Urge (n.)
Etymology: Derived from the Latin urgēre, meaning "to press, push, or drive." Over time, the word evolved to describe a compelling force—both internal and external—driving one toward action. An urge is a manifestation of pressure, whether physical or metaphorical, to move, act, or respond.
What gives rise to our urges? I have practice meditation for many years now. One person I've been inspired by is Wim Hoff. This is a question that surfaced during my morning meditation as I attempted to hold my breath. Regular practice means I am able to hold my breath for one and a half minutes fairly consistently. But on this particular day, I struggled to stay in the present moment — something took me away from stillness.
As I sat, I asked myself, what is the brew that stirs these internal forces? I could feel the tension, a mild sense of panic creeping in, as my thoughts wandered away from the present. When will the bell chime? How much longer? These questions seemed to usher in a growing urge to release my breath, to escape the quiet discomfort of not knowing. It felt as though, by not remaining present, I had somehow given permission for this urge to emerge.
The Brew of Urges: What Gives Rise to Them?
In that moment, I was curious about the source of this internal pressure. Why does an urge arise when I allow my mind to wander? A simple answer: fear — or perhaps better said, and less dramatic, anxiety about what’s next. When my mind drifts to thoughts of the past or future, it seems to summon an urge, like a call to action to resolve something that may never happen.
I notice that the urge wasn’t present when I stayed still. When I focused on just being, the pressure dissolves. There was no need to release, to breathe, to escape. But as soon as my attention wavered, the urge pressed itself upon me, demanding attention. It was as though a minor panic arose, not from the body’s need to breathe, but from the mind’s inability to stay in the now.
The Role of Presence: What Happens When We Stay Still?
What I’ve found through my practice is that urges often feel like a reaction to something unresolved. But when I remain grounded in the present moment — when my mind isn’t busy thinking of what happened before or what’s to come — the urge doesn’t manifest. It simply doesn’t appear.
There’s an alchemy in this, I believe. When my mind stays present, it transforms the urge into stillness. But when it wanders, the urge takes shape, almost as if the wandering mind is the crucible in which urges are born.
Alchemy of Thought and Feeling: A Revelation
As I sat with this insight, another realization surfaced. I’ve always considered thoughts and feelings to be distinct from one another — two separate experiences. But in this stillness, I realized they are, in fact, different states of the same thing. Thoughts, when boiled down, are feelings in disguise, transformed by the mind into something seemingly rational, when in fact, they are just another way for the body to express its internal state.
What alchemy I have awoken to! This understanding shifted the way I see my own mind. Feelings and thoughts are not separate entities; they are interconnected, constantly feeding into one another, creating the complex experience of consciousness.
The Cold Shower Epiphany: Another Encounter with Urges
After the meditation, I took a cold shower. Still immersed in this state of reflection, I noticed something peculiar. As the cold water hit my body, I subconsciously held my breath. It was as if my mind, preoccupied with these newfound contemplations, created another urge to resist the discomfort.
But then I realized: my body was tense, holding onto something. So, I let go. I relaxed, leaned against the shower wall, and let the cold rain down on me. There, in that moment of release, I felt the same relief I’d experienced in meditation. The urge was gone. What I had resisted was nothing more than my mind’s attempt to hold onto control, to find some anchor in uncertainty.
Discernment of Urges: Serving or Sabotaging?
This experience led me to a deeper question: Which urges serve me, and which do not? Meditation, perhaps, allows me peaceful space to discern the differences. Some urges are there to guide me, to push me toward growth and self-care. Others arise out of fear, anxiety, or an unwillingness to remain present.
And so, I invite you to reflect: What urges have you noticed in your own life? Are they urging you toward something that will serve you and those you love, or are they pulling you away from the present moment, fuelled by worry or distraction?
Returning to Stillness
It is not easy to simply be. There is a constant pull toward action, a pressure to respond, to do, to think, to resolve. But in the stillness of meditation, we can learn to recognize these urges for what they are — manifestations of our wandering mind. And perhaps, by staying present, we can allow those urges to dissolve, leaving only the quiet truth of being.
The next time an urge arises, pause, and ask: Where does this come from? What does it serve? And in that moment, you may discover a space between the urge and the action — a space where true presence resides.
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