How to stop thinking too much?

Sairam friends,

Today, I realized something really important at work. When I do something with good intention and take extra efforts, I realized how some are deliberately trying to act smart with me. After spending several years in various field and landing in IT career, I only feel like laughing at all this. I don’t do much work here but when I do something with heart and soul, I try to be dedicated.

I realized some people are considering work as something which will fetch them good name and money and go behind it. In my case, Sai has only asked me to do what I can and never expect the fruit though its not easy to be like this.

I have read a book called “Karma Yoga” about Swami Vivekananda which details the importance of doing work without expecting anything in return.

I hope things changes for good but this experience also made me realize I must be careful in future.

Now about the theme of today’s article.

From my childhood, I used to think a lot. As I grew up and started to face many disappointments in life, my habit of thinking kept increasing. Gradually, Thinking too much became a part of my nature.  I never thought that way though. I assumed everyone in this world thinks. So I am not different from them.

I wrote an article about how I met a false saint and trusted him in 2007. It was the worst experience I had in life. You can read the experience in below link.

My experience with a False Saint

Though he was a false saint (I mean to say he just cheats people), when he saw me he said in Tamil ” Yoosanaa..Romba Yoosana paneete iruka” – You think..You think too much which is ruining your peace of mind. His ability to read my nature without anyone telling him was one of the reason we believed him. Later we realized he’s a cheater.

Anyway, Only during this incident, I realized how much I must have thought in life that even a false saint can tell my nature accurately.

Anyway, I never tried to change it.

When ever I am speaking to my friends, suddenly, I would like to look some where else in the distance through a door or window and think something about my life.They get irritated with me and ask me to join in their conversation.

I am not a good listener too. I start to listen to someone when they speak to me but gradually my mind will be imagining something else. But at times, even when I listen properly, some people think I do not pay attention because I turn away from them. This is not right. I do listen with care.

One of the funniest thing that I have experienced several times is this. When I have food with my friends around me, I suddenly start to think something. In the process of thinking, I look at the food they are having and go to my own imaginary world or my worries.

But these guys assume that I desire to taste their food and tell me “You have it’….he he….I am laughing even when I write this. I tell them “No. I was thinking something.”

If anyone asks what I am thinking about, I honestly can’t answer. Its complicated.

The reason I started to write this article is that today, while my friends were speaking to me, I turned away and looked up. They told me “Why are you always doing this. You behave like a mentally retarded child”. I was shocked and asked them “Does it look so bad?”

(Note – We must not comment about Mentally challenged children because I know few parents who struggle to bring up their children with Autism and other problems. May Sai be with them. Parents who take care of such children must be specially taken care by Saibaba.)

They replied, “Anyone who don’t know you will only think that way about you because you keep your face at times like this”

My friends did not mean to hurt me. They just asked me not to keep look like that anymore and try to change myself.

I realized may be many people would have thought about me like this over these years. I don’t know how to change myself Saibaba but I can give tips for other devotees who think too much.

1. Mind thinks. It can’t stop thinking.That’s its nature. So instead of thinking about past and future or assuming things, think about the current moment.

I lack presence of mind on many occasion and wish I could be more spontaneous than I am.

For example – Last week, during my week end walking, I saw a very old man standing in one side of the road. I could clearly see he is trying to cross the road but he might also simply stand there waiting for someone. I smiled to him as I walked near him. I thought, If he wants someone to help him cross the road and if I smile, he will stop me and ask me to help him.

The old man was too weak but he was so stubborn looking at me smiling. As I walked away, I thought he is simply waiting for someone. Once I walked past him, I looked back to see the old man starting to cross the road. He was waving palm to stop few cars and I felt really bad of myself.

I felt that I could have not waited for him to ask for help and could have myself asked him if he wants to cross the road. Anyway, I saw the old man painfully managing to cross the road.

I was not able to help an old man just because I thought so much to do a little favor.

2. Thinking about past and future or any specific idea does not solve the problem but keeping mind free really makes you feel happy.

I wonder what I achieved in thinking so much all these years? I am happy for the blessing to imagine and be creative by grace Goddess Saraswathi. I just did not make use of it properly and wasted my life. Please do not be like me.

Be free and relaxed.

3. You can thinking about Sai for couple of minutes and ask him to bless you to live in current moment. I am sure Saibaba will guide you.

4. Instead of thinking for no reason, write down what you can do to make your life better. You can also write Sai’s holy name few times in a paper with complete devotion.

That’s it.

I myself don’t know how to stop thinking too much. So I can’t guide others properly.

OK friends.

I went to Saibaba temple this evening with my friend.I was telling him some past memories I had in temple and reached home.

Sai blessings,

Venkat