Happy Friday!
And welcome to today's edition of 'Conscious living with Purnima'. Today I will talk about an important topic, especially in this day and age - the importance of learning to manage our minds.
I will be using insights that I have gained from reading the book, ‘Aware’ by Dr Daniel Siegel. I highly recommend that you read it too if you wish to dwell deeper and understand the theory as well as practical ways of training the mind. This book has been one of the most valuable additions to my book collection.
In this post I will touch upon the power of our mind, what we should pay attention to, so we are not misusing this power to our detriment & practices to put into action.
If you connect with any of the discussion points, then do let me know by posting in comments or writing back. I would love to connect with you and have deeper conversations on the topic.
Let’s dive in.
Power of the mind:
Did you know that our minds can change our brain function & structure? It does this by directing ‘energy and information flow’ with its power of focusing attention. This is what neuroscientists mean when they say, "where attention goes, neural firing flows, and neural connection grows.”
So, it is in our self-interest that we should harness this power of the mind to our advantage.
I gained insights aplenty from the book, ‘Aware’ into the Default Mode Network (DMN) regions of our brain and how when it isn't properly integrated with the rest of the brain can cause the mind construction of a solo self, disconnected from others leading to distress about exclusion, obsession with other’s responses, feelings of inadequacy & self-preoccupation. I understood the importance of 'Mindfulness practices' in helping create a more integrated brain structure which is key to promoting health.
I won't be going in-depth with the theory of it. For the purpose of this post, it would suffice for you to know that we could unconsciously be wiring our brains in a manner that does not serve us. And we have the capacity to rewire it.
In this post I will share 4 things that you could start to do right away to rewire your brain for well-being:
1. Catch yourself getting lost in thoughts, emotions, memories, or non-stop mental chatter:
Too much of preoccupation with thoughts, or emotions can lead to lack of integration with other areas of the brain that allow you to feel sensations or experience the present moment. This is where mindfulness practices of awakening the senses and paying attention to physical sensations can be a very useful practice to take attention away from excessive preoccupation with self and its relationship with others to present moment awareness.
A beautiful phrase I found in the book that summarizes this is:
lost in thought, low in sensation; flow in sensation, quiet in thought.
Practice:
Catch yourself when you find yourself lost in internal dialogues and bring yourself into the moment - see what you are seeing, hear what you are hearing, feel what you are feeling, smell what you are smelling and taste what you are tasting. Essentially awaken your senses to ground yourself in the present. Notice how doing that creates space & mental clarity to hold the thoughts & feelings that you may be getting lost in.
Realize that we are 'NOT' our thoughts and emotions. We 'HAVE' thoughts and emotions. And frequently getting lost and becoming them is not good for our mental health. Cultivate awareness to step away and watch the thoughts & emotions as they arise. And choose how you respond to them: drop them, transmute them or let them come and go.
2. Be aware of the influence of our society & social media on your psyche:
We are social beings and belonging is a basic human need for all.
If for any reason we get the message from social media or other aspects of our society that we are not good enough, then this information can enter our nervous system and shape where attention goes, whether we are aware or not. And one can then go about life feeling inadequate & unsupported. In fact, many of us do walk around this way like we don't matter or are fighting some kind of a lonely battle.
Practice:
Know that your environment (including social media spaces) can influence your mind and brain. Self-awareness is key & can help you notice unhealthy thought patterns. When you do notice, challenge them and choose more positive responses that support your mental well-being.
Remind yourself that we are all interconnected and not separate isolated selves as some of these spaces might make us believe. And you ‘CAN’ find that connection with others in meaningful ways.
Don't let the idea of a separate lonely self, take root in your mind & brain. If you feel left out for any reason, awaken self-compassion & find newer ways to connect with the world and build a sense of belonging.
3. Prioritize meditation and mindfulness practices:
We need these now more than ever before. These practices are very powerful and can help you see things clearly & cultivate a more integrated way of being that can help you show up for your life in a wholesome way driven by purpose and meaning.
4. Create an inclusive environment:
There is a lot of suffering in our world that is self-created. You and I with greater awareness can be more compassionate and try to create an inclusive environment whenever & wherever we can.
It's really beautiful to make people feel seen and valued. Not just our own people (family & friends) but every single person we get a chance to meet.
2 Quotes:
1. “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.”
- Aristotle
“A mind that is stretched to a new idea never returns to its original dimension.”
- Oliver Wendell Holmes
A well written and deep article. Liked the way it ended with well thought out quotes