In the wake of Covid and after over a decade as a shop owner, stoiically trying to forfull ever rising delusive customer expectations, I realised that my lifelong inborn respect of human beings was starting to wane. I wondered what had happenned to the young adult who’s superpower it was to stay unshakably calm and talk down even the most serious attack of emotional egoism. Now, I felt resentment and rising anger that I who always remained calm, now increasingly only outwards, had to deal with people who could not control their emotions.

I had to, and I wanted to become unshakably calm again in these situations. I woke up earlier and started meditating. Driving to work one morning angry at all the people unable or unwilling to drive decently, well at least in my estimation, I had the thought that the ultimate test of my progresss would be to go 3 months without having a negative thought about any other trafic perticipant. And so my own personal Automobil Zen challenge was born. In order to acomplish the challnge in the foreseeable future, I incorporated practicing my reaction to annoing situations in the trafic, in my meditations. I recommend practise of the Stoics. And with some practice it can immensly change your reaction to almost any challenging situation, more closely resembling your preferred reaction. My preffered reaction to almost any situation is equanimity. 

Parallel to my Auto Zen challenge and in my efforts to improve my surfing I found out (read “renembered”) that a calm mind is not only worth gold in challenging situations but also in many other situations for example when performing sport.  As one of my surfing heros put it “Slow is smooth and smooth is fast”. Remaining utterly calm and using “slow”, relaxed, deliberate moves, makes you faster and helps you perform better and faster. 

Remaining calm is a superpower! Do I now behave like a Zen Buddhist Monk? No, I have my ups and downs, as everyone has, but that is part of the process. Two steps forward and one back, progress. 

Yours
John Honey