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screen_name · 04-05-2007, 04:11 PM

Thanks.

There's one thing, in spite of my verbosity, that I don't think I made clear. So much of what passes for trying to solve this stuff revolves around getting yourself all jacked up, telling yourself all kinds of positive things, as if just repeating them to yourself is going to change you.

I don't believe that works. All I think it does is whip you up into an emotional frenzy that you'll inevitably come down from, like any other high. Also like any other high, the trough you go down into tends to be lower than where you were to start with.

No, what I'm talking about is defensive, for lack of a better way of putting it. Which is why I like zen meditation. You're not repeating any mantras, you're not trying to offset negative thoughts with positive ones. Essentially, you're fighting this battle in a non-violent manner. You're simply not accepting these negative thoughts. You're either saying, "no" when they get intense or just letting them pass.

And, really, thoughts have no power unless you give them power. They're just thoughts. And once they realize they don't have the ability to annoy you anymore, then tend to go away. By degrees, to be sure, but go away they do.

So, I wouldn't recommend Tony Robbins or a revival preacher for someone with anxiety. It is a battle, but, maybe paradoxically, if you think that way about, it's only going to make things worse. You're just going to get more wound up.

The Buddhists like to say that when you try to sit and mediate, your mind is like a pond that just had a stone thrown into it. Lots of ripples. You can't do anything about them but just wait them out. If you wait, eventually they will dissipate.

Will the basic problem you're anxious about still be there? Of course. The point is that you will be able to think clearly about it. You can't come up with solutions to problems when you're anxious. If you're calm, you can.

So all I'm saying is that with some simple work, you can train yourself.

Again, sorry for the length. I appear to be quite chatty today.

04-05-2007, 04:11 PM	#5 (permalink)
screen_name Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: western north america Posts: 62	Thanks. There's one thing, in spite of my verbosity, that I don't think I made clear. So much of what passes for trying to solve this stuff revolves around getting yourself all jacked up, telling yourself all kinds of positive things, as if just repeating them to yourself is going to change you. I don't believe that works. All I think it does is whip you up into an emotional frenzy that you'll inevitably come down from, like any other high. Also like any other high, the trough you go down into tends to be lower than where you were to start with. No, what I'm talking about is defensive, for lack of a better way of putting it. Which is why I like zen meditation. You're not repeating any mantras, you're not trying to offset negative thoughts with positive ones. Essentially, you're fighting this battle in a non-violent manner. You're simply not accepting these negative thoughts. You're either saying, "no" when they get intense or just letting them pass. And, really, thoughts have no power unless you give them power. They're just thoughts. And once they realize they don't have the ability to annoy you anymore, then tend to go away. By degrees, to be sure, but go away they do. So, I wouldn't recommend Tony Robbins or a revival preacher for someone with anxiety. It is a battle, but, maybe paradoxically, if you think that way about, it's only going to make things worse. You're just going to get more wound up. The Buddhists like to say that when you try to sit and mediate, your mind is like a pond that just had a stone thrown into it. Lots of ripples. You can't do anything about them but just wait them out. If you wait, eventually they will dissipate. Will the basic problem you're anxious about still be there? Of course. The point is that you will be able to think clearly about it. You can't come up with solutions to problems when you're anxious. If you're calm, you can. So all I'm saying is that with some simple work, you can train yourself. Again, sorry for the length. I appear to be quite chatty today.