And so the calm waters mirrored back the reality of life, with small ripple of distortion drifting past, returning to calm
From a psychotherapeutic perspective, the state of calm refers to a mental and emotional state characterised by reduced stress, anxiety, and agitation. It is a state of inner tranquility, relaxation, and emotional balance. Achieving a sense of calmness is a common goal in various forms of psychotherapy, as it can contribute to overall mental well-being and better coping with life's challenges
From an Internal Family Systems perspective (IFS) the state of calm is considered one of the 8 C's of Self. In the IFS model the Self is the central or core aspect of a person that is always stable and present and Calmness is thought of as inner state of centeredness and steadiness, which allows individuals to approach challenging emotions and experiences with greater stability and less reactivity.
From a yoga perspective, calmness is a state of inner tranquility and mental stillness that arises from the harmonious balance of the body, mind, and spirit. It is often referred to as a state of "Sattva," which is one of the three gunas or qualities of nature according to yogic philosophy.
Sattva represents the quality of purity, harmony, and balance. It is associated with qualities like clarity, knowledge, wisdom, and tranquility. When Sattva is dominant, the mind is calm, focused, and open to higher truths. This state is conducive to spiritual growth and realisation; so calmness goes beyond mere relaxation; it encompasses a profound sense of peace, contentment, and centredness that can be cultivated through regular yoga practice and mindfulness.
Calmness, or developing a state of Sattva, from a yoga perspective is more than just a lack of agitation; it is a profound state of inner balance, mental clarity, and serenity that arises through the integration of ethical principles (Yama's), self-awareness (Niyama), physical practices (asanas), breath control (pranayama), withdrawal of the senses (Pratyahara) , and focused concentration (Dharana); the first 5 of the 8 limbs of yoga. Regular yoga practice helps individuals develop the tools to navigate life's challenges with a greater sense of calmness and resilience.
A counterintuitive reaction
If you grew up in an emotionally chaotic, or neglectful household, finding yourself in a space where there is a sense of calmness can feel quite unnerving. When you come to a place of calm and safety it may feel boring, under stimulating, uncomfortable. Or emotions may come up to the surface, those which have been neglected, pushed down or ignored for a long time, so you could feel depressed, anxious, isolated, agitated, angry.
Why would this new space of calmness be unnerving? Because the early environment of chaos wired the nervous system for states of fight, flight, freeze or flop and it does not know how to regulate something different. This all seems counter-intuitive but it helps to
- what is going on in the brain and the nervous system,
- then develop a practice of 'self-regulation' to learn how to come into a state of calmness, clarity, creativity, peacefulness and quiet courage.
- practice habits which maintain healthier states of being, not as a quick fix, but as a lifestyle change towards self-healing
Developing a practice for self-regulation can be achieved by learning the principles of yoga. Yoga is often taught through the singular lens of physical practice (asana), almost from a perspective of fitness training, and there is nothing wrong with that, however when looking to build a practice to support your sense of BEING in the world we aim to develop through the 8 limbs of yoga, underpinned by an understanding of its philosophy.
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