Author: Marc Cohen

Dreaming 2

Dreams have many purposes that can assist us throughout our life journey. They are the connection to our unconscious mind. We can use dreams to learn from our past, to analyze our current situations, and to explore our possible futures.

Everyone dreams. But it is possible that each person dreams differently. Relating to our five (or six!) senses, some people dream in black and white, others in color. Some people hear music, while others see artwork. Actually, we all have the ability to dream using all of our senses. It’s just that it may be more natural for certain individuals to have certain senses dominate during a dream. However, with practice, it is possible to be in tune with all our senses during dreams.

Dreams can impact the body while we sleep, making the dreams feel real to us. However, the brain releases chemicals to stop the body from moving during dreams. Unfortunately, not everyone remembers their dreams. Some reasons why people do not remember their dreams include: not getting enough sleep, multi-tasking, over-thinking and worrying. Many people who do remember their dreams may only remember bad dreams. Yet, we all have good dreams too. Through a dream practice, the good dreams can be remembered as well. The key is to pay attention to our dreams, as they can represent many different meanings.

There is a lot to be learned about ourselves through our dreams. All we have to do is set an intention and then pay attention. We spend one-third of our lives sleeping, so there must be many purposes that it serves, even if science is unable to identify all of these purposes. Tapping into our dreams is a powerful way to keep us moving in directions that are appropriate for us.

What is one small step you can do to practice dream work?

Dream Big.  And, Dream On.

If interested, here is my original Dreaming post from October 30, 2018…

https://calmnsensehealth.com/2018/10/30/dreaming/

Monkey Around

(Monkey photo by Jamie Haughton on Unsplash)

The Mirriam-Webster Dictionary defines ‘Monkey Around’ as, “to do things that are not useful or serious”. Examples include: “We just monkeyed around all afternoon.” And, “A young scientist monkeying around in the lab.”

Has your boss ever reprimanded you for NOT monkeying around enough? No, you say. Well I say yes, do it.

Most of us are busy with our list of things to do each day. Jumping from one to the next. Racing to meet deadlines. It is a never-ending cycle. Eventually, fatigue sets in as we continue at our speedy pace. Make breaks a part of your day. And why not make them fun. Daydream and  goof-off during your breaks.

Daydreaming is referred to as “a good example of a trance”, in the textbook, Integrative Medicine (Self-Hypnosis Techniques chapter by Steven Gurgevich, PhD). “In a daydream, we are aware of where we are and what we are doing, but at the same time we are absorbed in the experience and sensations of the daydream. This includes our thoughts, ideas, and images.”

Perhaps our daydream can be viewed as a little getaway from our physical location, allowing us to go anywhere we want for our little break. And when we return back to our physical surroundings, we may feel more refreshed and ready for the rest of our daily chores.

There is another benefit of taking breaks to either use our imagination or to quiet our mind. Taking time away from a challenging task may lead to ideas popping into our mind at random times that provide answers on how to move forward. Has this ever happened to you?

Since the start of our blog challenge this week, a few of my ideas came to me while goofing off in the forest. In the past I would not jot down these random thought ideas, and would forget them. So now I am sure to bring either my cell phone or small voice recorder with me where ever I go.

These random thoughts do not always pop up when we are in the middle of a lot of thinking. Many times these ideas will appear out of no where, during a time when our mind is quiet or having fun.

So get out there and monkey around some. Watch your productivity increase, your mental well-being improve, and your creativity shine.

Hey, hey we’re the monkeys…

Nature’s Calling

I enjoy taking time out of my day to go exploring in the woods. How about you?

It is a nice getaway from the hustle-and-bustle of the day. Whether I head out for a brisk walk, a run, or a slow meander, my goal is always the same; to enjoy a mindful, meditative experience in the great outdoors.

My usual visit is to a park near home that has many trails in a forest that connect with each other. So I can make the adventure as short or long as desired. I have a favorite spot that I’ll stop at for a sitting meditation, using a fallen tree as my chair, overlooking a small brook that converges into a gentle river.

Depending on the time of day, I may find deer wandering, woodpeckers rattling their favorite trees, squirrels rustling, and birds chirping. No bears… yet, lol.

At the beginning of my journey into nature, my mind may be in a state of chatter, pondering items on my to do list, or working through the challenge of the day. Yet, when my feet begin taking steps, I purposely implement a process of steps that ultimately calm my chatter down. Well, not for the entire trip. The chatter is a natural state that the mind enjoys, and it comes and goes throughout.

First, I will place my attention on my nostrils to feel my breathe go in, and out. In, and out. Then, I begin to count my steps to myself as I take them, counting either 1-2-3-4 or just 1-2, 1-2. Sometimes doing these two steps together is enough to lessen the chatter. But other times, the chatter gets louder.

Then, while still focused on my breathing and counting, I will open my ears to the sounds, and my eyes to the sights, of the forest. I may also add another step of visualizing my breathe flow in and out of my heart space. And finally, I may switch from counting my steps to reciting a mantra.

I’ll do this multiple step process for a certain duration, and then stop on purpose, going back to just focusing on my breathe. And at that point, I find, many times, that the chatter does remain at bay, allowing me to truly enjoy the peace and serenity of my natural surroundings.

If you are unable to get to a forest right now, the 7 minute video below will take you there, if you like. Yes, nature is calling!

What is one small step you can do to add mindfulness and meditation to your day?

