ANXIETY and where it exists.

 IN theory, Buddhism reaches out to me as a pure and good way of thinking. I couldn't be a Buddhist, mainly because I am not a vegetarian, but I do appreciate a lot of the theory behind it. It's a real wellness culture and system of learning and a kind way of living. I read a lot of these teachings and have used them a lot in my recent blogs. Today I want to cover another teaching from Buddhism, and that is the lesson taught by the monk 'Bodhidharma' to a disciple called 'Huike.'

Huike was an anxious disciple, his mind was always full of anxiety and he shared this with Bodhidharma one day. He asked for the anxiety to be quietened. The conversation flowed about what was causing Huike the anxiety, and in his telling of this to the monk, he came to the realisation that there were no real issues to cause the anxiety. His fears and worries were only in his mind and not in reality. And yet he clung to these anxieties for no real reason.

As soon as Huike realised this, that there is no need to be worried about things that haven't happened yet, or may not even happen at all, he released the anxiety, he had no need for them anymore. You only need to think about the things that are actually happening in the present.

Almost all anxiety is an invention of your own mind, a thing of your creation, and if you created it, you can rid yourself of it just as easily.

I have covered this before in both blog and podcast, using the 'stress bucket' or 'stress container' you can sort out what is real and what is just a figment of your imagination in one very easy step. And I shall quickly go over it again in case you missed it.

Once a week I do this, and I actually write it down on paper so that I can rationalise it better. Think of what is filling your mind with anxiety, and write down those things, for instance, maybe you are worried about a friend or relative, write down how you can help them and a time to do this action. If you cannot actually help them, because the situation is out of your hands, you have to let it go. Do this for all things that worry you, ask yourself, 'can I do anything about this?' If yes, write an action plan and do it. If no, then let it go, it's not your worry anymore.

Live in the NOW, not in the past or future, because although we can learn from the past, we should not be living in it, and the future is just that, we cannot predict it, we can be positive about it, but we do not know how it will affect us, so leave it be until it becomes present.

Let go of your anxiety, it's your creation and only you can set it free.