The Calm in the Center of the Storm

Living well is an art. Like any art, it requires practice to do it well. Most of us have had a lot of practice at life, but if we have been practicing the wrong way, we can’t reach our potential. Sometimes we don’t realize we’re doing it wrong because what we do, over and over, becomes ingrained. It’s just "the way we are."

The "centering" techniques that I teach in my tai chi classes are perfect for learning to cope with stress and pressure. You see, our bodies become tense through habit and stress. We can teach our bodies to relax. We can teach ourselves to react to stress and problems with calmness instead of tension.

I spent 22 years in the hectic, pressurized world of TV news, where my career was literally on the line every day. One mistake and I was finished. I learned to use these techniques and eventually, when everyone in the newsroom ran around screaming in a crisis, I became the calm in the center of the storm.

Today, the first lesson in the art of "centering" yourself. Follow this simple exercise every day, and you will improve your ability to handle stress:

1. Sit in a chair and put both feet flat on the floor. Put your hands together, lightly clasped, in your lap.
2. Keep your head up, your chin slightly tucked, and your back straight (but not stiff).
3. Now RELAX. Every muscle. Feel your head and neck relax. Feel the tension leave the muscles of your shoulders. Relax the chest and back. Let your stomach relax. Let it go. Relax the waist and the legs. Relax the arms and hands. Try to let everything go as "limp" and relaxed as possible without falling out of the chair.
4. Put your mind on a point in your body two inches below the navel and two inches inside the body. This is your "Center." You can press in with your fingers to find it physically. Now concentrate on this part of your body and try to imagine the energy in your body collecting in your Center and growing WARM.
5. Completely calm the mind. If you think of family, or work, or shopping, or bills to pay, put your mind back on your "Center" and try to feel your energy growing warmer in a ball of light.
6. Sit there as long as you want, completely relaxed in mind and body. If you feel tension sneaking back into any part of your body, relax it.

Do this five minutes or longer each day. Twenty minutes is ideal. You can do it anywhere. Eventually, the goal is to react to stress or a crisis by re-capturing this feeling of calmness. When someone cuts you off on the highway – center yourself. Your spouse says something to make you angry -- center yourself and relax. Your boss gives you an impossible deadline -- relax and center yourself.  Respond with calmness and not tension or anger.  The result will be better relations, lower blood pressure, and a feeling of inner peace. Imagine that!

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