Posts by Vishal
August 14, 2007 by Vishal |
Laughing is one of the most gifted qualities of human beings. Sadly, an adult human laughs only 10-15 times a day compared to a child who laughs up to 300 times. To enjoy the benefits that accompany this wonderful trait, one does not have to wait for hilarious moments. Simply faking a laugh for no reason can give you similar benefits as of a genuine laugh. That’s the reason why laughter clubs are so popular. Just try it. Laugh for no reason for 5 minutes and see the difference it makes to your psyche.
For those who insist to be serious, here are some benefits of laughter that should give you much needed boost:
- Reduces risk of heart disease. Research shows that laughing expands the inner walls of the arteries thereby increasing the blood flow. Furthermore, this positive effect lasted for 30-45 minutes.
- Checks blood pressure. When you laugh, the blood flow increases and the blood pressure rises. But when you stop laughing, blood pressure drops back to its baseline. This relaxing effect helps bring down blood pressure.
- Laughing boosts the immune system. Laughing increases the amount of immunoglobulins and T cells in the body, our body’s natural defense mechanism.
- Natural painkiller. Laughing helps people forget about pain. Studies show that children watching comedy films tolerate pain more easily. There are many more studies to validate the pain relieving effects of good laughter.
- Massages the abdominal organs. Belly laughing gives a good massage to the abdominal organs, like liver, kidney, pancreas, spleen and adrenal glands. As a result, blood flow is increased and their functioning is improved.
- Decreases stress. Laughing instantly reduces stress hormones levels and hence is one of the most effective ways to reduce effects of stress.
- Helps keep diabetes under control. A study showed that people who watched a funny video after meal had comparatively lesser blood sugar level than those who watched a serious film.
- Makes you look young. Laughing requires as many as 15 muscles to squeeze facial muscles in to a smile. This act increases the blood flow around the face making you look younger.
- Is an effective anti-depressant. Laughter keeps depression and anxiety at bay by boosting the production of serotonin, a natural anti-depressant. It’s no surprise that people with a good sense of humor rarely get depressed. And even if they do get, they get over it quickly.
- Acts like a cleansing and energizing breath. During stress, our breathing is shallow and there is a build up carbon dioxide and residual air in our lungs. Belly laughing forces the air out of lungs, until its empty, followed by a deep inhalation. Hence repeated laughing cleanses the body and energizes it with fresh oxygen.
- Gives good sleep. One of the main factors responsible for sleep problems is stress and anxiety. Having a good laugh prior to sleep reduces stress and anxiety, promoting deep, restful sleep.
- Families that laugh together, stay together. In most affluent families, each member have their own separate room and TV. Forget watching an entire movie, they hardly get time to sit together for a meal. As a result there is hardly any bonding between the members. On other hand, families that spend time together and have a laugh, gel together and have a greater degree of bonding.
- Laughter is contagious. It not only lifts our spirits but also of others around us. Humorous are always in demand. A single humorous person lifts the spirit of everyone around him/her. Blessed are those who have such friends.
“Laughter brings inner energy to the fore. When you really laugh, for those few moments, you are in a deep meditative state. Thinking stops. Laughter is the best medicine. If you can laugh when you are ill, you will get your health back sooner. If you cannot laugh, even if you are healthy, sonner or later you will lose your health and you will become ill.” - Osho
Isn’t that enough to start incorporating some serious laughter in your daily routine?
References:
Posted in Health
August 8, 2007 by Vishal |
Although sleeping pills can be helpful in short-term insomnia, using them for an extended period of time can do more harm than any good. Apart from getting addictive, they can also cause some serious side effects. There are many herbs with relaxing abilities, that can help you to drift off to sleep without need of strong medications thereby preventing the development of more chronic insomnia. SerenitePlus is a non habit forming herbal/homeopathic remedy for treating sleep problems. The ingredients in it are Avena sativa, Scuttelaria laterifolia, Passiflora incarnata, Coffea C30 and Nux Vomica C30; all of them renowned for their ability to relax, de-stress and facilitate better sleep.
However, that doesn’t mean it can be the end all solution to your sleep woes. Unless you treat the underlying cause of your sleep problems, the efficacy of any remedy can wear off after certain time. For some it may be stress whereas for others it may be the diet (too much caffeine, alcohol). A holistic approach involving correctly identifying and treating the exact cause of your insomnia along with herbal sleep aids like SerenitePlus can significantly improve the success rate of treating your sleep problems.
“I have had severe insomnia for over 10 years. I have been put on every sleeping pill available with very little success in helping me to sleep. I decided to purchase your Serenite Plus product. Within the first 3 nights I noticed that I was able to sleep. This product has truly been a blessing to me. I have 3 children and the stress from fatigue was affecting my whole body. It is wonderful to not be a walking zombie. I have starting taking other products from your company and I am pleased with those as well. I am telling others about your products, and again want to say thank you.”
- Donna, LA
More info on SerenitePlus
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Posted in Insomnia
August 6, 2007 by Vishal |
Bhagavad-Gita says that one’s mind should be free from desires before sitting to meditate. So true. Desires are one of the biggest hindrances to meditation. As long as you have desires, your mind cannot be at rest. Controlling such a mind becomes extremely difficult. On other hand, a mind free from desire comes to rest without much effort. Meditation comes almost naturally.
If you have lot of desires, your sleep is affected too. That’s the reason we are told to count our blessings and express gratitude before going to bed. When you count your blessings and express gratitude, you experience abundance. And when you experience abundance, there are no desires. Only then your mind is able to rest completely and you are able to experience deep sleep. When you have lots of desires before going to sleep, the mind never rests, busy planning on fulfulling those desires. As a result you’ll never experience deep, restful sleep. If this continues, health will be affected to a great extent.
Try it and you’ll appreciate the difference. Just before meditating or sleeping, recollect all things that you are grateful for in your life. Affirm the following with full sincerity - “I’m free of all desires, worries and anxieties. I’m content and at absolute peace with myself.” You’ll instantly feel a sense of relief and rest. It’s like unloading a huge weight off your shoulders.
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I have tried many natural products to try and help me to sleep. None of them has helped me like SerenitePlus.
- Kay F., Canada
Posted in Insomnia, Meditation
August 2, 2007 by Vishal |
One of the main reasons our ancestors enjoyed great health is because they followed an active life and had less worries and stress. Today’s generation is doing just the opposite. We are relying more on gadgets and supplements to improve our lifestyle than physical exercise. Our mind is busy but body is at rest - a sure-fire recipe to fast aging!
Age old systems like yoga, tai-chi primarily work on this principle - physical movements with complete awareness. In other words, an active body and an empty mind. Being aware of our body not only fills the body with energy and vitality, but it also relaxes the mind. That’s the reason why you feel good after a workout or a walk or any form of exercise.
However, without awareness, exercise is of no use. In fact it’ll do more harm than any good. You’ll drain yourself. It’s like running a car without engine oil. See it for yourself. Take a weight and see how many repetitions you can do while watching television (without awareness). Now switch off the television and give full attention (awareness) to your arms and movement while lifting the weights. See how many repetitions you can do. Definitely more than previous set right?
So if you really want an healthy body (and mind), stop thinking and start moving..
