The Moth’s Mistake

I started meditating a couple of years ago now, in an attempt to channel my manic energy. With limited time in the morning. I purchased the Calm app . Every day, for ten minutes, a soothing voice guides you through breathing techniques and finishes with a story or something to be mindful of. It’s ten minutes where I am focussed on one thing and I absolutely love it.

Todays story title was ‘The Moth’s Mistake’ and had me thinking about why do moth’s go to the flame? Here’s the science - In a behavior called transverse orientation, some insects navigate by flying at a constant angle relative to a distant light source, such as the moon. But around man-made lights, such as a campfire or your porch light, the angle to the light source changes as a moth flies by. This confuses it. The light gives it comfort, but causes great discomfort (to the point where it frazzles itself to death) in the long run. It made me think about how I was my own worst enemy when it came to drink, knowing that my daily wine or beer fix was giving me some kind of comfort and a reward at the end of a hard day, but long term discomfort when it came to the lack of sleep, aching joints and fuzzy head the next morning. I think that everyone can be a bit more mindful when it comes to destructive habits, so next time you’re looking at the flame, consciously think about whether this is going to burn, and choose actions that will empower and serve your happiness and wellbeing.