A strong mind is a mind that does not suffer from boredom,

frustration, depression, or unhappiness. It has learned to drop

what it doesn't want. Meditation practice has given it the
necessary muscles. AYYA KHMA
~ Kamal Sarma
If your mind is strong, all difficult things will become easy! if your
mind is wea", all easy things will become difficult.
~ Chinese Proverb
When mind is Weak, situation is Problem. When mind is
balanced, situation is Challenge. But, when mind is Strong,
situation becomes Opportunity.

If we can strengthen our mind , we can sole many a so

called problems or tough situations and oercome stress. !
"uestion we all need to contemplate is how to cultiate and
deelop a balanced and a strong mind #. in today$s fast
moing times ..%editation could be a starting step #
To Strengthen Your Mind, Empower
Your Body

#atch your thoughts, change your mind. Heard of it$
%ognitive&'ehaviour (herapy )%'(*, the most applied theoretical model
in the mental health industry, teaches clients to change by staying alert to
negative thought patterns, using focused attention to challenge and
combat them.
Many clients introduced to %'(, however, are li"ely to receive directions,
homewor", wor"sheets and techni+ues that are particularly demanding,
both mentally and emotionally. I have personally found, in my own
practice, that the nature of the cognitive tas"s involved creates )in
addition to homewor" non&compliance and other difficulties* a further
draining effect upon already&saturated and emotionally overwhelmed
minds.
In real life, most emotional reactions ta"e place far too +uic"ly to respond
intentionally, even when we are taught or trained to ,brea" it down- and
search ahead of time for the trigger. .bservation and intentional control
of thoughts can be hard to apply in the practical sense. Automatic
thoughts are particularly hard to stop, catch and identify. 'asically,
because most emotional outbursts are deeply anchored in a raw
body/pain reaction, I believe that real change can only happen on
an experiential)physical and emotional* level, not on a mental level.
#ith that said, my goal is not to demean the value of %'(! I ac"nowledge
and value its true potential in raising awareness of destructive
behaviours. .ne can learn a great deal about specific triggers, irrational
core beliefs and the vicious cycle involved in dysfunctional behaviours.
However, ,cognitive education- does not guarantee effective suppression
of unwanted behaviours, and has even less power to change actual core
beliefs.
I believe there is a more efcient way to
raise self-awareness that is less mentally
demanding and creates real change. To
control and strengthen the mind, one
must empower the body.
(he focus must shift from the mind to the body. You don-t need to fight,
change, or e0amine your mind to improve the +uality of its content!
rather, you need to attend to your body, and be present within. If you
neglect your body on a daily basis and practice bad life hygiene, you can
forget about gaining mental strength, achieving your goals, e0celling, or
staying strong. verything will catch up with you eventually. verything.
(he boss is not the mind! it is the body, and you need to listen to it. #hen
you empower your body by responding to its needs, the bullying mind
loses its power, and finally listens to Y.1. #hen you empower your
body, Y.1 gain full power and control.
How Can I Empower My Body?
2irst, ma"e your body-s well&being your number&one, non&negotiable life
priority. 'ecause real mental strength comes from a healthy body, you
must empower it with what it needs. 3isten to your body, and give it what
it truly re+uires.
Here are the basics )too often dismissed, yet absolutely crucial*4
Air. Your body needs air5as in oxygen. 6o you thin" because you
breathe daily, that is sufficient$ It isn-t. Most of the time, your natural
breaths are shallow and incomplete. (hey o0ygenate only a very small
part of your body5not your entire self. (he natural breathing of a typical
#esterner is nothing more than puffing air4 ,spitting- air out, and catching
the breath right bac". (he o0ygen is not going lower than your upper
chest. %orrect breathing involves going through your nose, past your
chest and diaphragm, all way down to your stomach )filling it as much as
possible* and all the way up through your mouth, evacuating all of the air
li"e a self&deflating balloon.
Your body desperately needs clean air. Your internal organs do not
normally receive the necessary o0ygen to release their ma0imum
potential. (hey are 7ust surviving5in agony. 8ic"ness is often )if not
always* caused by bloc"ed energy somewhere in your body. 8ooner or
later, you-ll pay the price of mental or physical illness from a lac" of
proper o0ygenation. You must ta"e regular,
deep, controlledand unforced breaths, releasing internal tension, bloc"ed
