How do I get rid of my stress?

What Gurudev says

You know the feeling: a full day, too little time, and by evening you're running on empty — not just tired in the body, but worn out inside. Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar starts from a surprising place here: not your schedule, but what you already are.

That you are peace—not when you become stress-free, but because you are stress-free. When you drop these superimpositions, when you relax.

From a talk on the Ashtavakra Gita — "You Are Free Right Now", 00:37:48

It gets very practical when Gurudev describes what stress is actually made of — and why the usual response, just pushing to get more done, rarely works.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Do you know what stress is? Too much to do, too little time, and no energy, that is called stress. So, either you increase your energy, or reduce your work load. You obviously can’t reduce your work load, or increase the time, but you can increase your energy levels. If your energy level is higher, then you can do the job easily.

From the official Art of Living website — "Always Tired At Work?" (Apr 15 2013)

What that can look like day to day, Gurudev makes very concrete elsewhere — with three simple steps.

So you need to have that faith in yourself, that you can overcome any stressful situation that you find yourself in right now. So looking back at your own experience, at your own life, you can draw the power to handle the present situation. Second thing is do some breathing exercises. Do little bit of meditation, and know for sure it is going to change. The third thing I would say, just take a good walk and watch nature.

From the official Art of Living website — "Might Does Not Make Right" (Feb 9 2014)

Put together, that's a path that starts with you: remember the trust that has already carried you through before, give your breath and mind a few quiet minutes — and step outside.

What you can do

1. Recognize that stress isn't a character flaw. It happens simply when there's too much to do and not enough energy — not because something is wrong with you.
2. Sort honestly: workload or energy? Usually you can't just cut your workload or add more hours — which leaves your own energy level as the lever you can actually move.
3. Remember your own track record. Look back at how often you've already made it through difficult situations. That experience is a source of strength for what you're facing now.
4. Give yourself a few minutes for breath and stillness. A few breathing exercises and a bit of meditation can bring a felt sense of change, Gurudev says.
5. Go outside and look at nature. For Gurudev, a good walk isn't a side note — it's its own step in handling stress.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Self in the spiritual sense? Gurudev insists that peace isn't a state you first have to reach — it's your innate nature, and it can't be taken from you. For him, the goal of practice isn't to become stress-free, but to recognize that underneath the surface agitation, you already are. That doesn't take becoming anything — just dropping false self-images and relaxing.

What is meditation, really? Gurudev draws a clear line between meditation and concentration: for him, meditation is a deep relaxation that all of us have already touched briefly, in unnoticed moments of real happiness. He describes it as a fourth state beyond waking, sleeping and dreaming — and as a higher form of prayer: in prayer you speak, in meditation you listen.

How can I become calmer inside? Gurudev warns that straining to get rid of your own agitation is itself another form of doing — and it only feeds the restlessness. He compares this to stirring up a pond with a stick and then complaining about the murky water. Even an excessive craving for calm can become its own restlessness — real peace, for him, rarely comes from outside; it usually comes from within.

How can I find calm despite a stressful job? Gurudev describes stress as too much to do with too little time and energy — and sees the solution less in cutting back work than in raising your own energy. He also names stress as the root of losing your composure, and recommends daily relaxation, even if it's only for a few minutes, because feelings are often stronger than good intentions.

Related questions

• How can I become more calm and composed?
• How do I find inner peace?
• How can I become calmer inside?
• What helps immediately against inner restlessness?
• How can I relax when I can't switch off?
• Stress & Inner Restlessness — overview

Sources

The quotes on this page come from:

• Ashtavakra Gita — "You Are Free Right Now" (AG 05), 00:37:48–00:37:55
• Official Art of Living website — "Always Tired At Work?" (Apr 15 2013)
• Official Art of Living website — "Might Does Not Make Right" (Feb 9 2014)