Mental Fitness

“Growing up” is a common term referring to the process towards maturity. It relation to human beings it implies ‘upwardness’ – not only uprightness of body but also of mind and character.   It is regarded as a process that occurs gradually over a number of years, by which time our individuality is determined and we have gained a degree of self confidence born of self knowledge and self determination.

We have not as yet completed our ever and on-going growth upwards, towards becoming an example of the true and excellent type of human being that we most admire.

Sally Janssen’s wonderful book “Mental Fitness: The Complete Self-Help Guide”, offers timely solutions. Read more…

Technorati Tags: heroes, ideal character, maturity, Meditation, Mental Fitness, personality

When it comes to our self image we are pretty much dependent upon our own sense of self value and self respect. Others can help us in building up a personality but can equally destroy the image we would like to hold as a genuine reflection of our true nature. It is with faithful friends that we feel secure, aware that they have some understanding of this picture of ourselves that we cherish. Those who do not perceive the goodness or reality of our inner nature tend to make us defensive and uncertain.
What we have each to do is to hold a plan of our ideal – the personality we wish to use to express ourselves – and programme ourselves to relate to this, regardless of circumstances or outer relationships. The old wisdom “Be true to yourself”… applies here.
We have to make this important plan, just as we would have to do if we were acting out a role in a theatre drama.  It will involve spending a quiet time gathering your thoughts to focus upon the most important components you wish to build into your self image.
The people we look up to can assist us in forming a foundation. Heroes and heroines serve us in two ways by offering us a chance to admire them from afar, or to stimulate us to emulate certain similar talents and qualities.  But care is needed in patterning yourself in this way without first deciding for yourself what are your own unique qualities. These may be very different from the ones you may feel that you admire in your heroes, but who is to say that they are not even more admirable?
It is the Vedic literature that reminds us that within us we have the seeds of every human trait or quality, with none of us favoured over another. It is only a case of each of us making choices as to the seed energies and powers, talents and qualities that we choose to cultivate. It is this that makes the differences between us in our external personalities. Regardless of hereditary factors, environment, education and many other influences that obviously are also involved, we have the reminder here that we have free will. It is this that is used by us to help determine our future.
A good astrologer can guide you to feel more confident of the positive planetary and zodiacal influences that became inherent in you at the time of your birth and capable of reflecting particular virtues and talents.  It can also be clearly defined where your inherent weaknesses are likely to manifest.
But this, although a wonderful starting point is only a beginning. You must be willing yourself to build your image, develop the talents you feel are dominant in your nature, follow the work that you know you will love to do, and with all the positive encouragements as well as criticism, remain true to creating a personality you would most admire – yourself.

Sally Janssen’s wonderful book “Mental Fitness: The Complete Self-Help Guide”, offers timely solutions. Read more…

Technorati Tags: anger, anxiety, character, confidence, good qualities, Meditation, Mental Fitness, personality, self image, Stress, talents, The Brain

We cannot experience something for nothing, even though we may feel we deserve it. We are required to work and work of any kind is always rewarded. Our attitude to work has a great influence upon outcome. The poet Kahil Gibran reminds us that “Work is love made visible….” and we would all rather work creatively at something we love to do.

It is then our hard work will become evident to others who will be inclined to react to us in ways that improve our relationships and encourage us to continue our work in building personal mental fitness.

Sally Janssen’s wonderful book “Mental Fitness: The Complete Self-Help Guide”, offers timely solutions. Read more…

© Copyright Sally Janssen 2000

Technorati Tags: disciplione, Meditation, Mental Fitness, mental health, programme the mind, work

It is a sad testament to our culture that instead of the word ‘happiness’ we hear all too often its opposite – that is ‘depression.’ Although it was once used as a common term to describe a negative mood of passing fear, frustration or concern it now is used with more serious medical implications. 

Sally Janssen’s wonderful book “Mental Fitness: The Complete Self-Help Guide”, offers timely solutions. Read more…

Technorati Tags: anxiety, Depression, fears, Mental Fitness, personality, Stress, unhappiness

When dark clouds of depression seem to come from nowhere and change the climate of your normal moods and mind states it is a serious interruption to your good health and a symptom of mental illness that causes great disability that is crippling to both mind and body.

Depression is at an all time high in the communities in western nations where lifestyle is advertised generally as being the best. However, the facts do not support this when as high as one in five in the community is unhappy or under treatment for mental illness.  Instead of joy in living, people in our society are not happy with their lot or they are suffering from chemical pollution of one kind or another having a detrimental affect upon their body chemistry.

Serious clinical depression requiring medication is a serious problem. The psychological causes may be serious also, but just as important is the chemical imbalance or pollution issue. If you are in the habit of introducing powerful and unnatural substances into your body through ingestion, injection or inhalation such as illegal drugs, chemical fumes, or smoking this has been your choice and you can overcome it.  You also will know that these chemicals are often the cause of your chronic or serious depression in the times in between. It becomes a vicious circle.

