06.03.10
The Mudra of All Mudras
I’ve always wondered why doctors and dentists offices play bland, soft-rock puke-inducing music. I am already in a state of unrest when I arrive, knowing what kinds of procedures these professionals do. It is like telling everyone, “Put on a happy face.” It only works for half the people. The other half will become even more anxious.
I’m not even making this stuff up, the research was done in Julie K. Norem’s fabulous book, “The Positive Power of Negative Thinking.”
I thought of a better way when I got my stitches out one day at the doctor’s office. Why not play Motley Crue, some Jackal or G’n'R? I want to meet the task at hand with music that will match it. I’m already not in a calm mood, so playing calm music will make me panic even more.
Craig Valentine advises a similar strategy for speakers: don’t automatically ask people to jump up out of their seats with, “Are you ready to rumble?”-style cheerleading. Some people are tired. Some people don’t want to be there. Some people will never be cheerleaders. You have to start from their energy and then they will go with you anywhere.
Back to the doctor’s office. There was no music playing so I had to improvise. I held the mudra (hand gesture—no not that one) that we learned in yoga class. Touching 4th finger and crossing the first finger over the second. This helped me to breathe more deeply.
I recalled the scene from Platoon where the soldier was wounded and anxious and his commanding officer said, “TAKE the pain!” And eventually the soldier accepted the pain rather than ignore it and suffer reactively.
So I was ready for the procedure. I thought, “Bring it on, mudras!” I was in no happy mood, but I was prepared. They would be doing an injurious thing to me, so I had to meet them and the situation with the same fierceness.
I realized that was why my other appointments were such a disaster. Nausea, passing out, crying, thrashing around. And that was just the doctor. When I expected to hurt, I got scared, and I could only react, not act. I was cowering to the situation and the task at hand.
But when I matched the situation with the attitude it required (toughness) I was O.K. I didn’t even cry. And neither did the nurse.
What situations are you NOT matching? Are you keeping your usual style and suffering? Show the mudras what you’re made of! Now!
