Every now and then you wake up and notice that SHIT JUST GOT REAL PEOPLE. I mean most people are so stuck in their routines, in doing their work, repetition after repetition, they get stuck. They are driven mostly by worry and fear. Racing to not be late at the office. Saving for their kid to go to college. Worried sick about their reputation in the world being attacked. We literally hand our buttons to the innate survival instinct. Regular meditation can help us rise above all that.
But every now and then we need our sanity more than ever. And those moments don’t wait for you to be prepared.
What happens when we jump the gun. What happens if something happens and we are far from prepared. See it’s the one thing that’s infuriating and funny about us lazy slobs. We have an innate instinct to look for the easier way. And funny enough, sometimes we find it. Not always right, not always recommendable, But in a tight corner, there’s only so much we can do. It’s time for a mini meditation.
There are thousands of ways people have done this. A short prayer, a little pep-talk by the coach, reciting verses from the bible, warcries, mantras, affirmations, Hell, sometimes even drugs and smoking have helped people. A clear shot of nicotine or alcohol to calm the nerves right before stepping into a war zone, a really scary interview, a presentation, Against an experienced heavyweight in a ring, before a ruthless client, during a driving test, Damn it! Every situation in the world requires a level head. You move like a force of nature with passion yet you have to make reasonable and wise choices.
So for the sake of sharing and caring, here’s the Meditation I rely on.
Devised by the Zen masters and Samurai warriors of medieval Japan, and used by modern day self-defense experts, this one focuses on the need of the moment. When adrenaline clogs your head and you are too frozen to think, too scared to move. In that moment, take a breather. It won’t take more than a minute or two.
Count to four seconds as you slowly breathe in, hold there for four seconds, exhale slowly for four seconds, hold again for four seconds and then repeat. This has to be done four to six times. Seven if you feel a bit traditional.
The ancient traditional Samurai lifestyle manual by the name Hagakure mentions two types of meditative techniques, both of which are applied heavily in modern day British SAS and American Navy SEALs crisis management training. This one bases itself on immediate decision-making purposes (and happens to be my preferred one in this case).
The point here is to root the mind in the moment, unfazed by emotions, impulses or distractions. Do it in your chair, or in a kneeling prayer pose, or standing with eyes and ears open. Posture doesn’t matter, but mindfulness of it does.
This meditation will immediately slow down any heart rate racing above a hundred beats per second. It can halt the production of hard-hitting thoughts which react to the body to produce emotions. It will bring you a sense of serenity and clarity.
Learn it by doing it. No more waiting around. Do it, then talk to me about it. I’ll watch for the comments.
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