Tag: relaxation

Slow Harmonious exercise: 5 Minute Routine.

Posted on by joeharman8 | 2 min read | 20 views

This video is about slow and harmonious practice. During these exercises you should focus on matching your breathing to the pace of the movements. In other words, try to breathe in and out at the rate the move is performed, so that you draw breath in at the beginning and fully exhale by the end of each movement. Keep this rhythm and a steady pace. By the end you should feel your breathing and movements are synchronised.

You can follow along or do at your own pace. I recommend following along as I have modelled it in such a way that by focusing on me you should have a sense of serenity and calm wash over you. Just by observing I felt that way looking back on it! After going along with me, you can do it by yourself. Just gaze at the horizon and focus on your breathing once you have got the moves down. After a bit of practice they become automatic, and you’ll find they’re very intuitive. This is important, because if they’re complicated you’re always having to think about the details. Briefly, they are based on symbols and patterns of movement which have had intuitive meaning for thousands of years.

The first movement involves reaching up, around, and pushing out from the solar plexus, making a triangle shape with your hands.

The second exercise involves pushing out with the fingers extended. Alternating between hands.

The third movement involves pulling in and then also pushing out after that – to and from the solar plexus.

The last one involves stepping to the side as if to deflect an incoming punch.

The exercises are designed around actual movements fundamental to health, martial arts, breathing, and alignment. They also correspond to symbols our minds recognise as significant, for example the triangle and the circle. Although they can be performed at speed, as they have to apply to all settings, this is about practicing at a slow serene pace what underpins every day moves. Because you should keep in touch with those movements even under relaxation, as this keeps you in constant contact with authentic practice and reinforces what’s meaningful.

Methods for Sleep

Posted on Last updated on by joeharman8 | 7 min read | 30 views

Most people know about the importance of sleep yet many of us fail to get enough of it, or more importantly enough quality sleep. Everybody says we should be getting our eight hours of sleep, but we know that already and don’t need to be told this over and over again. Precisely how to get all this sleep often remains a mystery. So all the advice about “getting to bed on time” and “sleeping for at least 7.5 hours” is worse than useless because in the absence of any sound methods it just create needless anxiety. No wonder people often look at their phones all night, sleep with the T.V. on, or drink themselves into a coma. They think effective sleep is impossible!

To be honest, modern ways of living are often not at all conducive to good sleep. Late nights, irregular shift patterns, alcohol, excessive warmth, etc., can all be counterproductive. For example, being too hot in bed can cause you to sweat in the night. This can accelerate all the unconscious processes which should be relaxed. Because it is this subconscious part of us that is active during sleep, whereas the conscious is active during the day. So to limit it’s influence over us, it is often better to be slightly cool, so that metabolism and body temperature fall. This will slow everything down, including the mind. The last thing you want are thoughts and worries rushing around wildly. This is all common sense really.

To begin with, it is important to go to sleep with positive thoughts on your mind. If you haven’t got anything positive to think about from the days events, think about the things you would like to improve and then how that might be done. This will prepare you for the following day and set you on the right course. Because every day is a new day, and in a sense we are born anew each day. Ideally, you should think about the goal you want to achieve before going to sleep, the more positive and ideal the better.

Positive thinking does not need to be at all in relation to your immediate physical reality. In fact, our everyday surrounding are often uninspiring and dull so we shouldn’t limit ourselves to this. Get creative. It can be helpful to think about the beauty of nature instead. For example, the sound of water, the chords of a harp or guitar, and vibrant flowers1. with baby lambs running through them. If this sounds at all strange coming from somebody who engages in intense martial arts training in preparation for battle, let me assure you it isn’t. If you are going to face harsh realities and develop the mindset of a soldier, it is important to also develop the polar opposite qualities to compliment this. This is an aspect of self mastery, and it’s something I’ve put to the test personally.

In the past sleep was regarded as “descending into the abyss” against dark entities, and even a prelude to death. This is why sleep was considered so important. Whether or not you believe this is another matter. But one thing is clear, that many of us experience the modern day equivalent of these dark entities through negative thoughts and ideas that paralyze us and ruin everything the following day. Some religious texts speak of spirits which sap people of their vital energy during sleep2. Whatever your way of viewing sleep it is important to realise that it is arguably the most important part of the day and should be prepared for accordingly. The consequences of not doing this are obvious. To ensure good sleep it’s important to be vigilant even throughout the day.

