Self-Soothing in Meditation

  The "self-soothing" system is an idea that has been introduced to me in Paul Gilbert and Chodron's book, Mindful Compassion. The authors describe self-soothing as the part of one's body and mind that is associated with contentment, and which is often linked to the parasympathetic nervous system. Being content with what is: now why would that have ever been an evolutionary advantage for humans? In contrast with the drives toward fulfilment of hunger, status, etc. it would seem that the feeling of contentment would run counter to the drive for survival. However, self-soothing is important because without it, there wouldn't be any foundation for a social life or world. Instead of cherishing what they have in terms of their relationships and things, people would continue to strive for more things, which would certainly upset the ecological and social balance of life. For this reason, being content with what is or with what one has seems like an underrated but necessary element of human survival.

   How does "self-soothing" relate to meditation? The idea is that, by grounding one's experiences in the fundamental processes of the body--the abdomen and breath, for instance--one is tuning into aspects of their being that are not rooted in planning, strategizing or striving. Quite simply, these are the fundamental parts of our being that exist independently of thinking, planning and striving. They are not subject to gain or loss; they simply function to serve the body's survival. By tuning into these processes, people can turn to a more clear-minded, nonjudgmental acceptance of the world that is not subject to the ups and downs of trying to acquire or achieve things or, conversely, try to avoid unwanted things. 

    This idea reminds me that at the end of the day, humans are creatures--they are created and embodied. The body is a miracle, but I so rarely turn to it and see it for its amazing capabilities. Even the process of breathing is very complex and requires that many vital functions are in order, and yet none of these functions really requires my conscious effort, assistance or guidance. Many processes, in fact, work in this way, without the brain having to tell it to do so. For this reason, I have to only marvel at it and observe it gratefully when I am meditating.