Contrary to the impulse to eliminate stress, the Zen approach is to learn to permit its presence. By creating space for uncomfortable sensations and including them in your awareness without resistance, you paradoxically reduce their power and de-stress yourself.
Stress is not just an abstract mental state; it often manifests physically. Research suggests the vast majority of people feel it in their chest as tightness, heat, weight, or a sense of activation. Identifying this specific sensation is the first step to managing it effectively.
Instead of fighting a stressful feeling in your chest, a Zen technique is to focus on the area around it. By imagining the skin of your rib cage becoming soft and warm, you create a metaphorical 'container' that can hold and allow the stressful energy within, rather than confronting it head-on.