The Emotion Machine

Why Be Zen? Stress, Anxiety, And Daily Living

Stress and anxiety are necessary components to all living. From an evolutionary perspective these psychophysiological mechanisms were designed to motivate behavior that promotes survival and reproduction. Stress and anxiety help promote better living by alarming us that something in our life is insufficient or out of balance – thus encouraging us to focus our attention and make the appropriate adjustments.

But of course in our busy world there are plenty of meaningless things to feel stressed out about. We have more distractions now than our evolutionary ancestors ever had to deal with, and life sometimes feels like it is endlessly pushing and tugging you in one direction after another, whether it involves relationships, work, health, financial difficulties or just general life satisfaction and happiness.

Sometimes even when there is nothing to be stressed about we still respond to our environment in unhealthy ways. We could be sitting on the bus back home from work or driving to the local Best Buy store on Sunday and still feel anxious as if we forgot to do something, or, that we should be doing something more important.

Stress and anxiety should not be taken lightly. Yes each serves a purpose, but all too often we are incapable of taking the time to just sit down and be content with what is. This growing attitude that we must always be “productive”, or we are being “wasteful,” is a false distinction – sometimes taking the time to sit and be utterly content with life is the most productive thing we can do.

This is easier said than done. We are not biologically programmed to do nothing. No, not at all. Our nature, like the nature of most conscious acting beings, is to desire, seek, fulfill and then find the next craving to satisfy. But where this vicious cycle inevitably leaves us is the feeling of never being fully satisfied, and always being anxious and stressing ourselves out.

Be zen. But how?

You don’t have to call it meditating; just sit and be happy without seeking satisfaction from anything in particular. It sounds easy – but it is probably the most difficult thing in the world. It takes practice.

One common mistake is to sit down and then seek this unconditional happiness. Don’t seek it, just be it. Regardless of what arises – whether it is through the senses of our body or mind – just be content with it. And why shouldn’t you? Think of all the reasons you have to be content right now: You are alive. You are conscious. You are breathing, sensing, feeling, and experiencing the most wondrous thing in all of existence – existence itself.

Without existence there would be no stress, anxiety, pain or suffering. What a pleasant sounding thing! But who would be there to experience this pleasure without there being any existence?

The fact of the matter is stress, anxiety, pain and suffering are all unavoidable consequences of being a living thing. But this doesn’t mean we can’t embrace other aspects of existence where stress, anxiety, pain and suffering are absent; and unconditional love and happiness fill the totality of our being. Only with this acknowledgment can we find true balance.

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