A big challenge with personal growth and wellbeing is excessive thinking, especially negative thoughts and being “distracted by a manic unsettled mind.”
When you do not consciously focus your mind on something specific, it will space travel wandering here and there dragging you along with it and sapping you of mental and physical energy and vitality.
The spiritual master, Eckhart Tolle, tells us that thoughts are energetic entities that are like bubbles floating in the energy field around us. They want to grow and get your attention and when they discover resonance inside you that is exactly what happens.
An angry thought arises seemingly out of nowhere and you keep thinking and thinking about things and people that have upset you now and in the past. As the mind loves patterns, it makes connections with other similar thoughts and experiences. The initial thought gains energy and becomes bigger and bigger and before long it feels like the thought is thinking you rather you thinking them. And, thirty minutes or an hour or two may have passed by and you are consumed by anger and you’re not feeling good.
You just cannot get those thoughts out of your mind. (Oops! The Kylie Minogue song just came to mind but my conscious awareness is there and I’ve decided not to google the song but instead mention where my mind went in that moment as it proves a point.)
When the mind is manic and unsettled, the suggestion is to bring awareness to what is happening. The enlightened masters use the metaphor of shining the light of conscious awareness into the darkness of unconscious excessive thinking. Once awareness is there, there is a choice point. Without awareness thoughts can become destructive.
But, how do you break the pattern of bullying thoughts and bring in awareness? Awareness is noticing what is going on in your mind. Many people identify with thoughts form and believe that this excessive thinking is part of their personality and who they are.
You are not your thoughts, however, and simply noticing the thinking pattern is a big step.
Once thoughts take hold it can feel torturous to rip yourself away from them. This is how it feels to me sometimes. It takes focus, determination and practise. And, you have to consistently choose to break the thought patterns. It doesn’t just happen. If it did, the manic unsettled mind would not be a problem.
This can be easier said than done, so here are top tips for some of the things that I do to become aware of the present when the mind is scattered and I’m consumed by excessive negative thinking.
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Bring your attention away from the thoughts and into the present moment. All the spiritual teachings tell us this. And, I find that it works. For example, you’re sitting at your desk, walking, lying in bed, whatever, bring your awareness to that moment and hold it there.
Take your attention to your body, which is present and do a body scan. Start at your feet and notice each toe, foot, ankle, shin, calves and so on until you reach the top of the head. Do this slowly and consciously and your thoughts will begin to slow down as you stay in the moment with your body.
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Utilise your senses. Consciously look around you and become aware of your surroundings. If you are in a room, Look at the wall, furniture, objects. If you are outside you can look at the sky, trees, grass, pavement, cars going by. Touch things like the desk, table, chair, plant, tree, leaf, water and notice the texture without naming anything or using words. Listen consciously to the sounds in your environment and focus on those for a while. Pay attention to any smells. Feel you heart beating in your body. All of these are ways to bring your attention back to the present.
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Become conscious of your breathing. You breathe in the present moment always. Observe each breath coming and going for 1-3 minutes. By being conscious of your breathing you get out of your head and the mind moves into the present.
Then take 9 full in-breaths and full out-breaths. As you exhale relax into the exhalations. -
I’m familiar with the Clean Language questions of David Grove and Systemic Modelling tools (Caitlin Walker) and use them when coaching clients.
So, I ask myself outcome questions: What would you like to have happen, instead of these thoughts, Rosaleen? I answer the question. How do you need to be to get that outcome? I answer the question. What support or resources will you need to get the outcome and be how you’d like to be? I answer the question. This process shifts me into a different mental state and I feel more resourceful and empowered.
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Meditate. Often I simply sit and meditate focusing on my breath just inside the nostrils, or the gap between the breaths. Sometimes, if I’m out on my morning walk and I notice that my mind is busy, I’ll chant the mantra Nam Myōhō Renge Kyō and as each sound resonates with a chakra or energy centre in the body, I’ll follow the resonance points with my attention so that I’m chanting consciously with awareness.
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I also like the Rampage of Appreciation by Abraham-Hicks process. It’s about being thankful. You simply find things that are going right in your life or things around you to appreciate. For example you can say with a smile: I can relax. I know how to be at peace. I can be present and my body-mind knows what it is like to be at ease and calm. I’m happy and grateful that I woke up this morning...I love the feel of the warm sun on my skin, it is very soothing... How wonderful to breath in the fresh sea air ... It’s fantastic that I flick a switch to get light... I adore the laughter of my beautiful children and their heart warming smile… I am exhilarated knowing that the universe has my back...It is delicious to eat a juicy mango and I can taste it right now. I love the smell of roses and can smell them now. I am feeling healthier and healthier each day and my heart is brimming with joy.
You get the idea. Do this for at least 16 seconds and your state will change to pleasantness and you’ll feel good.
There are many, many tools to help us be in the now. The key is to take action and use something. And even if it feels like you are literally battling or in a wrestling match with you mind, persist with the process. In my experience, the mind will yield and you will get some respite. The more you practise, the more your ability to stay present increases and that manic,unsettled mind activity will diminish.
I challenge you to choose a process and practise it over the next 24 hours. See what happens.
