I recently listened to an episode of The Rich Roll Podcast where Esther Perel – a psychotherapist, bestselling author and relationships and sexuality expert – talked about the general attitude towards sex as being either sanctimony or smut.

It’s the whole Madonna and whore analogy, and as Perel says, it doesn’t serve us well:

A lot of conversations about sexuality, especially in the United States, is either smut or sanctimony. It’s rarely just a natural conversation, an amazing window into the self.

From The Rich Roll Podcast: Reignite Your Relationship: Esther Perel On Desire, Intimacy, Sex, & Long-Term Love, 18 Nov 2024 https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-rich-roll-podcast/id582272991?i=1000677305773

We see the limitations of this binary thinking in so much of life.

Something is either good or bad.

Someone is either right or wrong.

And it stops us not only from tapping into the nuances of our humanness, but it also separates us from others.

Good, bad or both?

I remember studying a poem for my GCSEs [secondary school exams in UK] about a German man stopping at the shop on his way home from work to buy sweets as a treat for his young child. He’d finished his shift working at the gas chambers during WW2.

Kind thoughtful dad?

Murdering monster?

Sociopath?

How do you reconcile that?

It’s not all good

I was brought up to see the good in everyone, but this has actually proved far less ideal than it sounds.

It’s led me to place my trust in the wrong people, over and over again.

Yes, they might be involved in all sort of shady business, but they’re also lots of fun and super lovely and just the best when it comes to deep conversations. Yep, they struggle to stay true and tell the truth, but their mum is delightful and kind, so surely this was just a blip and good will prevail. And so on.

It’s led to shock, betrayal, pain.

It’s led to shame.

And it’s led to uncertainty of where to place my trust.

The extremes. The boundarylessness. The goddam shifting sands that move beneath you when you want to believe in the good of everyone but they show you otherwise.

They show you the full spectrum of humanity.

Just like that poem.

You can feel two things at once

Over a decade ago, my friend Bianca said something that finally landed for me:

You can feel two opposite things at once.

This is also known as Dialectical Thinking where we can hold two opposing ideas or feelings as true at the same time. DBT, developed by Marsha Linehan, emphasises the ability to balance acceptance and change, recognising that two seemingly contradictory emotions (e.g., sadness and hope) can coexist. And it helps with emotional regulation.

Emotional regulation theories speak to the same thing: People can experience multiple emotions (even contradictory ones) simultaneously as part of adaptive functioning.

So I can have loved someone deeply and also be deeply upset at their treatment of me.

I can feel sad and grateful in my grief journey.

I may feel excited to start but nervous of failing.

You get the gist.

When we move beyond the black-and-white and allow ourselves to sit in the grey areas, something shifts.

We become less reactive, less quick to judge ourselves or others.

We make space for understanding, for connection, for a fuller experience of life.

How mindfulness helps us navigate life’s dualities

Mindfulness teaches us to stay with what is, even when it feels contradictory or uncomfortable. Instead of labelling an emotion or situation as good or bad, we learn to observe it with curiosity and compassion.

It’s in this space that we begin to see the richness and nuance of our experiences – and of the people around us.

Practising mindfulness doesn’t mean we deny our feelings or ignore what’s difficult.

It means we let ourselves feel them fully and explore their layers. We notice that sadness can coexist with hope, anger with love, joy with fear.

Through mindfulness we can also discover what we need to feel safe, loved and so on, and see more clearly where we need to establish firmer boundaries.

And when we do this, we allow ourselves to be human: messy, complex and beautifully whole.

The post Beyond Binary Thinking: How Mindfulness Helps Us To Navigate Life’s Dualities appeared first on Mindful Moo.

My guess is you’re busy. My guess is you have a world of information at your fingertips these days and aren’t looking for more facts and stats. AI does a fine job at pulling those details down in record time. Clap clap to AI [although – wearing my work and research focused hat – please do double check as accurate referencing seems to still be WIP].

But what I’m yearning for, and maybe you are too, is real life human connection and experience and story.

I could spend hours listening to how other people have lifed. I have a load of leads for people whose stories I’d love to write and share someday.

People are incredible. Hearing their stories makes our lives make sense. It can even make our lives more bearable when the unbearable touches us, as it often does.

Like most, I have lived my own moments of unbearability. After years of meditating and processing, I’m closer to sharing them.

Maybe they’ll also help someone’s unbearable become bearable.

Maybe we’ll even laugh together.

The beauty of this yoga and mindfulness meditation journey I’ve been on over the last decade or more is the recognition of our humanness alongside this sense that we are all deeply connected.

All our stuff is very human and we are not seperate.

We might sometimes feel like we are, but I know with more certainty that this is not true.

You. Me. We are all on this crazy ride called life. Full of challenges, but what a privilege.

And to meet those challenges?

Mindfulness can help.

Meditation might.

Story and sharing might too.

Human experience vs hard science

When I first started this blog back in 2016, the world had gone pretty dark for me. I burnt out. Emotionally. Completely.

And I found my way to yoga and meditation. It had always featured in my life in different ways, only now I needed something to help me through the darkness, and so l lent on this.

I started studying and reading deeply. I completed my yoga teacher training and specialised in restorative yoga. I participated in a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course. I did my first 10-day silent retreat.

And I started writing and sharing.

My husband jumped on board, bringing nutritional musings, and we focused in on ensuring posts were fact based, scientifically evidenced, referenced, credible. In his day job he’s all about deep diving and critiquing the scientific literature, so we did our due diligence. Only high quality studies allowed!

But this approach is hugely time consuming, and as our work life got busier and family life took over, time to do those deep dives became rarer.

So we did it less.

And then we stopped completely.

And as time passed and as I meditated and lifed more, something happened.

A shift in thinking.

I’m now less obsessed with something needing to be validated or evidence based.

Human, personal experience is also based in truth. Do you dismiss someone’s experience just because it’s not backed by science? Because it’s statistically insignificant?

Unlikely.

N=1 has its place.

We can respect that too.

So my wish here is to share openly, weaving in ancient wisdom and some of the latest research (where appropriate) without getting paralysed by providing all the detail.

I continue to aspire to keep things real.

Practical.

Low on the woo.

There is such practical wisdom in these teachings. I use these tools in my life, every day.

This journey into meditation that started very secular and scientific has undoubtedly softened me to appreciating the other approaches and possibilities.

And although I tend to still choose other words and phrases, I can just about now say heart and lovingkindness without feeling the cringe in my body.

So return ramble over.

Hello again.

x

P.S. I’ve kindly reclaimed this website as my space and it will be realigning to all things mindfulness, meditation and movement, including yoga (as an overall practice, not just asanas) and restorative yoga… and Dane has his own work elsewhere that I’ll share here soon.

P.P.S. Written by, me, a human because writing is nourishment. AI less so.

The post Our Humanness and the Call to Share Story appeared first on Mindful Moo.

We’re moving soon, and alongside all the practical things like creating GIVE, SELL and KEEP piles and attending to all the unfinished odd jobs around the house before we lease it out, something has become very apparent in our experience of this all.

That something is gratitude. 

Bubbles of gratitude. Big body slams of gratitude.

Experiencing gratitude in memories and the mundane

Gratitude for the safe space in which we’ve birthed both a family and a business (or two). 

Gratitude for the backyard which has given us a play space, a place to spy kookaburras and laurakeets and possums, and the ground that produced the teeniest, tastiest baby tomatoes. 

Gratitude for the shade of new banana leaves and the rosemary bush that so often added flavour to our lives. 

Gratitude for the solid brushbox timber floors we discovered beneath dated carpet and lino when we first moved in and that feels so damn good underfoot. 

Gratitude for the memories that spill out of photos and décor and books, and for the people who visited us and filled the rooms with chatter and ideas.   

Will you really remember the little things that seemed so frustrating at the time?

Now that we’re leaving, the faults fall away. 

We may forever remember the snakes that showed up in our backyard on hot summer days, the home office where the ceiling fan on full pelt didn’t even touch the giddy heat of the day, the great distance we’ve felt from family and friends, both interstate and overseas. 

But will we remember all those insignificant niggles? 

That cupboard door that is a bit sticky? The micro paint splatters on the window left over from a weekend DIY job? The front door latch that needs an extra turn of the key? The two little scratches on the new splashback? 

I doubt it.

Live this moment as though it were your last

Experiencing these big waves of gratitude made me think back to something one of our yoga teachers, Jamie Denham, said at the end of class some years back. 

By noting that the experience that you’re living right now is happening right now and will soon be gone – that you will never get to live this moment again – you bring yourself into present awareness. 

And in that present awareness is space. 

Space where it’s possible to have deeper appreciation. To have clearer thought. To see what matters, what’s magnificent and what has had its moment.

What if we could bring this awareness into our every moment?

What if we could experience that same gratitude and awe for life day in day out? 

How might our relationships change, with ourselves and others? 

What might we be able to do within our families? In our work? In the world?

Making a habit of cherishing the now

Says Stoic philosopher, Marcus Aurelius: 

So here’s to pausing and cherishing and taking stock; to zooming into the present moment and finding something delightful and perfect right here, right now.

To seeing the stripped back truth of a situation.

To sitting with the discomfort and the longing and the nostalgia all at once.

To not clutching or blaming.

To accepting and letting go gracefully.

Saying goodbye to people and places certainly fast tracks that zooming in, but it’s totally possible to train yourself to make more of a habit of mindfulness and gratitude practices.

How do you cultivate this habit of presence and gratitude in your daily life?

The post The Emotion of Endings: Finding Clarity and Gratitude (And Letting Those Niggles Go) appeared first on Mindful Moo.

For the more health conscious among us, those downsides should be enough to put us off eating chocolate altogether. 

Of course, there’s more to it. 

There’s the pleasurable experience of enjoying a piece melting in your mouth. There’s the social experience of being gifted some special chocolates. And there’s also just such a great variation in the quality of chocolate that makes it impossible to tar all chocolate with the same brush.

So does chocolate really deserve such a bad reputation overall? 

Is it a snack to be eaten with caution, or is it a natural remedy that provides health benefits?

The godly qualities of chocolate

Chocolate, derived from the seeds of the cacao tree, has a long history in human society. In more ancient times, it was viewed as an invigorating ‘drink of the Gods’¹. 

The Mayans first started to consume chocolate back in 400 AD¹. Back then, it was made into a drink that was mixed with cinnamon and pepper that smoothed out the extreme bitter taste produced by the plant¹. 

By 1200 AD – when the Aztecs began to dominate over Mayan society – it became even more popular. People believed that the tree was a gift from the god Quetzalcoatl, granting wisdom and knowledge¹. It also became such a valuable commodity that it was used as a currency and stored with other precious assets such as gold¹. 

Later, Cortez brought the plant back to Europe and it slowly gained popularity into the delicate treat it is today.

But beyond wisdom, currency and social enjoyment, what are the actual health benefits?

