TORAH’S TAKE ON ANXIETY:
"Can you relate to feeling overwhelmed with endless to do lists, unfinished projects, feeling divided between multiple tasks and just when things are going well worrying that it will all fall apart?" Living in a competitive society filled with daily stress and expectations, compounded with the many demands of community, family and social pressures all result in quiet desperation.
Thanks to our natural and universal feelings of anxiety, an important and sometimes overpowering emotion that does not act alone, we are prompted to compete and achieve. Lately, more research is showing that anxiety is fueled by our ever present faculty of imagination known in Kabbalah as Koach HaMidameh.
Now imagination is powerful, but not always accurate. So many times anxiety is an exaggeration of reality. Healthy anxiety is often motivating; it helps a person stay alert to danger, avoid negative consequences, effectively shield from an imminent threat and awakens desire to accomplish life’s dreams.
Let's take a closer look at fear and anxiety. They get a lot of bad press, but both serve important functions. Fear is normal and useful. It's what you experience when you smell smoke, see a bear in the woods or spot a bus bearing down on you while crossing the street. It comes with a menu of physical signals: sweaty palms, racing pulse, trembling. Fear in this context is a life-preserving reaction to a recognizable danger. Optimally, it will help you get out of a jam. At its worst, anxiety makes you feel straitjacketed by the idea of the bear or that oncoming bus.
You experience a severe emotional state in anticipation of possible danger, not as the result of an immediate threat. Then maybe you focus on everything but where you're going - or you are afraid to leave the house. But transient or episodic anxiety (such as those nerves you might notice before the big pitch meeting with a prospective client) can also be harnessed for creative productivity. Some people freeze up in those situations, like a deer in the headlights; others develop more productive reflexes.
The reason why some people have better coping skills while others are afflicted with worry relates to self-image and perception that a person develops through early childhood.
Every human being is predisposed to a distorted image of self. This is programmed by G-d and is an expression of the Evil Inclination (Yetzer Hara). No-one is spared the challenge of untangling their distortions. The Evil Inclination uses the faculty of imagination to sabotage one’s true potential. Deconstructing those distortions is an inborn Tikkun- rectification that we need to accomplish sometime throughout our life. This Tikkun varies from one person to another and for those who have suffered trauma the challenge is even greater.
In our state of being we store all past/present events which are not available to conscious awareness. Messages received from caregivers, authority figures, society in general or our own misinterpretation of abilities and strengths are powerful. We are influenced by the people in our environment that may have been negative towards us. The effects linger pervasively from childhood through adulthood.
Ways in which a person is affected can be vague; a subtle lethargy, lack of motivation and most noticeably, high levels of anxiety – all stemming from a poorly planted sense- of-self in childhood. To begin the healing process is to realize that these circumstances and whatever situation a person finds himself in is divine providence and therefore shapes our purpose and gives us encouragement.
Defending against the Yetzer Hara is no small feat. We need to activate and develop the faculty of imagination to correct the damage of early life experiences. In this way, we are empowered to succeed in very own obstacle course, called life, so that we can achieve our unique mission.
THE POWER OF IMAGINATION:
What is then the ultimate purpose of imagination and how can we reverse over-anxious tendencies? For every emotional attribute there is a spiritual goal that elevates us to improve and refine ourselves, but not without challenge. In this article we will discover how to turn that power of imagination into good. We are all endowed with Koach HaMidameh – a powerful and vivid imagination through which - with hard work and perseverance - we can achieve the greatest experience of holiness and inner balance.
In Judaism we are taught that the divine design for the faculty of imagination is for our holy service of the creator through studying Torah and connecting different ideas in the process of learning. Thinking about holy concepts requires imagination; if left vacant, imagination “gone wild” is an invitation for the Yetzer Hara to control this internal power and distort reality. That’s where the basis for mental disequilibrium develops- when a person makes associations between one thing and the other that are not correlated. Faulty thinking leads to anxiety, paranoia and some of the more severe pathological manifestations of mental disorders.
