I've just returned from The 9 Day School for The Work with Byron Katie (thework.com) and this question is running in me almost every time I have a thought that feels stressful. In 'The Work' Katie talks a lot about the 'I know' mind, the 'don't know mind', the universe is friendly and that everything is happening for us, not against us (as we so often believe). I came to see that when I'm busy believing a stressful thought I often miss what's in front of me and what can be for me. I call this missing the point. Simply noticing all of this in every moment is fascinating for me. Simply noticing... when I am in one mind or the other. It's so interesting to notice how often I'm in the 'I know' mind even though I like to think I'm an open minded person. Noticing this alone is HUGE! It's one of the practices that can invite more inner freedom (I've come to see there is no other kind). Noticing this 'don't know' mind and asking myself the question "Is it true?" one morning lead to me experiencing an encounter that I don't think I'll ever forget.
I was walking with my dog Lexi and a woman walked towards me and said "I thought I saw the otter over there but I think it was just a bird. My 'I know mind instantly thought "it can't be an otter as there are no otters around here and they are difficult to spot anyway. I just became curious and thanked her for telling me. The condition of the sea was ideal, and without the otter in my head at all I decided to go paddle boarding. I was in the water not even 5 minutes and there it was around 3 meters in front of me 'the otter'!. I was totally in awe. It swam around me for about 10mins before disappearing into the distance. I still can't believe it ;)