Nina Ruge - the invincible summer within us

Everything will be fine. Many people are touched by these words. Some find them silly, some find them stupid. But what fascinates me to this day is that these three simple words brought forth so many emotions.

Everything will be fine - this is a code, a formula in which hope is encrypted, a longing perhaps, or even a deep conviction. Something is stirred within us, but what exactly is it? Of course, a code needs to be deciphered, and for that I stole from Albert Camus and used his brilliant image for the title of my book: "In the midst of winter, I discovered that there was an invincible summer within me." My God - how true. Goosebumps all over. When we reflect on what Camus ignites within us, we feel: Yes, yes! There is something to it, there is a great power 'residing' within me. Just thinking about it feels infinitely good. But how do I make contact with it, how do I tap into this warm source, which I don't even know how to name? That's exactly the point. Why is it so difficult for us to talk about what we deeply long for? Why is it risky for me, the journalist, to write about the "invincible summer within us"? Quite simply. We are delving into a realm of our consciousness that cannot be captured by words. Our minds surrender. Different story. We haven't learned how to consciously connect with what 'resides' within us. Apart from deeply religious people, of course. They manage to do that. However, the question for everyone else is: How do I bring deep peace, serene serenity, the feeling of connection to life (the invincible summer...) into my 21st-century daily life? Into a world that is changing faster, where everything is more uncertain, some things more dangerous, many things more radical? The answer is complex, and it must be different for everyone. However, one thing applies to all of us: Practice, practice, practice - regularly and for a long time. The training goal is to use and appreciate the mind - but not to leave it in sole control. This means, I practice restraining all unnecessary thought fragments, the 'inner babble', and opening up to the capacity for happiness. We should not underestimate the 'inner babble' and its secret power over us. Mathew Killingsworth of Harvard University demonstrated that we are mentally absent half of the time we spend awake. And the fatal thing: Such 'mind-wandering' leads to unhappiness - and it's lasting. What helps? How do we shift from absent-mindedness to a state of mental presence? Of course - there's yoga and meditation - both great methods. But do they really have the power to carry us somewhat calmly through our jam-packed days? At least for me, they didn't. So I started looking for many small training moments instead of sitting on my meditation cushion in the morning and evening. Initially, the goal is to chase away the annoying thought mosquitoes to consciously approach what warmth and peace reside within us. However, there is no one-size-fits-all training program for everyone. Everyone needs their own toolbox. Practice suggestion number one: Start with the experience of how strongly mental absence clouds our perception. Take a walk to a favorite spot in nature and bring a close person along. My 'favorite spot' is a small footpath right along the banks of the Isar River. So go together and describe to each other what you see, feel, hear, think. Then walk the path again, with the same person - and stay silent. Stay silent internally as well. Try to shut off all the words swirling through your mind. Don't label anything, neither tree, dog, nor tick. Just perceive, consciously, with all your senses - without words. This takes practice - but it works for seconds or minutes right from the start. In the end, describe to each other what you felt. Was one experience more intense than the other? The silent walk is very likely to have been significantly more intense. The colors were deeper, the sounds more delicate, you suddenly noticed fine scents, and most importantly: you felt a deep, fulfilling liveliness. This is the experience. Discovering the happiness factor "life" within oneself and making it a permanent companion in daily life, landing fully in the present moment, in mindful presence. There are hundreds of opportunities scattered throughout the day for such "presence moments". For example, waiting: for the elevator, at the red light, at the supermarket checkout. Don't get annoyed, but consciously pause and breathe! Breathe deeply - and when exhaling, first think - and then feel: "I am." Sounds strange? Try it! Perhaps you will feel a touch of deep peace. Or ask yourself which song has always deeply moved you. Make it your stepping stone into the present by consciously and "thought-free" inhaling it repeatedly. I even train while brushing my teeth! Don't laugh - try it! Look into your own eyes in the mirror. Those two minutes will feel really long. Don't think! Just look. What do you feel? Or for two minutes, dream yourself to a place you love. Don't think. Just let images pass by. Don't rush! Immerse yourself intensively in that place. What happens? Don't worry, exercises like these are not as flat as they may seem. Especially not when you have developed them for yourself. Mini mindfulness training sessions scattered throughout the day are like fertilizer for the soul. Eventually, the inner summer within us will begin to accompany us day and night. And the most beautiful part: Eventually, we will feel that it is invincible. For more about our Top100 speaker Nina Ruge, visit here: www.nina-ruge.com