We have to have courage to make any changes in our lifestyle, feelings or thoughts. If we do not choose to attempt self help natural methods we will become dependent upon external factors that offer a temporary lift but a long term enslavement that can only get worse. We are bound to try to help spark a change of mood and find a way to lift our spirits.
 
There are many avenues people use to overcome temporary grey moods such as melodic, cheerful music, song, dance or exercise, deep breathing, and creative hobbies. Then we can use positive self-talk techniques and affirmations to assert our inner strength and help us tune in to the happier mood we desire. We have to explore for ourselves a natural way of helping ourselves. Only the strongest of us will turn around to face our psychological fears and problems and in doing so will gain great benefit.

If you are having prescribed medication for clinical depression you must make changes in conjunction with your doctor. Otherwise, along with passing and occasional dark moods you may be trying to cope with, you must consider eliminating the proven factors that are instrumental in causing health problems, brain damage and mental depression. Amongst these are ‘recreational’ and illegal drugs, oral contraceptives, alcohol, toxic chemicals and traffic fumes.

But as important are the changes you make to reduce your intake of ugliness, violent movies, rock concert and amplified sound. Catch up with all the scientific evidence that is available and you will feel motivated to make the changes toward alternative experiences that offer natural happiness and well being.

Sally Janssen’s wonderful book “Mental Fitness: The complete Self-Help Guide”, offers simple and timely solutions. Read more…

Technorati Tags: anger, Depression, Meditation, mental illness, Stress, Symptoms, unhappiness

In our goal to understand and control our minds there are certain principles that are evident in the yogic system known as Raja Yoga, or Royal Yoga.

The control of the mind is very difficult, both in the external expression of its talents and skills as well as in the restful states when thoughts are stilled. We must be patient and we must not be ambitious. Some people think that mental development is the aquisition of more and more knowledge, thought power, and personal intellectual status. But this could be seen as an ever receding goal as all knowledge can never be the lot of one human mind.

Rather the yogic philosophy, in addition to the ideas and ideals that we hold as worthwhile, instructs us to clear our minds of debris and accumulated information to make way for an inflow of new ideas in a natural flow. This becomes more and more refined as our minds are purified and become, like the diamond, capable of reflecting light and colour rather than possessing the qualities of nature’s truth and seven fold diversity.

Sally Janssen’s wonderful book “Mental Fitness: The Complete Self-Help Guide”, offers timely solutions. Read more…

Technorati Tags: Meditation, Mental Fitness, purity of mind, Raja Yoga, transmission of light, truth

In beginning to train our minds we accept some basic needs –to increase our ability at visualisation – to be able to slow down our mental activity – to achieve concentration – and to harness our imagination.

To some extent we must achieve some control of these faculties before employing them to our full advantage in creative thinking. Some of us are better at one or the other and some have a near genius ability where we seem weak. In working to balance them we embark upon an interesting journey in self awareness.

Some systems of modern mind training offer us some special skills and many find that they benefit from a forthright modern approach. However, the yogic system recognizes the subtleties of human consciousness with fewer skills in the outward expressions of thought than upon the inner awareness of the extra senses and extra qualities of the mind that require stillness and a passive state for their appreciation. So stillness is considered an ‘advanced’ exercise in mind control and meditation and spiritual contemplation of the realities of life are the reward.

In simplicity and silence we hear the inner voice of our soul or spirit. So in addition to the basic training of the mental faculties that are more obvious, we give time to listen to our inner voice or intuition that serves as our guardian teacher or angel. This delicate whisper is drowned out by loud sounds, hurry and lack of a state of personal harmony. We have to create the appropriate quietude necessary to experience this higher faculty of our intelligence.

Recognize the different states of consciousness.
Practise remembering your dreams that put you in touch with your subconscious mind.
Develop strong thought power through concentration exercises.
Develop flexibility of thought and expansion of ideas through imagination.
Keep a balance between them.
Practise meditation that puts you in touch with your super-conscious mind.
Become capable of rejecting worthless or ugly thoughts.
Train your memory.
Fill your mind with beautiful, positive, harmonious thoughts so that when idle, you will easily tune in to thoughts that provide a ‘safe house’ for you in the midst of outer confusion and noise.
Allow classical music that is melodic, quiet and uplifting to exert its magic as you surrender to it in relaxation.
Allow the quality known as Ahimsa or non violence, to pervade your mind training – never use force, but rather cajole your old mental habits towards transformation.

Always be sincere, and seek the truth in this as in every undertaking.

