A friend sent me this cartoon today:
It can be subtitled: "Oh, for a dog's life". Eckhart Tolle stands out in my mind as a teacher and writer who emphasizes the possibility of thinking too much. When the mind is spinning or a given subject keeps dominating one's thought, it may be time to change subjects. Can it be done?
Sometimes. Mindfulness, or greater awareness of what one is allowing the mind to focus on helps in giving one a choice as to the mind's current subject. Mindfulness can be improved by meditating. The basic meditation method is one way to improve sensitivity to what one's mind is up to. It is often referred to as "one point meditation." That's where you look at a point or concentrate on your breath, and return to that anchor whenever you find your concentration has moved to the meaning of life, or your guy's moods, or what's for dinner. Doing such meditation can be quite challenging at first, but more and more Americans and other Westerners are finding it very beneficial, as many in Eastern nations have for centuries.
Another approach the over-thinking man in the cartoon might take is the philosophical. A retired professor of philosophy tells the story of trailing a couple of co-eds to the classroom. One is engaged in continuous worry and complaint. As they enter the classroom, the listener advises, "Margaret, be philosophical. Don't think about it." But Socrates and other thinkers took steps toward the subject: What is my question? Not using all the interrogative words that the cartoon man is thinking, but just a few.
A related subject is writing. Writing down one's thoughts and questions and worries and confusions can give some perspective. With today's search tools such as Google and DuckDuckGo, any subject, question or topic can be researched a bit. A librarian or local professor may be able to suggest various books or movies that shed light on one's thinking.
Two other approaches that might be of assistance are intensification and exercise. If I am bedeviled by thoughts of poverty or chaos, it may help get a grip and a bit of space by trying to experience myself intensifying the thoughts. Can I think of deeper poverty? Can I think of poverty everywhere and always? Trying to think more about the subject may elicit the reaction to simply drop the whole subject, being "philosophical" in the sense Margaret's friend advises.
A old approach to gaining perspective is to take a walk. A modern twist is to mount a bike or a stationary exercycle and pedal away. A solitary walk can be a boon, and a walk with a good friend can help, too.
