The end of the year is drawing to a close. The holidays are almost upon us. Shopping and gifts to buy, decorations to adorn. Rush, rush, rush. Time feels like it is running out as each of us dart about with work, home and commitments galore. It may feel like we are in a whirlwind of chaos. Perhaps there is a some truth to that, as we may feel stretched and stressed out as we desperately try to be everywhere at once, satisfying everyones’s needs and expectations.
However, the only person we do not ever satisfy is ourselves. Where do we find the time for ourselves? Culturally, we are brought up to believe that we are here for others and in that struggle we forget ourselves. It is the mind that leads us astray, till one day the body gives rise to illness making us question our reality in fear. Mentally and physically ungrounded, we seek for answers.
The mind is a finicky thing that chooses self preservation over all else and it does so by keeping us distracted in all different directions. Eventually this will lead to the wearing down of the body, and as a cardiologist I see this with disease states of hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol and other illnesses to name but a few. Just as the mind plays a vital role in creating illness, so it has an equal role in reclaiming health and wellness. The term mindfulness was coined to represent being present and by controlling its whimsical tumultuous nature, we can afford ourselves the opportunity of improved physical health.
Meditation might appear too complex by a mind that is desperate to not let go of control, yet as a seasoned meditator I can assure you that a regulated and disciplined mind aides in the mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing that then fans the gentle flame of harmony throughout our lives in additional aspects, be they family, vocational, financial, social and in relationships. An easy practice of integrating breath work and mindfulness into our daily routine works wonders for our perceptions and perspectives. I find that my performance as an athlete as well as for those that I coached, vastly improved with a solid exercise regime of the mind and body.
When practiced well, mind”full”ness turns into mind”less”ness which permits one to enter into the higher natures of spirituality. My prescription for Mindfulness: “Pause. Breathe. Be present. Reflect. Radiate.“
( rinse and repeat as many times as needed ). So to ring in the new year with better cardiovascular health, I highly recommend building one’s mind now, in preparation for the exciting year ahead of us all.
From my heart to yours,
Dr Nitin Bhatnagar
……………
I love you
