Do You Want To Get Freedom from Anxiety?

A degree of constant anxiety has become an almost normalized state for us. Burnouts, career pressures, problems with self-esteem, fear of others, stress about studies, etc.—all of this is anxiety at its root and very commonplace.

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It is a good sign if you see that anxiety rides your mind because then only you can do something about it. Most of us probably do not even realize how tense and insecure we are from within; hence, understanding below 5 points becomes relevant in the process of dealing with anxiety. Acharya Prashant is a Vedanta teacher, author, and the founder of Prashant Advait Foundation talks about freedom from anxiety and how to deal with it as well:

How to Deal Anxiety?

A part of anxiety relates to facts, and the other part of anxiety rests upon imagination. What is purely imaginary will lose its sting the moment you see it is merely imaginary. There is no end to the self-inflicted anxiety you cause just imagining. The factual component is bound to cause and effect. If the arrow has left the bow, it will travel the distance. Why not say, “There is no point worrying now”? What is bound to happen will happen.

How to Ease Anxiety?

What bothers is not the anxiety but your anxiety about anxiety. Let anxiety come and go. Why plan to kill it or react to it? You need to experience maddening anger, the razing force of lust, the terrible temptation to be dishonest. Further, you need to go through all without suppressing it, without giving it a false name. As people, perfection is not what we are designed for; all that perfection is just idealism/fanciful imagination. Give yourself the freedom to be outrageous and unburdened.

Understanding Anxiety:

Understanding is intelligence. Anxiety is a thought. The presence of the thought implies a lack of understanding. Thoughts cannot dominate in understanding. If you understand what is going on, and what is going on is going on right now, then from that understanding action will result; clear, direct, forceful, energetic action. Hence, when you are in the middle of the action, there is no anxiety; there is only a beautiful and smooth flow of action.

What Fuels Anxiety?

There are two types of objectives: external and internal. External goals and targets are inseparable from fear and panic. You cannot strive for them without the fear of loss. When the objectives are not external, it is then that you work very energetically without the fear of failure. Internal objectives come from a sense of completeness. Learn to distinguish the reality of your objectives. How do you want to spend your life? If your engine is fear and greed, how can you work joyfully?

How to beat Anxiety?

Listen to the fear. Fear is never reasonless, purposeless. Fear is there to tell you about your insecurities, and vulnerabilities. Fear tells where you are not real. Fear is not an object but your relationship with that object. The more vulnerable you take yourself to be, the more anything will be able to terrify you. “Why have I become so dependent? What is it that the other can take away from you? Is that something essential?