What are some of today’s challenges that that impact our daily life? What are the pillars of a healthy mind?
My podcast guest this week, Ajamu Ayinde, brought us into the field of emotions and mind as we deal with the COVID -19 virus. Ajamu uses transpersonal hypnotherapy to foster our imagination and inner resources. And for me, that is important. All the wise sages of our species acknowledge the simple yet profound wisdom that “We are an inside job”. Our inner awareness and development are more important in most ways than the attributes of our outside life. Which brings us to mindfulness practices.
Richard J. Davidson, professor of Psychiatry and Psychology at the University of Wisconsin and founder and chair for the Center for Healthy Minds, makes a compelling case for how our current challenges impact us. Statistics prove we are distracted, lonely, depressed and some of us are experiencing a loss of meaning.
He describes four pillars of health that can assist us in resetting our inner programs of loneliness, depression, distractibility, and loss of meaning or purpose.
In brief:
- Awareness; being aware of our mind’s thoughts at the moment is necessary for real transformation to occur.
- Connection: not just about having lunch with a friend or receiving a hug but showing kindness and patience, lending a
hand, all contribute to our connectivity. - Insight: listening to our inner narrative towards relationships. What do we sound like to ourselves? If we find we are negative, which can weaken our biology, can we find a way to turn them around, manage them differently?
- Purpose: when we wake up excited our biology responds in so many positive ways. When we laugh and engage in what truly matters to us we soar.
COVID-19 has turned some of our worlds upside down. Dr. Davidson suggests that three minutes of a day of quiet, focusing on the breath, maybe a prayer can change the way we respond to distractions, disruptions, and fosters a healthier mind.
I hope you enjoy his discussion as much as I did. The Host offers good reminders for today’s world as we still face uncertainty through this COVID-19 pandemic.
Do you have any mindful tips you find helpful? We’d like to hear from you. All comments are appreciated. Thanks again and enjoy. Judith
Judith Dreyer, MS, BSN, Writer, Speaker, and Workshop Presenter, Master Gardener.
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