The 3rd School Of Meditation We All Needed:
So over the years, we’ve learned a lot about Meditation.
From ancient shamans and their wild claims, all the way to present-day experts like Eckhart Tolle.
And all the while, the discipline has preached a serene, near-wordless detachment in its suggested-state.
It hasn’t been until now, that a newer, more purpose-built school for the trials of modern life has taken Meditation into the realms of something honest, practical, and liberating.
Jason Headley’s “F*ck That” school of thought…
History & Remixing The Greatest Hits
Now depending on how you count, it was either Bodhidharma, Lao-Tzu, or Søren Kierkegaard who first said, “F*ck That”.
And though we may have lost the importance of their words with time and fashion,
All good ideas get recycled.
And though Tony Schwartz of The Energy Project would tell you one of the most important things you need for a healthy working life is actually Sleep,
Headley says that’s just not enough.
Mindfulness, Mind-Wandering & Headley’s Modern Dismissive Zen:
Here, he encourages us to examine our current environments, full of “soul-eating c*cksuckers” at work,
And instead of Tolle’s laserlike focus on the absolute essence of the most-immediate here-and-now that allegedly makes you happier,
Or even the mind-wandering school of meditation that’s supposed to make you more Creative,
Jason encourages us not to avoid facing them as both other techniques might imply,
But instead, to look at the mental images of those energy-stealing bastards right in the face and calmly-exhale, “F*ck That!”
Some Good Things Get Hijacked:
Furthermore, if we’re honest, the Mindfulness Movement has been Oprah-fied and almost completely-annexed by corporate experts prodding you avoid your natural mental-wandering to build focus and be just 1% more productive.
On the other side, the mind-wandering side of things is increasingly lorded-over writers and creative-types with the same set of productivity whips, just for a different kind of work.
What we all need is a third-option.
Especially For Our Health!:
And according to researchers at Mass General, there is every chance the “F*ck That!” option can influence the expression of anywhere between 1500 and 2200 genes, all for the better!
Or even the (less linguistically-colorful) advice of Dr. Mike Evans on how to get through an especially-trying week.
In a fashion very similar to Headley, Mike looks at all the difficulties of a tough time plagued with low energy.
1) Unnecessary Complications & Logistics
2) Electronic Distractions
3) Sleep Distruptors
4) Physical Lethargy
5) Reduced Circulation
6) Lack of Exercise
7) Disconnection From Nature & Fresh-Air
8) Failure to Vent Frustrations In a Safe Space
9) Lackluster Food & Bad Nutrition
10) Low-Quality Socialization
11) Separation From Close Friends
12) Chaotic Environments
13) Lack of Self-Compassion
14) Insufficient Psychological Breathing-Room
15) Reduced Endo-Cannabinoids From Infrequent Cardio
-And, just like Jason, what does the doctor advise you to do?
Look all those complications right in the face and with a deep, cleansing, dose of simplicity, say “F*ck That!”
Bold First Steps In Meditation Literature:
Furthermore, neither the roster of navel-gazers at Brainpickings, Nor the YouTube Philosophy Cliffs’ Notes of The School of Life have been brave enough to take what will henceforth be known as “The Headlian Leap”.
As helpful as they can sometimes be, they haven’t really had the courage to do an episode embracing Jason’s frank, straightforward balance of philosophy, results-based Meditation, and practical psychology.
I expect both are too needlessly bookish to see the genius of it.
Be Here Now: Dimsmissive-Bliss Everywhere Your Smartphone Can Go:
While the video is serene, cathartic & inspired,
Why stop there?
Previously, we did a post on 6 Smartphone Apps To Make Meditating Easier.
Well now we can add a Seventh!
If you can’t always get to the video, you can always get to the “F*ck That!” app on your smartphone.
But Wait! What If I’m Old-School?:
“Hold On!”, you say.
“What if I have read the 700 books on Brainpickings list and need one more?”
Well Jason has you covered there, too.
For the old-school meditative philosophers among us, he’s also written a book all about his special brand of dismissive catharsis.
Which we can agree, is neither as full-retard as Nihilism on one end of the spectrum, or Existentialism on the other.
Great Minds Think Alike!:
I think what Jason really touches-on is that we all could use a certain meditative Declaration of Independence.
As a matter-of-fact, I seem to remember George Washington and a room full of American badasses back in about the year 17-hundred and seventy-six looking across the seas to Mad King George running the most powerful empire in the world,
And responding with a resounding, “F*CK THAT!”.
-Just look how that turned out.
The assembly-line, the transistor, Coors Light, 500 cable channels, an SR71, and all the cat videos you can watch.
Much innovation can come from strongly-dismissive statements of freedom.
Declare Your Independence From Inflammation & Anxiety:
And so can much reduction in inflammation and improvements in health!
I mean if deep-breathing can force your brain to relax you and fight Anxiety, just think what a brilliantly-conceived dismissive-meditation can do!
Check out the details in the Links:
Photo/Video Credits: Video by Jason Headley, Photo “buddha” by Flickr user, neonow
Links:
• Source: Jason Headley-F*ck That
• Via: TastefullyOffensive
Leave a Reply