Your Problems are Only Thoughts. They Don’t Exist
Where do thoughts come from? Where do thoughts go? If you know the answer, you have found solutions to most of your problems.
At the outset I want to make it clear that I do not wish to belittle the real miseries and sufferings all of us at times have to go through in life. Such is the nature of life. Your loved ones pass way, or are seriously ill. You lose your job, or are undergoing genuine financial hardships.
There are still people in the world who don’t know if there will be able to see tomorrow’s sun or not. Wars, violent crimes, starvations continue to ravage many.
This article is not about those real struggles of life.
However, there is another kind of “problems”,which assail us everyday and make our lives miserable in equal measure.
For example, when you think:
“My father said hurtful things ten years ago.”
“My best friend cheated me in business.”
“My undeserving colleague got promotion, not me.”
“Who will look after me when I am old.”
“The world is a bad place.”
“My partner is cruel.”
“Life is hard.”
“I am lonely.”
Did you get the point? I hope you did. None of these “problems” are threat to your survival or existence like the problems I mentioned in the beginning of the article. These so-called problems have no real existence, even though it is very real for those who are experiencing it.
These “problems” exist only in your thoughts; they exist only as your thoughts.
But it does not mean we don’t feel their intensity. On the contrary, these thoughts are largely responsible for determining the quality of our lives.
If we had the power to stop and regulate our thoughts whenever we wanted, the quality of our lives would change dramatically.
And wouldn’t it be just great!
So why don’t we? After all, they are our thoughts, aren’t they? If we can control our limbs, why can’t we control our thoughts?
We know it is not simple. Thoughts are persistent, they are stubborn, and, in the case of most people, they are simply out of control.
But is it possible to gain some control over them? Indeed, it is. But for that, we need to understand the nature of thoughts.
Where do thoughts come from?
Have you ever thought about it? Where do thoughts come from? And where do they go when you have these thoughts?
Our negative, pestering thoughts have had great survival value for us. Our mind has “negative bias”, a wonderful tool which helped us stay alive for all those years in harsh wilderness.
When a situation arises, your mind tends to think of the worst possible outcomes. Thinking of these outcomes helps you prepare if you really have to confront them. If you don’t have to confront them, you are safe anyway, but if you do, you are ready.
In the same way, if somebody did wrong to you (or you think they did wrong to you), you are often reminded of it so that you can keep your guards up in the future. That person is not to be trusted. That person is a threat.
Thoughts are like instincts
Our thoughts are like instincts, which helped us survive in hostile environments for millions of years. You hear a loud sound and it makes you jump. Your are bought into attention instantly.
You are walking a dark alley and you feel that someone is walking behind you. It prepares you for the situation if someone indeed walks behind you with hostile intentions.
Our thoughts behave in the same way. They show us dangers where there might be none, because it is always good to be prepared.
However, the flip side of this wonderful survival tool is that it always keeps us anxious and insecure. This is a very uncomfortable way of living. Living in this “survival mode” prevents us from experiencing all the beauties and wonders life can offer.
Become conscious of your thoughts
“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will rule your life and you will call it fate.” – Carl Jung
This quote by the renowned psychologist sums it up neatly. The key is to become conscious of your thoughts when you are thinking them.
One important (and probably the only one, in my view) way to live a joyous and fulfilled life is to become conscious: become conscious of your body, your emotions, and your thinking.
You become aware of your thoughts. You observe the coming and going of your thoughts like a bystander watching the rush of traffic on the street. You train yourself to become an observer. You don’t disturb the flow of thoughts, you don’t intervene. You just watch.
You will notice that those unwanted, pesky thoughts are shy things. They like to steal from you like thieves. They don’t like to be watched. Once you start observing them, they disappear like darkness disappears when light is present.
Darkness has no existence. It is just the absence of light. In the same way, unwanted thoughts have no existence. It is just the absence of awareness.
But is it an easy process?
Yes and no. It is definitely not easy in the beginning. But what is easy in the beginning? You don’t go for your first run and complete a marathon. You first guitar lessons do not turn you into Jimi Hendrix.
It will take some time, but if you keep at it, it will get progressively easier.
Awareness through focus
I find meditation to be a very effective way. But there are other ways. Any activity which helps you focus and concentrate for a sustained period of time can do the job.
Focus means awareness. If you can focus on something for long period of time, that means that the faculty of your body and mind are in harmony with each other. A troubled mind and discomfited body can not hold concentration.
So do what you like: meditation, gardening, walking in the park, reading poetry, listening to a cuckoo bird sing. The act of concentration will gradually help you make those pesky, troubling thoughts go away. And that will solve lots of your problems.
