The New Way of Living: How to Reconnect with Your Body and Spirit, Gain Mental Clarity, Physical Health, and a New Outlook on the World
144
The New Way of Living: How to Reconnect with Your Body and Spirit, Gain Mental Clarity, Physical Health, and a New Outlook on the World
144Paperback
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Overview
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781982225100 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Balboa Press |
| Publication date: | 04/09/2019 |
| Pages: | 144 |
| Product dimensions: | 5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.34(d) |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
CHAPTER 1
Mental Health – A loving Guide to Happiness
Give every day the chance to become the best day of your life.
- Unknown
Anyone, who keeps the ability to see the beauty in all things, will never grow old.
- Franz Kafka
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines mental health this way:
"A mentally healthy person can use his or her abilities, cope with normal life demands, work productively, and contribute to his or her community.)" (WHO 2004)
For me, mental health means to be able to see the good in every day and to enjoy the little things in life, like the blue sky, the warmth of the sun on your skin, the singing of the birds, someone refilling your empty cup without you asking them to, etc. It means to not be trapped in a negative downward spiral of thoughts. Every day provides us with miracles and wonders. Mental health enables us to recognize them with joy and be grateful for them.
Your mental and physical health are connected. If you feel pain in your body, it doesn't feel good. It makes you uncomfortable, and, of course, this has a negative effect on your mood. In return, your worries and stress can impact your physical body negatively.
Stomachache, headache, a stuffy nose, constipation and diarrhea can all be ways of your body communicating a mental issue that needs healing. It is all connected. We are energetic beings consisting of body and soul. Our energetic bodies are directly connected to our physical bodies. They impact each other. If you want to be physically healthy, you also need to take care of your soul and your energetic being, your mental health.
How can we improve our mental clarity and get to a healthy balance in our bodies and minds? I want to share with you my personal treasures that have helped me tremendously to gain constant mental health and clarity. But before we get into them, you should know what is required of you.
You must have motivation. Before you can reach a level of complete mental clarity, you need to be motivated to do whatever it takes to get there and break free from the situation you are stuck in. Without motivation, you will not be successful. You have to really want it with every fiber of your being. Knowing the reason behind your decision can be very helpful during times your motivation seems to have disappeared. This applies to every area of life. So, ask yourself, "Why do I want ...?" I recommend writing your answers down. This way, you can always come back to them whenever you want or need.
You need bravery. You should also be aware of the fact that a lot of bravery, willpower, strength and endurance will be asked from you. Chances are that your life will change completely. The way you see the world and yourself will change. You need to be brave in order to embark on such a journey.
But we both know that you are ready and strong enough to face every challenge and obstacle that will come your way. Holding this book in your hands is proof enough of that. It found you for a reason. You have everything you need within yourself. You already are the person you want to be; you are just not fully aware of it yet. We're all divine beings that came to this earth for a short period of time to experience ourselves in human form and in a world of time and duality. We want to make human experiences. Our souls want to grow, expand, and learn new things. This is why we are here in our human suits. But our true selves always stay the same. The fabric we are made of - the source we and all life came from and will return to - is unconditional love, beauty, pure consciousness, and truth. This will never change. You will always remain a divine being. Love is our nature. Love is who and what we are. Love is all we need. Love is life itself. We can find it in every creation.
Now, I want to introduce to you my personal guide to happiness. You are going to find exactly what you need. I am convinced that there is at least one practice that you will learn to love. Of course, you can modify every practice until it feels right to you and meets your needs perfectly.
My Tips and Practices for a Happy Life
Meditation - The goal of meditation is to connect body, mind, and soul; clear and calm the mind; reduce the number and impact of the thoughts running through your head; experience inner peace and stillness; and most importantly, feel the connection with the universe, the divine.
Often times, we feel its effects not during our practice but in our day-to-day lives. The attitude you live your life with and your ability to solve problems, focus, productivity, well-being, stress management, and a lot more will improve immensely. Through the quieting of the mind and reduction of thoughts, your mood will improve, and you'll just feel amazing! A regular meditation practice is an incredible gift that brings you back to yourself, shows you what really matters, and leads you back into the present moment. It brings your creativity back to life, activates the life energy within you, and connects you to your higher self.
Before you say, "Oh no, I don't have time for that", let me tell you this: it doesn't have to take more than five minutes in the morning, at night, or during the day. You can practice whenever it fits into your schedule. Meditation is not bound to a place. You don't have to sit on the floor with your legs crossed.
You can simply use five minutes of your lunch break to close your eyes, focus on your breath, and just be. For a few moments, do nothing; just be. Feel your belly expand and collapse with every breath; feel the air filling your lungs before it leaves them again. Let your thoughts pass - like clouds on a blue sky. That is all it takes. This is enough. And believe me, if you make time for it regularly, you will start to feel its effects. You will start to crave it, and then you will suddenly find more time to practice than you first thought! (I'm sharing different techniques you can use to switch your meditation practice up or find the one method that works wonders for you on my blog, www.jennyreumann.com. The post is called "Beginner's guide to meditation." - Enjoy!)
