Imagine that you’re in a train, and a person going through a door doesn’t wait for you to keep it open, but slams it shut. That is a great example for negativity.
Neither your neighbour does not only look you in the eye, nor does they keep a door open for you, but also they don’t say a hello to you.
I know, that not everyone is social or doesn’t like other humans. Me get it. Trying to step in their shoes for a bit and think the way they do, plus having somewhat of a bad day, I’d not say anything to anyone and slam doors. To crank it up a notch, sunglasses or something covering eye gear would work.
If you approach it from energy point of view, then think about this: is that an energy I want to have, or do I keep my own energy still?
Here comes a combination of two different yoga days: a more psychological raja yoga and a mixture of India meets Helsinki, a meditation for the busyness of life and yogic relaxation for quieting down the nervous system.
Let’s start with the last one.
¤ At an ashram ¤
After all the easy movements should be a relaxation of the muscles in a Shavasana, a dead man’s pose. This’ll relax your nervous system after a while.
The teacher is working as a film director in the busy west, but he’s also a yoga instructor, as well as an author. He’s spent years in an ashram in India under one particular Mother Amma (Mata Amritanandamayi). Even that little factor would be enough, but he has written books too f.e on the power of meditation.
Now, this is what was probably the hardest thing to do, in like…ever. Meditating. And that seemed to go on for ever and e-ver. 10min, 15min..perhaps 20min just sitting still and listening some instructions here and there.
Look, I personally require movement: katonah, astanga or even hatha, but not sitting quietly!
In the following lecture, he said that he can be in meditation for 3 hours. 3 hours! Holy..
Even the 20min was pure torture. Therefore that was the toughest portion of the whole two yoga days. Just listening on breath. Breathing in: “Ma”, breathing out: “Om”.
After the 20 minute meditation, it was Shavasana again. A total break from 9 to 5 I’ll say.
¤ Rāja yoga ¤
In Sanskrit, raja means ‘king” or ‘royal,” referring to the status of Raja yoga as a “royal path”’ or principal form of yoga. Traditionally, Raja yoga refers to both the goal of yoga and the method of attaining it. (yogapedia.com)
In Raja Yoga you control your body, breath, mind, desires to remove the ego and reach the state of samadhi.
》The Four Paths of Yoga《 Yoga philosophy presents four paths towards enlightenment. It’s sometimes suggested that Raja Yoga is a superior path, because of the confusion caused by the “Yoga of Kings” myth. In truth, all four paths are equal. You can practice any one, or more than one, on your personal journey.
The four paths presented in yoga philosophy are:
Karma Yoga (the Path of duty) Bhakti Yoga (the Path of devotion to purity) Raja Yoga (the Path of self-control) Jnana Yoga (the Path of knowledge of Self)
(arhantayoga.org)
There’re lots of teachings in number order in Rāja. It might be III or IV: a mental arrangement from negative (self)talk for using positive, such as “You are free from anger.” There actually is a negative tone in the sentence that you can now swap for more positive light: “You love..”
A saturday morning I chose to sit and listen to a wellness training (to increase one’s motivation). And one thing happened that I didn’t expect: the use of yogic Shavasanas (relaxation) and go abyss deep in one’s psyche.
Did manage to scribble down notes, though!
Motivation/A goal – outer and inner (focus on today!)
Why do people function and what for?
Energy – bringing in/taking away –> recognise the difference
▪︎INNER MOTIVATION▪︎
Recognise energy consumers in your life
Lasting change
Sweets/sugar –> a longterm goal of eating healthy
Mercy on yourself
▪︎CHANGE OF ROUTINES▪︎
Hitting snooze/being late etc.
The question of WHY: why do you hit the snooze, why do you run late, why do you choose the priorities you choose?
–> A plan of action is not possible, if the ‘why’ isn’t known/why not. Why: helps to get to the root of problems/motives. Adds self-awareness. Helps to find the right strategy.
▪︎16 BASIC MOTIVES▪︎
1. Power (influence, success, achievements)
2. Independence (freedom, self-determination)
3. Curiosity (knowledge, truth)
4. Acceptance (positive self-image)
5. Order (stability, organization)
6. Saving (ownership, acquisition)
7. Honor (loyalty, morality)
8. Idealism (social justice)
9. Social contacts (friendships, comrades)
10. Family (taking care of children)
11. Status (authority, wealth)
12. Winning (competition)
13. Esthetics (beauty, art)
14. Eating (food, cooking)
15. Physical activity (sports, exercise)
16. Peace of mind (stability, safety)
✨️ What are your 5 important basic motives? Rate 1-5 if you want.
