“AS IT IS…AND THEN WHAT”: Using Mindfulness to Release Pressure

Last month, I wrote about a simple phrase I was reminded of during a one-day Vipassana workshop: “As it is.”

As it is, is a deceptively simple yet mind-changing phrase to be repeated like a mantra when things we want to happen don’t happen and those we don’t want to happen do. Lately, I've had an

opportunity to practice this mantra in a very practical way. I'm getting older. Like many things that come with getting older, my blood pressure has been creeping up. It's not dramatically high. It's not something I'm panicking about. But I'm paying attention. And perhaps that's the first lesson: awareness.

As it is.

There is a tendency to resist the changes that come with age. We want our bodies to behave as they did ten, twenty or thirty years ago. We want the same energy, the same recovery, the same strength and, sometimes, the same blood pressure.

But biology doesn't negotiate. Our bodies change. Our arteries change. Our cardiovascular system changes. Our sleep can change. Our metabolism changes. And, for many people, blood pressure gradually increases with age. As it is.

Acceptance, however, doesn't mean doing nothing. In fact, I think acceptance is what allows us to do something useful. When I stop arguing with reality, I can start asking a better question: “Given that this is where I am today, what can I do next?”

Blood pressure isn't determined by stress alone. Genetics, age, diet, physical activity, sleep, alcohol, medications and many other factors can influence it. But stress matters.

When we're stressed, the body's sympathetic nervous system—the system responsible for the "fight or flight" response—becomes activated. Heart rate increases, blood vessels constrict and blood pressure rises. Occasionally, that's exactly what the body needs. But when the stress response becomes our normal state, the body can spend too much time operating with its foot on the accelerator. This is where mindfulness and meditation help.

Mindfulness and meditation don't magically make blood pressure disappear. Nor should they replace medical advice, medication or the other fundamentals of good health. But they give us an opportunity to practice something that we often don't: stopping. When we sit quietly and pay attention to the breath, we notice what is happening inside. Thoughts come and go. Sensations pass by. Tension becomes apparent. Rather than immediately reacting, we practice observing.

Your blood pressure may be normal, but we are all “under pressure.” Our on-the-go lives keep us moving from one task to the next, often leaving little time to simply stop and be present. There is always somewhere to go, something to do, someone who needs us, or something demanding our attention. And when the day finally slows down, our minds often don't. Mindfulness is one way to turn down the pressure, not by changing everything around us, but by changing how we meet what is happening within us.

Try this three-minute pressure release.

• Stop. Sit comfortably and allow your body to become still.

• Breathe. Bring your attention to your natural breath. Don't force it. Simply notice the sensation of breathing in and breathing out.

• Soften. On each exhalation, consciously release a little tension from your jaw, shoulders, hands and abdomen.

• Observe. Notice whatever is present—thoughts, emotions, sounds and physical sensations. You don't have to fix anything. Just notice.

• Return. When your attention wanders, gently bring it back to the breath.

Three minutes may not seem like much. But mindfulness isn't about creating one perfect meditation. It is about repeatedly practicing the ability to pause. And that ability can extend beyond the meditation cushion. The next time you receive a frustrating email, sit in traffic or feel your blood begin to boil, you may notice the moment before you react. Take a breath. Feel your feet on the floor. Relax your shoulders. Give yourself a moment. Sometimes lowering the pressure begins with lowering the pressure we place on ourselves.

Over time, this practice can help us become more aware of the physical and emotional signs of stress and create a little more space between what happens and how we respond. So, my creeping blood pressure is not something to fear or something to simply accept. It’s just information.

As it is.

A number on a blood pressure monitor is telling me something about where my body is today. My job isn't to judge it. My job is to pay attention and then act. Adjusting my exercise. Looking more closely at what I'm eating. Getting enough sleep. Managing stress. Taking time to meditate. Talking with my healthcare provider and, generally, becoming more curious about what my body is telling me. Getting older isn't something I can change. How I respond to getting older is another matter. That, perhaps, is the deeper lesson of “As it is.” Acceptance isn't giving up. Acceptance is seeing clearly enough to choose what comes next.

And sometimes, when life - or your blood pressure - starts to creep upward, the most powerful thing you can do is pause, take a breath, and simply notice: As it is. Then ask: What can I do about it?

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Paul Larmer is a mindfulness coach, personal trainer and professional speaker. Book a session for yourself or your team at Optimal@livunltd.com.