Buddha Purnima – Birth of An Enlightened Lord!
The birth anniversary of Gautam Buddha is an auspicious day, celebrated as Buddh Purnima. This is one of the most auspicious full moon days as it marks as the birth anniversary of Prince Siddhartha. He later became Gautam Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. In Theravada Buddhism, it is observed as the birthday of Prince Siddhartha Gautama (c. 563-483 BCE) attained Nirvana (salvation) under the Mahabodhi tree at Bodh Gaya, Bihar, as well as his death anniversary. It is a significant festival celebrated with enthusiasm in countries like India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Burma, Thailand, Tibet, China, Korea, Laos, Vietnam, Mongolia, Cambodia, Singapore and Indonesia. On this day, the devotees visit temples, light candles and incense sticks, pray and offer sweets and fruits before the statue of Lord Buddha. In the prayer meeting world over, sermons on his life and teachings are done for the devotees. Devotees distribute kheer (milk porridge) in memory of Buddha, as a woman had offered the Lord the same on this day. Here are five Gautam Buddha's teachings that you can use in your daily life: "It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you." "If you knew what I know about the power of giving, you would not let a single meal pass without sharing it in some way." "Learn this from water: loud splashes the brook but the ocean's depth are calm." "The past is already gone; the future is not yet here. There's only one moment for you to live." "The trouble is, you think you have time." It is believed that in the evening of Buddha Purnima, the energies around us are potent. Hence, it is the perfect time to perform rituals to get rid of all the negativity, old patterns, addictions and any negative emotions that do not serve any purpose anymore. Buddha Purnima Special Ritual • Take some time and write on a paper about your habits, person or situations that you wish to release and heal. • At late evening or night time take a shower or rinse your hands, feet and face and wear fresh clothes. • Sit on a mat outdoors or anywhere in your home where you can feel moon energies. • Burn incense sticks and place a bowl of water next to you. Take a few breaths and chant this mantra for five times: Buddham Sharanam Gacchami Sangham Sharanam Gacchami Dhammam Sharanam Gacchami • After you are done with it, say: "Dear Lord Buddha and Moon God, please bless me on this auspicious day to release everything that no longer serves me." • Now read out the list couple of times that you had prepared to release and heal. • After that, visualise each of those habits, person or situations getting released and healed. While doing meditation slowly chant… I RELEASE all negativity attached to my body, mind, soul, and aura from across lives, space, dimension, and times. I RELEASE all the blockages that hinders my growth and progress from body, mind, soul and aura; across lives, space, dimension, and times. I RELEASE all karmic vows and promises I might have taken intentionally or unintentionally which blocks me from achieving my goals and happy life from my mind, body, soul, and aura across lives, space, dimension, and times. I RELEASE all the curses I am carrying since across lives, space, dimension, and times from my mind, body, soul, and aura. I RELEASE all the buried anger, negative emotions, financial blockages, and addictions from my mind, body, soul, and aura across lives, space, dimension, and times. I RELEASE all unpleasant and negative memories from each of my cells, mind, body, soul, and aura across lives, space, dimension, and times. I RELEASE and cut all cords from all aspect of my life that does not serve me anymore, that creates blockages and drains me off my energy from my mind, body, soul, and aura across lives, space, dimension, and times. End with saying thank you, thank you, thank you! Open your eyes gently and feel blessed!
The birth anniversary of Gautam Buddha is an auspicious day, celebrated as Buddh Purnima. This is one of the most…
The Virus Can Give Your Life More Meaning
Originally published in The San Francisco Gate One way to respond in a crisis is to reduce its threat. The other way is to add to the threat. The coronavirus COVID-19 might be the first collective crisis that many people have faced, and it poses an uncertain future in every country that confronts it. But this doesn’t change the two choices just mentioned. Know that your individual actions will have an impact on countless other people. No matter how the COVID-19 pandemic resolves itself—something no one can predict—you can personally choose right now to reduce its threat. If you consciously make that choice, three positive things will happen. You will feel more in control; you will be on the side of healing, and you will add to the meaning of your life. How to be more in control This begins by acting responsibly, following what the experts in disease control advise. By now everyone is aware of the need to stay at home, self-quarantine if you show any symptoms, keep 6 to 10 ft. away from other people in public, don’t take long plane flights, and wash your hands frequently (the medical school routine for scrubbing up applies here: Wash your hands vigorously while singing “Happy birthday to you” twice—and don’t forget your thumbs and between your fingers). The active ingredient in effective hand sanitizers is isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol, which you can also use by itself in at least a 60% solution with water. This is all useful advice, but it doesn’t address where being in control comes from, which is mental. Positive thinking isn’t enough. Feeling safe and secure is a state of awareness. It exists in us when we reach deeper than the everyday self. The everyday self cannot feel permanently safe. Outside forces loom too large and threatening. This is the time to take up meditation or return to it if you have lapsed. Your goal is to connect with your deeper awareness, the place where self-control and security comes from. The superficial part of everyone gets involved in a crisis by staying glued to the news, attaching itself to worst case scenarios, and dwelling on the terrible things other people are going through. None of this behavior puts you in