Some esoteric studies and ancient lore claim that body and mind are actually one and the same. One depends on and affects the other directly. That is, if your mind is doing well, your body is doing well, and vice versa. The opposite also happens, if the body or mind is out of balance, the other part will be too. Taking this into account, some mental exercises can be done to help with physical well-being as well. Just as the practice of physical activities benefits the mental state of those who practice it.
Try this mental exercise below and see how, little by little, you will also feel an improvement in the quality of life of your physical body as well.
- First, sit in a quiet place where no one can disturb you.. Keep your spine straight and let your arms relax over your legs. Take anything out of your pocket, necklace, bracelet, watch, or anything else that might make you feel uncomfortable. Without these gadgets, it's much easier to remain still without the body starting to wonder what's touching it.
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Start taking slow, slow breathing. Breathe in for four seconds, hold the breath for another four seconds, then release the breath for four seconds. Do this breathing exercise with your eyes closed until you feel that your body is very relaxed.
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After relaxing, still with your eyes closed, move your head slightly to the right, then to the left and return to the original position. After doing this a few times, stand still and visualize your head doing the movement again, but not moving. This is a workout for your mind to be able to imagine your body moving, without actually being.
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After getting a good visualization, imagine that your body is free and able to move around in the environment you are in. Visualize yourself getting up from your chair and walking around. During these last two steps, it is normal for everyday thoughts to begin to interfere with concentration. Use these moments to learn to push those thoughts away.
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Do these exercises several days in a row. You will notice that it gets easier with practice.
The purpose of this exercise is to control your mind, expand your imaginative capacity, and learn to stay focused and keep unnecessary thoughts out of your head. But remember: despite being a mental exercise, it also serves the well-being of the body.
Have you tried this or other exercises to exercise and control the mind? Tell us in the comments how your experience was.
Text written by Ricardo Sturk from the Eu Sem Fronteiras Team