energy, and to0icity. Massage your internal organs with incoming o0ygen,
and rela0 them with e0halation. Keep trac" of every stage of your
breathing. 0haling eliminates used, dirty air. Inhaling brings in vital life
force. You breathe in 3I2, and breathe out 6A(H.
Most of the time, you do not fully exhale what is
killing you inside, and therefore cannot give yourself
what you need to stay alive. In Sanskrit, breath
(prna) means life. Without breath, there is NO LIFE;
and without conscious breathing, you have no
conscious life.
9isualise your inhalations as healing forces, and your e0halations as
letting go of what you no longer need or want in your mind and body.
(his, in reality, is the biological function of breathing4 inhaling what you
need )o0ygen* and e0haling what you don-t )%.:*. You can use your
breath for psychological purposes, as well. 'reathe in the strength you
need, and breathe out what-s causing tension, grief and fear. Absorb what
is necessary! discard what it isn-t. Ma"e it a lifestyle rather than an
occasional practice )yoga class, for e0ample*.
2rom personal e0perience and my yoga studies, I urge you to do this4
#henever you feel sic", in great pain or about to faint5';A(H.
6<3Y A=6 83.#3Y. All your internal organs need is o0ygen5nothing
else. Your body is already a cutting&edge technology that has everything
it needs to survive. You have evolved into a masterpiece, able to regulate
yourself and ad7ust under the most e0treme conditions. Your body is
capable of ama>ing recovery in almost all types of physically and
mentally stressful situations, so 7ust give it what it really needs4 calm,
focused and controlled o0ygenation. 8pea"ing from personal e0perience,
I have come instantly bac" to my senses in critical circumstances, 7ust by
applying complete and conscious breathing. (hat-s how miraculous and
effective this practice is.
If you have a more serious or chronic physical condition, breathe through
the pain. 3ocate the pain and o0ygenate it. 6o not resist, battle against or
tense up around your pain area. I "now you may not be used to or
comfortable with this, because you may have unconsciously pic"ed up
the habit of tensing in an attempt to control and isolate the pain from
spreading further in your body. (his automatic refle0, however, is
unhelpful to your body, as the pain cannot heal in muscular tension or
without receiving much&needed o0ygen. Your organs must be rela0ed
and o0ygenated to mobilise themselves for healing. (herefore, wor"
always with your body5never against it.
Water. Your body needs water. 3ots of it. Much more then you-re giving it.
Your brain is composed of ?@A of water! your body ?BA. If you don-t fuel
the machine, how can you e0pect to drive it$ (hree litres per day is the
ideal target amount.
Heathy !ood". 0clude from your diet 7un"s foods and anything that is
not organic and fresh. =ot preferablyCimperativelyD 0clude processed
foods, and anything that was originally plastic&wrapped. If you eat the
same thing every day, e0pect nothing but deficiencies, starvation from
lac" of vital nutrients, and a slowing&down your physical functions )at
best* or sic"ness )at worse*. 9ariety and balance are "ey.
How you eat is 7ust as important as ingredients. ating fast is a big
downer, even if you eat in a perfectly healthy way. Your metabolism must
have time to assimilate. ating slowly also allows you to appreciate the
value of food, to notice the effect it has on your body )if it-s good for you
or not* and to awa"en your senses. ating must be a religiously mindful
practice! an act filled with respect and gratitude. 8top eating when you
feel full. Know when this happens )you would be surprised how many
people can-t read their body limits*. Eating slowly also prevents
unintended weight gain
at only when you are hungry, and don-t diet57ust listen to your body. It
will self&regulate, and bring you naturally to your normal weight, even if
you have slipped outside your biological set&point. (hree positive or
negative point fluctuations within your healthy weight
range are, however, normal. 8tart valuing your food, and be very
cautious about what you put into your body. Euit to0ic substances
)alcohol, cigarettes, medications and other drugs* and empower your
body to become independent of doctors and prescribed medication.
***Natural Foods are Your Best Medicine***
Seep" and augh"#
,A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures for anything-. )Irish
proverb*
8leep is a crucial part of your basic functioning. Avoid sacrificing your
sleep to achieve things that won-t buy your health bac" once you-ve
attained them. 6rugging yourself on coffee and high&caffeine
,energy- drin"s is not empowering your health, it-s ruining it. 'oth are
diuretics capable of seriously dehydrating your body. (he more time you