How do they show in your day-to-day?
Is your current activity in flow or going against the motives you’ve chosen? And if there are friction, then what would need to change?
▪︎PATH ASSIGNMENT TO INCREASE MOTIVATION▪︎
5+5 years/path & 5+5 years/path (10+10 years), paths A and B.
✨️ Get comfortable. Clear your mind and breathe deeply. In your mind’s eye see two paths. They could be in a forest for example. Let’s call them path A and path B.
You choose to follow the path A. Nothing really changes: you continue in a way that you have always done and what is familiar. 5 years go by. Then another 5 years. All together 10 years have gone by, and you’re now 10 years older than you first stepped on that path.
Slowly retrace your steps back. It’s now again -5 years and another -5 years, to the starting point. You’re again the same age than you were at the first moment.
Then you try the path B. It is rougher even in the beginning with obstacles here and there, fallen down branches, and you really have to work hard to follow it. But you feel different at the start. You somehow get to the end. There’s a gate and you open it. 5 years go by. And another 5 years, so all together it’s 10 years.
Retrace your steps back. You’re now familiar with the obstacles and braches, and cross them with ease. -5 years is off, and another -5 years, to the point where you’re again 10 years younger.
Which path do you choose and why?
How would you advice the person who have chosen the other path than you, and how would you motivate that person to reach his or her goals?
Write down thoughts, plan of action and the schedule!
▪︎COGNITIVE TRIANGLE▪︎
▪︎MOTIVATION OBSTACLES▪︎
Negative stress
Resources
Procrastination: it is now raining, so I’ll not go outside for a walk.
Fears that influence in the background –> lack of courage
In women’s magazines as of late, Gua Sha has celebrated praises and reformed celebrities’ faces, although it’s not a new invention: in Chinese Medicine it has been used over thousand years.
FACE
Ingredient-free skincare with face massages is a rising thing everywhere. Accompanied with a face massage a Gua Sha is a superior ally! Using Gua Sha relaxes muscles and supports facial circulation, which leads to making the skin firmer, to brighten it up and even it out.
In Chinese Medicine Gua Sha -treatment is meant to reduce heat and pull toxins out of the blood and tissues, and also bring help to cellulite problems.
Gua Sha is designed for the face and the body, and is usually made by rose quartz, green aventurine or black onyx.
It is used in activating skin’s lymph- and blood circulations gently pressing and lightly stroking across the face: forehead, cheeks and jaw.
It’s said to banish double chin and raise the microcirculation to another level and therefore improve the skin health.
Many are excited because of a Gua Sha -massage take away all kind of swelling and puffiness. The treatment can also be intensified by putting the Gua Sha in a refrigerator.
Gua Sha -face massage is always done on a clean, make-up free face. And it’s best to use face cream or oil for an optimal massage and movement of Gua Sha. Take a look at proper instructions online.
BODY
Gua Sha is fitting also for the body. It activates body fluids, relieves muscle pains, openes muscle locks and facilitates fascia tension.
Like with face, use lotion or oil for using the Gua Sha on the body. Massage muscle stiffness firmly, but not painfully. Notice that activating the muscles, they can leave bruises, which will fade away in few days.
The maintenance of Gua Sha is easy! It can be washed with soap and water and then dried.
LABOR
It gets enthusiasm also amongst people giving birth, especially relating to drug free pain relief. In labor, Gua Sha is used to stroke bare skin, which has been lathered with oil.
To relieve labor pain, it’s used on a lower back stroking from up to downwards on each side of the back bone.
To start a labor or to move along already started labor, Gua Sha can be used on the neck: gently stroking from neck to shoulders.
Gua Sha -treatments can be started well before the labor, since pregnancy week 37.
Everyone has 24 hours. It is up to you how you’ll spend it and what you’ll focus on. Here’s a week of strengthening your core, psychologically.
The point is to strengthen you, so try to do as much as you can alone for a week (except on day 7). And if you’re an introvert, who actually enjoys being alone, then try to go outside your own box and be on days 1-7 among people.