Posted in Health
December 27, 2006 by Vishal |
Stress doesn’t only have an affect on your emotional and mental wellbeing; it can also have serious affects on your physical health. Physical symptoms of stress do not usually manifest until one experiences a severe case of short term or long term stress. Depending on the type of stress a person suffers from, usually determines the symptoms they experience.
First well take a look at the short term physical symptoms that are commonly associated with severe cases of stress, followed by long term physical symptoms. Keep in mind that the signs and symptoms that will be discussed below may not be the only ones experienced, and that not everyone suffers from the same physical stress symptoms.
Physical symptoms related to short term stress
- Breathing rapidly
- Cold hands and feet
- Cool skin
- Diarrhea
- Dry mouth
- Fast heart beat
- Headaches
- Nausea or unsettled stomach – “butterflies in the stomach”
- Tension in muscles
- Sweating excessively
- Urge to urinate
The symptoms that occur during short term stress are how your body is responding to what it perceives as a physical threat, and is the result of adrenaline release. Although these symptoms are unpleasant, they are signs that your body is readying itself for high performance or survival.
Physical symptoms related to long term stress
- Body aches and pains including back pain
- Chest pain and irregular heartbeat
- Change in appetite
- Chronic fatigue
- Immune system suppression
- Hair loss
- High blood pressure
- Heart attack
- Increase or decrease in weight
- Insomnia
- Illnesses such as: Asthma, Arthritis, Cold virus (frequent cases), Digestive disorders (IE ulcers), Periodontal disease, Jaw pain
- Migraine
- Reproductive issues such as a missed menstruation cycle
- Sexual disorder
- Skin problems
These above symptoms are a sign of severe long term stress and are the result of your body being exposed to adrenaline for a prolonged period of time. As you probably are aware, adrenaline readies your body for action by redirecting resources to muscles from the parts of the body that perform body maintenance. Therefore, if your body is exposed to adrenaline for a continuous period, your physical health may begin to deteriorate.
Severe stress can lead to a number of health illnesses and conditions, as mentioned above. However, it can also make existing conditions even worse. If you have severe stress you shouldn’t ignore your condition or think it will go away on its own. You need to find relief by making lifestyle changes that allow you to relax and cope with the situations that are causing you stress. If natural forms of stress relief do not work, you need to seek the help and support of your health care provider before your condition becomes even more dangerous to your health and wellbeing.
In addition, don’t forget that severe cases of stress doesn’t only affect the sufferer, it can also affect their family, friends and co-workers. Take control of stress – don’t let stress control your life.
Have questions related to Stress? Post them on the Stress Management Forum.
Posted in Stress Management
December 25, 2006 by Vishal |
If you feel that stress is something that only adults face, then you need to think again. Stress is not something that is faced by only those who have a job or face the responsibilities of maintaining a certain livelihood. It can be experienced by anyone on whom situations create a higher demand on physical, emotional or intellectual resources than they can handle. So a child can face stress at the thought of meeting an uncle who troubles him or criticizes him or at the prospect of getting the report card since he feels that he will be rebuked for bad grades.
It is important to realize that kids can also face stressful situations and therefore get stressed out because only then will you be aware of the fact that you need to be on the look out for symptoms of stress. This becomes more important in cases where the child cannot communicate and explain that he is feeling stressful and why he is feeling so. The symptoms of stress in such a child manifest themselves in more physical ways and a child suffering from prolonged stress may get frequent bouts of influenza, stomachache, headache or nausea. Some children start bed wetting even after they have been trained and may become cling more to parents or cry more often. What you need to look out for is any symptom that is different from normal. For example, if your otherwise calm and composed child starts having bouts of anger or starts to become more melodramatic or if your active child becomes listless and develops introvert characteristics it is a cause of concern and should be looked into.
Don’t make the mistake of assuming that if your child is lagging behind in class or has changed his set of friends he is getting into drugs or other such situations. An investigation into the matter is needed before you can jump to conclusions.
There are many things that parents can do to help their kids manage stress in a better way. The first thing to do is to try and de-stress yourself. If you are facing troubled times at work, try and not bring the problem home to your family. Remain motivated and humorous and create a happy environment at home. This is especially important because children learn by example and if you bet stressed out, there are chances that they will emulate you whenever a challenging situation presents itself to them.
Secondly, ensure that they have a proper diet and do not indulge in too much junk food like sweets, soft drinks and refined foods. Healthy children who have the adequate amounts of nutrients that their body needs can combat stressful situation in a much better manner.
Try and remove all situations that can cause stress. Don’t give confusing signals to your child based on how your mood is on a particular day. If you scold your child for something on one day and allow the same behavior or laugh at it on another day because you are in the mood to indulge him, he will get confusing signals. Children do not understand that you are behaving in the manner that you do because of your mental situation and cannot process gray signals either. They live in a black and white world where there is either a wrong or a right. They cannot process ‘right in certain situation bit wrong at other times’ easily. To avoid contradictory signals make a set of rules and communicate them clearly to your child. These rules should not change each day and should be consistent and so it is essential that you give some thought to them before freezing them.
Help your child understand that everyone makes mistakes and making a mistake is not something to get stressed about. As long as it is appreciated that the child has made a mistake, it is okay. Avoid strict punishments that can cause distress and pain. To convince your child that this is in fact the case, try and be humble enough to accept your mistakes when you make them.
If you find that your child is stressed, try and ensure that he gets a fair amount of physical exercise in the form of games like punch balls, catch and provide him with option of cycling around the block. Avoid hours in front of the television or the computer since such activities provide no physical release.
Listen to your child and try and draw him out of a tense situation. Be encouraging while he talks and do not snub him when he wants to communicate. Don’t trivialize matters that he may want to discuss. Things that may appear simple to you may be gargantuan tasks for a little one. Also do not underestimate the power of a loving touch. Hug your child as often as you can and let him know in more ways than one that he is cared for and loved irrespective of anything. This can distress your child and make him feel secure that he shall be loved no matter what. Other than distressing, unconditional love can also make your child grow into a confident and independent person.
Last but not the least, you could also teach your older child some de-stressing exercises and techniques like breathing. Meditation is not suitable for children since it requires higher levels of mental control but most kids can learn yoga exercises and breathing exercises. A weekly oil bath is also an effective way to manage stress. Even adults can benefit greatly from it.
Posted in Stress Management
December 21, 2006 by Vishal |
Many people keep diaries or journals to record down the events they experienced during the day. However, did you know that keeping a journal can be very therapeutic for stress sufferers?
Writing in a journal as a method for managing stress isn’t the same as using a journal to keep a log of daily events. In order for a journal to be therapeutic, a person must write in detail about the emotions and cognitions they felt in relation to the events that caused them stress. Essentially, writing in a journal for stress relief is almost like opening up to a psychiatrist.
There are many benefits to writing in a journal. It can help you clear your thoughts and understand your feelings, allowing you to learn more about yourself. It also helps to solve problems, by allowing you to analyze and pick apart a problem, so it is easier for you to find a solution. Furthermore, by writing down details after suffering a traumatic event, it helps a person to process how the event truly affected them, so they can explore and release all the emotions that were felt.
