Why We Suffer, Power of Humming, and a Celebration of Life

4 THOUGHTS

1. Why We Suffer from Pain

In The Mindfulness Solution, Ronald Siegel, Psy.D., presents a conceptual equation for suffering:

Suffering = Pain x Resistance

This symbolic relationship means, for any given amount of pain:

If our resistance to it is zero, we won’t suffer.
If our resistance to it is high, we’ll suffer a lot.

Of course, if you’re a normal human like me, it’s impossible to have zero resistance. But this is an excellent reminder that much of our suffering comes from resisting the pain, not the pain itself.

2. Give Your Practice an Energetic Charge

Here is Rick Rubin discussing having an intention for art:

“It is not an exercise of thought, a goal to be set, or a means of commodification. It is a truth that lives inside you. Through your living it, that truth becomes embedded in the work. If the work doesn’t represent who you are and what you’re living, how can it hold an energetic charge?”

Similarly, this is why having an overarching intention for your contemplative practice(s) is so powerful. It allows your practice to “represent who you are and what you’re living,” giving it an enormous energetic charge in your life 🙏

3. The Power of Humming

“Humming induces brainwave entrainment, and since the sound of a hum is long and sustained, it has calming effect on the brain. It also helps us to naturally extend our exhalation without making much of an effort to do so…Humming is also a spontaneous sound of joy, like after we’ve eaten a delicious tasting food…We hum in agreement with people, or things we read, and children naturally hum when they are happy. Humming is both good for you and we vocalize a hum when we experience good things.”
- Eddie Stern, Healing Through Breathing

That’s an excellent reminder to hum a little more this week 🙏

4. Why I Love Mindful Slow Breathing So Much

Here’s why I think adding mindfulness to slow breathing (‘mindful slow breathing’) is one of the best practices:

Slow breathing alters brain function to support mindfulness.
Mindfulness alters biochemistry to enhance slow breathing.

Combined, they give you two of the most validated mind-body exercises in one simple practice. Give it a try and see how you feel 🙏

1 Quote

"The greatest of all miracles is to be alive, and when you breathe in, you touch that miracle. Therefore, your breathing can be a celebration of life."
— — Thich Nhat Hanh

1 Answer