spend outdoors, in the fresh air and away from the radiation of electronic
devices )computers, smartphones, (9* the better your sleep +uality will
be. You mind needs to wind down without e0posure to electronics at least
a couple of hours before sleep time. Fo for a wal" after wor"5with your
"ids, your dog, your friends, or 7ust alone. 'reathe deeply and slowly in
your bed, repetitively, riding and counting your breaths. (a"e refuge
inside your body and listen to the melody of the breath.
!f you stay long enough inside your body, cleaning it persistently with
your breath, the space of this sacred inner place will ma"e you fall
asleep
$hy"i%a e&er%i"e. Your body is built to be active and to move. It-s a no
brainer. #hen you e0ercise, you cause your body to move the energy
from your mind down to other areas, vitali>ing and empowering your body
as a whole. You are strictly not a sedentary creature. You must implement
daily, for GB minutes at the very least, some form of e0ercise such as
running, swimming, dancing or stretching5whatever. Moving and
e0ercising also allows you to eliminate to0ins and unloc" the energy
stuc" in "ey parts of your body. #al"ing bac" and forth in your office
does not count as e0ercise. <hysical e0ercise must reach the stage
where your mental activity dissolves completely and your body awa"ens.
If you feel more present in your body than in your mind, you are doing it
right. 2or hyperactive or compulsive over&thin"ers, intense, sweat&
producing e0ercise is a daily must.
%onsider these simple 'ody empowerment prin%ipe" as vital! not only
to cleanse your body to the fullest, but also to clean your mind. As you
become increasingly clean within, you become able to notice much more
easily, and much earlier, the number&one troublema"ers and an0iety&
provo"ing factors4 your automatic thoughts. (hese are your main fear and
illness generators. 2ast identification of negative automatic thoughts
enables more effective control.
After e0ercise, you will observe the effects of these intruders on your
general health as soon as they want to snea" bac" in. You will then
realise how they disrupt your well&being and your inner peace. You will
notice it in your body.
Unsupervised Minds and Bodies Lead to Insanity
(he wandering mind produces thoughts that first lead you into a general
state of body tension, then eventually compel you to act either unhelpfully
)with diminished performance or fear&based reactions* or chaotically
)you-re completely out of control, causing irretrievable or regrettable
actions*.
(houghts have powerful potential, and can even be dangerous
for yourself and others! but they are powerless without
your reaction.
If intrusive thoughts disrupt the inner balance you have reached
through basic body empowerment principles, then you need to let them
go. 8hut them out before they ta"e full control of you. (houghts are
mental phantoms. (hey are not real, but they generate fear, and if you
feed them )and therefore the fear*, they can actually create the imagined
scenarios, basically sabotaging your best intentions. 8imply move away
from negative thoughts, people or situations. 'ase all of your 7udgements
on your body-s reactions, not the responses of your mind. If
it feels wrong, don-t do it. If it feels right and good, then go for itD
You are capable of shifting the power. 2ire your mental mind. Hire your
gut&mind )your gut&brain* as the main e0ecutive. It "nows far best.
Dont start fghting, arguing or debating with your mind, or get
into its analysing games. Youll lose every time, or youll end up
just going in circles.
<ut the power where it really belongs4 in your body. 1se awareness of
your inner body during anyactivity, and try cultivating this awareness
throughout your entire body. Always stay attuned to your physical self.
=ever let your gut&mind down, whether ma"ing a decision,
communicating with others, spea"ing to someone, or performing a tas".
3ive and spea" from within. Align your gut&brain with your mental mind,
no matter what you do or say.
#he gut$brain is commonly called the %second brain& in medicine' !&d say
it&s actually the first
2ind your authentic voice by harmoni>ing your mind, heart and gut&brain
voices. 8ource your voice and actions from your gut, and connect it with
your thoughts at all times.
Instead of watching your thoughts all the time, I suggest you watch your
body. %hec" in with it, feel what it needs, and satisfy it. 'e alert to any
discomfort4 body uneasiness is generally caused by physical neglect,
unconscious/automatic thoughts, or body&pain )early trauma activation*.
(hese factors can e0acerbate your emotions in many situations. (hey
can even do so constantly, if you are living in permanent an0iety.
mpower your body appropriately, and you will overcome all of these
challenges.