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Sally Janssen’s wonderful book “Mental Fitness: The complete Self-Help Guide”, offers simple and timely solutions. Read more…

Technorati Tags: imagination, Meditation, mind exercises, moods, relaxation, thought, well being, Yoga

Smiling can be for some of us a real discipline. We may have to remind ourselves many times during the day to wear a pleasant expression instead of showing anxiety or concern on our face. You may like to try the simple smiling exercise that can be a bit of fun also.

Start your day with a smile. Even if you only smile at yourself in the mirror it will set the tone for a cheerful day ahead. Better still if you can greet others in the home with a sunny “good morning!”

The smiling exercise will take your awareness throughout an entire day, even though you are not expected to maintain a smile throughout!  But when you have a choice, smile with your eyes and your lips when you are relating to others. Observe their reactions. They will respond in surprising ways.

This is most evident when you walk down the street and try to make eye contact with those approaching you so that they see you deliberately smile at them as you pass by.
Some will be jolted into looking back to see if they should have recognized you. Others immediately respond without thinking about it and give a ready smile in return.

But some are perplexed as to why you would want to smile at them and this is a sad reflection on a general lack of cheer.

Mothers with infants tend to show some concern in not letting strangers show an interest and demonstrate a degree of mistrust.

Sometimes a woman avoids eye contact with a man and some men are embarrassed to have a woman smile at them. Others react to any spark of interest shown in them.

Try it out. You will find it a rewarding experience and possibly help others to remember to smile more often to lighten the day.
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Sally Janssen’s wonderful book “Mental Fitness: The complete Self-Help Guide”, offers simple and timely solutions. Read more…

Technorati Tags: cheerful personality, Meditation, Mental Fitness, psychology, relaxation, smiling, Stress

If we choose to nourish our minds with positive or constructive thoughts, we will always find an interest in the wise sayings and quotes of others. Because we are all so different in character and at are at present in circumstances that reflect different stages of our development, we will find a natural and individual response to the words of one or another.  Discover which appeal to you, for instance, in the following…..

Our life is simply what our thoughts make it. Marcus Aurelius
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Love is the light and sunshine of life.  We cannot fully enjoy ourselves, or anything else, unless some one we love enjoys it with us. Avebury
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A man’s worth should only be reckoned by what he is in himself, not by what he has. Beecher
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Happy is the man that findeth wisdom and the man that getteth understanding ; for the merchandise of these is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof, than fine gold.
Holy Bible
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Lovely indeed the mimic works of art – but Nature’s works, far lovelier. Cowper
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Music is the universal language of mankind. Longfellow
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If the stars should appear one night in a thousand years, how men would believe and adore; and preserve for many generations the resemblance of the city of God which had been shown. Emerson
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Virtue is the beauty of the soul. Socrates
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Anger always begins with folly and ends with repentance. Pythagoras
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All cruelty springs from weakness. Seneca
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The first sound in the song of love scarce more than silence is, and yet a sound. Hands of invisible spirits touch the strings of that mysterious instrument, the soul, and play the prelude of our fate.  Longfellow
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 Sally Janssen’s wonderful book “Mental Fitness: A Simple Self-Help Guide”, offers simple and timely solutions. Read more…

Technorati Tags: healing, Meditation, moods, psychological well being, relaxation, thoughts

The causes of personal stress are simple enough if we face the factors in our lives that cause us discontent, anxiety or any unhappiness that we are experiencing. It may be questionable whether or not we can change the external factors altogether, but we can try to make changes. We can certainly direct and control our personal reactions so as to maintain our mental fitness and self confidence.
In the meantime, as we are working towards alternative situations, how do we free ourselves from negative reactions and symptoms of stress that cause us so much concern and often embarrassment. How do we alter our defensive reactions to life and to people? How do we cease to care what others think about us? What will change our anger when we feel offended or our impatience when we’re in a hurry?  Perhaps our attitude is an important factor.
We must examine our own reactions and stress symptoms. All of them tend to be based upon fear of some kind. All fears can be reduced, once we are prepared to face them and deal with them. We need a clear picture of our ideal self image to refer to our search for replacements for those in our personality.  Stress levels are frequently found to relate to the degree of concern we have about ourselves. Self centredness is definitely an added burden.
Fear is insidious.  We have to be prepared to attend to our ‘homework’ by keeping eliminating them throughout our lifetime. Fears are to be compared with weeds. They have a habit of popping up where not wanted and threaten our well being.
It is self confidence that plays a part in determining our ability to make many changes. Self confidence will allow decisions to be made more easily, without fear of taking a path that cannot be changed later if we wish.
Those whose minds are free of stress and nervous tension are better companions and more fun to be with than those showing strain.  Their minds produce more interesting thoughts and their emotions are inclined to be lighter. They usually also have more friends.

Stress has the power to ruin your life, so why not become free!

Technorati Tags: anger, anxiety, Depression, Meditation, Mental Fitness, personality, Stress, Symptoms, The Brain