Concentration is the experience of concentration, where our attention is directed at a single point of interest, the center of our energy expenditure. Concentration is essential to scientific endeavour, the aim of yoga, the gift of nature and the discipline of time. But how often do we actually feel focused? Too often we experience a lack of clarity, which is the opposite of focus. And the more stress we experience over a long period of time, the harder it becomes to focus.
Science has studied in detail the physical and mental response to stress and what we can do to relieve stress and regain a calm, focused state. We all know instinctively that we become more tense and irritable when our environment feels unsafe. The sound of sirens, the smell of trash, and the feeling of being vulnerable create a state of anxiety that triggers the sympathetic nervous system to launch a fight-or-flight response. Stress hormones are released, heart and breathing rates increase, and muscles become tense and irritable. When danger is real, this response motivates us to protect our lives, seek safety, and maintain short-term focus while the danger is present. When you are in the sympathetic nervous system mode for an extended period of time, it puts a strain on your cardiovascular system and can lead to anxiety, depression, addiction and circulatory problems. This is a stressful state, so your body needs to adapt so that it can handle the stress when needed. Our bodies and minds do not know the difference between real and perceived danger, present danger, past dangers playing over in our minds, and future dangers we fear. – If you believe deep down that you are not safe, you will remain in sympathetic mode, so you need to train yourself to de-stress, relax, and switch to parasympathetic mode (rest and digest). So how do you access the stress-free parasympathetic mode and stay centered? I use science, yoga, and nature to rediscover a steady, relaxed focus.
Our minds and bodies must know and truly believe that it is safe to drop into parasympathetic nervous system mode. We must do this regularly until “rest and digest” becomes the normal state, instead of a brief break from “fight or flight.” We cannot fool ourselves (for long) or hide the symptoms. We must seek safety and truly relax our minds and bodies. That’s where yoga comes in. Yoga has a long tradition of inward focus, mindful movement, releasing muscle tension and slowing the breath. Many doctors encourage their stressed patients to try yoga, but they don’t really know what yoga is and that not every yoga class is for everyone. However, depending on what you’re looking for, there is a yoga class for everyone. Many people use yoga as an exercise routine and skip the most important part of yoga practice. If your goal is to relax and de-stress, you need to slow down, focus on your breath, and focus on your body. Doing a series of yoga poses can be exercise, meditation, and/or release, depending on your focus during that time. I’ve been doing yoga for over 20 years, and for most of that time, I’ve found that I benefit more from classes that focus on slow breathing. Because my type-A brain needs time to relax and focus on my body and breath, not more intense work. One of the eight pillars of yoga is called Dharana, which means concentration. It’s a yoga practice that trains the mind to focus, concentrate, and stabilize on one thing only. You don’t need to do yoga poses (asanas) to practice Dharana. You just need time to focus your mind.
A growing number of scientific studies point to nature as a way to relax and calm the mind (Bijnens et al. 2017; Park et al. 2010; Lanki et al. 2006). Any natural environment is fine, as long as you feel safe and can enjoy where you are. Nature is chaotic and uncontrollable, yet we feel at home in the natural world despite that chaos. Is it because we appreciate nature and give up the need to change or control it? Even just listening to the sounds of nature can activate our parasympathetic nervous system. Or sitting outside and breathing in the fresh air, or going on a walk or hike that is beyond the human realm. This too takes time. It doesn’t happen instantly, you have to choose time to relax in a natural environment, to bring the natural world into your safe space. I’ve found it easier to clear my mind when I’m in nature, and the practice of Dharana happens totally effortlessly – Science has taught me to do yoga in nature, and it works wonders.
This new year has me thinking about how to regain focus and calm amidst all the uncertainty. Certainty about the future is always false, we never know when disaster will strike or what will happen next. It is beyond our control. Peace of mind does not require certainty, just trust that we can accept reality and respond wisely to change when necessary. I try to use modern scientific knowledge to remain calm in the face of chaos.
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Learn to control your breath so that when your sympathetic nervous system kicks in, you can stay connected to your body and the present moment and respond mindfully.
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Find safety and go into nature – listen to the sounds of nature, hold a rock, sit in a park, go on a hike, focus on nature and your place in it, and let go of all that you can’t control.
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Exercise regularly to support your body’s ability to maintain balance even when in sympathetic (fight or flight) mode.
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Anticipate and prepare for stressful scenarios. When you anticipate a scenario, you’re already thinking about what you would do in that stressful situation, which can activate your sympathetic nervous system, so use that reaction and time to plan for that possibility. Instead of obsessing or worrying, what can you do to prepare yourself to handle that scenario and remain calm when that possibility becomes a reality? Once you’ve done what you can, let go of what you can’t control.
Uncertainty is an ongoing reality, you can only prepare for it in advance, and learning to relax takes time. The effort is never-ending and the state of focus is often fleeting, but in my experience, the rewards increase over time and it eventually becomes easier to focus. Focusing and relaxing can benefit your mind, heart, breathing, digestion, pain levels, hormone balance, energy levels, self-confidence, and help you find a positive outlook on life. Take the time to relax, focus on your health, and find inner peace – you will never regret it. Perhaps it’s time we consciously reframe the phrase “de-stressing” to “activities that practice focus and relaxation.”