Stretching

We all need to stretch our muscles, whether we live a sedentary lifestyle, or an active one.

For example, sitting for long periods of time causes our muscles to get stiff and weak. If sedentary individuals do not stretch, their bodies may become more vulnerable to muscle pain and tightness. Over time, their muscles will pull on their joints and trigger significant discomfort.

And for those who do exercise, there are several potential effects of not taking the time to stretch correctly after exercise. Muscles and tendons that are not stretched properly after exercise may be more susceptible to stiffness and injury.

Many years ago, I watched my father play his last game of softball. He hit a ground ball to the third baseman.  On his run to first base, he pulled a hamstring, causing him to leave the game. Afterwards, he decided to hang up his glove, bat, and ball for the last time. I have always wondered what would have happened if dad had a history of stretching, or decided to begin stretching after his hamstring healed. Would he have been able to continue playing?

The textbook, Integrative Medicine by David Rakel, MD provides a chart relating to FLEXIBILITY:

For Disease Prevention: “Maintain a range of motion by bending and stretching in daily activities.”

For Basic Health: “Perform 2-4 limitation-specific stretches AFTER activity, 1 repetition; hold about 20-30 seconds.”

For Enhanced Fitness: “Perform 6-10 whole-body stretches AFTER activity and BEFORE competition, 1-2 repetitions.”

For Performance-Level Fitness: “Add yoga, Pilates work, and/or facilitated stretches with a partner.”

I have had experience with Vinyasa Yoga (one form of yoga). I found this style of yoga to be quite challenging (and beneficial) as it helps improve physical strength, mental strength, and deep breathing. We would hold certain poses for short periods of time. During this time, muscles would get tired. To get through it, I would focus my attention on my breathing. And as a result, my mind would become free of thought for the remainder of class, and for an hour or two afterwards. I highly recommend any form of yoga as one method to explore stretching.

Another aspect that certain types of yoga provides is the practice of balance. For example, some poses require standing on one leg.

Another quote from the textbook states, “Balance and agility are the most often overlooked components of fitness, yet poor balance and its associated risk of falling are potentially the greatest health concerns for many older adults.”

The goal of stretching is to promote greater range of motion. Stretching provides improved neuromusculoskeletal function, creating less pain and more motion. It is important to stretch slowly, gently, and to the point of tension, while taking deep breathes.

Paying attention to how our muscles feel on a daily basis may help identify the specific muscles that need extra stretching at that moment.

YouTube is a great place to find stretching and yoga videos for any level of flexibility, and for any muscle group that needs attention.

Stretch yourself!

What is one small step you can implement to improve your flexibility?

 

 

Hydration

I’m back. After a stint as primary caregiver for my parents, I am participating in the…

(For more info about UBC, click here:   Home | Ultimate Blog Challenge )

My goal is to blog about a different healthy habit each day of May to inspire you to take small steps toward your own health goals.

I’d like to take a moment for the usual disclaimer. I am not a doctor. Please consult with your own physician to clarify best practices and protocols for your optimal health.

The topics shared on this blog are based on my own experiences as a student (of holistic health practices), as a caregiver (for my parents), and as a patient (of both western and eastern medicine practitioners).

Let’s get started with today’s topic…

Hydration

“Drink your way to better health. Drink water!”  – author unknown

One of the simplest ways to improve our health is to drink more water. As our bodies are made primarily of water, replenishing ourselves with this elixir can keep us running smoothly, just like motor oil lubricates and cleanses various parts of an automobile.

In basic terms, we get dehydrated when the body loses more water than it takes in. Sweating during exercise is one example.

Some dehydration symptoms may include dry mouth, dry eyes, headache, stomach ache, urinating less frequently, and even fainting. However, symptoms may not always be easy to identify, based on age (very young or very old), or the use of certain prescription medicine, for example.

The textbook, Integrative Medicine by David Rakel, MD reviews some of the benefits of hydration, related to specific ailments. Here are a few…

For cataracts (chapter by Robert Abel, Jr, MD): “The patient should be encouraged to drink plenty of water. The lens of the eye is a dehydrated tissue much like a fingernail.”

For gallstones: “Drinking 6-8 cups of fluid a day will ensure the water content of the bile and prevent crystal agglomeration.”

For urinary tract infections (chapter by Susan Hadley, MD): “Hydration is essential in the treatment and prevention of UTIs.”

Many of us recognize that we are thirsty when our mouth feels parched. That is one way the body signals this issue to us. But, by this time, our body is already dehydrated. Why not be proactive in taking in fluids before the onset of hydration symptoms, to avoid them in the first place. And this may also lessen the effects from more serious ailments like the three examples above.

When I took each of my parents to their primary care physician for different complaints, on a few occasions, the doctor would simply say “drink more liquids”, give us a bunch of protein drinks, and send us on our way, even as they were still in pain or discomfort.

One major downfall to drinking more water is the challenge of finding bathroom facilities when away from home, especially during the pandemic, when many public facilities are closed. So it may be helpful to plan drinking around your travels. However, I have discovered the benefits of taking a plastic bottle with me in the car as an emergency backup plan (sorry, TMI). Yes, this may be a more difficult challenge for the female population, although female-related products are available that do the job.

Additionally, I personally do not drink immediately after a meal to allow for proper digestion. Pick times that work for you.

Do you drink enough water? What is one small step you can do to take in more H2O?

Feel free to share any comments below.