Some of the health benefits of chocolate

There are many parts of the cacao that provide health benefits. For example, the polyphenols found within cacao are said to 

• decrease microorganism present in the mouth to prevent cavities², 
• increase the presence of some gut bacteria such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium (but decrease Clostridium)³, and 
• may also facilitate nitric oxide synthesis⁴, which is important for various physiologic functions such as immune function in macrophages, blood vessel relaxation and neuron communication⁵. 

Higher chocolate consumption has also been linked with a decreased risk of coronary artery disease⁴. Worth noting: these benefits are more linked to a higher amount of cacao (think 70% plus), not the ‘chocolate’ that’s loaded with sugar and has but a sprinkling of the actual good stuff. 

And for many of us, that takes a little taste adjustment.

I remember being in Peru on the Inca trail years back and tasting near-pure cacao, and it was quite a different taste and texture experience to what I’ve become accustomed to. The producer gave us a spoonful of honey to accompany the tasting to make it more palatable– which definitely made it more enjoyable – but if I’m honest, it didn’t quite hit the mark for this chocoholic. 

And of course, I’m not alone. The Mayans already knew way back that the taste of cacao needed to be complemented and balanced by adding in other bits to create something tasty. Nowadays, milk, sugar and honey are added to the mix to create what we commonly refer to as chocolate.  

But make no mistake. The ingredients that likely contribute to the positive benefits of chocolate are derived from the cacao plant itself. Therefore, the darker the chocolate – and closer it is to pure cacao – the more likely you are to enjoy the benefits.

The science behind chocolate and improved cardiovascular health

If you’re wondering how chocolate (and cacao) actually make the magic happen in your body, here are a couple of scientific theories:

1. Research suggests that it may be because the flavanols found within cacao reduce platelet aggregation thereby allowing tissue to maintain healthy function by providing an adequate supply of blood⁴. 
2. Alternatively, it may be that eating chocolate raises one’s Apolipoprotein count, which regulates lipids within the vascular system and are important for vascular health and in preventing cardiovascular disease⁶. 

Of course, it may be a combination of these two mechanisms that allow chocolate to improve cardiovascular health.

Looks like there’s still some work to do to confirm exactly what’s going on, but what’s maybe as important is that it’s actually having an impact.

Some bad news about chocolate

Of course, like everything, chocolate doesn’t benefit everyone. 

As mentioned earlier, chocolate has been shown to increase the presence of some microbiota while decreasing others. This means that it may be beneficial to some while also being harmful towards others, depending on the needs of the individual. You may already know if chocolate is a superfood or not for you.

Additionally, chocolate has minimal to no benefits on cardiovascular health for those who suffer from diabetes⁷.

But wait! Good news about chocolate and ageing

There is one last bit of research that provide a truly fascinating observation of how chocolate may be of great overall benefit to our health and longevity. When it comes to the study of aging there are two main biological markers: 

1. Telomere length, which is the length of our chromosomal DNA that shortens over time and causes cell death when depleted, and 
2. Free radicals, which are produced by natural processes of the body that eventually become too great in number and cause oxidative stress that can cause general bodily decay and cellular death.

Both of these processes are distinct yet common biomarkers when analysing the aging and longevity of humans. It is suggested that learning to slow down the natural occurrence of these processes could result in a longer and healthier life. 

Experiments involving chocolate consumption propose that chocolate may do just that. They may slow down the ageing process.

While cacao consumption increases nitric oxide synthesis, which can be helpful in several bodily functions, nitric oxide is also considered a free radical, which can eventually lead to the oxidative stress and the degradation of the cells of our body. 

However, it’s been shown that cacao consumption actually reduces malondialdehyde and 8-iso-rostaglandin, which are both biomarkers of oxidative stress⁸. 

This means that although cacao may increase the existence of free radicals, it actually helps in preventing oxidative stress. It may contribute to providing greater longevity and prevent aging. 

On a similar note, a study found that those who consume two or more servings a week of chocolate have longer telomeres than those who don’t, further adding to the evidence that chocolate is able to increase the life of our cells and our body. 

Perhaps the Mayans were right! It really is an invigorating substance.

Go forth and eat chocolate

I’ve long been known as a chocoholic. Chocolate is my drug of choice. I have stints off it – in the past it’s often been during Lent in the run up to Easter – but inevitably, I invite it back into my life. 

It’s just so good. At least some of it is. Melt in the mouth, silky texture. Surprising flavour combinations. A punch of chilli. A pinch of salt. 

Yum. Yum. Yum.

But the dark side is inevitably the sugar, which is also my other pull. I gravitative more towards the low cacao content bars and find it hard not to eat the whole lot in one sitting.

But dark chocolate isn’t so easy to scoff down. It feels much more refined (which is of course ironic, considering it’s less refined in terms of processing). 

Better still, it does have actual health benefits. 

I’ve tried to shift my thinking from seeing the high sugar/low cacao chocolate as being a treat to thinking that buying higher cacao chocolate is the actual treat.

All those good things ­­– the polyphenols, the flavanols, even the caffeine – do have actual benefits. When you eat small bits of the proper stuff, that darker chocolate, it can be seen as a healthy snack.

So enjoy it. Pleasure and health do not always have to be opposites. 

References and further resources

1. Verna R. The history and science of chocolate. Malaysian Journal of Pathology. 2013;35(2):111-121.
2. Nimbulkar G, Parida R, Chhabra KG, Deolia S, Reche A, Patel S. Dark chocolates: Friend or foe – A review. European Journal of Molecular and Clinical Medicine. 2020;7(7):1772-1778.
3. Ma G, Chen Y. Polyphenol supplementation benefits human health via gut microbiota: A systematic review via meta-analysis. Journal of Functional Foods. 2020;66:103829. doi:10.1016/j.jff.2020.103829
4. Krittanawong C, Narasimhan B, Wang Z, et al. Association between chocolate consumption and risk of coronary artery disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. Published online July 22, 2020:204748732093678. doi:10.1177/2047487320936787
5. Dawson TM, Dawson VL. Nitric Oxide: Actions and Pathological Roles. The Neuroscientist. 1995;1(1):7-18. doi:10.1177/107385849500100103
6. Chen L, Zhu H, Gutin B, Sesso HD, Dong Y. Higher chocolate intake is associated with longer telomere length among adolescents. Pediatric Research. 2020;87(3):602-607. doi:10.1038/s41390-019-0590-6
7. Tanghe A, Heyman E, vanden Wyngaert K, et al. Evaluation of blood pressure lowering effects of cocoa flavanols in diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Functional Foods. 2021;79:104399. doi:10.1016/j.jff.2021.104399
8. Mehrabani S, Arab A, Mohammadi H, Amani R. The effect of cocoa consumption on markers of oxidative stress: A systematic review and meta-analysis of interventional studies. Complementary Therapies in Medicine. 2020;48:102240. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2019.102240

The post The Godly Qualities of Chocolate: Learn Why, When and How It’s Healthy appeared first on Mindful Moo.

I’ve heard Tim Ferris talk on his podcast about his struggle with just how saccharine and off-putting the phrase lovingkindness sounds and feels. I’ve heard Dan Harris of Ten Percent Happier fame echo the sentiment and tell of how he squirms using words that include loving and heart. (I feel like he may have even jokingly banned the word heart from his podcast, or did I imagine that?)

And yet we’re all savvy enough to realise how important it is to be loving towards others. We know that kindness is noble and, well, kind. 

Although it can still be hard at times, it’s generally easier to be at least a little loving and kind in our personal lives. In the same breath, those closest to us often get the worst of us too.

And what about in our work lives? Are you quick to snap at a tardy employee without understanding the bigger picture? Do you quickly let your business partner’s foul mood impact your own? What attitude do you bring to the workplace each day? How might that impact those on your team?

There’s every chance that you’re not even aware of much of this. Typically, most of us aren’t.

But once we do become aware, things can start to shift. Things can improve.

Metta meditation is no panacea for life’s stresses and woes, but it can certainly help us to experience less stress and frustration, both in our work and at home. 

And it can do something much more than that too.

What is metta meditation?

Metta meditation is an ancient practice designed to train our minds to be more compassionate. Not only can it improve our ability to be compassionate, it also has some really interesting – and scientifically validated – physical and mental side effects.

Metta meditation has many names. It is also referred to as lovingkindness meditation, compassion meditation, compassion training, and more.^1,2 It comes from a specific Buddhist meditation practice that aims to cultivate unconditional kindness towards yourself and others.³

Generating compassion towards all living beings (which includes you, by the way!) is essentially the purpose of metta meditation.²  It is said to provide four emotional benefits:

1. You are warm, kind and friendly towards others without expecting or looking for anything in return,
2. You make a concerted effort to help others in need (to ease their suffering),
3. You feel genuine happiness and joy when you witness other people’s happiness and fortune (AKA sympathetic joy, or mudita)
4. You experience equanimity, calm and inner wisdom.³

How to practise metta meditation

The way metta is practised varies across traditions. The common threads, however, focus on generating kind intentions toward a target by repeating select phrases. Who you target with these phrases is also usually in a specific sequence.^2,3

The sequence usually starts with sending kind thoughts to yourself, followed by someone you love (or even a pet), then someone neutral (think an acquaintance or somebody you see at the supermarket checkout or bump into at a conference), then someone you have a difficult time with (which might be a snidey employee who bothers you, or a family member who has hurt you),and then finally, all beings(humans, animals, whatever you want to include here).^2,3

Sharon Salzberg, one of the most known meditation teachers of today, suggests that sometimes it’s enough to just focus on yourself.⁴

Say you start with the first part of this meditation where you focus on yourself and it feels challenging, well then maybe continue only with that part of the meditation because you’re clearly in need of some love and compassion. Maybe you’re feeling overwhelmed. Maybe you’re going through a particularly stressful life event.

You definitely need some love and compassion. So start with you. The other people will be easier to come to and focus on once you’ve worked through some of your own stuff. 

But on the flipside, if starting with yourself feels impossible, esteemed meditation teacher Jack Kornfield suggests you skip straight to someone else.’⁵ He says:

When metta meditation isn’t the right fit

Equally, I’ve heard many meditation teachers talk about the part where you focus on someone difficult in your life. Sometimes it would be wise to skip over this part and head straight to sending good thoughts to all beings, rather than to that difficult person. 

Why? 

Some of us have unfortunately come into contact with people who have harmed us in the past. Some of us have people in our lives who have caused us so much pain that we live with deep – and often unresolved – trauma. 

An individual metta meditation practice may not be the safe space we need to let go or process or find acceptance with these people. In this instance, a safer space may well be with a psychologist, counsellor or other qualified therapist who can help guide that process. 

In this instance, you might stay with yourself as the recipient of lovingkindness throughout the entire meditation, or otherwise skip the bit where you might otherwise include that challenging person. 

Typical metta/lovingkindness phrases

Typical phrases in lovingkindness meditation follow along the lines of may you be safe, may you be healthy, may you be happy, may you be free from all suffering. 

Because I tend to visualise things (and because my mind is often busy and initially needs some structure), I often link this to a box shape and then connect this all to the breath. So the first part of the meditation looks like this:

1. In breath, up the left side of the box: may I be safe, 
2. Out breath, across the top of the box: may I be healthy,
3. In breath, down the right side of the box: may I be happy, 
4. Out breath, across the bottom of the box: may I be at ease in the world. 

