Beside Ourselves

In Edgar Allen Poe’s short story, “A Descent into the Maelstrom,” a man recounts how he survived a shipwreck and the ensuing maelstrom - the powerful whirlpool that forms when opposite ocean currents collide to create a turbulent, chaotic vortex.

Observing his fellow sailors and the objects around him being dragged down by the tremendous force of the maelstrom, he held onto a barrel that kept him safe until it subsided.

It strikes me that in the maelstrom we are living through, we need a similar anchor to hold us steady. Fortunately, we have one.

Yoga develops within us a critical capacity: witnessing awareness. Our practices strengthen our innately human self-reflective ability to be both in and beside ourselves simultaneously.

This doesn’t mean ignoring the storms raging around and perhaps within us. Rather, we practice stepping back from our thoughts to take a more spacious vantage point - an expansive awareness that includes, yet transcends, our minds.

Like Poe’s narrator clinging to his barrel, this witnessing consciousness anchors us in our innate strength and equanimity - the resolute, unchanging core of awareness that steadies us through chaos and turbulence.

All meditation techniques serve as gateways into this observing, watchful awareness: the abiding inner presence that holds the fullness of our lived experience – both internal and external – without being limited by it.

When we shift into witnessing awareness, remarkable physiological changes occur. Our nervous system moves from the stress response toward the relaxation response. Cortisol levels decline as we shift into a relaxed yet alert mental state.

The word witness, has at its root, wit – meaning knowledge or perception. Research shows that regular practice of meditation techniques that cultivate witnessing awareness changes our brain structure and function.

The amygdala—our brain's alarm system—becomes less reactive, while the prefrontal cortex, responsible for higher cognitive functions like perspective and decision-making, becomes more engaged. This neurological shift helps explain why witnessing awareness allows us to respond thoughtfully rather than react impulsively to stressful situations.

By cultivating our inner witness, we perceive with healthy detachment what’s happening without getting pulled in. We do this not to ignore or deny what’s happening, but to awaken deeper knowing and insight that frees us to engage without getting drained, exhausted, or overwhelmed.

Standing beside ourselves, anchored in loving inner presence, we become our own allies, able to withstand the current maelstrom without getting dragged under. This is essential for navigating turbulent times with our humanity intact. The storms of life come and go, but by standing both in and beside ourselves, we discover yoga's most powerful truth: we are not merely at the mercy of the tides—we are the vast ocean that contains them.

A Simple Practice to Find Your Inner Witness

Try this short practice whenever you feel yourself getting pulled into the maelstrom:

1. Pause and Breathe: Take three relaxed, conscious breaths, focusing on your exhale.
2. Feel Your Body: Notice your feet on the floor, how your body feels, and any sensations of contact and support.
3. Name What's Happening: Simply note, "My chest feels tight," "My thoughts are racing" or whatever you observe.
4. Shift Perspective: Imagine stepping back to see yourself and your current situation as if you were watching a television show. Instead of thinking "I am anxious," try, "I notice anxiety is present.”
5. Widen Your Awareness: Become aware of your surroundings - the space, sounds, and larger environment around you.
6. Just watch: For 30 seconds, observe your thoughts and feelings without trying to change them.