The importance of preparing properly for sleep cannot be understated, because it prepares us for our work, for life. This is why in the past it was considered important to arm yourself with positivity and virtue, so that this could be embedded into your subconscious mind which is active at night. Your positive thoughts would then protect you from negative influence.

If you have let your subconscious mind run free all day it will be difficult to reel it back in later. and nowadays people just drop of to sleep whenever they feel like it without any preparation whatsoever. And with all the anxiety and fear going around at the moment it is no wonder that people are experiencing such awful sleep.

Avoid any negative thoughts in the moments before bed, preferably hours before. The more you have wasted time in the day by not attempting important goals, or working hard at your development, the more difficult it will be to relax in the evening. There will be too many regrets. So it all starts in the morning.

Many people will freely admit that negative thoughts allowed to accumulate before bed can ruin hours of preparation all through the day. Instead fill yourself with positive thoughts, and lovely inspiring images. You will then wake up feeling regenerated. In this way the whole of the entire day can be seen as preparation for sleep. Personally, this is something I always keep in mind which helps me keep on track with my important work.

Every night before bed make an active effort to think positive thoughts. Set yourself up for this by listening to relaxing music, having a relaxing evening stroll, or reading some pages from an inspiring book. Prepare for sleep as you would prepare for an important exam. Importantly, think about any mistakes you have made so that you will be inspired to correct them the following day. Putting this all into action can be your immediate thought upon waking up. This shows yourself symbolically that you are ready to improve. In this way you will demonstrate to yourself that you are focused and prepared for great work. Having this frame of mind will enhance your sleep greatly so that you wake up energized and motivated, rather than enervated.

If you think sleep is just an unnecessary waste of time it can be helpful to view it differently. Because in fact, sleep prepares us and forges our mind and body into the individual we become the following day. Exercise, study, and work heat us so that we can be put into the blacksmiths mould, figuratively speaking. We then cool overnight and become a strong and stable metal. So make sure you prepare yourself for such an undertaking, so that you can be forged with all sorts of diamonds and precious metals. Looked at differently, sleep is as much an important exercise as physical exercises, and it’s where the learning and development really takes place and are crystallised.

Go to sleep with a great goal in mind so that you feel inspired to relax and calm yourself for the next day. It is this kind of thinking which sets the stage for a good nights sleep. Otherwise you will probably not see the point of sleep. Is there a weakness you are determined to overcome, something you want to achieve? Meditate on this before going to bed every night.

When I competed in Martial arts, I often used to mentally rehearse winning against an opponent. I would imagine myself as a fearless warrior who would take on opponents much better and more intimidating than myself. I did this for years. I wasn’t interested in winning against lesser opponents, I needed a face the hardest challenges. Knowing what I know now I would think about such high intensity scenarios before going to sleep, it’s better to do this kind of thing during the day.

Never go to sleep self satisfied and energised, under the impression that you are tireless and too busy for sleep, that’s my advice. whilst this is sometimes unavoidable for many, you will only burn yourself out in the long run. It is up to your how far you take this principle, but it is true none the less. whilst you want to stick to a routine, it can be more beneficial to prepare yourself properly, even if this involves staying up a bit later than usual.

References

1 See my Active relaxtion for some tips https://harmanater.com/2020/04/27/active-relaxation/

2 See Mans psychic life Omraam Mikhael Aivanhov

Active Relaxation

Posted on by joeharman8 | 6 min read | 30 views

If you want to remain alert but at the same time slow down your system and its processes, you can try some kind of active relaxation. What do I mean by “active relaxation”? I mean having a serene influence over yourself which is at the same time a form of exercise. In this way you will be able to remain fully engaged in what you are doing at a slower pace.

All too often relaxation is taken to mean “switching off”. As if you have periods of rushing about mindlessly and then a period of lobotomy slumped in front of the T.V. In fact, this kind of thing can leave you “wired and tired” as I’ve heard it been called. This may be alright for some, but all too often this is when we are liable to feel irritated and anxious.

