“The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.”
– William James
Okay – now that we are aware, what do we do?
First let’s define stress so we can better understand it. Stress is how we respond when our needs are not met. And how we respond to unmet needs determines the fabric of our life.
We know that daily meditation can be an antidote to stress. Not just after the fact…but in a proactive, pre-emptive way so that we experience less of the suffering of life.
Every day, technological advances and modern scientific studies reveal more about the workings of our brain, the development of our cells, and the responses of our emotions. And recent data points to the transformational value of the pattern interrupt – any break we can take in the non-stop flow of activity. And the latest research is finally validating the claim that silent meditation is a powerful source of mindbody rejuvenation – increasing your growth hormone, your sex hormone, and your immune system.
Most people on this planet don’t meditate every day. They don’t avail themselves of a daily re-boot, re-set, or pause in the wild swirl of relentless activity. They wake up in the morning and burn through the day dodging one challenge after another as stress builds up in their cells, their tissues, their brain, and their heart. They hold onto that stress and it permeates every fiber of their being – even if they are skilled at concealing it. And with each passing day, it weighs on their physiology and their emotional state.
They respond to life’s twists and turns by lashing out or shutting down. They struggle with awakening their most creative, intuitive, and purposeful self. They often feel rushed and over-whelmed. And when they do have the opportunity to surrender to a few moments of stillness and silence, instead they reach for a distraction – another activity to fill the empty space.
But there is a magnificent wave of new thought that is bringing the timeless teachings of meditation into schools, offices, homes, and into the outdoors where so many spend their days. Once unthinkable, those in more traditional jobs, conventional work environments, and mainstream careers are inviting stress management training into their lives. In the past three months, I’ve trained over 1000 new meditators in the world of business, finance, law enforcement, insurance, publishing, politics, and entertainment to be the calm amidst the chaos.
Only meditation can deliver STILLNESS, and only a healing heart can awaken SILENCE. Which is why I developed a Teacher Training to help people from every walk of life connect to these teachings at a deeper level, cultivate a daily practice, and learn the timeless wisdom that has guided me through my own constrictions – from darkness, sadness, and loss to self-compassion, gratitude, and fulfillment.
The world is embracing the “new” science. And now that spending time in meditation every day has been scientifically proven to lessen your anger, ease your anxiety, cultivate camaraderie, and elevate your emotional intelligence, those once resistant to dipping their toe in the water of stillness are embracing the practice.
You are ahead of the curve. You are riding the wave. Keep meditating and your life will continue to unfold with greater grace, greater ease, and LESS stress. And each week, as we are joined by thousands more seeking inner peace and personal transformation, this sweet planet of ours will transform as we transform ourselves.
See you in the gap! Peace. -davidji
