Satcitananda in Contrast to Overthinking

Thinking is the nature of human beings, and for thousands of years, it has helped us modernize, evolve, and become more human and civilized. What happens when we overdo it? When do we overthink? Many of us may not realize it, but thinking is deeply wired with our reality and existence, and to know how we need to understand the idea of reality.

Now, what is reality? How do we define it? Does it exist? Then, how do we define existence? Consciousness? So how do we define that? Awareness? We can go on and on and on.

Reality is not words, and it is not material. Reality is an idea. It is an expression of you as you are. In India or Hinduism, many believe in a term called Satcitananda.

Satcitananda is an epithet and description for the subjective experience of the ultimate unchanging reality called Brahman in certain branches of Hindu philosophy, especially Vedanta. The description of Satcitananda as the subjective experience of Brahman is significant because it emphasizes that Brahman is not simply an abstract concept but rather a reality that can be directly experienced. This direct experience of Brahman is the goal of human life. Through this experience, we can attain liberation from the cycle of birth and death.

Satchidananda: Feel Existence, Consciousness and Joy of Reality

According to ancient Hindu mythology, the world is known as the drama of god. In the term Satcitananda, 'Sat' means existence, 'cit' means consciousness, and 'ananda' stands for joy. In conclusion, reality is beautiful. It is the plenitude of total joy. According to Satcitananda, feeling joy, bliss, and happiness is a way of feeling real, conscious, and being.

What we all are from our deepest core is the proof, the meaning, the structure of existence itself. We all are one, and one is everything.

Now, on the contrary, how do we present Satcitananda in contrast to overthinking or thinking too much? How does overthinking push you away from reality or the bliss of existence?

"A person who thinks all the time has nothing to think about except thoughts. So, he loses touch with reality and lives in a world of illusions. By thoughts, I mean, specifically, chatter in the skull—perpetual and compulsive repetition of words, of reckoning, and of calculating." - Alan Watts.

He starts losing the bliss in existing as he is living more in his thoughts instead of living more in reality. I am not saying that thinking is deficient. It has its pros and cons, too.

Most educated and civilized people are far from the grasp of reality because they confuse the present world with the imaginary world in which they live through excessive thinking. On one side resides the real world at present, and on the other, an imaginary world made out of thoughts, possibilities, and signs. These thoughts are often the pillars of our civilization and modernization. However, they have their disadvantages. The disadvantage of living in this imaginary world made out of excessive thoughts is that we confuse them with reality.

As a result of confusing reality with mere hints and thoughts, we are losing ourselves. Because of residing our minds on mere imagination, thought, and signs, we are so lost in that world that we have lost touch with reality.

Satcitananda: The Only Reality is Here and Now

"Thoughts" are just "thoughts." It does not matter if it is something that can happen or not. You cannot be anywhere other than here and now. The past is not responsible for the present, and it is the other way around because, first of all, you are here and now. Therefore you may think or not think about the past. Only when you think about it, do both the past and future exist. Otherwise, they do not. "Now" is the foundation from which thoughts of the past and future come. Anything other than here and now is psychological. When you close your eyes and think about the sun out there in space, the sun might exist, but the sun you think of is no more than a projection of your mind, which is just a thought, a psychological activity. When you close your eyes and think about someone in your psychological reality has nothing to do with the one out there. The thought projects them and represents them. Like your name represents you, but it is not you. The psychological reality or world is 2-dimensional, linear, dead, lifeless, repetitive, and gloomy. In contrast, the reality you can see and hear is 3-dimensional, full of life, colorful, surprises, and ever-changing.

Now some may ask if we should stop thinking. My answer to that is NO. If I do not think I won't be able to make plans, that doesn't work well in a world that needs planning for survival. The purpose of the mind is to store and process information. What's the point of having this biologically advanced storage system if you can't pull out files and reflect on making better decisions? I think the ‘to be here now’ mentality should be used as a meditation, a practice to clear the mind when needed. Nothing more.

Existence is being - existence is a blessing - we all should celebrate this bliss in reality.

Satcitananda!