Fighting Fatigue. The Power of the Mind.
Don't try too hard. It's like cooking a small fish. And practice, practice, practice.
Published in 1990
CHAPTER NINE
Mind Power
Relaxation
We all need to relax our mind and body at least once a day. In some societies it becomes almost a ritual to relax once, twice or more often throughout a busy working day. For example, some middle-eastern and eastern religions require their devotees to stop their day-to-day routine and bow to Mecca or pray to God fre quently. Even the non-religious Yogis of the east suggest punctuating the day with periods of rest and relaxation.
Everyone, no matter what their age or occupation, needs to have rest. The daily cycles of life and living dictate that periods of rest and activity are normal and that they are in-built mechanisms in every living thing.
Remember, just a few minutes relaxation at the same time every day is probably worth more to you than all of the hustling and bustling of everyday life. Complete relaxation and rest from your daily routine will bring renewed vigour, energy and peace of mind to the rest of your busy day. Relaxation isn’t harmful. Drug therapies often are.
The question is — how do we do it?
Relaxation is an art. It is one of the aspects of daily living that is not adequately taught in schools or to our children generally. As babies, we develop the art of relaxing and switching off. As we become exposed to more external pressures and stimuli, these detract from this natural process of ‘shifting into neutral gear’.
One of the best definitions of relaxation is ‘to rest and enjoy yourself. This means to stop doing and thinking about your everyday cares and worries and to turn away from the routine external environment. The idea is to focus on your pleasant thoughts — whatever they may be. Focusing on a different and pleasant activity is another way.
At the beginning, this process requires a certain amount of training and discipline to actually be able to concentrate on past experiences which have been of immense pleasure or plan future similar experiences.
The ability to concentrate within yourself is a learned activity. It requires practice and patience. It is simple and easy. One of the most effective ways to achieve this centring ability is to concentrate on your breathing. There are many different techniques for learning how to breath for relaxation and meditation and the following is probably as good as any.
Breathing to relax
Remember the last time you were tense and upset about something? What happened to your breathing? With most people in situations of tension, stress and anxiety, their breathing becomes more rapid and shallow. This short, rapid breathing actually promotes more tension and anxiety.
The ancients discovered that the control of breathing can control other activities in the nervous system. By reducing the rate of breathing, that is, by increasing the depth and time between each breath, it has been shown that not only can the breathing be slowed down but the rest of the activity in the nervous system also slows. This results in a feeling of relaxation. Thus, it can be seen that breathing rhythms and cycles are linked with the state of activity of the brain and mind. When you are calm, you breathe slowly and regularly. But when you are tense and anxious, you breathe quickly and shallowly. By controlling the breathing, and therefore the brain and mind, this tension can be switched off.
One of the simplest, most effective ways of controlling breathing is the following exercise. Sit on the floor with your legs crossed and your back straight. Concentrate on breathing out slowly through your nose. As you breathe, imagine a feather being held a few inches away from your nostrils.
Concentrate on breathing in and breathing out slowly through the nose so that the imagined feather hardly moves. The slower and the deeper you can make the breaths, the better. At the'beginning, this may seem difficult, but concentrate on it. Count the number of seconds it takes to inhale and exhale each time. When you start these exercises, you may only be able to breathe in to the count of five seconds and out to the count of five seconds. Practise increasing the number to ten seconds on inhalation and ten seconds on exhalation.
When you have achieved this slow, rhythmical breathing, you can increase the counts up to twenty seconds. Count slowly and quietly to yourself. In time, you will be able to make this practice a routine with which you can punctuate your day. You may find that doing it once or twice a day is sufficient to keep you relaxed. You may even find that by performing these controlled breathing exercises four to six times during the day, you feel better, have more energy, work more efficiently and have greater control and intuition.
Once you have learned to control your breathing like this, a short period of controlled breathing exercises before retiring is an ideal way of slowing down your breathing rhythms and activity in the brain.
Don’t worry about any other fancy techniques of breathing, because once you have mastered this technique, you are well on the way to self-control and relaxation. Remember, the feather in front of the nose. It should still be there and slightly quivering towards the nose on inhalation with a very gentle movement away from the nose on exhalation.
This is how slow, deliberate and gentle the breathing should be. This is what life should be. With slow, gentle, rhythmic, controlled breathing, all mind and body activities follow naturally.
