Q: How can we escape the never-ending circuit of repetitive negative thoughts?
A: First off, remember that thoughts are just that, they are thoughts about reality. They are not reality, they are just thoughts. You could have the opposite thought about the same thing or situation, depending on other thoughts at that time. So you must realize the “reality” you see is really just perception, it’s true to a greater or lesser extent, but it’s still not reality.
So after you realize that thoughts are just thoughts, you see that they have no power in and of themselves. Your belief in them brings them their power. That’s why trying to change your thinking may help make your thoughts more pleasant, but they are still reinforcing that this or that thought is true, and that you believe it.
The real answer is to watch your thoughts, to let them be there non-judgmentally. Just let them come and go. This opens the psychic doorway to witness consciousness. It takes time, persistence, and faith. Every time you see yourself believing a thought, any thought, bring yourself back to the consciousness that watches all, all thoughts, all happenings.
Negative thoughts then are just seen for what they are, negative thoughts, the opposite of positive thoughts, but not reality. These negative loops then lose their power over your psyche, or mind, and they gradually wind down. Remember, to try and fight them or change them acknowledges them, and their power over you, which reinforces them.
By the way, if you master this art of observing in the course of your lifetime, you are doing pretty well.
After writing all of this, maybe the first thought you should ask is, do I want these thoughts to stop? What happens then? What happens if all thoughts stop? Since the ego is a thought form, and it is characterized by motion, reaction, and action, stopping is equivalent to death. That is why when one practices witness consciousness, it can be very disturbing and anxiety producing. Your ego feels its own death approaching.
Basically, it boils down to what you want to grow in the garden of your mind, if you want to grow fearful thoughts, believe your fearful thought, think other thoughts about your fearful thoughts, act on your fearful thoughts. This will make them grow big, scary, and powerful, but only to you, the prisoner of your own mind.
Conversely, if you want witness conscious to grow, identify with it, watch it watch, watch it not react, see how it lives out of the flow of life, rather than the ego and fear. The answer is to fully take part in this process.
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