Mind metronome
Finding one’s inner rhythm is essential in turbulent times. That rhythm is being in the zone, that place where mind, body and spirit are in flow. I suspect, you’ve been there. You know what I mean. I hope you go there routinely. How do you reach that place, that state, that metronome of the mind?
Swimming takes me there these days. Running used to, but my knees no longer tolerate the impact. Ah, an aging body.
Suspending gravity in the water, the stroke, stroke, and breathe cadence with the pulse, pulse of my legs, repeated again and again, lap after lap, interrupts my monkey mind.
Some fifteen years ago, to improve my swimming and to preserve the wear and tear on my shoulders, I signed up for a Total Immersion class (TI) in swimming. A colleague who had had a shoulder repair said her orthopedic surgeon recommended it. The theory of TI is that you pivot or roll the body when you stroke with your arms, using the shoulders in an ergonomic and safer way. You move through the water like a dolphin. The technique is ideal for long distance swimmers. While I never planned to swim the English Channel, I did want to keep swimming for years and years.
The lessons lasted through the weekend. For the next few months I struggled. I felt awkward in the water. Swimming wasn’t easy. Why had I disrupted what had been working? My mind worked hard to tell my body what to do. The rhythm wasn’t there. I forced myself to swim because I wanted to master the new stroke, but it was laborious, not fun or liberating.
With persistence and time I found my way back into ease. Eventually, the new muscle memory came. I didn’t need to think about what I was doing. I enjoyed the sound of my breath, the rhythm of the stroke — the metronome of my mind.
Whether it’s swimming, running, biking, or walking, some form of moving your body is good. If it’s not moving your body, then perhaps it is playing or listening to music. Or maybe it’s sitting in meditation.
Today’s turbulence demands that we identify some way to find our inner rhythm. When the old methods don’t work, it means discovering and learning new skills.
The upcoming election, the barrage of hatred and anger that swirl around us, the catastrophic weather events, the loss and tragedy in so many countries: Sudan, Ukraine, the Middles East, are unsettling and exhausting. We must find a way to regroup, step away.
In August’s blog, I described doing interviews with asylum seekers in Rhode Island. After hearing their horrible stories of abuse and pain, much more than I can imagine suffering, I always ask the clients how they escape from their upsetting memories and flashbacks. Many describe listening to music.
Whatever, your mind metronome is, please make and take the time to go there. We must make space to have delight and gratitude. Don’t miss the chance to appreciate the gift of the sun rising day after day.
Sunrise Narragansett Bay, September 28, 2024