Is there a way that Buddhism and Buddhist meditation can help us with anxiety?
Example -
John is 50. John's wife has heart ailment. He needs to spend $150,000 out of pocket which he does not have. John takes a loan against his mortgaged house (I believe that is called a second mortgage) but worries about not being able to contribute enough towards kid's college fund since he will be paying of lot of debt. He is also worried what will happen if he is one day laid off or there is a recession like in 2008 etc.
John is anxious and worries a lot.
Buddhist solution to anxiety
Buddhist solution to anxiety
"The struggle itself toward the heights is enough to fill a man's heart. One must imagine Sisyphus happy.”― Albert Camus
Re: Buddhist solution to anxiety
I have never been able to watch past first ten minutes of this video .. though I have tried a dozen times.
Ajahn Sona says .. there are no anxious thoughts but you feel anxiety while you are thinking thoughts (I may have misunderstood him) .. what does it mean?
Ajahn Sona says .. there are no anxious thoughts but you feel anxiety while you are thinking thoughts (I may have misunderstood him) .. what does it mean?
"The struggle itself toward the heights is enough to fill a man's heart. One must imagine Sisyphus happy.”― Albert Camus
Re: Buddhist solution to anxiety
Reduction in anxiety is proportional to developing non-attachment. That involves understanding in practice that samsara is dukkha and taking refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha. The dhamma is a universal law and anxiety is the inevitable consequence of not following it; it's a signal from the body and mind of not being on the path.
Re: Buddhist solution to anxiety
Quite so.paul wrote: ↑Sat Mar 03, 2018 5:53 am Reduction in anxiety is proportional to developing non-attachment. That means understanding that samsara is dukkha and taking refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha, in practice. The dhamma is a universal law and anxiety is the inevitable consequence of not following it; it's a signal from the body and mind of not being on the path.
But you cannot ask John to be non-attached to his precarious financial condition. He will act out of stimuli arising from his life and that stimuli will produce in him worry/anxiety/sadness/fear/anger.
"The struggle itself toward the heights is enough to fill a man's heart. One must imagine Sisyphus happy.”― Albert Camus
Re: Buddhist solution to anxiety
It's not possible to solve other people's personal problems.
Hic Rhodus, hic salta!
Re: Buddhist solution to anxiety
You misunderstand my query.
If John was a Catholic and went to a padre the padre would ask him to pray.
If John was a Musilm and went to an Imam or maulvi the Imam/maulvi would ask him to pray.
If John was a Buddhist .. what should John do ..
"The struggle itself toward the heights is enough to fill a man's heart. One must imagine Sisyphus happy.”― Albert Camus
Re: Buddhist solution to anxiety
I'm addressing the mode of your query.
Go talk to a monk, for example. And stop externalizing his personal problems.If John was a Catholic and went to a padre the padre would ask him to pray.
If John was a Musilm and went to an Imam or maulvi the Imam/maulvi would ask him to pray.
If John was a Buddhist .. what should John do ..
Hic Rhodus, hic salta!
Re: Buddhist solution to anxiety
1. If the thinking about problem x doesn't arise will there be the accompanying anxiety (no ).
2. Can you stop thinking ( no).
Ohhhh.
but 2 is demonstrating the anattaness of thinking. It is not your/my thinking. It is just thinking.
See that and thinking becomes like the weather- sometimes sunny, sometimes rainy - nothing to be too perturbed about.
2. Can you stop thinking ( no).
Ohhhh.
but 2 is demonstrating the anattaness of thinking. It is not your/my thinking. It is just thinking.
See that and thinking becomes like the weather- sometimes sunny, sometimes rainy - nothing to be too perturbed about.
Re: Buddhist solution to anxiety
I would be really glad if you can expand that a bit or provide me a sutta or article or commentary of some sort to understand it better.
"The struggle itself toward the heights is enough to fill a man's heart. One must imagine Sisyphus happy.”― Albert Camus
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Re: Buddhist solution to anxiety
I have found that mindfulness is important, recognising these states when they arise, also seeing that they are transient and conditional.
Generally I have also found that developing tranquillity and insight is helpful. Tranquillity has a settling and calming effect on the mind, while insight helps in understanding the causes and consequences of anxiety. There are different types of anxiety of course.
Buddha save me from new-agers!
Re: Buddhist solution to anxiety
I used to have paralyzing anxiety the more good things I did mentally verbally and physically this decreases your anxiety good karma decreases bad karma.
Take care of mindfulness and mindfulness will take care of you.
Re: Buddhist solution to anxiety
Good point. Most of the responses so far have focused upon "seeing through" the conditions, and regarding them in a different way. But in addition to this, John should try anapanasati. Not only might he become calmer, but a level of tranquillity might be required for him to even address these states without reacting badly.Dinsdale wrote: ↑Sat Mar 03, 2018 2:26 pmI have found that mindfulness is important, recognising these states when they arise, also seeing that they are transient and conditional.
Generally I have also found that developing tranquillity and insight is helpful. Tranquillity has a settling and calming effect on the mind, while insight helps in understanding the causes and consequences of anxiety. There are different types of anxiety of course.
Re: Buddhist solution to anxiety
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitak ... .nymo.html
And it repeats for all khandhas. Thinking comes with feeling and consciousness and sanna and sankhara and none of it is under anyone's control: Fortunately- due to the Buddha - this can become clear and the usual (mis)perception ( vipallasa) can be gradually uprooted . So the more the completely uncontrollable and conditioned and not-self nature of thinking (and other elements) becomes apparent the more ones view is aligned with the real nature of the "world" -I.e. anicca, dukkha and Anatta."Bhikkhus, consciousness is not self. Were consciousness self, then this consciousness would not lead to affliction, and one could have it of consciousness: 'Let my consciousness be thus, let my consciousness be not thus.' And since consciousness is not-self, so it leads to affliction, and none can have it of consciousness: 'Let my consciousness be thus, let my consciousness be not thus
And this brings with it all kinds of benefits here and now - the lessening of anxiety is one. But more importantly the 37 bodhipakkiyadhammas are also developing...
The path is starting to coalesce .
Re: Buddhist solution to anxiety
If an ordinary person not trained in virtue takes this approach, they end up in a state of anomie, a nihilist, confused, disturbed. Or else, become very good at pretending that all is well when it in fact isn't.robertk wrote: ↑Sat Mar 03, 2018 8:09 am 1. If the thinking about problem x doesn't arise will there be the accompanying anxiety (no ).
2. Can you stop thinking ( no).
Ohhhh.
but 2 is demonstrating the anattaness of thinking. It is not your/my thinking. It is just thinking.
See that and thinking becomes like the weather- sometimes sunny, sometimes rainy - nothing to be too perturbed about.
Hic Rhodus, hic salta!
Re: Buddhist solution to anxiety
And before that, John should train in virtue.Sam Vara wrote: ↑Sat Mar 03, 2018 2:45 pmGood point. Most of the responses so far have focused upon "seeing through" the conditions, and regarding them in a different way. But in addition to this, John should try anapanasati. Not only might he become calmer, but a level of tranquillity might be required for him to even address these states without reacting badly.
Hic Rhodus, hic salta!