So then let’s consider first of all what is a mind in the grip of vicious circles. Well, one of the most obvious instances that we all know is the phenomenon of worry.
The doctor tells you that you have to have an operation and that has been setup so that automatically everybody worries about it. But, since worrying takes away your appetite and your sleep—it’s not good for you. But, you can’t stop worrying and therefore you get additionally worried that you are worrying and then furthermore because that is quite absurd and you’re mad at yourself because you do it—you are worried because you worry because you worry. This is a vicious circle.
So, now, can you allow your mind to be quiet. Isn’t it difficult because the mind seems to be like a monkey—jumping up and down and jabbering all the time. Once you’ve learned to think, you can’t stop and an enormous number of people devote their lives to keeping their minds busy and feel extremely uncomfortable with silence.
When you’re alone, nobody is saying anything and there is nothing to do—there’s this worry and lack of distraction. “I’m left alone with myself and I want to get away from myself; I’m always wanting to get away from myself. This is why I go to the movies, read mystery stories, go after girls, get drunk, or anything that I do.”
You essentially want to run away from yourself. Well, why do you want to run away from yourself and forget this? Because you are addicted to thoughts. This is a drug—a dangerous one at that. Compulsive thinking going on and on and on and on all the time. It’s a habit so there is a difficulty about stopping that activity and you really have to stop it if you want to be sane because if I talk all the time then I don’t have to hear what anyone else has to say and then I’ll end up in the situation of having nothing to talk about but my own talking. And so in exactly the same way, if I think all the time then I won’t have anything to think about except thoughts.
So, in order to have something to think about, there are times when you must stop thinking.
Well, how do you do that you ask?
The first rule is don’t try to because if you do, you will be like someone trying to make rough water smooth with a flat iron and all that will do is stir it up.
So, in the same way that a muddy, turbulent pool quiets itself when left alone—you have to know how to leave your mind alone and it will quiet itself.