There seems to be no end to prescriptions for what to ‘do’ to fix the challenge of stress and reactivity in a busy, full life. Stress is of course a part of life, of benefit, and often calls us to be bigger than the challenge in front of us. Though it can be overwhelming at times and causes us to react in ways we know create difficulty for ourselves and/or those around us; angry words, isolation, revenge, numbing of drugs/alcohol/unhealthy foods, etc. We are urged to stop doing these things by loved ones and healthcare providers. In their concern they offer or prescribe things to ‘do’ like diets, drink less, do more exercise and so forth.
A recent article in the New York Times outlines some helpful ways of dealing with stress and reactivity. The general messages offered in the article tip a bit toward solving the problem to ‘do’ this or that but what I found between the lines of this good general outline is the invitation to practice being attentive to the direct physical experience of our breath, our movement, and our posture. It seems that the bottom line, the heart of working with reactivity and stress in life is to find your route to the direct experience of life in this moment; sensations, breath, emotions, sounds and all the rest. The MBSR program, mindful yoga classes, Nia and other classes offered here and in other venues are invitations to do jus that, to practice how to ‘be’ present to life’s direct experience as a mode of living day to day and I am certain that this helps you and me work with the difficulties, stresses, and reactivity that are part of a full life.
Kind Regards — Brant