Recently at college I have been learning about existentialism. It is both fascinating and challenging in equal measures. What sits at its heart is that as humans, we are all confronted with the same unavoidable realities of our existence, namely impermanence and a sense of incompleteness. Existential psychiatrist Irvin Yalom coined this reality the 4 existential ‘givens’: death, freedom, isolation, and meaninglessness.
A cheery opening to this festive season’s newsletter I know!
It is a completely natural part of being a modern human to have periods of existential crisis, often triggered by major life events like a transition or loss, where we intensely question life's meaning, purpose, and value. But although this can lead to feelings of anxiety, despair, and a sense that life is pointless, it can also be an opportunity for greater self-awareness and a move towards living a more authentic life.
What tools do we need to keep sane and healthy with such looming truths surrounding us constantly?
The German philosopher, Martin Heidegger, proposed two modes of existence: the everyday mode where we are absorbed in how things are and the ontological mode where we marvel that things are. In the everyday mode there are many ingenious ways in which we human beings seek to distract ourselves from the big existential considerations. For instance, by letting ourselves get absorbed in the world of things, or by consuming ourselves with other people, various substances, food, work -anything to obliterate facing our most basic fears.
In contrast, when in the ontological mode, we are invited to grapple with our fundamental humanity, to explore the meaning of it all and to design a life full of engagement, connectivity, meaning and self-fulfilment, a life for the ‘you that is asking these big questions’.
As always, for me everything leads back to Tea. What is it here to offer in the way of the bridge between these 2 modes of existence, the doing and the being, the everyday and the magical?
There is so much research around how our experiences affect our nervous system, how nutrition impacts our mood and mental health and how gentle movement can release emotions stored in the body. The Chinese have long understood the power of high quality whole-leaf Tea as a tonic medicine, providing the ideal nutrients to fortify us and keep us healthy, mentally and physically, for the long hours spent living, working, cooking, nurturing and solving things.
But the body is very wise. As Victoria Penfold beautifully wrote “it holds the imprints of our past, the signals of our present and the seeds of our future and the knowledge of our ancestors”.
The psyche and thus our experience of living cannot thrive without connecting to this deeper somatic wisdom, where truths can be unearthed when considering life’s big questions. This deeper ontological mode of existence asks us to fuel ourselves with love and care, to slow everything down so we can really hear and acknowledge our needs, our desires and our fears.
As I mentioned in last month’s newsletter, the Tea’s impact on our brain chemistry feeds our right ‘being' brain and activates our alpha brain wave meditative state. This in turn deepens how we experience any of the mind-body practices that allow us to touch this ontological mode of existence, creating the perfect inner conditions for clarity, resilience and hearing the soul’s calling and over time, steering us towards the life for the ‘you that is asking the big questions’.
Wishing you a wonderful festive season, a time for family, laughter and belonging, but also stillness and reflection. For as the winter draws inwards, so too do we. We look forward to talking to you again in January.
Anne x