When using writing as a therapy, during the process a person uses both hemispheres of their brain, which enables their experiences to become completely integrated into the mind. In addition, aside from relieving the negative side effects that accompany stress, writing as a form of therapy also promotes these health benefits:
- Reduces the symptoms of arthritis, asthma and many other health issues
- Fortifies the immune system, helping to prevent a number of illnesses
- Improves cognitive functioning
Not everyone can use writing as a form of stress relief. For some people, such as those with a learning disability or perfectionists, writing may actually cause more stress instead of taking it away. In the case of those with a learning issue, the act of writing would be difficult and frustrating. On the other hand, perfectionists would likely nitpick at their work, wanting to edit or re-work their writing until it is acceptable to them. Ensuring you write a grammatically correct entry into your journal is not what journaling is about, because it doesn’t allow you to access emotions.
Aside from perfectionists and those with a learning disability, writing as therapy is also a discouraging method for those who don’t want to relive their negative experiences, or who only record their negative thoughts and emotions without also including positive ideas on how to overcome their problem.
Nevertheless, writing has proven to be an excellent form of stress relief for many people. All you require is a pen and journal, or even a piece of paper and a quiet area where you can explore and write down your thoughts. This makes it one of the most inexpensive forms of therapy out there. Also, don’t forget that if you find writing too hard on your hand, you can use a computer for writing therapy.
If you haven’t yet considered writing to relieve stress, there is no time like the present. You’ll find that while you may not release the tension stress may cause your body, writing can release the tension in your mind by providing you with self-knowledge and allowing you the chance to heal emotionally.
Posted in Stress Management
December 18, 2006 by Vishal |
The holiday season should be a time for you to enjoy and relax while spending time with family and friends. Unfortunately, the holidays are often a very stressful time for many people, because they feel overwhelmed by the amount of things they want to get done such as decorating, baking, gift shopping, wrapping, planning dinners, etc.
If you are feeling the time crunch during the holiday season, there are different ways you can help reduce and/or relieve the stress you feel. The following are a few helpful tips you can try:
Prioritize – Often we become stressed when we are overwhelmed with tasks. The best way to keep on track is to make two separate lists – a list of what you need to accomplish, and the other what you want to accomplish. Prioritize these lists by comparing them to the calendar and create one “to do” list. Interchange what you need to get done with what you want to get done and you will be able to balance productivity with personal enjoyment.
Evade procrastination – It’s futile to leave everything to the last minute. You will not have time to enjoy the holiday if you are rushing out to buy, wrap and give gifts all on the same day. Give yourself a break, and do as much as you can in advance.
In addition, if you find that you a shrinking away from a task, because it is overwhelming, break it up into smaller parts so it’s more achievable. For instance, don’t try to decorate your home all in one day. Start early, and do a little bit daily.
Get others involved – If you have family members or friends who are willing to help you, let them, and don’t be afraid to ask for assistance. Don’t live by the attitude “if you want something done right, you’ve got to do it yourself”. Although you may want to be in charge of the tasks that you feel are the most important, make sure you delegate tasks to others.
Avoid holiday shopping on the weekend – Cut down shopping stress, by avoiding shopping centers during the weekend. Keep your eyes open for sales all year round and make purchases well in advance, or on less busy days such as on weekdays during the morning or afternoon.
Live by limits – You need to be realistic and practical during the holidays. Budget the money you intend to spend on gifts and holiday goodies, and stick to them. Remember, giving someone a nice gift doesn’t mean it has to be expensive. In fact, most people enjoy thoughtful gifts more than bought gifts.
Don’t be afraid to break tradition – There is no rule that says the holidays have to be the same every year. For example, if you usually have the big dinner at your home, but feel too tired to do it this year, let someone else have it. Don’t try to please everyone, because the one person you’ll end up not pleasing is yourself.
Posted in Stress Management
December 15, 2006 by Vishal |
Unlike what some may like to believe, stress is not dependent on age. It can surface at any age and for any individual if the environmental demands get too taxing. Children are more than ever prone to stress since the environment around them is extremely taxing. They constantly face situations like separation of parents, divorce, changes in environment and school, peer pressure and at times even violence in the neighborhood and in the house.
How well a child can cope up with stressful situation depends on the specific intensity of the situation and also the individual personality, maturity and coping skills of the child. Parents need to be aware of the fact that children may not be able to communicate and verbalize what they feel very effectively. They may talk about a churning tummy when they are actually feeling too tense about a visit to the doctor. Some children cry incessantly or become irritable when they are stressed and the physical symptoms may vary from one child to another. What parents should be aware of is that any change in normal behavior needs to be examined so as to unearth he cause behind the change.
If unattended, stress in children can cause illnesses like asthma, hay fever, colitis, migraine, peptic ulcers and irritable bowel syndromes too. It is only an aware parent that can help their children by diagnosing the issue and resolving it from its roots. This is because any such symptoms are bound to reoccur if the cause of the problem is not solved.
Parents should check their own stress levels and try and be happier at home even if there is a genuine problem. If parents have a mature stress management technique, children are bound to follow that and on the contrary if a father comes home and drinks just because he is tense or shouts at his wife, the children will pick up similar signals and adopt them unknowingly.
Communication lines between parents and children always need to be kept open. You should be a supportive parent and not resort to harsh punishments at the drop of a hat. Rather harsh punishments should be avoided at all cost since they do not serve any purpose.
Good friends can help in a positive release of stress. Encourage your children to make good friends by scheduling play dates, allowing sleepovers and encouraging and participating in fun activities with them.
Make sure that whatever schedule and plan you make for your child should be in line with his capabilities. Don’t overload him with extra-curricular activities like sports, music, gold, swimming and the other when you feel that he may not be able to handle all that along with academics.
And irrespective of everything else, ensure that you child has enough time to relax and play and don’t force him to get competitive at an early age.
Posted in General
December 13, 2006 by Vishal |
The elderly face stress from various situations, which are different from those that are faced by adults. They are at a stage in life where they may face extended and critical health problems. They may lose a spouse and feel lonely and alone. They may have retired and therefore be forced to make a change in their living conditions and financial management.
Stress is augmented further by the fact that the ability of the elderly people to face stressful situations weakens over time. In spite of all the challenges that they may have faced during old age some of their systems that react and help in stress management are no longer as efficient as they were. The process of aging wears of the brain in some way and the response to stressful situations is far from adequate at times.
The various situations that can cause stress in older people can be related to:
- Caring for a sick spouse
- Loosing a spouse
- Death of other relatives and friends that one may have been close to
- Reducing physical strength and a realization that one is not as fit and strong as one used to be
- Worries about finances after retirement and the fear of institutionalization
- No one to talk to and a feeling of dejection at being dependent on someone
All these can cause a lot of harm to self-esteem and send confidence levels spiraling down to abysmal levels. For those who have been independent and led a respectable life, it can be extremely stressful. Even though the events and situations that cause stress may be different for the elderly, the techniques that one can use are similar.
Here are some stress management tips for elderly:
The elderly can form a group where they can share their feelings about their life and the problems that they face with other elderly people. They should involve themselves in some activity that brings them in contact with other people like them who can share similar experiences. Opening out about emotions can help relieve stress to a large extent.