control. It does just the opposite by fueling fear, uncertainty, and insecurity. Looking at updates once a day is more than enough. The rest of the time, remain centered in yourself and keep doing the sensible thing. How to be on the side of healing Bad things happen to everyone. It is how you react that determines whether you come out healed or wounded. In all of us, the healing response is natural, innate, and powerful. More than the immune system is involved. Healing is a mind-body process. If you are sad, stressed, depressed, anxious, helpless, hopeless, panicky, or feel out of control, every cell in your body gets that message. Therefore, do everything you can to send the opposite message. We’ve already mentioned meditation, which has a strong effect in restoring mind-body balance. But you also need to be vigilant on two other fronts: sleep and stress. Good, sound sleep maintains homeostasis and prevents a cascade of imbalances that can occur in hormones, for example. Stress is a powerful trigger for hormone imbalance, among other things. It has been linked to chronic inflammation, for example, which seems to be present in acute and chronic disease. Besides doing all you can to sleep well and reduce immediate stresses, there is vagal breathing, which has become widely publicized in recent years. Centered on stimulating the vagus nerve, which runs from the brain to heart, lungs, intestinal tract, and elsewhere. By breathing in to a count of four, holding your breath for a short pause, and breathing out to a count of four, you tell the vagus nerve that you are in a calm, balanced state. In response, it helps maintain mind-body balance. You can do more to be on the side of healing by following the positive lifestyle choices you already know are good for you in terms of a healthy diet and avoiding or greatly minimizing alcohol, tobacco, and drugs. The good things you are doing contribute to boosting your immune response, or at the very least doing your best to keep it from being compromised. So far as anyone knows, the victims of COVID-19 are most likely to be immune-compromised. If you aren’t, your risks seem to be drastically lowered. How to give your life more meaning This is the most positive thing you can get out of the COVID-19 crisis and yet the least discussed. Life becomes more meaningful when you feel you have purpose, when you give of yourself in service, when you find resources of strength and resilience inside yourself, and when you discover who you really are. No virus can deprive your life of meaning unless you allow it to. Conversely, a virus won’t add to the meaning of your life. Viruses have no motive except self-preservation and replication. All of us have the same instincts; they are built into our evolutionary past. But where human evolution excels is at the level of consciousness that goes beyond instinct, into the realms of empathy and self-awareness. The expert medical advice that now surrounds us should be heeded, of course, but it falls short when it comes to meaningful change. Will you come out of this crisis feeling stronger, more resilient, and with more purpose? We’re not talking about putting yourself more at risk of getting sick, which is foolhardy. Instead, you can be strong for others. You can be the source of nurturing and optimism when others feel afraid and insecure. You can empathize with how someone else feels and lend your support. Where there are personal barriers of class, age, race, and income, you can be the one who lowers the barrier to reach out. Yet ultimately the greatest meaning will not arrive until the world feels safer. Then the temptation will be to go back to the status quo, to return to normal by putting COVID-19 out of our minds. That would be a tragic loss of opportunity. During times of crisis, we naturally take time to appreciate what we have and place a greater priority on what is most important to us. The question is how to carry this on after the crisis of COVID-19 passes. The global mind must solve many problems, from climate change to over-population, refugees, and hostile nationalism. How the world deals with the COVID-19 pandemic offers a clue to how every other problem will be confronted. Your life will be more meaningful if you contribute to meaningful solutions that reach far, far beyond the rampage of this virus. Everything, including being in control and being a healer, is wrapped up in that. DEEPAK CHOPRA MD, FACP, founder of The Chopra Foundation, a non-profit entity for research on well-being and humanitarianism, and Chopra Global, a modern-day health company at the intersection of science and spirituality, is a world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation. Chopra is a Clinical Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of California, San Diego and serves as a senior scientist with Gallup Organization. He is the author of over 89 books translated into over forty-three languages, including numerous New York Times bestsellers. Chopra is a Clinical Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of California, San Diego and serves as a senior scientist with Gallup Organization. His 90th book, Metahuman: Unleashing Your Infinite Potential, unlocks the secrets to moving beyond our present limitations to access a field of infinite possibilities. TIME magazine has described Dr. Chopra as “one of the top 100 heroes and icons of the century.” Dr. Rudolph E. Tanzi is the Kennedy Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School and Co-Director of the McCance Center for Brain Health at MGH. Dr. Tanzi has discovered numerous Alzheimer’s disease genes, including the first one, and is developing new Alzheimer’s therapies using human mini-brains pioneered in his laboratory. Dr. Tanzi has published 600 research papers, received numerous awards and was on the 2015 TIME100 Most Influential People in the World list. He has also co-authored several books, including “Decoding Darkness” and three bestsellers with Deepak Chopra: “Super Brain”, “Super Genes”, and “The Healing Self”. In his spare time, he plays keyboards with guitarist, Joe Perry of Aerosmith and other musicians.
Originally published in The San Francisco Gate One way to respond in a crisis is to reduce its threat. The…
Heal UR life: How to deal with addiction?
