This was a difficult concept to understand and I suppose I got a fleeting glimpse into it. (It is the central theme of my first attempt at fiction 'The Misfit' - as yet unpublished but simmering still.) The idea and the experience needs more work though. But its exciting enough to share.
While driving on the highway on a long drive recently, I was aware of the concentration and awareness required of me to drive safely. As a rule I never stretch beyond the comfort zone especially on the highway (I am sure even in other places) so I was pegging away at a safe and comfortable speed. I could still sense the uncertainty on the expressway as cars zipped by, moved in a zig-zag fashion and intruders on the highway. To increase my speed would be increasing my uncertainty - so I needed to find something that will make me more certain.
I decided to use one of exercises that I read and heard about (Sadhguru talks of it in his book 'Inner Engineering'. Pam Grout in 'Thank and Grow Rich', Patrick in a talk I heard and many more times) - to be one with the environment. So I started to feel one with the steering, then the car, then the road, then the vehicles on the road ahead of me - which seemed like aimless projectiles ready to careen off in any direction. Until then.
An interesting thing happened. As I sensed myself expanding into the steering, the car, the road and the other vehicles, I could sense a slowing down of the world around me. It became more deliberate, more in control. It seemed like I was in control because it was all a part of me now and not alien to me anymore nor hostile. I was not reacting to what was out there because it was now me. That other car was me, the road was me, the steering was me and so on. I almost felt like I could see it all in slow motion that I felt I could control it even if something went off like a missile.
A mere glimpse this. I could not sustain it for too long. But each time I tried it worked - fleetingly - but I could sense that change. It's the same feeling I got and can never forget - while batting and I knew I was in total control of the proceedings (got 158 that game), while bowling and I could 'make the ball talk' as they say (6 for 21 and an incredible performance), once in the later part of the TEDx speech when I felt I had everyone connected to me on a string. And some moresuch instances but these are what come to mind now. Glimpses of that elusive "zone" that I felt happened to me in some rare moment when the stars aligned.
Now I feel that perhaps I did become one with the environment then and that is what the elusive zone is about. It's a moment of stillness, a deep and rooted feeling to move from being the one who reacts to being the one who has total control, one who can slow it down and respond in his own time.
More on it as I experience it.
I decided to use one of exercises that I read and heard about (Sadhguru talks of it in his book 'Inner Engineering'. Pam Grout in 'Thank and Grow Rich', Patrick in a talk I heard and many more times) - to be one with the environment. So I started to feel one with the steering, then the car, then the road, then the vehicles on the road ahead of me - which seemed like aimless projectiles ready to careen off in any direction. Until then.
An interesting thing happened. As I sensed myself expanding into the steering, the car, the road and the other vehicles, I could sense a slowing down of the world around me. It became more deliberate, more in control. It seemed like I was in control because it was all a part of me now and not alien to me anymore nor hostile. I was not reacting to what was out there because it was now me. That other car was me, the road was me, the steering was me and so on. I almost felt like I could see it all in slow motion that I felt I could control it even if something went off like a missile.
A mere glimpse this. I could not sustain it for too long. But each time I tried it worked - fleetingly - but I could sense that change. It's the same feeling I got and can never forget - while batting and I knew I was in total control of the proceedings (got 158 that game), while bowling and I could 'make the ball talk' as they say (6 for 21 and an incredible performance), once in the later part of the TEDx speech when I felt I had everyone connected to me on a string. And some moresuch instances but these are what come to mind now. Glimpses of that elusive "zone" that I felt happened to me in some rare moment when the stars aligned.
Now I feel that perhaps I did become one with the environment then and that is what the elusive zone is about. It's a moment of stillness, a deep and rooted feeling to move from being the one who reacts to being the one who has total control, one who can slow it down and respond in his own time.
More on it as I experience it.
No comments:
Post a Comment