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Find Freedom From Ruminative Thoughts

Do you ever find it difficult to quiet your mind?

If you do, you are not alone. Working with our thoughts can be one of the greatest challenges in our lives. Rinpoche a spiritual leader published a hopeful article teaching us how to find freedom from our thoughts instead of imprisonment.

He believes that ruminating thoughts and afflictive emotions can obscure the naturally expansive and luminous nature of our minds. Not recognizing the pristine nature or our mind, we suffer because there is a great deal of attachment to the “I.” An endless stream of thoughts, with one thought linked to the next, traps us in a perpetual cycle of confusion and pain.

The goal is for each thought to remain in its own place. If you are able to experience each thought in its completeness, being mindful of its presence, the energy of the thought arises and dissolves in its own place. Therefore, you do not need to tamper with your thoughts. Further elaboration causes confusion and exhaustion. If you are not able to see the nature of each thought as complete and independent, it is because you are attached to the “I” and what the “I” creates. For example: If you think, “I want this” or “I am not good enough,” you create continuity for the “I” and ruminating thoughts will follow.

If we wish to free ourselves from the imprisonment of ruminating thoughts, the most effective approach is to ask ourselves, “Who is bound by habit, and how do these habits originate? Rinpoche ends his article with a great quoted metaphor: If you throw a stone at a dog, the dog will chase after the stone. If you throw a stone at a lion, the lion will chase after you! The dog will continue to chase stones, but the lion will be finished with it once and for all. Friends I ask you to consider to be the lion by looking directly at the source of each of your thoughts rather than following its trail.

I wish you all peace and harmony,

Coralis Solomon

 
 
Dr. Coralis Solomon, PhD, LMHC, NCC, QS

Dr. Coralis Solomon, PhD, LMHC, NCC, QS

Dr. Coralis Solomon, PhD, LMHC, NCC, QS is the founder of Self-Compassion Pathways and a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with more than a decade of experience helping individuals and couples navigate anxiety, trauma, depression, relationship challenges, and life transitions. She is also a counselor educator and clinical supervisor, bringing a unique blend of academic expertise and real-world clinical experience to her work. Dr. Solomon takes a holistic, trauma-informed approach to therapy, integrating evidence-based modalities such as Internal Family Systems (IFS), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), mindfulness, and self-compassion practices. Her work is grounded in the belief that healing happens when people learn to relate to themselves with greater kindness, resilience, and authenticity. As a certified yoga instructor, mindfulness practitioner, and advocate for whole-person wellness, Dr. Solomon creates a warm and inclusive therapeutic environment where clients feel heard, supported, and empowered to make meaningful changes. Whether working with individuals seeking personal growth or couples striving to strengthen their relationships, she is dedicated to helping clients build lasting emotional well-being and a more compassionate relationship with themselves.
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