Michael Singer, spiritual teacher and author of the best-selling book The Untethered Soul, has written frankly and profoundly on the idea of living a life free from limitations -- letting go of painful memories, overcoming negative thoughts, moving away from fear and uncovering an enlightened space of inner peace. As Singer discusses with Oprah on an episode of "Super Soul Sunday," the journey toward this type of freedom and unconditional happiness is a spiritual one, but also one that contains practical daily obstacles.
One such obstacle is that nagging voice you may often hear inside your head. It's a disruptive voice, and one in which you can physically feel your energy start to change. "You're talking to somebody, enjoying the conversation and all of a sudden, they say something that hits something inside of you -- a soft spot," Singer says. "Your heart starts to close, your mind starts to figure out, 'Why did they say that? Did I say something wrong?' and you go south."
This energy shift marks a critical turning point. "You notice yourself starting to get involved in that reaction," Singer explains. "At that moment, you have to decide... 'Do I need to think about it or am I willing to just relax and let it pass?'"
Oprah repeats what she hears Singer expressing. "When something comes in to disturb you… the energy of it will drag you down into it," she says. "So, what are we supposed to do?"
"The moment it starts with that chitter-chatter... my first reaction is to relax and go away from that," Singer tells Oprah. "I lean away from the noise the mind is making."
Leaning away from that nagging inner voice, Singer says, creates a much-needed space. "You will learn over time that that's the smartest thing you ever did," he says. "Why? Because you gave it room to pass through -- and it will pass right through."
"Super Soul Sunday" airs Sundays at 11 a.m. ET on OWN.
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