What can you do with stressful thoughts or stories?

When you realize you are having stressful thoughts about something or someone or are caught up in thinking about something that is highly unpleasant, what can you do about it? In other words, when you can see that whatever you're thinking about at the moment is causing you to feel unhappy, afraid, or worried - what can you do?

Well besides believing your stressful thinking (and then experiencing the feelings that arise when you believe whatever it is you are worried about), there are basically 3 options:

1) Witnessing: You can just witness the thought. You can just step back and watch the thoughts come and go and realize since you are the one who is watching and witnessing these thoughts (or this story), you can't be the thoughts or the story. Meditation is a good way to do this.

2) Questioning: You can question the thought or story. Is it true? When you have thoughts that make you afraid or unhappy, ask yourself if what you are thinking is true. A good way to do this is to write the stressful thoughts down and then question them using the Work of Byron Katie. For more about the 4 questions see her Web site - www.thework.com

3) Change your focus: Since whatever you focus your attention on grows, you can deal with stressful thinking by changing your focus. In other words by substituting another thought or thoughts for the ones that are bothering you. Prayer is a good way to do this. Or you can read a spiritual text that you like such as something from the Bhagavad Gita or a chapter from Emmet Fox and then think deeply about what you have just read. And finally, if you are too freaked out to do this, you can go for a run, or watch a movie or do something to change the flow of your thinking. But whatever you do, don't dwell on the thoughts that are bothering you. (Because whatever you focus your attention on grows!)

I use each of the above - depending on the situation. I suggest you give each of them a try. They all work beautifully if you are persistant!

Comments

[sfauthor]

Nice posting. Do you know about this edition of the Gita?

http://www.YogaVidya.com/gita.html

[Barbara Berger]

No I don't. Tell me about it. Is it your translation or what? Love Barbara