Leading an active social life where you draw out activities for the day for yourself can ensure that you are busy all the time. You could join a volunteer group and help the needy. You could join a club and play golf or go to the gym for regular exercise. Trying to create a passion for yourself after you retire can surely help you to keep yourself busy. The thing that you may decide to take on may not need a lot of money but should definitely be interesting enough o keep you involved.
Ensure that you entertain only positive thoughts and shun any kind of self-pity. Avoid resorting to smoking and drinking since they are not solutions in themselves but only avoidance techniques that are harmful in the long run. Try meditation, yoga or breathing exercises when you feel you are stressed out and need to relax. Nutrition plays a crucial role in managing stress. Hence make sure you follow a balanced and wholesome diet.
Understand that you also need adequate rest and relaxation and do not try and do more than what you body allows. Don’t push yourself to achieve what you could during your youth and accept that fact that you are older now and age gracefully.
Stress in the Elderly
Posted in Stress Management
December 12, 2006 by Vishal |
Among other things, a proper balanced diet plays a crucial role in the management of stress. During a period of stress, when you are expected to have more emotional, physical and intellectual resilience, a healthy person is in a better position to combat the situation than an unhealthy and weak one.
One needs all the nutrients in sufficient quantity, some specific nutrients more than others. Vitamin B is required since it affects the nervous system which is a key component in the body required to fight stress. Calcium is also essential since it balances the effect of lactic acid that causes muscles to tense.
To ensure that your body gets all the nutrients that you may need to face any situation, you need to consume a balanced diet that provides you with all the forty to sixty nutrients that are essential. These nutrients include various kinds of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and fatty acids. Amino acids come from proteins and the essential fatty acids can be obtained from vegetable oils and animal fat. It is essential to consume various kinds of foods including fruits, vegetables, meats and grains to ensure that you get adequate amounts of all nutrients as no single food really provides all nutrients.
During periods of stress, as far as possible, you should have whole grains and avoid processed foods. This gives you sustained energy to go on. Caffeine should be avoided under any circumstances. It causes sleeplessness and nervous behavior and can cause faster utilization of your vitamin B reserves. Resorting to alcohol for stress management is also not a good idea since it also causes inhibits a restful sleep and can impair judgment. Some people tend to resort to chocolates and sugary food during stress. Sugar can provide a high but is generally followed by a low mood and therefore such swings in feelings and enthusiasm levels are best avoided.
Since stress uses up the nutrients that you may have in your body at a faster rate, you should ensure that you have adequate amounts of magnesium, potassium and calcium. Magnesium helps muscles to relax. Potassium can be found in foods like orange juice, squashes, apricots, limes, bananas, tomatoes and peaches. Bananas, yogurt and tofu are a good source of calcium. To obtain best results you need to take a hard look at your diet and ensure that all the essential nutrients are being consumed in some manner or the other. It may not be a bad idea to visit a nutritionist and discuss your diet. A good diet plan followed during stress can help you manage it better and a good diet that is continued even after the period of stress is over can help you avoid future stress.
Do not expect the new diet to change the stress situation immediately. It may take some time for you to adopt the new diet completely and even more time for the body to start assimilating and showing observable results. The requirement of each body is different and you may take time to settle with a diet that is suitable for your needs. If you choose a diet that is extremely bland and if you do not find the food tasty, you are unlikely to continue it for long enough for it to show significant effects.
Nutrition, Diet Therapy for Stress Management
Posted in Stress Management
December 11, 2006 by Vishal |
Various techniques in yoga have been documented to help in stress management. These techniques work at an individual level and also at a collective level to ensure that there is significant respite from the condition of extreme stress. They help in relieving the physical as well as the psychological negative effects of the problem by ensuring a healthy and productive response to the stress stimuli.
Yoga can have a positive effect on the parasympathetic nervous system and aid in lowering heartbeat and blood pressure. This reduces the demand of the body for oxygen. Yoga can also improve digestion, strengthen immunity, help in effective elimination of toxic wastes and also increase lung capacity. Effective use of this practice can also reduce the chances of stress culminating in anxiety and depression.
The practice of yoga involves forming various body postures, slow stretching movements, breathing exercises that can at times lead to progressive relaxation, imagery and meditation. All these specific techniques are meant for a specific purpose and they culminate into a higher awareness of what is happening to oneself during stress – emotionally, physically, mentally and energetically. One develops an understanding of each part of the body by being more aware of it. The practice includes paying attention to each and every part and therefore ensures a holistic therapy.
The start of the practice is with becoming aware of what the stressful stimuli is so that one knows what one is fighting. Understanding the enemy is an important factor in combat and similarly in a understanding the factors that cause stress can help you in deciding how it needs to be tackled. Yoga enables and empowers you to control the natural and immediate reactions to a stressor. With practice the psychological responses can also be mastered. This means that the previous reactions that put the body in an alert or alarm mode do not take over as soon as a stressful situation occurs.
And this leads to a situation wherein irrespective of the challenges you face, you remain calm, composed and capable of tackling the situation with a level head.
Posted in Stress Management
December 11, 2006 by Vishal |
The techniques that can be used to manage stress and avoid it in the future are simple and can be practiced by anyone. You do not need to be a counselor to know that certain things will help relieve stress if practiced on a daily basis and if there is some effort made towards ensuring that you follow certain rules that keep stress away.
Understand that stress is caused by a belief that the situation is out of your control and demands too much from you. If you have the confidence and the self-courage to take on these situations, you will never get stressed out or depressed. You will then try and take the problem by the horns and find ways and means of solving it. This is a more long term and active approach to ensure that you do not get into situations where you feel helpless. But if you are already stressed out, there are certain things that you can do to de-stress yourself. Once you are out of the situation or the stressful period, do remember to try and improve your confidence so that the next time that you face a difficult situation, you do not react with negative stress responses but with more positive and confident responses.
Some Tips for Stress Management
Firstly, manage your life in a more organized and structured manner. If you have too many things to do you may feel tired and fatigued. Too much to do can also cause a lot of confusion about what you should do first and what later. Making a list of things is a good idea that can help you structure your daily routine. Planning ahead will save you a lot of trouble when you are actually faced with a situation. You should schedule meetings and appointments so that you can prepare for them and be confident while handling various work situations.
Don’t postpone things that you know need completion. Working at the last minutes causes a lot of stress and adrenalin rushes that may not be good for the body and postponing just ensures that you will end up in last minute glitches that will make you get hyper.
In work life and otherwise there are many people who take advantage of the fact that you cannot say no and get many favors out of you. Try and understand that and learn to say no to things that cause you stress. If you have a full timetable and cannot take time out for a friend at some time, don’t hesitate to say no to him and don’t feel guilty about it either. No one is superhuman and there are times when you need to prioritize between the various things that you need to do.
Don’t expect too much out of yourself. High expectations can cause you to drive yourself into too much stress by working too hard or trying too hard at things that may be out of reach. Have realistic expectations and set intermediate goals so that you can congratulate and boost your confidence as you accomplish each small task. If at times you feel that you have had too much of work, take a break, have a coffee, relax, stretch a muscle and then get back. In cases of extreme burn out, you might decide to take a short vacation where you keep all work related and stressful factors out.
