OVERCOMING STRESS AND BURN OUT AS THE WORLD ATTEMPTS TO GO BACK TO “NORMAL”

Experiencing the physical manifestations of stress such as body pains and headaches have become part of our normal lives over the last year. Young professionals and homemakers alike often have to grapple with their responsibilities despite their bodies constantly sending urgent messages to pause, take a breath, and rest. Being in a whiplash of things changing every second does not help either; with the news of new covid variants and inconsistent talks surrounding business arrangements popping up everywhere—anyone would nurse a headache every other night.

Life before the pandemic was already stressful in itself, what more now when things are moving and shifting at twice the speed?

We cannot control how the world runs, but what we can control, we must edify.

Our mind, body, and soul are within that scope of control, and they deserve our attention. Person aligned with themselves and with nature can navigate the tough changes the world is going through better because their connection to their environment and the universe makes them stronger.

One of the ways we can strengthen our relationship with ourselves is by practicing Ancient Wisdom. Ancient Wisdom is about training your mind to be integrated with nature; to make yourself able to adapt to your evolving surroundings. It is learning to be stable and sharp in the eye of a hurricane; to be connected to your highest, authentic self even in the toughest times.

To quote Buddha, “The mind, hard to control, flighty, alighting where it wishes, one does well to tame. The well-trained mind brings happiness.”

The way to navigate a twisted maze is to straighten your mind. Science calls this Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which is actually Buddhist Mindfulness—a practice that has been existing for a millennia.

The past year has been difficult and will probably continue to be difficult for who knows until when. As a coping mechanism, we tend to turn to escapism to distract ourselves either by scrolling through social media for hours on end or by becoming destructive through alcohol or other vices. None of these are healthy, but all of these are easy to fall into. The difficult way is the right way—one that requires self-awareness, becoming whole again, by using all our senses, also the non-physical ones, which are perception and awareness.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy practices “Exposure Therapy” to cure patients of phobias.

It places you in a situation where you become mindful and aware of your fears, and you confront them instead of shrinking from them until it is only a shadow of a branch—no longer a monster. Being aware and mindful of your emotions are teachings embedded in Ancient Wisdom, and Science agrees. The only way to conquer destructive emotions is to work through them; and the only way to overcome challenging situations is to acknowledge them.

According to The Craving Mind, “(Mindfulness is) “The awareness that arises from paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally.”

We must not judge ourselves too harshly if it’s difficult for us to go back to normal. The beauty of Ancient Wisdom is it acknowledges individual hardships and gives you the tools specific to your needs as a spiritual, physical, emotional being. All you need to do is pay attention, or in other words, to enhance your self-awareness.

Athena Wisdom Institute offers courses on Ancient Wisdom, Rituals, and Meditations that can help you with your journey to recovery. We also holding well-being retreats that combine eastern and western well-being practices which help clear your mind and relax your body.

Published on www.athenawisdominstitute.com