The Relief Valve
As I sit down to meditate recently, my mind has felt more active. Compared to the last few months, my energy levels have been more stable, which means meditation isn’t filling a need for deep rest. This mental activity has shown up as impulses to action, judgmental reflections, and planning for the future. Oh what fun. :)
This increase in mental activity doesn’t mean I am meditating incorrectly. It is actually a sign that my nervous system is healing after a few months of dancing with burnout. With more energy, of course my mind is looking for things to do. The easy path to follow would be to indulge all of these impulses. I could chase more productivity, conduct more analysis of my problems, and strategize for what’s coming up. The drive to optimize and improve my life seems very human. It seems to be what everyone else is doing. And, it feels antagonistic to my baseline animalistic nature.
Reflecting on the life of animals can be profoundly interesting. Wild animals and pets are not scheming on how to improve their life. They are not planning for the future or escaping the present moment by over-analyzing or by entertaining themselves. They are masters at simply existing as nature intends.
Humans are also animals, and have these same capabilities. And yet we so rarely use them despite how comforting it can be to simply exist. In order to find plain, present moment living comforting, we first have to make peace with our uniquely human minds, which seemed designed to prohibit this kind of rest through relentless activity.
Life is stressful by nature. We are probably not designed to work as much as we do. The events across the globe are harrowing and frightening. Seeking relief from this onslaught of suffering usually means retreating inside of our minds to overthink and plan, and turning toward distractions like screen time and compulsive action. This is a uniquely human response! When a squirrel gets overwhelmed, it does not run for the nearest window with a view of the TV screen.
Simply being present is a way to get in touch with the animal nature of our bodies. This part of us, that goes deeper than the fleeting contents of our mind, already knows how to relieve the stress and pressure we are feeling: by really not doing much at all except staying with immediate sensory experience. The impulses to action, to analyze, and to escape will still be there in our minds. And they may never go away. Mindfulness is making peace with whatever is in our minds, by accepting what’s there with non-judgmental awareness. In that acceptance, we become available to the calm that is already inside of us.
Some other ways I have been staying in touch with my animal body include eating slowly without distractions, being more intentional about spending time outside each day, and not immediately reaching for distractions when I feel bored. I don’t think it’s always better to live this way, but I do know that it makes me feel better.
