Stop being a victim of compulsive thinking.

9/6/2015

Last updated October, 2019.

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;
endless worry;
extreme emotions;
an inability to break bad habits;
feelings of anxiety and depression;
a negative self-image;
sleep problems;
tension headaches;
neck and back pain;
a lack of focus;
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 strengthen awareness of your mind and its non-stop activity. 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 held hostage by the next thought, emotion, or urge that pops into your head.

And, you can begin chipping away at the conditioned behavior (habitually reacting with desire or aversion) that creates the struggles in your life.

What's next?

Common questions we're asked:

How do I just “let things be”?
“Your thoughts about the situation cause you to suffer more than the situation itself” — what does that even mean?
How do I get proper instruction in meditation and mindfulness?

Our 15-day meditation challenge - "Your inner narrative" - answers these questions and more.