Try and not think too much about the past and understand that what is gone is gone and don’t worry about the future because worrying about it will not help anything. Focus on the present because that is the only time that is in your control.
Ensure that you try and see life from a humorous perspective and not get too serious about it. A good hearty laugh can go a long way in making your day and relieving stress. Share your funny moments with other people. Read light books and see movies and shows that have an element of comedy in them.
Last but not the least, get adequate sleep so that you can feel relaxed and fit in the morning to take on the world the next day.
Posted in Stress Management
December 9, 2006 by Vishal |
Stressful situation can trigger off biochemical and hormonal changes in our body. The effect of these can be seen in an increased heart rate, adrenalin rushes and a partial or complete breakdown of the immunity and digestive systems. Long periods of stress can cause the ‘burn out’ that is so often talked about in the corporate world.
Below are some relaxation techniques you can use to manage and relieve stress. Make sure that you choose something that is compatible with your lifestyle so that you can continue to practice it even after the stressful period is over to be able to avoid future stress situations.
Yoga
Yoga is one technique that is gaining prominence worldwide. This science of exercise that originated in India involves slow exercises that can help the central nervous system, the endocrine system and the digestive system as well. These are the key systems of the body that are affected in a stressful situation and thus yoga can be extremely effective in such cases. The stretching exercises along with massaging of the internal organs helps to attain a state equivalent to dynamic equilibrium in the body. This causes the body to be peaceful and allows the individual to focus on each body part as it is exercised. The distraction takes mind away from the regular chaotic problems and stress-causing situations. Continued practice of this art can ensure that you develop a natural response to stress and inhibit the body from getting into an alert mode every time a stressful situation occurs.
Meditation
Meditation is one aspect of yoga that needs special mention in this discussion. Meditation is the process of focusing on something while trying to remove all thought from the mind. It is therefore, a process of active effort and passive participation. The effort is required to focus on one object and the passiveness is required to be able to view the things around you from a dispassionate point of view. If you try this, you will realize that it is not as easy as it may seem. Just when you feel that you have been able to focus on a specific thing (that could be a flame, or a dot or something that does not provoke thought in your mind) and removed all thought from your mind, a particular thing that you need to do or a thought about something that you are worried about pops up. Constant practice shall ensure that you are able to meditate for some time. Meditation has been proved to reduce the levels of biochemical compounds and hormones that cause stress.
Tai Chi
The Chinese technique of Tai Chi can also help in relaxation. This technique is centered on breathing and being conscious of the present. The Chinese believe that an energy in the body called Qi moves through the body. This movement is not a physical movement through veins or arteries or the digestive system but a more unobtrusive movement. This energy is responsible for maintaining good health and can cause better healing. An issue in the movements of Qi can result in disease, stressful situations and tiredness. Tai Chi is the technique in which Qi is regulated to ensure that there is a continuous movement of the energy. It uses muscular movements and breathing exercises to remove any obstruction in the way of the body energy.
Breathing
Breathing is a relatively simpler technique as compared to yoga or meditation that can be practiced by most people. The method just requires about fifteen minutes of your time each day. Involuntary and voluntary muscles in the body control breathing and is therefore the connection between the conscious and the unconscious. It involves being conscious of the breathing that you are doing. You need to sit quietly and be conscious of your breath that goes in and goes out. If you find your mind wandering all you need to do is to bring your mind back to breathing and concentrate on it.
Progressive Relaxation
You can either lie down or relax comfortable on a chair. Practice deep breathing for 2-3 minutes. Then, take a deep breath, hold it and tense your toes. Hold it as long as you are comfortable. Now slowly release your breath, at the same time relaxing your toes. The important thing is to maintain your awareness on the body part you are working on. Repeat the procedure with your calf muscles, thighs, back, stomach, chest, neck and finally the facial muscles. For those having trouble falling asleep, this is an excellent exercise to practice during bedtime.
Stress Relief: Yoga, Meditation, and Other Relaxation Techniques
Stress Management through Meditation and Breathing
Posted in Stress Management
December 8, 2006 by Vishal |
Laughing is good and we all know it. It makes us feel better and lighter if we are in a bad mood and having happy jovial people around you is always more welcome that grumpy and grouchy ones.
But did you know that recent studies have proved that laughter can actually fortify the immune system, reduce cravings for certain kinds of foods and also increase your pain bearing qualities. Some people these days are talking about humor therapy that can actually hasten the rate at which healing takes place.
Laughter and Stress Management
The one benefit of laughter that has been researched well is the stress relieving properties of laughter. The act of laughter itself causes a reduction in stress related hormones like epinephrine, cortisol, dopamine and adrenalin. Additionally, it also creates better immunity by enhancing the levels of endorphins, neurotransmitters, and antibody producing cells and by enabling T cells to be more effective.
A hearty laugh can be a good internal exercise where your diaphragm, heart and abdominal muscles are exercised. It can also provide a means of emotional and stressful release. At times when you are extremely stressed out, a forced laugh can also change the mood allowing you to see things from a different perspective. At times like these situations that seem problematic at first may turn into challenges that you need to overcome to emerge successful. The change in perspective can actually help in directing your actions and make them more positive in nature leading to achievements.
Laughing can also provide a good distraction when your mind starts to move towards negative thoughts. It purges the mind of negative emotions like anger, frustration and guilt. Have you been in a stressful situation with your child when he may have spilled the bowl full of soup on the floor just when you are about to relax in front of the television after a long day at work? Well, have you noticed that if you laugh about it, suddenly the feelings of anger and frustration vanish and you can avoid a negative flair up with your toddler?
Cheerful people always surround people who laugh. By being happy and upbeat you enjoy the advantages of having fruitful, cordial and beneficial relationships with other people that you may meet socially. Laughing can therefore be a good form of helping other people to be happy too.
But the ironical part is that adults do not use this wonderful medicine more frequently. A study shows that the number of times a person laughs in a day reduces from 400 times to 17 times between a pre-school age and adulthood. But being aware of the benefits of laughter you can change this by trying to laugh more often during the day.
What you can do is to stop watching those complex family serials that go on and on and switch to watching comedy on television. Choose to see movies that send you rolling on the floor. Don’t choose subtle comedies that are intellectual in nature but those that have a lot of slapstick and bold comedy. Laugh with your friends and tell jokes. Don’t let your conversations always be about the issues that you face in your life and troubles other people have.
Try and make an effort to increase the humor in your life. Sometimes when you face an obstinate situation, try and see it from a different perspective and you will realize that sometimes when things get too frustrating, they actually become funny. If the approach that you take towards life is humorous and light, you will realize that life actually becomes like that.
The last thing to remember is that if laughter does not come to you naturally in the beginning, try and force it upon yourself. Studies have shown that a fake smile or laughter can also do you good. In fact, in yoga there is actually an exercise that involves laughing out loudly. Soon you will realize that laughter has become a part of your life before you actually know it.
The Benefit of Laughter: How Laughter Can Reduce Stress and Increase Health
Posted in Stress Management
December 7, 2006 by Vishal |
Are you one of those people that feel that they are forever burdened with unpleasant tasks that need to be completed? So you find yourself cribbing about how busy you are all the time and how you have no time for anything that you really want to do? Do you feel that you have not achieved enough and need to strive for more before you can be really happy? If the answer to these questions is in the affirmative, then you need to read on.
