One Assumption behind overthinking and One Antidote to resolve it

There’s probably no scripture that offers as much insights on self-mastery as the Bhagavad Gita. So I’m back with yet another parable on life and living from the Gita. This analogy is said to be attributed to Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.

Imagine a person carrying a heavy bag on top of his head running to catch a train. The person gets onto the train and takes their seat. But won’t put down the heavy baggage they’re carrying on their head. If you were a passenger seated next to the person, what would you say to them? 

”Put down the baggage?!” sounds about right?

Surely, the same train that carries the person to their destination will also carry the baggage. Yet, here we are, walking, talking, worrying humans. Surely the same divine force that brought us here will take us forward. Yet, we refuse to keep the baggage down.

We are constantly overthinking, paranoid about what the future might bring, worried that we haven’t done enough so far, and carry the entire burden of our life on our teeny tiny shoulders like the person who won’t put their bags down on a train.

The one assumption that fuels our Overthinking

We overthink, plan obsessively, and worry because we make one assumption. That the future is unfavourable. So, in a bid to avoid that unfavourable outcome, we plan, obsess, worry, and try to engineer control by hook or crook. 

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But that’s an illusion. If we go by the analogy, the only thing in our control is to ensure we do our research, buy the right ticket, and show up on time to get on the train. Nothing else beyond that is in our control. Similarly, in life, what’s in our control is to keep showing up, doing our part to the best of our abilities, knowledge, and resources, and trust that we can navigate whatever the future brings. That’s the key to true self-mastery. It is the same old message that Krishna tries to communicate time and again in the Gita. Do your part of the effort with the best of intentions and leave the rest to unfold in a way that’s best for you. 

The Antidote to Overthinking

The not-so-secret ingredient to resolve overthinking then is Faith or Shraddha. It is countering our assumption that the future is unfavourable by trusting that everything is happening in our best interest. Without firm faith, we can never relax enough to keep our bags down. And, if we cannot relax enough to put the bags down, we stagnate on that journey to self-mastery.  

I love the quote by Albert Einstein where he says, The most important decision we make is whether we believe we live in a friendly or hostile universe. 

If we believe it’s a friendly universe, then we can let go of assuming the worst possible outcomes for our lives and cultivate trust that what’s unfolding is for our highest good.