The Hidden Pandemic

It may surprise a good many of us to know that we have been dealing with a pandemic since time immemorial. It is not immediately noticeable but is, in fact, highly contagious.

Lately we’ve all been focused on Covid-19 and we haven’t noticed the pandemic right under our noses.

There is enormous spreading in the collective energy of our planet and it is generated by individuals. What’s worse is that the great majority has not applied the treatments that are under our noses as well.

Doesn’t it seem to you like the world is full of hate and negativity? I seems to me there is always something bad happening around us. And every time I turn on the news, I only get to hear the negative news of the world. When I try to counter negativity with positivity, it doesn’t work. I become negative myself.

A study conducted by psychologists at the University of Indiana revealed that the opinions of the others affect us and influence our behavior. These psychologists have found that negative opinions have a greater impact and generate a change of attitude more than the positive thinking.

People don’t like to be emotionally contradicted, and if you try to convince them that they shouldn’t feel something, they’ll only feel it more stubbornly. If you’re a leader trying to be positive, it comes off even worse, because you’ll appear aloof and out of touch with the reality that people are experiencing.

Vacationing, exercising, socializing, sports, entertainment, etc. are some of the ways I try to counter, or escape, the negativity and hate I am unable to deal with. Unfortunately, their effect is very short-lived.

Is negativity ever the way of dealing with any situation? If I look closely I see it never is a good way of dealing with any situation.

What then is the long-term solution to the problem of negativity surrounding us?

Some say finding a spiritual path can provide us with a permanent solution. They believe spirituality has the power to empower us with positivity and essentially render negativity, hate, and stress, useless.

Others say the power of prayer is the salvation. By sending out positive vibes through prayers, we encourage positive vibrations to gather and quickly counter the negativity prevailing in this world.

I think this is better than the act of adding fuel to fire through our negative actions, thoughts, and intentions, in reaction to the negativity and hate that exists in the world. Even in cases where we find it really difficult to deal with some specific negativity and hate that exists in the external world, we can pray to the “Source Energy” residing within the affected (negative) person(s) to turn the tide.

Gratitude is another powerful tool that can be used to extinguish negative emotions. I try to practice gratitude every day. When I start to feel anxious, stressed or angry, I just say the word “gratitude” and my mind is flooded with all the things that I’m grateful for. It will immediately wash away that anxiety. Whatever it is that you’re grateful for, take time to think about it and do it every day. Do it even when it doesn’t seem necessary.

It is everybody’s task to be alert so that when negativity arises within them, they recognize it. Then they can ask themselves whether that is what they choose.

When you recognize it, you have the choice. 

The Sound of Healing

 

It has been proven that certain sounds, rhythms, and vibrations help us reduce stress, cultivate a deep sense of well-being, and even promote healing.From a very young age, I can vouch for the fact that sound can set a mood. For example, the soundtrack in an aerobics class can get me moving, while the one in yoga promotes quiet concentration. It also has a powerful effect on how I feel throughout the day. I react differently to the noise of a jackhammer than to water trickling down a stream.

Simply put, some sounds make me feel better than others. My conscious mind may not be paying attention, but my body takes its cues from sounds and rhythms, knowing when to get energized and when to slow down.

Sound therapy is gaining popularity as preventive medicine and as a complement to other traditional treatments. It ranges from Bach in the nursery to yogic chanting in the oncologist’s office. It is good for both the mind and the body and has been shown to help with depression, clear sinuses, and help cancer patients recover from chemotherapy quicker.

Chanting and mantra recitation has been part of Hindu spirituality and the healing power of yoga for thousands of years. It is not surprising that this ancient tradition is experiencing a modern-day renaissance.

According to the law of physics, everything vibrates the chair I’m sitting in, the food I eat, the rocks and trees. Using the human voice and objects that “resonate” to stimulate healing (like tuning forks and singing bowls), sound therapy is one of a growing number of refined-energy therapies that make up the field of vibrational medicine. That sound is called resonance, the frequency at which an object naturally vibrates. Each part of our bodies has its own natural resonance, and vibrational medicine is based on the idea that most diseases are a result of these natural resonances getting out of tune — mostly due to stress, illness or environmental factors.

