The Vicious Circle - Stract, Alan Watts

So then let’s consider, first of all

What is a mind in the grip of vicious circles

Well, one of the most obvious instances that we all know

Is the phenomenon of worry

You are worried because you worry because you worry

That is a vicious circle

When you’re alone, nobody saying anything

There’s nothing to do

There’s this, this worry

This lack of distraction

I’m left alone with myself, and I wanna get away from myself

I’m always wanting to get away from myself

That’s why I go to the movies, that’s why I read mystery stories

That’s why I go after, to girls

Or anything that you do, or get drunk or whatever

I don’t wanna be with myself

So, well why do you wanna run away from yourself

What’s so bad about it?

Why do you wanna forget this?

Why do you wanna become yourself?

Cause you keep telling yourself

Where you are, who you are, what’s going on

How good it is, how bad it is

So, there’s a difficulty about stopping that activity

And you really have to stop if you want to be sane

But first of all, you have to learn how to stop thinking

Well how do you do that?