Mindfulness and relaxation are a skill. One that comes easily and naturally to some cultures like the Finns and the Germans, but much harder to others. Living, studying, and working in America means that wellbeing often takes a backseat. We compete with each other over who slept the least amount of hours, laugh about being on our fourth cup of coffee, and see incessant work as noble and admirable.
It is unbelievable to me still that in Germany stress is a pathology serious enough to warrant a prescribed beach and sauna stay. Meanwhile stress in America feels like the default. It is something you accept and don't do much about. Therefore, many of us simply don't know how to relax.
I found myself relating to the author of the NYT article during my sauna experience and my overall stay in Norderney. I heard of the therapeutic effects of the island, took notes on the tradition of the sauna, and prepared myself for the ultimate German relaxation practice. Although I enjoyed the experience thoroughly I never quite felt relaxed. Just as the author didn't feel quite happy despite doing all the "right" things while under the tutelage of the Finnish locals. Lying in the warmth of the salt pools I realized that I could not recall a recent time where I could be somewhere where nothing was expected of me for an indefinite amount of time. My mind often wandered back to all the work I still needed to get done, which in turn made me stress about not relaxing and making the most out of the experience. I was surprised that within the Badehaus there was an absence of clocks and no easy way to tell time for the most part. Germans who visit the sauna don't come bearing the responsibilities of the future in mind, they come in order to enjoy the present.
I concluded that to fully enjoy the benefits of the sauna and thalasso one must also employ the correct state of mind, which depending on the kind of environment you're accustomed to can be quite tricky to achieve. Happiness and relaxation are not clear destinations, and as such we can’t arrive at them solely through following a procedure and checking off items in a list. I've spent my college years under constant stress and moving from one thing to the next as quickly as possible, so mindful pause feels unfamiliar.
That being said, this experience in conjunction with a different cultural perspective raised my self awareness regarding the lack of mindfulness in my everyday life, and made me realize that maybe stress doesn’t have to be the default. Maybe that’s the first step in honing that skill within myself.
Howdy Michelle! I really like that you brought up the cultural differences associated with work vs. relaxation. I can definitely relate to constantly thinking about work even while actively trying to relax. I completely agree that relaxation and mindfulness are skills that take time to achieve. Culture really shapes how those things are perceived.
ReplyDeleteHi Michelle! I did not notice that: there were absolutely no clocks in the Badehaus! You hit straight to the point by outlining that happiness and relaxation are not clear goals and cannot be achieved through a mechanism of checklists or steps. I hope you can feel some peace for all you have accomplished in college and recognize that even the checklists of getting through college, med school, residency, fellowships, etc. that the stress will never really end. It is important to practice having that mindset of being joyful in the process!
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