Quite often we find ourselves with many negative thoughts going through our mind. These trains of thoughts can become very powerful as we endlessly repeat them in our mind. The problem is that that the more we focus on the thoughts, the more powerful they become. Therefore, it can become very difficult to stop these endless cycles of thoughts.
However, it is definitely possible and these are a few tips to control our thoughts.
1. Make a conscious decision to Stop the thoughts
The problem is that sometimes we attach ourselves to certain ideas and problems, and we subconsciously get a kind of pleasure from going through a certain problem / issue. If we subconsciously keep inviting the thoughts, we will never be able to stop them. Therefore, the first stage is to make a clear and conscious decision to stop the repetition of the thoughts. Be aware of their negative impact and don’t allow them to come any more. This conscious step is an indispensable stage in controlling our thoughts.
2. Look upon the Thoughts as being Outside of yourself.
When we first try to stop the thoughts, it seems very difficult because they feel such a strong part of our mind. Therefore, the second stage is to feel that the thoughts are separate to our self. When a thought appears in your mind, look upon the thought as coming from outside yourself. This is a very powerful way to reduce the impact of thoughts on our mind. Once we realise our thoughts are separate to ourselves it becomes possible to stop them.
3. Who is it who listens to thoughts?
This is a technique to try and discover the origination of your thoughts. Whenever a thought appears, just ask yourself, who is it who is thinking this? What we do is to try and discover the source of thoughts. Through asking this question we realise that there is an “I” which can decide to accept or reject thoughts. By asking this question we will be able to stop the thoughts as soon as they enter. You are not a victim of your own thoughts, it is you who either rejects or gives life to thoughts.
4. Catch thoughts as soon as they appear.
This exercise requires a determined effort on our part. We need to be vigilant and watch every thought that enters our mind. As soon as we see a negative thought enter, we must immediately discard it and refuse to follow it. The more we follow thoughts, the more difficult it becomes to stop them later. Therefore, it is best to catch them as soon as possible.
5. Concentrate on Something else.
If we have a train of thoughts which have gained a stranglehold over our mind, the best solution is often to just try and do something completely different. Don’t just sit around, go and do something which gives you no opportunity to ruminate over your thoughts. By doing this we ignore the thoughts completely, and they lose there hold over us.
“Wrong thoughts are inside us just because we identify ourselves with these thoughts. If we identify with something else, immediately they have to leave us.”
– Sri Chinmoy [1]
6. Meditation
Meditation is the best way to learn how to control our thoughts. Meditation involves the art of concentration and quietening the mind. In meditation we not only try to control our thoughts but we also can bring to the fore our inner qualities of peace and oneness. If we can invoke the calming power of our own heart, then we use an alternative force to take the place of the negative mind.
“The mind has its own power, and right now this power is stronger than your present eagerness and determination to meditate. But if you can get help from your heart, then gradually you will be able to control your mind. The heart, in turn, gets constant assistance from the soul, which is all light and all power.”
– Sri Chinmoy [2]
We should meditate every day so that we can bring to the fore as much as peace as possible into our mind. If we only meditate when we are overrun with thoughts, we will find meditation very difficult. But, if we gain peace of mind through our daily meditation then we develop our inner capacities to control our thoughts.
Related:
References
[1] Mind Confusion – Heart Illumination at Sri Chinmoy Library
[2] The Silent Mind
Photo By Unmesh Swanson,
well. is pretty interesting. i think this…1st watch ur thoughts…u r not part of ur mind..mid sometimes plays with u….2nd….choose wich thought should preserve to be better in your life…autodestructive thought will be all the time but its ur decision to identify with them or not……3rd : focus on what u want.or good thought always…like and obsesion thats the key to make your dreams come true……every thing you DO in your life begins wwith intention…soemthing estimulate u to thinka that the thought the next step is keep it like u own it then becomes the action and what u do is what u are……ur actions.
so think about what u are thinking right now…it will make u better or worse?
good luck everyone
im just a another journeyman in the path of life.
This article was very useful for me.
I was struggling with unwanted thoughts all the day from last few weeks.
It gave a direction as how to control them. I did practice meditation,yoga in the past but all at times when i was in trouble & hence couldnt concentrate or continue it.
