We often have the same negative thoughts going around and around in our brains, but we can change them when we arise and bind the brain with truth.

I always marvel at those men and women who lift heavyweights. It takes time, effort, and wisdom. Many of them you will see wrap a binding around their wrists or their waist. Boxers wrap their hands.

Perhaps you have seen other athletes wrap some support around their legs.

All to give some extra support to some weaker and perhaps fragile are of the body. Perhaps it has been previously injured and needs some extra support.

The verb bind means to tie, secure,or fasten as with string or rope. 

I don’t want to wake up in the morning.

One of my most-read posts is the post ‘She prayed to God that she wouldn’t wake up in the morning.’ In fact, since writing it in July 2018, it has been read over 1600 times, and over 83% of those reads have come through a google search.

There are many that pray not to wake up in the morning.

Life at times can feel too heavy, too hard, and you want it all to end.

The thought of having to lift that heavyweight of life, yet again the next morning, creates feelings of despair and hopelessness. In that place of emotional pain, it all feels too much.

Your feelings feed your thoughts, and you find yourself in a downward spiral—a vicious spiral sinking you into the mud of hopelessness.

I wonder about the words, phrases, mottos, and sentences of thoughts that are repeatedly said over and over again. Binding them to the brain.

Words have power. Sentences have meaning. Paragraphs shape our beliefs. Life happens one thought at a time by default or design.

Bind them on your heart

In the Jewish faith, the men wear a phylactery called a Tefillin,, a small leather box containing Hebrew texts at morning prayer as a reminder to keep the law.

They, in a very literal sense, are binding scripture to themselves.

Then there are these verses that talk about the binding of scripture.

You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. Deuteronomy 11:18

Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you;bind them around your neck;write them on the tablet of your heart. Proverbs 3:3

My son, keep your father’s commandment,and forsake not your mother’s teaching.Bind them on your heart always;tie them around your neck.When you walk, they will lead you;when you lie down, they will watch over you;and when you awake, they will talk with you. Proverbs 6:20-22

This seems to be an active process. Not passive.

I arise, and I bind

Somewhere in the years between 390 and 461 A.D., a man by the name of Patrick writes a prayer. It’s a prayer about focusing your thoughts.

In the oldest translations from ancient Irish, we have the lines ‘I bind myself’ and then with later translations, we have ‘I arise today.’

“I arise today” is generally considered a better translation of the first line than “I bind unto myself today.” according to the hymnology archive. 

I think both versions have merit.

I pray St. Patricks prayer every morning as part of my thinking compass.

I bind unto myself to-dayThe strong name of the Trinity,By invocation of the same.The Three in One and One in Three.

I bind this day to me for ever,⁠By power of faith, Christ’s Incarnation;His baptism in Jordan river;⁠His death on cross for my salvation;His bursting from the spiced tomb;⁠His riding up the heavenly way;His coming at the day of doom;⁠I bind unto myself to-day.

I bind unto myself the power⁠Of the great love of Cherubim;The sweet ‘Well done’ in judgment hour;⁠The service of the Seraphim,Confessors’ faith. Apostles’ word,⁠The Patriarchs’ prayers, the Prophets’ scrolls,All good deeds done unto the Lord,⁠And purity of virgin souls.

I bind unto myself to-day⁠The virtues of the star-lit heaven.The glorious sun’s life-giving ray,⁠The whiteness of the moon at even,The flashing of the lightning free,⁠T