Or the up/down visualisation that also connects to the breath:

1. In breath, up: may I be safe,
2. Out breath, down: may I be healthy,
3. In breath, up: may I be happy,
4. Out breath, down: may I be at ease in the world. 

And then when I’m more easily still and able to stay focused without too much effort, I settle into something where I feel myself expanding out on the in breath and letting go on the out breath. 

This last rhythm is a happy place. It’s the sweet spot. It feels present and connected, – to self, to others, even to something bigger.

Aside from the usual wording and sequencing, I’m not aware of there being a particular ‘right’ way to practice metta meditation, but I’m pretty sure some meditation teachers will see this as a mixing of techniques. 

But this is where I’ve landed with it. This is what helps me focus when I’m more easily distracted. 

Learn the rules, understand them, then walk your own path.

Is there any scientific evidence that metta meditation works?

Despite the fact that metta meditation is an ancient practice that’s been passed down through centuries of teachings, today many of us require more robust evidence to convince us of its efficacy. 

So meditators (and non-meditators alike) have been brought into the labs, hooked up to machines of all sorts and tested to see whether there’s actually something going on in their brains and bodies when they practise metta meditation. 

And it turns out that from a scientific standpoint, there is something going on.

Early systematic reviews of the research showed metta (lovingkindness) meditation interventions can moderately increase compassion and self-compassion, while also decreasing depression.¹

A 2008 study that compared the brains of expert meditators against a control group found similar results. In this study, they found that both novice and expert participants experienced increased activation in the anterior insula (AI) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) throughout the meditative process.⁶

Both the AI and ACC regions of the brain are associated with feelings and mood. These findings suggest that when you generate compassionate thoughts, you enhance empathetic responses in the brain.⁶

This is also supported by the observation that the AI was larger in experts, and they were more susceptible to cues that triggered negative responses, indicating that they are more sensitive to the suffering of others in distress.⁶

So the more regularly you practise metta meditation, the more you’ll able to tap into those empathetic thoughts and feelings. 

More recent research has since supported the observation that lovingkindness meditation truly does improve prosocial behaviours, including empathy and compassion.⁷

Compassion leads to happiness

Though becoming more compassionate is surely a worthwhile outcome, the benefits do not end there. 

A 2018 systematic review and meta-analysis strongly suggests that metta meditation improves positive emotions in practitioners, though the nuances of these changes are still not well understood.³

What has been confirmed – and you’re unlikely to be hugely surprised by this – is that being kind to others and yourself, alongside observing kindness from others, is a very real way to increase your own happiness levels.⁸

This in turn leads to the idea that by honing your ability to be empathetic and compassionate towards others, you will also create opportunity for there to be more happiness in your life. 

How metta meditation is good for everyone

Metta meditation, then, leads into a positive feedback loop.

Some researchers theorise that by improving socioemotional wellbeing, you improve prosocial behaviors.⁷ So when you practice metta meditation, your brain becomes more capable of processing empathetic stimuli, and you become happier as a result of the compassion you experience. 

And it doesn’t stop there.

As your emotional wellbeing improves, so too does your willingness and capability to be prosocial and kind to others, thereby allowing you to spread more kindness and experience more happiness indirectly as they too start their own cycles. 

It becomes a positively vicious cycle of love and good intention.

With rose-coloured glasses on, I’m seeing this spread throughout your family, at work, in your community. I’m seeing collaboration, enthusiasm and drive. 

I’m seeing you arriving at work and your good energy brushing off on everyone else and you finishing work on time – maybe even early – to get home to play with your kids before enjoying a present and connecting dinner and chat with your spouse before heading to bed feeling good about the day and your interactions.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

The metta meditation challenge

There’s undoubtedly something powerful going on here. There’s definite potential here to at least shift things in a positive direction. 

Monks and meditators have known this secret for far longer than we have, and sure they may find it easier to enter into those blissful states that can have blissful societal consequences, but we can tap into this space too.

This isn’t only for those chosen few. 

This is a powerful, practical practice that you can adopt to improve your wellbeing, the wellbeing of those around you and the relationships between you.

So my challenge to you is to give metta meditation a go for two weeks. Even ten minutes a day for two weeks is a’okay. 

And then report back. 

I’ll be surprised if there’s anything negative to report.

References and further resources

1. Galante J & Galante I & Bekkers MJ & Gallacher J. (2014). Effect of Kindness-Based Meditation on Health and Well-Being: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. 82. 10.1037/a0037249.
2. Engel Y, Ramesh A, Steiner N. Powered by compassion: The effect of loving-kindness meditation on entrepreneurs’ sustainable decision-making. Journal of Business Venturing. 2020;35(6):105986. doi:10.1016/j.jbusvent.2019.105986
3. Zeng X, Chiu CPK, Wang R, Oei TPS, Leung FYK. The effect of loving-kindness meditation on positive emotions: A meta-analytic review. Frontiers in Psychology. 2015;6(NOV):1-14. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01693
4. Insight Timer. Lovingkindness Meditation by Sharon Salzberg. Available at https://insighttimer.com/sharonsalzberg/guided-meditations/lovingkindness-meditation. Accessed 12 Feb 2021. 
5. The Tim Ferriss Show (2018). Jack Kornfield — Finding Freedom, Love, and Joy in the Present (#300) [PODCAST]. Available at https://tim.blog/2018/03/05/jack-kornfield. Accessed 12 Feb 2021.
6. Lutz A, Brefczynski-Lewis J, Johnstone T, Davidson RJ. Regulation of the Neural Circuitry of Emotion by Compassion Meditation: Effects of Meditative Expertise. Baune B, ed. PLoS ONE. 2008;3(3):e1897. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0001897
7. Luberto CM, Shinday N, Song R, et al. A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of the Effects of Meditation on Empathy, Compassion, and Prosocial Behaviors. Mindfulness. 2018;9(3):708-724. doi:10.1007/s12671-017-0841-8
8. Rowland L, Curry OS. A range of kindness activities boost happiness. Journal of Social Psychology. 2019;159(3):340-343. doi:10.1080/00224545.2018.1469461
9. Robinson B. 2020. Forbes. ABC News Anchor Dan Harris On How Meditation Changed His Personal Life And Built A New Business. Available at https://www.forbes.com/sites/bryanrobinson/2020/11/04/abc-news-anchor-dan-harris-on-how-meditation-changed-his-personal-life-and-built-a-new-business. Accessed 12 Feb 2021. 

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But what if I let you in on a shocking secret? 

Many of those supplements aren’t as good as you think they are, and there’s a good chance that the choice you make will be based on polished marketing and promotion efforts rather than actual content of those pills and powders.

Key insights from an industry expert

I work as a product development and a regulatory affairs consultant for the health and wellness industry. I advise many different companies ­– from small start-ups through to well-established superbrands – on trends and best practises. I help them create cutting-edge products with novel ingredients. 

I’m determined to help those brands and the industry at large up their game to deliver quality products.

But until everything on the shelf is actually of a decent quality, here are some insights into how you can better understand why this is an issue, and then do something about finding better quality stuff. 

Do you know what’s in your supplements?

A lot of people have no idea what’s actually in their supplements. They may fully trust that because it’s a medicine, it’s completely healthy and that every ingredient is in there for a reason. 

All products – here in Australia at least – do go through a rigorous regulatory system. It’s one of the most thorough regulatory frameworks in the world for vitamins, supplements and the likes (complementary and alternative medicines or nutraceuticals, if that’s more your language).

This means that you can buy products off the shelves with some confidence. Everything that’s legally allowed to be sold on the shelves is supported by scientific evidence. If it says that it ‘improves immunity’, then the brand needs to be able to support that claim with credible studies.

But nonetheless, there are a few surprising things going on.

The products you think are fantastic might not be as amazing as you actually think they are. In order to cut costs, they might contain filler ingredients that aren’t even good for you. They might not contain enough of an ingredient to actually fulfil the health claims that they make. 

And despite there being some sort of regulatory framework in place, some products slip through the gaps and still make it onto the shelves.

A capsule or tablet can only fit so much

When companies make a new supplement, their first consideration is: how much of a key ingredient can we fit into a tablet or capsule or serve? If they’re making health claims and want to meet the RDI (recommended daily intake) for each ingredient, this is really important. 

Did you know that a typical capsule might only hold 750 milligrams, maybe 1,000 milligrams at a push? 

So if a company tries to bring together lots of different ingredients, particularly macronutrients (like magnesium and calcium), the reality is they’re just not going to fit in at a quantity that’s really going to do anything. 

There’s not going to be a therapeutic dose.

If we look at calcium, for example, the RDI is 1,000-1,300mg. You could just about squeeze in enough calcium to a tablet or large capsule to get your RDI, but that’s it. There’s no space for anything else. 

With magnesium the RDI is 310-420mg, so again the amount that’s going to fit into a capsule or tablet is limited. Let’s imagine a big capsule that contains one of the highest quality and well-absorbed forms of magnesium, which is magnesium citrate. Because of the composition of magnesium citrate, you can only fit 150 milligrams equivalent magnesium into a big capsule with nothing else. 

Suddenly it’s easier to understand why in some cases you need to take more than one tablet to get your RDI. To hit your daily target. You’d likely need to take three magnesium citrate pills.

But what about the extra space that’s now been created? Don’t we need some additional things in there to fill our tablets or capsules? 

Absolutely. Companies will usually do one of two things: 

1. include additional ingredients in there to either enhance their impact and health claims, or
2. include additional ingredients that do next to nothing (or worse still, are less than ideal). The term we use for this is ‘fairy dust’.

What’s with Point 2, you might ask? 

It’s the next part of what a company has to consider, and it’s more often than not related to cost.

The cost of different ingredients and its impact on quality

Each of those products you’re looking at on the pharmacy shelf are made by brands and companies who – like any business – want to keep their costs down. Each brand will have its own values and ethics and strategic direction, and the products it brings to market will come out of that. 

As with any consumable, the pricing margin needs to make sense. Some ingredients are way pricier than others and sometimes the subtleties are only noticeable on closer inspection.

Let’s go back to the example of a magnesium capsule. The best available form of magnesium is magnesium citrate, which contains 16.2% magnesium. Magnesium oxide, on the other hand, is a far inferior version but it’s got a lot more magnesium per gram and it’s significantly cheaper. 

It’s not surprising, then, that a lot of the supplements you see on shelves in supermarkets, chemists and health food shops will often have magnesium oxide instead of the higher quality magnesium citrate. 

Why do brands choose cheaper ingredients if they’re less effective?

Brands want to make a finished product that will sell at a price that consumers – you – consider acceptable. 

In order for them to be able to sell a product for $20 in the shops, they need to keep their ingredient costs down to allow for all the steps in the sale. Wholesalers, distributors, retailers, they all take a margin along the way. 

Often poorer quality ingredients are cheaper. That’s the reality of it. The more premium quality or better absorbed ingredients are more expensive. Generally, you can only fit an average-quality ingredients into a formula for $5, so that’s unfortunately what a significant portion of those products contain.

