Sunday, August 11, 2019

How To Rest

A mental health doctor and professor who has made a study of stress gives the readers in the Kyeogyang magazine some thoughts to ponder on dealing with stress. He begins by telling the readers that stress for many means the reduction of stress, however, is not life full of stress? When one stressful situation is solved another appears.

He considers the problem from a scientific position. Stress when excessive, tires the brain, and when it continues the possibility of bodily disease. Better than to try to reduce stress is to learn how to manage stress. If you are wondering what stress management is: examen to see how you accept the change of seasons and the beautiful things in nature— experiencing a blue heaven is a sign that the brain is managing well, maintaining a proper balance between conflict and peace, if not you are in conflict mode.

Between play and work, the most difficult should be work, but those with excessive stress it's often play. The brain tells us more than behavior. Some take vacations, spend a lot of money, return home and find it more tiring than work.

Many are those who everything in their work is going well but are 'burnt out'. He recalls a man who was 'burnt out' and when asked what he should be doing,  answered: nothing— a terrible situation to be in. Nothing seems to recharge the brain.

Burnt Out Syndrome is a difficult situation where the brain needs some new energy to revive it but no matter what— nothing helps. All that is wanted is to be alone and to lie down. Nothing seems to recharge the brain. The recharging apparatus is not functioning. He recommends being merciful to oneself which is the apparatus in the brain to recharge oneself and bring energy back to the brain. It's like charging the smartphone from the outside. The outside outlets are people, nature and culture, all very understandable. Knowledge will not do it, looking upon oneself with mercy, this recharging is not with the logical part of the brain.

Most of the stress we experience comes from relationships. Stress comes from people and relieved by people. We are not energized by looking into a mirror and telling ourselves all is well. It's when others tell us that we are great that we become energized, this is not received only with words.
 

When people are the problem, nature and culture can recharge us: looking at a mountain scene or reading a novel or poem. When the brain becomes tired and the recharging apparatus is not working we need others, nature or culture to get recharged.

We need to monitor what is coming out from our heads and stop responding and very gently listen to what our hearts are saying. He concludes the article, telling the readers to look at some of the details of daily life that he introduces to help us recharge.

1) Breathe deeply three-time and feel the flow: do this during the day before going to work, switching on the computer, waiting for a meeting to start...

2) In a quiet place savor the situation, eat with this attitude: scrutinize the color of the food, the aroma and eat with the whole body.

3) Walk for 10 minutes in a contemplative way: moving the body and lessening tension associated with the head—with the leisure to look into your heart.

4) Once a week have an intimate conversation with a friend: this will be a help in relaxing oneself.

5) Look at a sad movie or something that will evoke sorrow: we seek to divert a sad mood by something opposite but doing this exclusively we lose the ability to accept sadness.

6) Read three poems during the week: our hearts are moved by metaphors more than by logic. When we become accustomed to the metaphor we will have a better chance at examining our hearts.

7) Leave the smartphone in the house and travel on the train: rather than looking absent-mindedly out the window take a long contemplative look at what you see. 

Looks very simple but with this practice, we will be projecting what is happening in our heads onto a white screen. We will have the psychological leisure to examine ourselves and ironically develop the wisdom necessary for life.