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From Worry to Meditation: How to Drop Worries and Live in the Present Moment

From worry to meditation: Learn how meditation can help you drop worries and live in the now!

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Are anxious thoughts ruining your emotional and mental health?

Let me begin with a story.

Once two villagers were sitting under a tree and watching the sunset.

They were very close friends. After sitting quietly for some time, one asked the other, “What are you thinking? I am planning to buy five acres of land, a garden.” The other friend immediately said, “Don't buy the garden!”

The first one was really surprised by this. He asked, “Why”? 

The second one replied, “I am planning to buy a buffalo. Then my buffalo will enter your garden. And we’ll fight, have misunderstandings, and lose our friendship. I do not want to lose our friendship.”

The first one said, “Then, you cancel your plan to buy a buffalo. I am going to buy my garden.” 

The second one said, “No, no, no. I have already decided to buy a buffalo.”

The first one said, “How will your buffalo enter my garden? I will fence it thoroughly.”

The second one said, “No, you see, it can just enter; a buffalo is a buffalo. Who can stop it? It can do anything.”

Then the fight went on to such an extent that they broke each other’s limbs!

Neither had bought a buffalo or land. Nothing had happened. Yet just with the mind´s racing, both of them got into a fight! 

Our fears are also like that. The future has not yet come, but you just sit there and think, “Oh! What will happen?” There is so much anxiety about the future. In this race, the mind gets into such a mess that it is unable to see the present moment as it unfolds.

What do you have in common with a banana?

Do you want to know a fascinating secret? Human beings and bananas share 50% of the same DNA.  Maybe that’s why when one goes crazy they are said to have “gone bananas.” It simply means that they are only using half of their DNA.

On a more serious note, what actually makes us human? 

While we are unique and beautiful inside, stress and worry rob us of our beauty. When the stress is gone, we become our original selves. 

Life without worry: how to be fully present like a child?

Every child came into this world as a pure, beautiful, innocent, and intelligent being. But then, somehow, we tend to lose that innocence as we grow older and start worrying about the future. The intelligence that has no innocence does not have much value and innocence without  intelligence has no value. What is needed? To combine intelligence and innocence. That which gives us innocence and intelligence, which gives us sensibility and sensitivity, that which makes our heart blossom and keeps our intellect sharp, that is spirituality.

Although we have all these qualities, we are not trained to use them. If we can train ourselves to use them, what happens? Our sharpness increases, our memory improves, our intuitive ability becomes very strong, and our presence of mind increases.

Why is it so hard to concentrate?

Psychologists claim that when listening to a talk that is10 mins or longer, your mind keeps taking cappuccino breaks now and then. Today a lot of young people are losing their attention span. ADHD, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder syndrome, is increasing.  So, what to do?

I just want to stop worrying! Is that possible?

Here are some tips to let go of negative thoughts and reduce anxiety and worry.

1. Practice meditation, yoga, and breathing exercises as part of your daily routine for your emotional well-being and mental health 

Practicing meditation helps calm down our nervous system, and yoga removes built-up toxins from our bodies. Breathing exercises like pranayama connect the body with the mind and keep it in sync. 

Read How to Meditate: The First and Last Guide You’ll Ever Need to learn more about meditation.

2. Realize that nothing is permanent!

One day you are going to end up under the ground. You will be finished. Everybody else will also be finished. What are you worried about? Are you worried about money? You are worried about somebody’s opinion? You are worried about prestige? Are you worried about your health? There are four things that people worry about—money, relationships, prestige, and health. All of them are going to go away one day.  So why worry?

3. See life in a bigger context to overcome negative feelings and stay positive

Do you remember the time when you were worried about your algebra exam in the 8th grade? Well, you survived that and many more obstacles that life threw at you! You are still alive. worrying did not do anything to you. It only created more toxins in your body. Life goes on anyway.

4. Observe that life is a play between free will and destiny

Life is a combination of free will and destiny. Your height is your destiny but your weight is your free will.

Look back and see there have been many instances in the past when you were worried and somehow you overcame them all. This wisdom gives you the strength to move past your present worries.

Some motivational quotes to remember in everyday life

Editor’s note: here are five quotes on how to reduce stress and worry. We invite you to take a moment to sit with one or two of them and let go of your worries for a moment. 

1. “Train the mind to live in the present moment. Drop the stress that you are carrying for nothing. Our smile is worth the whole world and more.”

2. “Faith is realizing that you always get what you need.”

3. “Nothing in the world can bother you as much as your mind. Others seem to be bothering you, but it is not the other. In fact, it is your mind.”

4. “Nothing whatsoever in the universe can ever give you contentment. You have to bring it to yourself.”

5. “The bigger our vision for the world, the fewer personal worries we have.”

6. “Worry is the enemy of love. You cannot be in love and be worried at the same time.”

7. “You have nothing to lose. All that you can lose is your tension and your worry, small-mindedness, fear, and anxiety. And fear, anxiety, tension, and worry in the small, little mind will keep the mind from being free. They will keep the mind from experiencing its infinite potential and will keep the mind from becoming more powerful on this planet.”

Relax with a guided meditation when you feel anxious

Taking a few minutes for guided meditation can also help to lower anxiety and experience calm.

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Editor’s note

What type of meditation is good for anxiety?

Guided meditations are good to start with. Yoga Nidra (or Progressive muscle relaxation with a  body scan) can also help. A growing body of research studies has shown that SKY Breath Meditation is extremely beneficial in reducing anxiety, stress, and depression. Recent research has even suggested that SKY Breath Meditation can be more effective than mindfulness alone.

Join Beyond Breath today and learn more about SKY

Breath is a key factor in managing our minds. Try this simple breath awareness exercise: gently pay attention to your in-breath and out-breath and take some deep breaths for a few minutes. Do you notice any difference in the state of your mind? We can't breathe in the past or future. We breathe in this very moment. Life is happening right now in this very moment. Paying attention to our breath connects us back to the present moment and brings us calm.

The regular practice of meditation is a great tool to deal with the negative effects of stress and anxiety. It can also help reduce the risk of heart disease, lower blood pressure, and boost overall immunity. To learn more, join a free introductory session to breathwork and meditation. 

Disclaimer: This content on the Art of Living Blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Any links to third-party websites are provided as a convenience only and the Art of Living Blog is not responsible for their content.

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