Like Lynne Goldberg (my meditation trainer) said in the “The brain in neutral” Meditation Intro:
We spend so much of our time in yum or yuck mode, that we tend to miss out on the neutral. Most of use tend to view neutrality as boring. without realizing it, most of us crave that constant stimulation. we have our phones constantly at our sides. always at hand. and we want more. more stuff. more food. more new experiences. Our brains are developed to keep us pushing. seeking. craving and wanting more. food. partners and anything to keep us alive. its really not our fault. this is our way of survival of the human race. and yet it doesn’t always serve us. we tend to miss out on the neutral in life. Sometimes it leaves us dissatisfied. So noticing when we alternate between pleasant and unpleasant helps us to pay attention to neutral. Our brains don’t naturally do this, but the practice of mediation daily helps us to become better at pausing.just being. so we can find peace. if you want to achieve steadiness of mind, you want to remain constantly engaged in your moment to moment duties with intention . The discipline this attention brings makes opposing desires, thoughts and feelings powerfulness to affect your mind.
How appropriate does the above seem to you? it’s not crazy to experience some of the fast paced, face forward thoughts and actions of life. Our brains are programmed to perform, complete, conquer, solve, and fix. But how often we bring awareness to that moment when we start to realize things are moving a bit too quickly? Reducing that heart rate. Lowering that anxiety. Focusing and dialing in a bit more so we can gain more QUALITY from the experiences. No, this does not mean to work slower or less productive. It means, we can work quickly and efficiently all while remaining present. Become a master of your breath. deep inhales and longer exhales. Watch how much of a “control of the moment,” feeling you get in even the most hectic/busy of situations.
It’s funny how the simplest techniques are some of the hardest techniques to be practiced. They’re undervalued or underrated by today’s society. Social norms have programmed everyone to constantly need more, not appreciate the moment, not be able to sit without checking a cell phone for 10 minutes…. We can battle all of these urges and automatic response patterns by setting new patterns. Allow for the in between time to just breathe and sit in your thoughts. Allow for the time at the park, camping, or out in nature where you can just breathe and observe. VALUE HIGHLY STILLNESS AND QUIET. Be okay with the moment. Practice it. It’s all okay.
THE_HUMAN_EXPERIMENT1993 