Finding peace in the eye of the storm
Polarity therapist Jane Seaman offers wise words on keeping calm when you’re feeling all discombobulated and scattered, finding peace in the eye of the storm. It’s all about the art of sometimes just being rather than always doing…
Like many people I feel there is a lot going on, recently more than usual. I put it down to having to do so many different and diverse things to think about and act on. Sometimes it just feels like I am scattered. Juggling business, personal and social life is a pull of energy, trying to pay attention to the things I love to do as well as the things I need to do to. It’s a requirement of modern-day living, keeping up with today’s world of communication. The need to retreat and just ‘be’ is high up on my list!
With so many balls to juggle, it is easy to get caught up in it all. Rather like a small boat being tossed around in a stormy ocean, impossible to keep still. When there are so many things going on in your head or your life it can leave you feeling discombobulated, confused, chaotic and exhausted. Over time this can lead to a sense of loss of connection to your core as you grapple with trying to get some order into your world. Left unchecked, it’s easy to start to worry about the future and become anxious and exhausted, as your head is literally in a spin.
When we are in the state of being scattered it’s easy to forget how to be still, as the art of doing takes over the art of being, making our lives feel out of balance – rather like being battered by a storm. It’s especially at times like this I like to remind myself that a daily practice of focus to reflect and calm oneself is really important, in other words to be in the eye of the storm for a moment.
I am in a habit of sitting quietly at least twice a day, no outside intrusions, just simply being. Most people find this really difficult. Clients who come to see me for being in overwhelm or going through stressful periods in life, through the bodywork that I give and coaching, get to experience how it feels to be still again. Which makes it clearer how to make their next step.
It is counterproductive to think that when you have so much to do filling your day with ‘doing’ and ‘acting’ upon things with no time for reflection or stillness,will get you any further. Rushing to do more of what you need to do is simply counterproductive. Your energy will become depleted and you end up being unproductive and just stressed. You will simply get yourself into a cycle of ‘stress’ that after time can lead to more serious stress-related conditions.
In reality you can only do one thing at a time. The art of being mindful, so you can stay in the calm of the eye in the storm, is to do something with awareness and focus. If you are doing more than one thing at a time and in addition thinking and stressing about the amount you have to do, then you are compromising yourself and your energy.
It may seem contradictory to meditate or sit quietly during high periods of stress but in fact when are in the eye of the storm, in your calm place, everything seems manageable, clarity is easy to come by and your next step/action will become clear, your productivity increases and your energy has a chance to recharge so you have more energy to do what you need to do.
Regular pauses throughout the day help enormously in times of a heavy work/life load. You will gain more energy, clarity and focus by introducing quiet awareness or focus spaces into your life.
Just being rather than always doing
I specialise in helping people get balance back into their lives through a system called polarity therapy. Here are my tips for introducing balance into your day:
- Pause for breath at least 5 times a day. Make this last for 2 minutes at least. Simply sit somewhere quiet, close your eyes and notice how you are breathing.
- Stretch out your body every time you take a break.
- Connect to the earth, walk outside daily.
- If you find you are rushing around in the morning, then go to bed half an hour earlier and get up earlier!
- Remember: time is within you, not on the outside. Time is you.
- Create a calm space where you can sit for a moment to calm your mind, before you start your day.
- When you get home from work, pause. Lie on the floor, close your eyes, breathe and let go for 5 minutes. (get the kids to do this too!)
Jane Seaman, polarity therapist
Come and join Jane’s weekly meditation class on 28 September. Friday evenings, 6.30-7.30pm. For details click here