Many of the articles I read on the Internet, at least those dealing with interpersonal problems, depression, stress and the like, generally approach things from a two-terminal perspective. That is, there’s a Mind and a Body and they interact. Sometimes amicably, sometimes like strong-willed brothers, but seemingly with the intention to help the other out. Most of the time.
Over the years I have found this to be a bit too limiting and at times, simply incorrect. In other words, the Mind is the bus driver and the Body, the bus. All incoming information, facts and emotions get dumped into the Mind, sorted by the Mind, evaluated by the Mind and accepted or rejected by, well, the Mind of course. Then this self-same entity prepares a solution, temporary or long-term and delivers it to the Body with suitable instructions to implement. Then over time, one assumes, the Mind steps back from itself, evaluates the implemented solution; gauges the success or lack, alters the program, re-implements the solution and begins the remedial process all over again. I don’t think so.
This paradigm just doesn’t work for me. Personally, I believe there is a missing part; an essential element that when inserted into this formula dramatically increases the chance for success.
For now, I’ll call this third element, the Spirit. For those who consider this too religious, how about, that which is aware of being aware. If the Mind is the bus driver and the Body the bus, then consider this element, the entity that decides where to go, why it should go there, and the best route to take. It would also be the entity that receives the stimuli from work, from Life, from the three-year relationship with Oliver and decides that this is simply not working out. Whatever is causing stress must first be perceived and this act of perception comes with some initial assignment of values.
Like, “God, that was a load of crap.” Or, “I can’t believe I just got fired.” Or, how about, “I’m 55 years-old and I’m still driving my 1982 Buick while commuting three hours a day, what is wrong with my life?”
In my opinion, stress is a reaction to something else happening in life. It does not spontaneously appear, fully formed in the body, as heartburn, hives, receding hairline or any other physical phenomena. It must first be filtered through a process and I believe that process includes, Spirit-Mind-Body. The body is a brilliant stimulus-response machine, but it’s far superior to a simple computer. If we are indeed, programmed to respond by nature, then who is doing the programming? Again, let’s keep religion out of this. I’m just saying that stress is real. It exists in every corner of our lives. But is it just, a simple equation of bad boss, plus bad words, equals stress, a troubled life and heart disease? That’s too fatalistic for me. Stress can be controlled, curtailed or channeled for good. I’ve seen it done. Unfortunately, I haven’t gotten there yet. Something to work on. Just my thoughts on a good series of articles.