Heal UR life: How to deal with addiction? Addiction is a process that doesn't happen overnight; it is a gradual process. It can be a habit or compulsion to do anything. From shopping endlessly to alcohol to drugs and even domestic violence, it is a dysfunction that looks like a 'reward' often lacking the concern of its dire consequences. In this new episode of Heal UR Life, I would like to explain what addiction is, how we can overcome it, and what the best ways to get rid of it! Addiction or dependency is never a good idea, we should always have a choice and you should never be controlled by what you do. One of the most common addictions that plague youngsters of the nation today is smartphones. However, we are addicted to everything around us! It is the accessibility of things in these times that have made us addicted to certain things. Same is the case with certain foods, coffee, tea or even people for that matter. As the preconceived notions go, we need to widen our spectrum of addiction and look at it in a different way from what we already know. According to data from the Ministry of Social Justice, 26% of alcohol abusers and 25% of cannabis abusers show symptoms of dependency in India. When you are dependent on things and they run out, you begin to panic and realise how dependant U R. For example, tobacco is running out during the lockdown period, people who are addicted to nicotine do not know what to do without smokes. Such a situation is never a good sign. You may ask what dependency is and how you can find out if you too show signs of addiction or dependency! Well, addiction is when people consume or use certain things on an everyday basis. In case of alcohol, a person who is drinking every day is more likely to be addicted. Alcohol, cigarettes or drugs give the abuser a sense of compulsion, or the need to have it, which leads to struggle. Once that habit kicks in, there is no stopping. I like to call it the three Cs of addiction—compulsion, Craving and Loss of Control. Drinking every day and suddenly going cold turkey might not be a sure-shot sign of addiction from a diagnostic point of view. The signs and symptoms have to show for about a year to be called an addiction. Call it an excessive drinking habit or binge drinking, an addict tends to drink despite showing signs of difficulty in social behaviour at work, in a relationship or even when facing financial constraints. Signs of an addict • Unable to stay away from the substance • Lack of self-control • Denial of their problem causing behaviour • Lack of emotional responsibility Drinking pattern is one of the first things that's checked among people. Questions like how many drinks do you take, frequency of drinking, among others describe addiction. The body becomes dependant and gets used to alcohol and with time you need to drink more to get the same effects. Moving on to drugs, the features of addiction remain the same. The three Cs stay the same. The difference with drugs is that immediate consequences start showing right after consumption. For example, cocaine starts showing its effect instantly, but cigarettes take years to show its problems. Marijuana doesn't cause physical dependency like in the case of nicotine or alcohol. It's more psychological with cannabis and the sort of addiction that takes years to realise. The problem with drugs, alcohol and nicotine is that over time, you crave it because of the physical dependency on it. Addiction meter Alcohol – Most toxic substance Cocaine – Psychotic behaviour Smoking – Most addictive chemical Sleeping pills/tranquiliser – Develop tolerance, highly dependant With the lockdown in place, withdrawal symptoms start showing up due to the lack of supply. This is when a feeling of anxiousness and irritability will kick in. Insomnia and anxiety will show up as well. Restlessness and shakings in significant cases are very apparent. In severe cases, an addict can also get fits, get confused, develop psychosis and can go into a coma as well. As far as dealing with addicts is concerned, severe patients need to be taken into a hospital emergency instantly. Family & loved ones face the most trauma in such situations. I suggest that the family or an individual should grab this opportunity of the lockdown to seek professional help if the addiction is too strong. Medicines like tranquilisers work on people who have mild withdrawal symptoms. However, those with severe withdrawal symptoms require detoxification medicine as a substitute. These medicines are available strictly on a prescription basis. Online consultation is one way to get a prescription for these medications if you are feeling severe withdrawal symptoms. The alcohol withdrawal symptoms can show up within 48 to 72 hours, and medical help is necessary as it can be dangerous. Nicotine, on the other hand, can take a week or two to show withdrawal symptoms. However, a healthy diet and increasing exercise can help you come out of the addiction. Don't panic, seek medical help and let the medical professional figure out UR category of addiction to suggest appropriate treatment options. There is nothing wrong with seeking medical assistance. Will power is required to stay off something, but first, seek medical help to deal with addiction or substance abuse. When I meet an addict, it is always about asking the right kind of questions and open-ended questions that are comforting. Qualified practitioners never demean their patients, in fact, act as a solid support system. Questions like "Tell me about UR drinking habits?" "Do you think you drink more than you should?" "Has drinking gone up with time?" are the right way to get answers. It is these kinds of questions that people open up to and finally acknowledge their problems. When they are ready for reform, a gentle nudge from loved ones helps them come out of addiction. If you have any questions regarding addiction, please email me at roshanjaindr@gmail.com.
