KEEP CALM: Calm is the space between our reactions.
This week, our posts on OurMindful.Life.Now borrow from the British posters entitled KEEP CALM AND…. This slogan, coined as a symbol of stoicism, was produced in 1939 by the British Government to motivate its population at the start of WWII. British relatives who lived through the horrors of the Blitz speak of the pervasive fear and low morale of the people at that time. The message to KEEP CALM no matter what was the intended antidote, and CALM was much needed.
However, in the context of mindfulness practice, we approach it differently. We recognize that the word “calm” carries inherited meanings. Letting go of the “stiff upper lip” notion and, with a curious attitude, exploring a new meaning through the senses opens new opportunities to live our mindful life now. It’s like shedding an old generational pattern without discarding it entirely, perhaps reshaping an old cultural belief. This is to say, it’s no wonder that this subtext, along with external and internal challenges, makes it difficult to establish calm. But in the spirit of our ancestors, we remain grateful for the suggestion. To establish calm, and with pure intention, we power on!
Let’s delve into calm: its meaning, importance, ways to cultivate and restore it, and the advantages it offers. Our need for calm stems from preoccupation with the past and the pull of the future, which draws us out of the present. Every moment is tied to an event that generates sensations, and each co-emerges with thoughts and emotions. Imagine all this activity, a very busy place. Consequently, living in the present has its challenges. The neural pathways that drive reactive behaviours need to be restructured to enable us to relax and create space between our responses. Bruno Cayoun, a clinical psychologist and developer of MiCBT, indicates that practicing mindfulness can rewire the brain, making it more focused, adaptable, and peaceful. Consequently, you become more patient and less prone to impulsive reactions. It starts with paying attention to our inner state—mindfully observing what arises and what we want to change. Reactivity makes these processes visible, especially when focusing on the breath. Calm is associated with Equanimity: a state of inner mental quietude that begins by turning inward, listening carefully to our inner experience, and choosing a mental object to focus on, such as the breath. We give bare attention to the present moment. This may feel like a gentle, grounding presence in the body. When thoughts drift away from the breath, we bring attention back to the breath. Sensations of stress, emotional reactivity, or overwhelm are replaced by a steady mind, even in the face of tumult. The amygdala, often hyperactive and enlarged, begins to shrink; the sympathetic nervous system is calmed, and the parasympathetic nervous system is activated. Returning to the breath over and over helps restore mental balance and sustain calm. This mindful focus on breathing starves habitual neural activity of its usual energy. Similarly, fasting for the body is akin to mindfulness of breath for brain activity. By concentrating on the object of breath, we tame the monkey mind and grow calmer. Calm opens the door to meditation. The breath becomes subtler and deeper, and the mind and body grow calmer.
Mindfulness of Breath
Find a place to sit, and wiggle around until you’re comfortable. Scan your body for any tension, and contract and relax your muscles. Now notice the mind’s activity. If it’s busy with thoughts, you might want to count your breaths to focus on the breath more easily. Perhaps breathe in on one and out on one, in on two and out on two, until ten. Another technique is to count “one, one, one, one” while breathing in, and “two, two, two, two” while breathing out. Then breathe in on “three, three, three, three” and out on “four, four, four, four”. Continue as many times as needed until the mind is focused on the breath. There are many variations of breath counting to train the mind to concentrate on the object of the breath. Choose which one works best for you. As soon as you focus on your breath, stop counting and connect with the sensation of breath in your belly. Feel its rhythm, and notice the pauses between inhalation and exhalation. Notice how it anchors you to your seat or grounds you in the present moment. Next, fix your attention on your nostrils, where you feel the cool stream of air touching the rim of the nostrils. Breathing in and breathing out, breathing in and breathing out. Keep your attention on the point where you feel your breath in the nostrils. Continue to concentrate at this point. You may go from feeling calm to feeling a lightness of being. Your mind may wander off; it’s okay, minds do wander. Bring your attention back to the breath nonjudgmentally and continue…
KEEP CALM AND BREATHE ON!
May all beings be safe, loving, at peace, and at ease. _/\_ Mamaji