Your brain is nothing but a box of negative thought patterns. Many of you riding the negative wave will come to understand the hopelessness and futility of the situation. Failed medications, behavioural therapies, this and that healing, all in vain.

This article is, in a way, closely related to the article free from worry. The key distinction between worry and negative thoughts is that worry can sometimes be productive—concern for your finances, relationships, or other important matters. However, there’s a tendency for impulsive thinking—whether positive or negative. Negative thoughts, on the other hand, generate feelings that create a deeper sense of bondage and are normally debilitating—generally those of fear, anxiety, depression—ultimately draining your life energy. Still, the underlying mechanism for both is quite similar. The essential truth lies in recognising that you have a metaphysical aspect; you are not defined by your mind.

When a negative thought, like fear, arises, take a moment to observe it. A typical response might be to try to push the fear away, but this can actually strengthen the neural pathways associated with that thought. Your brain is wired for survival, meaning it encodes potential threats strongly through synaptic connections. As a result, the chances of those fears resurfacing in the future increase. The more you suppress these thoughts, the more they tend to come to the surface.

More so, these negative thought patterns of fear and distress tend to linger in the background as you go about your daily activities, subtly expanding their influence by attaching to other related fear-inducing scenarios. You will be living in the fear of the fear returning. But again, this is how your brain has been fundamentally wired—to be highly sensitive to even the slightest potential threat, ensuring your survival.. This is what it is supposed to do for your survival. Because these are ultimately neural connections, the brain cannot differentiate between a life-threatening situation and one that is merely an undesirable social scenario. To the brain, both are fearsome situations. Asking why negative thoughts arise is akin to questioning why your stomach digests food.

So to avoid such a scenario, to remove unwanted fears or getting rid of negative thoughts from your system, you need to move away from strengthening the paths. There are two ways to it: either change your thinking or stop paying attention to those thoughts.

Changing your thinking involves re-evaluating your understanding of the situation that triggers your fear. Therefore, having the right understanding can help, as long as you honestly recognise that the situation is indeed not fearsome. In many cases of fear and wherever possible, fear can only be overcome by fear. As a sports professional, I understand the significance of acclimating to the tournament environment by competing in multiple events. This preparation helps prevent those butterflies from overwhelming you during the actual match. Likewise, preparing for exams falls into this category as well. And if you reflect calmly, many of your life events also fit this category. By understanding the nature of stress, you’ll be better equipped to plan and follow a process. So, with this method, if you cannot avoid situations, understand and face it.

For others, especially those who might say, “But my situation is indeed undesirable, fearsome, and complex,” the key lies is not paying attention and refraining from fueling those thoughts further. Easier said than done, there are nuances involved; as the very situations that you think you are not paying attention to, you might actually end up paying more attention and aggravating the situation. However, if you grasp this concept correctly, it can lead you down the path of spirituality—that of love, moksha, call whatever may. Not paying attention would simply mean that you need to create a space between you and your thoughts. Detaching from these thoughts is a crucial aspect of spiritual growth. This detachment allows you to recognise the repetitive negative thought patterns that arise from entrenched neural connections in your brain. The topic ‘3 pronged approach for faster spiritual breakthrough’ will, in part, lay the foundation for this detachment. Remember, overcoming the influence of thoughts—whether they’re worries or stronger negative emotions—requires you to transcend the mind. It’s about recognising that you are more than just your mind; you are a metaphysical being. Esteemed scholars and sages like Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj have encouraged us to focus on the essence of “I am,” which acknowledges your existence beyond the physical experiences of your body and surroundings. Achieving this perspective necessitates distancing yourself from your mind, leading to what can truly be called a spiritual breakthrough.

Again, what I am presenting here should serve as a guideline. However, for a deeper insight, I highly recommend reading the book ‘Can You Play’. There I have the liberty to elaborate more extensively. For instance, it provides a thorough explanation of how meditation impacts both the brain and the mind. It also outlines the steps you can expect during meditation, which will help you align your experiences with the concepts discussed. You may also want to consider some preparatory steps to help your mind get ready for meditation. And more importantly, you need not endure suffering as you are going through spiritual healing. it provides a thorough explanation of how meditation impacts both the brain and the mind. It also outlines the steps you can expect during meditation, which will help you align your experiences with the concepts discussed. The book covers a holistic approach to achieving quick and effective overall vitality, benefiting both your material and spiritual growth. Remember, even Buddha recognised the significance of diet, including milk, on his journey to enlightenment.

Overcoming negative thought patterns is not a piece of cake. Nevertheless, it’s a rewarding and a challenging journey.