Rabbi Ginsberg in his book Mystery of Marriage explains: “Imagination is an incredible fuel that stimulates the mind to seek the unknown and to discover new inventions and perceptions. It allows the intellect to surpass its’ current constraints. Yet, it also facilitates the mind from wandering into forbidden areas.”
He continues to emphasize that no matter how rational we are, imagination is the primary driving force in most people’s mind. When properly channeled, it enables us to envision our ultimate life-goals and develop our G-d given talents. A healthy imagination makes a person inspired, vibrant and empowered to realize their dreams.
The Torah teaches us that Adam was created from Adamah (earth). The Hebrew word AdaMah is also similar to the word MeDaMeh which means imagination.
Man is formed not only from earth but from his ability to use his imagination. If man chooses to abuse his intellect, his imagination will aid him in his path, serving as an obstacle to attaining true intellect. However, if he truly wishes to do G-d’s will, imagination is necessary, for it is only through a person’s imagination that he can begin to grasp spirituality. This is noted in Isaiah 14:14 “EdaMeh L’elyon”, “I will resemble G-d, through the attribute of imagination,” asserts Rabbi Ginsberg.
A fascinating discovery was made by Dr. John E. Sarno, author of the bestselling book The Divided Mind and Professor of Rehabilitative Medicine at the New York University Hospital. He found that the unconscious mind produces physical ailments to mask emotions that one cannot relate to verbally or experientially.
“One of the most important aspects of psychosomatic phenomena is that knowledge and awareness of the process clearly have healing powers”, Sarno says.
The mind creates illness as a defense mechanism to protect the person from strong emotions. Self- awareness is therefore powerful medicine.
THE SECRET TO INNER PEACE:
Through the secrets of Torah we have the knowledge and wisdom to not only create inner harmony but ward off illness by plugging in to the super-conscious. How is this accomplished? The Baal-HaTanya gives us the answer – it is the acceptance of humility called Bittul - nullification.
When I nullify - forgive all the past hurts, narcissistic injuries, insults, grief, absence, abandonment, humiliation and neglect of the past, then I become free! I can start anew, refresh my self-image and decompose all the baggage of the past. It takes courage and selflessness to “shut our visions” of the past and open new vistas towards “seeing” reality through objective eyes. This can open all possibilities of the soul’s true essence.
We have the power to overcome internal emotional conflict. We were given the gift of emotional perseverance at Har Sinai. In the third paragraph of Shema we are commanded: “Lo Sosuru Achrei Levavchem V’achrei Ayneichem” - translated as, “Do not follow the passions of your heart and eyes”.
What are those passions referring to? Garages full of luxury cars? furs, jewels and vacation homes?
We are commanded to control our passion to the common, everyday, desire of the heart; the pervading emotion – whether it is anxiety, anger, lethargy. The Torah says, get a grip! You have the capacity to overcome your emotion and dominate your natural tendencies.
Practically speaking, what can one do when compelled with feelings of fear and anxiety? How can a person sublimate those emotions? Use distractions - “coping skills” to divert one’s thought and speech to the opposite of anxiety (as explained in chapter 14 of the Tanya). Once the thought is no longer present, the feelings will subside and become dormant.
KEYS TO MANAGE ANXIETY:
- Believe in serving Hashem with Joy – we are commanded to be happy regardless of the circumstances. If our creator tells us we can do it, then we can.
- Increase trust and faith in G-d – learn about emunah. We have survived thousands of years for that reason.
- Sing! Dance and Smile – it physically releases endorphins.
- Visualize happy moments and meditate on the all-encompassing love of Hashem for the beauty of our planet.
- Fake it till you make it – just act as if you are happy and you’ll achieve it!
- Exercise gratefulness – it helps to concentrate on the positive and makes others happy when they are acknowledged.
- Volunteer – giving of your time makes you feel fulfilled.
- Self compassion – love yourself. You are the person who you will be spending the rest of your life with – enjoy the company!
- Replace guilt trips with real ones – nature relaxes you, it’s a good choice.
- Choose at least one person that you will connect with and talk to every single day.