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Head over ‘Heals’

 Part I -“Heal-arious as can be

(Part II) 

We all love adventures in our own ways and every time you put yourself out there, you learn something and you will dirty your hands, get hurt, break a limb and lose an eye (okay may be not that drastic). A cell is a world in itself and it can divide and multiply. The whole process replaces old cells and this causes physical healing in our bodies. All the elements are natural healers and our body is meant to heal when the elements are well balanced. Small things you can incorporate daily to achieve this:

  1. Greenery: Our eyes are the only part of the body that never grow in size from birth to death. It is almost telling us “To look at the world the same way as when we didn’t understand anything.” That’s when we had most amount of common sense. Being in the centre of the spectrum, green is the colour of balance, which strikes the eye in such a way as to require no adjustments. Therefore, seeing green colour helps your eyes quickly recover from strain. Forest bathing (shinrin-yoku) is a thing in Japan, where people connect with the natural forest atmosphere and this nature therapy is a cornerstone of preventive healthcare. Just being and immersing ourselves in nature can cure us and keep us healthy. 
  2. Physical movement: Why didn’t I say exercising? For healing just getting your body moving is enough. You can dance, jump about or walk or just do some cleaning. Physical activity is essential because our bodies were meant to move and not be stationary and glued to our chairs and couches. If you move enough everyday and don’t have a sedentary lifestyle you would recover (if you fell sick, or had a health issue) sooner than some one who is a couch potato. Mental health improves by just getting yourself some exercise. 
  3. Laughing: There are plenty of live comedy shows, comedy movies, hilarious reads and Netflix comedy series. Endorphins are released in our bodies, everytime we laugh, increasing our body’s production of antibodies and T-cells that fight off disease and boost our immune system. A strong immune system is essential to healing. Funnier people definitely have it easier in life. So make sure you get some laughter in everyday, it’s the most fun way to heal. 
  4. Good bacteria: Gut health is not a new topic and there is more awareness today about good bacteria that they make up ninety percent of our body. We can incorporate fermented food in our diets and avoid antibiotics which destroy good along with bad bacteria. Fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles, ACV, Coconut vinegar, Beetroot Kvaas, Kombucha and Rice-cake(Idli) batter is what I’ve tried. Gut health also improves with exposure to different bacteria, from pets like dogs, travelling to different countries and farming and playing in the mud. So pick up that spade and start gardening in your backyard. 
  5. Animals: How does cuddling your dog feel? It’s a boon that we have so many animals, still not extinct and we can co-exist and benefit each other. Yes, gut health does improve with having pets at home but this link will surprise you how some animals can even heal you. This link has so many interesting facts: https://www.goodnet.org/articles/5-animals-incredible-healing-powers-list. We have a symbiotic relationship with so many animals. Humans can really connect with other species, we hardly see a goat and cow hugging each other but humans can do that with so many of the domestic species. A research reveals that those who rear cats and dogs have healthy hearts as compared to their counterparts. If you don’t have pets make sure you meet your neighbour’s once in a while. 
  6. Early morning Sunlight: As the famous health adage goes: everything in moderation. And sunlight is NO exception. In moderate amounts, exposing our skin to sunlight on a regular basis—especially a daily basis—can have numerous and immense benefits on some surprising facets to our health. The Vitamin D bit everyone is already aware, but sunlight can helps cure seasonal depression, improve the immune system. The human eye contains photosensitive cells in its retina, with connections directly to the pituitary gland in the brain. Stimulation of these important cells comes from sunlight, in particular, the blue unseen spectrum. Taking a peek outside at the dawn’s first sunlight is a habit worth implementing.
  7. Doing something new: Learning a new language or a new skill, even doing a new activity helps the brain cells produce new neural pathways and electrical connections. This helps the white matter remain dense and healthy, increasing the ability to do learn faster and heal fast. Its important we stimulate our brain with new experiences every week if not everyday. Monotony can reduce the brains capacity and in the long run lead to dementia. Prevention is better than cure and we can do our bit in maintaining the health. 
  8. Sleeping well: Sleeping repairs your body like nothing else. Resting is different, you’re conscious and awake when resting. Sleep stops most of the functions in your body and only the involuntary systems are functioning. Your brain also gets rid of 60 percent more toxins when you get the proper amount of sleep. Wounds heal faster when we sleep. I sometimes try to sleep off a flu and it works. So get at least 7-8 hours of sleep. Good night.

Happy Healing

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Just happy or human?