Controlled breathing
Practise three times a day
Practise when feeling early stress
Remember: longer breaths, slower breaths, deeper breaths Practise before bed
Meditation
Meditation is probably the single most powerful therapy in the management of any disease. It has been practised for centuries in eastern countries to maintain health and well-being and to aid in recovery from illness. Its psychological effects include relief from tension and anxiety, and a feeling of inner calmness. The physical effects include the relief of pain and physical discomfort, the reduction of metabolic activity, the activation of the immune system and the normalisation of many physiological activities including heart rate, blood pressure and respiration.
Meditation creates a definite mental harmony and emotional balance in people who practise it. Coinciding with this improved mental harmony is the improvement in overall wellness, increased energy and the ability to sleep better.
‘When the apple is ripe it will drop from the tree of its own weight’.
This eastern proverb beautifully sums up the meaning of meditation. The meditative process acts as a catalyst to organise the body’s chemistry into a whole. The mind has profound influences on our degree of health. Even in sickness it can play a role either by improving the degree of wellness or worsening the degree of illness.
Not only do thoughts and emotions influence our behaviour, but these very thoughts and emotions can play a direct role in influencing all of the body’s subtle physical and chemical actions and reactions.
The time-honoured method of meditation has recently become very popular in the management of many illnesses, including cancer, AIDS, psychosomatic disorders, pain and high blood pressure. Meditation has been scientifically validated as a method of improving physical and psychological functioning.
A spin-off of all this improvement of course is more energy during the day and better sleep at night.
The act of meditation generates positive behaviour and attitudes without effort or cost. With a modest investment of time, meditation can take you to a higher plane of well-being and a totally different perspective on your existence.
Meditation is the foundation for optimum health. It is not a religion but a way of life. Meditation is concentration within. It is effortless. It is just as if you are falling down a well within yourself. Others have described it as a ‘diving within’.
Meditation is simply the process of being able to effortlessly let go of everything while concentrating on one thought, one word or one idea. In fact, simply sitting and knitting can be regarded as a form of meditation.
By passively sitting in a chair in a slightly uncomfortable position with your eyes closed for twenty minutes twice a day, you can eventually achieve a state of relaxation or meditation. The mind is allowed to wander and invading thoughts are allowed to pass through consciousness. Eventually the concentration within starts to dominate. This may take days, weeks, even months, depending upon the individual. All thoughts are eventually blocked out using this process.
By achieving the ability to switch off in such a way, this well- practised habit of meditation can be applied in the evening before bedtime. By allowing the mind to calm itself, sleep naturally follows. The intellect is gradually phased out. It is not necessary to think during the meditative process. No conscious effort is required and increased feelings of inner peace, deep relaxation and serenity usually develop. Eventually, even the feelings of inner peace fade away to be replaced by a state of selflessness. This gently progresses into a deep feeling of unity, or oneness, with the entire self and your surroundings.
When you are at peace with yourself, not only do you feel better within but you can notice improvements in your relationships.
The ‘meditation habit’ takes time. It cannot be developed overnight or even within days or weeks. A slow transition occurs in yourself after you have practised meditation for several months. This change is slow but sure. On a day-to-day basis, changes are usually not very noticeable. However, over several weeks blending into months, you will find tremendous changes.
Meditation proceeds at its own speed and reaches its goal in its own time. The whole process should be allowed to flow
naturally and slowly.
Meditation can help a large number of disease states which
may, or may not, be associated with insomnia. It has helped thousands of cancer patients and millions of patients with immune disorders and allergies world-wide.
People who meditate say that they can cope better with the realities of life. They become more resilient to external, irritating factors and they feel more together ‘within’ themselves. They have more energy, feel more spontaneous and less tense. It appears that their whole coping and adaptive mechanism improves. Overall, people become more cheerful and optimistic and find that they can more easily accept their day-to-day problems. However, there is a cost — time and self-discipline.
It is equally important for a person who is well as it is for someone suffering from the chronic fatigue syndrome or some other severe disease to approach meditation with a deep degree of sincerity, openness and a genuine desire to learn about themselves. In other words, it is a feeling of needing and wanting to reach out for something deeper and more meaningful.
Some people who have undertaken meditation have found that previous experiences can be relived extremely vividly. They note that their reactions to these experiences in the past may have been inappropriate and immature. By reliving these experiences and by changing their responses purposefully, a sense of greater self-esteem and personal growth results.
