“So many thoughts… you know too much to be happy.” ~ Patrick Rothfuss, The Wise Man’s Fear
Overthinking is only human and we all go through it one way or another. Our minds are capable of great leaps of thoughts and imagination, which sometimes can prove difficult to turn off.
As thoughts have the appetite to consume us, it is only when our thoughts seem against our well-being that we realize their potential to affect our lives through our minds.
While we all encounter this we may have our own manifestations to cope with. Such tendencies of our minds cause anxiety about the future and regret about the past. While neither has the ability to affect change they can cause stress.
Stress has known and diagnosed effects upon our bodies. It is an uneasy feeling that originates in the mind and amplifies under anticipation of a set of outcomes we can’t stop thinking about; until it transmutes into the flesh and manifests in a host of forms from insomnia to loss of hair or sex-drive to name a few.
As we attach our emotional charge to a particular thought, it gains the power to affect us. An idea is bigger than even the person who thought it up, may even be true in its creator’s experience within his own mind.
Coping mechanisms
Music is known as a good means to combat stress. I believe this is because it can move us by talking to us through vibrations; a language that transcends both body and mind.
Reading similarly has the effect of gluing us to a story from time to time, where we turn tirelessly as though we were traversing the landscapes of what we read.
These examples of music and reading bring out in essence their common denominator – change & progression – which activates our imaginations as we travel through texts or verses in our mind screen.
If we only observe how music and reading affects our mood instantly, we find that they move our mind towards a state of balance. This is because of the stimuli they offer the mind offsets it from its prior dispositions onto a new-leveled playing field.
Thoughtful application
“The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.” ~ William James
Imagine if we could use this potential of the mind to intensify certain thoughts that we sometimes fall at the receiving end of, in order to amplify the lighter and happier emotions of our minds.
Travel reveals an interesting indication for its capacity of change. The difference is that, in our minds it happens at the fractal scale and requires delving into its subtleties to even observe.
While physical travel may involve moving through new places, cities, landscapes, states or countries. It removes us from the routine of our regular lives by the change of scenario it offers. We are never the same again as we will never be at that same time and place again. While this is true for every moment of our lives, we are unable to see it when burdened with the worries of our lives.
As in moments of despair, stress or worry the emotional charge is so great that it suspends us in our minds, not allowing us to move of their charge and we remain fixated on our thoughts. From this space it is only harder to find a solution then if we were to travel to a calmer mind space.
“You can never enter the same river twice” ~ Indian proverb
Journeying through the depths of the mind
Thoughts are transient to our nature just as the flowing of water is to the river, and symbolizes the impermanence and constant change that takes place.
Travel while great in the physical world, is even more spectacular through our minds! As there is an ocean of inspiration that resides within us, the ability to move mountains in our minds is the same force that allows us to move past the obstacles that block our path.
It instills an agility of thought that enables us to not have an instant reaction based solely on emotions. Rather a balanced response to anything life throws up by having the ability to move past our self and isolate the issue.
Most commonly we may think that traveling within the mind implies astral projection or conscious dreaming, however why wait for that moment of pristine synchronicity or dreams when at any time we can simply jump in and blast off into the universe on board your very own mindship?
Demystify your myths
“They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night.” ~ Edgar Allan Poe
I believe daydreaming simply has a bad reputation from school, when in fact it’s igniting the engines of our minds. It can enable us to go on a magical, and fantastical journeys at any time of our choosing! Imagine having access to the virtual reality of your imagination where no one can tell you how it ought to be or look and has space for everything and anything you choose.
Many times you will notice the beauty of your very unique subconscious emerging like a waterfall of colors from the skies. It’s important not to look for context or subtext but to simply enjoy the show that emerges from exercising your imagination.
It’s easy to fall into a mental loop of over playing a past moment or dreadful thoughts about the future and in those situations all you really have to do is choose to move your mind in a different direction.
The choosing here does not require any force or obstacle just the intention followed by quick mental action in going with the flow away from the thoughts that do not serve you and observe the sensations/emotions associated with these thoughts as they change to a more calmer and balanced state of mind.
DO this for yourself….
“For fast-acting relief, try slowing down.” ~ Lily Tomlin
Simply sit back or lie down and imagine anywhere else you rather be doing anything else or nothing at all. Allow your mind to wow you with the illogical or fantastical. Even if its only real in your mind, so what? So are all your prejudices and beliefs.
Another useful exercise is to imagine a landscape or any nature’s setting you love. All that you need to travel mentally is keep an open mind to seek out new trains where the problems of our lives and minds don’t impact your ability to function.
“Imagination is the only weapon in the war against reality.” ~ Lewis Carrol
Either way we look at this ability to move your mind to spaces would in essence give you access to turn away from the stress infested corners of the mind. Not by ignoring or bottling them up but by traveling through them. It is your choice to choose a traveling mind over a bottling plant mind set.
So here’s wishing you a magnificent journey to the landscapes within your mind.
Image source