Trauma Prevention

Experiencing a steady flow of life force energy is essential for preventing trauma and associated illness.  The most commonly applied methods to facilitate this include exercise and a healthy balanced diet.  While both make a positive difference to physical wellbeing, people still get dis-ease despite following these practices.  In fact, landmark studies that have found associations between poor diet, sedentary behaviours and adverse health outcomes, often don’t account for the prevalence of mental and emotional distress.  This means that psychological factors may play a far more significant role in dis-ease development than we currently recognise.  In addition to these medicines, a strategy that I believe would make a far greater difference to health outcomes, is mind training.  

The Power of The Mind

That the mind (i.e. thoughts and perceptions) plays a significant role in maintaining trauma is well known.  For example, the instant we register a threat, the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system gets activated, preparing us for fight, flight or freeze.  Where there is real danger, this acute stress response  facilitates coping and survival.  If short term stress is addressed, it rarely harms health, however chronic general or traumatic stress does.

A key factor in the persistence of trauma is the meaning we assign to events.  The loss of a job, a quarrel with a child or death of a pet might be shocking for some, cause minimal sadness for others, or result in no distress for someone else.  Even with major trauma, the meaning making process plays a central role in maintaining symptoms.  For instance, unrealistic beliefs of not being safe in safe settings, being at fault or beliefs of unworthiness can prolong distress.  

Another example is anticipatory stress.  This is a common type of stress that is characterised by habits of imagining future threats that often never materialise.  However, real or imagined, the body responds as though the danger were real, causing chronic stress symptoms that deplete life force energy.  

Being afflicted by thoughts of aggression, stealing, lying, jealousy, malice, greed, conceit, and other negative actions, can also deplete life force energy.   When we cultivate qualities of compassion and kindness, it increases vitality.  

A Way To Boost Vitality

The ancients taught the importance of training the mind.  Why? Because they discovered that it brings inner peace, clarity, and forms the foundation for spiritual awakening.  

If we are in a constant “monkey mind” state, worried about the past, the future, or agitated by craving or aversion, our vitality is drained.  In this state of mind, we cannot discover our true nature because this requires being totally present and completely still.  

Fortunately, Teachers through the ages have offered guidance for training the mind, not only for spiritual awakening but also to live a happy and healthy life.  While not an exhaustive list, two key components are: 

1. Cultivating positive qualities
2. Mindfulness of breathing

Cultivating Positive Qualities

Qualities such as generosity, compassion, goodwill, silence, speaking what is good, and generally abstaining from harming oneself or others, are just some examples of ways that will boost vitality.  Equally important for wellbeing is avoiding vicious people, and taking right actions to prevent violence and abuse, wherever possible.  

These qualities are also prerequisites for meditation.  Without them, the mind will be disturbed and unable to concentrate.  We must cultivate these wholesome qualities not only because it is the right thing to do, it also boosts our energy, protecting our health, and provides a stable foundation for mindfulness practice.  

Mindfulness of Breathing

This entails observing the breath as it naturally occurs, without trying to control it.  Typically, this involves observing the breath at the base of the nostrils, simply noticing each inhalation and exhalation.  All other stimuli we attempt to ignore, letting them naturally pass away, while maintaining complete attention on the breath, without judgment, without craving, without aversion.  

Why observe the breath in this way?  For spiritual purposes, it’s necessary to calm any agitation prior to practicing insight meditation.  For health purposes, it is to increase our capacity to choose what we think, what we focus on, and to be present.  For example, when a stressful thought about financial worry manifests, we learn to either release it or respond constructively, instead of being consumed by it. Mindfulness helps us let go of unhelpful thoughts or be less reactive to life’s challenges.  

Key to Success

The key to succeeding with mind training is continuity of practice.  The goal is not perfection, but practice.  Like any skill, mistakes are part of the process and facilitate learning.  The key is to keep trying, and with time and persistence, you will succeed.  What does success mean from a health point of view?  Less specific or general stress, greater vitality and lower risk of dis-ease.  

Final Thoughts

The more we nurture the flow of life force energy with cultivating wholesome qualities and meditation, the more resilient we become to trauma and illness.  While exercise and diet are important for this purpose, far greater transformation occurs when we address a key root of chronic distress – that is, our thinking. 

Wishing you health and happiness.  

Sadaf  

🙂