Armchair Zen

There are two of you within you.

There’s the you you know, the dialogue in your head, your conscious actions and feelings.

There’s a You 2, too. This is the you that’s living deep in that brain. An instinct you and subconscious you. This you helps you out by reminding your heart to keep pumping, reminding your diaphragm to expand and contract your lungs resulting in respiration.

You 2 tells you to run when you hear a very loud noise. Tells you to stay when you see the one you love. Tells you to salivate when you smell burgers cooking.

You 2 is the you that you don’t really control. You can train You 2 a little.  To recognize that a hummingbird’s buzz is not a giant wasp buzz.  To override fear in order to jump out of a perfectly good airplane if you skydive.

Most of what You 2 does is out of your control. Like the lessons on “Seeing” that which is not there. You 2 is very good at seeing what’s not there, hearing what’s not said, fearing what’s not happening, not fearing that which in fact IS happening. 

You can’t control You 2, but you can listen. When You 2 is scared, you can reassure. When You 2 calls out a warning, you can heed.

Just be careful when You 2 does what it does best, which is to make stuff up and predict the future based on experience.

Unless you’ve led a perfect life, You 2 is operating on imperfect information.

Be at peace, both of you.

Paz