As a reformed, natural-born pessimist, I am keenly aware of the power of positive thinking. How we think and how we feel are inextricably linked. For most people—unless dealing with hormonal imbalances in the body, or chemical imbalances in the brain—our thoughts usually determine our feelings. Therefore, to feel good, we must reframe negative thoughts into […]
When we’re stressed and anxious our breathing tends to become shallow. We may even unconsciously hold our breath. A simple way to restore a sense of calm in our bodies and minds is to deliberately and consciously breathe fully and deeply. With thousands of students in Ireland beginning their state exams tomorrow morning, I did […]
I am usually wary of “life-changing” claims. But when it comes to meditation, I can confidently assert that—given regular practice—five minutes a day can change things. It’s widely accepted now among Western medicine practitioners that meditation isn’t “woo-woo.” It has been shown, over and over, to improve our physical, mental and emotional well-being. But people who […]
We had a full moon at the start of this week, and the energy of the full moon can be supportive in consciously choosing to release what no longer serves us. Having said that, we don’t need to wait until the moon is full to do that either. On Sunday evening the full moon inspired […]
The simple answer to this question is: yes. Meditation can help you deal with your anxiety better, and it can gradually lead to reduced levels of anxiety. The slightly less simple answer is: it depends! There are no guarantees with this practice. Everyone has a different experience with meditation, because we all have different and unique life experiences—and […]
Love is available to all of us, whether or not we happen to be in a romantic relationship right now. Yet, thanks to the commercialism surrounding Valentine’s Day, many people feel unloved on the one day of the year set aside to celebrate love. Feelings of loneliness, grief, and regret can be amplified. Memories of good times […]
According to studies, while 75 percent of people hold to their resolutions past one week, that number drops to 64 percent past one month—and only 46 percent are still making progress with them half-way into the year. It’s a familiar problem, but why is it that we can’t maintain our commitment to ourselves? The obvious answer […]
Meditation can be safely and beneficially adopted by most people. But sometimes, it might not be the best course for us. Mostly people experience an improvement in their mental, emotional and physical health. However, the practice is not suitable for people suffering with schizophrenia or who are going through a psychotic episode. New evidence is also coming […]
Image: Deniz Altindas/Unsplash There are so many schools of thought teaching different meditation techniques. And then, there are all the myths around how you should sit, how long you should sit for, and how still your mind should be. I know so many folks who’d like to meditate, but—for various reasons—can’t seem to get started. Getting bogged […]
We’re in that precious space between Christmas and the New Year, where many of us feel drawn to review, reflect and plan. There’s generally a lot of focus on how we’re going to make our lives better in the the coming year by making ourselves better. I have done this so often myself, but over the last couple […]