Heal UR life: How to deal with addiction? Addiction is a process that doesn’t happen overnight; it is a gradual…
Heal UR Life: Energy Cleansing For A Better Tomorrow
Heal UR Life: Energy Cleansing For A Better Tomorrow Heal UR Life is all about spreading positivity through various methods. Today, I would like to talk about energy cleansing. This is about all kinds of remedies like burning bay leaves or putting lavange in your diyas. They all work wonders and you can see a difference in the environment in your homes. Let me start by talking about one entity that has the power to cleanse us all – Sai Baba. It was in March 2020, during the lockdown, there were cases of COVID-19 all around India. And Maharashtra has been the worst affected state of India, but there is not a single case of coronavirus infection in Shirdi. It proves the dominant vibe of the place known for Sai Baba. It is a matter of faith, and if you go to him with dedication, it will never fail. The failure of COVID at Shirdi is a testimony for the world about the power of the place. Sai baba never asks for anything from his devotees, but only trust and devotion. We Indians believe in miracles, and I can tell you the recent event of corona-free Shirdi is a miracle in itself when the whole of Maharashtra is facing the heat of COVID-19. Since the lockdown has happened, we have all witnessed a lot of stress and anxiety. I would suggest you read the Sai Satcharitra or do a havan at home for mental peace. I will tell you about myself when I was recently doing the havan at my house, I could see the image of Sai Baba in the diya. If you read the book or do the havan, you will definitely see that your mind will be at peace. You will be more calming in nature. I know that youngsters do not believe in these things and want answers from science about everything. But if there is faith, then you don’t need science. And if you are looking for proof, then you never had any faith. However, I do have evidence about lighting a diya for peace. When we light a diya, it emits radiance, which changes the atmosphere around us for positivity. The magnetic waves that are emitted from the diya touch you, and stay with for hours. It clears the negativity around us. How to clear the aura around you You can just take a spoon of salt and mix it the water before taking a bath. You can also put the salt in water and immerse your feet in the bucket. Salt in the water kills the negative vibes in your body. Lighting a diya is another way to cleanse. Playing any kind of music that you like, which doesn’t have to be spiritual music, help in clearing the aura around you. Whenever you feel that you are uncomfortable at a place, or you do not like the atmosphere around you, you can do the things mentioned above. Some of the symptoms like sudden headache, sudden cramps are ways to show that there is negativity around you. Another easy way to cleanse the energy in the house is the burning of camphor. You can take 4-5 capsules of camphor, put them in ghee or oil and burn it. What you can do for personal cleansing is that you can rotate the burning camphor around you for the number of times the day you were born. If you were born on the 15, then do 15 rounds of it and likewise! Meditation also helps a lot in cleaning the aura around you. Wondering how to figure out the negativity in UR house? Well, just take a walk around, and if you feel any discomfort in certain parts, or if you have quarrel at a particular place in the house, then it is nothing but bad energy flowing around. I want to add that no matter what religion you follow, it is always about bad energy vs good energy. Have faith in whatever you do in life, and you will see everything falling into place for you! If you want to reach out to me, mail me at ranadheer.kumar@magicenergy.in
Heal UR Life: Energy Cleansing For A Better Tomorrow Heal UR Life is all about spreading positivity through various methods….
Amazing Benefits Of Affirmative Havening
When we have issues or negative thoughts, they are dependent on landscapes and removing negative emotional parts of a traumatic event changes the landscape of the brain. This leaves a void, which is a good thing. We like to have voids so that we can fill them with positive thoughts and emotions. We can remove the negative and use the positives to fill the gap. It is with this thought that I am going to show you this therapy technique, called affirmational havening. It is a really wonderful and easy technique that works wonders on stress management. In this method, you can either go to an expert or can do it yourself. During this exercise, you need to think of a positive resource from the past instead of a traumatic event from the past. You can say “I’m confident.” “I’m happy” or I’m resilient” while doing it. What it does is, it takes those empty spaces in your brain and fills them up with positive things, and things that you may need in the future to get through with the difficulties in life. When you think of the past situations where you might have melted down, doing self-havening now, and saying the words that represent positivity, you will get stronger and more confident of achieving to get what you want in the future. I do this personally every day in the morning. It’s a great way to start your day. You can do this in the shower while bathing. Just say the words I’m and find a positive word. How to do self-havening It’s an extremely effective method to destress, where you have to touch yourself with both hands crossed on your shoulder and bring them from shoulders to the wrist and talk positive things to yourself. Just say “I chose to feel healthy” or “I chose to focus on something” as you do the moves. Do it 5 to 10 minutes in a day to see the benefits. Focusing on what you want and do this self-havening exercise. Benefits of havening Trauma Phobias Traumatic memories Bad experiences PTSD
When we have issues or negative thoughts, they are dependent on landscapes and removing negative emotional parts of a traumatic…
Heal UR Life: How Alternate Therapy Helps U Heal
Heal UR Life: How alternate therapy helps u heal In these times, when the world is at siege due to the coronavirus pandemic, we are looking for different ways to relieve stress and working towards a better life. Alternative therapy is one such method to do it. We’re going to discuss stress, how to deal with it and the different ways to curb this menace. While on the subject, I would also like to talk about the various therapies to build relationships and boost the immune system, all in the comfort of UR home… Losing weight is one subject that always catches our attention, especially during this quarantine period. We all fear to gain extra kilos and not looking our best before we return to work. However, that’s where we go wrong, as ‘losing’ as a term brings negative connotation with it. On the contrary, I like to call it “managing weight”. It gives you much more control over what you want to do with UR body. Visualisation is a great way to proceed with managing UR weight. What comes first as an alternative therapy of healing is hypnosis. It’s not just about visiting a hypnotherapist or going into a trance. People are in and out of hypnosis