Overthinking – The Modern Epidemic
The most powerful energy in the world is that of the mind. Yet each day, we discard more than 50% of that energy on wasteful, repetitive, unproductive thoughts. Many are locked into replaying the past or spend endless, precious hours that could be put to creative or productive use, into worrying about the future. This is further exacerbated by the feeling that it is important to feel deeply concerned and anxious about major issues like climate change.
Analysing and over analysing issues that bring a sense of powerlessness, especially for those holding positions of responsibility, leads to ‘ analysis paralysis ’. These thought processes are further compounded by the technology that everyone carries in their pockets. This technology was meant to serve human beings, but in fact has now enslaved them.
On the one hand the mind is pulled into the negative loops of replaying the past or catastrophising the future and on the other hand the mind is flitting in butterfly thinking, as it constantly wanders off into all the distractions of the mobile phone.
Overthinking is a global issue. It is not restricted to one place, country or culture. It is happening everywhere. Overthinking prevents us from being present in the moment and time runs through our fingers like grains of sand. It is a modern disease of the mind, a state of discomfort that, research tells us, is giving rise to 75% of all our illnesses.
The mind is an organ or faculty of the soul, and the soul has lost its natural mastery over its mind and intellect. If we begin to regain our mastery of the mind, things begin to change and that becomes a global solution for what is going on in the world today. The mind has to be recharged with power just as technological devices do. We have to allow the mind to have a ‘cool down’ period to return to its normal pace, through prayer, reflection, a quiet walk or meditation.
We can start to catch our thoughts, checking in with the mind and see if we can slow the speed or change the trajectory of the thoughts in the direction of our choice. It is a myth that we can make the mind blank but we can instead channel the energy of the mind towards powerful elevated thoughts, those of peace, universal love and inner joy.
The consciousness, the soul, has the power of choice. Too much choice and not enough wisdom is a formula for stress. It is by mastering the mind and garnering wisdom that our relationships- one of the biggest causes of stress, can become as beautiful and harmonious as they are meant to be. When waste thoughts come, that kind of overthinking destroys the possibility of any real, authentic communication.
The root cause of overthinking is the forgetting of our own spiritual identity. Raja Yoga meditation is a pathway to self-mastery that fosters wisdom and internal clarity, nurtures community cohesion and restores harmony with the natural world. Meditation is not stopping all thought; it is the channelling of energy that has been scattered, into a specific direction.
The starting point of learning to stop overthinking is to understand that 'I', the consciousness within, can create the thoughts I wish to have, and I also have the power to stop the thoughts that are wasting my energy and time, when I choose to do so.
When we start to experiment with these spiritual ideas we will see the results. There will be a difference in our consciousness. This will generate powerful feelings and elevated thoughts that will consequently be reflected in our behaviour. It is behavioural change that our world is waiting for.
Authored by: BK Jayanti Kriplani
(The author is Addl. Administrative Head of the Brahma Kumaris organization)
Analysing and over analysing issues that bring a sense of powerlessness, especially for those holding positions of responsibility, leads to ‘ analysis paralysis ’. These thought processes are further compounded by the technology that everyone carries in their pockets. This technology was meant to serve human beings, but in fact has now enslaved them.
On the one hand the mind is pulled into the negative loops of replaying the past or catastrophising the future and on the other hand the mind is flitting in butterfly thinking, as it constantly wanders off into all the distractions of the mobile phone.
Overthinking is a global issue. It is not restricted to one place, country or culture. It is happening everywhere. Overthinking prevents us from being present in the moment and time runs through our fingers like grains of sand. It is a modern disease of the mind, a state of discomfort that, research tells us, is giving rise to 75% of all our illnesses.
The mind is an organ or faculty of the soul, and the soul has lost its natural mastery over its mind and intellect. If we begin to regain our mastery of the mind, things begin to change and that becomes a global solution for what is going on in the world today. The mind has to be recharged with power just as technological devices do. We have to allow the mind to have a ‘cool down’ period to return to its normal pace, through prayer, reflection, a quiet walk or meditation.
We can start to catch our thoughts, checking in with the mind and see if we can slow the speed or change the trajectory of the thoughts in the direction of our choice. It is a myth that we can make the mind blank but we can instead channel the energy of the mind towards powerful elevated thoughts, those of peace, universal love and inner joy.
The consciousness, the soul, has the power of choice. Too much choice and not enough wisdom is a formula for stress. It is by mastering the mind and garnering wisdom that our relationships- one of the biggest causes of stress, can become as beautiful and harmonious as they are meant to be. When waste thoughts come, that kind of overthinking destroys the possibility of any real, authentic communication.
The root cause of overthinking is the forgetting of our own spiritual identity. Raja Yoga meditation is a pathway to self-mastery that fosters wisdom and internal clarity, nurtures community cohesion and restores harmony with the natural world. Meditation is not stopping all thought; it is the channelling of energy that has been scattered, into a specific direction.
The starting point of learning to stop overthinking is to understand that 'I', the consciousness within, can create the thoughts I wish to have, and I also have the power to stop the thoughts that are wasting my energy and time, when I choose to do so.
When we start to experiment with these spiritual ideas we will see the results. There will be a difference in our consciousness. This will generate powerful feelings and elevated thoughts that will consequently be reflected in our behaviour. It is behavioural change that our world is waiting for.
Authored by: BK Jayanti Kriplani
(The author is Addl. Administrative Head of the Brahma Kumaris organization)
Next Story