T h u s n e s s

~ as it is

~ readings

~ Resistance

What to do when there's tension

an effortless exploration

~ The premise

Resistance is a quiet no to what's already here. What if the no were simply noticed, as part of what's here, or alongside everything else that's here?

What if we get curious about resistance?

~ Five tools
01Include it
~ Language

What happens if the tension is met, just as it is? Where in the body might it be living right now? What if nothing needed to change? Could it be part of what's already here?

~ Why it works

Resistance is pushing away. You quietly remove the push.

02Widen
~ Language

Where might attention be resting? Does it stay with the tension? Or could sounds, sensations, the visual field also be included? What happens if attention relaxes its grip?

~ Why it works

Breaks narrow fixation. The tension stops being the whole world.

03Soften
~ Language

Is there anything here that's already okay? Not fixing the difficulty. Just wondering what doesn't fight back. The breath still moving. The chair holding. What if the grip loosened by noticing what's already not a problem?

~ Why it works

Replaces force with openness. The grip loosens on its own.

04Notice what's noticing
~ Language

The tension is noticed. What if attention traced back to its source, to what's looking? What qualities are there? Could there be a resting as that? Could the awareness and the tension be noticed together?

~ Why it works

Awareness and tension can be noticed together. The one resisting and the resistance arrive in the same field.

05Both
~ Language

What if the resistance stayed where it is? Is there quiet here too? Not trading one for the other. Could both be here? What deepens on its own?

~ Why it works

The mind often tries to replace tension with peace. This lets both be noticed together. The conflict softens because nothing has to win.