Why Worry? A Spiritual Perspective

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A
nxiety, one of the natural feelings everyone experiences at some point in their life,  can be attributed to fear of the future or concern over the past. 

 Anxiety, which in its aspect might be understood as a chatter in the mind, is an agent with which any individual might be familiar.

It is an influential mental perception resulting from the fear of the unknown, the absence of religious faith, and an overreliance on personal skills.

Psychologically, worry is considered to be a form of spiritual attention deficit, in which one forgets his or her spiritual self.

The Roots of Worry

Worry grows out of the root of severance and division which is the exact opposite of the reality of union. We convince ourselves that we are lonely, and have no one to turn to within a society that is so unpredictable.

 The very illusion of division thus makes the corresponding environment ideal for the thriving of fear, anxiety, and, consequently, worry.
We stress over the future, over the past, about our health, money, relationships and everything else. This is like having a mental checklist of things that our minds constantly work on as if there is always something to be worried about.

Worry and the Spiritual Life

Anxiety does not only indicate a psychological status, but it also points to a mini Spiritual condition. It acts as a shield between us and our souls, so we cannot feel the inner peace, happiness, and contentment that are part of our divine nature. As the opposite of anxiety, when involved with worry we are blinded to the guidance system within our spirituality.

Worry is a form of disbelief on the part of the individual in the existence of a divine plan.

 It suggests that we cannot rely on life’s happening in the sequence of a divine plan. It points out that we need to dominate and manage every aspect of life while leaving and getting carried away by the currents of life.

Among the amazing sources, the Bhagavad Gita provides purpose and inspiration on how to know and not worry.

Overcoming Worry Through Spirituality

Worry is not something that can be eliminated or even stifled and this is why overcoming worry cannot be explained as a process of suppressing worry. It’s more about the change of approach to it.

The Bhagavad Gita
often referred to as the Gita is part of the great Indian epic the Mahabharata.

Self-analysis of the passage of the work of the Bhagavad Gita helps in understanding the causes of worry and specific advice to do away with it.


Here are some key teachings:

Karma yoga is one of the resources for dealing with detachment from outcomes that is practised by people.


VERSE 47

कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन ।
मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि ॥४७॥
karmaṇy-evādhikāraste mā phaleṣu kadācana
mā karma-phala-hetur bhūr mā te saṅgo’stv-akarmaṇi
Your right is to perform your work, but never to the results. Never be motivated by the results of your actions, nor should you be attached to not performing your prescribed duties.


Verse 2. 47: ”That right which is well-deserved can be followed by the prescribed tasks, But you are not entitled to the results of the actions done by you, Nor are you to be considered as the performer of the result of the activities done by you”

VERSE 8

न हि प्रपश्यामि ममापनुद्याद्
यच्छोकमुच्छोषणमिन्द्रियाणाम् ।
अवाप्य भूमावसपत्नमृद्धं
राज्यं सुराणामपि चाधिपत्यम् ॥८॥
na hi prapaśyāmi mamāpanudyād
yac chokam ucchoṣaṇam indriyāṇām
avāpya bhūmāv-asapatnam ṛddhaṁ
rājyaṁ surāṇām api cādhipatyam


Even if I gain a substantial kingdom beyond compare and the power of the demigods, I see nothing that can remove this grief that is eroding my senses.


The eighth verse of this text points out the message that we should engage in an action We should work without worrying about the outcome.  

This way, one can avoid anxiety and stress because he or she has done his or her part in doing the right thing and the rest has been left in the hands of the almighty.

However, it should be noted that excessive hardness is not a proper attitude to choose to remain equal in success and failure.


VERSE 48

योगस्थः कुरु कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा धनञ्जय ।
सिद्ध्यसिद्ध्योः समो भूत्वा समत्वं योग उच्यते ॥४८॥

yogasthaḥ kuru karmāṇi saṅgaṁ tyaktvā dhanañjaya
siddhy-asiddhyoḥ samo bhūtvā samatvaṁ yoga ucyate

O Dhanañjaya, stand firm in yoga, perform your activities give up attachment and be equipoised for both success and failure. Such balance is known as yoga.

Verse 2. 48: ”Fix your mind on the performance of the action and do not Geld in performing it, whether you meet with success or failure; such a state is said to be Yoga”

Worrying is lessened as well as emotional fluctuation when we anchor ourselves to have a balanced view of success and failure.

Submit to God’s Will 

VERSE 66

सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज ।
अहं त्वां सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुचः ॥६६॥
sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ
Abandon all types of dharma – come and surrender unto Me alone! Do not fear, for I will surely deliver you from all reactions.


Verse 18. 66: ”Give up all other forms of religion and just devote yourselves to Me alone; I will set you free from the wicked reactions of the world; you should not be afraid”

Compliance with religious beliefs can help to reduce the load of concern; the concept of turning to the powers above.

Faith and submission to the plan of the almighty decrease the load of the cares and concerns.


They serve as a reminder that you are not in this struggle alone; someone cares and is actively working to make better the things that have gone wrong.

Though there is a difference between the terms mindfulness and present moment awareness, they are both closely related.


VERSE 5
उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत् ।
आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मनः ॥५॥
uddhared ātmanātmānaṁ nātmānam avasādayet
ātmaiva hy-ātmano bandhur ātmaiva ripur ātmanaḥ
Living beings must elevate themselves by the mind – they must not degrade themselves. Certainly, the mind is the friend of living beings as well as their worst enemy. 

Verse 6. 5: ”One has to cleanse the passage for the august Self by one’s own mind. Mind is the friend too of the fractioned soul and his foe as well”


Awareness and detachment enable a person to control his or her thoughts and feelings.


Therefore focusing on the present moment helps one to get out of the worrying system of the past and future.

”Practical suggestions on how to eliminate worry from one’s life”


Practice Detachment

Trust the process and what can come out of it, do not concern yourself with results. Remember that your grim work is not to go unrewarded but rather that which in due time will be rewarded.

Cultivate Equanimity

Have a positive attitude towards all that you do, this includes success and failure. Realize that both are included in that process and there is always something for one to learn.

Surrender and Trust

Pray, leave your concerns with the Lord/put your faith in God to take care of things. Believe that there is something better out there and someone is leading you in the right direction.

Stay Present

Meditation and deep breathing are critical in helping a person focus on the present moment and not get easily carried away by stressful thoughts. This can seriously assist to lessen a anxiousness and enhance the quality of your idea approach.

Reflect on the Teachings

Defining the recommended activity, one should state that it is crucial to read and ponder over the content of the Bhagavad Gita continually. It means that you should turn to its wisdom when you have to think about what to do concerning worry and uncertainty.

In Nutshell

The Gita presents instructions on how to eliminate the tumour of worry and attain a state of positive evolution. That is why one must learn to detach, cultivate equanimity, and surrender to divinity and presence in our lives to learn how to avoid worry and lead a joyful life. Yes, worry is a mode of existence and we should practice managing worry with the help of Gita counselling.🙏



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