Think of the body as a ring one might own: the outside might be in turbulence, but the inside is calm. Or like in a hurricane, where the center is tranquil, while there’s a storm going on.
Sounds like meditation, but let’s go deeper.
Day 1. Have lunch alone in a restaurant / Get a group of people and have lunch in a restaurant
Day 2. Wake up at 5am, just because. Try to live A DAY 5AM Club -style
Day 3. Take a walk about 45min while listening to a playlist
Day 4. Do a crossword puzzle and try to do some sort of mathematical puzzle as well
Day 5. Yoga / deep streches
Day 6. Focus on the things that are not comfortable
Day 7. Go to coffees with a friend and make a vision board
Guided meditation focuses on experiencing the present moment fully. Be more present and mindful.
Most of guided meditations start, include and end with the breath. This is the hardest part (for moi). Just sitting quietly. Why would one do what is simple?-someone would ask.
See, whenever thoughts arise (oh and they will!), go back to your breathing once again. If some emotions might rise to the surface, I guess put them in your memory bank for the time being, and deal with them once the meditation is over.
From guided meditations you then can evolve doing them all by yourself.
I’ll keep this short and sweet, mostly because something like meditation is a personal thing and also because you have to find your own type.
If you never try, you’ll never know what you are capable of.
John Barrow
For me to write about a month’s progress, I’d have to live that progress. Not the one to shy away from the things you can do in a day or in a week times four. A month.
But this is different, because, well, first of all, I’m somewhat maximising the summer month and doing it The 5am Club -style.
Sunday 12th June
The first morning I woke up (because it was so bright outside or because I was so excited to start?) at 3.50am, and tried to get back to sleep but couldn’t. The first ‘need to nap’, an exhaustion, came about at 9am, and the whole day of sunday went sleepily.
Monday 13th June
Now, on to the next day. On monday I woke up full of energy and excitement at 7.30am. Spend quite a bit of the day online shopping; the energy was incredible and I just saw visually how good everything would look. This kind of day, was the thing that kept me surviving the next.
Tuesday 14th June
First of all, I woke up at 9am. Already felt somewhat off. Since waking up, I was like: “Is that already the time?!” The whole day went on the couch, flu and hormones combined are a terrible mix and I just felt nauseous, even in the AM. If you ask me, you can just strike Tuesday of off that week, thanks!
Wednesday 15th June
I feel like the early hours, 5am Club style, are finally kicking in! Though, it is not my goal to start waking up at 5am every morning, like before (I think it’s on Bookshelf: Robin Sharma, The 5am Club).
Woke up, by myself and not the alarm, at 5.30. Finally. I set up an alarm at 5.30 on that crappy tuesday. Plus I had the strangest of dreams and I’m pretty sure that they woke me up. Moderately tired in the evening, although having just had the flu, it’s kinda tiring not to burn some energy off through movement.
Friday 8th July
It was never a goal to wake up at 5am. In July, I usually wake up right before the alarm 7-8.30am. I set up an alarm in the evening, so that I’d get at least 8 hours of sleep in me, or would not function. Right..’The last weekend’ before returning to maybe 4 hours of studying per day, because I’ve already decided that on monday it’s somewhat back to autumn schedule. See just half of 8 hours, what is waiting for me later. Yeey! Shopped couple of things on that “to study” -plate.
So, how has the month been? Feel wiser than in June. In one goal-oriented book says that you should make 1% of progress/day, so in a month it’d be 1% x 30.
Saturday 9th July
I start this morning with breakfast and two cups of coffee watching Castle. It’s my newest obsession. It’s no wonder I don’t dream of that show. I don’t, yet, though.
Sunday 10th July
And what a Sunday that was!
Imagine how you’ll know of a topic of your interest 30% more than today.
For this magazine, everything that has been on Gem so far, and probably some things which have not been featured, is a huge help! And will ultimately lead to the following.
Talking about the absolute right nutrition, your circadian rhythm, taking the needed supplements, practicing mindfulness and making vision boards, writing yourself future letters, changing the navigation constantly on your plans, educating yourself and adjusting your social media and tv intakes etc.
This’ll be leaning more towards easy biohacking. Biohacking can mean so far as DNA research (which I’ve done btw), but for now, let’s keep it way more simpler.
Easy biohacking; meaning previously stated and mostly psychological biohacking.
So, welcome to the spring of 2022 and May!
