Dealing With Anxiety

More often than not, anxiety arises from a feeling of not being in control of outcomes. This can apply to many different situations that produce anxiety, but careful reflection will help us to deal with this. Let us learn to deal with anxiety during these tough times.

Transcript

Sahaja yogā처 spāre expo b Bible by So this is a continuation in the series that we're doing weathering a storm.

And tonight I wanted to talk a little bit about anxiety and dealing with anxiety.

I mean,

There's no doubt that the current situation and the ramifications,

You know,

Of all closing down of businesses and people potentially losing income and just the worry about the sickness issues and no doubt causes in a lot of people's mind a certain amount of anxiety of anxiousness.

And so in order to deal with that,

It is a little bit helpful to understand what is sort of driving anxiousness.

And we're talking about it broadly,

Of course,

On a deeper level.

It's there's more coloration or variation.

But on a broader level,

I can remember one of my spiritual teachers,

Jagadguru Siddhasru Pananda speaking many,

Many years ago just about anxiety from the Vedic perspective.

And they look at things in three fundamental categories.

One is when somebody when we desire something,

Whether that's an object or objects,

Whether it's an experience,

Even something like recognition,

Relationship can be any any one of our infinite variety of things when we fundamentally desire something with it always comes an anxiety,

The anxiety that maybe I won't be able to get what I want or what I desire.

And so even though a person may be very driven and in trying to accomplish some goal and wanting to do something,

Whether they recognize it or not,

They are carrying with them this huge load,

This anxiousness about whether I'm going to be able to achieve or accomplish things even in spite of having a very positive attitude or whatever.

Then you have another category when people feel that they have something and that is somehow threatened that they could potentially lose something that they have or a person,

A relationship,

Status,

It can be even the youthfulness of the body and is infinite number of things that we could be contemplating.

And there is always going to be this anxiousness of losing that.

What if I lose it or if I do lose it?

And so this really permeates our life and we're often unaware of how much anxiousness we actually feel about things.

Then the third category of anxiousness comes when you lose something of importance to you,

Something that you hold to be important,

Then it's already gone.

And so then there's this feeling of anxiousness accompanied with what if,

If only I hadn't have done that or if only I had have done that or if only they hadn't have done this thing or that thing.

So it's kind of quite extraordinary when we look at things from the perspective of whether we,

When we're sitting out,

We have a desire to accomplish or to achieve or to have or to own,

Possess,

Experience something when we already have it,

That which we were desiring.

And then finally,

When it is lost in all three of those situations,

I'm feeling anxious.

And so it's kind of like,

Whoa,

That's pretty amazing.

If I really want to look at my life and look at it quite deeply.

And I recognize that,

You know,

This anxiety is pretty much always there.

Of course,

At certain times in our life,

It rises to the forefront more.

It's like a bigger issue,

A bigger deal.

And so,

You know,

If I recognize that it's always there,

But at times when I feel,

You know,

Even more threatened than normal,

Or there is some,

You know,

Like the current situation,

There is some,

Some situation or something that's,

That's occurring.

And it becomes a little bit more pronounced.

It generally becomes more pronounced because we feel the inevitability of not being able to get something or losing something.

And then the anxiousness of having that gone and wishing it hadn't and wanting it back.

If we think about what we're going through in all of these situations,

And we think about it within the framework of what we've been discussing with these different lessons,

Then what it does is,

Is it brings things much more into focus.

The first lesson that we dealt with this too shall pass.

So we can,

We can apply that and in any one of those three categories,

You know,

Where we're feeling some anxiousness because we,

We want something,

And we're afraid we may not get it.

When we have something,

We're afraid that we're going to lose it.

Hey,

You are going to lose it sometime or some how,

Somewhere.

You are going to lose things.

That's the very nature of,

Of life in the material world.

If things don't last,

There is going to be,

You know,

Often there's going to be change,

Things that we,

We have this tremendous desire for that which is permanent.

And we're trying to fulfill that,

You know,

Desire or this attachment to the things which are permanent in a world which is temporary.

So right there,

We're setting ourselves up for conflict,

Internal conflict,

Because it means that we're not really accepting the reality that in due course of time,

Everything is going to pass.

It will all fade away.

In considering that reality,

And then now looking at the other lessons that were the next one we dealt with,

I think it was the next one with the serenity prayer.

