Do you wish for a calmer mind? A mind that doesn’t jump up and run at the smallest provocation like an excitable puppy pulling its helpless owner by its leash? All you can do is to follow it along down every ditch and tree.

You are not alone.

The mind is the instrument with which we take in, process and interact with the world. But, right now, this instrument has taken control over us.

How has this happened?

We ourselves have allowed our senses, desires, worries, expectations and other mental hang-ups drag us into fear, worries, anger and anxiety.

A calmer mind is certainly possible, but it does require a certain degree of self-awareness, patience and the right strategies.

Here are two simple ways . . .

Nip it in the bud and gain a calmer mind

The biggest reason why the mind overpowers us is simply because we let it. All too often, a thought arises and we immediately believe it, agree with it, and take action on it.

That would be okay if thoughts were always true. But most of our thoughts are not facts, unique or new. They are simply a re-play of past thoughts and emotional reactions—mere habits we ourselves have cultivated.

Once I was in a long line of cars waiting to turn at a very busy traffic intersection. Suddenly, someone cut into my lane when I was a little slow to follow the car ahead of me. I immediately reacted with an angry, ”How dare he!”  and honked my horn loudly.

There was hardly any time between the thought, “That car has cut into my lane”, the rise of anger, and the loud words and honking.

Now, was it necessary for me to react in this way? There is no denying that the other driver was wrong, but what’s the point of getting angry and honking? It did not help me move any faster or make the driver of the other car move out of the turning lane. It only agitated me and disturbed my peace of mind.

Instead, for a calmer mind, I could have paused for a moment and calmly accepted the scenario.

Our emotional reactions, fears and deprecating self-talk are past habits. They don’t reflect our higher knowledge, or our true selves.

When these negativities arise, we instantly accept them without questioning. To ensure that this doesn’t happen, we need to be alert and nip them in the bud. In other words—catch and stop them when they first show up. Then, we could pause for a moment to think before deciding our response.

The simple act of stopping to think changes our actions from mere re-actions to conscious responses. This prevents us from being carried away with every passing thought in the mind.

To steer your thoughts in the direction of inner peace, read Devalue your Thoughts.

Silhouette of hands showing surrender to the divine for a calmer mind.Surrender to the divine and gain a calmer mind

The mind generates many negative thoughts that need to be removed.

Surrendering them in prayer is a powerful way to help us get rid of deep-seated patterns that are detrimental to our health, relationships and life.

Invoke the remembrance of God or the divine in any form you can relate to. Then surrender the anger, frustration, jealousy, hate and all other such negativities.

To surrender, you could say, “For you,” or, “I surrender (or release) this to you.” You will be surprised to see how this simple act will bring a sense of calm.

Now, you may feel uncomfortable giving up your negativities to the divine. But you need not feel this way. The Divine is omnipotent has the capacity to take away all your negativities and fill you with love, faith and peace.

It’s like going to the beach with a small teaspoon of salt and feeling bad about pouring it out in the ocean. The ocean is full of salt! Your small teaspoonful will make absolutely no difference.

To tune yourself to the divine and gain a calmer mind, try listening to this mantra.

Catch—Throw

Being alert to notice the negative thoughts when they first show up, and then surrendering them to the divine are two simple, yet effective ways to a calmer mind.

These two steps are easy if you remember the simple formula: Catch—Throw.

Catch the thoughts before they accelerate and grow; then throw them away—give them up to the divine.

Doing this prevents our minds which are our own instruments, from dragging us into wrong trains of thoughts and actions that we may regret. Then, we won’t be like a helpless owner running after his playful dog.

Like this post? Sign up for the free fortnightly Spiritual Solutions Newsletter and receive the latest articles, news and updates in your email inbox!

Manisha Melwani

Manisha Melwani is a teacher and the author of, "Your Spiritual Journey" She offers spiritual and wellness solutions for life and stress management. She teaches classes in personal growth, stress management and meditation. Contact her for more information or to have her speak to your group or organization. She also offers private counseling sessions on-line.
Manisha Melwani

Pin It on Pinterest