A YOGI CHA BLOG

HALT 

Today I want to calm your mind for the simple reason that it’s the only thing that really works.

Of course, no one ever has been able to “just calm down” when someone tells them to. Usually, it has the opposite effect.

Why is that?

Because while we are in the state of agitation, nothing really works.

This is the reason we rarely seem to change the way we act in agitated states.

This is the reason we keep fighting with our spouse/mother/child the same way even though we really have tried to work on that.

This is the reason we savagely through that pastry down the throat even though we had been so good at calorie counting.

This is the reason we light up the cigarette while anxiously throwing glances at very black screen on that phone we wish would light up as well by a message.

Because when we are in the heat of the moment, yes it feels like nothing else matter. And that is perfectly normal. We are having a human experience which is called FEAR.

I know that it might not always feel like it’s fear playing you but you are in effect, fighting for your life in your body.

When we experience a threat from the external world, when it feels like there is something that might be painful, we send signals to our brain that our survival is at stake. These signals are being understood by our organism through our sense organs.

We feel

We see

We taste

We hear

We smell

…. our surroundings. So the signals can come from a number of sources and be very subtle which is why we sometimes only realise that we are upset once we lash out. Meanwhile, a hole process has been started inside of us. The signal is read, the message is sent to the Central Nervous System and a clear instruction has been translated to the whole organism: FIGHT/FLIGHT/FREEZE.

All of the good things you have been working on are being thrown out the window so to speak.

The reason is that everything very constructive about you, the planning, the rational thinking, the WILLPOWER, the memory of this and that ALL BELONGS TO A MUCH YOUNGER PART OF YOUR BRAIN. The conscious, creative and young prefrontal cortex.

It is completely switched off when you read threats to your survival in the environment and your subconscious mind, the old brain that we have had since before we could walk upright (not you, the human race) takes over.

It makes sense doesn’t it?

You wonder why you did that even though when your mind is clear, you would never.

You can’t see why you keep sabotaging for yourself over and over?

There is your answer.

You were fighting for survival.

So here’s the trick: we need to address the survival response instead of pushing righteous things into our guilty feelings.

And like everything else, it doesn’t work to “just do it”. It needs to be done intelligently and by BEFRIENDING the mind. So it means:

Understand the why

Notice the how

Create a new way AND

Commit to it by making it a routine activity.

Hi, I’m Charlotte (Yogi Cha). I’m a yoga teacher with a degree in clinical psychology. I’ve always had a deep curiosity toward eastern and western approaches to understanding the mind, and the ming/body union. You’ll find me in the lovely Canggu Bali, nestled amongst coconuts, palm trees and sunshine 🥥🌴🌞