𝘾 𝙖 𝙡 𝙢 🌼 A Pocket Guide To Breathe Easy

i am agitated, i cannot stop thinking

The problem.

I get wound up and I cannot stop. I'm agitated, excited, nervous, pulsing. I struggle to sit down, to lie down, to stop. I want to stop because I can't concentrate on my life. I want to stop because I haven't stopped and I'm exhausted. I am not at peace, like a bee is buzzing in my neck. I am agitated. I cannot stop thinking.

The Zen understanding.

There isn't much to understand here, only that it is good to look after ourselves. When a Zen Buddhist is agitated, it is time to calm ourselves. It is time to meditate.

Meditation isn't silly, exotic, or useless. It is the practice of calming ourselves. And when we are calm, we can see clearly. 

The Zen application.

Some of us, like me, are naturally high-strung. We are always thinking. For a Zen Buddhist, meditation is supposedly the answer, but how can we meditate if we can't stop thinking? How can we calm down and sit down in the first place? How can we "calm down" in order to calm down?

Here are some tips to consider when trying to meditate.

1. Sit comfortably. While you should try to sit on a cushion or on the ground, just so you feel you're doing something unique, don't hesitate to lean against something if necessary at first, like a wall. Don't force yourself to adhere to some rule of posture before you've even gotten started.

2. Vocalize. Vocalizing, exploring your voice, is a great way to expel energy, lengthen the pauses between breaths, and focus your mind on something. Use the back of your throat and create drones. You can create chords and all kinds of watery shapes.

3. Know there is no goal. Goals make it hard for you to meditate. When you meditate, just allow yourself to be peaceful. It's what you really want, so don't fight it. It needn't be a goal when it is right there, begging to be had.

4. Don't stop. It takes time to calm down. You can't set aside five minutes to do it, and you can't give up after fifteen seconds. Sit down and don't leave until you're calmer. You'll know you're calmer when you can enjoy yourself again.