Do you ever feel stuck in a situation? No matter what you do, you can’t seem to find a solution that feels right.
I’m guessing that we’ve all felt it. Whether in big things or small, personal or professional, life is bound to bring experiences of feeling boxed in.
The conventional wisdom around such situations is to get some distance from the confounding circumstances. Having more space will offer a new perspective that might bring an out-of-the-box solution.
The first step in that process is realizing that you are, in fact, in a box.
As I sit in the fresh morning air, the city of Burgos quiet below me, I am appreciating a new perspective of this town.
For the previous five days, I had been staying at a beautiful “New York” style apartment seconds away from the famous Burgos Cathedral. It was charming and quirky and centrally located in the old town. At night, the views from my window were ethereal.
It was also overrun with tourists. A wall of people met me whenever I left the apartment, and the noise at night was challenging for rest and sleep. It felt a bit like Disneyland.
Grateful as I was to be there, I felt cut off from the things that have been keeping me balanced on this trip – access to healthy gluten-free food, time for introspection, deep sleep and immersion into Spanish culture.
I realized that I was feeling boxed in by my attachment to the apartment, its location and views. That prompted me to look for other solutions.
Yesterday I moved to a more modern apartment, with a balcony overlooking the cathedral and the whole cityscape. Some distance away from the crowded tourist streets, and into the “real” world of Burgolese citizens.
I immediately felt lighter. I stocked up on gluten free food, salad and other healthy items at the local supermercado. I slept deeply in the quiet at night.
Armed with this different perspective, I made my visit inside the beautiful Burgos Cathedral with hundreds of other tourists. And experienced again the artistry, magnificence and deep meditative places of this ancient space dedicated to a higher power.
Developing Perspective
In everyday life, it may not be possible to physically create more distance. Other solutions are possible to develop this skill in shifting perspectives right where you are.
In Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), we have a practice to develop such skills. The only thing required for the exercise is a window.
Seeing Meditation
🍃 Move to a standing position where you can see out of a window.
🍃 Allow your eyes to take in whatever they are seeing. Notice the colors, shapes, textures, movements.
🍃 Simply attend to what arises in your vision.
🍃 After a few moments, allow your attention to settle on a single object that is there in your landscape of seeing.
🍃 Notice the colors, shapes, textures, movements of that single object.
🍃 When you feel ready, release this single object from seeing. Allow your gaze to widen, taking in the broader landscape that now appears.
🍃 After a few moments, move away from the window and write down any insights or reflections that have come up from the experience.
Wishing you a week of broader perspectives and insightful solutions!
Let your wisdom lead,
Robin
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