(Image above courtesy of Disney / Pixar)
Powerless. Helpless. Overwhelmed. Catastrophizing. Anxiety at its best can bring out an important sensitivity to our own and others’ feelings. On the other hand, when it takes over, it can prevent us from trusting ourselves and we instead let fear guide us.
This is the case for Riley, in the new movie sequel “Inside Out 2,” where the teen develops five new emotions, including anxiety, which, in the beginning, takes over from a place of love and wanting her to experience the best of everything.
As her old and new emotions clash over her sense of self, anxiety propels Riley to do things out of character to qualify for her new school’s hockey team, and eventually spins out of control.
Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, the nation’s top physician, wrote in a December 2021 public advisory, that symptoms of anxiety and depression doubled during the pandemic globally. Even before the pandemic, U.S. emergency room visits related to depression, anxiety and similar conditions were up 28 percent between 2011 and 2015, according to the report.
As we can see in our society, anxiety is becoming more and more common, especially with factors like social media that contribute to overanalyzing and comparing ourselves in real time.
Buddhist practice recognizes the complexities of emotions you can feel and doesn’t deny them. Rather, for a Buddhist, the important point to keep in mind is that within all conditions of life exist Buddhahood, or limitless wisdom, courage and compassion.
Buddhist practice recognizes the complexities of emotions you can feel and doesn’t deny them. Rather, for a Buddhist, the important point to remember is that within all conditions of life exists Buddhahood, or limitless wisdom, courage and compassion. When we chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo aloud, we can tap into that Buddhahood. Encouraging another person to believe in their Buddhahood also brings it out in your life.
Within any moment exist limitless possibilities for the best outcome. It is up to us to make a fresh determination and chant to transform any source of unhappiness.
A great example of this is when a youth expressed how timid they are to the Buddhist philosopher Daisaku Ikeda and this was his response, explaining how Buddhism works:
Gentleness and timidity can be seen as two different expressions of the same underlying nature. When that underlying nature takes the form of gentleness, it’s a strength; when it takes the form of timidity, it can be a weakness. When that underlying nature consistently acts as a weakness, it can become the cause of unhappiness. Our basic underlying natures don’t change, but through our Buddhist practice, we can redirect our natures in a positive manner. Nichiren Daishonin says, “When one comes to realize and see that each thing—the cherry, the plum, the peach, the damson—in its own entity, without undergoing any change, possesses the eternally endowed three bodies [of the Buddha]” (OTT, 200).
The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 1, p. 200
Riley’s hard-fought lesson in the movie is that there is no need to become like someone else. Buddhism reinforces that by chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, we can steadily bring out the best version of ourselves, without needing to be someone we’re not. Since our personality is something unique to us, it’s important to have the goal to become strong and win over our weaknesses. Doing this on our own can be difficult, but by connecting with your local Buddhist group, you can receive the much-needed encouragement to keep going!
Before you know it, the anxieties that at one point you felt at the mercy of, become a friend that give you the signals you need to improve yourself. A great example of this is Akiko Toya of Maryland whose anxiety fueled her career in risk management.
Of course, Buddhism is a practical philosophy that encourages us to seek help if we feel we need it. If we are feeling severe anxiety, seeking professional help is a sign we are serious about our happiness and well-being, inside out.