so then let's consider first of all what is a mind in the grip of vicious circles
well one of the most obvious instances that we all know is the phenomenon of
worry the doctor tells you that you have to have an operation and that has been
set up so that automatically everybody worries about it but since worrying
takes away your appetite and your sleep it's not good for you
so the doctor tells you not to worry because he wants you on the operating
table in a state of good health well rested etc but you can't stop worrying
and therefore you get additionally worried that you are worrying and
therefore will not be in the right shape to be on the operating table and then
furthermore because that is quite absurd and you're mad at yourself because you
do it you are worried because you worry because you worry that is a vicious
circle so now can you allow your mind to be quiet isn't it difficult because the
mind seems to be like a monkey jumping up and down and jabbering all the time
once you've learned to think you can't stop and an enormous number of people
devote their lives to keeping their minds busy and feel extremely
uncomfortable with silence when you're alone nobody's saying anything there's
nothing to do there's this this worry this lack of distraction I'm left alone
with myself and I want to get away from myself I'm always wanting to get away
from myself that's why I go to the movies that's why I read mystery stories
that's why I go after the girls or anything that you do or get drunk or
whatever I don't want to be with myself I feel queer so well why do you want to
run away from yourself what's so bad about it why do you want to forget this
why do you want to become absorbed because you are addicted to thoughts
this is a drug real dangerous money compulsive thinking going on and on and
on and on and on all the time it's a habit so there's a difficulty about
stopping that activity and you really have to stop it if you want to be sane
because if I talk all the time I don't hear what anyone else has to say
and then I'll end up in the situation of having nothing to talk about but my own
talking or so in exactly the same way if I think all the time I won't have
anything to think about except thoughts and that's the academic fallacy see when
you add books to the library the great many of the books that are added to the
library our books about books they're not necessarily books about life some of
them are but most of the books especially PhD dissertations are books
about books of our books of our books and that doesn't really get us very far
so in order to have something to think about there are times when you simply
must stop thinking well how do you do that the first rule is don't try to
because if you do you will be like someone trying to make rough water
smooth with a flat iron and all that will do will stir it up so in the same
way as a muddy turbulent pool quiets itself when left alone you have to know
how to leave your mind alone it will quiet itself