Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!

Examples: Monday, today, last week, Mar 26, 3/26/04
Welcome home! Please contact lincoln@icrontic.com if you have any difficulty logging in or using the site. New registrations must be manually approved which may take several days. Can't log in? Try clearing your browser's cookies.

Over-thinking, over-anaylizing, obbessing

edited September 2011 in Buddhism Basics
I'm guilty of all these things. People with anxiety tend to this....

I find myself getting involved in windy, pointless arguments mostly about life, religion, god, death ect.

I don't know why I can't just believe what I believe without needed people to 'approve or agree'

What I really believe is that love is most important thing, there are infinite paths to freedom, all religions and philosophies are valid, we live on past out death and continue our spiritual journey, its perfectly okay to be where we are, we eventually ALL find nirvana or heaven no matter how bad a person was.

Even as I wrote that I was thinking man, I hope everyone agrees wit me!! ughhh

I wish I was more like my sister she just lives life to the fullest

Comments

  • zenffzenff Veteran
    edited September 2011

    I don't know why I can't just believe what I believe without needed people to 'approve or agree'
    ...
    Even as I wrote that I was thinking man, I hope everyone agrees wit me!! ughhh

    I wish I was more like my sister she just lives life to the fullest
    What if all thoughts are beside the point?
    What if we can not believe what we think anyhow?
    Would it matter if someone says we are wrong?

    No of course not! They’re right! We’re wrong! We know that! We agree!

    My point is; don’t take yourself, and your ideas, too seriously. Life’s a lot easier that way.
  • ya i like that.....i do take myself and life too seriously....

    it would be so much easier, too laugh at myself, let myself be where am at and accept that.

    And love love love, love is the only thing that makes my obsessive thoughts and ideas disappear..

  • zenffzenff Veteran
    edited September 2011
    I'm all approval and agreement.
  • yayyyy approval! lol

  • zidanguszidangus Veteran
    edited September 2011
    My advice would be to try and not get too involved in your thoughts, see them for what they are, impermanent forever changing and dependent on causes and conditions which are interconnected. Observe and be aware of how they arise and fall, without finding the need to interact with them or become involved in them. Use mindfulness to be aware of these. Understand that your thoughts are not your master, its upto you if you want to follow them or give them energy. Counter this oversensitivity of thoughts with an understanding and awareness of what thoughts actually are .

    :)
  • so put simply thoughts are just thoughts.....
  • Exactly, by over focusing and becoming attached to thoughts that have no benefit, your giving them energy that they don't deserve. Just try to look a little deeper as to what thoughts are, how they are based on causes and conditions and forever changing and impermanent. Then when thoughts arise that would normally take you down a pointless chain of other thoughts, which may lead to unskillful emotions arising, instead you stand back from them and be aware of them from a distance and not follow their story. Try mindfulness meditation on just observing and being aware of your thoughts without following them.

    here are some guided meditations and further advice that may help you

    http://www.buddhanet.net/audio-meditation.htm

    These ones are the ones I recommend
    Mindfulness of Breath
    Mindfulness of Breath gives instructions for mindfulness of breath, as is it experienced as movement in the abdomen. This is a foundation Insight meditation practice. In some cases individuals who are very conscious of their breathing, such as those with panic disorder, initially find this practice difficult. If this is the case they are recommended to bring attention to something other than the breath until it becomes more comfortable.

    Mindfulness of Sound & Thought
    Mindfulness of sound and thought, firstly instructs on how to use sound as an object of meditation then asks the listener to shift attention to thoughts. The second part of this track is more instruction on how to manage difficult thoughts when they arise rather than a guided meditation.


    Open Awareness
    Open awareness. It is a practice where there are no specific objects of awareness other than awareness itself or the changing objects of awareness. If this practice is helpful utilise it. If it is not helpful put it aside for another time.

    Healing painful emotions
    Healing painful emotions are instructions for some options to deal with 1.strong physical sensations and 2. difficult emotions if they are arise. It requires that the listener has already developed some skill with meditation for it to be effective. These tracks are not really guided meditations but more instructions for some options for dealing with uncomfortable physical sensations and emotions.