Similar to ultrasound, a technology used readily employed today in hospitals to break up kidney stones and check on the health of fetuses, sound therapy works more gently — but just as powerfully- to return the body’s own vibrations to their natural states.

Does it work?

Sound therapists say a resounding “Yes”. They have treated everything from stress to Parkinson’s disease to hormonal problems. Experts insist that sound therapy is at the cutting edge of healing. They say it will soon enter the mainstream like yoga and meditation.

Common Techniques that Heal

Classical music has been shown to increase the rate of development of synaptic connections in young children’s minds. It also helps fuel creativity and enhances joy in adults. Classical music can even help address physical ailments like high blood pressure and muscle tension.

Humming not only lifts my spirits, but it also clears my head! According to a study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, humming may help keep your sinuses clear and healthy.

Whether metal or quartz crystal, a singing bowl sings when you run a felt-tipped mallet around its edge. Along with rhythms produced by striking the edge of the bowl, the vibrations and tones slow down breathing, brain waves, and heart rates, producing a deep sense of calm and well-being.

Tuning Forks were originally used to tune musical instruments to the proper pitch. They have long been used by orthopedists to detect stress fractures in large bones. Now, sound therapists use the vibrations of tuning forks to increase the amount of energy in parts of the body they are trying to heal or energize. These good vibes can support relaxation, balance our nervous systems, and increase physical energy.

So even if you’re not interested in investing in a fancy tuning fork or a singing bowl, sound healing is still available to you. The next time you need a little pick-me-up or mellow-me-out, hum a little tune, or, better yet, go for a walk and enjoy nature’s own healing harmonies.

An Idea

Everything Begins With An Idea

The Good, Bad, and ...Nostalgia

 Is there anyone who doesn’t remember past happy times? Who hasn’t missed past experiences? We are all familiar with this feeling. It can be negative, but it also has great benefits.

Nostalgia…a sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past, typically for a period or a place with happy personal associations.

I prefer to think of it as “fondly remembering the past”.

Nostalgia is often triggered by sensory stimuli such as a picture or a song, but it can be elicited by conversations, and even by self-directed memory recollection. Sometimes these triggers are unexpected surprises, and sometimes they are sought out as a means to bring comfort and happy feelings.

It can unlock a completely dormant memory. Our senses help us relive previous brain associations. Smell and touch are the strong evokers of nostalgia — these stimuli are the first to pass through the amygdala, known as the emotional seat of the brain. The recollections of one’s past are usually important events, people one cares about, and places where one has spent time. Music and weather can also be strong triggers of nostalgia.

If it’s true that the only constant that exists is change, then nostalgia would be defined as missing what you used to do and who you used to be in a specific time frame in your life.

For example; adulthood has its advantages and disadvantages. Sometimes we have to make choices and it is impossible to move forward without some positive elements of our lives being lost along the way.

A Serious Medical Condition

The word was coined in 1680 from a combination of the Greek word “nostos” meaning “return” and “algos” which means “pain”. It was, at one time, seen as a serious medical condition. It affected soldiers missing home so much that they broke down and were unable to fulfill their duties. The only cure was to be sent home.

The Benefits

In modern times, nostalgia is viewed as an independent, and even positive, emotion that many of us experience often.

Occasional nostalgia has been found to improve mood. Although nostalgia is triggered by negative feelings, it results in increasing one’s mood

It can increase social connectedness. Nostalgia also sometimes involves memories of people you were close to, and thus it can increase one’s sense of social support and connections.

It can enhance positive self-regard. Nostalgia serves as a coping mechanism and helps people to feel better about themselves.

It can provide existential meaning. Nostalgia helps increase one’s self-esteem and meaning in life by buffering threats to well-being and also by initiating a desire to deal with problems or stress.

In essence, nostalgia is all about you. Your memories, your past and consequently, who you used to be.

Sometimes just the memories are enough.

Journal of Journeys

Each of us are the narrators of our own unique stories…

Time To Relax With Restorative Rituals

 

It has been scientifically proven that taking a moment to be mindful and to breath, makes you more productive, more optimistic and happier.

So I went digging for inspiration — reading the work of experts and influencers to see how they steal their little moments of solace. I was hoping to unearth a gold mine of soothing strategies that can bring calm and restore a sense of order to my life.

