" Most of us want to feel better... we don't actually want to see that we are misperceiving things." Adyashanti
Stress, or being stressed out, is a habit! A habit created, like all habits are, by our conditioned mind. Therefore we can say that stress is an inside job, 100%. This is not to diminish the fact life can indeed be challenging, overwhelming, sad, scary etc.. But it is how we perceive life, moment by moment, and how we respond to that perception, that determines the degree of our stress. Right now, if you are experiencing a lot of stress and suffering, you may want to think about learning to change the habit.
Recognizing habits as a part of life, if we intend to genuinely change any habit, we must in engage in a methodical practice that gets to the root conditioning, and clear it away. This conditioning resides in all levels of our being, mental, emotional, and physical as tension, blocks, prejudice etc. Therefore any method or practice, if it is to be effective and create lasting results, must address all three. As well, an effective practice contains both conceptual and experiential methods of learning.
Awareness is the essential aspect (catalyst) that binds and integrates the two methods and the three levels, into a single, dynamic whole.
The first principle of Stress Mastery is that we must accept that stressful experiences are an inevitable aspect of life and thatmastery comes from opening to those experiences, not resisting them. Any holistic practice is based on this fundamental understanding, that everything that is here has a purpose, is there to serve, nourish, heal or free us in some way. If we can learn to allow each experience to express itself completely, and we are willing to inquire (look deeply) into the what is really going on here and now, then this intention will lead to a successful Stress Mastery practice.
There are two aspects to every awareness-based practice.
1. Conceptual Understanding/Mind This step is the learning of concepts that attempt to describe or point to the truth of how the mind/body works and how those functions align with the flow of Reality (life) as it is. Concepts like these, that clearly express the true nature of things, are powerful catalysts for seeing the false and illusory nature of the beliefs and ideas of our conditioned mind, that are the root cause of stress and suffering.
Clear concepts also resonate harmonically with our emotions and body. Just think about a time when you knew someone was lying to you. How did you feel? Or when someone imparted a simple wisdom to you. Felt good, right? Our body recognizes the truth always, so imagine a body bombarded with misperception and falsehoods all day long...stress!
2. Embodying through Direct Experience of Awareness Based Exercise/Body Awareness Based Exercises are essential for the following reasons:
• They bring awareness to the body • They enhance energy circulation and build stamina and strength • Promote the release of tension from the mind/body • Reduce resistance and blockage • Build confidence in understanding the truth of the concepts • Build confidence in our ability to experience what is next, to navigate the moment to moment arising of experiences
Of course the ultimate purpose of the exercises is so that you will retrain the mind/body to see clearly and respond appropriately to all stressful experiences as they arise, moment by moment, in the flow of your life.
3. We must embrace and embody each of these methods and integrate(prove the truth of) the concepts through the experience of the exercises.
4. Mastery has no endpoint. It is not a place, level or object that we accomplish or attain, it is a living, dynamic practice grounded in awareness and our desire to live in the truth. It is an attitude of being willing to remain present to all experience, always. It is the recognition of the unending flow of experiences that arise as life. And upon reflection, common sense would tell us, that this insight alone, should make us happy!