Compassion - It is incredibly important to have compassion for others and yourself. Not every day is a good day, and that's how it is for everybody. We all experience bad days, and that's totally okay. They are a part of our human existence. Feeling emotions, beautiful and uncomfortable ones, is a wonderful gift that has been given to us. Life really isn't about feeling great all the time. Life is about how you react and how you deal with the challenges it brings into your awareness. How much power do you give to your emotions? - Do you let yourself be controlled by them? Do you let them take the lead? Or do you feel them come up like a wave crashing over you? Can you watch them, witness their wild play, and let them go as soon as they have expressed themselves enough?
These thoughts and feelings that come through you in moments of doubt, insecurity, or fear have nothing to do with the present moment. They have nothing to do with you or the situation you are in. Remember this the next time you feel down, sad, or uninspired. Can you feel your emotions, accept them, and let them go? Or are you holding on to them until it becomes harder and harder to let them move through you and let them go? Be aware of all the emotions flowing through you. Respect them. Give yourself the time you need to feel them. Scream. Cry. Punch a pillow. Run. Work out. Do whatever feels right for you. When you're ready to accept your emotions, let them go. Let them pass you by like trees next to the highway. If you ever let yourself become immersed in them and find yourself drowning in the middle of the storm, have compassion for yourself. Whenever you recognize this pattern in someone else, have compassion for him or her as well, and remember that we are all doing our best. Remember that you are not your thoughts or your emotions. Yes, you are experiencing them; you hear or feel them. But they are not you. You are not them. Come back into the present moment, and feel the stillness and clarity that reside behind the noise and chaos.
It is all well, indeed.
Remind yourself of all the things you have to be grateful for. Your family and friends, a roof above your head, access to clean drinking water and food, your body that is supporting you as well as it can, electricity, clothes - ... there is so much that we take for granted. Say "Thank you." Expressing gratitude will make you feel better instantly.
Don't take life so seriously. Every emotion and every feeling want to show us something or teach us a lesson. They are a gift and a part of our lives, just like our breath.
The breath - What a gift - it brings vitality into our bodies, connects us with life and the world around us and it adjusts to our movement. When we are active, it's fast and short, and when we relax, it becomes deep, long, and slow. It enables us to smell various scents that the earth is offering us. It connects us to the outside world, and, at the same time, it's the key to unlock the door leading to the world inside of ourselves. For good reasons, yoga gives the breath great meaning and attention. With it, we can take responsibility for our well-being, thoughts, and emotions, because it directly affects our nervous systems. This sounds interesting, right? Let's take a closer look at that.
There is a breathing technique in yoga called Nadi Shodhana. This exercise is practiced sitting down with your spine straight and your eyes closed. You can sit on the floor or on a chair, however you can best relax. The nostrils are closed alternately. You start with closing the right nostril with the thumb of your right hand. Inhale deeply through the open left nostril. Before you breathe out, close the left nostril with the ring finger of your right hand, and hold your breath. When you are ready, open the right nostril, and exhale through it until there is no more air in your lungs. Inhale through the right one, close it with your thumb, and hold your breath again. The next exhale follows through the left nostril. Release the ring finger, and breathe out of the left nostril. Inhale through the left, close it with your ring finger again, hold your breath, exhale trough the right nostril, and so on.
When you first start practicing this technique you probably won't be able to hold your breath very long. But I promise you - if you practice regularly, you will soon improve. I'd suggest that you work with a rhythm, which feels right to you. It could look something like this:
• During your inhale, slowly count to 4 – 1. 2. 3. 4.
• When both nostrils are closed, count as long as you can hold your breath (probably 4-6 seconds) – 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
• Breathe out slowly, and controlled until your lungs are empty – 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Then, the cycle starts all over again. Start your practice with 3 rounds per side. If you practice regularly, and with patience, you will soon feel the urge to expand your practice. There is no right, or wrong way to do this. It should feel good to you. Trust your body on this, and follow its signs. It's supposed to be challenging and enjoyable at the same time.
I wish you a lot of fun while practicing!
How does this affect our nervous system? The neurons in our brain are directly linked to our breath. Usually, our minds are filled with countless thoughts fighting for our attention. They're loud, and fast. When we sit down, relax, and hold our breath, the neurons need to adopt. They have to calm down, as well.