    Hope it helps











    :)
  • I'm guilty of all these things. People with anxiety tend to this....

    I find myself getting involved in windy, pointless arguments mostly about life, religion, god, death ect.

    I don't know why I can't just believe what I believe without needed people to 'approve or agree'

    What I really believe is that love is most important thing
    It might be helpful to notice that obsessing, over-thinking, and over-analyzing generate anxiety. If you follow zidangus' skillful advice of some meditation practices, you can untangle some of the mental habits of getting lost in your thoughts. Then anxiety might fade naturally... and love would be easier to cultivate.

  • I'm guilty of all these things. People with anxiety tend to this....

    I find myself getting involved in windy, pointless arguments mostly about life, religion, god, death ect.

    I don't know why I can't just believe what I believe without needed people to 'approve or agree'

    What I really believe is that love is most important thing, there are infinite paths to freedom, all religions and philosophies are valid, we live on past out death and continue our spiritual journey, its perfectly okay to be where we are, we eventually ALL find nirvana or heaven no matter how bad a person was.
    I agree with that. I also have a lot of anxiety and tended to look for approval from other people with the things they said. I was looking for love outside of myself. I've come to realize the only love I ever need is within myself, always and pure. I'd suggest cultivating mindfulness and doing metta meditation for yourself. Turn to your fear and anger and embrace it. Continue to acknowledge your negative thoughts, refute them, state a positive thought and let it go.
  • I overthink, over analyze everything! I do not know what to do about it. I have tried reading/practicing a lot of things such as the power of now, yoga etc. But once I am finished, I just go back to overthinking/over analyzing. HELP!
  • The title reminds me of the Tool track Lateralus...
  • Maybe you should accept that that's where you are at the moment? In an 'over-thinking' phase? Personally, I don't know what 'over-thinking' is supposed to be. Surely you think as much as the next person?

    Perhaps the real problem is that you tend to think negative things? In which case, developing a bit of compassion for yourself seems a good start. Stop trying to be perfect and accept yourself. It's a lot easier.
  • thinking makes thinking a problem.
    thinking says thinking is bad or good.

    watch the thinking. when you are watching the thinking, the thinking becomes the object. when you project that thinking is wrong or right or this or that then that is thinking. that also should be watched.

    in watching everything you see it for what it is. not you. just impersonal processes coming and going. they have nothing to do with you unless you give in or give it power of belief.

    it's subtle but this is your way out. cultivate the mindfulness to just be with thought and feelings and sensations. just watch them in your body/mind.

    if you get caught in a thought or feeling then so be it. your natural mindfulness will snap you out of it. do not be discouraged or use harsh words against yourself. just keep watching. just keep at it.

    be mindful as if you have a bowl of water in your hands and you have to walk across the football field. if water is spilt then your throat will be slit.

    motivation enough?
  • thanks guys......ya Ada B, that sounds like what I need to do, just say 'well its where am at' instead of beating myself up, and being more compassionate towards myself.

    I don't know about thinking that if i'm not my mindful my throat will slit....

    yikes, that seems pretty harsh, lol

    I think maybe just gentle mindfulness when i'm ready, just be gentle with myself.

    And maybe even make fun of some of my silly thinking.....
    I overthink, over analyze everything! I do not know what to do about it. I have tried reading/practicing a lot of things such as the power of now, yoga etc. But once I am finished, I just go back to overthinking/over analyzing. HELP!
    I totally understand.......its a hard thing to explain. I'm starting to think the simpler the practice the better.......this Metta practice seems to be the one for me, I hope you find something that works. Lets agree to be less judgmental of where were at......deal? :)

    Another author, not Buddhist, is Louise Hay, shes all about learning to love yourself. something I need to do.
  • @jmeff I can recommend Medicine Buddha practice - there's a lot about it on the Internet, and some great mantra-singing on YouTube.
  • Nothing to attain. Simplify. Fears self liberate.
  • you don't get Jerry....and most of ppl on this site.......

    you got your well being all in tack...you got no idea what its like..
  • jmeff, I wasn't sure who you are addressing.. I deal with schizophrenia for what its worth
Sign In or Register to comment.