How to Exist
3 hours ago
- The experiment involves sitting for three minutes without doing anything while being completely content, which reveals the difficulty of simply existing.
- Humans have an inherent discomfort with the present moment, leading them to seek constant distraction or change to escape it.
- This avoidance is so fundamental that people engage in unnecessary activities like buying things, arguing, or even self-harm to avoid being still.
- Practicing existence without trying to change it, even for a few seconds per breath, can increase comfort with being present.
- A simple practice involves staying relaxed and open to all feelings during a single inhale or exhale, repeating as possible over five minutes.
- Regular practice reduces the need for distraction and makes ordinary discomforts like waiting more tolerable.
- The article includes reader comments that affirm the value of stillness and relate personal experiences with meditation.