Why Hinduism Says Your Mind is Your Worst Enemy (Stop Overthinking, Your Mind is a Liar)

Let’s be honest—your mind is kind of a diva. It wakes you up at 3 AM to remind you of that embarrassing thing you did in 2009. It convinces you that sending a “hey, how have you been?” text to your ex is a good idea (it never is). It makes grocery store small talk way harder than it needs to be. And worst of all? It tricks you into thinking that just because you thought something, it must be true. Hinduism, being thousands of years ahead of our modern-day existential crises, already figured this out ages ago. And it has one very blunt message for us: Your mind is your worst enemy.


Picture this: Arjuna, the warrior prince, is having a full-on meltdown on the battlefield. Existential dread? Check. Moral confusion? Check. A divine charioteer (Krishna) giving him tough love instead of coddling? Double check. And Krishna, in all his godly wisdom, doesn’t say, “Oh, sweetheart, follow your heart.” No. He drops this absolute bomb: "For one who has conquered the mind, the mind is the best of friends. But for one who has failed to do so, the mind will remain the greatest enemy." (Bhagavad Gita 6.6) Translation? If you don’t get a handle on your thoughts, they will absolutely run your life like a toxic ex who refuses to leave.


Here’s the thing—your mind loves drama. It thrives on it. Left unsupervised, it’ll spiral over imagined insults, overanalyze text messages, and catastrophize an awkward silence into a full-blown social crisis. Hindu philosophy breaks this down into a few key players:
1. Manas (The Wild Child): This is your reactive mind—the part that’s always chasing dopamine or running from discomfort. It’s why you suddenly need to check your phone when you should be working.
2. Buddhi (The CEO): Your intellect. The part of your brain that actually thinks before acting. If your mind was a company, Buddhi would be the no-nonsense boss trying to keep things in order while Manas is off setting fires.
3. Ahamkara (The Self-Obsessed One): Your ego. The one who takes everything personally, whether it’s a slow waiter or your best friend taking three hours to text back.
And when these three are out of sync? Chaos. Absolute chaos.


Ever had one of those days where your brain decides to just roast you? “You’re not good enough.” “Everyone secretly hates you.” “You’re going to die alone, probably surrounded by cats who will eventually eat you.” Yeah. That’s not wisdom talking. That’s just the unfiltered nonsense of an undisciplined mind. Hinduism’s take? You are not your thoughts. Just because a thought appears doesn’t mean it deserves attention, belief, or an immediate reaction. This is why meditation is such a big deal in Hindu traditions—it’s like putting your mind on a leash instead of letting it run wild through traffic.


So, what’s the game plan? If your mind is out here acting like a villain in your own story, how do you flip the script?

Hindu teachings (and, frankly, basic logic) tell us that thoughts are fleeting. Next time your mind serves up some anxiety-flavored nonsense, just acknowledge it: “Oh, look. My brain is doing that thing again.” You don’t have to believe every thought.

Listen, nobody is “good” at meditation. The whole point is to sit with your thoughts without reacting. Think of it like training a puppy—you just keep bringing it back when it wanders off. Hinduism calls this dhyana, and it’s not about emptying your mind (good luck with that), but about not getting dragged around by it.

Your intellect (buddhi) is the only part of your mind that can actually break the cycle of overthinking, self-sabotage, and bad decision-making. Strengthen it. Read things that make you think. Surround yourself with people who challenge your perspective. And most importantly—pause before reacting. A second of clarity can save you from so much unnecessary chaos.

Ahamkara (ego) is a drama king. It takes everything personally, from traffic to criticism. But Hindu wisdom reminds us that most things have nothing to do with us. That rude cashier? Having a bad day. That friend who didn’t reply? Busy. The guy who cut you off in traffic? Probably also overthinking something ridiculous. Not everything is about you, and realizing that is freedom.

At the end of the day, your mind is supposed to be a tool, not the boss of your life. Hinduism doesn’t say “your mind is your enemy” just to be dramatic—it’s pointing out a truth that, deep down, we already know. Your thoughts? Half of them are nonsense. Your fears? Mostly illusions. Your overthinking? A time-wasting hobby. The real you? The one watching all of this unfold, laughing at the absurdity of it all. So, the next time your mind tries to convince you that it knows best, just remember: You wouldn’t take life advice from a toddler on a sugar high, so why are you letting your untrained thoughts run the show? Take the wheel. Because your mind, left unsupervised, is a menace—and honestly, you deserve better.