In the hustle of modern life, anxiety often feels like a constant companion. But what if I told you that the anxious thoughts swirling in your mind right now don't define who you truly are? Ancient Indian wisdom offers profound insights into this fundamental truth.
According to Vedanta, one of the six orthodox schools of Hindu philosophy, your true nature is sat-chit-ananda - eternal existence, pure consciousness, and bliss. The anxiety you experience is merely a temporary state of the mind, not your essential being.
The confusion arises from what the Bhagavad Gita calls ahamkara - the ego or false identification with temporary states. When we say "I am anxious," we're making two fundamental errors:
Here are three powerful techniques drawn from Indian spiritual traditions:
Instead of saying "I am anxious," try observing "There is anxiety appearing in my awareness." This subtle shift creates space between you and the emotion.
Repeating sacred sounds like "So Ham" (I am That) or "Aham Brahmasmi" (I am the infinite reality) helps dissolve false identifications.
This Vedantic practice involves consciously recognizing what you are not: "I am not my anxiety, I am not my thoughts, I am not my body..."
When you realize that anxiety is just a cloud passing through the vast sky of your consciousness, you begin to experience what the Upanishads describe as moksha - liberation from suffering. Your true self remains untouched, like gold unaffected by the shapes it's molded into.
Next time anxiety arises, remember: you are the awareness in which anxiety appears, not the anxiety itself. This simple but profound understanding can transform your relationship with all challenging emotions.