Seeing the light amid the darkness

There was once a young girl in Southern meditation works by slowing incoming India who lived in a house with no elec- thoughts to a trickle. It affects the most tricity. A coiled water hose sat in a cor- evolved parts of the human brain such as ner of the room where she slept. Each night the frontal lobe, parietal lobe, thalamus and when the sun went down, she convinced reticular formation by slowing beta waves herself it was a snake. In the morning when and calming racing, overwhelming the sun rose, she would again see it was thoughts and stimuli. Moreover, the longer only a hose. Yet, in the evening when there and more often you meditate, the better the was no light and she felt slightly different, results. all she could see was a snake. It did not mat- Anecdotally, I’ve found several other ter that she knew the object was a hosepipe. benefits to meditation. I’m an overthinker There was something and can perseverate on a conversation or about the absence of situation for entirely too long. Meditating light that led her to allows me to look beyond individual trees believe differently. If you’ve been reading my column for any amount of time, you’ve noticed that I’m always in a state of reflection and personal growth. Susanna Shetley Columnist and see the entire forest, offering a more comprehensive, realistic assessment of a situation. Meditation also helps me discern what’s weighing me down the most. Once I get into a calming state, the heaviest things rise to the top. This is beneficial because it shows what parts of my life need problem solving or readjustment. I’ve also found that I have a restless spir- meditation assists with focus before sitting it. Satiation requires constant learning, down to write a long article or stepping into changing, evolving. I simply can’t sit in any an important meeting or conversation. one place for an extended period, especially Stress, anxiety, pain, poor sleep, inattenif it’s feeing unhealthy or mundane. tiveness and depression have always been

Like the young girl in the story, I can part of the human experience so it’s no allow darkness to overtake the light. wonder meditation has stood the test of Situations, whether personal, societal or time. While psychotherapy, pharmaceutiglobal, can feel hopelessly overwhelming. cals and other proposed treatments have Too much focus on the bad smothers all shifted and changed, meditation has hope of goodness. This can be frustrating remained unaltered through the ages. There because I know when a person achieves is no need to modify something that works awareness and clarity a sense of calm happi- so well. ness soon follows. I know this because I’ve Similar to meditation is mindfulness. If felt it. sitting down to meditate is too farfetched

I’ve found the only way to achieve that for your daily routine, you can be mindful type of awareness is through certain inten- in any situation. Whether walking your tional practices, such as meditation or dog, sipping a mug of tea or gardening, mindfulness. Like many people, I once focus on how the activity is affecting your rolled my eyes when well-intentioned senses. Don’t stress over whether you’re friends suggested I meditate. As a busy- doing it correctly. For any type of mindful body, it’s hard for me to sit still, much less practice, concentrate on your breath and meditate. Further, I didn’t buy into the start with small sessions. Then build from many purported benefits of this ancient there. There are many resources including practice. It felt impossible that a seemingly books, apps and podcasts to assist you. easy exercise could cure ailments like anxi- On the surface, meditation and mindfulety, pain, insomnia and depression. ness can look pointless. That’s because the

During the height of the pandemic when true magic is happening on the inside. The home more often and facing significant most important component to these pracuncertainty, I decided to meditate for five tices is heightened awareness. Awareness is minutes each morning. At first, even that clarity and clarity is light. When we rest in five minutes was challenging. I found my awareness, we see more clearly. We can’t mind drifting all over the place, thinking unsee what we’ve seen in that light. When about grocery lists and laundry. we train our minds in awareness and bring Nonetheless, when the five minutes con- that clarity, not only to meditation but also cluded, I felt more relaxed and focused. It to every moment of our lives, we can enjoy was many months before I started meditat- a happier existence and more harmonious ing for longer. experience with the world around us.

While practicing meditation, I also (Susanna Shetley is a writer, editor and digital researched the topic. As someone who media specialist for The Smoky Mountain appreciates factual information and evi- News, Smoky Mountain Living and dence, I wanted to know how and why med- Mountain South Media. itation works. In the simplest of words, susanna.b@smokymountainnews.com)