How Spiritual Life Helps to Calm the Mind

The problem of a “running mind” isn’t necessarily a modern struggle, but it has likely gotten much more difficult to quiet our minds in modern times.

First, it has become the norm to deal with multiple stressors all day long: heavy traffic and hectic commutes, office politics, social expectations, family pressures, and texts and emails that never stop can leave us in a less-than-relaxed state.

Also, our brains are often frazzled and distracted by a never-ending barrage of stimulation, information and opinion—social media, podcasts, radio, computer screens, notifications, and on and on it goes. There never seems to be an “off switch” on what we are being asked to process and absorb.

There is a growing sense of isolation, too, that comes in our modern age, this age of Artificial Intelligence, work from home, and electronic rather than in-person interaction. We might feel alone with our own thoughts and emotions too much of the time, and often veer into a sensation of being “trapped in our own head,” with our own problems.

Finally, for anyone who is going through the process of reducing and healing from modern psych medications, you know exactly how these designer drugs can ramp up our feelings of stress and anxiety, often feeding our bodies with restlessness and pushing our thoughts into overdrive. The worries and negative self-talk can run and run and run, as if on a battery that never drains. It can be exhausting, and it can be frightening.

So, how can we slow things down a bit and find some mental peace? Even if we live a busy life or are working through a healing process. In upcoming posts we will focus on a few different suggestions, but today we will focus on how our spiritual lives can help to calm the mind.

Spiritual life and time devoted to spiritual practice is healthy. It is often when we are ruminating on the concerns of this corporeal world that we find our minds dizzy with speed, worry and unease. Oftentimes we might churn the same few tiresome and anxiety producing thoughts over and over in our heads again: the health concern, the work issue, the interpersonal squabble, the money worry, etc.

The same four thoughts might repeat over and over in our minds throughout a day, thus becoming like walls which are closing in on our sense of wellbeing and shutting us off from any greater creativity or perspective. However, a spiritual focus can help us to slow the thoughts down and break through these stifling walls. Taking time each day to focus on God and His care and plan for us reminds us that:

1. There is no completely novel human situation or struggle under the sun, and God has an impeccable track record of caring and providing for those who stay close to Him; it doesn’t matter the struggle. He gives us our daily bread, both literally and in regards to what we need emotionally, to see us through each day of our particular challenges. We are safe in His care. Instead of ruminating on those same three or four worries, ruminate on that truth and allow it to slow both your heart rate and thoughts.
2. There is more to our wellbeing than simply the state of our bodies and material concerns; we are spiritual and eternal beings in essence, and if we can focus on that game-changing truth it allows us to transcend the earthly concerns of health, money and societal expectations which often seem to weigh so heavily on our joy. Even in the midst of struggle we can find a peace deep inside, and contentment. We can find wellness even in the midst of sickness.
3. There is a broader and healthier perspective to be found with God. There is more to reality than what is seen with the naked eye or written in textbooks. Our faith reminds us that what exists on this finite timeline of our earthly existence is but a puny drop in the bucket of an eternal expanse for us. No matter how difficult the struggles of this earth may be for us at times, this existence is but an unimaginably small fraction of eternity. And through faith we are promised an eternal reality that will keep us near God forever in an paradise without pain or tears. We can focus on this truth in tough times to calm our bodies and minds. With this in mind our problems that once seemed as large as the universe can be shrunk to size.

Through Scripture reading, listening to spiritual messages in person or online, journaling and prayer we can discover and reinforce important spiritual truths that not only build a resilient spirit within us but contribute to wisdom and overall mental health.

If you’ve been struggling with a wild and untamed mind lately—one that is running amuck with crazy thoughts, negative self-talk or worrisome ruminations—then here is a quick suggestion. Write down two or three spiritual-truth statements and recite them like a mantra (either verbally or in your mind) for a minute or two when you need a mental redirect. Examples might be:

• God’s eternal spirit of peace is within me right now, and that keeps me safe.
• I am in God’s care right now and this means that no harm can come to me.
• God controls all, and He is bigger than my problems. He will get me safely through today.
• God gives me all that I need, always.
• I am more than my sickness, status or possessions. I am a singular child of God and He loves me as such.

I pray that you continue to grow closer to God as you move through the current steps of your healing and growth.

Michael