Brands, in some respect, are pushed to choose cheaper ingredients because we –the consumer – are often not prepared to pay more for our pack of pills.

Excipients and undesirable ingredients to watch out for

If you take a pack of capsules out of your cupboard, the likelihood is they contain some filler ingredients, known as excipients. Excipients are your non-active ingredients. They don’t actually do much from a therapeutic point of view. 

So why are they in there at all? 

Pretty much all supplements – particularly tablets – contain excipients in part to help with the manufacturing process. There are different types and qualities of excipients, but most commonly brands will go for the cheap and useful ones. 

For example, one of the functions of titanium dioxide is to be make your tablets appear white. Another example is purified talc, which is used as a glidant and lubricant, to help with powder flow in tablet compression. There are others too. 

Neither of these ingredients are ideal or desirable and the research is stacked up against them, but it’s still commonplace to include them.

Will the product you buy really do what it says on the packaging?

You’ve probably seen the letters RDI on medicine or food labels. RDI stands for recommended daily intake and refers to a specified amount of an ingredient that 97% of the population needs to avoid deficiency. 

For companies to make claims on health products, they need to ensure that they include the minimum quantity of the ingredients they want to use to make that claim.

These are typically really, really low.

Let’s look at B1 deficiency, thiamine deficiency, as an example. You need 1.1mg-1.2mg of thiamine to prevent getting that deficiency and having subsequent illness. 1.1mg-1.2mg is a speck, basically. 

The thing is, when you go back through some of the studies on these ingredients, there’s likely more to it. To actually get a proper dose that’s going to have an effect, it could actually be closer to 20mgs that needs to be in your tablet. That’s 17 times the amount that’s actually recommended as part of your RDI. 

Does this mean you should ignore RDIs?

Certainly not. But just understand that that RDI’s are low, and a lot of the products on the shelves will have no more than the bare minimum.

Get smart, not angry

I’ve had many people come to me over the years and say something along the lines of, ‘Have you seen this great new product? We’re so excited about it.’ I’ll have a bit of a look into the formula and think, ‘I wouldn’t touch it. It’s expensive. There’s next to nothing of anything in there. Really, it’s probably not going to do a single thing.’

I can’t think of a company that’s purposefully trying to mislead consumers and put rubbish vitamins, minerals and other supplements out into the world. So why are sub-quality products still making it out into the marketplace? 

In my experience, cost is of course a driving factor, as is the space that’s available in a given tablet, capsule or powder serve. 

In some cases, though, it’s actually down to a lack of expertise. Not a lack of expertise in sales, marketing and business – many of those companies are excellent at that – but a lack of expertise in the actual product development of quality nutraceuticals. There are not many people who really go to that extra level of detail and really understand this stuff. 

As a consumer, this might feel frustrating, at best. It’s confusing. 

But if you’re feeling confused or frustrated in any way, there are a few things you can do to empower you when it comes to finding products that actually work.  

How can I be a savvy supplement consumer?

I think a good approach is to understand what it is you’re after, to have some awareness of brands and their marketing tactics, and to do a bit of research yourself. 

And it goes without saying: don’t always believe the hype. 

Often brands are trying to do a good thing (and as with anything, some brands are more reputable than others), but there are certainly a lot of products in the market that I personally wouldn’t touch.  

If you’re keen to deepen your understanding and take your consumer power to the next level, there are a few things you can do to be more informed. They’re not everyday, lightweight options, but they’re ways to dig deeper and discover whether a product is actually the right fit for you, your health and your value system. 

Checkpoint #1: What are you after?

Some worthwhile starting questions include why are you actually wanting to take a supplement? What outcomes are you hoping for? Why do you think this particular product is the right one for you?

Checkpoint#2: What ingredients are listed on the label?

Check for what’s actually in a product. Look at RDIs (at a bare minimum, you want to make sure you’ve got the RDI of the vitamins and minerals in there). Can you see any excipients? Here in Australia, it’s a legal requirement that all ingredients are listed on a product’s label but this doesn’t include excipients (although you can look this up too on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods, if you’re keen to investigate further).

Checkpoint #3: What does the research say? How does it stack up against your label claims?

If you know how to search through scientific journals and read publications, search for the ingredient and a credible dosage that links back to the application that you’re after. The way you check that is by looking at what ingredients are in there, and asking what is the proposed action of those ingredients? Is there any literature that links back? My view is if something is going into a formula, it needs to have a solid rationale for its inclusion, and the best rationale is something that’s based off credible science, or at least a long tradition of use, that supports or substantiates that usage.

Checkpoint #4: How does the brand/company who produces the product stack up?

You can look on company websites for excipient statements or ask the companies to send through what they’ve got. Obviously there’s going to be some bias there because they’ve got an invested interest in telling you what you want to hear to sell the product, but it’s a valuable starting point. 

TL;DR

Just want the short version? Here it is, in a nutshell:

• There’s limited space in a capsule or tablet or formula serve. This means you might not actually get the dosage that’s therapeutically effective for your desired outcome (even if it says it’s meeting the RDI). 
• The more premium quality or better absorbed ingredients are more expensive. If you buy a $10 product, you can generally expect poor-quality ingredients. This doesn’t mean they won’t work, but they may just not work as well as has been clinically proven and there’s a fair chance at least some of the ingredients are just there for show (not at a therapeutically active dosage).
• Supplements often contain non-active ingredients called excipients, which are often cheap and can even have negative impacts on health.
• Products with poor quality ingredients often do so to keep costs down, because there’s not enough space that’s available within a capsule or tablet, or because of a lack of expertise during the product development process.
• You can inform yourself further and make smarter supplement purchasing decisions by asking why you actually want to use the product, having some awareness of brands and their marketing tactics, and doing a bit of background research yourself. 

The post The Insider’s Guide To Supplements [EXPERT INSIGHTS] appeared first on Mindful Moo.

But physical health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and obesity are also on the rise. Chronic illness is becoming more common and without some serious societal lifestyle changes, it’s not going away any time soon.¹

On a positive note, life expectancy is on the rise too. But this of course means we have a longer time to care for and keep our body working at optimal levels. 

We might not be able to – or want to – control the arrival of new wrinkles as each year passes. We might be resistant to our bodies softening as we reach middle age and beyond. 

But other things, like obesity and heart disease? 

We can’t ignore the potential reality of these diseases. Of the likelihood that our bodies will be challenged as we age.

We need to look after this body of ours, the one thing that’s guaranteed to be with us for as long as we live.

We need to take action NOW. 

Establishing healthy habits as you get older

This year I turned 39. 

The age almost doesn’t matter, except – like any of you on the cusp of a new decade or life stage – it creates a reason to pause. To reflect.

This year I’ve also been hit with some health issues that remind me that my body is ageing. My back needs more care. My teeth are no longer as strong as they once were. It takes a whole lot more effort to stay physically fit and healthy than it used to.

I’ll admit that I’ve felt frustrated. Like I’ve been doing battle with my body. Why hasn’t it been behaving as it always has? 

Then I realised – thanks to some wise words from my yoga teacher that slowly filtered in and made sense – that this focus was, of course, fruitless. 

There’s something that you can’t change, and others that you can. Focus on the things you can. 

And so getting back to something more useful, here are some of the things I’ve been working with instead: 

• eating healthily, 
• exercising daily and 
• getting the sleep I need. 

They’re of course the most basic of our physical needs ­– the most essential – but how easy is it to forget about these basics?

I don’t always manage to tick all the boxes every day. But when I manage to do them most days?

The impact on my life is significant.  

Three ways to look after your body

So yes, sometimes we need to strip it back to the basics. We need to be reminded of what it is that sustains us, at a foundational level. 

Here is your reminder. 

And an invitation to join me and get back to looking after that body of yours.

1.    Eat healthily 

Being mindful of what you eat is one of the most obvious ways to care for our bodies. But how often and easily do we give into eating a sugary snack or grabbing a takeout that leaves us feeling heavy and greased out? 

Some simple ways to eat healthily include: 

• staying away from processed and refined foods, 
• choosing organic food wherever possible, 
• sitting down and eating a meal slowly rather than rushing it, and 
• really chewing your food. 

Mindful eating is a thing. 

Once we realise how good we can feel when we give our bodies the right fuel – the premium stuff – choosing what we put into our bodies can become a bit addictive.

And when we’re in a healthy eating rut or low moment, realising that taking small steps in the right direction is better than taking no steps at all. 

So if you’ve just polished off a block of chocolate, it doesn’t have to mean you keep railroading on the junk food train. It can mean yes, I ate a tonne of chocolate, but that’s happened and it’s okay, and dinner can again be something yummy, healthy and nutritious.  

Move on.

Move away from junk in, junk out, and move towards quality in, quality out.

2.    Exercise daily 

If you look for research that examines the impact of regular exercise, you’ll find thousands upon thousands of journal articles. 

Now of course certain types of exercise are ‘better’ than others. Certain exercises are better suited to certain body types or ages or conditions. And some exercise can have unexpected side effects. 

But the recurrent theme is obvious: little bits of regular exercise make the biggest difference to our health.^2,3 

Walking or running outdoors has shown benefits over indoor activity, while yoga and pilates can develop overall strength and help with healing certain injuries and conditions. Dance can exercise the heart and raise endorphin levels and feelings of ecstasy, as can going to the gym. 

It goes on.

The point here is that you can pick whatever type of exercise suits you, because you know what works for you. You know what type of exercise feels the least laborious. 

And when you don’t view it in a ‘have to do’ light – when you experience the benefits and the way it makes you feel so good – that’s what’s going to help you stick to doing it every day. 

That’s when the magic happens. 

I’m still waiting for the magic to be on all the time, by the way. Because I very often have this strong pull to just do nothing. 

Isn’t it weird how you can feel such an aversion to something that makes you feel so great? 

And yet every day that I get out for a walk, each moment I tone and stretch my body, and every time I run around a field kicking a ball with friends, I end up feeling fantastic. 

Consciously focusing on that positive feeling is what helps to create the positive habits, says American psychologist, Dr Rick Hanson.⁴ Creating space to really experience every part of what’s going on for you in that moment is what starts to train your brain to want more of that.

It definitely makes it easier to feel inspired to go out and do some exercise on those colder, blustery days. 

3.    Get 7-9 hours sleep each night

As new(ish) parents, getting over six hours of sleep a night seems somewhat of a dream for Dane and me. 

But research is showing time and time again that sleep is essential if we want to operate at optimum levels when we’re awake. It’s also a key part of staying physically heathy.^5,6

When you sleep, your body repairs itself. When you sleep, your brain processes all the many things that have gone on in your day. When you sleep, your parasympathic nervous system (PNS) is activated and your immune system gets a chance to power up. 

Maybe you’re an exception to the rule, but very few people can function on fewer than 7 hours sleep per night. 

So tools down. 

Go. To. Bed. Now.

(And do like Dane and take lunchtime naps at the weekends, if you like ;-))

How are you looking after yourself? What’s your physical self-care plan? Which type of exercise gets you in the flow and feels the most effortless to you?

