Often a way through stress or overwhelm is to breathe deeply and try to see the big picture—to put the situation in perspective so that it shrinks in proportion to the situation that troubles us. Another way is to pay close attention to the exquisite detail that surrounds us. From the lines on our palm to a turning leaf to a piece of real lace, details can draw our attention away from our suffering and into an objective experience of appreciation. That’s why it’s good to surround ourselves with objects of beauty, so that, when our attention rests on something, it lifts our spirits. Details don’t just have to be visual. There are many taste receptors in our mouth, but we rarely pay attention to the intricacies of taste, unless we’re attending a formal tasting. As you eat, see if you can notice the complexities of taste: salty, sweet, bitter, sour, to name just four of the obvious ones. Smell is more subtle, and evokes memories and thus emotions. Touch takes even more attention. We hardly ever pay attention to the feel of a fabric or a crystal. Try it, as an exercise. You can even pay attention to the detail of your thoughts. More often than not, stress occurs because our thoughts are playing havoc with our peace-loving hearts. Calm the turmoil by sorting out each thought and looking at each one in detail. It helps to write it down and really study it. What you thought were huge waves of stress may turn out to be three simple things that need attending to. In the past, artisans and craftsmen used to take great care with the detail of their work. Nowadays, the effort to find something fast, cheap, and durable seems more important. Slow down and be appreciative. Notice the detail in architecture, in nature, in someone’s face and hands. Paying attention to the details can be tremendously interesting and enormously soothing.
