The Powerful Mind

By: Juana Diez, Lead Buyer and Product Expert The MIND is uniquely POWERFUL - and so many of us today have yet to tap into this power and harness it to make a difference in our lives. In honor of our #MINDINGTHEMIND theme this month, we’ve been sharing our favorite mindful rituals, affirmations, and wellness tools we rely on to cope with all things stress. But last night’s mindfulness course led by Yaji Tramontini (MA, MFT) really spoke to us - the power of the mind has EVERYTHING to do with the power of healing the body, and each of us possess that power within us to be healthy, happy, and at peace - whatever that may look like. Here are our 3 biggest takeaways from last nights course:

1. YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE YOUR THOUGHTS:

We don’t have to be stuck in the downward spiral or depleting emotional state we might think we can’t seem to snap out of. You can rewire your brain, and neuroplasticity is the science that proves this. As you think a thought, it creates an electric signal, which deepens that neuropathway, and ultimately, the easier it becomes to think that thought. It’s likely that then you’ll start to see evidence of this thought around you, because you’re reinforcing that thought process. The power to heal our mind really lies within each of us and is predominantly driven by our thoughts.

2. YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE STUCK IN YOUR PAST THOUGHT PATTERNS:

Yaji presented a tool to reframe and shift old stories and perceptions, which are many times the root of our things we may be unhappy with in life.  EMDR (short for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is an integrative therapy approach that has been extensively researched and proven effective in the treatment of trauma (both small or large) or psychological stress. It allows a conscious access to unconscious feelings, by stimulating both hemispheres of the brain through bi-lateral stimulation. One of the most important processes of EMDR includes really being able to self-reflect in a safe space - and looking at whatever is going on for you in your life that you’re not happy with. Look for emotional overwhelm - what is it that I believe is causing that? And ask yourself - what are my limiting beliefs around my emotions? For more on EMDR visit Yaji’s site here.
Most of us are constantly moving at a million miles per hour, and we really don’t allow ourselves to sit with our emotions and FEEL. Studies conducted have shown that 50-60% of people were able to deactivate their emotions by just saying what they were feeling out loud. How often do we do this? Really, not enough.
Aside from properly allowing our mind to sort through emotions and store this memory in our adaptive memory (instead of nervous system which is where traumas usually end up being stored), being in-tune with our emotions can give us information about what is happening in our lives - and lead us to where we want to go instead.

3. YOU CAN ACTUALLY REDIRECT OUR THOUGHTS WHENEVER YOU WANT:

Yaji presented some powerful tools to MIND THE MIND at home, and after last nights exercise in-shop, we HIGHLY recommend.
For best results, Start by finding a comfortable place to sit where you’ll have a few moments to focus.
Part One: Writing Exercise. We can easily become out of balance by focusing too much on one area of our lives and neglecting others. Where do you feel like YOU stand in terms of your balance of psychology, thoughts, spirituality, social element, biology (health, well-being, exercise, skincare, beauty)?

1. Pause and really reflect - what areas are you strongest in?
2. What areas need a bit more work?
3. Once you’re able to tap in, reflect on how you imagine doing that.
4. Write this down.

Note: It’s easy to get stuck in a place of self-abuse or self-blaming but this can cause chaos in all other areas of our life. Be gentle and compassionate with yourself as you go through challenges, and visualize yourself getting back into the flow of things.
Part Two: Heart-Focused Breathing. Science is proving that the heart has an intelligence of its own and even possesses a magnetic field which emanate energy from our heart at least 6 feet out - crazy, right?  Depleting or overwhelming emotions at a constant state can cause our heart rate variability to become ‘choppy’ (or constantly up & down), meaning it’ll create difficulty in thinking, behaviors, and a disconnect from knowing your own deeper truth. This exercise clears that chaos and creates space for us to listen in, becoming aware of the intelligence of the heart and allowing it to inform what you truly need to come back into balance.

1. Place hands on heart to really connect.
2. Begin taking deep breaths into the heart for a count of 5, and imagining this breath going slowly in and out of your heart.
3. Once you feel a slight sense of relaxation, attempt to shift your mind into a renewing emotion
4. Write down this renewing emotion, vision or call to action.

Once you try this, compare your notes from Part One to Part Two. Is there a newly discovered clarity on what your intuition is asking for? We were blown away by the truth and distinctness that was uncovered once we tapped into our hearts and really listened in. There are so many ways to #mindthemind and we hope this month at Shop Good continues to equip you with the tools, resources and inspiration to bring peace, contentment and radiant confidence into your life.
To connect with Yaji or learn more about her practice in San Diego, CA, find her sitehere and your YouTube page with tons of amazing resourceshere .
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