6 easy practices for joy

We know that the state of our body and mind is reflected in our mood. It is unlikely that we will feel happy if the mind is restless, and the body reminds of itself with a crunch in the knees, pains, disorders.

In the East, this connection has long been recognized. Therefore, qigong, yoga and meditation are spiritual, physical and mental practices at the same time. They fill the heart with joy, give flexibility to the body and mind.

You don’t have to go to an ashram, radically change your lifestyle, or renounce the world to feel better. It is enough to find a few minutes a day for any of the exercises listed below. You will achieve the best results if you do them regularly.

How to perform simple and very effective practices, explains psychologist, meditation teacher, master of holistic intuitive massage Olga Nosikova.

1. Mudra of the Smiling Buddha, or Kapitthaka Mudra

“Mudra” is a special symbolic position of the hands and fingers, and the word itself is translated from Sanskrit as “seal” or “gesture”, but also means “giving joy”. And this is no coincidence: the wise maintain and restore the health of the body and spirit, they are sure in the East.

If you are planning something important, Kapitthaka mudra will give you inspiration and strength to bring your plan to life. It will help you clear your mind and focus on the present. And the present is our state of “here and now”.

We stop worrying about external factors, mourning what was and worrying about what will be, and come into direct contact with our own lives.

How to do it:

• Sit with a straight back.
• Bend the ring fingers and little fingers on both hands, pressing them from above with your thumbs. Straighten your middle and index fingers.
• At the same time, press your elbows into your body. Bend your arms and turn them palms forward so that your palms are approximately chest level.
• The forearms are at the same level, parallel to each other.
• Hold the mudra for about 10 minutes. Then inhale deeply and exhale. Unclench and clench your fists several times. Relax all muscles.

Note. When we hold mudra, attention is focused on the fingertips. When we connect the tips of the fingers, we begin to breathe deeper into the chest. Keep your back straight – and the spine is extended.

2. Clarity meditation

Meditation will help calm the mind and get rid of emotions that interfere with the effective functioning of the brain. A few minutes of calm will allow you to stop the internal dialogue. Meditation teaches us to focus on what we are doing at the moment and cut off everything superfluous.

How to do it:

• Choose a calm and quiet place. Sit with a straight back, relax, close your eyes.
• Take a slow breath in, then a slow breath out.
• Continue for 10-15 minutes.

Note. Imagine that your thoughts, emotions, sensations are clouds running across the sky, or frames from a movie you are watching. Just observe your internal processes without interfering in them and without giving judgment to what is happening.

If you meditate regularly, the body and mind will learn to respond to annoying events more calmly than before. Problems and complex life tasks will no longer seem unsolvable. Over time, the duration of the practice can be increased.

3. Healing massage

When there is no time or opportunity to go to a professional massage therapist, we can take care of the body ourselves. Simple massage techniques that do not require special education and equipment can bring a lot of pleasure and benefits. And even if at the beginning of the day there are only 5-10 minutes to take care of ourselves, we may well include self-massage in the list of important morning things.

How to do it:

• Vigorously, but gently rub your hands, feet, neck, stomach, chest.
• Wrap your arms around yourself and stay in that position for a while.
• Hugging yourself with your arms, sway from side to side, “lull” yourself.

Note. Massage can be done with oils. Sesame is suitable to warm up, coconut will give coolness. A couple of drops of aromatic oils added to the lotion will cheer you up. Choose your favorite scents: citrus, floral. Walk on all the joints – elbows, knees … Massage yourself or ask someone to help.

Physical contact with oneself will be healing for those who feel loneliness, who feel that they were not loved, not loved. Touching ourselves reminds us: “I’m here, I’m alone (or alone), I love myself, I take care of myself.”

And this, oddly enough, helps to be liberated in relationships with others – with children, partners. When we know how to receive love, then we know how to give it. With the help of physical contact, you can “instill” this state in yourself, make it so that the body remembers it. And massage is the best assistant in this.

4. He Gu point stimulation

The He Gu point is a real lifesaver in the world of Chinese medicine. It is also called “health point” and “ambulance point”.

It is recommended to stimulate the He Gu point several times during the day (there are no restrictions on the number) – this will help overcome drowsiness and fatigue.

How to do it:

• The point is located on the hand at the junction of the thumb and forefinger.
• When pressing on a point, you can feel pain – do not be alarmed, this is completely natural.
• Press on the point with the thumb and forefinger of your free hand (index from the side of the palm). You can use a knitting needle or any other sharp object.
• Strongly stimulate He Gu for 10 seconds, then release.
• Do three “approaches” on the left and right hand.

Note. It is believed that the stimulation of the point has a positive effect on the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and the organs of vision, hearing and smell, relieves heartburn and nausea, headache and toothache. It allows you to quickly recover from colds.

Stimulation of the He Gu point is categorically contraindicated for pregnant women.

5. Bathing in the light

Everyone perceives reality in their own way – through sound, visual or tactile sensations. For those who are able to draw vivid images in their imagination, it is worth trying a practice called “Light Shower”, developed by psychotherapist Liz Bartoli. It will relieve accumulated stress and fill you with good vital energy.

You can do this exercise in the lotus position: cross your legs, open your arms with your palms up. Or perform it while sitting on a chair – then you need to firmly press your feet to the floor. Be sure to straighten your back.

How to do it:

• Sit down. Close your eyes and take a deep breath. Take a series of deep and long breaths in and out, inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth.
• Mentally imagine yourself in a stream of golden light.
• Feel how a stream of light pours on you from above – on the top of your head, on your face and down to the very tips of your toes.
• Imagine how this “rain of light” cleanses you, gets rid of everything superfluous and unnecessary, and fills you with vital energy.
• Stay under the “flow” until you feel cleansed.
• Do the exercise for about 15 minutes – after this time you will feel an influx of energy, your mood will rise.

Note. “Light shower” can be “taken” at any time of the day. Performed early in the morning, the “procedure” will charge you with vivacity for the whole day.

In the evening, this exercise will help you release anxiety, relieve bodily tension and quickly recover from work. So, you will sleep soundly.

6. Wishlist

When we are in a bad mood, we seem to forget about everything that brought and brings pleasure. To remind yourself of this, make a list of what makes you happy. It can include both global desires and the simplest ones. Take a walk in the woods, eat a chocolate bar, reread your favorite passage from a book, dance, wash your face with cool water… Any activity that gives you joy, satisfaction and inspiration is suitable.

How to do it:

• Choose the right moment – and just write down everything that comes to mind.

Note. List at least XNUMX items! Then post it where you can see it so you can refer to it whenever you want. Now you have a huge choice: on any day of the week, at any time, you find three items on the list that are feasible right now – and do something for yourself without delay.

After all, no one will take care of our body, heart and soul better and better than ourselves. And no one knows what we want here and now, except ourselves.