You know,

This serenity prayer,

It's a very,

Very important one.

This idea that this,

This praying for the courage to be able to accept things that you cannot change.

The fact that we live in a world of change and everything is coming and going.

If I am able to actually accept that peacefully within my heart,

That this is simply the nature of this world.

This is the nature of life within this body and within this world.

And I think that's the most important thing.

This is simply the nature of this world.

This is the nature of life within this body and within this world.

I will begin to recognize how out of character the material experience is.

Because I am an eternal spiritual being.

The fact that I am an eternal spiritual being,

This is the this is the driving force for my desire for permanence.

The problem is,

There is a huge difference between me,

The eternal spiritual being,

And the body in which I am occupying.

When I falsely think that this particular external covering is who I am.

You know,

And then I'm tethering this,

My eternal nature and my desire for permanence and that which is eternal,

Eternality to something which is temporary and changing and constantly going through these these cyclical things of birth and death fundamentally.

And so that's setting me up for unhappiness.

Learning to accept things for what they are.

Accepting that we don't have control over everything.

We just absolutely don't.

We can't.

We're not in control of the world as it were.

We're not in control of the world as it were.

And our experience of life,

The area of our control as we discussed,

Is how I'm going to choose to take something.

How I'm going to allow something to affect me.

In what way?

How I am going to respond to something.

This is what's within my domain of control.

It's within my power.

And when I become too overly focused on an unrealistic expectation,

You know,

Lives are filled with unrealistic expectation.

Everybody likes to be in control of their own life.

They're filled with unrealistic expectation.

Everybody likes to,

You know,

Develop all these unrealistic expectations to live happily ever after.

To have perfect relationships.

To have a perfect little life.

I'm sorry,

It's not,

That's not the reality.

That's not the reality of things.

That doesn't mean our life needs to be difficult.

It needs to be sad or unhappy or no.

But the more we come to actually embrace and accept things as they are and for what they are,

The greater the possibility for us to be able to find some actual peace.

When a person can embrace the temporary nature of this world and so-called life in this world,

Even their own death is not particularly unsettling.

Because they recognize that even this eventuality,

This one thing that I can absolutely count on,

I mean,

I can't count on anything else.

This one I can count on that I will face this experience of death.

But when I am armed with this deeper spiritual understanding of my eternal nature and the fact that I intact,

Complete and whole will leave this body behind.

Makes that experience something which is not at all terribly frightening or really disturbing.

One can face this event with tremendous grace and peacefulness because they are finding their security somewhere else.

In order to feel always to be in a position where I can experience security and peacefulness,

I must be residing,

If I can use that word,

Within my eternal spirit.

I must be not only convinced of that,

I must be experiencing that reality and embracing that completely.

And in embracing that and realizing that the desires of the mind,

The desires that we develop,

This,

You know,

This,

This,

This,

This,

This,

This,

This,

This,

This,

This,

This,

This,

This,

This,

You know,

Things related to this world.

We may or may not achieve things.

Things will come,

They will go.

Even if we attain stuff,

We cannot,

You know,

Hold on to it.

I mean,

There's nothing more sad than seeing an old boxer who's,

You know,

Couldn't probably fight his way out of a paper bag.

You know,

He's just like,

Oh,

And then somebody,

Hey,

Champ,

How's it going?

You know,

Just going through the motions as it were of,

You know,

Like being the big fighter.

You know,

We have that,

We have that tendency,

We want to cling to these moments of youthfulness and strength and vigor.

And we're not really actually accepting the reality.

We cannot stay,

Our bodies cannot stay in that condition.

We can't stay in that,

In that place,

In that space.

If we take the previous lessons that we've talked about and very thoughtfully apply them to our life,

Particularly when we are experiencing some anxiousness or anxiety,

What it does is it brings a perspective and it actually makes it so that you can accept things for what they are,

That you are not unrealistically seeking to try and control or change that which you cannot control.

And instead,

You are going to this place within,

Reconnecting with my eternal spiritual being,

Who I actually am.

And of course,

The practice that makes that experience,

It magnifies,

It makes it increasingly real,

Is the process of meditation.

