The BEST technique to center yourself in 2024

Have you ever felt so stressed that you simply wanted to lie down and give up? Has your life ever felt so chaotic or unstable that you thought everything might crumble down around you? Or maybe you're an athlete and no matter how hard you try to remain in control during a match, everything always seems to spiral out of control at the worst time. Let’s face it - The world can be a messy place. As much as you try to remain stable and in control of everything that goes on in your life, the universe will sometimes throw you curve balls that you don’t expect to happen (medical emergencies, bad calls by the referee, unforeseen bills, relationship issues, unfortunate bounces, car trouble, sudden death of a loved one). On top of this, no matter how hard you try to “get ahead”, everyone else is trying to do the same thing, resulting in a never-ending, stressful race to try and be better than everyone else around you.

Fortunately, despite all of the craziness that goes on in the world, there are techniques that you can use to remain calm and in control. One technique in particular that I call “The eye of the storm” is an extremely effective meditation and centering technique that you can use to gain control of your mental and physical presence. Controlling your thoughts, emotions and actions are incredibly powerful ways to remain balanced and composed, allowing you to be more at ease, more focused and better able to perform whatever task you may be pursuing.

You’ve probably heard of the phrase “Eye of the storm” before, but what does “Eye of the storm” mean exactly? Literally, here are three definitions:

1. The phrase “eye of the storm” is often used to describe a situation where someone is in the middle of a greatly debated or controversial issue.

1. The phrase also alludes to the center of an actual storm, such as a hurricane, which rotates around a central point. The eye of a storm is the calm region at the center of a storm or hurricane (idioms.thefreedictionary.com).

1. It can also mean the most intense part of a tumultuous situation. (https://english.stackexchange.com/).

These definitions provide the framework for the Eye of the Storm (EOTS) technique.

THE STORM = “Life” or chaotic/stressful things that happen to you

• Sometimes life and the world around us can often feel like a storm - chaotic, fast-moving, uncontrollable and unpredictable.

  • Global level: The state of politics in our country or the state of world conflict.

  • Personal level: Relationship issues or feeling anxious in a very specific situation such as an important sports match or job interview.

The EYE of the storm = Where you reside, calm and in control of the situation

• The “eye of the storm” is where you will find peace and calm. It is here that you close your eyes, breathe and take control in spite of all of the chaos going on around you.

The basis of this technique is that you envision yourself as being in the center of a storm. This is most easily accomplished with your eyes closed. Envision yourself sitting in the middle of a violent, fast storm that is swirling all around you. This storm represents either life itself or whatever current event or scenario that is stressing you out. Imagine that you are sitting directly in the middle of this storm in an area that is completely still and silent. While everything swirls precariously around you, nothing in your immediate vicinity moves. Despite the mayhem going on around you, you are perfectly in control of the situation. You are perfectly in control of your thoughts and actions.

While no additional elements are needed for this technique to be effective, it can be helpful to utilize a mantra or a breathing technique in this moment as your eyes are closed. A mantra can be several words or a short phrase - something that you silently say to yourself to help you focus on the present moment. Measured breathing pairs well with utilizing a mantra to further help you regain control of your mindset and your senses.

For example:

As you slowly exhale, say or think to yourself “Calm and centered”

Then, as you slowly exhale, say or think to yourself “safe, relaxed and grounded”

All you need to do is find a quiet place to sit and breathe for a moment. After you have practiced this technique for a period of time, it can be effective in as little as one breath. However, you may choose to sit and breathe for a longer period of time to gain an increased sense of calm and control.

I hope you find technique to be helpful. Happy meditating!