If elimination of stress and finding true happiness is what you are after there are a few basic concepts that you will need to learn. We tend to keep thinking that we would be happy if we had a certain amount of money, a certain kind of car or if a certain person only loved us back. This is one of the most common mindsets that there are different material things and different people that make us happy. We often tend to be asked the question ‘what would make you happy’. A truly happy person would give an answer to the tune of ‘I am happy here and now’, irrespective of the situation he is in. He could be facing a challenging task at work or he could be lying on the hospital bed himself.
Strange as it may seem to you initially, true happiness does not lie in the external world. It is not dependent on the acquisition of material comforts or other people. Your happiness lies within you and it is up to you to make yourself happy. Only observing the really rich people and others who may not have too much money can prove this truism. You will realize pretty soon that there are rich people who are unhappy and poor people who are extremely satisfied, content and happy about the situation they are in.
The whole argument, therefore, come down to the mindset. What kind of a mindset do you have? So you focus on negative aspects of your life and keep thinking about them and feeling sad for yourself? Do you keep looking at those who have more luxuries than you have and feel jealous without realizing the efforts that they may have put into achieving success? Do you keep blaming fate for having dealt you a raw deal? If these are some of the symptoms that you see in yourself, you need to change the manner in which you look at things and ensure that the power to experience true internal happiness belongs to you.
The task is not a difficult one. All you need to do is to take a conscious call and ensure that you focus your energies on the positive aspect of life. Even in the dreariest of circumstances there are hidden positives that you need to dig out and concentrate upon. Every cloud has a silver lining and there is always something positive in each and every situation. The symbol of the Yin and Yang in Chinese culture symbolizes this concept by placing the black orb along with the white.
Secondly, don’t look at other people and compare what they have versus what you have. Comparisons should be avoided at any cost. This is because while comparing we do not have all the information about the other person. The person whom we assume to be happy externally may have hidden worries and issues to tackle. And just because he is able to concentrate on his positive aspects does not mean that we judge situations based on incomplete information. Another reason why we should avoid comparisons is because while doing so we tend to forget the amount of input that the other individual may have given to reach a certain stage in life. If we compare someone who has been working for 15 years and measure our success in 5 years against his, we are obviously comparing apples and oranges.
Last of all, the thing to do is to take things in our own hands and feel responsible for all the actions that we perform. The blame game is a dangerous one and more often than not ends up in a situation where we tend to put off everything onto some external factor. Instead, we need to act positively and ensure that we achieve success.
Posted in Happiness
November 8, 2006 by Vishal |
According to a study that appeared in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, people who go to bed depressed or with a sad feeling have higher levels of cortisol the following morning, the chief hormone released during stress.
An important thing you can infer from this study is that your emotional state during bedtime sustains throughout your sleep and prepares your body accordingly. So if you suffer from any sleep related disorder, it is most likely that your emotional state before and during bedtime is far from bliss and peace, due to worry over whether you’ll get a good night’s sleep or not. As a result, stress levels are usually higher in people affected with sleep problems, making the problem worse. It’s like a snow ball effect. Bad sleep -> bad mood -> more stress -> bad sleep -> so on…
So an important step you can take to reducing your stress levels and improving the quality of your sleep is to feel happy during bedtime.
Via News-Medical.Net
Posted in Insomnia, Stress Management
November 3, 2006 by Vishal |
If your job involves lot of stress, be it your work place or at home, relaxing can get pretty tough. However, unless you learn to relax effectively, there is no way you can eliminate stress. It may be ok if the stress is short term. Your body can effectively handle such short stress periods. But if the same routine continues throughout your lifestyle, the stress keeps accumulating in your body, resulting in chronic illnesses, sleep disorders and decreased immunity. So how can you learn to relax under such situations? The answer is, through “power breaks”.
How to do it?
There are two methods of taking power breaks. You can practice any one of them according to your likings and the results experienced.
The first method involves closing your eyes and either watching your thoughts or your breath or repeating a mantra or word. At first your mind may wander every now and then. However, through diligent practice, the length of your awareness on your chosen object will increase gradually and a time will come when the entire duration of your power break will be absolutely free of any thoughts. And when you open your eyes, it’ll be like you just woke up from a deep sleep.
The second method is easier than the above method. It simply involves closing your eyes and visualizing yourself in your favorite place or situation. For some it may be a beach or wilderness or the mountains or even in the arms of your loved one. You may also recollect some of the happiest moments of your life. The object and depth of your visualization should be such that it should pull you like a magnet towards it and bring extreme joy in you. Through out this visualizing period take uniform deep breaths and smile, which is how your body responds when you are in a state of bliss. By mimicking your body’s responses during state of bliss, you automatically feel bliss. When you feel like coming out, slowly count to ten and open your eyes, with each count, lessening the depth of visualization.
Both the above methods are extremely effective ways to relax and recharge your body and mind and they can be done anywhere and at any time. It takes less than 10 minutes and once you master the technique, you can achieve the same result in just few minutes. When done repeatedly through out your day, you can feel as refreshed and energetic at the end of your day as you were when you woke up.
Posted in Health, Stress Management
October 31, 2006 by Vishal |
One of the local TV channels recently interviewed my guruji. Here’s an excerpt of the interview in which he answers basic meditation questions.
Question: We have seen many people sitting with closed eyes. Is this meditation? Then what is meditation?
Guruji: When you close your eyes and sit still, then your mind gets dragged from the outer world to your inner self. Once in your inner world, the thoughts reduce and slowly by practice, you reach a thoughtless state. This thoughtless state is meditation. Only the awareness that “I am living today, now and here” remains. This is meditation. But we cannot say that all those who sit with closed eyes do meditation. Only those people who live in their day to day life with non-attachment can attain this state.
Question: What are the simple techniques to reduce thoughts during meditation?
Guruji: The time, place, surroundings and the natural environments should be congenial to meditation. It is best to meditate in the early morning before sunrise on empty stomach. One can reach thoughtless state easily if one gets up in the Brahma Muhurta (4 to 6 am), attends nature’s call, bath etc., drinks water does yogasana and pranayama and then sits for meditation. Majority of yogis believe that doing Kapala Bhati, Nadi Shodhana or Anuloma-Viloma pranayama before meditation is better. As the local environment casts a lot of influence on your meditation, it is essential to choose a quiet place with fresh air.
Question: Would you please tell us something about the appropriate sitting posture, place and time for doing meditation?
Guruji: A meditator should sit erect so that the spinal chord will be straight and perpendicular. Appropriate postures are:
- Padmasana – Site erect with head straight. Keep the palm on both knees and do Jnana Mudra by joining fore finger to the thumb and close your eyes. This is the best pose. You can also keep your hands one upon another on your lap.
- Vajrasana – One can also sit in Vajrasana and meditate.
If these two asanas are not possible, you can choose Ardha Padmasana or Sukhasana. If you are not well and cannot sit on the floor, you can use a chair, but sit straight without leaning on the back of the chair with feet on the floor and hands on your thighs. Among these, there is nothing like the best pose and the worst pose. You select whichever is convenient to you depending upon the nature of your body.
