Zen and Haunted Houses

I went to a haunted corn maze this weekend. Part of my reason for wanting to go (besides nostalgia for Ashland Berry Farm in my native Virginia) was because I recently heard a clip of some interview on NPR about why we like scary things. The person being interviewed said he suspected it had to do with how the adrenaline rush from fear brings us into the present moment. In all of my yoga and Alexander work lately, I'm constantly striving to be in the present moment. When I read online that Leaders Farms in Napoleon had a haunted corn maze "not suitable for those with heart conditions," I thought, "This is perfect." What actually happened for me was not the zen stillness I am sometimes lucky to achieve when I'm on a yoga mat (big surprise). My body and my mind tensed up the whole time, only releasing long enough to let out screams when some chainsaw man or bloody butcher jumped out at me. To be totally honest, there were moments I enjoyed--I liked the challenge to remain unaffected and try to make the actors feel like they couldn't do their job (although I never really succeeded). I also liked the camaraderie I felt with my group of friends. And the adrenaline rush of unexpected startling things around every corner was admittedly exhilarating. But when we finally emerged, I took a deep breath and realized how awful the whole experience had been for my body. I had literally not been breathing in all the way because my muscles were so tense they couldn't let any oxygen in. It felt really good to release all that I had been holding, but ideally I wouldn't have had anything to release in the first place. So when I did my yoga this morning, I tried to get in that place of release after the haunted house. Because while I may not be encountering literal demons and witches in my everyday life, the tension in my shoulders is evidence that there are things that make me want to hold my breath and compress my body in defense. What am I so afraid is going to get me? Maybe that's the allure of haunted houses--somehow seeing our demons in literal form and laughing off our fear because it's just Halloween entertainment maybe makes them easier to identify and get a handle on. I like having a memory of release that I can revisit and laugh at myself. Like, really? Am I worried a zombie is going to jump out at me? Let go of that tension, it's just silly.