Simple, natural, effective
Meditation is a simple therapy. It can be practised at any time. It is a safe and sure method which can be used by all, including children. Meditation is not prayer and it is not a religion. It is not self-hypnosis but it does resemble such a state of mind. It is also not a form of magic or a secret formula derived from ancient mystics. The state of meditation is certainly not learning the ability to develop alpha brain waves or any other fancy scientific explanation.
Meditation is a natural process. Observe your pet dog or cat lying in front of a warm fire. They are not always asleep when their eyes are closed. In fact, your pet is probably meditating on the soft warmth of the fire and the homely sound of voices.
Meditation may be as simple as sitting knitting, listening to music with the eyes closed or, more seriously, the purposeful sitting in the lotus position with eyes closed concentrating on a word or thought. The lotus position is the classical yogic sitting position in which the legs are crossed and the feet are brought up to rest on the tops of the thighs.
Meditation is not a form of psychotherapy, although many people find it psychologically helpful. Meditation is simply a state of being and knowing within. The practised meditator will discover what this eventually means. The key word is practice.
Practising effective meditation
The successful practice of meditation requires a little time and self-discipline. With this investment you will find that your life can be dramatically changed. Not only will fatigue, insomnia, minor aches and pains, frustrations, anxieties, tensions and problems seem much better but the risk of developing serious illness is greatly reduced, including the reduced likelihood of a recurrence of the chronic fatigue syndrome once it is controlled.
But the determination to meditate must come from within yourself. For someone suffering from chronic fatigue and all of its associated symptoms, this is often quite difficult at the beginning. The discipline needed to spend half-an-hour twice a day on meditative practice must come from a genuine desire for self-improvement. The urge to fall asleep should be resisted.
Two half-hour daily sessions are recommended for a reasonably healthy individual. Some very sick patients who are benefiting from diet and meditation spend two or more hours a day meditating and claim great improvement. Their secret is self- discipline and if you are willing to apply it, there is no reason why you cannot beat your fatigue and the symptoms that go along with it.
Select a quiet room and use the same place each time for your meditation. The bedroom is ideal. Lock the door and either take the telephone off the hook or turn the bell down. Make sure that you are not distracted by anyone or anything, including distracting thoughts.
The room must be very, very quiet. It is important to select the same time every day to meditate. That is, it is very important to develop a good meditation habit. Choose a chair which isn’t too comfortable. A comfortable chair will enable you to fall asleep. The best chair is one in which you’re sitting without back support.
The best time to meditate is early in the morning and late in the afternoon. You must meditate twice a day. Each time you meditate, you should take twenty to thirty minutes — therefore you will be meditating for forty to sixty minutes daily to start with.
When you do become more familiar with the routine, you will naturally increase your meditation time if and when required. It is possible to meditate for six or more hours a day. This may be necessary for some very sick people. However, my recommendations are forty to sixty minutes daily for most people. Once the habit of meditation has been adopted and it is being practised effectively, a ten-minute session in the middle of the day can be quite relieving and invigorating.
You must carefully prepare yourself for each meditation session. Don’t use alcohol or stimulants such as tea, coffee, tobacco, or other drugs before meditation. Obviously, it is not really a good idea to use these at any time! It is also important not to get excited or involved in an overstimulating session with friends or workmates.
It is better to meditate before a meal than after. Experienced meditators find that an empty stomach is more conducive to the true meditative process. If you need to go to the toilet, then do so. There is no point in meditating with a bowel or bladder that is wanting to empty itself. Be as comfortable as possible. Wear loose clothing but sufficient to keep you warm in the winter.
Sit perfectly quietly on the edge of your chosen chair, straighten the back and hold your head up. Attempt to emphasise the curves in your lower back as much as possible. Your hands should be placed on your lap close to the knees. At this stage, you are ready to allow your thoughts to flow freely, ‘like a river’, while concentrating on your breathing. The concentration on the breathing should be on definite, slow inhalations and exhalations. Imagine a feather in front of the nose just moving towards and away from your nose with each inhalation and exhalation.
A state of free thinking is the key to successful meditation. Don’t worry about pleasant, or unpleasant, thoughts appearing. In time, your thoughts will change in a way that will help you to meditate more effectively. If you are in the habit of using affirmations repeat these over and over again at the beginning of each meditation session. In this way, your thoughts can be concentrated on to a few affirmative sentences.
Affirmations which are ideal to start with are: ‘I have more energy’; ‘I feel good about myself’; ‘Every day, in every way. I’m getting better and better’; ‘I’m relaxed and happy at all times.’ Or you can, of course, make up your own.
