The High Handbook: Rule #3 — Be With The Bear

I do love a good distraction. We all love a good distraction: Facebook, Candy Crush, Netflix, essentially anything on our phones. You know when we really dig a distraction? When we’re high. That’s when the bear in me comes out. I do suppose that getting high is a good high distraction, too, but I’ve yet to experiment with its potential. Anyways, we do anything to get our minds off an undesirable state, high blood sugar. It’s time to explore an alternative route, outside the mind-numbing process. What if we turned toward our own high experience?

That turning towards process is our Rule #3:

Experience and accept how the high blood sugar feels

Why would we want to do this? I know, it sounds a little preposterous. To bear witness to the sluggishness, blurry vision, and nausea is no easy task.

Where’s the reasoning behind doing this? Here’s my best rational: if we stay mindful of our experience while high and not actively avoid the feelings, we can be more present during whatever it is we’re doing. We can recognize how we feel and… still enjoy a sunset… still ace a test… still give a great hug… still dominate a presentation. The key is awareness.

By accepting that which we occupy, albeit an unpleasant place, we can find ways to make the most of any moment, instead of pushing against the feelings of being high. When I actually pull this off, the effects fade faster and I find that I get back in the moment just a little quicker. I’ll take that.

For reflective reading, check out Rule 1 and Rule 2 in the High Handbook.

==Are you high? This is where Ryan turns, right to John Kabat-Zinn. Read it anywhere, anytime.==