You are not separate from the whole, you are one with the sun, the earth and the air. You don’t have a life… you are life!
Eckhart Tolle
haitian street art – Photo by: Patrice Douge
Before we dive into the various self-healing practices, I would like to share a relevant insight that came to me while writing this post about the challenges we face today.
To activate much-needed resilience in these difficult times, we must keep in mind that any Global challenge is a warning sign of urgent issues needing to be addressed within the society we live in and the system’s constructs we live by. Whether it’s the threat of a new disease, whether it’s religion, or racial wars, climate disruptions, environmental destruction, economic or politic crises, corruption, etc. So many things out of balance all at once worldwide are an expression of global chaos; and global chaos is synonymous with change, mutation, transformation, and ultimately, evolution. The significant adjustments Life is making is unveiling the opportunity to take a different turn!
“If it sounds alarming, change is always frightening. We cannot stop the march of history, but we can influence its direction” (Yuval Noah Harari, “Homo Deus”). The latest racial injustice event, the killing of George Floyd that recently happened in the United States took the world by storm is an eye-opening event for the present generation. It confirms again and again through history, the power of unity and its influence in the world.
And just like every drop of water makes the mighty ocean, no one is on the sidelines; and because all of it is due to human behavior, the changes we want to see in the world start with ourselves, and our own microcosmic world. A good place to start is within, to become conscious, aware, empowered, to better cleanse ourselves of loads of falseness that pervade our reality, and so that we can allow future generations to spring from equilibrium.
A heartfelt RIP to the souls that departed in those upheaval circumstances, and strength and light to their mourning families!
Part II – continued…
The interest in alternative treatments and complementary therapies is rapidly increasing worldwide today for many good reasons but mainly because these practices are supported by scientific evidence and have proven to be effective. I second that, not from research but experience.
In this era of information explosion, most are knowledgeable about a great list of methods available for experiencing; but I trust that it’s all worth repeating because often we resonate with different perspectives that inspire us to deprogram our inclination to take life itself for granted. I am hoping that sharing my own experience as a humanist and truth seeker can do just that for some. I do encourage everyone flirting with a lifestyle change to conduct their own research… doing so stimulates the brain, making it more receptive and responsive in taking life into one’s hands. I realize that when one takes responsibility for their own decisions and actions, one allows others to do the same. That promotes true altruism, interconnectedness, togetherness, compassion, generosity, truly and organically, and that is how life flows….
If we focus on the basic needs that the human body requires to sustain life, we will find it easier to explore the techniques favorable to our own specific needs; because holistic health is vast but highly individual. My golden principle to avoid feeling overwhelmed by loads of information, is to go to the fundamentals, the basics, the essentials, the foundation, the primary, the origin, and the root, to demystify the alterations of truths that can create much confusion.
The analogy that supports my point is: “The survival rule of threes,” which states that a human can survive three weeks without food, three days without water, and three minutes without oxygen.
Every cell in the body needs oxygen to function properly! Let us explore organic solutions for the first essential human need, symbolic of life itself: Breathing!
Breathwork
“Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.”
thich nhat hanh
Breathwork regulates the body’s function, improves the mental, emotional and spiritual well-being. Eastern traditional practices like Yoga, meditation, and all martial arts focus on the breath. In the West, breathwork gained popularity as a tool for significant transformation and healing during the consciousness era of the 1960s.
The following breathing technique I bring to your attention is one that I practice regularly, and that I find to be most healing. But there is a long list of yogic breathing exercises that can be found online that are safe and easy to learn.
Pranayama – Prana means Breath/life force, and Ayama means balance and control
“Anulom Vilom Pranayam” is one of the pranayama exercises done by alternating nostril breathing. That technique equalizes the inhale and the exhale function of the breath. In yogic terms, the left side of the body is believed to have female energy that is emotional and the right side to have masculine energy that is practical. Balancing these energies purifies the entire nervous system.
Anulom Vilom Pranayam is my best self-help tool to activate resilience to stress and to maximize clarity, peace and tranquility.
Yoga and Meditation
“Yoga is a journey of the Self, through the Self and to the Self”
The Bhagavad Gita
Yoga – The word Yoga means to unite
“Traditional Yoga” is an ancient spiritual practice in its essence sacred that originated thousands of years ago from India.
“Modern Yoga” is the term used in the West for the physical aspect of that discipline and is commonly known for its ability to strengthen and balance all parts of the body, promote wellness and healthy living. Yoga was introduced around the 19th century to Western culture and gained recognition worldwide. When it comes to the overall health benefits and dramatic changes one gets from daily practice of yoga, no western scientific proof is needed for all time practitioners who are living proof of such praises.
In clearing any misconceptions brought by mysticism, it is stated as follows, on the website of India’s Ministry of External Affairs: “While physical and mental health are natural consequences of yoga, the goal of yoga is more far-reaching. Yoga is about harmonizing oneself with the universe. It is the technology of aligning individual geometry with the cosmic, to achieve the highest level of perception and harmony.” “Yoga does not adhere to any particular religion, belief system or community; it has always been approached as a technology for inner wellbeing.”