References and further resources

1. PwC. Chronic diseases and conditions are on the rise. https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/industries/healthcare/emerging-trends-pwc-healthcare/chronic-diseases.html. Accessed 12 Jul 2019.
2. Tierney, S., Mamas, M., Skelton, D., Woods, S., Rutter, M. K., Gibson, M., Neyses, L., & Deaton, C. (2011). What can we learn from patients with heart failure about exercise adherence? A systematic review of qualitative papers. Health Psychology, 30(4), 401–410.
3. Lee J. The Relationship Between Physical Activity and Dementia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies. J Gerontol Nurs. 2018;44(10):22-29. doi:10.3928/00989134-20180814-01 
4. The Jordan Harbinger Show. 192: Rick Hanson: The Science of Hardwiring Happiness and Resilience. https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/192-rick-hanson-science-hardwiring-happiness-resilience/id1344999619?i=1000436872462. Accessed 4 Jun 2019.
5. Kawada T, Kuratomi Y and Kanai T. Lifestyle determinants of depressive feeling and a feeling of unhappiness among workers: A study in Japan. 2009. Work 33 (2009) 255–260 255 DOI 10.3233/WOR-2009-0873
6. Gibson MH, Chambers L. Sleep matters: Can a good night’s sleep help tackle the obesity crisis? Nutrition Bulletin. 2019;44(2):123-129. doi:10.1111/nbu.12386

The post Look After Your Body! The 3 Basics of Self-Care appeared first on Mindful Moo.

I was sitting in my physiotherapist’s office, more comfortably than I had been in some time. She was busy drawing some stick figures and talking through the three exercises she wanted me to do. They were incredibly gentle. I was frustrated.

‘What are your thoughts about me doing some yoga again?’ I asked.

She paused and her face scrunched a little. ‘I’d rather you just…’

‘What about poses that are balanced? So no twisting? I was thinking an up-down dog flow, maybe? Maybe some planks?’

‘I’d like you to just stick with these three exercises for now,’ she said. ‘We need to train the right muscles to turn on at the right time. Then we can build in some stronger core work again, and re-introduce yoga.’

Dammit.

How did I get here anyway?

I feel stupid. Frustrated. Although I’ve not actually been teaching, I am a qualified yoga teacher and I should know better. Nearly two years into motherhood and my body is broken.

I can’t sit without pain. I can’t stand up with feeling even more pain. I can’t get out of a car without feeling like a weight is painfully dragging my lower spine. 

A pre-existing coccyx problem re-triggered by backing into a chair six months ago, the osteopath had thought. Once she’d treated that, she thought sacrococcygeal compression seemed more likely. Could be related to my son’s quick birth 20 months back, thought the doctor. Take these anti-inflammatories before we go down the MRI route, she said. Twisted pelvis, said the physiotherapist. Muscle spasms refusing to let go. Tendons so tight they make me feel sick when touched.

Is it because I barely moved off the couch for the first three months of nursing my son? Isn’t that just what happens to all new mums? Because of broken sleep that barely made the hour mark in that first year? Of night after night sleeping awkwardly next to my son on a sofa-bed because the alternative meant even worse sleep? Of walking around holding bub in one arm, jutting my hips forward in what my osteo calls the lazy-man pose?

Is it because I’m an older mum and my body just can’t handle this all? 

It’s true that even holding my body upright these last two years has been an effort. Curling up in the foetal position has been all I’ve wanted to do at times.

I am bone tired, and it seems my body is too.

I keep fantasising about feeling strong and vibrant again, about headstands and twists and a body that looks and feels like mine. 

But for now, it seems, it’s still time to go slowly. 

Learning to be patient when your body is in pain

If you’re experiencing any physical setbacks or even permanent changes, it is hard. Whatever you are dealing with, I’m sorry. When you don’t feel physically healthy, it can undoubtedly have knock-on effects on your mental health and overall wellbeing.

If you’re anything like me, you’re solutions driven. You want to figure out a way to get better or feel better. And quickly.

But because we all experience such different physical conditions, it’s safest to say don’t do any yoga asanas without first consulting a yoga therapist and/or medical professional.

It’s not worth going backwards or doing more damage.

Interestingly, the master yoga practitioner and teacher BKS Iyengar, made better health the focus of this teachings. His book The Path to Holistic Health is a useful manual to tap into for different mental and physical ailments, but again is something that should be consulted in combination with expert advice.

I learnt this the hard way. I didn’t first check-in with any experts.

Why it’s so important to check in with the experts

Because I recognised some of the pain I felt some months back to be linked to piriformis pain, I did regular pigeon poses (Kapotasana) to help ease that. What I didn’t know was that my pelvis was twisted and my sacroiliac area compromised, and that doing this sort of pose could exacerbate the problems. 

Similarly, after months of breastfeeding and carrying a baby around I was desperate to open up my shoulder and chest and so started working on a lot of poses to help with this, including upward facing dog (Urdhva Mukha Shvanasana) and camel pose (Ustrasana). Totally not what was needed for the lower back compression that was later diagnosed.

I should have really pressed pause and checked in with some medical professionals first, but when you’re in those early days of parenthood and any spare time is taken up by a new business, self-care and related appointments unfortunately aren’t prioritised.

The fact I was even doing some yoga poses at all felt like a great achievement at the time. 

But not checking in with anyone was a bad move, of course.

Yoga asana for when your body is broken

That being said, there are some ‘postures’ that I have still been practising, ones that aren’t going to get me in trouble with my physiotherapist. (These may very well not work for you, and as mentioned above,the safest thing to do if you’re in pain is to not practise any yoga asanas without first checking in with a medical professional.)^1,2,3,4

Tadasana – mountain pose, for example – has been my refuge. When I stand tall and my shoulders are rolled back, I feel my breath flow more naturally. Holding this helps to remind my body of strength and energy that still exists within me.

Although you might not consider it a pose, Savasana – the corpse pose – is something I’m comfortable doing within the context of my current body pains. While I was pregnant and not allowed to lie on my back, I fantasised about doing Savasana, about my feet gently tipping outwards, about rolling my shoulders back and closing my eyes and feeling myself sink into the floor.

With even weight distribution across the body, I now find this to be the deeply restorative pose I’d dreamt of back then. I often deepen the impact of this relaxing posture by placing a weighted eye pillow over my eyes and a heavy zafu (a meditation cushion) on my belly. I often combine this with yoga nidra (see below).

One last posture I am doing is interestingly also one of the physio exercises I’ve been given, a gentle bridge pose (Setu Bandha Sarvāṅgāsana) designed to get my glute muscles working properly again. 

The challenge for me – in my desire to feel strong and healthy again – is to not push up and extend it too much. To build up bit by bit.

Patience and positivity are a big part of the healing puzzle, I’m realising.

Yoga practises to help improve your focus and mindset

It’s easy to forget that yoga is actually part of a far bigger framework than just the poses.

We might automatically think of poses when we hear the word yoga, but if we expand our understanding of yoga to include all eight limbs of yoga, we quickly realise that the physical part is but one eighth of what we can work with. 

So when we’re in pain, focusing on some of these other parts of yoga can actually help us to recover and restore in different ways.

For example, through the yamas we can focus our energies on being decent human beings in the world, and develop better connections and relationships with others.

Through the niyamas we can tap into our own internal powers by simplifying our life, practising acceptance, educating ourselves, setting goals and persevering on a path to reach those goals. 

These lifestyle practises help us to work with pain from a different angle. 

How am I incorporating these practises? 

I’ve committed to doing my exercises daily, of working towards improved health. I’ve looked at anatomy books to try and understand what’s going on and get to grips with what the osteo and physio have told me.

I’m trying to not let my physical state and pain impact how I behave to others. I’m learning to be mindful of how I move in the world, how long I sit down for, how I sit.

I’m amping up my gratitude efforts and mentally noting all the many truly wonderful things I see, hear, taste, smell and feel every day.

And I’m sharing this with you in the hope it helps someone out there deal with their own physical pains. 

Yoga practises to help rest and restore 

Alongside ways we can behave in the world – towards ourselves and towards others – some of the eight limbs of yoga have a more internal focus. 

Breathwork for better health

One practise that branches both the physical and mental space is pranayama – breathwork – which is shown to be beneficial in helping with a number of physical and mental conditions, including pain management. A 2019 systematic review, for example, discussed a controlled study where:

Pranayama or yogic breathing practices were found to influence the neurocognitive abilities, autonomic and pulmonary functions as well as the biochemical and metabolic activities in the body. The studies in the clinical populations, show the effects of yogic breathing… …to modulate the pain perception…⁵

But they add that although breathing practises are generally deemed to be safe and there seem to be some promising outcomes, ‘further large scale studies with better methodological designs to understand the mechanisms involved with yogic breathing are warranted’. ⁵

In the Iyengar tradition that I follow, pranayama is not seen as an entry level practise and in my experience, is best learnt directly from a teacher before you go it alone.

Yogic meditation to activate the vagus nerve and parasympathetic nervous system

Another of the eight limbs is dhyana, which is meditation. 

Although I predominantly practise the insight (Vipassana) style of meditation, there are many different types of concentration exercises and meditation practises – including visualisation and breath based and mantra meditations – within the yogic tradition that are interesting to explore.

Sound and mantra meditation, for example, might not initially seem to offer benefits to pain management, but you might be surprised at the potential that sound has as it vibrates through your body.

Before I was signed off yoga (that is yoga asana), I attended a class with one of my fabulous teachers, senior yoga teacher and yoga therapist Celia Roberts of BioMedical Institute of Yoga and Meditation (BIOME). The entire focus of the class was on vagus nerve stimulation and vagal tone. Alongside postures, we also explored the impact of sound. 

Repeatedly singing Om or hum is a recognised and scientifically proven way to activate the vagus nerve, which in turn activates your parasympathetic nervous system (your rest and digest state). The breathing aspect of this – with a naturally extended out breath – is also a key part of why this helps to calm us down and better manage pain and stress.^6,7,8,9

Although I’ve historically been one of those people who’s a little hung up on being overly vocal, since feeling the benefits from that one class alone I’ve well and truly incorporated it into my daily routine.

When I’m feeling frustrated by my physical pain and slow healing progress, I belt out a series of Oms. And every time I feel grouchy or a bit low, I give it a go too. 

It’s working. 

Hacking the healing powers of sleep with yoga nidra

Another yoga meditation practise that’s had increasing scientific interest is yoga nidra, a relaxation practise that has been shown to bring your brain and body into a deep state of consciousness, which in turn provides the conditions that allow your body and immune system to repair.^{10, 11,12}

As mum to a toddler who’s rarely slept more than two hours in a row, yoga nidra has been a lifesaver. As I deal with my current pains and am still not getting the sleep time I need to give my body a fair chance to repair itself, yoga nidra is again proving its effectiveness.

One Yoga Journal article even suggested that ‘45 minutes of yogic sleep [yoga nidra] feels like 3 hours of regular sleep’. A HuffPost article says ‘one 30-minute yoga [nidra] session—feel like you’ve slept for two hours’.^11,12

Tell me that doesn’t sound magical. 

