There are lots of potent reasons to abstain from alcohol. Extra calories, potential links to fatal diseases and the dangers of overuse are a few. And there are many other possibly enjoyable activities, like eating from the French fry wagon, listening to loud music and online gaming that also have health risks. Is it worth it to rub all these “fun” indulgences from our lives? Is living longer worth all that deprivation?
This article proposes that there is another path. As the Buddhist philosophy promotes, it is a “middle” way.
The number one guiding principle in this philosophy is awareness. Staying carefully tuned in to the signals from your body – the physical, emotional and spiritual – can help you navigate these choices wisely.
That sounds simple, right? You’re in your body all the time. You should be able to pick up on stuff immediately. But it isn’t easy, right?
For example, when you brushed your teeth this morning, how did the toothpaste taste? How long did you brush for? Did brushing your teeth make you happy, sad or what? These questions are a bit silly because you don’t need to really pay attention when you brush your teeth because it’s routine and you have better things to focus on.
And there is the challenge! Much of what you do daily is repeated and you don’t need full attention on your body. The body, all aspects of your human experience, is sending tons of information to the brain, but the brain chooses that on which to focus. So you do miss some important memos.
Awareness is built by cumulatively developing reflective times into your day. There are tons of ways to do this…
- meditation
- mindful movement
- rhythmic breathing
- journaling
- counselling
….. to name a few.
Let’s look at a case study. A certain yoga teacher we all know and love (she looks just like me) really enjoys that glass of wine. She’s been known to enjoy a few too many glasses of wine now and then. Even yoga teachers have stress! Through the practice of yoga, however, she regularly throughout the day takes time for meditation, movement, breath and self-reflection. Good thing a very effective form of meditation involves self-compassion because that has been an important part of finding this awareness.
As a result of this awareness journey, she has been able to find a natural balance between the risks of alcohol and a level of enjoyment. It’s very easy to slide into the habit of dissociation from the body, mind and spirit, so daily practice is necessary.
You can start moving toward more awareness today with very little effort and no cost. Developing a more mindful life can help with weight loss, marital peace and work stress, among other things. More information can be found online here. To find support in your journey, a meditative focused yoga class is a great place to start, or many professional counsellors offer Mindfulness Based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (this may be covered under your workplace benefits).
There is a common statement in our culture that we are looking for moderation in all things and that makes indulgences now and then okay. Let’s consider modifying that credo to awareness in all things.
