Understanding Anxiety Through the Three Principles
Anxiety is something many people experience at various points in their lives. It can feel like a constant, looming presence—a sense of unease that manifests in racing thoughts, physical discomfort, and an ongoing worry about the future. Whether it's concerns about work, relationships, health, or the unknown, anxiety can seem overwhelming and unrelenting.
But through the understanding of the Three Principles—Mind, Thought, and Consciousness—we gain a fresh perspective on anxiety. We come to see that anxiety is not a permanent or unchangeable state. It’s not an inherent part of who we are. Instead, anxiety is simply a product of thought, and like all thoughts, it is temporary and fluid. This understanding frees us from the grip of anxiety and allows us to reconnect with the deeper calm and wisdom that is always available to us.
Thought and the Creation of Anxiety
At its core, anxiety is created by the thoughts we are having in any given moment. When we get caught up in worries about the future, replay past mistakes, or imagine worst-case scenarios, our thinking naturally generates the feelings we associate with anxiety. These thoughts seem so real in the moment that we forget they are just mental events—fleeting, temporary, and often based on imagination rather than reality.
For example, imagine you have an important presentation coming up at work. You might start thinking, "What if I mess up? What if people think I’m not capable? What if I forget everything?" These thoughts create a sense of unease and tension in your body, making the anxiety feel all too real. But what if you knew that these thoughts were just passing ideas, not facts? The more we recognize that anxiety is thought-created, the less power it holds over us.
When we understand that our thoughts are not fixed, we realize that just because we’re having anxious thoughts now doesn’t mean we always will. Thought is constantly moving and shifting. One moment we might be consumed by anxiety, and the next, we might feel calm and grounded. This fluidity of thought is key to understanding that anxiety is not a permanent state. By seeing it as a product of thought, we gain more freedom from its grip.
Why Does Anxiety Feel So Real?
Anxiety feels so powerful because in the moment, our thoughts seem like truth. When we’re caught up in anxious thinking, it’s easy to believe that the worst-case scenario is not just possible but inevitable. Our minds spin stories of what might happen, and these stories feel convincing, even though they are just projections of fear. This is why anxiety can feel so difficult to shake—it’s not the events of life that cause anxiety, but our thoughts about those events.
For instance, you might feel anxious about a health concern, even though you haven’t received any alarming news. Your thoughts might race ahead to possible outcomes, creating feelings of stress and worry. But the reality is, nothing has changed in your external environment—the anxiety is being created entirely by your thinking in the moment. Recognizing this helps us stop treating anxiety as a fixed reality and instead see it for what it is: a temporary creation of thought.
Consciousness: Awareness of Anxious Thinking
The key to reducing the impact of anxiety is awareness. Consciousness, one of the Three Principles, allows us to become aware of the thoughts that are creating our anxiety. This awareness gives us the ability to step back and observe our thinking without getting swept away by the emotions it generates.
Think of it like watching clouds pass by in the sky. Each cloud is like a thought—drifting in, taking shape, and eventually moving on. When we become conscious of our anxious thoughts, we realize that we don’t have to engage with them. We don’t have to believe every worry that pops into our mind. Instead, we can simply notice the thought, acknowledge that it’s there, and allow it to pass.
Consciousness creates space between ourselves and our thinking. It allows us to see that our anxious thoughts are not facts—they are just ideas, mental projections that come and go. With this understanding, we stop feeling so controlled by our anxiety. We begin to see that anxiety doesn’t define us, and it doesn’t have to dictate our actions or outlook on life. This realization creates room for more peace and clarity, even in the face of anxious thoughts.
Mind: The Deeper Calm Beneath Anxiety
Beneath all the anxious thoughts and feelings is the constant wisdom and calm of Mind. Mind represents the deeper intelligence that guides all of life, including our own inner experience. No matter how intense the anxiety feels, the wisdom of Mind is always present, waiting for us to reconnect with it.
Often, when we’re feeling anxious, we try to control or manage the anxiety. We might try to think our way out of it, avoid situations that trigger it, or engage in habits that temporarily distract us from it. But these efforts rarely bring lasting peace because they are based on the false premise that anxiety is something we need to fix or manage.
The deeper intelligence of Mind teaches us that we don’t need to fight our anxiety. We don’t need to solve it or figure it out. Instead, we can trust in the natural flow of thought—that anxious thoughts will pass on their own if we stop holding onto them. This deeper intelligence knows that peace, clarity, and wisdom are always available to us, even when we feel overwhelmed.
When we stop trying to control our anxiety and instead allow it to pass naturally, we create space for calm and insight to emerge. The more we connect with the deeper wisdom of Mind, the less anxiety impacts our day-to-day life. We come to realize that beneath the surface of our anxious thoughts, there is a deeper well of peace and clarity that is always accessible, no matter what challenges we face.
Living with Less Anxiety
Living with less anxiety doesn’t mean we will never feel anxious again. Life is full of uncertainties, and from time to time, anxious thoughts will arise. But with the understanding of the Three Principles, we can experience anxiety without being overwhelmed by it. We can recognize it for what it is—just a temporary state of mind, created by thought in the moment.
The next time you notice yourself feeling anxious, ask yourself, “What am I thinking about right now?” You’ll likely find that the anxiety is tied to a particular set of thoughts—worries about the future, fears about the unknown, or concerns about things beyond your control. Once you see the connection between your thoughts and your feelings, you can let go of the need to fix or change the situation and instead allow your mind to settle.
With this understanding, we stop seeing anxiety as a permanent state or a reflection of who we are. We begin to see that peace is always available beneath the surface of our thinking, waiting for us to reconnect with it. Over time, this insight allows us to live with greater ease, even in the face of uncertainty.
Conclusion
Anxiety is not a fixed or permanent state—it is a product of thought, and like all thoughts, it will pass. Through the understanding of the Three Principles, we learn that our anxious feelings are created by the thoughts we entertain in the moment.
By becoming conscious of these thoughts and trusting in the deeper wisdom of Mind, we can experience more freedom from anxiety and live with greater peace, calm, and clarity. Anxiety may still arise from time to time, but it no longer has the power to control us or define our experience of life.
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