Dealing with the unexpected

Situation1:

Pranav receives a call from the HR. “Pranav,” a cold voice conveys, “Management has taken a call to terminate your services with effect from today. Kindly handover all the official documents and laptop immediately. However, we shall ensure that you get compensation for the next three months.” The connection snapped. He did not even get an opportunity at seek clarity as to why he was singled-out. The entire world felt like crashing around him. What will happen to the dependents in family? How is he going to pay the EMI?

Situation 2:

Animesh was undergoing a full-body check-up. It was a company sponsored annual health check-up. After the report was handed-over, he sought doctor’s appointment. While reviewing it, Animesh was told to undergo a CT scan. The scan revealed he had contracted lung cancer and it was in Stage 1. Although the chance of survival was high yet it was difficult to absorb the psychological blow. While there were symptoms like breathlessness and tiredness but he had never paid importance to those signals. He assumed such discomfort to be rather common for those in their mid-forties. He was overcome with anxiety and suffered panic attack.

Situations like (1) and (2) are not uncommon. Many of us may have already confronted similar incidents. At the time of occurrence of such an event we are subjected to disbelief and immense angst. There is a feeling of being overwhelmed and sense of helplessness overpowers. Moreover, the impact is not only confined to an emotional upheaval but also impacts our physical well-being. Blood pressure shoots up, insomnia sets in, there is loss of hunger and many other allied symptoms.

Under such circumstances, a person tries to find out various ways and means to overcome the setback. Those of us who are psychologically vulnerable, as a way out, tend to take short-cuts either by way of taking recourse to some sort of addiction, or think of snuffing-out one’s life. Counselling under such circumstances can certainly be of help. There are enough positive examples. However, there is also another avenue which can be explored as a complement to address a situation which makes us feel helpless.

Events like sudden job loss, or diagnosis with cancer offer us an opportunity to pause and look within, to introspect and ask - what next? Atah kim? Unless, the restless mind calms down, all sorts of bewildering thoughts – mostly negative – will keep turning around inside our heads, resulting in a vicious cycle which makes it all the more difficult to unshackle ourselves from the clutches of negativity. Thus, leading to stress and irritability. So, what can be done to soothe the frayed nerves?

The key lies in adopting and practising breathing exercise (be it anulom/ vilom, pratyahara, pranayama, nadi sodhana etc.) which soothes the agitated nerves. The effect of a few cycles of alternate nostril deep mindful breathing can be felt almost instantly. Deep peace engulfs us. Although during the initial days its impact is short-lived yet with the passage of time, with perseverance, lasting impact of serenity can be realized. Mere intellectual appreciation of this process is not enough. As a basic discipline, practising breathing exercise atleast once a day, or preferably twice for even 10 to 15 minutes at a particular time and place during the 24 hr. cycle shows wonderful results.

Leaving aside the positive impact on our psychological well-being like calmness and patience, the health parameters like pressure, sugar, sleeplessness etc. also improve significantly.

Thus, a discipline like breathing exercise as a part of our life-cycle, ensures that we ready to confront the reverses in our lives and are not caught napping instead. The approach is same as that of preventive maintenance. We are better prepared to face the unexpected.