Of course you shouldn’t substitute sleep for yoga nidra, but imagine what a generous opportunity you give your body to repair if you find time to incorporate both sleep and yoga nidra into your life? 

Here’s wishing you a speedy journey back to optimal health!

UPDATE: In terms of my pain, MRI and X-ray scans have since shown a herniated disc in my lumber region, as well as Tarlov cysts on my lower spine. Either could be the cause of my pain. Having now seen a muscular-skeletal specialist and also a yoga therapist, the consensus seems to be that the next step of this journey is around pain management/learning to live with discomfort, but also getting my body moving again. Healthily.

References and further resources

1. Yoga for pain relief. Harvard Health Publishing. Harvard Medical School. https://www.health.harvard.edu/alternative-and-complementary-medicine/yoga-for-pain-relief. Published April 2015. Accessed 26 June 2020.
2. Vallath N. Perspectives on yoga inputs in the management of chronic pain. Indian J Palliat Care. 2010;16(1):1-7. doi:10.4103/0973-1075.63127
3. Yoga and pain. painHEALTH. Department of Health, Government of Western Australia. https://painhealth.csse.uwa.edu.au/pain-module/yoga. Accessed 26 June 2020.
4. McGonigal K. Restorative Yoga for Chronic Pain. Yoga International. https://yogainternational.com/article/view/restorative-yoga-for-chronic-pain. Accessed 26 June 2020. 
5. Saoji AA, Raghavendra BR and N.K. Manjunath NK. Effects of yogic breath regulation: A narrative review of scientific evidence. Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine. Volume 10, Issue 1, 2019,p50-58.
6. Gerritsen RJS, Band GPH. Breath of Life: The Respiratory Vagal Stimulation Model of Contemplative Activity. Front Hum Neurosci. 2018;12:397. Published 2018 Oct 9. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2018.00397
7. This Might Be the Simplest Scientific Way to Get Rid of Stress You’ve Ever Heard Of. Inc.com https://www.inc.com/wanda-thibodeaux/this-might-be-simplest-scientific-way-to-get-rid-of-stress-youve-ever-heard-of.html. Published 2018. Accessed 28 June 2020.
8. Fallis J. How to Stimulate Your Vagus Nerve for Better Mental Health. https://www.optimallivingdynamics.com/blog/how-to-stimulate-your-vagus-nerve-for-better-mental-health-brain-vns-ways-treatment-activate-natural-foods-depression-anxiety-stress-heart-rate-variability-yoga-massage-vagal-tone-dysfunction. Published Mar 2020. Accessed 28 June 2020. 
9. Thibodeaux W. Natural Ways of Vagus Nerve Stimulation. Wim Hoff Method. https://www.wimhofmethod.com/vagus-nerve-stimulation. Accessed 28 June 2020.
10. Livingston E and Collette-Merrill K. Effectiveness of Integrative Restoration (iRest) Yoga Nidra on Mindfulness, Sleep, and Pain in Health Care Workers. Holistic Nursing Practice, Volume 32, Number 3, May/June 2018, pp. 160-166(7)
11. Brody K. How Yoga Nidra Can Help You Get More Sleep. Yoga Journal. https://www.yogajournal.com/meditation/your-brain-on-yoga-nidra. Published 2017. Accessed 28 June 2020.
12. Hill E. How ‘Yoga Nidra’ Works. HuffPost https://www.huffpost.com/entry/how-yoga-nidra-works_b_58efcea5e4b048372700d692. Published 2017. Accessed 28 Jun 2020

The post Yoga for When Your Body Is Broken (And You’re in Pain) appeared first on Mindful Moo.

When things really kicked off with coronavirus, I thought I was taking it all in my stride, but my body and actions told me otherwise. My phone pick-ups maxed out as I checked the news app and the Worldometer Coronavirus stats on loop throughout the day. A certain buzz vibrated in my body as though I’d drank two too many coffees. 

I don’t imagine for a moment I was alone in this. 

Time to focus on the things that will make you feel better, not worse

When I realised what was going on, I decided to take charge and went back to the things I know are good for me. Tried and tested lifestyle practices to downregulate and avoid getting caught up in my head.

And… aaaaah!

In a matter of days my phone usage dropped significantly, I was once again in control of my life (as much as that is ever possible) and I felt back to my more balanced self.

Lifestyle practices that can take you from feeling overwhelmed to feeling more balanced

Below are four self-care tips that can help move you from a place of overwhelm to feeling more balanced. Four ways to look after your mind. Four ideas that work to ensure you don’t frazzle or feel uncomfortably buzzy.

The more you incorporate them into your daily rhythm, the more impact they may have on your life.

Ready to give them a go?

1. Give your mind a break from thinking, planning and doing

Being on the whole time isn’t good. It’s exhausting.

Meditation is one tool I use to give my mind a break. 

If you’re not sure where to start, mindfulness meditation can help you to observe your thoughts. Don’t try and shut them out; just observe your thoughts. Loving-kindness meditation might be more relevant if you’ve had a rough time of late or had to deal with difficult people in the office. Guided meditations are definitely a good option for when you’re feeling easily distracted or overwhelmed.

Or if meditation isn’t your thing, try listening to music or watching a movie or doing something physical to get back into your body – all these things can help quieten the monkey mind, let you catch your breath and get ready to look at things again with fresh eyes. 

2. Take a moment to reflect on what went well in your day and practise gratitude

Take a moment before you go to bed to think back on your day. Did anything surprise you? Did someone share a story with you or confide in you? Did you spot something beautiful or unusual?

We may have a built-in negativity bias but, according to Dr Rick Hanson, we can train our brain to automatically look for the positive, it just takes practise.² 

In our family we share our grateful moments over dinner. It doesn’t mean that the day’s been all roses and sweetness but it does mean that the day ends with a conscious effort to remember the many little things that went right.

3. Learn to say no (often) 

If you’re a people pleaser or suffer from FOMO (fear of missing out), saying no is very straightforward in theory but incredibly hard to implement when you’ve got someone standing in front of you making a request.

As a recovering people pleaser, I’m getting better at this but still get caught out far too often. 

A useful idea I heard motivational speaker, bestselling author, Kyle Maynard, talk about on The Tim Ferriss Show was to rate something out of ten, and you’re not allowed to use seven.³ Maynard was talking about it in relation to hiring a new employee, but it can just as easily and effectively be applied to saying yes or no to some thing rather than someone. 

If you’re evaluating whether to do something (or not) and rate it below seven, well, you’d need a very good reason to do something you’re not that keen on. 

If it’s above seven, it’s obviously something you want to do and should therefore say a big fat yes to. 

You’re welcome. 

4. Switch off your phone and put away your computer 

Seriously. Have some time out. 

Technology isn’t the enemy, but we all know that being constantly attached to a device isn’t smart. We also know that it’s impossible to multitask effectively, even though we keep trying.

So have your time with your devices, and then have your off time too.

Recently I heard an interview with New York Times bestselling author Jake Knapp who has next to no apps on his phone.⁴ Seriously. As someone who’s previously worked for Google on products including Gmail and Google Hangouts, he’s all too aware of how technology can steer us away (or not) from the important stuff.

And although it’s possibly a step too far for some of us, friends of mine choose to enjoy device-free days each week. If the very thought fills you with dread, you’re likely a prime candidate for doing this too, at least every now and then. 

I’ve also recently been experimenting with putting app restrictions on my phone, which means for the first and last hours of the day I’m unable to get caught up in social or news feeds, and can ease in and out of the day more gently. In those moments the world doesn’t fall apart, and I feel a lot more level.

So there you have it. A few lifestyle practices to start experimenting with in your own life.

Let us know how you go.

Which of these tips will you implement? Are there any more you’d recommend? Please comment below and share what you know to be true.

References and further reading

1. World Health Organisation. Depression: let’s talk” says WHO, as depression tops list of causes of ill health. 2017. www.who.int/news-room/detail/30-03-2017–depression-let-s-talk-says-who-as-depression-tops-list-of-causes-of-ill-health. Accessed 4 Jun 2019. 
2. The Jordan Harbinger Show. 192: Rick Hanson: The Science of Hardwiring Happiness and Resilience.https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/192-rick-hanson-science-hardwiring-happiness-resilience/id1344999619?i=1000436872462. Accessed 4 Jun 2019.
3. The Tim Ferriss Show. 284: The Answers to My Favorite Questions. https://tim.blog/2017/12/03/the-answers-to-my-favorite-questions. Accessed 4 Jun 2019. 
4. The Kevin Rose Show. Jake Knapp – Creating Time and Finding Focus In Daily Life. https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kevin-rose/the-journal-by-kevin-rose/e/58773466. Accessed 30 Sep 2019.

The post 4 Practical Self-Care Tips For a Healthy, Happy Mind appeared first on Mindful Moo.

In Part 1, we heard from four people about how life has changed for them.

Here we hear from four more.

Four more individuals from around the world who are trying to figure out what exactly the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic means for them, their lives and their work.

May these shared stories help us connect and understand the common challenges we face. May they make the difficult days a little easier to bear.

And may the inspire you to make the best of these times.

Peggy, 44 | South Africa

Life Coach

Since I work from home, things haven’t changed a tremendous amount, with the exception of client meetings outside of the office, which are not happening right now. Oh, and going for coffee with friends has now also turned into a virtual coffee.

I’m much more focused on what I can do now that all my external meetings have fallen away. The ‘Rush’ is gone and I can work on those projects that otherwise would still be sitting at my desk.

All my day to day activities get much more attention. Going for a walk is now really just going for a walk without looking at my watch the whole time in order to be back on time. 

How lockdown has impacted my life

South Africa has implemented a really strict regime. Nobody can go outside except to go to the store.

I’ve been very fortunate that we are based on a small private nature reserve where we can still go for a daily walk.

But I truly miss going out for dinner or lunch, or playing that round of golf. I think basically meeting other people and stepping away from the home office is something I just need once in a while. A change of scenery.

What I’m doing to look after my mind and body during lockdown

I have a morning routine in which I incorporate journaling, meditation, some self-coaching and reading.

I’m very happy that I already established this routine because I feel that I can keep my calm more easily. I realize that starting a routine now can be challenging. Now that one needs it the most. 

In that same morning routine I incorporate a daily yoga routine, either 10 minutes or 20 minutes, depending on if I do strength training or not. I do that three times a week.

I also go for a daily walk, three times a week for an hour and a half, and on the other days aim for around half an hour. 

Mark, 57 | Australia

Design Manager

My daily routine used to comprise of an early rise, long commute, solid hours at the office, and a late homecoming.  Site visits and face-to-face meetings with clients, contractors and colleagues was the majority of my day.  

This has been replaced with working exclusively from home, so I have gained a couple of hours a day by eliminating commuting. It’s allowed for sleep-ins and earlier dinners.

Initially this was full-time, but more recently my colleagues and I have been partially stood down as our employer feels the economic squeeze.  

How lockdown has impacted my life

We now try to cover each other and manage our workloads with working staggered days, staying in touch via phone, email, and chat platforms.  

