May is Mental Health Awareness Month and National Meditation Month.
Amid fear and worry over the pandemic, research shows that practicing mindfulness may alleviate symptoms of anxiety and can guard the immune system from becoming compromised by stress.
“There are many different ways you can do a focused practice of mindfulness through activities like yoga and meditation,” says veteran holistic physician and best-selling author Dr. Bradley Nelson. “These types of exercises can take mindfulness to another level, but just focusing on everyday normal activities can boost your energies as well.”
Pay attention to every aspect of your day, he says, such as:
- Eating: Prepare the food yourself. Think about each ingredient, how it will taste, and how it will nourish you. Pay attention to the colors, smells, and textures. When you eat, do only that. Do not read. Do not watch television. Do not use a device. Consider each bite and relish the flavors. Put your fork down between bites and take a few moments to reflect on the bounty before you. Being more mindful when you eat should allow you to get much more enjoyment out of the experience.
- Walking: It might seem like a mindless activity, but it doesn’t have to be. In addition to appreciating your surroundings, pay close attention to your movement. Feel the flexing of muscles and stretching of tendons and ligaments. Focus on HOW you are walking. Are you limping? Favoring one side over the other? Make a firm, solid connection with the surface below you, which can help ground you both physically and spiritually.
- Listening: Readily available distractions in life have caused many to lose the ability to focus. When that happens, it’s hard to be there in the moment for loved ones who need to talk. You may also be missing out on great stories and creating new memories. Focus on what is being said without replying or interrupting. Pause before saying or doing anything.
“Sometimes there are events in our lives that make us reject mindfulness,” Dr. Brad adds. “Trauma can become the building blocks of a Heart-Wall — which we believe is a sort of force field of energy your body may build as a means of protecting yourself from negative energies. It is important to identify and release Trapped Emotions so you can become lighter and more mindful. The Emotion Code® and The Body Code™ are two phenomenal tools that may help you remove Trapped Emotions or other imbalances that could help you be more mindful and help lighten your life.”
About Dr. Bradley Nelson: Veteran holistic physician Dr. Bradley Nelson (D.C., ret) is one of the world’s foremost experts on natural methods of achieving wellness. He has trained thousands of certified practitioners worldwide to help people overcome physical and emotional discomfort by releasing their emotional baggage. His best-selling book “The Emotion Code” provides step-by-step instructions for working with the body’s energy healing power. A newly revised and expanded edition of “The Emotion Code” is now available from St. Martin’s Press. For more information and a free Emotion Code Starter Kit, visit www.emotioncodegift.com.