Are we all looking for happiness instead of a fulfilled human experience? Even as a baby when we cry everyone tries to cheer you up immediately. What about that part of the human experience? Like having to miss people, to be heart broken, to fail at times, get uncomfortable. Is it all not natural, like a part of the journey of life?

Its very important that we stop reading articles which says “10 ways to be happy” or “do this to have a happy life”. Situations are going to come which will throw you off your couch and make you feel really low. Chances are you’re not going to be able to make yourself happy instantly. To accept being in that place and be okay  because its a part of this experience should be the normal. Not getting anxious about your next bout of happiness.

I have been there and done that. Read some 10’000 quotes on happiness and how to be happy manuals. Its only going to make you feel like being unhappy isn’t normal. Sad and unhappy is also a part of human emotions. The sooner we accept it, we go through it and come out of it, the more human and normal it is.

May be when you’re not happy you’re just neutral, it doesn’t  necessarily have to be sad. Neutral is also an experience to take in.

Yes there may be research backing up the importance of being happy for good health and laughing and smiling more often. I just feel I can’t force laugh if something isn’t funny, laughing clubs isn’t my thing. If I genuinely feel its funny I know I can’t control my laughter. Why hide other emotions? If ‘LOL’ is a thing even “Crying Out Loud” should be a thing. Its only real that we treat all emotions with equal respect.

The sky is the same, the clouds keep changing shapes. I am the blue inside and my emotions are just like passing clouds. Imagine if the clouds never changed their shapes or moved. There would be no rains and the sun would just shine through in the same way everyday.

Everyday is different and we can just take it as it is. Happiness is being glorified but I would not fixate on the idea of being just happy.

“Openness means no conclusions – simply looking at everything the way it is.” – Sadhguru

I want to be every expression this human life can give. So when I’m actually happy I can relish it for what it is.

Continue reading Just happy or human?

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To Make a Difference

Have you felt this feeling of Stillness? Its not some trance mode, I’m talking about. Its that feeling that everything has slowed down a bit and your thoughts are coming to you one at a time, everything is in sync, your mind, breath and heart beat, the wind around you. Everything is under a calm spell. No, I’m not even talking about the famous ‘Shav-Asana’ in yoga.

This is the best feeling in the world to me. Its one of those rarest times, not that I had no ‘to do lists’ in my mind or I had done a major deed. It just comes when I make the effort to wake up and look at the sunrise, or feed some banana to the cows, when I meet small babies and they smile for no reason and I get to smile back at them, when I thank someone for their regular job and that’s made their day, or greet the old security guard I see everyday and buying flowers for folks at home for no reason at all. So, I figured that whenever it involves someone else’s benefit/happiness instead of mine it gives me this sense of calm and bliss. I could, may be, call it “Bliss-mode”.

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I had a friend who would go out of her way to celebrate people’s birthdays, get them gifts, the dogs got their share of biscuits even if that got her late for a class and randomly get books for her friends. I know her secret of smiling all the time now, she isn’t crazy after all. Its inspiring to have people like that around you and know there are people out there waiting to bring a smile on your face for no personal gain.

I have been contemplating of how most of my days throughout the week is focused all around myself. My day starts with my workout time, then my bath and breakfast, my office work, then after I’m back home probably I’m learning how to cook for my happiness, or I’m mostly on the internet reading something for my own interest, watching sitcoms, lazing around. Oh! and the workout has been making me eat so much food I’m actually feeling sick of myself, “gluttony feels”. All this encouragement about “ME Time” on the internet got me too serious about doing things for myself. Bliss-mode was long gone and I was wondering what I’m not doing right.

Me- time is as important as Bliss-mode. You obviously need to love yourself and do things to make yourself feel good but there is a thin line between that and becoming selfish. Frankly, even I haven’t got that perfect balance. We must all try and find happiness in giving happiness is the mantra. I guess everyone needs to feel this way once in a while and its all about the balance.

It doesnt stay forever this Bliss-mode. We need to keep working towards keeping it on. You constantly need to water the plant for it to grow, you’re body needs constant supply of oxygen and the same way the feeling of bringing joy to other living beings and making a difference.

When you make a difference to the world, you’re existence gets more validated in your own eyes and it gives you this sense of satisfaction. There is no end to the kindness we can offer to this world around us and make it a better place. So look for what is the small thing that gives you a sense of peace while you make a difference.

“Even more important than the warmth and affection we receive, is the warmth and affection we give. It is by giving warmth and affection, by having a genuine sense of concern for others, in other words through compassion, that we gain the conditions for genuine happiness. More important than being loved, therefore, is to love.” His Holiness The Dalai Lama

An interesting read:

Why we need to slow down our lives