don't panic

I am increasingly aware of what 'awareness' is about – at least from the Buddhist perspective. The key is to existentially inhabit the 'now' ie the present moment. Anything else (ie past and future) is daydream and nothing more than mind stuff. This is obviously true while sitting on the cushion but it can also apply to everyday existence – as when washing the dishes or converting documents to plain language. There is the possibility of dealing with the present situation rather than having the chatterbox mind run off at tangents and make up all manner of 'what if' stories.

And the 'what ifs' tend to become habits of mind which take on a life of their own: they feed on themselves such that they get stronger and can develop into panic attacks. It is then that awareness is most needed and is most difficult to evoke. The panic situation is mind made and its 'reality' can evaporate instantly given a change of mind. But it can be tough, especially for those with no cushion time behind them, to affect a change. So how is it to be done?

You need to be aware of two things (a) what is going on in your mind and (b)  that mind change is possible. (The wisdom literature can help to develop this awareness at an intellectual level.) That type of awareness makes it possible to remember and apply counter measures: these can be as simple as taking a deep breath and thus bringing the mind  back into the body. (Experienced meditators might take three deep breaths and thus evoke the equanimous state that they know from their cushion time.)

A degree of equanimity comes into being when mental space develops in association with the 'witness'. You are then able to entertain the concept of "Welcome my little friend panic attack. What are you going to teach me about myself today?"

This is an example of what might be called existential jujitsu. The harder and the more frequent the mental upsets, the stronger you become through overcoming them. If you are suffused by mundane pleasures or subject to only mild fits of ennui then you will not be jolted into existential action and your spiritual life will remain flabby.

Lotus eaters are existential losers. Get real. Join the neurotic nihilists in their existential vacuums. Blast through to the fearless peace that passes all (rational) understanding … and don't panic!