Many people,

You know,

In some of the places that we run,

Particularly the mindfulness meditation classes and things,

When we introduce them into this chanting,

It just amazes me that it doesn't matter what country,

And I've done this in so many different countries and with people from different socioeconomic backgrounds and all different varieties of ages,

Men and women,

Everyone,

That people feel this like they have been touched in a very special way when they hear this chanting.

And the more a person can actually open their heart and take this spiritual sound in,

It's not uncommon to see people even cry or tear glide down their cheeks from a feeling of relief and of joy.

And we just don't appreciate the load that we're carrying around,

Like I mentioned earlier,

Whether we're desiring something,

Whether we already have it or whether we've lost it.

In all those situations,

We are in anxiety.

And it's always like,

We don't realize how much anxiety that we're carrying around.

But in these moments of meditation,

When a person can become more open their heart and embrace this eternal spiritual sound,

What it does,

It begins to help us to become more perceptive of our eternal spiritual nature.

And this is a place where we can actually find joy,

Where we can find shelter,

Where we feel completely protected like a little infant,

A little baby in its mother's arms,

Feeling that it's completely safe.

We can feel this way by engaging in this forms of meditation.

So there's lots of things I can tell you,

Little kind of tips and tricks as it were to help deal with anxiety.

But what I'm trying to do here,

I'm not going to deal with all the stuff on the surface.

There is this need to really get to the heart of the matter.

And I think that's the key to getting to the heart of the matter.

And to become in our mindful meditations,

You know,

Just like last time we spoke,

We're talking about learning to hit the pause button,

To step back from moments of great emotional distress or just just when emotions become,

You know,

Overwhelmed or over flooded by some emotional response to something,

To learn how to step back and allow that to pass before you start actually dealing with things,

Speaking,

Acting,

Making decisions.

That same mindfulness and that same focus should be applied to these moments where I am feeling anxious.

I can meditate on simple thoughts.

I am an eternal spiritual being.

As an eternal spiritual being,

I cannot die,

I do not die.

Whatever happens to my body is only something happening to that which is external.

That I can find shelter in that which is eternal and that which is spiritual,

Just as I am spiritual and I am eternal.

Just simply meditating upon or repeating these thoughts,

These fundamental truths,

And at the same time listening to or chanting or singing these spiritual sounds can have a wonderfully profound effect on a person and really quieten the heart and pacify the mind and make it so that we can now begin to embrace the fact that this world is constantly changing and nothing will last forever.

It doesn't.

And when I embrace and accept that,

Then it simply now becomes about,

Okay,

Given that I am going to be in this situation and this is happening,

Not will happen,

What if,

What,

You know,

Always be speculating.

But when I am confronted,

I can prepare a little and when something unpleasant,

Difficult,

Sad,

Whatever happens,

Then it is okay.

What should my response be?

How should I process this?

How should I deal with this?

And when I do that within the framework of the other lessons that we have already dealt with,

Then I will find enormous relief and comfort.

And even in spite of encountering difficulty or hardship,

Still I am not in anxiousness,

I am not in anxiety.

So I really ask you to please consider these realities,

Consider these facts,

And more importantly,

Attempt to apply this in your life.

Once you begin the process of actually endeavoring to apply things,

Your life completely changes.

Everything becomes infinitely better.

Even when one is confronted with enormous difficulty,

One can still be cheerful,

One can still be light-hearted.

It doesn't mean we are not taking things seriously,

But we are not overwhelmed by the anxiousness that often comes from not accepting the reality of things,

Wishing it was different when your wishing is not going to make any difference.

If you want to make things a little different or according to your capacity,

According to the situation,

Then you need to take action.

You need to do things that will begin to make some difference,

That will bring the kind of change that you seek into your life.

So it is rather a sober message,

But I ask you to really consider it deeply and begin to attempt to try and practice these things in your life.

Your life will become so much more wonderful,

So much better.

Thank you very,

Very much.

So,

Feeling in a somewhat mellow and meditative mood here,

So we'll sing Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana,

This mantra.

And we might do it with a gentle and heartfelt kind of tune.

Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Gopala Govindarama Madana Mohana Thank you very very much

Reviews

Nothing is permanent, alll things come to pass, a timely reminder. Beautiful mantra and music 🙏🥰

VERY timely and insightful.

I really enjoyed this session. It is the first I have listened to. I find it difficult to separate my spiritual being from my physical and being present it a struggle. This was gentle and kind while also having some strong messages. Thank you