Most appropriate time for meditating is when the mind is calm and peaceful. If the stomach is empty, it is better, and there should be good ventilation and availability of fresh air.
Question: Whether children can meditate?
Guruji: Certainly children too can meditate. After the age 8-10 they can practice meditation. Trataka Dhyana, concentrating on the flame of a candle is good for children. By this, their intelligence, memory power and patience increases.
Question: Whether Guru is necessary for meditation?
Guruji: It is the tradition of the Himalayan yogis to receive “Ghyana Deeksha” (Initiation) from a suitable Guru. Due to this, will power and interest in meditation certainly increases. Meditation without Guru may deviate towards fickle mindedness. Guru is not utterly necessary. But is the belief of Indians that any learning without a proper Guru is incomplete.
Sri Devababa, fondly called Guruji by his devotees, heads the Shri Shakti Darshan Yogashram in Kinnigoli, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
Posted in Meditation
October 30, 2006 by Vishal |
The following article appeared in the childrens category of Shri Shakti Darshan magazine, explaning the technique and benefits of Trataka meditation in a question/answer format.
Ammu: What is Trataka?
Annu: It is a simple exercise to increase concentration. It is also called flame concentration test, or candle concentration test. Sit in any comfortable position and place a lamp or candle 3 feet in front of you at the same level of your eyes. Ensure that there is no wind so that the flame will not fickle and will be steady. Just stare at the flame without winking the eyelids till tears start rolling down. Then close your eyes and place your palms on the closed eye lids and concentrate on what appears through the closed eye lids.
You can see the flame in different colors. Just enjoy the vision till it slowly fades away. Usually people can stare at the flame for 3 to 5 minutes and see the image for another 2 minutes.
Ammu: Is it not harmful to the eyes?
Annu: Not at all, instead is an exercise to the eye. The eye muscles contract and remain in the same position during that time. When you close the eyes, the muscles relax.
It is just like doing your yogasana or jogging. The power of accommodation of your eyes increases. Secondly as you will be concentrating only on the flame, mind will be at peace and your concentration power increase.
Ammu: When this is to be done?
Anu: In the early morning or in the evening when there is still darkness. In the bright day, flame will not be visible clearly. If the outside is very dark, the flame will appear to be very bright and the eyes will get tired soon. In your pooja room also you can practice it, as there will be usually dull light.
Ammu: I shall try it today itself.
I would like to add some of my views here. As concentrating on the flame increases heat in the eyes, it is necessary to cool the eyes, by washing the eyes with cool water or rose water, after performing the above exercise.
Posted in Meditation
October 27, 2006 by Vishal |
In the book, Ageless Body, Timeless Mind, by Deepak Chopra, there is a mention of one research conducted by a senior psychiatrist Dr. Stephen P. Jewett in New York. The study was conducted by Jewett on seventy-nine people of 87 years of age and older to learn and understand the physical and psychological characteristics that contributed to their longevity. Although seventy-nine is a relatively smaller number, the findings are interesting and justified. Here’s a summary of common characteristics found among the group:
- Freedom from anxiety and worry.
- Physically active.
- They were their own bosses.
- Optimistic and had good sense of humor.
- Adaptable to changes.
- Contented.
- Religious.
- Moderate eaters with a diet rich in protein and low in fat.
- Early risers.
- Had no vices except for occasional drinking and smoking.
There is another mention of people living in Abkhasia, in southern Russia who were reputed to live up to ages of 120 and more. In his book The Methuselah Factors, the author Georgakas, who traveled to Abkhasia to study the people there, writes “Abkhasians dislike being rushed, loathe deadlines, and never work to exhaustion. In the same vein, they consider it extremely impolite to eat quickly or to eat too much…. Their routines have a tempo more linked to biological rhythms than the helter-skelter patterns that predominate in most developed countries.” Other findings include:
- Vegetables were picked just before cooking and all leftovers were discarded.
- Majority of the food was consumed raw or boiled, with no fried items.
- They were light eaters and slept well.
- They were very active, with most of them laboring for ten to fifteen hours a day.
- They walked a lot.
To sum it up, all you need to be healthy and live longer is a calm and cheerful mind, an active body and a healthy diet, which is just the opposite of what most of us follow at the moment - A stressful and hyperactive mind, sedentary lifestyle and unwholesome diet!
Posted in Health
October 25, 2006 by Vishal |
- Stop turning around in the bed if you are not getting sleep. The more you toss around and try, the harder it’ll be for you to fall asleep. Getting 8 hours sleep does not mean spending 8 hours on the bed. 7 hours of restful sleep is more efficient than sleeping 6 hours and tossing around 2 hours. Also, if your mind gets used to tossing around in the bed, it might become an habit, making it more and more difficult to fall asleep day by day.
- Get up at the same time each day. Our sleep-wake cycle is controlled by circadian rhythms in our brain and following a routine stabilizes these rhythms. A regular waking time strengthens these rhythms, facilitating onset of sleep on a regular time. Once your sleep-wake cycle normalizes, you must go to bed at the same time everyday resisting all temptations like watching television, reading, etc. close to bed time.
- Follow a bed-time routine. Following a relaxing bed-time routine like having a bath and meditation sends signal to the brain that it’s time for sleep and automatically prepares the body for it. Avoid engaging in stimulating activities like watching television, conversing, staying in bright lights and worrying during bed-time.
- Stop thinking about sleep. If you were to single out one main factor responsible for sleep problems in majority of the people, it would be this. When you are suffering from sleep problems, it’s common to worry about why you are not getting sleep. This often makes us more anxious making matters worse. If the same attitude continues every night, the very prospect of going to sleep can cause anxiety and worry. At any cost, you must realize that worrying about sleep will only make the matter worse. What really fosters restful sleep is a calm and peaceful mind.
For a week, decide that you are not going to think about sleep at all. Whether you sleep for 4 hours or 6 hours, just forget about sleep. When you get up in the middle of the night, just watch your breath and resist all temptations to think about sleep. Within no time you’ll fall asleep. This however will prove to be a gargantuan task for chronic insomniacs who have been worrying and thinking about sleep when they get up in the middle of the night, for months or even years. Such may be the conditioning in some cases that as soon as they get up, their mind would already be in overdrive worrying about sleep.
- Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco. Caffeine has been shown to disrupt sleep, even in individuals who don’t think it affects them. The effect of caffeine remains in the body on average from 3 to 5 hours. Remember that caffeine is not just in coffee but in tea, chocolate, and many sodas (note that a soda does not have to be brown to be full of caffeine - read the labels). For individuals with insomnia, it is best to avoid all caffeine after lunchtime. And if you need one more reason to stop smoking, tobacco (nicotine) also has been shown to disturb sleep. Nicotine can have an arousing effect and therefore make it more difficult to sleep.
Alcohol often is used by insomniacs to help them fall asleep. One old wives’ tale suggests having a glass of sherry before bed to promote sleep. In fact this is just an old wives’ tale. Alcohol makes you sleepy initially but several hours later when the alcohol wears off, it can cause you to wake up (insomnia). Therefore if you drink alcohol with dinner, you may be sleepy right after dinner, but several hours later, when it is time for bed, you may be wide awake.
