We are all currently living in a period of great unease in the world. There is so much going on from inflation to the January 6th hearings, to soaring temperatures/climate change to name just a few, that our collective anxiety levels are on the rise. Of course, most people also encounter stress in their everyday lives as well. With all the stress people are facing today, many are feeling overwhelmed, anxious and even depressed.
I recently had a chance to interview Lobsang Chunzom, who is an ordained Buddhist nun and the Founder of Limitless Health Institute, an organization that helps people of all ages deal with difficulties through mindful practices.
Why is it so easy to let stress affect us, whether it's from our own experiences or from world events?
Our general awareness of the self in relation to the world is linked to the mental function of feeling; do I feel good, bad, or neutral when I think about my life, or other people’s lives? We are aware of what is happening in our own lives and the place we live, and we have feelings about the situation. Not everyone’s feelings are going to be the same, in the same situation. What makes the difference? When stressors directly impact the individual’s body and/or personal environment the affect is greater. Not only that, the duration of a negative event in a person’s life determines the lasting effects on their emotional balance. When stressful conditions persist, a myriad of unpleasant emotions influence our perceptions, and we misapprehend others and events as the cause for our stress. This kind of misunderstanding triggers thinking other people and situations are responsible for how we feel. Taking personal responsibility for our emotions will empower us to make the changes we need, and if we want more comfort and peace in our lives, consider how we have the power to change within.
What are some ways that people can make small changes to help alleviate stress?
The first smallest change is made by understanding the origin of your stress, and why it doesn’t come from something outside of us. That would be impossible. If stress came from something outside of us then every single person would be stressed at the exact same time, and always stressed during the exact same events. We know this is not true. You can have two people in the same room experiencing the same terrible conditions, yet one person is calm while the other person is stressed. Why do they feel different? Stress is a reaction to adverse conditions, and such responsive actions are generally patterns of habitual behavior, and difficult to change. We need help. Our SelfCare Exchange program at Limitless Health Institute, applies this easy method. To alleviate our own stress, we encourage people to connect with people who also feel the same as they do. They can give support to each other and share ideas about remedies and actions to take. This is a good way to plant the seeds to get rid of stress in your life.
How can people incorporate mindfulness in their daily lives?
In general, our mind is moving between a state of sleepiness and busyness all day long. These qualities of the mind are hard to notice until they are overloaded. To be watchful of our own thoughts, similar to how a smoke alarm detects smoke in the air, helps us to identify patterns in our thoughts and behavior. Noticing when you’re thinking is clear or foggy helps to navigate the tasks of the day. For example, today if your thoughts are distracted you make a plan to focus on one task. When the smoke alarm goes off, it urges you to action. Any increase in self-awareness is helpful when it can be applied to noticing how your actions and words interact with others in the room. A very useful form of mindfulness is being able to use thoughtfulness and consideration for others in everything we do.
How can meditation and philosophy go beyond the boundaries of any one faith tradition to be beneficial for all people?
A general word for meditation is "to habituate," emphasizing the idea of bringing an object to mind repeatedly, to get used to it. Being able to obtain a stable state of equilibrium, free of the two extremes of sleepiness and busyness, is the way to keep your mind bright, clear and focused. One of the main goals in meditation is to hold the object of focus while staying in a state of quietude and peace so that you can meditate deeply on a meaningful object. A person of any faith or religion can meditate on what is important to them and deepen their insights into the beliefs and traditions they know.
Chunzom, has spent her life working helping people overcome their difficulties and mange stress and anxiety. “Anything from breathing, to yoga, to meditation, or even simple body movement can help one deal with these stressors. There are also innovative ways to get into these practices that can help people commit to them,” Chunzom says.
Venerable Lobsang Chunzom is a Buddhist nun and worldwide teacher of meditation and philosophy in the Je Tsongkapa Tibetan tradition. She is the founder of Limitless Health Institute, a nonprofit organization that collaborates with other caring organizations in NYC to help people experience the link between their own health and happiness and how they care for others. The LHI workshops she designs and facilitates are used worldwide. Chunzom has been a licensed Creative Arts Therapist for 30 years, specializing in dance/movement therapy. She has extensive training in ancient meditation techniques, including a 3-year meditation retreat in silence and solitude. Chunzom has degrees in movement therapy from NYU and UCLA and has provided therapeutic services in hospital settings as well as created programs to help substance abusers, incarcerated youth, and families in crisis.
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