Dealing with anxiety through the Power of Now
This article will focus on waking up to the Power of Now, building on concepts mostly from Eckhart Tolle’s fantastic book, with simple tools that could be used to break the spell of negative thinking and the anxiety it causes.
My first read of book was around the time I had begun meditating properly some 4–5 years ago. It brought so much clarity to what meditation was trying to achieve, and led to many “ah ha” moments that started the path to become aware of the unconscious, often negative chatter inside my mind.
Each time I re-read my notes or the summarised version of the book, it returns me to focus more on the present and further solidifies the concepts. Below are a list of concepts and tools I have found most beneficial.
CONSCIOUSNESS & PRESENCE
· Unconsciousness is identification with thought processes, time and emotions leading to a continuous low level of unease, discontent etc.
· Presence occurs when we can acknowledge and remove identification from thoughts, and give full attention to what is happening at that moment.
· Mindful meditation will of course strengthen this ability, but anything that makes you present will give you a break from the thinking.
· Getting lost in the sounds and sights of nature, fully listening to music, being fully focusses on driving or cooking, or some creative endeavour all promote this state.
· We must be present to feel the energy. Once you think about the moment, it has already passed.
MIND / EGO
· The ego mind creates a false self through identifying with past thoughts and projecting into the future, creating self-narrated stories of not being good enough or not worthy etc.
· There is resistance to break those stories as it questions ego identity, and creates an unknown. When we are not focussed in the present moment, this can project fear into the future and trigger us unconsciously to seek refuge in the known pain body.
· When feeling resistance, negativity, discomfort, use this as an alarm to tell you to be more present, and to stop identifying with thoughts unconsciously.
· Do not resist, allow vulnerability to come in, because when we truly accept the present situation, we become paradoxically invulnerable, as we are not resisting.
EMOTIONS
· Emotions are stored in the body, through tension in the face and muscles, posture etc.
· A way to acknowledge emotions is to focus into the body, using a meditation method called a body scan, feeling the different parts of the body without judgement.
· I have also found it useful to use an App called “Mood Meter”. In this you can record your emotion at that time in 4 quadrants of high and low energy and positive and negative emotion.
· As a daily practice, throughout the day or at times of stress and anxiety, shining the spotlight on emotions will make us consciously aware of them and reduce how long they last
· Be at least as interested in your reactions to a situation or person than those that cause you to react.
THE PAIN BODY
· If emotions go unchecked, or if they have particularly strong memory associated through a traumatic event they become what Eckhart calls, the pain body.
· This is when we have created an identity out of negative thinking, creating the all too familiar destructive, negative stories that can be played over and over, usually unconsciously.
· The most powerful way I have found to dissolve the pain body is to be the conscious watcher of thoughts.
· Mindful meditation practice strengthens the skill, and I use reminders on my phone and watch to trigger me to stop and think throughout the day — “Am I at ease?” “Am I unconsciously thinking / repeating a negative story right now”.
· When in a negative downward slope, watching thoughts and observing them without judgement will reduce the time and severity of emotion felt.
TIME
· Clock time is very useful when used for logical planning. However, when time and unease or negativity come together, there can be desire to escape the present moment to some better future, or fear and anxiety in what the future might bring.
· Only the quality of consciousness in the present moment is what shapes the future, accepting the situation as is allows better clarity and focus to take action.
· Replacing the wasted time, energy and suffering into preparation, growth and learning to be better prepared.
PAIN NOW VS PAIN IN THE FUTURE
· It always amazes me how much more mentally painful something can be when projecting that pain into the future.
· For example, when exercising, try truly focussing on the pain in that present moment. Whether holding a yoga pose or pushing on the bike, focussing entirely on the source of the pain in the present moment can make it far more bearable.
· Equally, projecting some future issue through worry and anxiety in the mind is the same thing. There creates an anxiety gap between what is now and what could be in the future.
· Building a mindset or identity as someone who doesn’t complain, who digs deep and uses that energy to advantage might be a way through it.
SUMMARY
I do not claim to have all the answers or a consistent ability to deal with anxiety and live in the present under difficult mental circumstances. Instead this comes from a place of struggle, constant learning, and constant experimentation.
Nonetheless learning and growth, with consistent daily practice to consciously monitor our mind and accept without judgement, could lead to more presence to tackle whatever the future might hold. Reducing the anxiety for the unknown that we ultimately cannot control.
REFERENCES
If you struggle with anxiety, overthinking, worry or stress as I do, and you haven’t already read The Power of Now, then I highly recommend it. It has been the single most transformative read of my life, and has profoundly benefited many others I know.
https://eckharttolle.com/power-of-now-excerpt/
https://eckharttolle.com/practicing-the-power-of-now-excerpt/
