Lifehacks for the Mind | Part 10: Leveling the Head
Whether we recognize it or not, there are days when the head is particularly strong. I could also say it is outright trying to dominate the situation all the time regardless of what happens - worries, thoughts, compulsive mental routines that have grinded themselves in. And nothing seems to be helping in trying to get energy away from the brain and the rational mind.
One option is to try and sleep a bit, a nap of about half an hour to an hour and a half, but even that won't work every time. Instead what seems to work well is to just lay down in the horizontal.
There is a symbolic quality to this technique that occurred to me.
The head is at the top of a human being's physical manifestation and you could say it towers over the rest of the organism. It reigns from the top, like a king on the thrown, and maybe because of its natural position it's only to be expected that the head has become a symbol for ideal conduct - thinking all the time regardless of circumstance.
And so, in order to reign in the self-declared king it is a GREAT idea to lay down and get the head level with your body. Especially to get it level with the heart.
It's magic to just observe what happens: In the beginning nothing seems to change but only 10 minutes in and I can feel a sense of ease flow through my awareness. Listening to the surroundings, chatter of people, birds singing, life happening. And I don't try anything, I don't react, I don't play. Just lie there and let things flow.
As the head is staying in this position level with the rest of the body it becomes easier and easier to let go of the obsessive automatism to dramatize circumstances, to let the ego separate and isolate its perceived situation further. It's like the thing is calming down and the entirety of the chaotic rush quality subsides slowly and surely.
Until eventually, you can open your eyes after mere 20 minutes or half an hour, feeling utterly refreshed and good to go. Tackling new situations, doing things, or just being generally more at ease with the flow of life. Even now that the head is back at its throning position. It's like it subtly has learned its energetic place once more, and stops acting like the drama-queen of the situation. A good servant, a terrible master.
If one of these days your mind is getting to you - try it out. Lay down, close your eyes, and wait. Sleeping is entirely optional for resetting your mind's modus operandi. Levelling your body may be essential when nothing else will do.
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