Read time 3 minutes. Turn overthinking into a useful tool—an alert for mindfulness into peace of mind.
A common misconception of Zen training is that we’re supposed to rid ourselves of all thoughts and emotions. But if we make that the goal, we’ll likely end up frustrated. As Nisargadatta Maharaj says in I Am That, “There is no such thing as peace of mind. Mind means disturbance.”
The mind is not the enemy—it’s a necessary tool. Restlessness is its nature. The issue isn’t that we think, but that we don’t know how to use thinking well. Most of the time, the mind is misapplied. What it’s good at—like reflecting on teachings or planning a task—gets buried under obsession and emotional looping.
Planning, for example, can become a subtle Zen practice. There’s value in mentally walking through something before doing it. But can we notice the exact moment planning shifts into worrying? Can we feel when thought stops serving and starts pulling?
That line—between thinking and overthinking—is razor thin.
Peace of mind via mindfulness
When we obsess, we are just feeding the mind more fuel. The weight of our thoughts increases, and soon we find ourselves spinning. We’re no longer using the mind—it’s using us.
The practice is simple, but not easy: observe. When emotional cues arise—tightness, tension, feedback—honor them. Notice when thinking morphs into fixation. Then stop trying to fix it. Just watch.
No judgment. No force.
Neutral observation (SexyIndifference?) dissolves what struggle intensifies.
This is how we begin to shift our relationship with the mind. Not by chasing peace, but by noticing when we’re no longer at peace—and stepping back into observation. Noticing becomes the reset. And from that reset, a new kind of clarity quietly returns.
🌀 From the GZM Archives – Polished, Preserved, Still Relevant.
Want more? Sign up to The Undercurrent to receive the occasional Zen practice or dispatch.
Explore more:
I love teachers that offer a no-nonsense approach, and Nisargadatta Maharaj is one of my favorites. I found this brief review of I Am That for those interested in learning more about him and his work.
Photo by Angie Fritz
Leave a Reply