Technically it is working quite well, but it is not possible to maintain the same level of connection and team spirit.  Physical isolation definitely results in a degree of emotional isolation, despite our best efforts to combat this.

What I’m doing to look after my mind and body during lockdown

Now only working two days a week, I ensure I have a reason to get out of bed on the other days by setting myself house-renovation tasks with completion dates to work towards.  It feels important to have a sense of purpose each day.

My partner and I have a daily one-hour walk to ensure we get off our bums and exercise, and also give our eyes a break from computer screens.  

I’ve been doing the odd bit of landscaping around the property, which is usually quite strenuous.  Apart from the cardiovascular part of it, this also has been a great way for me to release the stresses of isolation and financial hardship, and the fears around job security.

Catherine, 35 | USA

Yoga teacher, meditation teacher and Soul Care mom coach

Our daily rhythm is much the same as it was before. We homeschool and I run a business from home, so not too much has changed there. 

How lockdown has impacted my life

As we practice social distancing, we are beginning to miss our outings with friends. At the same time we feel so blessed to be able to continue connect with friends and family through technology.

What I’m doing to look after my mind and body during lockdown

I believe taking care of your mind during this time is so important.

To look after my mind I have continued my meditation and journaling practice. I also love reading uplifting and inspiring books.

We are blessed to be able to go for walks on the trails around our home.

We also love playing in the backyard and practicing yoga.

Oliver, 39 | United Kingdom

Residential landlord, developer and army reservist

I’m used to having a varied routines, projects and phases, so in some way I’m comfortable with what’s going on. The recent death of my mother has possibly had more of an impact on my daily life than the lockdown.

Although I am on standby to be mobilised at short notice for up to six months, I no longer attend routine military training so am using the time to get mine and my family’s affairs in order. 

The biggest change is the drop in daily travel and appointments. I’m no longer running my daughter to school and many activities, and social events and the gym don’t exist. I no longer drive to the hospital daily. My driving is down by well over 80%. Due to people self-isolating, I’m shopping for more households.

I still have lots to do but more time in the day to do it. I don’t need to start as early as almost nothing is fixed now. My goal for daily life Is to get beyond getting up to face one giant, nebulous to-do list and create a more fulfilling routine or rhythm that befits the current circumstances and the next chapter of my life.

How lockdown has impacted my life

A lot of things are on hold or heavily delayed and uncertain. The coroner’s investigation into my mother’s death, for example, and a possible inquest, which may be less likely to happen due to higher demand on the service.

Some restrictions are ambiguous in the UK. I am continuing to work; however the lack of availability of materials, contractors and closed businesses is making progress difficult and project completion impossible. Mortgage payments and bills continue regardless (including for the project property) so despite having decent savings and contingencies, the impact and financial strain is large.

Although the UK has instigated unprecedented financial packages, I’m one of the ones who can’t claim any benefits. So it’s currently an all-or-nothing scenario, you simply win or lose. 

When everyone is struggling, people deal with it better. What makes it more difficult is when those struggling hear the menial complaints – including boredom and trivial inconveniences – from those not suffering. 

From a personal point of view, in some ways the chance to have more time at home to reflect and handle my mother’s affairs and estate, while supporting my father, is both a benefit and a relief. 

There seems to be a dichotomy between some people who are bored and stuck at home, while others are flat out with additional challenges and working extra, particularly in the health sector. 

I have a lot going on, and my daughter and her mum have been most supportive. 

Although I’m not in the frame of mind for dating, I can’t help but think to other single people who might be finding it frustrating as it’s near impossible to date or meet anyone new. On the other hand, I imagine online dating companies are doing great. And I expect the strain of living in close proximity means there will soon be plenty of other people seeking new relationships.

I feel sadly grateful that my mother passed away before the pandemic fully took hold. She had acute medical needs, which would have been difficult to manage in isolation. I did have to cancel her funeral, which was unfortunate, but we were still able to have a private family cremation. A week later that would have been impossible. 

I was able to be with my mother when she passed away, holding her hand. I  could stay with her a few hours after. I am incredibly fortunate, as many relatives of coronavirus victims have not had this privilege or the chance to say goodbye. Life might seem difficult at times but when you consider their suffering, and life on the NHS frontline, it is incomparably better.

My goal is to get my family and work on a path where I have more time to give back to the community again and/or through military service during the crisis.

What I’m doing to look after my mind during lockdown

I have been trying to make a concerted effort to catch up with old friends and maintain social contacts. My mother’s death has actually made this even more possible. We’ve had over 130 cards. There’s still a lot of replying and talking to be done. I’m treating it like eating the proverbial elephant. In moderate doses it is cathartic. 

With people constantly in and around the house, the dog’s getting a lot of love. Four walks a day means canine mental wellbeing is at an all-time high here! 

I am planning to renew my expired subscription to Headspace and try to build a daily routine with mindfulness built in to it –  even if it’s just five minutes at the start or end of the day. 

My biggest mental goal is setting aside time to do nothing and be mindful – to reduce internal chatter and be able to detach at night.

What I’m doing to look after my body during lockdown

I have installed a pull-up bar in the house, which I’ve been using every hour or two, and have tried to do some manual labour in the garden. I’ve been walking and running every day. I’m planning to build more of a routine around this. 

By having stricter control of my diet, and eating out less, I have been cooking new dishes and reducing processed food and carbs even more. I was already eating a lot of fish but have added more healthy red meats and eggs as the chickens are laying. Consequently I have been losing some fat and obviously have more energy. 

I wasn’t drinking much before, but I made a decision not to drink for a month after my mother’s death. I’m intending to keep this up with just the occasional glass of wine or single beer only when I feel like it, which usually once a week or less. 

Two years ago I completed a seven day water fast, but I have not fasted for a longer period since then. I’m keen to induce fasted ketosis again as it encouraged mental clarity, sleep and routine. 

My biggest physical goal is improving my sleep. I’m thinking that will be through better bedtime and waking routines.

Thank you to our community members for sharing their stories and helping to paint a picture of the differences and similarities in how we’re approaching the significant impact and changes to our lives that coronavirus has had.

By sharing stories we can feel less alone in our experience. We can also create snapshot memories to look back on that may help us make sense of this time. These snapshots may also allow us realise just how resilient we really are.

The world may be changing, there may be exceeding hardships, but there is the real potential here for positive change to emerge from these challenging times.

How each of our stories look going forward is – in part – up to us.

Stay well. Stay safe. Stay compassionate.

Have you already read the stories in Part 1? And please get in touch if you’d like to add your story to the mix and help paint a picture of how some of us are managing work, life and health during the times of the 2020 coronavirus. Shared experiences connect us.

The post Work, Life and Health in Coronavirus Lockdown: Real Life Stories from Around The World (PART 2) appeared first on Mindful Moo.

And now this.

2020 hasn’t turned out to be the great year some hoped it would be.

Only a few months back, as the calendar ticked over into 1 Jan 2020, you might have been filled with all the usual hope and optimism that a new year can bring.

In only a few months, the world is a very different place.

Very different.

The arrival of COVID-19

In years to come, we will tell stories of where we were and how COVID-19 touched our lives.

We will remember how we approached this time.

We will recall the fear of the unknown and the disruption to our lives and how the world was never quite the same again.

We will look at how we overcame the hurdles, how we kept a sense of ourselves, how we reached out and nurtured our relationships with others.

Here are four stories from recent days that paint a picture of how others – people like you and me – are dealing with living in lockdown during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic.

Jacquie, 39 | New Zealand

Operations Manager

My normal work day starts at 5am with journaling and prayer time until about 6:15am, and then I would do the usual things before heading to work.

I am still getting up at 5am but the change to the routine is that I now go for a walk before I have breakfast and get dressed. It’s become this replacement exercise element for the walk I would normally take to the train.

I do the same thing in the afternoon. I hadn’t thought about it before, but in some ways it gives me that sense of coming and going from my work day.

How lockdown has impacted my life

Working from home has been much easier than I would have thought. Utilising Zoom also means we can have daily work catch-ups, which has been helpful in terms of keeping us connected and encouraging productive and supportive conversations.

Not being able to spend time with family and friends outside our bubble is difficult, but again Zoom and other formats have helped. This kind of thing would be so much harder without the technology we have.

As we are in Level 4 lockdown, we can’t go out other than for a walk or to go to the supermarket or chemist. It takes 2-3 hours to do the grocery shopping, which includes waiting time.

Part of my approach to all this is not to resist it: it is what it is.

What I’m doing to look after my mind and body during lockdown

I’m filtering and minimising what I watch and what I listen to. I’m seeking out quality conversations, books and videos that help me to stay hopeful and positive.

My twice-a-day walks serve the purpose of marking my incoming and outgoing work day, plus give me fresh air, meditative and social time. There are lots of people to wave and say hello to.

I normally go to a gym so when lockdown came into effect, I googled online exercise classes and the first one I stumbled upon was Kit Rich. I have been doing one of her 30 minute classes most days.

I’m trying to keep to my usual work-day eating patterns, as opposed to slipping into holiday-style eating, which can easily happen when there is a fridge so close to your desk (kitchen table).

Maria, 38 | New York, USA

Non-profit sector

New York is in mandatory lockdown and I’m currently working full-time from home rather than commuting to the office. I’m very lucky to have a comfortable spot to work from, which I appreciate is not the case for all New Yorkers. 

I have found it useful to have a routine – waking up at the same time, being disciplined about when I start and finish work, and purposely putting my laptop out of sight at the end of the day.

The usual conveniences of Manhattan are gone, as well as some of the energy my fellow New Yorkers create. 

Food and drink has moved to apartment consumption only, and I’m definitely letting the cupboard run bare before venturing to a local supermarket (preferably to one without a very long queue to get in).  

How lockdown has impacted my life

I’m going out once a day, mostly to exercise, and once or twice a week to grocery shop. For a city where you are used to having everything available all the time, this feels alien. 

I’ve actually experienced a really healthy uptick in the number of friends I see on a regular basis thanks to the myriad of options to connect virtually.  

You live your life in public in New York, and the enforced time at home is giving me a new form of social life. The virtual happy hour has really been a lemonade-from-lemons moment. 

What I’m doing to look after my mind and body during lockdown

I’m a yoga teacher and practitioner in my spare time, and the mind and the body are linked for me. As there are no classes at my usual studio, I’ve reconnected with my home practice. I’m lucky enough to be able to get on the mat for an hour a day, and at this time more than others, I’m really blessed to have this tool. 

I also think the virtual get-togethers have given me a new sense of connection, from Brooklyn to Brisbane.

Getting outside is key too, and I am really trying to breathe fresh(er) air once a day. 

 I am more mindful of when I go out now than when the lockdown first started though. I have to remember that when the temperature is anything over 10 degrees Celsius, 8 million other people might also think this is prime time to pull their sneakers on.  

MP, 62 | York, United Kingdom

Chiropractor

Although my daily rhythm hasn’t changed significantly, my daily routines are massively different with total absence of work-related activity other than occasional online conferences and some paperwork.

It has provided me with the opportunity to at least consider doing long neglected tasks around the home.

