When I called Time-Warner this morning to complain about the loss my internet connection, I made sure that I prepared myself for the call, by slowing down, and moving @ the pace~of~my~breath. I always anticipate feeling like a fool when speaking to technical support because half of the time I don’t understand what they’re talking about, and my ‘embarrassed-stupid-polite-voice’ is making me feel even more embarrassed & stupid… but increasingly, less polite. It was amazing what happened when I tensed up while speaking to the tech-man and relinquished it to the pace of the breath. I got miraculously wiser, and soon the tech-man and I were buddies and on the same page. I was able to ask him to slow down or repeat his instructions, and felt light about it, rather than feeling frustrated and anxious, huffing and puffing about how ‘this shouldn’t be happening’, only to get myself crazier. At the end, the problem was not resolved perfectly, but I left feeling clear, calm & joyful. Staying clear during the process was more important to me that the result.
Clarity is seeing life as it is and not with distorted perception. The clear~voice, connects your attention to the bigger picture, to a loving-presence, to being whole and at peace with yourself, in the flow of life. Being clear is being clear of struggles & anxiety, depression & distractions. Perhaps, there is nothing new about distractions. Perhaps distractions are a way of coping with trauma and coping with feeling disconnected and empty inside. But it seems that nowadays our attention is increasingly invaded by distractions in our dealing with friends, family & strangers and in our dealings with ourselves and with the world. Our attention seems more distracted in the digital age – texting, cell-phones, computers and multitasking.
Distractions are distracting-voices in our head, and regardless of why they are there, they are ultimately our responsibility to manage & to let go of. People are often addicted to their distracting voices, and want to ‘be right’ & get their way, crazy-glued to their distractions, unwilling to let them go. Our distracting-voices try to cope with anxiety and existential disconnect, and fill the emptiness inside with ‘people, places and things’, distracting us from the present, from love, and from trusting in the natural flow of life. In doing so, distractions divert us from the wisdom of our heart and the peace in our soul.
The pace-of-distractions, is usually faster than the pace-of-the-breath-of-life. The distracting-pace-of-our-time, affects particularly children and young people, who have been born into this pace, not knowing of a slower pace of living. Brain research is proving that multitasking is becoming second nature, but that when we thrive on stress and adrenalin, we cause more anxiety and more depression. This is becoming a big issue with children and youth, many of whom are taking anti-anxiety and anti-depressant medication. ADD is becoming rampant in our current, uncertain world, spreading globally because of the accessibility of the internet and mobile media. The pressure to succeed and be busy with external activities, diverts us further from ourselves, and from the power and wisdom within.
Perhaps these challenges are part of the healing of our world, making it a better more livable place. Perhaps the human brain, like mother earth, can ultimately take care of itself, re-calibrate and renew itself . But we need to participate and do our part in this re-calibration.
Here are some of the principles and steps that I have developed in the practice of b r e a z e – discover your clear~voice.
* Slow down & move @ the pace~of~your~breath…
* Relinquish your distractions to the pace~of~the~breath…
* Find your calm~joy & loving~presence inside the breath…
* Listen to your clear~voice…
Clarity – is love. Being clear is being whole & @ peace. Letting go of the struggle with yourself.
How are you helping and supporting the re-calibration of your brain – in your own life?
with blessings of clarity & calm~joy,
keep b r e a z i n g & loving all the way
sjk – joywhisperer
