anxiety spirals : fear of a future that is not set
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“if you are depressed you are living in the past. if you are anxious you are living in the future. if you are at peace you are living in the present”
~ lao tzu
this quote is as powerful as it is simple. however, as with far too many things in this world, people cannot help but move too fast, over-complicate things, and rarely pause to take a calm breath. and this constant self-created whirlwind usually results in worse outcomes, not better ones
concern and worry are natural responses. however, when they are allowed to grow and overtake daily function, conflict follows. spirals can make the heart race, muscles tighten, even destroy sleep. constant “what if?” and “what was that?” thoughts create ongoing negative impact on both the person and those around them. for some, this spiral becomes addictive - they’ve conditioned themselves to the rush of chaos, even when it clearly harms them
left unchecked, spirals can grow, spinning faster and faster. like a twister, anything in its path will feel its force - right up until it collapses in on itself
the american psychiatric association (apa) publishes the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (dsm-5-tr), which lists over 300 different diagnosable mental disorders, subtypes, and specifiers. this includes over forty pages covering some dozen types of disorders they classify under anxiety. adding further complexity, the dsm’s differentiation between clinical and occasional anxiety includes the frequency of events in a given period of time, the duration of events, the number of symptoms, as well as the level of distress or impairment caused and an overwhelming volume of “may be caused by” possibilities
by comparison, the world health organization’s (who) international classification of diseases (icd-11) lists some 100 diagnoses, with less content focused on anxiety disorders. important and troubling to note regarding the dsm-5-tr and icd-11: only one of these ‘authoritative guides’ is available for the public to gain insight from
even the oxford english dictionary (oed) lists five primary meanings for the noun “anxiety,” tracing its evolution and usage over time, reflecting early associations with physical and emotional tightness
with such an overwhelming yet unclear explanation, it is understandable how so many continue to spiral. how can anyone be expected to navigate a trail using a map that has them hyper-focused on every branch, every leaf, every tree in the forest? but perhaps what so many perceive as a complex journey of infinite negative outcomes does not have to be
as marcus aurelius stated centuries ago, “reduce thyself unto perfect simplicity”
the codex was forged in simplicity
it casts aside all the checklists, all the labels, all the noise, and asks you to focus on three elements - a compass, totem and chain
when viewed through the lens of the codex, many issues, problems or troubling thoughts may just appear less worthy of your energy than originally thought. it asks questions — not to solve the spiral, but to help you see it for what it is
grim’s compass . . .
is the concern truly life or death?
continuity totem . . .
how is this worry affecting me body, mind and soul right now - and is it worth it?
sacred chain . . .
is the feared outcome guaranteed? if so, how can i accept it, change it, or avoid it in this moment?
the codex is not a book of answers. it does not promise peace. it inspires questions - questions that can help illuminate a path to acceptance, alignment and authenticity in the present
remember: “you cannot control others, and you cannot control time - no matter how fast you spin. wasting energy on the uncontrollable is equivalent to looking up and screaming at the down-pouring rain demanding sunshine. you just end up waterboarding yourself” ~ grim