Mind and body practices will help you in developing skills that you can strengthen as time passes. Use these practices to calmly respond to stress, to make it easier for your mind and body to remain focused and calm. This will aid your mental health and make the world a less stressful place for you.
How can yoga play a part in improving your mental health?
Yoga emphasizes meditation and breathing practices, which together can help you calm and center your mind. It even helps your brain to work more efficiently.
Increase your brain function.
Yoga helps improve functions that include reaction time, learning, memory, decision-making and reasoning.
Develop a sharper brain.
When you practice yoga, your brain cells have a chance for developing new connections. This results in improvement in memory and learning skills.
Develop more positive moods.
All types of exercise may boost mood by increasing feel-good endorphins and lowering stress hormone levels. Yoga also affects mood by raising the level of brain chemicals known as gamma-aminobutyric acids, which can help to decrease anxiety and improve your mood.
#James Donaldson notes: Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes. Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use. Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space.#http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticle Find out more about the work I do on my 501c3 non-profit foundation website www.yourgiftoflife.org Order your copy of James Donaldson’s latest book, #CelebratingYourGiftofLife: From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy
Tai Chi movements have minimal impact, and they are gently felt. The practice is flowing, slow and controlled, with graceful movements. The details behind movements are more layered.
Using controlled, coordinated movements
The movements in Tai Chi help you to develop self-discipline. You’ll become more aware of your body and where and why it’s moving. This brings about order and organization, and a stable mind.
Working at a slow pace
You need to slow yourself down to properly perform the Tai Chi movements. Your body relaxes and releases tension, stress and stiffness. You’ll “unwind” physically as well as mentally.
Becoming aware of your body, alignment and posture
Tai Chi teaches about body posture and sinking the body’s weight through the body, down to your feet. This is known as grounding, and it brings about a sense of balance, stability and strength. Lifting up when you stretch your spine moves your thoughts to the sky. This will bring you feelings of calmness and clarity.
Bringing about intention and focus
Tai Chi teaches movement with both intention and focus. Each movement is deliberate. This creates a mental and physical harmony that clears the mind, for better mental health.
Using proper breathing and realizing relaxation
The crucial relationship between breathing, mind and body helps Tai Chi to help you in relaxing, which is vital to mental health. Slower, deeper breathing calms stress and allows you to inhale positivity and exhale negativity.
What are the mental health benefits of Qigong?
Qigong calms your central nervous system, helping you not to live life in “fight or flight” response mode. The more you live in this mode, the more it wears on your mental health.
Qigong helps improve:
Depression
Mood
Stress level
Anxiety level
Attention
Cognitive function
Memory
Qigong’s benefits are great, and health-wise, of minimal risk. It gives you the chance to discover inner peace as you go through breathing, movement and on to focused intention. It heals not only mentally, but physically, as well.
The mind and body therapies of yoga, Tai Chi and Qigong vary a great deal in the way that they work and in their origins. However, each is sustainable and low in intensity, and promotes physical and mental relaxation, well-being and a fuller connection of mind to body. These various therapies effectively can address the spiritual, social and behavioral aspects of your life, which leads to greater mental health.
James Donaldson is a Washington State University graduate (’79). After an outstanding basketball career with WSU, he went on to play professional basketball in the NBA with the Seattle Supersonics, San Diego/L.A. Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, and Utah Jazz. He also played for several teams in the European Leagues in Spain, Italy, and Greece, and he toured with The Harlem Globetrotters to wrap up his career. James was an NBA All-Star in 1988 while playing center for the Dallas Mavericks. In 2006, James was inducted into the Pac-10 Sports Hall of Fame and also the Washington State University Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2010, James was elected as a board member for the NBA Retired Players Association.
James frequently conducts speaking engagements (motivational, inspirational, educational) for organizations, schools, and youth groups.
In 2010, James was the recipient of the NBA Legends of Basketball ABC Award, awarded for outstanding contributions in Athletics–Business–Community.
He believes in being a role model for success and professionalism to the scores of young people to whom he devotes so much of his time. He currently serves on several boards and committees and is a member of many organizations.
James believes in developing relationships that create a “Win-Win” environment for everyone involved, and in being the best he can be!
For more information about James Donaldson or to request he speak at your event, contact him at:
James Donaldson is the author of “Standing Above The Crowd” and “Celebrating Your Gift of Life” and founder of the Your Gift of Life Foundation which focuses on mental health awareness and suicide prevention, especially pertaining to our school aged children and men.
If you’re interested in having James come and speak to your group of young adults, business entrepreneurs, aspiring political and community leaders, and athletic teams, please contact him at [email protected] and or leave a personal message for him at 1-800-745-3161. Keep up with him and read about how he is reaching out and making a difference in the lives of so many around the world at www.yourgiftoflife.org
Related
READ LATER - DOWNLOAD THIS POST AS PDF >> CLICK HERE <<
