How to calm an overactive mind

ImaginaryBloke

ImaginaryBloke

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Tri 5-9-4
Usually I have two problems. The first is my Ne looking in every direction for spurious connections between things. That is so annoying. The other is my Si replaying old thoughts or memories of mine. It never leaves me alone.

Does anyone feel the need to calm your thoughts or emotions? Sometimes it seems like the ego has got a life of its own. Instead of it serving you, you are a slave to it.

I have spent about a year and a half meditating on a daily basis (OK, sometimes I forget). That has helped me. But there is more to do.

Today, a thought struck me that the ego can be tamed just like anything or anyone else. If a "shrimp" is making too much trouble, what do you do? You put it in bed. Similarly, what do you do with the ego? You ask it firmly to go to sleep.

Frankly, it seems to be working for me. My mind is calmer now. When your mind is at rest, it is easier to see the bigger picture of a problem that you have. That is advantageous.

What is your experience? What works for you?
 
ImaginaryBloke said:
What is your experience? What works for you?
Click to expand...

Sorry for the dumb title.

This thread is mean to be a discussion. I did not intend to say that I have a solution that works for everyone.
 
I get that sometimes. I usually run a few miles until my mind blanks which works 90% of the time. If that fails, I meditate and visualize myself calmly painting a stop sign and saying "stop" to the thoughts while I imagine that.

If all else fails, I have a shot of whiskey.
 
Sensory meditation really works. As does writing down your stream of consciousness. I find it helpful to not judge what I'm experiencing, but to just be aware of what is happening. Let it be and experience it. Things seem to settle much quicker that way.
 
acd said:
Sensory meditation really works. As does writing down your stream of consciousness. I find it helpful to not judge what I'm experiencing, but to just be aware of what is happening. Let it be and experience it. Things seem to settle much quicker that way.
Click to expand...

This. Meditation, breathing exercises, writing in a journal all help.
 
acd said:
Sensory meditation really works. As does writing down your stream of consciousness. I find it helpful to not judge what I'm experiencing, but to just be aware of what is happening. Let it be and experience it. Things seem to settle much quicker that way.
Click to expand...

Did you ever have trouble with judging what you were experiencing? If so, how do you move from that state to one of awareness and acceptance?

It scares the crap out of me to not judge things. Even when I try to ask brain to stop, it's just keeps on going going going...until I am completely gone.
 
ImaginaryBloke said:
Usually I have two problems. The first is my Ne looking in every direction for spurious connections between things. That is so annoying. The other is my Si replaying old thoughts or memories of mine. It never leaves me alone.

Does anyone feel the need to calm your thoughts or emotions? Sometimes it seems like the ego has got a life of its own. Instead of it serving you, you are a slave to it.

I have spent about a year and a half meditating on a daily basis (OK, sometimes I forget). That has helped me. But there is more to do.

Today, a thought struck me that the ego can be tamed just like anything or anyone else. If a "shrimp" is making too much trouble, what do you do? You put it in bed. Similarly, what do you do with the ego? You ask it firmly to go to sleep.

Frankly, it seems to be working for me. My mind is calmer now. When your mind is at rest, it is easier to see the bigger picture of a problem that you have. That is advantageous.

What is your experience? What works for you?
Click to expand...
I never had an issue with emotions but for a long period of my life I could not control how intensely I would think on subjects. At its worst I could absolutely call it painful.
There is a book called "The Power of Now" that I believe can help you in a great amount regarding this. Consider reading it. If you do tell me what you think one day.
 
Blogging helps. Just getting those thoughts out somehow. I used to judge the thoughts, but I realized, it's best to just release them into the aether, and later on reflect when my mind is more clear.

Also, not getting worked up over everything. Teaching myself to let things go. Emotions are already intense, so managing this and anxiety is a daily if not weekly effort, so learning how to be ok with laying low sometimes is important. Stressing about things rarely makes it better. Don't stress over what you can't control. Don't feel guilty about not having it all worked.

Focus energy on one thing at a time, and shelf the rest for now.
 
j75ejcyj7 said:
Did you ever have trouble with judging what you were experiencing? If so, how do you move from that state to one of awareness and acceptance?

It scares the crap out of me to not judge things. Even when I try to ask brain to stop, it's just keeps on going going going...until I am completely gone.
Click to expand...
I do still have trouble with it.
The book Awareness by Anthony De Mello was helpful in recognizing this because he talks a lot about mindfulness. I think it's natural to judge things and try to control all that we think we can--to hold onto stuff. Just have to keep in mind that the point is to just observe without reacting. It's hard to explain how to do it, but I try to acknowledge what I'm feeling/experiencing/thinking and then let it be. You feel at first like you need to grab onto these feelings/thoughts/experiences like they are a life preserver, but in the struggle to latch on you just expend more energy, make more mistakes. Instead, let yourself float and drift.
 
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Herr H. was a solid 10 on the Richter scale. Two years ago, mine was about 6-7. Now it is more like 2-4. I am making progress. :m171:
 
Thanks for all your tips about journaling, blogging, staying detached from targets and letting go of outcomes.

I also found this video helpful. After 20 min into the video, I started feeling unusual happiness.

 
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My mind generally isn't overactive. If I'm restless or negatively emotional, then a bit of mindfulness meditation works wonders very quickly.

Given that you already meditate though, I'm not sure what advice to give. For me, Se provides a calmer mind. INTP can engage in Se too.
 
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