Solution to restlessness

Category : Asanas (Postures), General advice, Philosophy 19th April 2013

Inside Yoga 74 (19/4/2013)

Restless, according to the Oxford English Dictionary states, defines it is as being  unable to rest as a result of anxiety or boredom; offering no physical or emotional rest; or involving constant activity. Most of us experience this at some point in our life while a few of us find that restlessness dominates our life.

The Dalai Lama says: “There are two kinds of happiness – the temporary pleasure derived primarily from material comfort alone and another more enduring comfort, that results from the thorough transformation and development of the mind. We can see in our own lives that the latter form of happiness is superior because when our mental state is calm and happy, we can easily put up with minor pains and physical discomforts. On the other hand, when our mind is restless and upset, the most comfortable physical facilities do not make us happy.”

He is clear that a restless mind is an obstacle to happiness, but how do we control it?

Lao Tze, author of the spiritual text from China, the Tao Te Ching, said: “If you can cease all restless activity, your integral nature will appear.” This short and pithy aphorism is typically to the point.

This is easier said than done many would say, as these quotes from meditators show: “I’ve tried to meditate, but I can’t sit still,” or for example, “I become unable to sit for another moment about 7-12 minutes in,” and another example says “I can’t control my thoughts and am restless,” when meditating.

There is no doubt about it, even though this advice can sound straight forward and easy to grasp, calming a restless mind and body can involve a lot of hard work and effort, plus discipline and perseverance.  The solution we seek can at times feel so slippery – one moment it’s there and we have it and the next it’s slipped from our grasp. Yet, meditation teachers down the ages have taught us to keep on trying.

I have meditated for the last 18 years and restlessness has been a recurring theme in my life – hardly surprising for someone who went on the road for 11 years. Meditation teaches us how everything changes – as the Buddha taught that everything is impermanent, and we learn that even if we think we have squashed and eradicated restlessness from our life, it will try to return one day. Life is like that. Just when a storm has passed we might be fortunate enough to see some good weather for a while, but another storm will appear on the horizon at some point in the future.  Through meditation we learn how to be ready for the storms of restlessness and how to cope with them until they pass.

The teaching of impermanence helps us to deal with restlessness, because even if there is time when we feel like we are stuck with restlessness, the truth is that it can and will pass eventually…if we want it to.

And that comment, “if we want it to” is key: we might not acknowledge it but we are probably attached to a mind state such as restlessness. For example, we become so used to feeling restless that we identify with it and don’t want to let go of it because it might mean we lose a part of our identity. This is nonsense, of course, but our judgement might not be clear enough to see this.

So the first step to take is to decide to get rid of restlessness and be assured that it’s not a case of losing something but gaining something more valuable – freedom and liberation from a negative state of mind and body.

And that is where a steady and determined practice comes in, because gradually and steadily we can get rid of our restless mind.

On a day to day basis; for example, when meditating if we get restless and have an impulse to stop and make a cup of tea or coffee, we stay seated and wait. We wait to see if the restlessness disappears. It often does, like a child seeking your attention can pester you and if ignored the child might get bored and wander off and leave you alone.

Yoga asanas (physical exercises) help reduce restless by “burning off” excess restlessness, as much as a good run or walk would do the same. These are the tools to bring us back to balance.

It is long game though, especially if we do feel restless a lot of the time, and we keep on working with it when meditating and in daily life. We can also learn to channel this restlessness, so that when we need to quiet we can be, and then when we need to have a lot of energy, for work or pleasure, we can tap into the reserves where the restlessness comes from. I learned to do it this way, as for example, while travelling I got into mountain walking while combining it with meditation – I did have the Himalayas on my doorstep at the time, so I was spoilt for choice!

And while we have an image of the mountains, I will finish with a Zen quote from Jack Kerouac’s novel The Dharma Bums: “When you get to the top of a mountain, keep climbing.”

 



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