I strongly decided to continue meditation from now on with out any breaks.
Thanks for this very good article.
– Jagadish
iam having really negaitive thoughts on and off and i fuel on them.what would be the right perspective to apporach these thoughts.after being a year and 4 months.please help asap.
literally more like 2 years.the thought that has really being fueled is my bro being schofrenic.since i can remember i have been worring since then.no way to come out of that thought has been a burden.reading has really helped me but need a lil bit more advice due to the 2 years of having a negaitive thought of my bros mental illness of schizofrenic..who ever reads this give me an advise email me…
…..i think by repeating these steps that were given in the article over and over again has gaven me a different outlook on thoughts .you can control a thought.jus dont force your thought. ease the thought to a relaxation ….my tip that helped me is an ingrident that can help everybody. ………………………………………. negaitive thought goes in your head………..concentrate then think about what you are thinking…..now fastly think reality….in a reality motion look around and think into a reality state of a mind that thought does not exist.
I’ve been having trouble controlling my thought since Jan. of this year. It threw me into a state of anxiety and stress and RLS for the last 2 months. Luckyily, I no longger have RLS or anxiety like that. The only thing that I have to stop now is my negative thoughts. I find it hard tho, to just let a thought come and run it’s course without trying to fight it off. And for some reason, controlling my thoughts has gotten harder over the past few days. Maybe I’m trying too hard to fight them off.
how to give up undesired desires ,cravings and habits when it is so easy to indulge and “enjoy”. It is not very hard, (I believe), but I have often gone back to my habits ,just casually, after having gone without indulgence for many days.
I’ve been not able to concentrate eversince my lover left for someone else. I felt so forsaken, felt so lost and I notice she kept avoiding me. I tried my very best to keep myself busy, but any moment of silence, the thoughts of her and our previous moments of happiness came by. I really feel very hard to accept the fact and I keep reading Buddha’s teaching and keep trying my best to be mindful and cultivate patience and compassion. However, anger, jealousy, desire and delusion kept coming and I feel so disturbed. Please share some lights….though ultimately I still know it’s my mind that is driving me crazy…….
A great article indeed!
But i feel it would have been better if there were more techniques to control the thought process. Such methods only depend upon person to person i.e. individual ability to control thought process….some may be able to and some may not.
The more you thought that you are victim of bad thought , you are suffering yourself , Do not do any meditation keeping in mind that you are victim , it actuaily increases the suffering , increase in suffering increase your bad thought ……. Do not bother about the thought …….just do your normal routine ….
Sometimes in the middle of meditation I start crying for no reason. I’m not thinking sad thoughts. at least not consciencly. Is this normal?
this is wonderfull sight
Hey ladies and fellas!
FIRST TIP : share everything with your PARENTS, GOOD FRIENDS, INTERNET FORUMS and go see a psy. Follow up with every negative thought you have on your mind and you will feel good and accepted. When people accept you, you will automagically accept yourself.
SECOND TIP : For to Laugh/smile at yourself and laugh/smile at anything. You will program your mind to not take all the things seriously.
THIRD TIP : Another good thing to fight against the negative thoughts is religion. Practice the religion you belong to and enforce your spiritual level. When you are grateful about all the beautiful things that the nature has, you gain positive thoughts and you take over the negative ones. You keep thinking about all the positive things you have: What did I do so far that is good for me? What is my destiny? God made me like this for a reason and I have to trust him completely till the end of my days. You have to think that God is here to help you out if you believe on him.
Usually we try to find a solution that is hidden inside our body but finally we realize that humans are short minded to understand some of the things.
Dear Sir or Madam,
The article or a piece of advice given by you is very useful. I am pleased if you can send me any other text through my mail address as i am in trouble in controlling my own benefit. i need you to give a piece of strategies on how to control it. Thank you.
Regards,
Rachna
This article was a great help for me . It helped me destroying many negative illusionary thoughts that kept going through my mind repeatedly .
Thank you so much !!
This post has helped me a lot the past couple months. Whenever I get a negative thought I come to this page and read it and meditate over it. The hardest part is to remind yourself that one day these thoughts will NOT be a part of you anymore and that should be the center of your attention, to know that you WILL be able to overcome this hurdle. Keep up the amazing posts and thank you.