Some minds can be highly obsessed with fearful thoughts to the extent of becoming intolerable. Most people who possess such minds take medications, drugs or alcohol in a bid to find some relief from its incessant noise. If you are among the people who are in possession of a mind obsessed with negativity and fear, you might want to look at it as your “ticket” to true freedom or enlightenment, rather than looking at it as curse. A highly noisy mind can be a blessing in disguise, because you cannot become attached to such a mind and hence there’s an opportunity to “transcend” it completely and realize the true liberation that lies beyond the mind.
A mind obsessed with fear is a ticket to liberation
You have been born with such a mind, now there is no point in asking why. In truth, everything is grace including your noisy mind. A mind which is obsessed with fear can become the very mirror that helps you see your true nature and thus wake up from the dream of identification with the false sense of “Me”.
The first step is to accept your mind as it is and not complain about it. It’s true that you have been dealt a mind which is very fearful and has a “more than average” preoccupation with negative thoughts, but instead of looking at it as a bad deal it’s time to look at the opportunity it brings you to transcend it completely and come back to your true nature. This noisy, fear obsessed, mind is your ticket to enlightenment, are you willing to accept this ticket or would you rather keep complaining about it?
You can only find “true” peace outside the mind
When your mind is constantly obsessed with negative thoughts, it’s difficult to find happiness in there. This automatically opens up an invitation to look for peace, and joy, outside the mind. In truth, the mind, in its wrong vision, is never a pleasant place to dwell in, but some people have “tolerable” minds and hence they don’t find the reason to come out of it and stay stuck it in for their entire life.
To anyone, who is asking, how can I feel joy when my mind is so filled with fear, the answer is simple – “Go beyond the mind”. Your only chance of finding peace is to transcend the mind. You can find temporary relief by taking drugs, medications or alcohol, but permanent relief can only be obtained when you transcend such a mind.
How can I transcend my mind?
The only way you can transcend anything is by becoming completely familiar with its patterns. So if you want to transcend your mind, you must first completely know your mind. The only way you can know the mind fully is by being acutely conscious of its patterns. Watch the mind as you would watch something “intriguing”, with curiosity. Keep watching it till it becomes completely familiar to you, and then it will no longer be a source of fear.
The mind producing thoughts is not a problem; the problem is that you “fear” the mind. The only way out of this fear is to “see” the mind so clearly, and so persistently, that you become totally familiar with it. The mind is not mysterious or complex; it’s very limited and has only a few “patterns” that it operates through. Once you see through all its patterns you will no longer be in fear of the mind, and you will feel completely free of its bondage.
Don’t fear the mind, just keep watching it. No matter how fearful the thoughts appear to be, just stay as a conscious witness of them. Don’t try to escape the mind, but rather go deep into it. Become completely familiar with the way your mind operates. Become aware of your minds repetitive thoughts and identify the story behind it. Get to know the ebbs and highs of your mind, keep watching it like you would an “intriguing” movie, don’t make it personal – just be a conscious witness of your mind until you no longer fear it.
Who you are is pure consciousness, you are not the mind. You are not what comes and goes, but the one eternal witness which is conscious of everything transient.
Dear Mr. Sen, I have gone through your article why is my mind obsessed with thoughts of fear. In fact I am a practicing doctor with obsessive thoughts for which I practice some repetitive compulsions. I know that these thoughts have no meaning at all, but particularly at times when I am in stressful conditions I feel like I will go mad. I am an orthodox person. I am not interested in taking any medications for the same. As doctors prescribe some medications like SSRI or anxiolytics and there ends the story. These work in a mechanical way as good as treatment for any medical condition. But in a philosophical way understanding the mind and calming it down plays a vital role. This brings permanent freedom. I actually was delighted and surprised to read that a noisy mind is a ticket to true freedom and enlightenment. Of late i have been reading about mind watching. I will see how far i am going to be benefitted by the above practice. Any way a wonderful article indeed.
Medications are like drugs, they end up numbing your mind and taking you to a state of “lower” consciousness. The reason why people enjoy drinking alcohol is because it depresses your nervous system causing your “brain” to become lethargic, so the mind activity slows down. But there is a huge price to pay when you try to lower the mind activity through drugs, because you eventually end up lowering your consciousness and disconnect yourself from the source of intelligence and wisdom – you take yourself into the “vegetative” realm. Lowering your consciousness is a regressive path, and will only keep you further in bondage.
