Mindfulness or meditation, whatever you want to call it, has seen a lot of attention in the last few years. It seems to fill a gap in our hectic lives, a way to find a quiet moment.

I’ve found meditation really helpful in dealing with (current) stressful times. The Headspace app (there are many other apps) is my go-to, because a guided meditation session of 15-20 minutes in between things is what’s handiest for me. I also do some yoga, which is in the same general space.

The most useful aspects, for me:

  • focusing on the here and now. As Andy from Headspace says it, ‘the past is memories, the future just thoughts’ - there is no reality to it, and still past and future take up a lot of our processing power. It pays to interrupt the wild galloping of our heads when it leads to anxiety by paying attention to he movement of the breath, the sounds around us. Especially since, let’s face it, the present is often pretty decent. Even when it isn’t great, focusing on now can be preferable to extrapolation.
  • interrupting emotional feedback loops: we tend to amplify our own emotions. When we feel sad, we tend to find more reasons to feel even worse - when we’re angry we’re rationalizing our anger with even more reasons to be pissed, etc. Meditation has helped me head off extreme outbursts and take a step back (not always, it’s an ongoing process). The trick is to focus on the physical sensations with the emotions provoke, like a tightening of the shoulders, or a heavy feeling in the midriff, or something else. Focusing on the body keeps the crazy brain from taking the lead.
  • dealing with discomfort: part of the discomfort of pain is anticipation and the way it sucks up attention. Being able to not resist it, but accept it, watch it calmly and with curiosity, not stress (a tall order at times) can make it a tad more bearable.
  • a practice, a routine - or to use a cliche: me-time. Pretty much every evening, without fail, I take a moment to breathe, reconnect with my body, and do an exercise. On a busy day I’m likely to add an extra meditational toilet break (the only place I’m alone and I’m pretty sure I won’t be disturbed).

There’s some evidence that a regular meditational practice can help general health as well - I recommend Cure by Jo Marchant if you’re curious about the science of mind-body interactions. In any case it makes sense to me that having lower stress, peaceful nights, and friendlier relationships are going to be of help in any situation.

Lastly, our lives, our work are insignificant in the vastness of space and time. We’re all on a road to nowhere. In this context meditational practice makes for a nice spiritual reframing: the present, the people around us are what matters. Empathy puts everything in a wider perspective. We can find peace in accepting that life is change. Perhaps not rational, but probably wise.