every day in their lives without even realising it. Patterns and habits define hypnosis in daily life. For example, if you’ve learnt driving once, you are now habituated to it. UR conscious when U R driving, but you can do multiple things during that time as well. It becomes your habit with time which is a state of hypnosis. Weight management is emotional. You must’ve heard about emotional eating. But what is it? It is when we eat when we are emotional, overwhelmed or sad. A diet is not going to solve the issue of managing weight because it is connected to your mind and emotions. To manage weight, it’s essential to look at food differently, change a few beliefs and understand what food means to you. Have clarity on what you want to achieve. Hypnosis works in different ways, and it doesn’t always mean to close your eyes to get into a hypnotic state. One of the greatest hypnotherapists, Milton Ericson, never got his clients to close their eyes. He just talked and healed by getting people to talk about different perspectives. To add to that, hypnotherapy can help you learn to cope with conflict and manage difficult emotions more easily. It can help you build confidence and ask for what you need and deserve, something which is very important in relationships. Communication is vital, and hypnotherapy may be able to help you with this aspect too. During this lockdown, reports have come that the divorce cases in China have gone up drastically, and I’m not surprised. Humans are not wired to be with each other for long. Sure we love relationships, but we are also wired for our own time. We love to go to work or meet friends. However, in this lockdown, living in close proximity to our loved ones might cause distress. My advice would be to find some ‘me’ time for yourself. Take an hour every day to spend that time with no one but yourself. The problems in relationships arise when there is lack of communication. Almost every issue is down to the lack of conversation between partners. What we do in a relationship is that we assume we know everything about the other person and they know us. But that’s not the case. In my opinion, the longer you are together, the more you should communicate. Another method of alternative healing is havening, a kind of sensory therapy. When clients come to me, I take their words as symptoms of an underlying problem. As a therapist, I dig deep into their history and find the root of the problem with a technique called meta-modelling. It’s not painful or tiresome like other techniques. I talk to my clients and figure out the root of the problem, which could be childhood issues, family issues, school, bullying, peer pressure and other problems that can be the reason for their current pain. The present pain, if not dealt with, will have a massive impact on an individual’s relationship, health, wellbeing and productivity. The most crucial relationship that you have is with yourself! Havening is a method that helps me de-link and decode the childhood traumas of my clients, and that can help you too. It is a psycho-sensory technique which involves three pillars of healing, namely; psychology, psychopharmacology and the mind-body connection. As a practitioner, I heal my patients by connecting their mind and body. I work by attaching their mind and body by using sensory touches. It works by touching the face, shoulders to elbows and the hands. Let’s say UR very stressed, so you can use the affirmational havening to destress. People have different techniques when they are stressed. While some rub their temples, others put their hands on their head. Some even pull their knuckles to self-soothe. The self-havening technique to destress It’s an extremely effective method to destress, where you have to touch yourself with both hands crossed on your shoulder and bring them from shoulders to the wrist and talk positive things to yourself. Just say “I chose to feel healthy” or “I chose to focus on something” as you do the moves. Do it 5 to 10 minutes in a day to see the benefits. Focus on what you want and do this self-havening exercise. Things to do to forget the trauma during the lockdown • Self-havening • Yoga • Meditation • Listening to meditative podcasts • Singing/Chanting • Have probiotics • Walking in sunlight (if possible) • The vagus nerve technique – For this, sit straight on a chair, with your feet firmly on the ground. Now take three deep breaths. When you inhale, do it with the word calm, and when you exhale through your mouth, do it with the word stress. To get in touch with me, you can follow my Instagram page @micheleparadiseofficial, or go to my website www.changeyourmindforgood.com. You can also go to my YouTube channel @micheleparadise for havening videos.
Heal UR Life: How alternate therapy helps u heal In these times, when the world is at siege due to…
How To Tackle Trauma Effectively
How To Tackle Trauma Effectively Despite knowing the struggles of the mind can cause lasting effects on our lives, we choose to ignore the fact. Psychological ‘wounds’ are not readily accepted nor recognised. Given the unpredictable world, we live in, understanding the traumatic psychological injury of the mind has never been more critical. The longer we wait to tend to our mental well-being, the bigger the problem may develop! Everyday Trauma Even in the comfort of our homes, we are traumatised daily by flash news of natural disasters, war, violent crimes, accidents and abuse. The breaking news of catastrophes may numb us to an immediate emotional response, leading us to be less empathetic towards victims. What Is PTSD? Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a stress-related anxiety disorder. It is defined as a normal reaction to an experience or witnessing an overwhelming incident during which individuals have an intense combination of emotions like fear, hopelessness or horror. Episodes like domestic abuse, sexual abuse, life-threatening accidents and even childbirth cause PTSD. About nine per cent, new moms deal with postpartum PTSD. It is caused by dealing with a complication while giving birth or due to the declining health of the baby, post-birth. Usually, PTSD symptoms appear after a month of experiencing a terrifying incident but these symptoms could be dormant for years. Intrusive Memories • Repeated and painful recollections of a traumatic event in the form of dreams, flashbacks or memories. • Reliving the unfortunate incident frequently • Vulnerability and psychological distress when exposed to things that symbolise or resemble an aspect of the trauma like an object or date or anniversary. Avoidance Features • Trying to escape the thought or feelings associated with the trauma or avoidance of activities, places, people and situations. • Some individuals are unable to recall even an essential aspect of the trauma. Heightened Arousal • Difficulty in falling or staying asleep • Irritability or outburst of anger progressing to rage • Difficulty concentrating, hypervigilance and easily startled • Confused and troubled behaviour • Unable to concentrate and poor memory Other Features • Lack of interest in anything • Loneliness and detachment from the world • Clinical depression • Crippled with anxiety and