Buddha was right: relax your mind - become more efficient

Oriental philosophical systems and meditation are increasingly merging with popular culture. Nowadays, many oriental practices are harmoniously combined with modern studies of mental activity. Doubt it? The word is Faisel Hawk, who will use examples to talk about how, by slowing down, one can become more effective .

“The human mind remains the greatest mystery to both psychologists and philosophers” - Bhante Wimala.

A few decades ago, the term “mindfulness” was used only within the framework of Eastern mysticism associated with the spiritual journey of a person described by Gautama Buddha himself. Buddhists believe that to be happy , peaceful and prosperous is possible only by practicing a "self-conscious" lifestyle.

Gurus of moral self-improvement and business leaders, scientists and politicians - all today speak of "self-awareness" and life in this vein. Self-awareness, according to generally accepted psychological definitions, is:

• a person’s ability to concentrate fully on the current experience (Marlatt & Kristeller, 1999);
• focusing in a certain way, for example: on the target, at the current moment and without evaluation (Kabat-Zinn, 1994).

Representatives of the scientific community are confident that by daily training self-awareness, a person can take advantage of the neuroplasticity of his brain and improve the quality of life. William James was one of the first psychologists who, at the end of the 19th century, turned to the concept of “neuroplasticity” in his work “Principles of Psychology”. The main idea of ​​the concept of “neuroplasticity” is that our brain can self-restructure depending on the experience experienced by a person and his perception of this experience. George continues:

“Management authorities such as Bill George say the best way to become more resilient, resilient and mobile is to develop the qualities of a calm, humane and easily adaptable leader - a self-conscious leader. With today's global instability, the need for sensible leaders is greater than ever. ”

According to my observations, judicious self-conscious people turn out to be much more successful leaders than unrestrained, aggressive personalities. They are aware of their reaction to stress in crisis situations and understand how this reaction affects others. They inspire people to take on more responsibilities and responsibilities, and combine them to perform common tasks.

Like many other inhabitants of the planet, I suffer from routine daily work, the difficulties associated with managing people, and the need to keep up with the ever-changing world. My sympathy and inclination towards a self-conscious lifestyle is not related to any kind of scientific research - it is explained by my roots dating back to Eastern philosophy and constant introspection.

Last Saturday I had the chance to spend a couple of hours with Bhante Vimala in a meditation session. For 36 years he was a Buddhist monk and is known throughout the world as a responsive and sympathetic spiritual mentor, the author of the teachings of Lessons of the Lotus. This successful meeting with Bhante convinced me of the correctness of my method of controlling consciousness.
Based on what I learned from my meeting with Bhante, I give several principles for managing the mind.

Live the current moment

Being in the current moment allows us to protect ourselves from adverse conditions and to preserve our internal energy . Living in the present does not mean giving up worries about the future. This means that, in deciding to do something, we focus exclusively on the chosen action, rather than mentally wandering in the future or the past.

It is believed that the Zen monk has only two classes: meditation (meditation) and cleaning. Purification is one of the daily rituals of Zen monks and one of their most important daily practices. At the time of cleaning, for example, they try not to do anything else, concentrating only on their current lesson.

The next time you do housework, try to concentrate on the task at hand - on the dust, on the movements with which you wipe it, on your feelings. Cooking and cleaning are often seen as boring housework, but this is actually a great way to practice mindfulness and awareness. This is the work that I try to do at least once or twice a week. It sounds simple, but actually it’s quite difficult - try it yourself.

Let off

Fear is a protective emotion that signals danger, helping us prepare and deal with it. Fear is perhaps the key fundamental emotion that holds us back and makes us miserable. Fear of failure, losers, fear of success, the unknown, and also fear of moving forward and change.

Along with fear, emotional pain is also a key deterrent. Although other people may be the cause of our pain, pain is often associated with our internal problems, for example, the inability to achieve the desired goal.

The physical response to fear and pain is called the “fight or run” reflex. To be self-conscious means to act in a way opposite to this reflex. A self-conscious way of living means the ability to “let go” of a situation. This process is an internal action - the cessation of opposition to fear and pain. So we gain the ability to see the situation more clearly.

Buddhism claims that the main source of suffering is that it is “superimposed” on negative emotions. Thus, separating or “not imposing” anything on emotions, we get rid of fear and pain.

Absolution is the result of an “invaluable (non-judgmental)” view of life and people. It allows us to forgive others and ourselves of mistakes and non-compliance with accepted standards. Simply put, we must be prepared to let go of fear, pain, anger, and human flaws. We are talking about the ability to let go of what drives the ongoing process of change. That is what makes us flexible and able to adapt. But letting go is not easy - it requires constant effort. This is what I fight for every day.

Slow down

“Drink tea without urging time, slowly and reverently, as if it were an axis around which the whole earth revolves. Live in the moment. ” - Tich Nath Khan.

For a fast-paced active entrepreneur, such as myself, perhaps the most paradoxical lesson was the need to slow down to advance. Slowing down is a deliberate choice, which can lead to the fact that you begin to value life more and become happier, and this will certainly result in high achievements.

In the context of self-conscious living, slowing down doesn't mean taking a vacation every two months. This is what should happen throughout the day. Slowing involves allocating enough time for any activity. You will need to concentrate on one single action, and not switch between many tasks without focusing on any of them. "Slowing down" is a conscious action performed to achieve "self-awareness." The American author, poet, philosopher Henry David Thoreau summed up all of the above, saying:

“I got up early and went swimming in the pond. This was a religious act and one of the best things I've ever done. It is said that the inscription describing this daily pilgrimage was carved on King Ching Chang's bathing barrel. “Renew yourself completely every day. Do it again and again, and always. ”

PS We recommend one more article on the topic - Want to do more? Take more breaks!

The author of the translation is Vyacheslav Davidenko, founder of MBA Consult .