Now, imagine a moment and place you’re in at in the future. Your own future, which you alone have created and manufactured.
Infact a key is to visualise yourself there; what you are wearing, what you’re eating or drinking (tea, coffee or perhaps something stronger?), and with who you’re with, or with whom you’re talking on the phone. Etc.
It can be kind of unsettling to see and live that specific moment in your future. Again going back to Feb/March issue with vision boards, it’ll not be a possible future, if there’s no work behind it. If you’ve never tried anything new, then nothing new happens…right?
Meditation is a great tool to help you see further. By meditation I’m not particularly talking about sitting cross-legged for 20min.
Each finds their own meditation features; whether it’s actually sitting in silence or a walking meditation etc. F.e mine is stopping to reroute many times a day while watching a numbing tv-show (on purpose, btw!), or being so active myself, I prefer walk/jog rethinking++out of the box thinking, while there’s movement and fresh air.
Or, just use a guided meditation. Quite easy, all you have to do is to relax.
“I spent 30 years trying to get away from the me that was you. And I’ll tell you what, kid. I hate to say it, but you were the best part all along.” Adam Reed, The Adam Project
Although you won’t hear it tick, your body has its own clock. The physical and mental changes it causes are called circadian rhythms. Most living things have them, including animals, plants, and even some germs.
Circadian rhythms affect your sleep patterns as well as other ways your body works, like your hormones, body temperature, and eating habits. When they get out of sync, they might also cause problems with your health. They’ve been linked to different disorders including diabetes, obesity, and depression.
To get good, healthy sleep, it helps to know what keeps your body’s clock on track and what might throw its rhythm off. The internal body clock sets the timing for many circadian rhythms, which regulate processes such as:
sleep/wake cycles = hormonal activity, body temperature, rhythm of eating and digesting.
Different Patterns for Different People
You’ve likely noticed that you feel more alert during certain parts of the day and have lower energy at others. This pattern has to do with your “chronotype,” or personal circadian rhythm. They vary from person to person, although they tend to run in families.
Most of the time, people fall into one of two groups:
Early birds: If you find it easy to wake up in the morning and feel you have the most energy early in the day, you’re a morning person or a “lark.” Some research suggests that an early bird’s body clock may run slightly faster than 24 hours.
Night owls: If you’re an evening person, some research suggests that your body clock runs slower than 24 hours. You’ll find it hard to wake up in the mornings and feel alert. You’ll have the most energy much later in the day, like 11 p.m.
Your chronotype isn’t set in stone, though. Circadian rhythms naturally change as you age. For example, the body clock shifts during adolescence, making teens want to go to bed later and sleep longer than younger kids.
Your work or school schedule may mean that you need to switch from a night owl to an early bird. You can try to alter your circadian rhythm yourself, but do it slowly. For example, try waking up 15 minutes earlier each morning over the course of a week.
How Circadian Rhythms Work
Within the circadian (24-hour) cycle, a person usually sleeps approximately 8 hours and is awake 16. During the wakeful hours, mental and physical functions are most active and tissue cell growth increases. During sleep, voluntary muscle activities nearly disappear and there is a decrease in metabolic rate, respiration, heart rate, body temperature, and blood pressure. The activity of the digestive system increases during the resting period, but that of the urinary system decreases.
About 20,000 nerve cells make up your “master clock,” a part of your brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus. This structure, which sits inside an area called the hypothalamus, controls your circadian rhythms. While largely guided by your genes and other natural factors inside your body, things in the outside world can also alter them.
Hormones secreted by the body, such as the stimulant epinephrine (adrenaline), are released in maximal amounts about two hours before awakening so that the body is prepared for activity.
The biggest cue is light. Your body is wired to sleep when it’s dark and stay awake when it’s light outside. Nerves directly link your eyes and your body’s master clock. When daylight fades, your eyes signal your brain to make more melatonin, a hormone that makes you feel sleepy. And when the sun rises again, the signals tell the brain to turn down the melatonin.
Light enters the eyes (even through closed eyelids during sleep), stimulating a signal in the back of the retina and down a nerve tract to the circadian clock in the brain. (Adapted from NIH publ. no. 04-4989, https://science.education.nih.gov/supplements/nih_sleep_curr-supp.pdf)
Melatonin is secreted by the pineal gland, especially in response to darkness, and has been linked to the regulation of circadian rhythms.
