Ayurveda and Anxiety
Lissa Coffey
Fear and anxiety often come with the territory of the busy, complicated lives we lead. They have become a part of our culture. We worry about money, relationships, career, and potential loss. We long for security and guarantees, but in life there are none. So no wonder we are anxious! We are focusing on factors outside of us that are uncertain and unreliable. According to Ayurveda, it is this outward seeking that is the cause of our anxiety. We want control, we want to make things go our way, or to bring about the results we want. Yet even when we get what we want, we are dissatisfied because it doesn’t live up to our expectations. We always end up wanting more, and there is no end to it. What can we do? Surrender. Look within. Remember the truth. Focus on what is really important in life, what really matters. Approach life without demand or expectation. This may be easier said than done given the bad habits that we’ve gotten ourselves into! But having anxiety is a big clue that our lives have gotten out of balance, that we are out of harmony with nature. Anxiety shows us how we create discomfort for ourselves. We can use this as a tool to get back on track, back on the path. Meditation helps us to cut through the illusions of the mind.
Vedantic Meditation: Lighting the Flame of Awareness, by David Frawley