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Taking life/yourself too seriously?
Mateeah
Explorer
Basically the title says it all! I frequently find myself being so serious with myself and life in general, and it causes me to suffer. . I was wondering if anyone has any advice for me. Being Buddhist I tend to think and analyze things a lot, maybe a little bit too much. ;-)
Many thanks and much love!
Many thanks and much love!
0
This discussion has been closed.
Comments
Being Buddhist actually means you let go of intrusive and pointless over-analysis, not increase it.
I - as a Buddhist - never take myself seriously at all... in fact, there's a distinct possibility I'm very frivolous in the eyes of many....
You just need to stop being so bothered by so much.
Ask yourself:
"How conducive is this analysis to my practice?"
if it isn't - or you have to find reason that it might be - drop it.
Make sense?
Suddenly the "problems" of our lives dont seem so big.......
Mateeah, I want you to do this the next time you start to " think to much". Sit down, close your eyes, and just watch your monkey mind go all over the place. When you are just watching, you aren't thinking and you can feel some peace. Your thoughts are really meaningless compared to your experience and wisdom.
the answer to all of your questions.. is to sit down and be mindful of your 5 aggregates form(body), feeling, perception, mental formations(thoughts) and consciousness. When you observe you see clearly what to do and have less doubt and worry.
The mind that thinks thinks and plans is the monkey mind. People consider that to think a lot is to be clever, but they are stuck on autopilot, reacting to things rather than being able to fully understand what their mind is doing. Many very intelligent people are depressed for whatever reason or reasons, but over-thinking leads to many states of suffering. I know from my own personal experience of having an overactive mind which I inherited from my mother, she is such a worrier. She thinks and worries so much and I have had diagnosed anxiety problems since the age of 12. Only recently have I pulled myself out of it, all the while trying to get my mum to try and do the same thing. She is too stubborn though and set in her ways, so after failed attempts at showing her simple techniques I have left it alone as it is beyond my control.
Become a Buddha.
Meanwhile you need some advice from puppetji.
Is this what happened to you @lobster, did you go crazy chasing your own tail?
http://vt.tumblr.com/tumblr_mgno5aaNI51r9532p.mp4
I went sane . . . Far worse than being crazy :wave:
Not fake laughs - proper deep from the belly life inspired laughs.
"Once you have the view, although the delusory perceptions of samsara may arise in your mind, you will be like the sky; when a rainbow appears in front of it, it’s not particularly flattered, and when the clouds appear, it’s not particularly disappointed either. There is a deep sense of contentment. You chuckle from inside as you see the facade of samsara and nirvana; the view will keep you constantly amused, with a little inner smile bubbling away all the time."
But like frederica replied, I do not think this is because you are a Buddhist. Being a Buddhist faced with your own tendency to overanalyze, it is important to remember two things- 1) The only thing we have right now is the present moment and 2) Everything is impermanent. When you realize this, it is easier to let go of things without first beating them to death. This does not mean that you become complacent, only that you take the things seriously that are important and need to be taken seriously- a sense of wisdom and instinct that you will develop over time.
The last thing that I would say is to remember how over-seriousness and over-analysis can cause you to suffer. For example, some people who take themselves too seriously are very easily offended, causing them to suffer, even when no harm was meant. Or that over seriousness can cause someone to simply not laugh as much, not enjoy life as much as they could- another form of suffering.
If you feel yourself slipping into needless over-analysis, just take a deep breath, and gently bring yourself back to the present moment. Centering yourself this way will quiet that analytical chatter, and bring you back to your breath. You will find that after quite a bit of practice that you will catch that chatter more quickly- and that it will become less and less prevalent. In the process you will become more mindful of the present moment, and perhaps even develop wisdom about what actions/thoughts are more appropriate (and useful) than over-analysis.
I hope this helps you, if not, please disregard. May you be well and happy!
Thanks to all who contributed Mindfully.
Will happily re-open at OP's request.