Menuchas Hanefesh / Mindfulness Part 2

     We have thus far learned about menuchas hanefesh and mindfulness. I will attempt to relate them more clearly to each other. There is a potential problem, that when one achieves mindfulness, it can feel very disconcerting. Mindfulness is after all self-awareness, and sometimes we don't like what we become aware of. We find a degree of self-centeredness that we thought was reserved for only the most selfish people. Laziness is almost a constant problem. Patience. We get frazzled and excited over trivialities. It doesn't make one feel good when they realize that they are in fact not what they imagined themselves to be. How do we at once keep mindful and keep our chin up ? Here is where menuchas hanefesh comes in.

     Menuchas hanefesh is commonly understood to mean emotional calm or equanimity . However, at its' core, it implies clarity of mind. When ones' mind is clear and focused, he is calm.The Cheshbon Hanefesh explains that there are three parts to a person; nefesh hamaskeles, nefesh habahamis, and ayvarim. The nefesh hamaskeles refers to the mind, the nefesh habahamis alludes to the nervous system, and the ayvarim are the body. The nervous system, he explains, is the conduit between the mind and the body. The mind has thoughts and desires and sends the nefesh habahamis on a mission to the body, to get the job done. When the mind is clear and unfettered, everything else runs smoothly. If the mind is messy and undisciplined, our systems become chaotic.

      The mind is the control center for all our thoughts and actions. The way we are meant to function is with our minds leading. That is why the head is on the top of the body. Menuchas hanefesh requires that ones' mind be in charge of himself.  There is no truly good reason to lose our calm. We must accustom ourselves to controlling our minds, and everything else will follow. We won't be bothered by our failures; we'll simply figure out the appropriate way of dealing with them. Our personal inconsistencies should not be cause for panic. On the contrary, when we are mindful and gain clarity as to the disparity between where we are and where we want to be, we will be in the position to deal with this disparity. We should become mind people. This is not to say that the mind is inherently more important than our emotions; rather, this is the natural way we are supposed to function. Our emotions function better when they are controlled by the mind. When we function naturally, we can feel happy and at home with ourselves.  

     Menuchas hanefesh allows a person to be calm when he meets his failures. Not just in business or in other matters. It affords one the ability to be objective, and see himself truly as he is, without whitewashing. Menuchas hanefesh is the safety net that keeps us safe when we fall. Life is like a really long job training experience. Nobody has any expectations that the trainees will not need to be trained; that's why they are there.