Here are my findings;

Come to my senses

If I’m at the office, I can take a minute between tasks and to try and engage all my senses. Step outside to see the clouds or art hanging in a gallery window, and to smell a flower or the crisp air after a rainfall. Hug a soft velvet pillow while taking deep, slow breaths and tune in to the birds chirping outside my office.

Tidy My Tote

Nothing is more calming to me than dumping out my purse on the kitchen counter, reorganizing everything, and putting it all back in order. Anytime I feel overwhelmed, I just open my freshly organized purse and get a little shot of hope. It feels like a microcosm of life. If I can reclaim control of my purse, I can do anything!

Click On That Adorable Video

Seeing a cute animal activates the amygdala, the emotional system, in a positive way and gives bursts of dopamine that boosts our spirits. So, when a bunny video pops up in my email or social media feed, I’m going to enjoy it!

Dive in — Literally or Virtually

You know that feeling of deep calm that sweeps over you when you step up to the edge of the ocean, a lake or even a pool? Water has an immediate calming effect. Taking a long swim or blissing out in a flotation therapy device will have the most impact, but I can also just listen to the sounds of a babbling creek, stare at a fountain outside during lunchtime, or watch a live feed from an aquarium. Even looking at a photo of the sea can do the trick.

Make The Call

I’m should take five minutes to call a friend. Yes, call! I don’t expect them to answer so I’ll be ready with a fun voicemail message, like “Nothing’s wrong — you just popped into my mind.” I should think of it as a little love note, and when I’m feeling alone or stressed, spending that minute thinking about friends will remind me that I too am loved, and it will help my brain.

After I Hug The Tree, I Will Stare At the Branches

Brain-wave tests show that looking at complex, repetitive patterns called fractals has the same effect as meditating. In a forest, there are fractal patterns everywhere: in the branching of trees, in gnarled roots, in streams, in fluffy clouds. It’s called effortless looking, and it happens subconsciously. Those fractal patterns pour into my brain and relax me.

I found these to be innovative and easy tips to hit reset, find calm and have fun. I hope you do too.

A Hidden Harmony

 

In the forest there is a hidden harmony, a sacredness — everything in an order where everything is the way it is and could not be anything else than what it is. Eckhart Tolle

One of the most meaningful connections we can make in this modern world is to revel in the great outdoors and connect with nature. My last walk in a forest was scaringly beautiful. I can’t wait to go again.

The next time you get the opportunity to visit a forest, treat yourself to some of these…

Stop and smell the flowers.

Wildflowers are everywhere. Simply head to a state park, local field, or grove of trees and hunt for spots of color. Be respectful: if you pick a flower, it won’t be available to produce seed for the next generation. Also, try not to trample the flowers for a selfie! Consider zooming in on a petal or seed pod and focusing on its unique markings.

Find feathered or furry friends.

It’s amazing to watch animals do what they do. There are creatures going about their lives all over the place — this is one of the things that make being outdoors endlessly fascinating. Walk REALLY slowly and look for areas of motion. That’s probably going to be a squirrel catching an acorn, a blue jay building a nest, or a mother deer walking with her babies. Sit still, don’t stare straight at them, and animals will often come close.

Climb into a kayak.

I’ll admit I haven’t tried this yet, but it’s on my bucket list. This is supposed to be a centering experience. Even in hard white water, people find calm and serenity. It is a way to inhabit the moment — breathing fresh air and using your muscles. Gliding on a lake or a lazy river is also an awesome way to get outside and out of your head.

Forage for food.

Foraging is the original multi-generational activity — ancient families gathered together. It’s better than hiking because you stop seeing the forest as a solid green wall and start seeing its details; morels, ramps, idebible flowers, fruits, berries, nuts. Don’t pick without permission — or try anything until a professional guide (there are many offering tours across the country) has told you it’s safe.

People-watch at the park.

I love watching runners flash by, or parents tend to little ones in strollers, or teenagers playing soccer and basketball. You feel a sense of connectedness when you’re surrounded by every stage of life. That’s community.

It is said that going out into nature is the equivalent of hitting the “reset” button. Try it for yourself — as often as you possibly can.