The irony of course is that just when you need them, most hardware stores and garden centres are inaccessible, which obviously limits the scope of one’s ambitions.

Likewise, just when one has the time to explore, travel is inaccessible.

How lockdown has impacted my life

Lockdown here means no face-to-face work (i.e. no work in my case), no socialising and minimal travel other than for essentials.

Without occasional transgressions (such as illicit visits from my very healthy son) it would be considerably harder to bear, even though as a widower I have naturally become familiar with solitude.

What I’m doing to look after my mind and body during lockdown

I’m working with the understanding that fear is one of the principle driving forces in the spread of the pandemic and the reaction to it.

I’m finding that having something to look forward to every day is crucial, such as my woodwork projects.

Keeping connected with others by electronic means, including Zoom meetings with family and the choir I sing with, are helpful, as are chats over the fence with neighbours and helping out with their needs, such as shopping.

I’m enjoying reading more and indulging in occasional box sets. 

And I’ve been taking regular walks, which is part of my normal routine anyway, as well as doing some indoor exercises.

Jill, 41 | Australia

Mental health nurse

Not too much has changed for me. I still go to work and so does my husband. Our child still goes to school.

We were already home bodies on weekends, so not much has changed there either, and we can still go to beach for a swim and go for a bike ride down the local park.

How lockdown has impacted my life

I guess the biggest restrictions on a personal level are social restrictions, however we are not massively impacted. We still see our neighbours in the street, have drinks and chat. I would like to be able to see my family but most of them live far away anyway.

Professionally, I don’t get to see my clients face-to-face. It is a struggle to do phone consults and even more of a struggle for them missing that human interaction. We are getting by at work. But the days go by a lot slower and my motivation for work has certainly decreased.

At work everyone is cautiously regarding social distancing, screening and using standard precautions. We were told we may be able to work from home, but this hasn’t yet happened.

What I’m doing to look after my mind and body during lockdown

I haven’t done much differently to what I ordinarily do. I guess I am maybe making more effort to socialise with friends and family on the phone and via Zoom.

Our child keeps us occupied when we’re not working, so there’s not much time for anything else.

I haven’t been looking after my body very well. This is an area I am struggling with. I’m using lockdown as a reason not to exercise and eat and drink more. This is starting to have a negative affect, so I really need to get more active and healthy, to look after myself – body and mind.

Thank you to our community members for sharing their stories and helping to paint a picture of the differences and similarities in how we’re approaching the significant impact and changes to our lives that coronavirus has had.

By sharing stories we can feel less alone in our experience. We can also create snapshot memories to look back on that may help us make sense of this time. These snapshots may also allow us realise just how resilient we really are.

The world may be changing, there may be exceeding hardships, but there is the real potential here for positive change to emerge from these challenging times.

How each of our stories look going forward is – in part – up to us.

Stay well. Stay safe. Stay compassionate.

Ready for more stories? Go to Part 2. Please get in touch if you’d like to add your story to the mix and help paint a picture of how some of us are managing work, life and health during the times of the 2020 coronavirus. Shared experiences connect us.

The post Work, Life and Health in Coronavirus Lockdown: Real Life Stories from Around The World (PART 1) appeared first on Mindful Moo.

In this interview with a valued member of our community, Ben Getley tells us how he first came to yoga as a means to deal with a stressful life event and how it has become a far more important part of his life than he could have ever imagined. 

He shares with us his early journey with yoga, how his preferred style of yoga sits well with his engineering mind and martial arts background, and the many benefits he’s experienced in both his personal and professional life.   

Read on to be inspired, particularly if you’ve ever thought that yoga is not for you.

I started yoga because… 

We were in the process of immigrating to Australia and going through a bit of a busy, stressful period. My wife had practiced Iyengar Yoga about 10 years earlier and she recommended giving it a go. It was also something that we could do together as a couple. 

This was back in London, about 14 years ago now.

I started yoga for the physical, the mental, the balance, but also to expand my resilience. My background is martial arts and I love the patience that you have to put into it, the perseverance, the time it takes.

It’s not a quick a reward. When I was first introduced to yoga, that side appealed to me straight away. 

And that’s why I’ve always sort of carried on doing it.

The type of yoga I practise is… 

We lost the thread a little bit when we came over here to Australia. 

I tried various different styles – Hatha, Vinyasa, Yin – but never really stuck to them. I tried different options for monetary reasons, where you try and combine it with a gym membership, but it just didn’t give me any value. I think it’s called gym yoga around the place. And there’s no disrespect to that, but it just didn’t fit with what I was looking for.

Then I discovered Iyengar again and loved it. 

And the reason I really like it so much is because it’s not one of those quick style types of yoga where you get rewarded straight away. You have got to keep chipping away, persevering, and it links back into martial arts. 

I was looking for long-term value but also something that gave me the constant feedback. I’ve always liked the sort of military style of martial arts and the reason behind it, the history behind it, the perseverance and the resilience that it teaches you, which transfers back into everyday life.

With Iyengar Yoga don’t just get from A to B in two years. It’s a journey. It’s like a 20 year journey. And I love the feedback that you get from it and how you’re never finished with it.

You don’t just turn up on day one and you understand it by week two. I think I’ve been going to my current place for around about five years now and I still feel like I’m a beginner. And that’s humbling and I really enjoy that side of it. 

It’s a life’s journey.

Understanding the why

I’m an engineer by background, so I think I like detail. But I also like to understand the reason why we’re doing a certain pose or a posture.

To just go to a class where someone’s standing up at the front and they’re just going through the motions with everyone in the room, there’s no attention to detail, the feedback that you get from that is – it’s there – but it stops at a certain level.

With Iyengar, they teach you the poses, they teach you the reasons, but there’s always more to it.

Like in Trikonasana, you can feel the release in the side of your body, but there’s always a bit further you can go. There’s a lot of reasoning behind it and every single part of your body contributes to that pose.

I like the understanding and the depth that you can go into to understanding that. That’s really important. That’s where I get the value from Iyengar.

I just haven’t experienced that in any other type of yoga and I’ve always drifted away from different types of yoga for that reason. 

That is what keeps me coming back.

Read also: A Beginners Guide To Yoga (Surprise! It’s Not Just Stretching)

The benefits I’ve experienced from yoga include…

With Iyengar, I experienced the benefits immediately because it’s a bit more unpacked. There are clear reasons and explanations for everything you do and you can feel it the day after, which to me is great. 

You feel better, your posture feels better.

Developing habits for a fit, healthy future

I think what Iyengar does is brings a massive awareness to every part of your body from a physical point of view.

It’s taught me a lot about posture, which wasn’t really important to me before. You’d go out lifting weights and tearing it up at the gym, stuff like that, without really taking into account what it’s doing to your body in the long term.

As I’ve got older, I’ve developed an interest in looking after myself. I’d like to be fit and healthy at 80 plus years old and I’ve taken a lot of inspiration from people who are still doing karate or yoga at that age. 

And to me, that’s really important.

Yoga, martial arts and the benefits of both

In both karate and yoga, there are historic threads and veins, and different styles. That interests me from a historical point of view. 

From a physical point of view, it’s really the time and effort that you have to put in yourself to actually get the benefits. No one is ever going to give you the rule book or the secret or the keys to unlock the door. You’ve got to develop that yourself. That’s just a never-ending journey. 

I find that doing both karate and yoga is harder than my day job, which is quite stressful. 

And that makes my day job seem easy.

An escape from the stresses of life

Both the yoga studio and a dojo are like my third places to be. It’s where I go to be happy, be away from the stress of everyday life and work. That’s very important to me. You’ve got to have those means of escape. 

I don’t think you can be doing Iyengar Yoga and be stressed out at the same time about something external. You can be stressed out about trying to get your poses right and beating yourself up about that, but you can’t be stressed about external stuff while you’re doing that.

The biggest misconception of yoga is… 

I’ve had a lot of conversations over the years with people who reluctantly say ‘I went to a yoga class the other day’. Not everyone, just certain people, seem to first go to a yoga class under duress, but when they get there, they actually love it.

It’s not the footie, it’s not lifting weights. It’s not running, it’s not pushing your body on a bike or anything like that. I think some people may get turned off by the fact that it’s just going into a room and working with yourself.

Masculinity and men in yoga classes

I work in the construction industry and I’m quite happy to hear how many people out and about on the construction sites are actually taking it up and not seeing it as demasculating. 

As it gains popularity, I see a lot more men doing yoga, which is a great thing. 

I openly talk about it in the office. There’s a bit of fun taken out of me, but I think deep down people who have got back injuries and stuff like that, they’re turning to it. 

It’s always good to say, ‘Yeah, I told you so’.

If you’re thinking of starting yoga, I suggest… 

Just jump in and go for it. I would recommend the style of yoga that I do, which is Iyengar, and hope youcould get exactly what I get out of it. 

But I appreciate that everyone’s on a different journey and different styles of yoga will be more suited todifferent people. 

So I would say just go and give it a go, and just get on the journey and see what works for you.

What’s important to you will determine which style of yoga is right for you

If I was talking with an old friend who was keen to try yoga, I think I would explore what’s important to them. 

Is it about maintaining flexibility, improving mental state, or posture? 

And depending on whether they were wanting to know about the historical or the spiritual side of things, I think that would open up a conversation as to what style I’d recommend or what path I’d try and help them go down.

Any closing thoughts?

When I look back to when I first went to a yoga class, I thought it was all about going in there, going as hard as you can. Pushing yourself physically, coming out sweating, trying to be – not the best in the class – but just being very conscious about what you’re trying to do, and ‘am I doing this right?’

If I look at that now, I’ve learned that it’s not about the ego. It’s about listening to your own body and just working with your own capabilities. 

Yoga as a practical skill

When I go overseas now on a long flight, I’ll pack some yoga blocks and a belt. I think it’s helpful to be aware that, hey, you’re putting your body in the situation where you’re sitting on a plane for 24 hours.

You’ve got to look after it, nurture it – both physically and also mentally – I think.

Yoga is guiding me on a path looking at mindfulness and meditation, which has definitely changed my response and reaction to stressful situations over the years.

It’s given me space to think before I react to a stressful situation whereas probably 12 or 15 years ago, I would have reacted in a very different manner. 

So to me, that’s another benefit that I didn’t foresee.

How does your yoga journey differ from this one? What benefits have you experienced? We’d love to hear more! Comment below or get in contact if you’d like to share your story as a featured post like this one.

BIO

Ben Getley has over the last 25 years enjoyed a varied career in engineering and construction management, working in both the UK and Australia. Through his side project, Mindset Money Coaching, he is inspired to help people improve their relationships with money. Ben works to empower others to design a better future for themselves and their families by working to align their values with their spending, and provides coaching to individuals and groups. Reach out to him at mindsetmoneycoaching.weebly.com or getleybenjamin@hotmail.com.

Ben currently lives in Brisbane with his wife and enjoys travel and time with friends and family. He values health and fitness and has an immense love of learning. 

The post Yoga, Martial Arts and Masculinity: How a Regular Practice Has Improved My Life [INTERVIEW] appeared first on Mindful Moo.