How to Overcome Reactive Inertia?
Let’s take a moment to reflect on the wisdom of past sages and the ancient methods of growth and development. What do practices like yoga, Taoist and Hindu techniques, Qigong, and other ancient traditions say about this? How did they guide their students onto the path? What were the first things students were introduced to before they could even touch true knowledge? What practices were they engaged in?
First, there was fasting. I understand this can be a tricky subject because everyone is different — for some, fasting may help break out of reactive patterns. But for others, who may already be overwhelmed and stressed, fasting might not be the best solution.
However, if you feel completely stuck in the "matrix" and can’t figure out how to break away from it, there are two things that will definitely help you detach from this state of involvement and loss of self-identification: breathing and eating.
These two elements are essential. Without them, you won’t get far. You come face to face with the reality of physical non-existence. Death is always nearby, and if you stop breathing, it quickly approaches. You can experience this first hand if you hold your breath right now.
In just a minute or so, nothing else will matter — all your automatic behaviors and desires to express yourself in the usual way will disappear. You’ll be focused solely on one physical action, and that will completely occupy your mind: taking a breath of oxygen.
We are so dependent on the environment, yet we often forget this. It’s that simple. The question of breathing should be the first thing you study.
For those who are deeply involved and can’t detach from their reactive patterns, focus on your breathing and experiment with it. This doesn’t require much thought. Close your mouth and nose, and you’ll quickly see how your ideas about yourself fade. Suddenly, your only concern is taking a breath — and just like that, you’ve redirected yourself from your inertia.
The second method, which might be more interesting for many, is longer-term: food. We can go quite a while without eating, and the way our consciousness shifts when we start to consume our own reserves is a serious phenomenon.
I’m not advocating fasting, but it’s worth noting that in ancient Rome, students would fast for two days before they could understand what their master was saying. By the third day, they began to grasp the teachings more deeply and feel a different connection.
If the inertia of this world has gotten such a strong hold on you that you can’t stop or understand how you position yourself, try fasting for two days. Your automatic self-positioning will also shift. You’ll realize how much of your life is spent eating and breathing without noticing.
Experiment with your breath. Experiment with food. But this doesn’t mean you should fast for two days every week! The point of these experiments is to use physical discomfort and mental shifts to separate yourself from the idea of who you think you are. To distinguish who you truly are from the identity you’ve created for yourself. This is the key. This is how we can use practices to overcome our inertia.
There are many ways to experiment. For example, you could try not speaking. Stay silent. You can eat, you can breathe, but try not to talk at all. For two or three days, don’t communicate with others, don’t express yourself with gestures or words, and don’t check your phone.
This simple act will create a divide between who you truly are and the ideas you and others have about yourself.
It’s essential to assess your own resources and capabilities correctly. For instance, you might think, "I’ll just stop talking to everyone." But if you have to go to work or take care of children, you won’t have the proper foundation to enter the practice. People around you won’t understand what’s happening.
You need to understand exactly what you’re doing. Don’t put yourself in situations where you’re practicing and expressing yourself inadequately. You don’t need to come off as odd or disconnected from reality. The key is to approach everything harmoniously and properly.
Choose a time, take a break from work, explain the practice to your family, prepare your space, make sure someone is watching out for you to ensure nothing goes wrong, set a timer, and dive into the practice.
That’s the correct path. You’ve prepared for the practice, you’ve engaged in it, and the experience has transformed you. You come out different, with a better understanding of how to break away from your habits, and your inertia is conquered.
Peace and love🙏💖
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