Ask The Master: 07 Jan 2008

Q. What happens inside us when we worry?

Just watch your mind when you are worrying about something. What is taking place? You’ll find that a continuous stream of thoughts is flowing through your mind - mostly negative, totally disconnected.

In fact, we all indulge in two kinds of speech – ‘speaking out’ and ‘speaking in’. Speaking to others is what we normally call speech. But what about the soundless inner conversations that we constantly carry on with ourselves? This continuous, uncontrolled inner chatter that takes possession of your being without your permission, is the gift of the mind - the source of all worry. This inner chatter is your true master.

With inner chatter, there is no cessation of speech, never a moment’s respite. It is a kind of madness. Often, speaking to others is just a way of escaping from one’s own being, from one’s inner chatter. That is why so much talking is going on in the world!

It is not easy to understand what is meant by inner chatter. Try this experiment. Sit down with your eyes closed. Don’t focus on any issue. In just a few moments, you’ll find that there is a continuous stream of thoughts flowing through your mind. Write down, honestly, whatever thoughts come into your mind. Do this for five minutes.

Now, sit down and read what’s written on that paper. You will be shocked by what you read! This is the record of your inner chatter. How disconnected your thoughts are! How irrelevant, contradictory and defying they are. Now do you see what a full-fledged lunatic asylum you are running inside your head? This is the true nature of your mind – this completely uncontrolled flow of thoughts, this expression of insanity. This is the mind you have entrusted your life to! This is the mind that has invented all your worries. It is this mind that is living your life for you. Simply understand this much, and you have already taken a quantum leap towards freedom from worry.

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This excerpt has been taken from the book: Uncommon Answers to Common Questions