panic • Inability to have a definite range of affection like love or kindness • Hopelessness and helplessness • Suicidal thoughts • Diminished self-esteem and confidence • Difficulty in coming to terms with the incident that can lead to continued self-victimisation Who Does It Affect? • PTSD can affect all age groups, even children • Females are more likely to be affected by PTSD • About 1 to 3 per cent of the population is affected by PTSD Individual differences such as analysing the event and the capacity to cope with catastrophic stress explain the reason why some exposed to traumatic events do not suffer from PTSD while others go on to develop the full-blown syndrome. Suffer From PTSD: Facts & Figures • An estimated 50% of rape victims • About 30% post a physical assault • Incidents like witnessing serious injury (7.3%) and natural disaster (3.8%) also increase vulnerability • 20% of those who have witnessed war and have been wounded A journal of NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information) that published a research paper on PTSD revolving around India stated that the biggest reason for PTSD is abuse! Dealing With PTSD PTSD requires due attention and empathic care because it is a delicate issue that deals with all the ordeals an individual has experienced. Combination treatment with talk therapy and medication is found to be the most effective method to manage PTSD. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (Talk Therapy) & Structured Counselling helps the victims learn new skills on how to process memories and emotions related to the trauma caused. It also manages or resolves distressing thoughts, feelings and behaviour associated with traumatic events. Additional Treatments include medications such as antidepressants and anti-anxiety tablets help reduce the impact of symptoms. Offering assistance for the victim’s family helps psychologically and plays a pivotal role in the victim’s recovery. Frontline personnel need to be aware of providing psychological first-aid to assist people in the aftermath of significant events to reduce initial distress, improve adaptive functioning and reduce secondary victimisation.
How To Tackle Trauma Effectively Despite knowing the struggles of the mind can cause lasting effects on our lives, we…
Know Your Limits: Wake Up To The Reality Of Drinking Sensibly!
We hate restrictions and regulations. Consequently, we are driven either consciously or unconsciously to override them. We like to lose control, but are inherently programmed to retain it! Alcohol is perceived as a substance that lets you be – something that gives you the deceptive confidence to shed your inhibitions and even bring out UR true self! You may have come across someone who drinks like a fish and is yet able to stand tall amongst the less tolerant intoxicated. Here is an alcoholic in the making. Excess intake of alcohol opens a Pandora’s Box of health and social problems. As said by Paracelsus, the father of Toxicology, ‘the dose makes the poison!’ Officially, Indians are amongst the world’s lowest consumers of alcohol, but we seem to have a way around it. How? Over half the drinkers fall in the hazardous drinking category! Further, about 15-20 per cent of this lot go on to become addicts or develop dependency syndrome. So whether you are a responsible social drinker or an addict, you definitely won’t get ‘high’ knowing that alcohol is one of the most toxic substances known to man! Unfortunately, it’s readily and legally available worldwide. As we are currently spoilt for choice, it becomes impossible to know how much is too much! This applies to everything we do, be it the food we eat, the money we seek, and importantly that drink we indulge in. Why We Need To Worry About Drinking Studies suggest that alcohol is connected to more than 60 types of diseases and injuries. For instance, alcohol is a risk factor for oesophageal cancer, liver cancer, and cirrhosis of the liver, stroke, and psychiatric illnesses including suicide, motor vehicle accidents and homicide. There has been an upward surge in patterns and trends of alcohol use in India. People are now drinking at a younger age and in the past two decades; the average age of initiation of alcohol intake has fallen from 19 to 13! The signature pattern of alcohol consumption is frequent and heavy drinking, with more than 90 per cent of alcohol consumption being in the form of hard liquor or distilled spirits. Alarmingly, only 40 per cent of these are branded. The Blame Game! According to the government, powerful international and domestic alcohol lobbies are targeting our young. There are multinationals at work trying to harvest the potential in India’s vast unexploited market for investment in production and distribution of alcohol and alcoholic products. The film industry glorifies drinking: Good guys, drink and good times are associated with intoxication! Limiting individual alcohol intake and drinking sociably and sensibly is the first step towards responsible drinking. In recognition of the global health issues with alcoholism, the World Health Organization (WHO) kicked in 2012 by sounding out national governments on setting a global target for reducing per capita consumption of alcohol. But the move seems to have hit a roadblock for in April, the WHO dropped it, citing poor support from member states! But why wait until countries and states decide on strategies for reducing alcohol consumption? Limiting individual alcohol intake and drinking sociably and sensibly is the first step towards responsible drinking. For this, drinks need to be quantified, and the guidelines for alcohol intake need to be understood. Count Your Drinks The health authorities in the UK worked on guidelines for alcohol consumption far back in 1981. They very aptly titled it, ‘Drinking Sensibly’ which contained the detailed definition of alcohol misuse and the introduction to the concept of sensible drinking. Three years later, it was followed with guidelines on individual drinking. The latter too was aptly titled, ‘That’s the Limit!’ which outlined ‘safe limits’ for drinking. Their follow-up reports in 1995 formed the basis for quantifying alcohol volume in units and individual drinking guidelines (21 units a week for men and 14 for women). A couple of years later, these guidelines were changed from weekly limits to daily limits. Here are a few points from the new guidelines: Men: 3-4 units a day or less Women: 2-3 units a day or less After an episode of heavy drinking, refrain from drinking for 48 hours to allow the body tissues to recover Units are a fundamental concept used in guidelines on alcohol consumption. Approximately, one unit equals to a 25 ml measure of spirits like whisky, or half a pint of ordinary strength (4 per cent) beer, 100 ml of 10 per cent wine. Therefore, a ‘large’ peg of whisky has two units; a can of regular beer has about 1.5 units; and 175 ml glass of wine contains two units. Awareness about alcohol consumption and associated health hazards, as well as sensible drinking limits, may help to contain and reduce the intake. Also, what we urgently require is education and awareness programmes on the perils of alcoholism and hazardous drinking.