True freedom is only possible when you “transcend” your mind. Any mind can be transcended, no matter how noisy, fearful or negative its tendencies may be. A mind is limited, it’s a like programmed machine, and it can only have a limited range of patterns in which it works. Once you see through all its patterns it no longer feels “fearful” and it can no longer threaten you with its voices. See that your mind is very limited and it keeps operating in a fixed “pattern”. There is a story running in your mind, and this story is what the mind uses to intrepret reality. You have to see through the story of the mind. Find out what is the story your mind is using, this story has a core (just like a novel), once you see through the core of the story it dissolves completely.
It takes some level of consciousness before you can really reach the core of the story. Keep raising your consciousness by staying aware of the mind and its patterns. Don’t be “afraid” of the mind, it’s only a machine, a radio station – it’s nothing big. Just watch the mind the way you would watch a movie or the way you listen to a radio station. Get to know all the patterns of your mind. Who you are is essentially “pure consciousness”, you are not a story character ( a self image) that your mind makes you out to be. This is the core illusion the mind creates in that it makes you believe that you are a story character. You are not a “limited person” you are eternal, pure consciousness, and the body is just a temporary form existing in your consciousness presently. Realizing this true nature of yours is awakening or enlightenment.
DEAR MR.SEN,
FIRSTLY A LOT OF REGARDS
I HAVE JUST STARTED READING UR ARTICLES TWO WEEKS BEFORE AND COMPLETED READING ALL ARTICLES ON PAGE 10 AND JUST PRACTICING TO SIT IN SILENCE FROM LAST WEEK. BUT I CAN’T EXPLAIN HOW MUCH RELIEF I HAVE GOT AND HATS OFF TO UR CLEAR INSIGHTS WHICH SEEM TO BE REALLY LIFE CHANGING.
I AM VERY THANKFUL TO YOU FOR MAKING SUCH RARE SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE AVAILABLE SO EASILY AND EVEN IN SUCH A SHORT TIME I AM ENJOYING THE PRACTICE OF SITTING IN THOUGHTLESS POSITION AND FEELING SOME GOOD CHANGE.
SO THANKS & REGARDS
Hi Sen! First of all. This was by far the most interesting article you wrote or maybe becuase I can relate to it. Too bad it was a short one. As you know I have been practicing watching my mind or thoughts but i realize that after a short time the mind pull me into its fears and high momentums. I have been siting in silent with my eyes closed for 6 weeks now. Do you have any suggestions?
It takes time for stability to set in. Once you’ve gained understanding about the mind and its mechanics, the only deal left is to allow its momentum to come down with time. If you are no longer identified with the mind’s negativity, it’s pull will continue to reduce at a fast pace, however you have to allow for the time and be patient – remember that it took years to build this momentum, you need to allow a few months for the momentum to come down. You can also find some insights in this post – dissolving fear
Hi Sen,
I have this doubt about what my mind is and if it actually exists. When a thought comes into the mind, Do I see it as a thought generated by my mind OR do I see it as mind. I feel vulnerable at the moment and don’t know what I am looking at, and thus am susceptible to sharp thoughts and feelings because of this doubt. It is causing me alot of stress, tension and anxiety.
Please help.
I always realized I had a fearful mind, what I did first is reasons and facts, I always tried to convince my self objectively with reasons and facts why I shouldn’t be scared, and remove fear out of my mind, but that would waste alot of time and make me tired thinking all the time.
And then I realized is why should I talk to that fear? why won’t I just ignore it and look beyond it, Its like a hand stuck in front of you where ever you move your eyes to and blocks your vision, i say, F*** the hand and break it 🙂
Hi all
Yes..to transcend this monster…and we have been given no choice but to transcend it. Started to sit in silence today. Need my life back. Biggest fear is losing my mind and being in my current state for the rest of my days…will let you know how my practise develops. With love to all x
blue all the best of luck to you. i’ve been through some dark times myself and no matter what if you are determined things will right themselves somehow.
Sen, why am I always having these thoughts that everyone is looking at me, everyone is talking about me. It is a big problem for me because I can’t socialize, I blush everytime someone talks to me. I can’t watch some one in the eye. Please what can I do about it. Thank you.
It sounds to me like you’re too self-conscious. You’re worried about making a good impression on people, thinking that they’re judging you, when in reality, this just isn’t true.
How likely is it that you go to a public place and everybody starts looking at you and talking about you and judging you? From what you’ve seen from your experiences, has that ever happened to anybody else that you’ve witnessed? Have you ever been with somebody and all of a sudden you and whoever your with, and whoever else is around just starts judging that same person?
You should try instead of consciously focusing on yourself, take your mind off it and think about something else. Or maybe go to a public place like the food court in a mall, sit down in a chair with a bite to eat or something, and just casually look around and people-watch and see how they act. You’ll find that everybody else is more concerned with what they’re doing, and probably don’t even notice or pay attention to you. Everybody else has their own thoughts going on in their head.