I want to share a story from my personal life with you. When I started the Yoga Teacher Training, it was the first time, that I heard about the importance of our breath, its influence, and how we can control it. I wanted to learn everything about it, and get to know the effects it has on my own body. I practiced Nadi Shodhana every day; sometimes even multiple times a day. It often happened, that, as I was holding my breath, my upper body slightly started to shake. It was the nervous system, which rebelled against the breathing technique, because it didn't want to calm down. This was one of the most intense times of my life. I felt so much emotional pain. Experiences, that I thought were dealt with, rose to the surface asking for clearance, which led to me crying, almost every night. It was tough, challenging, and intense. I felt overwhelmed, and worried. This is why I went to my teacher for guidance. He just smiled at me, and explained to me, that these are the cleansing effects of this exercise. Old emotional baggage could be released, and everything, that no longer served my happiness, could leave. What a relief it was to hear that! My subconscious mind was getting rid of negative experiences, and past hurt, so that I can walk through this world with more ease, clarity and peace. Now, I could continue with my practice knowing, that it is all part of the journey, and for my own good.
If something like this happens to you as well, do not worry. Old emotions, experiences, and memories, which have once been stored in your neurons, are being released, so you don't have to carry unnecessary weight around with you. There is no reason to give up. Just keep going. Always put one foot in front of the other; one breath at a time. You won't make it anywhere without regular practice, devotion, and determination; not in yoga, and not in your day-to-day life.
Now, we know that our breath can be used in a lot of different ways. It's the key to enter into the Now - the present moment. When you feel stressed, overwhelmed, anxious, or restless, take three (or more) deep breaths. Fill your belly and your lungs with air, and feel them expand; exhale slowly. Feel your lungs collapse, before your belly follows.
Our breath is a gift, and used wisely, it can bring us great joy, connection, inner peace, and clarity.
Yoga and exercise - I can't even put into words how deeply yoga has affected my life in a positive way; it changed me as a person. Even though, yoga is a great tool to connect body, mind, and soul, I don't want to focus solely on yoga; because every form of exercise, that we enjoy, is beneficial to our health, and wellbeing. Physical movement is unavoidable, if you want to live a happy and healthy life. Our bodies are designed to run or walk long distances; climb trees; move, and enjoy endurance, and strength. It doesn't matter whether you go to the gym, or run in the forest. It's not about what you do. It's just important, that you do something. Anything, that challenges, and excites you. If you have no idea, what you want to do, try something new. Don't get stuck in the exercise routine you've tried, and failed to keep so many times – go out, and find something new! Try new forms of exercise. There are so many possibilities - CrossFit, running, hiking, dancing, ice hockey, ballet, basketball, volleyball, mountain biking, yoga, going to the gym, swimming, tennis, football, soccer, the list goes on. Your options are infinite.
It has been proven multiple times by now, that physical activity releases all the "feel good" hormones in our brain. It is a fact. Try it out, and see for yourself!
You don't have to go to the gym for two hours every day. Start with one dancing class (or anything else, that brings you joy) per week, and work your way up from there. If you want, you can find a yoga teacher you like on YouTube, and practice at home. There are so many out there waiting for you, to move with them!
Nature - Nature is the greatest treasure that we have. The wealth of our planet cannot be measured by money. Nature is our greatest wealth. She is our home. She is a part of us, and we are a part of her. Nature, and humans are one. Without a thriving nature, there is no home; there is no life. Without her, no one of us would be here today. Our survival depends on her. In her, we find safety, inspiration, freedom, peace, and a home. She invites us to experience a whole new level of vitality. Through her, we can find our way back to ourselves. Let's be honest - When was the last time, that you walked through grass, or a river with your bare feet? When was the last time, that you felt the moist soil, the cold water, the hard stones, the soft grass, or the warm sand underneath your naked toes?
Children have a natural connection with nature. They love being outside, playing with dirt and mud, watching birds and squirrels, exploring new things, and gazing at the beauty of a rainbow. As we grow older, this connection fades away more, and more. Through sitting in school; going from one boring, and monotonous class to the next, any creativity is literally being sucked out of every child in the room. And now, it's time for us to remember this connection, that we once felt so deeply. It's not your parents' fault, that you were put into such a dead environment. It's not your grandparents' fault, either. It's no one's fault. They didn't know it any better. This education system definitely served its purpose in the past, but we, as a society, are ready, and in need of a new one. A system, that allows creativity, and fun; a system, that allows children to be themselves, and embrace their uniqueness, along with all the gifts they have been given; a system, that doesn't measure our worth through numbers. Kids and adults need room, and time to express their creativity. It's a matter of survival.
(Continues…)
Excerpted from "The New Way Of Living"
by .
Copyright © 2019 Jennifer Reumann.
Excerpted by permission of Balboa Press.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Preview, ix,
Chapter 1 Mental Health – A loving Guide to Happiness, 1,
Chapter 2 Physical Health – a determined Guide to a strong and healthy Body, 27,
Chapter 3 The Vegan Diet and Lifestyle, 41,
Chapter 4 Animal Agriculture vs. Planet Earth – Who will win?, 87,
Chapter 5 Worldwide Hunger, Famines and Scarcity – There is a Solution, 109,
Acknowledgements, 129,
About the Author, 131,