Pursuing Each Other: How Langerian Mindfulness Can Be Employed to Approach the Psychology of Levelling
摘要
The mere presence of connections is not sufficient to make one feel valued, supported, loved, and seen. In fact, the presence of others can even be a nuisance at times, depriving one of peaceful solitude without providing any sense of belonging and love. This can be the case when we engage in connections mindlessly; that is, when individuals come together with fixed presuppositions and expectations revolving only around themselves, they fail to consider the depth of emotions of the other party, leading to conflict and resentment. This induces a “polarized mind” in which we separate from one another and become “the other” rather than uniting to understand each other to induce safety and care. With a false polarization towards one’s own perspective and fixation on the self, we draw a non-dissolvable line between ourselves and others, depriving us of a deep and meaningful connection where we can overlap vulnerably to see and be seen. Becoming mindful about our connections can be the beginning of producing heartwarming relationships where we feel considered above everything else. With the origins of mindfulness in Buddhism suggesting separation from the self, and adapting that to pursue Langerian mindfulness, where we welcome novelty and creativity, we can begin to take agency in our connections to see more than just what our biases tell us. When we begin to look through a mindful lens, we can start walking towards what can be known as the psychology of levelling. With levelling, we begin to see the depth of others in our interactions as well. But this being seen is not merely about noticing, but rather appreciating what has brought the individuals around us to the moment that they are in. We shift from an automatic responding system to a proactive and deliberate engagement where we consider contextual factors and the circumstances of others. Hence, through levelling we can begin to have empathy for our angered companions, endeavouring to level with them and step into their hearts to ask “what has brought this person to an angry state.” We consider the entire path towards how someone comes to interact in a moment, rather than making conclusions based on situational circumstances to judge and isolate them. Levelling separates oneself from a false sense of entitlement towards the actions of others, challenging each person to see beyond their own expectations and self-perspective. This evokes deep consideration for the feelings of others, where individuals can be seen with more grace as heartful humans who are also able to be part of a loving connection. The psychology of levelling can be the key to finding peace in our connections with others, seeing them through an empathetic lens where they, too, are loving at heart. Through seeing others and having grace for them, a deeper and more vulnerable connection can be created, where, in turn, we end up being more seen and connected as well.