For easing tension, soothing anxiety or lifting a bad mood, it helps to begin with a quick spiritual health check like: "How are my rounds of japa ?", "Do I rise for mangala artik?" "Am I following the 4 regs strictly?", "Taking darshan daily?" Chanting Hare Krishna is especially effective because when the heart is happy, one is naturally drawn towards healthy habits such as:
GETTING OUTSIDE
This may include sitting on a sunny porch, working in a garden or getting out to the country or a park with family and friends or taking time to gaze at Krishna's natural world.
EXERCISE
Includes swimming, walking, and making time for playing ball with the kids.
LETTING THE SUN SHINE IN
While spending time indoors, plenty of light should be let in.
HOUSEWORK
House work? That's right. Clean up the mess; get rid of the stress.
BODY CARE
Hair brushing, foot soaking, and dressing nicely all de-stress the body.
DRINKING WATER
Feeling out of sorts can be eased as simply as drinking a glass of water.
SIMPLE DIET
Food choices affect mood also. When we eat right and at regulated times, we can feel the difference.
EATING SWEETS
Sometimes we just need to indulge. After all, we're constantly in connection with that transcendental sweet- eater, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
VAMKUKSHI aka "siesta" is something temple deities do every day. Good idea for us, too, especially if one has been up since mangala artik. And it doesn't always have to be a nap either. One can just take a nice break each day to relax.
MINDFULNESS
It's good to slow down, review priorities and become more conscious and appreciative. This includes simply breathing and being mindful of the sights, sounds, smells, tastes and feelings that are going on. Also focusing on what really needs to be done vs self-created duties, can eliminate so much stress.
COUNTING BLESSINGS
Thinking about what one has rather than what is lacking. Thinking about what got done rather than what didn't or what is going right than what is going wrong. Acknowledging and nurturing the good. Dwelling upon what is good and feeling the gratitude.
LAUGHTER
Is another kind of medicine. One man cured his cancer by watching funny videos.
SINGING
Especially first thing in the morning during mangala artik. There's no better way to start one's day.
LISTENING TO MUSIC
We all have experienced the wonderful power of sound to uplift and soothe.
AROMATHERAPY
This includes herbal tea, flowers and scents offered to the Deity, scented candles, or treating oneself to a delicious smelling body lotion.
LOVING EXCHANGES
These include sharing prasadam, exchanging gifts, and catching up with relationships.
FORGIVENESS
This means not only forgiving others when they mess up, but most importantly, forgiving one's self. What a relief!
SUFFICIENT SLEEP
Who doesn't need more (Especially after eating all those sweets)! And settling down early in bed is certainly a gift to one's hardworking body.
EXPECTING LOW PERIODS
The material energy is forever changing. Expecting periods of low energy and lack of motivation helps greatly for endurance, as well as being aware of how cycles of the moon and influences of various planets affect us. This is how some knowledge of astrology can be especially helpful.
CRYING
In Ramayan, note the place Kaikeyi went to when she wanted to show that she was upset. Such a room was sometimes known as a "crying room", reserved for such an occasion. Besides removing tension, crying is known for removing toxins from the body. And for devotees, it is good opportunity to follow Prabhupada's instruction to learn how to cry for Krishna because separation from Krishna is the real cause for lamentation.
PRAYER AND INTROSPECTION
Sitting still, one can understand the presence of Supersoul or the Lord's deity form in the heart- ever present, unchanging, ever blissful. He's the eternal witness and also the most confidential friend and best listener. Prayer is the best, most convenient form of "talk therapy".
WRITING By applying sastra to our lives, realizations develop. They can pull us through many a sad time by writing them down to reread as needed. Or just writing helps to fix in the heart the principles of freedom from the modes of material nature.
GETTING UNPLUGGED- The computer is full of gossip, politics and so on, but also lots of inspiration to do our service. We can feel practically which sort of association is best to uplift our spirits. Otherwise, it's good to get unplugged as much as possible and be productive and involved in real life.
PATIENCE
Often our consciousness is expanding, accepting new ideas or ways to view the world, broader than it was previously. This can be sometimes a long and painful process consisting of a series of events meant to lead us to that point toward important inner growth. It helps to just relax and remember that "The lowest ebb is the turning of the tide." The material nature is always changing. Distress will come as one is destined, but it is good to know that it will also go.
TAKING CARE OF OURSELVES
In other words, we need to take care of ourselves. A sharpened pencil writes better. High immunity prevents disease. Similarly, we have to watch out for ourselves both spiritually and materially in order to be our best. Ordinarily, this isn't selfish when it's aimed at our highest self interest- Krishna's devotional service.
WANT MORE? Learn about Ayurveda. (Ayurveda 101). Basically there are three dosas- vata, pitta and kapha. When we are not feeling our best it means one or more of these is out of whack. They each work together to rule our entire bodily system, so its important to know what cause their imbalance and how to get them back into functioning normally. For example, when we are feeling anxious that is a sign vata is disturbed. This often happens from too much work, too much travel, too much study, too much going on, too much anything. A simple way to balance vata which is aggravated by dryness, cold and movement, is to take things the opposite way, do things that will counteract this such as a hot cup of vata balancing herbal tea and a hot relaxing bath. Or let's say we are in a terrible, angry mood. That's pitta acting up. Pitta dosha is hot and wet. Reach for dry and cooling foods. Cooling activities, too, like a cool shower or drink of water. Good health and happy mood become simple when you've mastered basic Ayurveda.
