Many of us are trapped in the inner world of our own thoughts. We get entangled in the maze of ideas, impulses, reactions, memories, processes, dreams and yearnings that can take possession of our thought faculties and over which at times it seems we have no conscious control. We must respect the position of power and influence of our mind that governs and directs our feelings and actions but we must not allow its strident dictatorship.
Mental hygiene – the basic rule for health – keeping our thoughts clear of any unwholesome thoughts and ideas
Mental attitude – our positive mental attitude allows positive moods and happiness and is just as important as good physical posture that allows healthy physiological processes
Mental ‘diet’ or nourishment – the matter which we read, or listen to, must be of good quality material and provide a healthy variety of information that we can digest
As with any creations, to build a healthy mental state begins with a design, a pattern, an idea or an ideal.
What is it that we all share in our concept of a healthy mind?
Understanding that it is not as easy as having a picture of the perfect body in health and physical fitness, we may try to formulate what is our personal picture as to what constitutes an ideal state of mental health. We are dealing here rather with codes of behaviour, attitudes of mind, levels of intellectual function, the quality of expression, and discipline over bad habits of thought and feeling, as well as abstracts such as ethics, morals, philosophy and spirituality.
Happy thoughts make happy people…..
Happy people think nice thoughts
Loving thoughts make happy feelings
Physical fitness can be described relatively easily as a state of well being without pain or disease conditions and an ability to participate in physical activities.
Mental fitness is more subtle but equally is a state of mental comfort, without stress or psychological disturbance, and an ability to participate in intellectual exchange and activity.
Both aspects of health are expressed in an abundance of energy both in physical vitality and in mental interest and enthusiasm.
Concentration is our most potent mental tool and essential in developing mental fitness.
It is our main faculty we use when learning or reading and when we are in a receptive or listening mode. We use this faculty to help us focus upon important personal interests in everyday life. We also use it to deliberately programme our own mind and so develop grooves of comfortable opinions and attitudes.
Concentration is mind power. It is the element we require to accomplish anything.
In conjunction with our efforts to lead a practical life and fulfil personal aims and ambitions, we have the accompanying additional shadow that is there to remind us to look after and cultivate our minds so that our thoughts can project a constructive influence.
It is a magic occurrence to experience the difference that a positive tonic thought can have upon your emotions and mental state. There is no secret about the power of self persuasion. It is only the practical application that can present a difficulty in with-holding benefits. It is offered as a ‘technique’ in many mind-training programmes and cultures including the practices of the yogis.
As the system of Yoga is one of self culture, all the techniques are basically designed to help the individual help himself. The wonderful thing to realize is the scope for creating our own tonic thoughts. We have freedom to employ conscious concentrated thought to build up our mental strength without any censure or limitation imposed by others.
A basic elementary application is the inward affirmation applied in building up our own self image through focus upon each of the good qualities we wish to express in our personality and being. For instance we may aim to reduce a lack of self confidence by affirming all our own recognized strengths in which to feel proud. Another may deliberately work to strengthen in turn all the qualities that serve as their ideal.
The exercise is known as Japa. This is done through silent mental repetition in privacy and ideally in circumstances similar to meditation that requires peace and quiet.
Additionally we can draw upon the powerful wisdom inherent in the literature of our culture, and the wealth of knowledge we have inherited from others who have experienced similarly and have overcome and prospered.
Some examples of fine ideas are offered in the Page on Quotations on this site, but each must choose for themselves the simple, tonic thoughts that affirm what they seek in self culture and that result in a sense of true well being.
As we all strive towards enjoyment of physical health, free of ailments, we also wish to experience a comparable state of mental fitness.
Pride in ourselves comes more easily when we know that our body is in good shape, vital and functioning freely without impediment.
Similarly, our self confidence increases when the same principles are applied to our psychological health, when positive, creative thoughts and ideas govern our emotions.
Mental health is becoming recognized as an issue that threatens to dominate medical issues in the community in the future with serious personal ramifications even more distressing than physical disease.
Prevention is the wisest path to follow. This is a relatively simple matter if each of us chooses to become as focussed on the natural rules that must be followed to establish mental fitness as we do in our disciplines to create physical fitness.
The rewards are great!
Physical fitness is a common subject and can be described relatively easily as a state of well being without pain or disease and an ability to participate in physical activities.
Mental fitness is more subtle but equally is a state of mental comfort, without stress or psychological disturbance, and an ability to participate in intellectual exchange and activity.
Thousands of people suffer from stress, depression and mental disorders of various kinds. There are many attempts by individuals and groups in the community to answer their calls for help. But if we are personally seeking assistance we must have confidence that the doctors, psychologists, therapists and organizations offer treatment methods that have proven to be effective. We must explore the nature of their services and use discrimination in our selection of professional therapy.
Some organizations offer systems based upon technology that works with the brainwave patterns of consciousness with promises to ‘increase longevity, slow ageing and lower stress’ and we can understandably be a little sceptical. However new approaches may advance to have the answers and perhaps will be able to ‘…put you safely, quickly and easily into states of deep relaxation and stress release’ so that we will have immediate ‘increased feelings of well being.’
