I notice I like the term identified mind. It’s simple, clear, and fits my experience.
Mind identifies with/as an image or thought, and a few different things happen.
There is a sense of I, and of being that I. There is a sense of separation.
There is usually a sense of a me, a human being in the world, and identification as this me.
There is identification with/as the viewpoint of the image or thought. It’s held as true, to the exclusion of other – apparently contradictory – images or viewpoints.
A should, need and/or want comes out of this identification, and it seems real.
This identification may trigger a range of emotions – from happiness and elation (when the world aligns with the should, need, want) to sadness and anger (when it doesn’t).
And non-identified mind is still here. Love is still here. Intelligence is still here. A quiet guidance is still here. At most, it’s not noticed since mind is distracted telling itself it’s identified, trying to make the identity created from it appear real and solid, and getting caught up in a range of related images and thoughts.
Since mind is free of identification (clear, awake, love) and identified (caught up in images, thoughts) at the same time, it’s possible to notice both at the same time. And that brings about a shift. From being apparently completely caught up in identification, there is a shift into (a) noticing both there at once, and (b) perhaps a softening of identification (it tends to happen, although it’s not needed for noticing).
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notes….
– identified mind
– identified with/as an image or thought
– human, gender, age, viewpoint, even emotion (i am sad) (identified with the image/thought creating sadness)
– when welcome etc., recognized as an object, something that’s here, comes and goes, soften/release identification
I also see that welcoming what’s here – the images, thoughts, emotions, identification – brings a shift. Something sees what’s happening, and it’s different from the identification. The center of gravity shifts into non-identified mind.