- Exercise regularly. As exercising increases alertness and raises body temperature, doing it around 4 hours before time makes the body temperature fall down during sleep, facilitating faster sleep. However, exercising close to bedtime can stimulate you and disrupt your sleep patterns.
Too vigorous (to exhaustion) exercises must also be avoided. Our body recharges and repairs itself during sleep and the more vigorous and demanding your exercise, the better sleep you need for your body to recharge to its optimum. But as sleep is poor in insomniacs, their body cannot recharge itself and if the routine is continued, fatigue can result in.
Posted in Insomnia
October 24, 2006 by Vishal |
Sometimes knowing what you really want can be a difficult task. You can use visualizations to help you with the job at hand. What you need to do is to manage to be uninterrupted for about half an hour to one hour so that you can concentrate and listen to what you have to say to yourself. Shut out the external world and start with your list of dreams.
Think of what your dream is and try and create a vivid picture of yourself in the dream. Don’t get bogged down by realities and how impossible or difficult it is. Close your eyes and create an ideal scene. Write what you see without bothering about how absurd or delusive it may seem currently. There shall be ample time to sort out the frivolous ones from the ones that you are really interested in. Get bold with your thoughts and ideas. You don’t have to show your script to anyone and so you can write what you want – just be true to yourself!
Think of it as a new beginning where you are starting afresh with a new life. In your imagination, live your dream and imagine exactly how you think it will be. Look at yourself walking up a path leading to your dream. Let the experience be an enjoyable one with the path strewn with flowers, soft fragrances and nature at its best. Envisage yourself walking slowly up the path, taking deep breaths taking in all that nature has to offer you.
Keep walking and try and recognize your ideal place when you come to it. Continue to be free from all distractions and concentrate on what you see. Look around and get descriptive about what you see and push your imagination to give in the details of what you see. Are you amidst grasslands or on a beach? Are you in the mountains? See the kind of animals, trees, plants and flora that you are standing amidst.
While ideating, introduce yourself into the picture. What are you doing? Who is with you? What is the nature of the interaction? And what are your thoughts and feelings at that time? Think of one thing about the scenario that you think should be indispensable in your dream life.
Once you have completed the exercise, open you eyes. But don’t let go of the scene as yet! Draw or paint what you saw in your list of dreams and write vividly what you felt. Close your eyes again and get back to your ideal scene. Create a sense of curiosity in yourself about what is further in store. Stretch your hand to reach the end of your destination in your mind.
And suddenly your dream shall be there standing in front of you. It could be a dream house or a picture of you shaking hands with the CEO of your dream company or anything that you have wanted all your life. Be careful to take in all the aspects of the scene to be able to correctly interpret it later. For example if your dream is a dream house, then take time to look up how the exterior is, what kind of a setting it is in and who all live in the house. Also think of the places that you will spend your time in, with the people you shall spend your time and the experiences that you will have there.
Having become aware of what you ultimate dream is, internalize it and plan to achieve it step-by-step by overcoming all barriers.
Posted in Success
October 21, 2006 by Vishal |
Man has come a long way from the times when he was a hunter or gatherer for food for his community and family. We now live in a fast paced world of communication and computers and gizmos. However, man lived as a cave man for more years than he has in buildings and there are many physical and mental aspects that have not kept pace with the rate at which we are inventing modern day gadgets and conveniences. From physically hunting in the jungles we have moved diametrically opposite to sitting at our desks to earn money that will buy us food and a whole host of other new needs, wants and desires that we have. The fact that our bodies have not been able to keep pace with the changing environment is the root cause of most of the stress that is caused.
To add to it all, we tend to play a role in augmenting this feeling of stress and make things worse. We need to understand and appreciate that each one of us has a basic reason to get stressed and we need to reduce the possibilities as much possible instead of increasing them. Unknowingly, there are certain things that we do and think that increase stress. To put a stop to them, think of the following:
Do you try and be perfect all the time? Do you sulk when you get rank two because you did not get rank one? Pushing yourself to do achieve what you set out to, is all fine but by making it an obsession, you can cause yourself a great deal of stress that will not help you achieve the things that you wanted to. Don’t try and take on more than you can handle. It is like creating situations leading to failure causing negativity and situations that lower self-esteem.
Whose goals are you gunning for? Don’t get trapped in the rat race to achieve something that the world thinks is right or is the expected thing to go for. Don’t even think of what your parents, spouse and close associates want you to be. For this particular decision, listen to only your own self and what you inner voice tells you.
Are you the kind who feels that making other people around your happy is your responsibility? Well, if the answer to this is yes, then you need to stop immediately. Other people around you are mature grown up individuals and their happiness depends on them. Don’t feel down and stressed out because you have not been able to make everyone happy. That is almost an impossible task to achieve by anyone.
Helping other people around you and trying to achieve what you set out to is a good aspect of yourself. But setting unachievable goals and trying to make everyone happy is something that will only lead you to a path of failure. Recognize that and set realistic goals for yourself and reduce stress.
Posted in Stress Management
October 18, 2006 by Vishal |
Your skin, hair and nails are direct reflections of your overall health. No matter what type of shampoo, cleanser or cream you use, unless you have a healthy system, you can’t have beautiful skin, hair or nails. They will only help you to create a superficial mask. Following a healthy lifestyle that includes fresh organic foods, exercise, plenty of water and herbs to improve digestion and elimination is a sure way to all round health. Here are some tips for healthy and beautiful skin:
- Avoid processed, canned, leftover foods. Not only are they difficult to digest but they also carry very little nutritional value. Over the time, they will clog your body and deprive your skin of nourishment.
- Eat plenty of green leafy vegetables. They are rich sources of vitamins and minerals that nourish the skin. They are also high in anti-oxidants which cut down skin cancer risk.
- Include whole grains in place of polished grains. The outer bran of grains is rich in B vitamins that are vital in maintaining the health of skin.
- Steam vegetables instead of microwaving and cooking to protect their anti-oxidant properties.
- Include plenty of sweet juicy fruits like pear, water melon, grapes, figs.
- Limit protein from hard to digest foods like meat, beans and substitute them with easy to digest protein found in foods like split mung dhal, yoghurt and cottage cheese (paneer).
- Include fish, walnut, and flax seed oil in your diet. They are rich sources of essential omega fatty acids required to maintain good health and skin.
- Use spices like black pepper, cumin, coriander, turmeric to stimulate digestion and elimination.
- Do not neglect oil. They are essential to maintain the health of skin, body and joints. Include healthy oils like olive oil, canola oil and ghee (clarified butter) for their high monosaturated fat content which is good for heart.
- Switch to herbal soaps, shampoos and lotions. Most commercial soaps and shampoos contain harmful chemicals that irritate and damage the skin.
- Have an oil bath at least a week.
- Drink plenty of water (8-10 glasses a day). Water is vital for keeping the body cells hydrated, facilitating faster transit of nutrients in and toxins out.
- Exercise regularly - aerobics and stretching. Aerobics improves circulation to the skin and helps elimination of toxins through sweat. Stretching exercises helps relieve stress and maintain elasticity of the skin. Of course, you also need to include weight training to build strength and strong bones.
- Get plenty of sleep and rest. Lack of sleep and rest stresses the body, thereby adversely affecting the health of skin.
Posted in Diet & Nutrition, Health
