Recently I was reading ‘The End of Mental Illness’ by Daniel Amen. This is a man who has created a fundamental change in how we perceive mental illness, and how to heal, treat and manage the condition. (I highly suggest you read this book! If you want to find his website you can look at the ‘Resources’ section of my website.)
As I was reading the book, he talks about SPECT Brain Imaging, and how a lack of blood flow to certain areas of the brain lead to mental health issues. After reading this I thought back to my experience with Authentic Man Program. These are a group of men and women who are devoted to helping men in relationships, and their foundational Holarchy (Made up of Presence, Appreciation, Integrity, Wholeness and Play) was something I practiced for years.
I thought back to the Presence exercises that I had done that I learned from these people, and I started to bring that presence into my awareness of my body. I went into feeling my brain, and I realised, as I sat there, that my awareness and presence within my body changed the way my brain felt, and it actually helped me to feel a lot better.
I have spent the last few days sitting in quiet meditation, simply feeling my brain. The feelings would change after some time, and I noticed I felt much better afterwards, and I could feel my body more. I don’t have any scientific equipment to check any change in blood flow to areas of my brain, but my physiological and psychological change has been immense.
I’m feeling more grounded, more in a state of balance when I am walking, and my cognitive functions have improved, I can also think more clearly.
I’d like to offer this as a meditation for you to help yourself with any mental health problems you may have. Simply lay down, and begin feeling your brain. You may feel sensations come and go, and as you feel through, you will notice a difference in how you feel, both physically and psychologically.
I don’t suggest this practice to treat any physical illnesses you have, though it may help with those (I’m not a professional, so please seek professional advice for any physical illnesses), and I only suggest this practice if you feel ready to creating presence within your body.
This meditation can be done with any part of your body. Simply sit or lay down in a quiet place, and begin feeling the inner parts of your body. I suggest starting with the brain as you may want to begin feeling the psychological benefits of this meditation.
As you change how your body feels through bringing awareness to that part of your body, you will find an improvement in function. If any emotions come up around this practice, feel through those emotions, and release and express them by feeling through them, too. If fears come up or you find yourself working through a psychological attachment to a certain part of your body, then be ready to observe your mind and it’s thinking about that part of you, and remember to feel, feel, feel the emotions and the part of your body you are focusing on.
I hope this practice helps you, and I’d love to know if you have found an improvement in your physical and mental health through this meditation. Please get in touch with me if you have found this helpful and let me know, I’d love to hear if it has helped you.
Doing this meditation for an hour a day may bring great improvement to your physical and mental health, and please also reach out to me if you would like to know more about this.
