What Is The Mind?
Some people think that the mind is the brain or some other part or function of the body, but this is
incorrect. The brain is a physical object that can be seen with the eyes and that can be photographed or operated on in surgery.
The mind, on the other hand, is not a physical object. It cannot be seen with the eyes, nor can it be photographed or repaired by surgery. The brain, therefore, is not the mind but simply part of the body.
Becoming a master of your mind takes practice and is essential for you if you want to gain success in any area of your life. The following habits will help you with this practice:
1) Make time for stillness: Daily stillness and meditation is perhaps the single most powerful tool out there for gaining mastery over your mind. The mental health benefits include from addiction recovery to reduced anxiety and depression to enhanced creativity and improved cognitive function. Meditation has been proven to increase neuroplasticity, making it possible to literally rewire the brain.
2) Seek meaning over pleasure. Studies have shown that people who were happy because they had a sense of purpose in life had lower inflammatory gene expression and higher antiviral and antibody gene expression than people who sought pleasure-seeking happiness.
3) Read books. Taking time to nourish the mind by reading and learning new things is like food for the mind. Simply reading a book can lower stress levels, help you sleep better, keep your brain sharp, and also stave off Alzheimer's.
4) Let things go. Getting all worked up and worrying about little things is one of the most toxic things you can do to your mind. Not only can it take over your thoughts, but dwelling on what's beyond your control has been shown to be a contributing factor in the development of depression and other physical ailments.
For more steps to master your mind register for our new Balancing The Mind, Body & Soul online course. Registration now open. Click here to sign up today!