We hate restrictions and regulations. Consequently, we are driven either consciously or unconsciously to override them. We like to lose…
Does Size Matter?
Weighty woes take up too much mind space. Understand the price of being obese on UR mental health. What did nature intend for man and woman to look like? Is it the well-structured but also well-endowed figures depicted in Greek and Roman art or the six-pack and size 0 that films, fashion and the rest of the world seem to be chasing? Does the beautiful body struggle impact your mental beauty in any way? Should the 20-year-old daughter and her 40 something mom look just as slim or will age naturally pile on loads of kilos? Let's address some of these thoughts, doubts and even myths. At puberty, most boys and girls are usually lean and thin. Even size 0 as understood earlier, more or less the same size of chest, waist and hips. As a child grows, the long thin trunk begins to broaden at the hips and shoulders, thereby showing a waistline. Since legs grow first, the waistline starts high. Later as the trunk lengthens, the waistline drops, giving the body its proper proportion. Boys, who mature early, usually have broader hips than boys who grow late. On the other hand, girls who mature late have slightly broader hips than early-maturing girls. By the age of 16-20, all boys and girls have achieved their natural well-proportioned body structure. If physical activity is sufficient, metabolism is high, and a lean, healthy well-endowed look can be achieved. Let's cut to the chase to modern India that paints a picture of a developing economy, fast pace urbanisation and growth. The rich are becoming more affluent, and a substantial middle class is moving fast on their heels. Is there a price that we pay for this social and financial upward mobility? Of course, we do! Feed the child everything that you couldn't get, assuage your lack of availability and guilt with food for the eye and not food for health. Think of a well-stocked fridge as a sign of success! Tempt the kids with a kitchen bursting with goodies! The result? The kids are as fat as their parents' wallets. With all this, there is a physical and mental health price to be paid. What these young adults see in the mirror is not so complimentary. It creates a feeling of being lesser than their more structured peers. After all, the body is like the formal sitting room of a house. It is your prettiest foot forward. Not measuring up leads to insecurity, low self- confidence, and struggling self-esteem. All of which could lead to social withdrawal. The good guys Unilever has removed all trans fats from their food products and has also reduced many kilos of butter, salt and sugar from their goods that are available worldwide. Size 12 jeans today were size 14, ten years ago! Disney is deepening the water for boat rides because the average size of an American is 20 per cent more than ten years ago. Airlines have made their seats wider. The feeling of being 'less than' percolates to other mental and social areas of development. The body is like the formal sitting room of a house. It is your prettiest foot forward. Not measuring up leads to insecurity, low self-confidence, and struggling self-esteem. When family and well-wishers advice weight loss, it is then met with defensiveness and denial. After all, this is a confirmation of what young adults already know but don't want to acknowledge. Defensiveness often results in rebellion, more eating equals more weight gain, and these mental health dysfunctions are only mild. Severe dysfunctions include uni-polar, sexual dysfunctions and eating disorders. These dysfunctions disproportionately affect women more than men. Matrimonial columns, for instance, reflect this, as they are more likely to read - wanted fair, tall, slim and well-educated girl. But a similar description for a groom doesn't seem to figure so strong. These are times of sexual objectification of the body. Housing a beautiful mind and a beautiful body are seen as a must. It is expected of men to have a fat wallet but a lean frame. It is equally expected of women to be intelligent and beautiful at the same time. Obese are considered to be funny people but U R in for a shocker as they are 25 per cent more likely to suffer from depression. So where is the room for humour? The brain is mostly made up of cholesterol, a fat. It feeds on sugars and essential fatty acids. But it doesn't need to be overfed. It thrives on omega-3 fatty acids which come from healthy food choices. What's suitable for the head is good for the heart, confirms a study presented at the American Psychosomatic Society. Take a good look at your mirror and listen to its diagnosis, pleasant or not. Work on your diet and exercise regime. A healthy diet balances the mind, while starvation only gives you mood swings. Vigorous exercise burns stress, and depressive emotions leave you mentally calm yet alert.
