly transformative. It gets lost again and again and is repeatedly rediscovered. Knowledge and wisdom seeking contemplators of all traditions around the world have been using it to calm, clear and focus the mind in preparation for their sessions of contemplation.

Conscious breathing can be learnt by a two year old just as easily as an adult. Transformation does not need to wait until we get old. The first step in the cultivation of heart and mind is a fluctuation free mind capable of steering life towards a desired direction.

Rumi’s four essential practices: eating lightly, breathing deeply, gazing intently and moving freely transformed him with a heart full of love, perception beyond limiting identity or nafs and gifting him with an ecstatic body in perpetual dance of love.

In closing, let me quote psychologist Carl Gustav Jung, “Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.”