GETTING OUTSIDE
This may include sitting on a sunny porch, working in a garden or getting out to the country or a park with family and friends or taking time to gaze at Krishna's natural world.
EXERCISE
Includes swimming, walking, and making time for playing ball with the kids.
LETTING THE SUN SHINE IN
While spending time indoors, plenty of light should be let in.
HOUSEWORK
House work? That's right. Clean up the mess; get rid of the stress.
BODY CARE
Hair brushing, foot soaking, and dressing nicely all de-stress the body.
DRINKING WATER
Feeling out of sorts can be eased as simply as drinking a glass of water.
SIMPLE DIET
Food choices affect mood also. When we eat right and at regulated times, we can feel the difference.
EATING SWEETS
Sometimes we just need to indulge. After all, we're constantly in connection with that transcendental sweet- eater, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
VAMKUKSHI aka "siesta" is something temple deities do every day. Good idea for us, too, especially if one has been up since mangala artik. And it doesn't always have to be a nap either. One can just take a nice break each day to relax.
MINDFULNESS
It's good to slow down, review priorities and become more conscious and appreciative. This includes simply breathing and being mindful of the sights, sounds, smells, tastes and feelings that are going on. Also focusing on what really needs to be done vs self-created duties, can eliminate so much stress.
COUNTING BLESSINGS
Thinking about what one has rather than what is lacking. Thinking about what got done rather than what didn't or what is going right than what is going wrong. Acknowledging and nurturing the good. Dwelling upon what is good and feeling the gratitude.
LAUGHTER
Is another kind of medicine. One man cured his cancer by watching funny videos.
SINGING
Especially first thing in the morning during mangala artik. There's no better way to start one's day.
LISTENING TO MUSIC
We all have experienced the wonderful power of sound to uplift and soothe.
AROMATHERAPY
This includes herbal tea, flowers and scents offered to the Deity, scented candles, or treating oneself to a delicious smelling body lotion.
LOVING EXCHANGES
These include sharing prasadam, exchanging gifts, and catching up with relationships.
FORGIVENESS
This means not only forgiving others when they mess up, but most importantly, forgiving one's self. What a relief!
SUFFICIENT SLEEP
Who doesn't need more (Especially after eating all those sweets)! And settling down early in bed is certainly a gift to one's hardworking body.
EXPECTING LOW PERIODS
The material energy is forever changing. Expecting periods of low energy and lack of motivation helps greatly for endurance, as well as being aware of how cycles of the moon and influences of various planets affect us. This is how some knowledge of astrology can be especially helpful.
CRYING
In Ramayan, note the place Kaikeyi went to when she wanted to show that she was upset. Such a room was sometimes known as a "crying room", reserved for such an occasion. Besides removing tension, crying is known for removing toxins from the body. And for devotees, it is good opportunity to follow Prabhupada's instruction to learn how to cry for Krishna because separation from Krishna is the real cause for lamentation.
PRAYER AND INTROSPECTION
Sitting still, one can understand the presence of Supersoul or the Lord's deity form in the heart- ever present, unchanging, ever blissful. He's the eternal witness and also the most confidential friend and best listener. Prayer is the best, most convenient form of "talk therapy".
WRITING By applying sastra to our lives, realizations develop. They can pull us through many a sad time by writing them down to reread as needed. Or just writing helps to fix in the heart the principles of freedom from the modes of material nature.
GETTING UNPLUGGED- The computer is full of gossip, politics and so on, but also lots of inspiration to do our service. We can feel practically which sort of association is best to uplift our spirits. Otherwise, it's good to get unplugged as much as possible and be productive and involved in real life.
PATIENCE
Often our consciousness is expanding, accepting new ideas or ways to view the world, broader than it was previously. This can be sometimes a long and painful process consisting of a series of events meant to lead us to that point toward important inner growth. It helps to just relax and remember that "The lowest ebb is the turning of the tide." The material nature is always changing. Distress will come as one is destined, but it is good to know that it will also go.
TAKING CARE OF OURSELVES
In other words, we need to take care of ourselves. A sharpened pencil writes better. High immunity prevents disease. Similarly, we have to watch out for ourselves both spiritually and materially in order to be our best. Ordinarily, this isn't selfish when it's aimed at our highest self interest- Krishna's devotional service.
WANT MORE? Learn about Ayurveda. (Ayurveda 101). Basically there are three dosas- vata, pitta and kapha. When we are not feeling our best it means one or more of these is out of whack. They each work together to rule our entire bodily system, so its important to know what cause their imbalance and how to get them back into functioning normally. For example, when we are feeling anxious that is a sign vata is disturbed. This often happens from too much work, too much travel, too much study, too much going on, too much anything. A simple way to balance vata which is aggravated by dryness, cold and movement, is to take things the opposite way, do things that will counteract this such as a hot cup of vata balancing herbal tea and a hot relaxing bath. Or let's say we are in a terrible, angry mood. That's pitta acting up. Pitta dosha is hot and wet. Reach for dry and cooling foods. Cooling activities, too, like a cool shower or drink of water. Good health and happy mood become simple when you've mastered basic Ayurveda.