By Elizabeth Herman┃Posted: May 01, 2019

The old adage, “know thyself,” has long been a key to mental health since ancient times. But what does this wisdom really mean? Knowing yourself is more than just knowing how you feel at any particular moment, or knowing your likes and dislikes, preferences and tendencies, or ways of reacting to events in your life.

For instance, experiences I’ve had often feel certain ways. When feelings come up in response to an event, good or bad, I’ll start to say, “I’m sad,” or “I’m angry,” or “I’m relieved,” when actually I, my true identity, or who I am, is far beyond those feelings.

Or, if someone in a conversation described my behavior as “unacceptable” that didn’t mean I was unacceptable. I’m not the shifting feelings, inconsistent behavior, or shocking experience, but I’m something that doesn’t change, instead. And so are you!

How to stay clear and positive, even when issues trigger negative feelings

In this video, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar encourages distinguishing yourself from your good and bad feelings that result from life experiences. In order to see the calm, peaceful, steady, unchanging part of your true nature, and to avoid being emotionally controlled by the ups and downs of events that happen in everyone’s life, you can go beyond all the changes.

I’m not my anger

Since I was the youngest person in my family as a child, the older family members often didn’t allow me to talk during dinner table conversations. When my efforts to contribute to discussions didn’t succeed, feelings of frustration happened and it seemed that they didn’t love me. Of course, now I realize that wasn’t really an indication of their love at all. Even though I felt suppressed, my real self was not touched. Even though I felt angry, that feeling didn’t have to take over my identity and I don't have to label myself an angry person.

In other words, the natural tendency of the mind to cling to the negative doesn’t have to define who we are! With every breath we take, we can experience thoughts and feelings, whether good or bad, and let them go, just like when we release each breath with every exhalation.

Meditation and breathing techniques, from the Art of Living’s Happiness Program, Sahaj Samadhi and Art of Silence programs, have helped me to see and feel the difference between my changing feelings and my true self. Negative feelings do come up but I feel more power over them. With a few minutes of Sudarshan Kriya and meditation, I can return my attention to the peaceful being inside that doesn’t get swayed, triggered, and jerked around by events and emotions. Even research shows how these practices impact our body and mind positively.

Move on without getting stuck

I once gave an important presentation that the director of my program criticized heavily. But knowing that I didn’t have to brood over it and blame myself for mistakes, I could move on and work towards other goals with energy. I could think about the positive feedback I’ve gotten on other presentations.

With each passing day as a regular meditator, I am less subject to the happenings around me, and I can maintain a happy, steady, even keel in my moods, thoughts and reactions.  

Here are a few takeaways from this wonderful video:

1. You’re not your thoughts and feelings.
2. You aren’t your experiences, positive or negative.
3. You’re unchanging, beyond events, experiences and your reactions to them. This description reflects your real self.
4. Don’t blame yourself, but let go and move on.
5. Your breath can influence your mind. You can use your breath to change the way you feel.
6. Calm, peace, happiness, and love are within you.
7. Meditation helps you to de-link yourself from events and get in touch with your true self.

These realizations have helped me to go beyond events in my life, good and bad. Experiences haven’t shaped me or controlled me, but rather I’ve controlled and shaped them. I have power over my reactions.

Attracting better

By reacting positively, I can help future events to be more positive. I can start to attract better and better events, people and things into my life. This understanding helps me visualize my own power to influence the course of my own life, and allows me to remain calm and centered in the face of the vicissitudes of changing patterns, trends, and times.

You have the power to change your life

Instead of being a victim of your negative feelings and experiences, use your freedom to do something about it. There could be many ways to overcome these issues, but breathing and meditation have been proven to help since ancient times. To learn more about Sudarshan Kriya, find an introductory meetup or a Happiness Program near you.

Sept 20-22, 2019, Art of Living is celebrating Happiness Weekend offering Happiness Program across 100+ cities across the USA with a special guest appearance live online by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. I would highly recommend everyone to grab this is a rare and unique opportunity, don’t miss it. Click here to find the Happiness Program near you.

Take a deep breath in and relax!

By Elizabeth Herman - PhD in English, with concentrations in Rhetoric and Composition, and Literature, she offers writing support to clients, teaches locally, lives in Boone, NC, and volunteers for a better world.