During my chakra balancing yoga session this morning, my teacher of Theo shared a message from Deepak Chopra, about having a quiet mind versus a positive mind. As I did my yoga flow, she invited me to notice the differences between the two. For the most part, all my attention was geared on not collapsing my forearm plank pose. However, during the course of the day, I thought a lot about the question and some ideas bubbled. Writing a post was the natural thing to do. So here I am, tapping my ideas on the differences between a quiet mind and a positive mind. By the way, I am describing this in a set of examples that best convey the feeling to me.
Sunny Days v Sunrises and Sunsets
A positive mind is like a beautiful sunny day. Bright, glowing and full of promises. Each and every flower petal is in bloom, displaying all the undertones of its spectacular colour. Besides, it is also an awesome day for selfies, because no filters are needed. A quiet mind is the meditative, almost trance like feeling you get when you admire nature’s painting of a sunrise or sunset. You just stand in awe and take the whole experience in. You stay still, pause, reflect and have an honest chat with yourself.
Cheerleaders v Players
Positive thinking lifts your spirit. It persuades you to think optimistically, to pull your socks up and get on. It reminds me of cheerleaders. Pleasant, peppy and perky, they sing your praises like welcoming the joy of spring. The cheeriness puts you in a better mood and frankly, fuels the fire to soldier on. Whereas, a player’s mindset is like the quiet mind. He or she drums out the outside noise, tuning in only to their inner wisdom for guidance on the next move. A quiet mind seeks refuge in the unconscious and soul purpose. It encourages surrender and trust to the forces of nature.
As an example, positive thinking is our introduction or interface with the outside world. We apply it like make up without doing the inner work such as hydrating the skin by drinking enough water. Here, like the sun sign, it gives others a general impression of our personality. You may have come across many people who speak about positive vibes and positive thinking as part of their public image. However, and unknown to many, on the inside, they struggle with loneliness, depression and insecurity. A quiet mind is similar to the moon sign that sheds light on our emotions and inner mood. It is a sheltered part of us, a sacred space where we bare our authentic self and personal reflections.
Which one do I prefer, a positive mind or a quiet mind?
Ultimately, it is about balance and in my view, having both a positive mind and a quiet mind are important. In summary, my caption for the positive mind would read as ‘You got this rockstar! Everything you do is ace!’. For the quiet mind, the caption would read ‘Walk with me into the doors of your soul. Let’s talk.’
If I had to pick one, I’ll choose a quiet mind because that is my inner compass and the true north must be solid. Otherwise, the outer shell will not glow. Shine from within and the positive mind will flow effortlessly.
What do you think? Drop me a line or word in the comments section below.