Instead, what I recommend is a form of slow practice which compliment the fast paced demands of life. Exercises which prepare you for living intensely. In this way relaxation becomes preparation for work, and an essential part of it. All too often people don’t enjoy their relaxation because they are too conscious of their need to be ready for the demands life throws at them. And their work becomes a heavy burden which stops them enjoying life. This eventually leads to stagnation rather than improvement. What you have to realise then is that relaxation can be productive, a passive form of work.

When you slow down and concentrate on something, like reading, you get more and more conscious of the skills involved and attain greater insight. In this way you are attuning yourself to a slower pace of life whilst training your faculties to perceive new knowledge. I often find that if I come in from a hard day at work I am too wired to read properly. It takes me some time to slow down enough to be able to concentrate and process the information properly. At first I skip words, and don’t take anything in. But after a while I am able to engage with the text. At first it’s tempting to just throw the book down, but this is all part of the exercise of willpower over myself.

Whilst we are often required to rush around in state of high alert, we quickly realise this is bad for us when we get home and try to unwind. What was good for us an hour earlier suddenly becomes a problem, an irritation. Whilst you need to be alert to react quickly and be on the ball, when you’ve got no goal required of this anymore there’s a sense of frustration after the excitement is all over with. What you’re left with is a battle against yourself which requires a different strategy. But don’t get caught unawares.

What I do is play some music with waterfall sounds, and bird songs, etc.1, and take some time to slow down and synchronize my breathing to a slower tempo. You can even do this to combat some of the ill effects of down time, such as the constant interruptions of social media. Just play some of this music in the background whilst your on there, or go outside. These sounds can have a brilliant effect on our state of mind. Using this exercise, your attention is drawn towards harmonious sounds so you remain alert, and can turn your energies towards something requiring concentration. You will feel relaxed and attentive to the slightest sound, but distracted. This compliments the intensive and often chaotic phase of the day, and it’s something I do often.

The important thing is to maintain your attention on something meaningful. What that is will depend on you. If you play an instrument, try playing the C chord. Place particular emphasis on the C-E-G notes. You will find this has a relaxing and at the same time invigorating effect over you. You feel energized yet relaxed.

Martial arts is known for deception and distraction. For example, an enemy will often appear weak when they are really attempting to manipulate you. This is how the enemy works. In the same way, it is impossible to rid yourself of certain unwanted impulses and states, but you can learn to channel them and manipulate them for the better. The technique of distraction is a method to do this on yourself.

If you are unable to concentrate properly, or are stressed and anxious about something, turn your attention towards something else. In other words, distract yourself with something pleasant. For example, towards listening to relaxing music, sitting outside in the woods, breathing exercises, or a relaxing location in your mind. Of course, all the better if you overlap these methods, and any others you can think of that work on the different senses in the same way. In other words, if your breathing can be synchronised to what you are hearing and seeing, the relaxing effect can be greatly enhanced. Remaining attentive yet relaxed allows you do divert and channel your energies from the slightest sign of their appearance so that you don’t get pent up. This is impossible from a position of being switched off or simply being pacified by drugs.

If you try to overcome states of stress and tension head on, it will usually end in failure. It is impossible to rid yourself of certain impulses and states, but you can learn to channel them and manipulate them for the better. And to turn them to your advantage. The key is to see relaxing phases as an opportunity to enhance your life’s work. What that work is can be your ideal goal to imagine in your mind.

If you are thinking about a problem that happened during the day, often the best thing to do is visualize yourself saying to the person politely “Sorry I haven’t got time at the moment, I’m busy working, I’ll see you tomorrow”. This will often demonstrate to the unconscious side of yourself (which is always active and ready to spring problems on you) that you are engaged with work. This is usually enough to convince it it’s wasting its time. Because it is difficult for it to fit into a space which is already full of positive thoughts. It knows it’s a waste of time. But if instead there’s a void, then it can take the opening. This is one of the true lessons of martial arts.

References

1 A good example of this is Takashi Kokubo, Forest Healing.

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