Sensible awakening

By awakening the senses with simple, effective techniques, our body can be used as a tool to build itself, writes Dr Mickey Mehta

In today’s society, it has become increasingly difficult to focus on any one particular area of our life with complete dedication without jeopardising others. We use our commitments as crutches to fall back on for our lack of drive to live a healthy and balanced life. If we become aware of our thought patterns, we will realise that there is no direct correlation between the thoughts that pop up in our minds at any given time. They flow as streams of consciousness and without a conscious effort from our end, they fog up our mind with vivid visuals and hypothesising problems of the imaginary kind.

In our busy schedules, the only component to be with us at all times is our breath. In India, we have always been aware that the breath is the single most important feature for optimum health, fitness, wellness and wellbeing. Western forms of exercise are now joining the bandwagon and breath control is becoming an integral part of weight training, dance etc. Breath is the single most important tool the body can use to heal itself. Seven minutes devoted to breathing every day will make sure that a minimum of 70 years of our life will be disease-free and well-orchestrated.

Synchronised breathing

This should be followed through with the dynamics of body movements. Linking your body through paces, of intensities ranging from minimal to submaximal, and by subjecting your body to gravity by regularly bouncing, increases neural firing and the synapses of the brain to boost memory.

Breathing awakens the senses, as the nostrils are the gateway to the brain’s health.

The more we breathe naturally, consciously and rhythmically, the more the brain gets tuned in and in rhythm with the movements of the sun, the moon, the planets, the stars, and synchronicity gets established, which leads to homeostasis being achieved.

It is said that with breathing there is a shift in consciousness, establishing the rhythm of the heart, which further determines the flow of the body.

So, synchronicity, rhythm and flow all put together, awaken our senses and make our brain alert. It also improves our cognitive strength.

Nutritious food

What we consume in the form of food has a direct impact on our energy levels. Food plays an integral part in building the body and plant-based foods are better as they are rich in fibre, are wholesome, and full of vitality, texture, and colour.

They have everything it takes to fulfill our nutritional requirements and are easy for our bodies to digest, and most importantly we are able to get harmonised and synchronised with the universe.

Beauty sleep

Rest is another important tool to repair, revitalise and rejuvenate the body. It’s important to remember that growth happens in the night. Day gives rise to catabolic activity while the night is the domain of anabolic activity.

All humans grow predominantly at night as our systems get restored and healed while at rest.

So please ensure that your rest is deep, sound and alone and by that, I mean, that you sleep by yourself. Do not take your office, your boss, your family or your stress to bed. Sleep soundly and get wholesome rest out of it.

Heighten the senses

Our olfactory senses further help us delve into subtleties. Start smelling fragrances such as aromatic oils, flowers, wet earth, green grass, the bark of the tree and the moisture in the air along the seaside. These will heighten your senses because as soon as your body gets in touch with anything that is natural, such as the chirping of birds, the sound of the flow of the rivers and streams, the sound of the wind and waves, our senses are stimulated and awakened and provide the possibility for us to draw energy out of them.

Visually looking at the blue expanse of the sky or the vastness of the ocean or the immensity of lush rainforests helps us stimulate our senses and experience a dimension which is beyond the perception of our five senses.

Good fragrances help us smell beyond the obvious, good touch helps us feel every touch as it translates into energy and information. Therefore, being consciously aware of things will help us achieve heightened sensory awareness, aiding us along our evolutionary path.

Meditation and chanting are fine tools, which can be used to gain insight into our being. The former is a passive tool while the latter can be passive or active and along with the elements, the sun and the moon can be used to align your own vibratory frequencies with that of the universe.

(The author is corporate life coach)