Millions of Americans take melatonin to fall asleep. It’s one of the most used supplements in the U.S. But to get the most from it, it helps to understand how it works and what it can and can’t do for you.
What Is Melatonin?
Before you start taking melatonin, ask your doctor how it could affect other medicines you take!
Screen time. Any amount of light signals tells your brain that it’s time to be up and alert. Even the blue light from your tablet, smartphone, or TV has this effect. To get a good night’s sleep, unplug from all screens 2 to 3 hours before bed. Other artificial light can have the same effect, so turn off hallway lights and face your alarm clock away from you. If you’re bothered by light outside your home, put up blackout curtains or use a sleep mask.
Your period. Many women notice that they sleep worse before their period starts. This may be due, at least in part, to a change in circadian rhythms. Some studies show that less sleep during this time can reset your body clock and give some relief. Bright daylight or light therapy may also make a difference.
Your melatonin level usually starts to rise after the sun sets, and stays high during the night. It drops in the early morning, which helps you wake up. That quality — rising at night, disappearing during the day — gives melatonin its nickname: the Dracula of hormones.
What Are the Drawbacks?
If you take melatonin at the wrong time, it will throw off your body’s internal clock.
You may be tempted to take more melatonin to get sounder sleep, but too high a dose can also cause those side effects, which could disrupt your sleep even more. Don’t try to take more than you need.
You shouldn’t use melatonin if you:
– Are pregnant – Are breastfeeding – Have an autoimmune disorder – Have a seizure disorder – Have depression
Should Kids Use It?
Melatonin may help children with conditions such as autism and ADHD get better sleep, but that’s a decision a pediatrician should approve.
It seems to be pretty safe as a short-term sleep tool, but scientists don’t know a lot about how it might affect kids who take it for a long time. The supplement may also cause side effects, like drowsiness and the need to pee more at night. So always talk to your child’s doctor before you give melatonin.
Circadian Rhythms Out of Sync
Small changes can upset your circadian rhythms. These include:
Travel. When you pass through time zones, you can adjust your watch but not your body clock. It will try to function on the time it is at your home, a problem you may know as jet lag. The more time zones you pass through, the more off you may feel. Your body clock will reset to the new time you’re in, but it can take a few days. To deal with jet lag, take melatonin when you arrive at your destination at the time you’d like to go to bed. Some studies have found that taking it as early as 3 days before your trip can help jet lag symptoms. Keep in mind, though, that melatonin is best when you’re traveling east. There’s no evidence that it helps you adjust to westward travel.
Night shift. If you work the night shift, take it at the end of your workday, but never before you drive home and if you work nights, you’ll need to sleep during the day. This can be tough since your body is programmed to be awake when it’s light outside. Over time, you can start to have what’s called shift work disorder. You’ll find it hard to stay awake at night, yet struggle to sleep during the day. Naps during the day or your night shift can help.
Extra sleep. Your body clock works best when you stick to a schedule. In an ideal world, you’ll go to sleep and wake up within a half hour of the same time each day, even on weekends.
Circadian rhythm in adults
Adults should have a pretty consistent circadian rhythm if they practice healthy habits. Their bedtimes and wake times should remain stable if they follow a fairly regular schedule and aim for 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night. Adults are likely get sleepy well before midnight, as melatonin releases into their bodies. As adults, we reach our most tired phases of the day from 2 to 4 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m.
Older adults may notice their circadian rhythm changes with age, and they begin to go to bed earlier than they used to and wake in the wee hours of the morning. In general, this is a normal part of aging.
How to reset your circadian rhythm
You may experience disruptions to your circadian rhythm, but you can get it back on track. Here are some tips for promoting a healthy 24-hour schedule:
1. Try to adhere to a routine each day.
2. Spend time outdoors when it’s light outside to boost your wakefulness.
3. Get enough daily exercise — 20 or more minutes of aerobic exercise is generally recommended.
4. Sleep in an environment that promotes rest with proper lighting, a comfortable temperature, and a supportive mattress.
5. Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine in the evenings.
6. Power down your screens well before bedtime and try engaging in an activity such as reading a book or meditating.
I think the title says it all! For a while (this week) I’ve been developing easy smoothies, especially after a ski-trip for example. Adjust the quantities according to taste.
Mix in the dry ingredients first! Talking about experience. Otherwise lots of unnecessary splashing ahead.
GEM 