Is That a Periscope Sticking Out of Your Head?
(This is part one of a five-part series)
There is a practice I developed long ago called ‘Give yourself a hand,’ which is meant for getting through a time of stress and/or judgmental self-reflection. It is a mind-body practice based on a Mudra or a way of using hand shapes and gestures to shift between negative and positive states of Being.
If you are looking for that kind of a tool and for more resilience with stress and your inner world, this could be a game changer.
So, here goes…
Make a fist. Notice how a clenched fist is the perfect mirror or symbol for being over-whelmed, stuck, and in serious conflict. If your fingers were tools, you have just locked your toolbox. If your fingers were antennas, you have just lost access to spontaneous insights or new information. Also, notice that if you keep your thumb bent and extend it towards the sky, it looks kinda like the periscope of a submarine.
I have noticed in my life that, when the stress, pressure, potential conflict, and likely consequences start to rise, my mind turns into a problem seeking periscope. All I can see are the problems. I feel driven to figure out what else could go wrong. It doesn’t happen very often for myself, but I know many people who live that experience every day. YIKES!
Does this ever happen to you too?
It seems like a universal experience. As an instinct, it makes perfect sense. Looking for danger is the only way to avoid danger. As well, looking for opportunities like food and friends is the only way to find them.
Instincts are awesome. You wouldn’t be reading this without them. However, instincts are only meant for emergencies and life-changing choices. And life, especially a healthy and happy life cannot happen if your life is an emergency 24/7.
We all have an instinctual periscope. Something pushes your buttons and it is ‘periscope up!’ Don’t feel bad about this because it is an invaluable ally and teacher!
We all go through this almost every day. We all have moments of looking at the world through the lens of “How bad will this get?” Even if it just about traffic, cheap restaurants, and line-ups.
The trick is to use your instinctual periscope consciously.
If you are looking at the world through those ‘harsh reality’ eyes, GOOD JOB! Now for the tricky part. Put the eye-piece of your periscope in your pocket. It will always be there the next time you need it. Look through it only when you really need to. You can’t give it up completely, it is an instinct.
You can’t let it be the only way you see the world either. That is literally called being paranoid!
That is the theme of this article. Do you need to put your periscope down, and more importantly can you?
Can you notice and embrace impatience, breathe for a while and settle back into patience and ease cialis priser?
If you have a minute, there are two more opportunities I would like to share.
There is another way to look at this whole thing. Imagine you and I are walking through a Halloween haunted house and we have to share a flashlight. Every creak of a floorboard, every unexpected gust of air or brush against our bodies will have you and me fighting over who gets to point the flashlight at the ghosts and zombies. Over and over again, moment by moment we try to cooperate at keeping the light on our biggest fears.
Just like a periscope can only see a VERY small part of the horizon, a flashlight can only point at a small part of a room or a small part of your life. This, of course, leaves the space behind you to fill with whatever horrors you can imagine… EEEK!!!
So, what if we just sat down and lit a candle?
Shazam! Now we can both see in every direction at once. This is what meditation does in a hurry.
Meditation turns nervous flashlight minds into luminous candles of patience and kindness.
Remember that I introduced this as a Mind/Body practice. Clench your fist, extend your thumb upwards and point your periscope and flashlight at the next problem you need to solve. Feel that familiar cringe in your neck, feel those butterflies in your stomach turning into Pterodactyls with machine guns. Now put your flashlight or periscope into your pocket. Now shake the tension out of your hand and take a moment to look at your day with a candle.
Relax into the moment and let all of your stress just drain away.
Try it. – It is a practice, not an idea.
There is one last aspect of this whole periscope dilemma that I want to bring up. It can actually take over your life, and not in a good way. Imagine you are sitting at home, looking at your life through your instinctual and fearful periscope. All of a sudden another periscope pops out of your TV set or your computer screen.
This periscope shows you what you think other people think of you. It is the insecurity flashlight of all time. The more time you spend alone the worse it gets. We all have one of these, too.
So, how do you look through the eyes of your friends, family, and peers? Staying socially connected is an instinct. It is a tricky balance between who we really are in the world and what the world thinks of us.
Looking at yourself through this periscope for more than a minute is an easy way to feel insecure, unattractive, emotionally restless and mentally consumed. Not fun at all.
As a culture of screen-watching humans, we have become a bit obsessed with how our lives and our bodies look. It keeps us centered on the external opportunities for growth and change – or at least some semblance of control. Looking at life this way for too long in a day is one of the biggest factors in anxiety, depression, insomnia, and addiction.
No one is periscope free. Instincts are instincts. The only way that I can stay periscope free for any length of time is to VERY DEEPLY focus on;
- Presence,
- Patience,
- Honestly,
- and Curiosity.
So, that is the first part of ‘Giving yourself a hand’. There are four fingers to go.
Next time I will get into the judgemental and always pointing index finger of ‘This or That!’ Here is the link.
Have Fun out there, just keep your periscopes in your pockets. Everyday light a candle of acceptance and compassion instead of chasing your mind rats with a flashlight.
If you are completely free of mind rats, please share your insights below…