allow mud to settle !! ~ “Amygdala hijack”

 

How calm are you ?  heard of  “Amygdala hijack”  !! 

For some of us there is disturbance all the mind – in the mind, turbulent thoughts, emotions, anxiety, and fear   create mental chaos and block clarity – they also lead us to fear, depression and all unwanted thoughts !!  

In the mind, turbulent thoughts, emotions, anxiety, and fear are interconnected states that create mental chaos and block clarity. The amygdala impairs cerebral cortex reasoning through a process called amygdala hijack, where the brain's emotional alarm system overrides the logic centers.  It is an intense, immediate emotional overreaction that bypasses your brain's logical center. Popularized by psychologist Daniel Goleman, it occurs when the amygdala perceives a threat, triggers a "fight-or-flight" response, and overrides the rational prefrontal cortex. 

The amygdalae are clusters of almond-shaped cells located in the brain’s base. Everyone has two in each hemisphere. They define Trusted Source and regulate emotions, store memories, and attach those memories to specific emotions. The amygdala also activates the fight-or-flight response. This response can help people in immediate physical danger react quickly for their safety and security. For example, the fight-or-flight response helped early humans respond to threats to avoid injury or death.  When that part of your brain senses danger, it signals your brain to pump stress hormones, preparing your body to either fight for survival or to flee to safety.  Today, that fight-or-flight response is more likely to be triggered by emotions such as stress, fear, anxiety, aggression, and anger. 

Long ago, one day Buddha felt thirsty on a hot day and sent his disciple Ananda back to a stream for water. Ananda found the stream muddy (bullock carts passed through) and refused to bring it, instead fetched water from a river farther away. 

Buddha insisted on the stream water. When Ananda returned from the far away pond,  the water had cleared naturally—the mud settled. 

A calm Buddha told his disciple - “I am not thirsty, you are thirsty. You were sent to understand a certain message.”  The sound message is :   Sometimes we must wait for clarity to emerge naturally; forcing solutions creates more confusion. The muddy water metaphor teaches that mental clarity comes through stillness, not through forceful action. When you leave muddy water for a while, the mud settles naturally and the water becomes clear

 

Zazen (seated Zen meditation) is the primary practice that enables the mind's sediment to settle naturally. It works through posture, breath, and non-interference with thoughts. 

Interesting ! – not sure whether this Guerilla knew it all !!

 
Regards – S Sampathkumar
10.6.2026