being calm in chaos
Last year, some one I have a great deal of respect for said something very profound, and obvious. Except what he said was not obvious, unless you think about it. As martial artists, in our school we talk about fighting, about the chaos of fighting, and how our martial art trains people to deal with that. So what was said that was so profound? Simply this: to remain calm in the midst of chaos, you have to practice being calm in the midst of chaos. But he was talking about more than just fighting.
Looking at my life, I consider the living of my life to be living in the chaos. That’s not really a stretch, given how busy I am, and I think most people would feel the same way upon reflection. That’s what our teacher was referring to at that time - remaining calm amid the chaos of our lives. What he said was basic, and should have been fairly obvious, but I was completely thunderstruck by what he said.
He said that you can find a quiet place to meditate, and that will take you some place, but it’s not going to help you stay calm in the middle of chaos. The way to stay calm is to practice being calm when chaos is going on around you - the kids are yelling, the food is burning, the boss is yelling, three people are talking to you at the same time, the phone is ringing - that’s when you have to practice being calm.
Don’t get me wrong - I’m not saying you should ask for stressful situations so you can practice being calm, but you can practice being calm during them. One of the best ways to be calm is to breathe - just be aware of your breath, and slow it down. Take big, deliberate breaths. When we are not calm, we tend to take short, shallow breaths. By taking deeper, longer breaths, we are forced to stop and concentrate, and the chaos around us is forgotten for a moment, if only for a moment. It’s not perfect, but it’s a start. Give it a try sometime.