"There is more to life than increasing its speed."
Mohatma Gandhi
Hi again,
A warm welcome back to those of you who are following my series of Blog Posts on how to create more calm, mindfulness, and wellbeing in your lives through using your mind!
Over the next 6 days I will be posting 3 highly effective ways to hastily stop stress in its tracks, so that we can move from this...
to this...
These tools have helped thousands of people globally, and the science behind it is extremely thought-provoking..
Today the focus will be on 3C Vision. I was taught this at a talk by Sandy C. Newbigging which discussed the effects that chronic stress can have on the body. This simple, easy to adopt technique, is great, as it can be done at the desk (or anywhere really), is completely unnoticeable to those around you, and reduces stress symptoms in just a few minutes. It merely requires using your eyes to activate your parasympathetic nervous system.
Step 1 - Pick a spot on the wall to look at, preferably at a 45° above your eye-line Ensure this is a stagnant spot, which doesn't contain any movement.
Step 2 - As you stare at this spot, effortlessly allow your mind to go loose and focus all your attention on the spot. Take a few long, deep breaths.
Step 3 - Notice that within a few moments, your vision begins to spread out. Your vision will become more peripheral than central.
Step 4 - Now, pay more attention to the peripheral part of your vision than the central part. Take in the colours, the shapes, the shadows, and anything else. Retain long, deep breaths. Be mindful that you stick to using your peripheral vision by avoiding looking directly at anything.
Step 5 - Continue with this for as long as you want. You will find your mind is more still.
Step 6 - Repetition, Repetition, Repetition. With practice, this technique will become easier and the more effective.
Step 2 - As you stare at this spot, effortlessly allow your mind to go loose and focus all your attention on the spot. Take a few long, deep breaths.
Step 3 - Notice that within a few moments, your vision begins to spread out. Your vision will become more peripheral than central.
Step 4 - Now, pay more attention to the peripheral part of your vision than the central part. Take in the colours, the shapes, the shadows, and anything else. Retain long, deep breaths. Be mindful that you stick to using your peripheral vision by avoiding looking directly at anything.
Step 5 - Continue with this for as long as you want. You will find your mind is more still.
Step 6 - Repetition, Repetition, Repetition. With practice, this technique will become easier and the more effective.
So..how do you feel now?
This process is similar to what psychologist Stephanie Silberman, PhD, has labelled as "thought stopping," which allows the body to drain excess cortisol and adrenalin out of the system and induce a calmer response. Personally, I found this great to do before important meetings, seminars, and particularly when distraction is leading you astray!
As always, many thanks for reading and I hope this finds you well! The 2nd of the 3 highly effective ways to hastily stop stress in its tracks will be posted in the next couple of days.
Adam
This process is similar to what psychologist Stephanie Silberman, PhD, has labelled as "thought stopping," which allows the body to drain excess cortisol and adrenalin out of the system and induce a calmer response. Personally, I found this great to do before important meetings, seminars, and particularly when distraction is leading you astray!
As always, many thanks for reading and I hope this finds you well! The 2nd of the 3 highly effective ways to hastily stop stress in its tracks will be posted in the next couple of days.
Adam
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