Tova Sardot, PhD
In times of uncertainty I find it effective to seek a greater perspective and presence to pull me out of fear. Fear is not useful unless you are running from a bear or directly fighting for your life. In every other context, fear does more harm than good by taxing your endocrine system and pulling your brain out of executive functioning and into the “lizard brain” of the brain stem. When we are thinking with our lizard brain, we are merely reacting, and survival is the only thing that drives action whether we are completely conscious of it or not.
Being present is one of the best ways to combat this. Eckhardt Tolle is widely recognized as one of the most original and inspiring spiritual teachers who has taught us to live in the present moment. I know a lot of you have read his book “The Power of Now” but now might be a fantastic time to listen to the book. Listening instead of reading it is a different experience, as his voice helps you to drop into presence with him. The information is then received differently and at a deeper level. Try it!
Here are a few clips of his work and the last one is a link to the full audiobook on You Tube (you can also find it on Audible):
1. Getting Rid of Fear (5min)
2. Break the Habit of Excessive Thinking (11 min)
3. The Power of Now – free full audiobook (7 hours)
Let’s all exercise our ‘presence muscles’ and notice how much more resilient we are to life’s stresses!