2nd Class

Starting with a recap

Roughly speaking we can divide the causes of overthinking into two:

1. external
2. internal

Changing externals such as environment, lifestyle, may offer some help but really we need to change the mind If you wish it may be helpful to explain a little about the mind vs brain and how with this Buddhist explanation of mind we have a chance to understand the situation in a simpler and clearer way that allows us to understand the mechanisim of overthinking.

With a basic understanding of the mind we can introduce delusions and how delusions are exaggerated imaginations.

With this we can show how at the bottom of much of our overthinking done through mental exaggeration I am suggesting few aspects as main factors in overthinking:

1. Inability to deal with uncertainty
2. Attachment to the fulfilment of our own wishes
3. Self-cherishing
4. Self-grasping

You can choose to talk about any or all of these three

There is also a need to touch on the nature of samsara which is the real context for everything. But this is diffcult for people to fully get to grips with.

The next class is about proactively prempting overthinking(which we understand as negative mental activity that repeats itself and causes us to spiral to an unpleasant mental space) and moveing the mind