Mind is like a monkey, it always wanders here and there. We all struggle to
stop our unwanted unnecessary thought process. We live either in past or in
future and we forget to live this moment and present.
It is all because we can't control our thoughts and emotions.
So, what we can do for this??
Here I suggest some tips which helps to control our thoughts.
Remember, these tips should be practiced for atleast continuous 21 days. Why I
am saying 21 days is, anything, we do or practice for 21 days at the same time
becomes habit. so, you will not stop practicing these after 21 days :)
So, before starting, you should give me promise that you will follow these for
21 days in the journey of controlling thoughts.
1.
Pranayamas: The
pranayamas help a lot in controlling our thoughts. There are
several pranayamam's but I will suggest these two.
One such is Kapal Bhati Pranayama. How to do this?
1.
Sit
comfortably with your spine erect. Place your hands on the knees, palms open to
the sky.
2.
Take
a deep breath in.
3.
As you exhale, pull your stomach.
Pull your navel in back towards the spine. Do as much as you comfortably can.
You may keep your right hand on the stomach to feel the abdominal muscles
contract. Pull the navel in.
4.
As you relax the navel and
abdomen, the breath flows into your lungs automatically.
5.
Take 20 such breaths to complete
one round of Kapal Bhati pranayama.
6.
After completing the round, relax
with your eyes closed and observe the sensations in your body.
7.
Do
two more rounds of Skull Shining breathing technique (Kapal Bhati pranayama).
8.
The exhalation in Skull Shining
Breathing Technique (Kapal Bhati Pranayama) is active and forceful. So just
throw out your breath. Don't worry about the inhalation. The moment you relax
your abdominal muscles, inhalation will happen naturally. Just keep your
awareness on breathing out.
Note: Always
practice pranayama on empty stomach. Avoid practicing this breathing technique
if you have a backache due to slip disc, recently went through an abdominal
surgery, or are suffering with epilepsy or hernia. Women should not practice
Kapal Bhati pranayama during and shortly after pregnancy, as well as during
menstruation as it involves vigorous abdominal squeezes. People with
hypertension and heart problems should practice this breathing technique under
a yoga expert's guidance.
Second
is Anulom Vilom Pranayama
How to do this?
1.
Sit comfortably with your spine
erect and shoulders relaxed. Keep a gentle smile on your face.
2.
Place
your left hand on the left knee, palms open to the sky or in Chin Mudra (thumb
and index finger gently touching at the tips).
3.
Place the tip of the index finger
and middle finger of the right hand in between the eyebrows, the ring finger
and little finger on the left nostril, and the thumb on the right nostril. We
will use the ring finger and little finger to open or close the left nostril
and thumb for the right nostril.
4.
Press your thumb down on the
right nostril and breathe out gently through the left nostril.
5.
Now breathe in from the left
nostril and then press the left nostril gently with the ring finger and little
finger. Removing the right thumb from the right nostril, breathe out from the
right.
6.
Breathe in from the right nostril
and exhale from the left. You have now completed one round of Anulom vilom
Pranayama. Continue inhaling and exhaling from alternate nostrils.
7. Complete
9 such rounds by alternately breathing through both the nostrils. After every
exhalation, remember to breathe in from the same nostril from which you
exhaled. Keep your eyes closed throughout and continue taking long, deep,
smooth breaths without any force or effort.
Practice these 2 pranayamas twice daily. one in the early morning
just for 30 minutes and again in the evening for 30 minutes.
If you can't sit down for 30 minutes, no problem, break that into
2, Sit for 15 minutes and do, again take 2 hours break then do for 15
minutes.
Note: Allocate
same time everyday. Do this on same time for 21 days.
2.
Reading: You may
wonder how reading helps in stop the mind wandering. Yes, it helps how??
reading good inspirational books or stories or any thing that you like,
your favourite topics or books, Reading, makes you focus on one particular
thing. Once you start reading, you will automatically get engaged and
so mind stops wandering.
Now, you are reading this article, don't you feel you are already
engaged :)
Don't think that you need to spend hours together on reading any
book. Just read for 25 minutes. Take break for 10 minutes. And again read for
25 minutes. Repeat it for 3 times and your focus and concentration slowly
improves and so mind stops wandering.
Note:
Allocate same time everyday. Do this on same time for 21 days.
If you think, you can't sit for 25 minutes also, no problem, just
read for 3 minutes. Take 1 minute break and again read for 3 minutes. Repeat
this for 5 times.
3.
Take a Glass of Water and walk for 15 minutes: Walking stimulates blood circulation
entire the body and pumps oxygen to the brain. When brain gets sufficient
oxygen it works very efficiently.
Let me know after practicing this and share your experiences with
me :) I will help to my best in the journey of controlling thoughts :)
Start TODAY :)