How to manage your moods ?

Shirish B. Pradhan

Sometimes we say, “I don’t have mood to work…. I have no mood to read… I don’t feel like going outside,” etc. We couldn’t perform something even if that seems very important for us, because we don’t have the right mental attitude. On other occasion we don’t have right mood to study before the exams. So, we are constantly living in contradictions, conflict and misery because of the fluctuations in our mind. Can we change our mood, alter our mental condition or overcome negative thoughts?

Of course, why not, if we try, if we understand the factors behind ‘no mood,’ and if we know the techniques to deal with the fluctuating moods. There might be techniques to deal with the moods or mental conditions prescribed by modern psychologists or behavioral scientists. But there are ancient techniques or procedures as well to deal with the fluctuating moods and feelings.

According to eastern philosophy there are three types of tendencies or moods of our mind known as Satwo guna, Rajas and Tamas gunas.Satwo is characterized as knowledge, awareness, creativity, peace and calmness. Similarly, Rajas is characterized by activity, restlessness, enjoyment or entertainment and wealth. The third one, Tamas is characterized by ignorance, laziness, dullness, insentient, sleepiness, anger, frustration etc. These three types of gunas and the ways to conquer them are also mentioned in Geeta, Shrimad Bhagwat and other religious books.

Tamas can be conquered if we cultivate Rajas and Rajas can be conquered by bringing in Satwo guna. If you feel lazy, experience frustration or anger and if you lack awareness then deliberately try to bring about Rajas guna. The technique to bring in Rajas is through indulging in various activities such as doing physical exercises, listening to music, performing dance, going for a walk.

If you feel doing too much activity, if you feel restlessness or if your mind is only seeking pleasure and enjoyment then try to bring in Satwo guna through reading knowledgeable books, listening to spiritual discourse, observing silence, expanding awareness through mindfulness or meditation.

It is important not to let your mood or emotion overpower you. If you can conquer your mind, you can attain success in life. If your mind is disturbing, feeling bad or mood is off, you can’t do anything creative. Therefore, it is necessary to calm your mind, to maintain a balance in your emotions. But you can’t directly control or fight with the mind. If you do so then you will be in conflict with yourself. There are indirect ways and techniques to tame the mind, to alter the mood.

In Geeta Shri Krishna says, one’s own mind can be enemy or friend. A mind that is under control is your friend and a mind that is not under control is your enemy. In the same way, Bhagwan Buddha says in Dhammapada, the real victor is not one who might have conquered thousands of warriors, but one who has conquered one’s own self.

Whatever we do, think or speak determines our energy level. Every time we have the feeling of hatred, anger, jealousy or revenge our energy level goes down and whenever we have the feeling of love, compassion, forgiveness and good wishes for others our energy level goes up. We need to keep our energy level up all the time. Therefore, we should not indulge in negative thinking or thinking something bad or harmful for others, for this will bring down our energy level.

The food we take may also determine our energy level. We need to consume vegetarian food, foods that are less salty, less sower, less sweet and less hot, as they help to bring the good qualities or Satwo guna in our life. If we take too much meat, alcohol, very hot, salty, sower and sweet foods it brings Rajas guna.

Here are some tips to calm our mind:

1. Sit quietly and practice deep breathing for 15 – 20 times. It calms down the mind when you feel angry or frustrated

2. Scan your body from head to toe and from toe to head by naming each and every part of the body and mentally visualize that you are telling them to relax, freeing all types of stress or tension.

3. Inhale or breath in and Exhale or breath out consciously, feeling the sensation in your nostril.

4. Listen attentively to the sound around you like people walking, bird chirping, movement of vehicle, the horn etc. one by one without making any choice or comment for 10-15 minutes.

5. If negative thoughts, emotions or feelings come in the mind just welcome them and be aware and watch them indifferently.

6. In case of laziness, dullness or sleepiness, you can change your mood through fast breathing.

The moods and emotions are like the waves in the ocean, which come and go. You are like the ocean, not the waves, which doesn’t fluctuate even if negative and positive thoughts come and go. Don’t let your emotions, thoughts and mood control you, but on the contrary just observe them and feel that you are the unchanging, ever present and undisturbed pure consciousness. You will soon find that the fluctuating moods or feelings or emotions are temporary phenomena like the waves coming and going away in the ocean.