Expand Magazine - Volume 6 Issue 2
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
EXPAND | BE MORE /12<br />
Mastering<br />
THE<br />
Self<br />
through<br />
Ancient<br />
Wisdom<br />
By Erin Kuehl<br />
he epic poem, The Bhagavad Gita, symbolically details the battles that we wage in our minds, “For him who<br />
has conquered the mind, the mind is the best of friends; but for one who has failed to do so, his very mind<br />
will be the greatest enemy.”<br />
TThe Quest for a Fulfilled Life<br />
We all harbor a desire to live fully, as our health, wealth, peace, and happiness depend on a healthy body<br />
and a healthy mind. Achieving a fully integrated relationship between body and mind, where both listen<br />
to each other with love, enables us to skillfully engage with the world.<br />
What are the necessary ingredients to live a fulfilled life?<br />
Countless paths lead to fulfillment, but today, our focus is on<br />
habits. Good and bad habits, to be precise. We need internal<br />
awareness of the causes and effects of our habits on our<br />
physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Through a yogic<br />
lens, we evaluate our samskaras—our imprints, habits, patterns,<br />
and conditioning—working to create an internal point of focus<br />
for refining the mind and achieving a clearer perception.<br />
Neurologically, we tend to respond to situations in the same<br />
manner as we did yesterday, forming habit grooves in our<br />
Master the Mind, Master of Self<br />
Ancient Wisdom traditions recognize the importance of<br />
mastering the mind to master the self. Through body-mind<br />
practices such as meditation, Tai Chi, chi gong, pranayama<br />
(breathwork), yoga, and deep relaxation, practitioners<br />
utilize techniques that cultivate deep body awareness,<br />
relaxation, concentration, and meditation. These practices<br />
influence the flow of impulses through connective tissue,<br />
brains. These default grooves or pathways keep us trapped<br />
in our own habits, patterns, and neural programming…<br />
repeating, repeating, repeating mindless, rote behavior.<br />
Soon, unconscious patterns can emerge that can keep us<br />
from living a full and well-balanced life.<br />
These repeating habits, responses, and behaviors elicit<br />
mental stress; which in turn, creates physical malaise. Even<br />
good or healthy habits can become stressful if adhered to<br />
rigidly or unconsciously.<br />
nerves, and glands. They slow respiration and metabolic<br />
rates placing the body in a tranquil and observant<br />
state, activating the parasympathetic nervous system.<br />
Simultaneously, they create new neural pathways, rewiring<br />
the brain, and restoring balance between the sympathetic<br />
and parasympathetic nervous systems.
Change language