Metanoia – Mindset Change

Walking the Camino de Santiago is such a huge challenge. It is a significant physical, emotional and spiritual challenge that, I believe, requires one to set their “mind to it”. It takes a transformation of the mind, the Greek word for this is Metanoia. I like to use the word, mindset. You have to “set your mind” to this huge challenge. You see a mindset change puts your mind in charge to the task regardless of the feelings are flooding you throughout the walk to stop or to quit.

My wife, Terri, had a very strong “Camino mindset” during this long walk. She completed the Camino despite what turned out to be a stress fracture in her ankle. This meant she was walking in pain for a great majority of the time yet she did not let her feelings overwhelm her mind. She had “set her mind” to completion of the walk. She completed the walk despite the stress fractures in her ankle. It truly is amazing what we can do when we “set our minds” to a task.

I recently came across a quote that has resulted in a renewal of my mind. I am experiencing a mindset change as a result of this quote and my meditation on it and what it means to me. The quote is from French philosopher, named Gabriel Marcel and goes something like this:

“You cannot look for both the good news and the bad news in others simultaneously. If you are looking for the bad news, it eclipses the good news. However, if you are looking for the good news, it puts the bad news into a larger and more positive perspective. Unfortunately, “looking for the bad news” is our default drive”” Gabriel Marcel

This short quote has so much wisdom in it and it has helped me to examine my life more closely. The last sentence of this quote in particular is sticking with me. Am I defaulting to the “bad news” when I think or speak or interact with others?

Can I change my mindset to be looking for the “good news” first? There are so many examples to apply this “mindset”. How easy it is to see only the bad news and then letting my feelings of anger or fear drive my attitude and behavior toward others.

I have also been considering more closely at how I “consume information” about others. Am I consuming information that is focusing me only on the “bad news” of others and that is manipulating my feelings about others. This hard stuff and a real challenge I am finding.

Yet I really want to “set my mind” to doing this from now on. It seems to me something we all can benefit from doing. I hope you also might consider trying this “mindset” change as well.

 

Blessings and grace to you all,

John

Photograph of the Month

Getting Away From It All

This is a composite photo. I took two images and merged them together. These two images were taken while traveling through Enunclaw on the way to a hike in Mt Rainier National Park.

I chose this image because I thought it worked well with this blog. To have a mindset change we need to sometimes get away from it all to get a new perspective, a change of mind.