The Knot That Stays.

As published in The Indian Times

A Gentle Look at Worry and the Power of Perspective

Why shifting your state of mind doesn’t have to be dramatic, and how psychology, movement, and Vedic wisdom quietly agree.  Bhagavad Gita 2.14 reveals a profound truth: suffering, like joy, is temporary, and our resistance is what makes it unbearable.

When Worry Overstays Its Welcome

Worry was designed to be functional. A little warning bell that says, “Something might need your attention.” But in modern life, that bell rarely quiets. It becomes background noise. A racing heart in the chest. A constant companion. A knot that stays.

You’ve likely felt it: that unease as you lie awake at 2am, the looping thoughts before a meeting, or the feeling that something’s off, even if you can’t name it.  Worry, when brief, can heighten awareness. But when it becomes chronic, it fogs our clarity, robs our joy, and makes us feel disconnected from ourselves.

The Science of Worry

In psychological terms, worry is the cognitive component of anxiety. It's future-focused, a possible mental rehearsal of things going wrong. The prefrontal cortex gets stuck in prediction mode, while the amygdala, the brain's fear centre, keeps firing signals of danger, remember its primitive.  Dr. Susan David, a Harvard psychologist, reminds us, “Emotions are data, not directives.” They are indicators, not dictators of truth.  When you see worry not as a personal flaw but as a nervous system signal, you begin to loosen its grip.

A Vedic Lens on the Mind

The Bhagavad Gita tells us that emotions, like the seasons, come and go. They are not ultimate truth. They are part of prakriti, nature, which is in constant motion.

Sage Patanjali, in the Yoga Sutras, speaks of chitta vritti nirodhah - the calming of the fluctuations of the mind. The mind, like a lake, becomes clear not by force, but through gentle redirection.  In both the Vedic and psychological perspectives, the path to peace begins not with elimination of emotion, but with observation.

Movement as Medicine

At PEMA Mind and Motion, we often say, “Shift the state, not the story.” Why? Because your nervous system speaks in sensation, not logic.  When you feel stuck in a mental loop, movement helps release the charge beneath the thought. You’re not trying to fix the story, you’re creating space around it.  Clinical studies now show that even gentle movement, a slow walk, stretching, swaying does activate the vagus nerve, shifting the body out of fight-or-flight and into a calmer, more receptive state.  In Vedic terms, prana (life force) begins to flow freely again. You return to a state of sattva - clarity, balance, and calm.

How to Interrupt the Worry Cycle — Kindly

Here are four gentle ways to respond to worry:

1. Acknowledge Without Attachment 
Instead of pushing worry away or diving headfirst into it, simply name it. “Worry is here.” Remember it is only a visitor.

2. Choose Micro-Movement
 Shake your hands, stretch your neck, go outside barefoot. A small movement often shifts the bigger internal state.

3. Use a Tool Like the Mind and Motion Cards
 These psychology-informed cards offer questions that may gently redirect your perspective. You might pull the Quickness card and be invited to ask: “Is everything urgent, or does something need prioritising?”

4.  Anchor Into the Present
 Vedic breathwork (pranyama) practices like anulom vilom (alternate nostril breathing) calm the dualities in the mind and re-centres your awareness in the now.

As the Gita reminds us, “The mind can be both friend and foe.” The difference lies in how we relate to it.

From Worry to Wisdom

Worry isn’t a weakness, it’s your nervous system doing its job. But it needs you, the wise observer, to step in, with compassion.  When we build a relationship with our emotional landscape, we begin to read the signals with more peace.

This is emotional literacy, not about having fewer emotions, but understanding them more deeply. 

The Mind and Motion Cards were created exactly for this purpose. Not to give advice, but to invite awareness. Each card is a lens, not to bypass what you’re feeling, but to help you walk with it differently.  Whether it’s Doubt, Rest, or Happiness, each feeling has a message. Each message can be met with movement, reflection, and care.

A Final Thought

In a time where constant stimulation leaves us scattered, let this be a gentle reminder; you don’t have to overhaul your life to change how you feel. Sometimes, the smallest shift, a breath, a stretch, a question, can open a new path.

Worry may visit, but it doesn’t have to unpack and stay.

‘Let the river slow. Let the knowing return. Let the mind and body remember their quiet power, together’, Rishi Vasishth.

Ready to take the first step toward emotional well-being? The Mind and Motion Cards are here to help you navigate your emotional journey. For more resources on emotional regulation and guided practices, visit www.monicapema.com.

Monica Pema | Integrated Wellness Expert

BSc. MSc. Psychology | Dip Holistic Kinesiology

“From Passion to Profit in All Walks of Life”

This article is intended for reflection and education. It is not a substitute for medical or psychological care.