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Buddhist Lesson on How to Stop Worrying
Because racing thoughts will steal your peace of mind if you let them
There are five hindrances, according to Buddhist philosophy, that block wisdom. Each influences happiness and fosters suffering. You will reduce your karma and increase contentment if you purge or curtail them.
We often become more sage-like when we examine our lives, particularly our thoughts and behaviors. When we recognize the benefits of handling challenges such as difficult emotions and thought patterns, wisdom increases, widening the path so we can better traverse life without stumbling.
The hindrances include sensual desire, ill will, sloth and torpor, restlessness and worry, and doubt. The fourth hindrance, restlessness and worry, affects us all and can create poor mental health. If you’ve ever fretted late at night about a problem or agonized over an adverse event, you know how detrimental worrying is to well-being.
Many of us use the phrase “don’t worry” with ease. We tell people we care about to stop worrying because we dislike seeing them suffer when they are anxious. Sometimes, though, our instructions are easier to utter than follow.
According to Buddhism, restlessness is uddhacca or agitation, which means to shake. It refers to a wandering mind…