Weighty woes take up too much mind space. Understand the price of being obese on UR mental health. What did…
Ways to consume knowledge post-college
Ways to consume knowledge post-college Learning doesn't have to stop after college. The urge to keep learning should last a lifetime. To adapt to changing times keeping yourself up to date is essential. Attend interactive workshops. Quirky workshops help you learn practically and logically and make learning more appealing. Make a list of things you didn’t have the opportunity to learn for whatsoever reason and find a way to start. Simple things like drawing, designing, swimming or even getting involved in communities can give you a sense of fulfilment. Try globetrotting. Post-COVID people are going to globe-trot more carefully. Make a bucket list of places where you want to go based on priority. Do research, study their culture & traditions, do extensive homework before you book UR tickets. This way you will know what’s in store for you. I love to be spontaneous but in a calculated manner. It’s not worth risking something precious for an adrenalin rush. Get the real tee via educational apps or online classes. I overheard a friend saying that he does one Master Class every week. I love apps that summarize books and have an audio read version. I prefer listening to Podcasts than songs when I commute to work, it gives me a different perspective on life. They are easy to access, pocket-friendly or sometimes free and provide you with the latest cutting - edge practices that also improve UR skill sets. Attend a human library event. Have you ever attended a human library? I haven’t, my team told me how cool they are, I looked it up and I’m all set to attend a session with an open mind. Apparently, these events are uber-cool and allow you to interact with intellects from diverse backgrounds. Attending one can also change UR perspective on the new ways of absorbing knowledge. Party or Network Sounds weird, but sometimes Parties can be educational too. Depending on the crowd you can plan conversation topics in advance. Trust me it’s a done thing. A lot of times I have heard that UR Network is UR Net worth, I believe this only cos of the knowledge you gain with people’s experience. Alternately keep in touch with UR old colleagues or college mates to see what’s happening in their industry. The more you seek the more you reap.
Ways to consume knowledge post-college Learning doesn’t have to stop after college. The urge to keep learning should last a…
Ways to a restful night’s sleep
Ways to a restful night’s sleep A restful night’s sleep is a luxury for many. There are loads of sleep-inducing teas, pills and sprays, that I sometimes feel may have a placebo effect if they are natural. Charmaine D’Souza’s mix for sleep works best for me. Try and stay away from sleep medication as much as possible, they are highly addictive. Early dinners at least four hours before bedtime can improve UR sleep quality and avoid indigestion, stomach cramps and bloating. Indigestion causes a lot of sleep disturbances. Flatulence while sleeping can be uncomfortable, embarrassing and can take a toll on UR sex life. Stretching & Relaxing post a hectic day sounds great but difficult to achieve. Do something that doesn’t stimulate UR mind, this includes all digital communication. If talking to people relaxes you then put them on speaker and lock the phone so you don’t see the blue light. Stretch every part of UR body if possible before sleeping. Exercising regularly reduces insomnia, mental stress, releases endorphins and regulates UR body temperature. Make sure you avoid strenuous exercise 2 to 3 hours before bedtime, however a very famous actor told me that he walks for 30 minutes post dinner to help the digestion process. Reduce fluid intake post 6pm. It’s not worth drinking tea, coffee or sugary substances post 6 pm. 80% of UR water consumption for the day must be complete by 6pm. This helps avoiding unnecessary pee breaks in the middle of UR sleep. Keep UR bedroom clean and linen smelling fresh and you will automatically feel relaxed and comfortable. I like to freeze the room, but my partner prefers the fan. Nevertheless, we both love clean smelling linen and make sure we burn camphor and sage in our rooms to remove negativity. Our spaces have to be clean and our bed side tables have to clutter free. It’s a rule.
Ways to a restful night’s sleep A restful night’s sleep is a luxury for many. There are loads of sleep-inducing…
Re think these lists post COVID-19
Creating lists is one way of getting to know yourself better. Making lists helps us become more organized and more structured in our thinking, wants and desires. Set UR goals after analyzing UR lists. It's fun simple and extremely impactful. A bucket list helps you prioritize UR wants and desires in terms of travel, adventure and exploring new experiences. Zoom in on what fuels UR life and gives you a sense of fulfilment. You can do it all provided you have a structure and plan around it. Goals list is the blueprint to acing UR priorities. If UR clear about UR goals, UR wishes will automatically start falling in place. Goals should be small and achievable, they have to be stepping stones to reach the top. Mood board list helps you visually see and reminds you to be artistic and have fun. Take time out for yourself, be fit and successful at the same time. Add pictures of the places you want to visit, people you want to be like and things you want to do. Research says pictures carry the same impact as words. Visualizing UR mood board helps manifest things into reality. I truly believe in the power of ‘The Secret’. If you haven’t read it, UR missing out. Smart spending list is a must post the COVID crisis. Managing UR expenses efficiently helps you save money, stabilizes UR future and gives you the right opportunity to invest in something fruitful like a startup or an SME. Based on UR income you can plan savings, gifts and travel. Living within a budget is like a game. The better you get at it the wealthier you will become. Change UR habits list will make you more mindful of UR behavioral patterns. The first step towards becoming a better U is actually addressing and identifying the need for change. Be less reactive to things or scenarios which may trouble you or get the best of you. My mentor asked me to retrospect the difference between an assertive leader and an aggressive leader, this drastically improved my productivity. Practice being positive via guided meditation, positive affirmations or any activity of UR liking that bring about balance.
Creating lists is one way of getting to know yourself better. Making lists helps us become more organized and more…