Skip to content
  • Home
  • Videos
    • First Steps
    • Stories
    • Keys to Higher Yogas
    • Yoga Perspectives
    • Essential Life Skills
    • Spiritual Development
    • Devotional Yoga
    • Yoga in Daily Life
  • Talks
    • Higher Yogas Classes
    • Yoga Basics
    • Sunday Morning Talks
    • Bhakti Yoga
    • Sri Ramakrishna
    • Go Farther with Meditation
    • Theme of the Month
    • Devotional Chants
  • Writings
    • Yoga as a Spiritual Path
    • Discover the Miracle of Prayer
    • Keys to Higher Consciousness
    • Growing on the Path
    • Relating with Spirit
    • Spiritual Living
    • Interviews
  • Courses
    • Introducing Courses
    • Online Seminars
    • Online Retreats
    • Initial Mysteries
  • Explore
    • Lifelines
    • Topics
    • Yoga Terms
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Favorites
    • Recent Additions
  • About
    • Ramakrishna Ananda
    • Why Are We Doing This Now?
    • Our Ideals
    • Our Team
    • Donate
    • Get Updates
    • Contact Us
    • Terms and Privacy
  • Home
  • Videos
    • First Steps
    • Stories
    • Keys to Higher Yogas
    • Yoga Perspectives
    • Essential Life Skills
    • Spiritual Development
    • Devotional Yoga
    • Yoga in Daily Life
  • Talks
    • Higher Yogas Classes
    • Yoga Basics
    • Sunday Morning Talks
    • Bhakti Yoga
    • Sri Ramakrishna
    • Go Farther with Meditation
    • Theme of the Month
    • Devotional Chants
  • Writings
    • Yoga as a Spiritual Path
    • Discover the Miracle of Prayer
    • Keys to Higher Consciousness
    • Growing on the Path
    • Relating with Spirit
    • Spiritual Living
    • Interviews
  • Courses
    • Introducing Courses
    • Online Seminars
    • Online Retreats
    • Initial Mysteries
  • Explore
    • Lifelines
    • Topics
    • Yoga Terms
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Favorites
    • Recent Additions
  • About
    • Ramakrishna Ananda
    • Why Are We Doing This Now?
    • Our Ideals
    • Our Team
    • Donate
    • Get Updates
    • Contact Us
    • Terms and Privacy
  • Share
RAMAKRISHNA ANANDA

State 1 — The Distraught Mind

Feeling frustrated? Frequently thinking of how you’ve been wronged?

This is part two of a six-part series on You Can Choose Your State of Mind. The first state of mind, the distraught mental state, is one in which we do not want to spend much time. When we’re in this state of mind, we tend to make our own lives and the lives of others miserable. We can’t concentrate or hold our minds on anything except the objects of our envy, anger, or fear. If you sometimes find yourself in this state of mind, try these yoga techniques which will help you hold the mind on something constructive instead.

Yoga Basics, Mind, Habits

Patience and Determination are Essential

A person with a distraught mind has to cultivate patience and a dogged determination, day by day, to work his or her way out of the cellar into the light.

  • Hear Ramakrishna Ananda’s early experience of living for a time with a distraught mind
  • How a person with a distraught mind will often have viewpoints that are unfounded, often just negative fantasies
  • Learn how forgiveness is a way to get out of the distraught state
  • Explore a new diet for the mind, including new thoughts, ideas and possibilities in order to begin to appreciate life
  • Find out how cultivating an attitude of completion is essential in getting past the distraught mind

Watch Next

26:01
How to get beyond being preoccupied with daily life
14:15
Is your mind sometimes blissful and sometimes turbulent?
9:24
Find out if you are in the one-pointed state of mind
15:00
How to dissolve separation between your mind and your superconscious self
What Happens at an Online Yoga Retreat?
We bring the California mountains to you with online retreats that include Life Mastery techniques, guided meditations and devotional chants. As you access the material at your own pace, you’ll have the opportunity to be spiritually uplifted and stay connected to higher consciousness. See the Online Retreats.

New This Week

40:35
Can we cultivate peace and actually live in it?
41:53
Can Spirit express while we are busy in the world?
Home > > Yoga Basics > State 1 — The Distraught Mind
Show More
Next
  • Home
  • Videos
  • Talks
  • Writings
  • Courses
  • Explore
  • About
  • Search
  • Home
  • Videos
  • Talks
  • Writings
  • Courses
  • Explore
  • About
  • Search

© Copyright 2025 Yoga World Fellowship

  • Terms and Privacy
  • Sitemap

How to Succeed

As you may know, we do not charge for our courses. All Yoga World content is free and available to you with our blessings. However, we do have a simple, but important request that’s key to the transformations necessary to succeed on the path.

We ask you to commit two hours a week to selfless service. This service can be anything you choose ranging from helping a family member or neighbor to volunteering at a nonprofit organization.

I Commit to Serve

This commitment is solely between you and your inner self.

Why the Commitment?

Share with a Friend

NOTE:  We will not share your information with third parties.