Mind Numbing - Grasshopper

The Grasshopper was top of mind the other day and offered this: “Mind numbing doesn’t lead to peace of mind.”

There’s “quieting of the mind” and “numbing of the mind” and each has a different effect.

The goal of both is to arrive at peace of mind, but one of these methods takes us on a detour to a place called “out of it.”

There are many ways people numb themselves, but chief among them are alcohol and drugs. These are their numbing methods of choice. They’re attempting to numb the voice in their head which is causing them anguish from which they want to escape.

Some other methods of escape serve as more of a distraction rather than a numbing of the nagging voice in their head. For example, these folks almost always have to be active during their waking hours. It takes their attention away from their internal chatter which they want to get away from. Let’s call them “mind distractors.”

But with alcohol and drugs, more than their mind gets numb. So does their awareness, their speech, their ability to comprehend, or their inability to walk a straight line.

If you’re in the presence of a “mind numb-er,” you witness their personality change right before your very eyes from pre to post dosing or imbibing. A numb tongue is just an outward sign of their numbed mind.

They temporarily get away from their assaulting barrage of thoughts but with debilitating after effects.

Contrast that with mind quieting. Mind quieting first gets you focused on your body by paying attention to something like your breathing, or the sensations going on in each body part. The result of this focused attention is the body relaxes and the mind calms down as spaces show up between your thoughts, until there’s nothing but space and a sense of presence.

This inward, meditative excursion accomplishes the goal: getting peace of mind. And like aerobic exercise, it has an extended effect even after your workout is over.

If you’ve fallen into the habit of numbing or distracting your mind, please know there are more effective methods towards peace of mind. There are countless ways to do this. Find a mind quieting practice that works for you and then make some time in your day to let the world go away, with a method that won’t lead you astray.

To numb or not to numb, that is the question. How you answer it determines whether you get peace of mind or another kick in the behind.

All the best,