Intrusive Thoughts or Important Message?

[Fireside_Hindu]

Namaste All,

Lately I've been working on controlling what feel like are obsessive thoughts. They are not negative, but they are persistent and distracting. Reciting mantras seems to help but now I am wondering if I should try to pay the thoughts closer attention - the logic being maybe they feel obsessive or intrusive because they are important.

However, this could be a left over from my previous Catholic days wherein one is programmed to "look for signs or messages" from God. I'm not sure God actually sends direct messages or not, so I suppose my question to you all is, How do I know if my persistent thoughts need to be examined in more detail or if they are harmful noise that I need to learn how to quiet?

 

[Terese]

What kind of obsessive thoughts are these?

 

[Vinayaka]

The past, whether happy or sad, isn't part of now. It's a waste of valuable time, if it becomes obsessive. It's like trivia, and worse if emotion is attached to it.

In my sampradaya, we are advised to find some time to sit down and write it all out, clarifying it, emoting it, etc. A total write-up, spilling all the beans. Then we burn it in an inauspicious fire.

What this does is take the emotion out of it.

 

[Aupmanyav]

How do I know if my persistent thoughts need to be examined in more detail or if they are harmful noise that I need to learn how to quiet?

Monkey mind, plays games. Practice 'Pranayam' (breath control) of a very mild kind. That will tell you on how to ignore monkey noise.

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

What kind of obsessive thoughts are these?

They are generally thoughts about what I should do for my future. Go here or there, do this or that.

 

[Vinayaka]

They are generally thoughts about what I should do for my future. Go here or there, do this or that.

Aum. That strategy I suggested won't work for futuristic thoughts. That tantra is for clearing the past. Bad guess on my part. For futuristic fears, I will personally use the affirmation, "I'm all right right now". For fururiastic daydreaming like you're suggesting, I like to actually plan stuff that is real, actually in your plans. That gets rid of the planning. You can then just stick the plan in a file somewhere and then forget about it. If it's intrusive and disruptive, then Aup's method quiets it, but I've also taken vows not to discuss or think about anything further than a couple of months.

But I understand the 'frustration' better now, because those thoughts really are a waste of time.

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

One thing I've had some limited success with is chanting mantra silently to myself. This seems to decrease the anxiety that comes with these kinds of thoughts which is a welcome relief but so far it only works as long as I recite the mantra. Once I stop, the thoughts come flooding. Are there mantras specific for this type of thing or will any one do?

 

[Jainarayan]

Are there mantras specific for this type of thing or will any one do?

Lord Ganesha: om gatatrāsāya namaha "reverence to the remover of worry/anxiety".

Lord Vishnu: om shantakarāya namaha "reverence to the peaceful one".

 

[Aupmanyav]

Concentrate your mind, analyse your situation, make a decision, and no further monkeying. Krishna said:

"Vyavasāyātmikā buddhih, ekeha, Kuru-Nandana;
bahu-śākhā hi anantāh ca, buddhayoh avyavasāyinām." BG 2.41

Those who mean business, their aim is one, O beloved child of the Kurus;
the understanding of those who are not fit for business is infinitely-branched.

(they do not know what they should be doing)​

(Aup's translation, and a very terse one )

 

[Shantanu]

Namaste All,

Lately I've been working on controlling what feel like are obsessive thoughts. They are not negative, but they are persistent and distracting. Reciting mantras seems to help but now I am wondering if I should try to pay the thoughts closer attention - the logic being maybe they feel obsessive or intrusive because they are important.

However, this could be a left over from my previous Catholic days wherein one is programmed to "look for signs or messages" from God. I'm not sure God actually sends direct messages or not, so I suppose my question to you all is, How do I know if my persistent thoughts need to be examined in more detail or if they are harmful noise that I need to learn how to quiet?

If I may suggest, you write all these thoughts down in a diary and you will find that the true path blessed by God will come through and guide you eventually as messages from God. That is my experience of comprehending truth-consciousness.