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Last updated December, 2017. note: we link to our free guide to mindfulness and meditation at the end of this article (no email required).  The cartoon above is from Tolle's book "Guardians of Being." It's illustrated by Patrick McDonnell, creator of the comic strip MUTTS.
In eight panels, it aptly describes our usual state of being: lost in compulsive thinking. This compulsive thinking is the foundation for the struggles we all face: > stress; > anxiety; > self-doubt; > a lack of focus; > irrational fear; > regret; > depression; > endless worry; > sleep issues; > chronic pain; > and on and on. The only thing I would change about the message in the cartoon is the last panel - instead of "Shtop (stop) thinking" I would say "Stop getting caught up in mental drama," or "Stop following your mind wherever it leads." This is the essence of mindfulness and meditation*. They are practices that allow you to cultivate awareness of your compulsive mind. They help you develop the skill of observing it all without getting caught up in it. They train you to move your attention away from the mental noise and drama instead of indulging it. As such, you are no longer hostage to the next thought, emotion, or urge that pops into your head. And, you break the cycle of conditioned behavior and habitual actions/reactions. *The good news is, we have a free guide to mindfulness and meditation that will teach you how to do it. It's been shared over half a million times, and you don’t need to register or provide any information - just go read it. < A request: This is an ad-free (and, pop-up free) site. If what we write helps you, please share it by copying the URL http://www.thetadprinciple.com/daily-musings/stop-being-a-victim-of-compulsive-thinking and posting it to social media (or, email it to a friend!). Thank you! Comments are closed.
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