Just relax and let it happen
Breathe very slowly inwardly and outwardly through your nose. It is possible to reduce the amount of breathing to two or three breaths or less in a minute. Don’t force yourself at all. I repeat, the entire process is meant to be effortless.
It is easy, it is simple and it works. But, remember — twice a day in the same place for at least twenty to thirty minutes. Don’t expect immediate results or rewards. These come in time. Make meditation a lifetime practice and many of your problems will be solved — and the others will seem less important.
Meditation and sleep
The effects of meditation are not conducive to immediate sleep, despite its calming and restful effects.
The effect of sleep and insomnia come as a result of the altered state of physiology of the body and mind. That is, if we can remain relaxed calm and peaceful during the day from our meditation sessions, then the fall of night comes with a feeling of peaceful fatigue and the desire for natural sleep.
Meditation and food
Excessive food can influence sleep and disturb our state of rest. It can also disturb our ability to meditate and focus on a particular thought. It is unwise to eat immediately before or after a meditation session because food itself can interrupt the delicate and subtle physiological changes which occur.
From this form of meditation, you will only gain what you are prepared to give. Once you have become an experienced meditator you will get more from the meditation than you actually put into it. Most people find that it usually takes from one to three months before they know if they are benefiting from the sessions. Again, this depends on the individual and the amount of time that is devoted to the discipline of the meditative exercise.
Awareness and energy improve
A change in your level of awareness is probably the first change which occurs in the first few months of meditation. Sometimes this occurs earlier and, within a period of days to weeks, meditation brings results. Also, by being able to relax and switch off the stresses and tension during the day, the stress-tension- fatigue cycle can be interrupted.
Meditation is a form of recharging your batteries. However, the increased level of relaxation and the reduction in anxiety levels are two of the more obvious changes which occur in the early phases of the meditative process.
It is important to realise that meditation is a total clearing of all thoughts and fears. Invading thoughts are allowed to enter and become a part of the mind for the process of meditation. However, attempts should always be made to clear these thoughts as soon as possible.
Repetition of affirmations is one way of switching off thoughts which may appear to be too intrusive. Of course, fears and guilts will arise, as will past experiences. These must also be dealt with in the same way. Not by blocking them off but by allowing them to flow freely. If they become persistent and over-invasive, then attempt to waylay them by using your affirmations. Allow thoughts to enter the mind and to pass through unhindered. This constant practice will allow you to gain control of your thoughts, actions and behaviour and, indirectly, it will result in you being able to control your symptoms.
Keep the mind as a form of register
You must attempt to treat the mind as a form of register. The register must be cleared at the beginning of each session. Alternatively, it can be thought of as a tape which can be magnetically cleared of all information at will. When the tape is replayed, nothing appears in it.
This is what is meant by the process of meditation. The mind should eventually be clear of all thoughts. In time, an experienced m editator can apply m editation anywhere — in a busy train, at work or on the top of a mountain. However, to start with it is desirable to meditate in a comfortable, quiet, familiar place. The bedroom is ideal. Don’t worry if the whole process seems slow. It is! Things are still happening to you but at a pace at which your mind and body will allow. The important points to remember are regular practice and don’t try too hard.
Cooking a small fish
The two most common mistakes are trying too hard — and not trying enough. Trying too hard happens when you try to concentrate too much or begin to intellectualise or become impatient and attempt to speed up the whole meditative process.
On the other hand, not trying enough occurs when you slip out of your routine of meditating twice a day. Don’t let the sessions become superficial by allowing distractions to occur.
Also, insufficient attempts at meditation occur when you cut the session short or fall asleep. The Chinese describe this process of doing but not overdoing as like ‘cooking a small fish - you must be careful not to overdo it.’
Without effort
The experience of meditation will take you into a realm of quiet and subdued expectancy in which you become open and receptive to everything.
This is an effortless process requiring time and self-discipline
only. Experienced meditators become attuned to everything. But, they hear or see nothing at first and have no expectations of what is to occur before, or after the meditation. They are therefore really never disappointed.
Whatever happens to them is usually for the best. As far as you are concerned, the meditation process requires virtually no effort at all.
The rewards of meditation come when you are ready. They come at their own speed, and in their own time, and they cannot be hurried.
Ian Brighthope
Conserve CO2 concentration in the brain by breathing softly through your nose only
Thanks for sharing your book Ian. There's a lot of tips in this piece that I can use at the moment :-)