Last week I met with one of our newer practitioners, whom we'll refer to as Jane, who then related a personal conversation they had with their supervisor. The succinct version of the interaction was that after many years upon being transferred to a new project, the supervisor mentioned to Jane was that she was taking more sick time on this new team than she had previously with her former team. The supervisor was not upset but merely making an observation, as Jane has plenty of 'sick time'.
Even though there was no ill-intent on the supervisors part this still caused Jane to pause.
Had she taken more sick time than usual?
Reflecting on the transfer more mindfully, Jane knew that she would be going from a high stress project to one with little to no stress. But what she did not realize were the mental and physical changes that were going to transpire as a result.
After about a month into the new project Janes mind and body felt 'different'. And this new feeling felt 'odd' and 'uncomfortable' so like anyone she made an appointment with her physician to see if there was anything wrong. After all of the testing, the doctor gave her the good news that all of the results were normal.
This was certainly good news but it did not explain how she was feeling.
It was not until our weekly meeting that the veil of uncertainty was lifted.
After many years, her mind and body were detoxifying from undue mental stress and she was returning to a more relaxed state of existence.
As we explored more of this new state of balance I made the comparison to someone being severely injured and not knowing about the injury until the situation calmed down. Janes situation was much the same. She did not realize her mind and body were injured until the situation changed for the better. It was akin to her living in a continuous 'fight' mode before to now one where the threat had diminished.
The 'fight' mode she had been living in, no matter how harmful, had become comfortable.
These same heightened mental and physical responses can happen to anyone, and oftentimes as in Janes example, it was unrealized.
Some occupations that come to mind are police, firemen, and doctors, but as in Janes case she was not in any of these career fields, she works in a office setting.
But occupations are not the only situations where someone may experience significant stress.
Consider the spouse or significant other who is in an abusive relationship.
Or those that have experienced a sexual assault.
Or someone addicted to alcohol or drugs.
Or the child who gets bullied at school or even at home.
Vladimir warmly and skillfully passes on the Buddhas Dharma to a world in need of loving-kindness, compassion, and empathy for the benefit of all living beings.
.png)
No comments:
Post a Comment