Tag: worry

Taming Your Stream of Consciousness

Posted on by Allan Johnson in intention, mindfulness

The early American psychologist William James used the term ‘stream of consciousness’ to refer to the spontaneous flow of thoughts, images, sensations, and emotions that constantly assail us throughout the day. It is a kind of inner monologue–the chatter and twittering of the mind. Most of the time we are not really aware of our stream of consciousness, but it is always there: on the way to work, in the background of our favourite show, or when we are trying to sleep. It is a kind of inner narrative that helps us make sense of the world. We wander from one topic to the next so automatically that we are not even aware that we are thinking. It’s a kind of ‘default setting’ within us that comes to the fore if we are not careful.

Because our minds are constantly thinking and generating thoughts, we are subjected to a constant bombardment of thoughts, sensations, and emotions. Our stream of consciousness is not a direct or accurate reflection of ‘reality’, rather it is a reflection of our mindsets, our beliefs, and our assumptions. The stream of consciousness is a kind of chirping and ever-changing background noise that can be limiting and distracting. When negative, the stream of consciousness can pull us down and prevent us from achieving our goals and living a healthy and balanced life.

Our negative thoughts become a kind of feedback loop and we get stuck in a kind of loop of negativity. We get caught in a cycle where we notice that we are thinking about negative things, and these negative thoughts create negative feelings, which in turn cause us to have more negative thoughts. To overcome this we need to be able to steer the stream of consciousness in a more positive direction. We must recognise that have a choice to respond to the information of our stream of consciousness positively, negatively, or not at all.

One of the most important insights about the stream of consciousness is that it is not ‘me’. We tend to identify with the stream of consciousness and think of it as a kind of ‘I’, because ‘I’ am the character who seems to be having these thoughts. But the stream of consciousness is not really an ‘I’ or ‘me’, but rather a stream of mental activity that we tend to equate with ‘me’. But the stream of consciousness is not a representation of ‘me’, it is only a representation of the mind that is part of ‘me’. It is not your pure, deep, and pristine centre of consciousness.

Realising that the stream of consciousness is not ‘you’ is the first step to being able to better control and shape your thoughts, beliefs, assumptions, and emotions.
If the stream of consciousness is not ‘you’, then what is it? We can think of it kind of like an holographic self: a collection of thoughts, images, sensations, and emotions, but also a collection of habitual beliefs, assumptions, thought processes and ways of thinking. It is the part of us that seems to be able to experience and act on the world. Ask yourself, “If the voice of my stream of consciousness was another person, would I want to spend my time with them?”. The answer is usually a resounding ‘no’, because our stream of consciousness is usually incredibly boring, repetitive and negative.

We can learn to tame the stream of consciousness by seeing it as an “other” – as one of many voices within us. If we are able to become aware of the stream of consciousness, we can learn to change its tone and texture. We can begin to become aware of when we are having negative, unhelpful and unproductive thoughts and we can choose to let go of these thoughts or engage with them. We can learn to reframe our thoughts so that they are less negative, less self-limiting and less stressful. Instead of being stuck in a cycle of negative thoughts, we can choose to take control of the stream of consciousness and direct it in a positive direction.

Since our stream of consciousness has a tendency to be incredibly repetitive and return to the same thoughts and feelings over and over again, one of the best ways to break the stream of consciousness is to have new thoughts, try new things, and break out of our comfort zone. When we have new and positive experiences, we can realise that our stream of consciousness is not necessarily an accurate reflection of reality, but can instead be a reflection of our mindset and our own limiting beliefs and assumptions. When we have new and positive experiences, we can allow ourselves to be more present and aware of the present moment.

Download your free 21-day course in The Path of Mindfulness. In this life-changing 21-day mindfulness journey, Dr Allan Kilner-Johnson guides you through a series of self-guided mindfulness exercises and shows you how and when to bring mindfulness into your daily life. 

Calming Stress Through Meditation

Posted on by Allan Johnson in meditation, mindfulness
Photo by Kat Smith on Pexels.com

Stress is endemic in our modern world. It determines the way we work and live, the way we eat and sleep, the way we walk and sit, the way we breathe and rush from one activity to the next. Stress has become such a part of our modern existence that it almost feels natural. But when people are stressed, their bodies break down, their joints and muscles tighten, their heartbeat speeds up, and their blood pressure rises. While some forms of short-term stress can motivate and encourage us, long-term chronic stress is not good for our bodies or our minds.

The fight or flight response is a natural reaction that occurs when the body perceives a threat to its survival, a threat to its physical well-being or to its psyche. The body responds to the perceived threat, often by increasing heart rate and blood flow. This reaction is unconscious and occurs without the body being aware of what is happening. The fight or flight response is a reaction pattern that has been passed down through countless generations and is essential for survival. Our genetic code is the way it is because it helped our ancestors survive.

But the fight or flight response is only really useful when it is working properly. When the body is too stressed or overreacts, it can lead to physical symptoms such as headaches, palpitations and insomnia. In addition, stress can lead to anxiety and depression. To reduce stress and anxiety, people can adopt practises that help reduce perceived threat, such as meditation and yoga. These practises help prevent the fight or flight response, which can help improve mental health.

Mindfulness meditation and yoga are great ways to control the fight or flight response and can actually improve the body’s natural ability to deal with stress and anxiety. Mindfulness meditation can be a great way to address the fight or flight response and thus gain control over your emotions. In mindfulness meditation, you focus on your breath to calm yourself while being aware of your emotions. Many people find that this is a good way to recognise the physical symptoms of their emotions, such as tension or stress.

In the General Adaptation Syndrome model developed by Hans Selye, there are three phases that people go through when they are stressed. The first phase is the alarm response, in which the body perceives a threat to its survival. Blood chemistry changes, and heart rate and blood pressure increase. The second phase is the acute stress response, and the third phase is the exhaustion phase. This is the moment when the body begins to break down due to the stress response and is no longer able to withstand further stress.

Meditation is a practise of awareness, and the ability to be aware of the physical changes that occur when a person is stressed and begin to lower a person’s stress levels. Meditation helps to relax the body, calm the mind, and create balance within the body. By calming the mind, the things that are seen as threats (that is, the things that cause stress) become easier to manage. But reducing stress is not the end of the exercise. Since stress can make one vulnerable to illness, reducing stress can help the person stay healthy.

Daily life is a constant flow of information that washes over us and stops only when we consciously want it to. The mind detaches from the world around it, withdrawing from the outside world and withdrawing from itself. Our thoughts and feelings become more abstract, while our experiences become less concrete. The self is cut off from the ‘everyday’ of the outside world and our experiences become detached from the self. The next thing we know, we feel completely overwhelmed by stress and cannot see a way out. One of the most important things we can do to find a way out of the stress and anxiety trap is to become more aware of our daily experiences. Mindfulness meditation is a way to understand the mind and our own experiences. By learning to be more mindful and aware of the thoughts and feelings that arise within us, we can find a way out of the stress and anxiety cycle.

Download your free 21-day course in The Path of Mindfulness. In this life-changing 21-day mindfulness journey, Dr Allan Kilner-Johnson guides you through a series of self-guided mindfulness exercises and shows you how and when to bring mindfulness into your daily life.