Letting go, doing less and learning to switch off....
So another year has past by faster than expected, and here we are in January 2010, making resolutions, intentions and plans yet again. Well a lot of us do anyway. Partly fueled by the media, press, TV and radio shows, cunningly planning a year for us: from what we should read, wear, eat, think and do, we have little space to stop, think and make our own mind up. Trends, patterns and lifestyle directions are already set before we can even pause to consider our options.
Not that any of us really need to, but switching off from all that external decision making may just give us a little more time/space to be creative and think. Of course, we are bathed in a pool of information -I like to call it ‘stuff’- inhaling it and numbing our senses with stimuli, data etc, saturating our nervous system with junk. Research has shown that this saturation of the senses is one of the causes of stress in the modern world.
Residing in India for nearly 3 winters in a row does somewhat help when it comes to switching off – externally at least. Simply because high speed internet, cable television, foreign newspapers and magazines are still a bit of a luxury around here. However, even without all this outside stimulation (which to me only seems to fill this gap for deeper knowledge and understanding – a void that I will too easily fill up with all this ‘stuff’), it is incredibly hard to make space and clear out the superfluous junk that inevitably surrounds us. As much as we may have less to do in a place like Goa, the distractions always remain present and we will always find ways to fill up gaps in time and thought.
Why is that? The Chinese say that the mind is like a monkey – it jumps around- craves new stimulation and constant ‘filling up’, so as to stay away from more significant issues/questions like life, death, why we are, who we are. These questions can prove worrying to many. Making space to sit and think –or even attempt to answer- any of these questions is not a pre-requisite in life, but it’s good to try at least. A majority of people will happily sail through life without stopping, resting, questioning anything, and yet appear content, satisfied and in harmony.
However, I choose to pause. Simply because it is so hard. I’ve noted recurrent patterns in my own attitude, which I am aware of and want to work on. Living in a different continent, with different people, working different shifts, reading less press, being less informed and distracted should in theory lead to greater space and time to explore other areas of life. Even the simple act of sitting and reading quietly can be a struggle. Wherever one goes there are people, things to look at and do – general distractions of daily life. The issue is not all of this external stuff, but rather what to do with it. Saying no and actually switching off are just small things to focus on.
Some ways (to try) to be still –er.
* Switch off – and actually do it!
Turn the mobile phone off, unplug the TV and internet cable and see how long you last before getting fidgety. Remember, none of these things are really that important (unless you work in the ER unit and need to be on call!) and contribute to distractions.
* Take more time – between actions, and try not to constantly check your phone or emails.
* Do less – and learn to say ‘no’ more often.
* Prioritise – do you really need to do all this? Or are you also partly filling up time?
* Sit quietly
* Breathe- focus on your breath and notice what is happening.
And with all this in mind, without meditating or sitting each day, try simply cutting down on ‘stuff’, from shopping, to texting, to superfluous meetings which all fill up our agenda.
So Happy New Year from Goa! Do less, breathe more and do more yoga! ;-)
I will be back with a lighter update soon….
