Do you remember when as a child you could play for hours, completely absorbed in building castles, forts, dollhouses? And while brick after brick the building was created or the furniture was placed, the characters came to life in your mind, the story was created and nothing mattered, except the time you were lived in. Over the years, unfortunately, many of us have lost this ability to imagine. The world has become problems, watches, run and how many times is the mind thinking to the next action without the present one being ended? How many details are we losing while we are planning our life for the next minutes or days? Now that we are all at home, in these difficult times where we suddenly found ourselves masters of so much free time, it is important to take care of ourselves. With the diet, we are dedicating several articles to the best nutrition to strengthen the immune system, but also with meditation, yoga and yes, also imagination, to counteract chronic stress and anxiety that threaten our health by reducing defenses. And then imagination regenerates the brain, it is able to temporarily disconnect you from problems and makes you see things from another perspective. Disconnecting to be more active, this could be the motto. As the Italian psychiatrist Raffaele Morelli says, in the world of imagination we tap into resources that we never knew we had. And so, we can find the solution to the problem that is bugging us, suddenly talents emerge, desires to do, to make with hands, to create that are all pure oxygen for the mind. A rested and peaceful mind is also the basis of a healthy body and active immune system. In fact, as several scientific studies report, mind body techniques, including the exercises to create images through the mind, have been beneficial on mood and heart health, they contribute to reduce anxiety but are also capable of strengthening the immune system (Wahbeh et al, Open Complement Med J, 2012). Now that you have some time why don't you try these simple techniques, which may become a part of your daily routine when the busy, normal life will start again? In the next yoga video we will talk about this, but in the meantime, here are some tips.
Imagination to regenerate the brain and to strengthen the immune system
Find a place of your house where you can feel comfortable. Sit down, close your eyes and imagine a natural landscape. Let your mind create it, the mind works with images which are one of the most powerful medicines! Imagine yourself walking in this landscape, maybe the grass tickles your bare feet or the breeze is blowing in your face. Start dancing, a light dance. Try to imagine the clothes you wear, maybe you have a wide dress that wraps you. Imagine in this scene a clear stream of water that flows through colorful flowers. Wet your hands and drink this fresh and clear water, which flows and quenches your thirst, slowly and beneficially descends into your body. During this path the water becomes a light that radiates in all directions. Now you know that every time you become anxious there is this little place of the world, only yours, ready to welcome you and regenerate you. This will help you to have a break, to give importance to the moment. The mind doesn’t run to what could happen, and that, in general, never happens in the way you had imagined it, generating nervousness and irritation. These images are a balm that helps you break the rigid patterns that you have self-imposed, that bind you to a role that you are playing, a balm able to counteract stress and anxiety.