In questioning and asking what does Yoga unite exactly, the above statement from the source explains well to me, the meaning of the word “Yoga” which is “to Unite.”
I was introduced to Modern Yoga at a very young age. I know firsthand that there is no instant gratification in this practice; it requires strong commitment and will and the guidance of a professional trainer.
The benefits of Yoga are now well recognized in almost all countries across continents and cultures… Yoga is undeniably a significant contribution of the East to humanity!
The art of Meditation
“To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders.” Lao Tzu
“One of the biggest dangers of meditation is the pursuit of special experiences” Yuval Noah Hara
Making meditation part of one’s daily life is a great idea that is if changing our state of being to find inner peace is the goal. That implies quieting the thoughts, putting order in the mind, overcoming negative emotions, so that healing through inner transformation can occur.
Besides all the talked about health benefits in calming the mind and finding inner peace that comes with meditation, if one is interested in the profound spiritual aspect of that practice, one will be served with loads of information online; websites and books from famous yogis, mystics, gurus, spiritual teachers, philosophers and scientists sharing their knowledge and offering techniques, formulas and technologies to reach a higher state of consciousness.
The approach that I was drawn to the most on the subject of the art of meditation is that of the famous Indian philosopher, spiritual leader and writer on fundamental human issues: Jiddu Krishnamurti. His teachings simplified that of many others by bringing out the root meaning of the word meditation which means, as he put it, to “think over,” to “ponder over,” to “inquire into” to reveal that meditation is not something that one does, but a complete understanding of our existence: how we live, how we behave, the root cause of our fears, anxieties that reflect what we are pursuing in life and the built images of ourselves and others. Meditation is the understanding of that life we are living and the issues involved, and ultimately being free of those. He demonstrated through simple logic that one must peel off all the layers of the mind and becoming free of past conditioning.
exerpts from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3673342/).
Jiddu Krishnamurti maintained that society was ultimately the product of the interactions of individuals. He held that fundamental change in society could emerge only through freely undertaken radical change in the individual. He stressed the need for a revolution in the psyche of every human being and posited that such a revolution could not be brought about by any external entity, be it religious, political, or social. It had to be brought about by a holistic transformation from within, and an insight into the various layers of one’s consciousness. Krishnamurti believed in total awareness as being essential for a free mind.
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“The concept that the whole world needs everyone can be applied at various levels. We are all interconnected and can benefit from one another…For transformation to occur, we need to appreciate the gifts of the other and recognize that when we exclude, we lose.” Peter A. Dunn “Holistic Healing”.
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Credit/Anecdotal acknowledgement
Patrice Dougé, Haitian photographer and photojournalist
Seizing the fleeting beauty of Haiti’s landscape and Nature is a passion that is evident when viewing his photo archive. A decade ago, Patrice Dougé created Haiti Photo Library, a site that he dedicated to his life’s project that glorifies his homeland’s beauty instead of exposing the extreme poverty scenes that attract the mainstream media.
It’s with a humanistic approach, that he photographs Haiti’s raw nature and its people in their every day environment while touring the provinces and remote areas from north to south of the Island. He chases and documents scenes that convey meaning, substance, beauty, integrity, and pride despite their state of hardship and misfortune. He masters the art of storytelling in street photography, a genre that require patience, persistence, hard work and most of all bravery in that territory
Patrice Dougé left Haiti at a very young age to immigrate to New York where he continued his education and perfected his innate passion that he discovered at a very young age. He returned to Haiti in 1991 to work for Reuters-Haiti and in the year 2000, went back to the United States where he freelanced for Newspapers like the Sun Sentinel and the Miami Herald. That experience lasted a few years before returning home, determined to start his project with a renewed mind. He achieved assignments for various projects. His work was published in “Gouter aux Voyages”, “Portraits D’Artistes de Kenskoff”, and various magazines and journals in Haiti while he continues with his photographic journey benevolently. An outstanding collection is emerging from his heartfelt project that shows a different image of Haiti despite the ongoing political tragedy in his homeland.
Patrice Dougé’s exceptional photo archive is a legacy to future generations!
See his photographer’s journal @ pdouge@blogspot.com
Resources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3673342/
https://mea.gov.in/in-focus-article.htm?2509/Yoga+Its+Origin+History+and+Development
https://isha.sadhguru.org/us/en
https://chopra.com/articles/how-breathwork-benefits-the-mind-body-and-spirit
https://www.shape.com/lifestyle/mind-and-body/breathwork-latest-wellness-trend-people-are-trying
books:
– You are the Placebo”, Joe Dispenza
– Holistic Healing, Peter A. Dunn
–Homo Deus, Yuval Noah Harari
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