You know it as well as I do: In this crazy, mile-a-minute world, feeling truly at peace is an ongoing battle. It’s so hard to find a good mind balance as we try to idea with the endless onslaught of demands that leave us frazzled, anxious, fragile and just. . . well. . . scattered.
However, maintaining inner calm and equilibrium is absolutely essential for overall mental health and well-being.
But how, exactly, do we cultivate more of that tranquil mind-space in the midst of all the chaos?
That’s a VERY good question — and one without a single answer.
In this post I’d like to touch on three ways in which you can help to regain mind balance, protect your mental health and centre yourself so that you can live a happier and healthier life.
1. Meditation and Mindfulness for Better Mind Balance
One powerful approach to balancing your mind and improving your mental health is, of course, meditation and/or mindfulness.
By taking a few minutes each day to sit down and practice, you create pockets of stillness or insight that allow your racing mind to finally settle and, if you practice mindfulness correctly, become much wiser.
By including meditation and mindfulness regularly into your daily routine, you can quickly and significantly reduce feelings of anxiety, increase self-awareness, and achieve a sense of centeredness you’ve probably never felt before.
2. Therapy for Better Mind Balance
For many people, having regular consultations one-on-one with a counselor or therapist is invaluable for restoring mental health.
It’s an especially important step to take if you have serious emotional issues or a mental disorder.
I’d actually say it’s CRUCIAL.
There’s no checklist or tick box exercise that you can do to know whether or not your issues are serious enough to warrant therapy.
Trust your instincts; that’s what they’re there for.
If you feel — if you know deep down — that you aren’t coping and you need professional clinical interventions (even if you don’t know what they are), seek therapy right away.
Is meditation and mindfulness powerful?
Yes. Very.
Is it the magic wand for every emotional problem?
No. Definitely not.
It’s important to know that meditation is certainly NOT the right path for everyone (at least, not initially), especially when there are underlying mental issues that need to be addressed.
Taking a journey deep inside your own mind or being left with only your own mind for entertainment is exactly what you DON’T need if you are emotionally unstable.
It can make things much worse.
If your struggles are overwhelming, it’s time to seek professional medical help. . .
Professional therapy with a qualified practitioner provides an environment in which you can process emotions in a carefully structured and scaffolded way, set realistic goals and work systematically through dysfunctional patterns that are unbalancing your mind.
Therapy is a step that some people take too quickly — or not quickly enough.
As I just said, knowing precisely when you need to take that step is tricky.
If your emotional struggles are at a level where you can still function properly but are just confused, unhappy or discontented with things the way they are, I’d recommend meditation or mindfulness as a first pit-stop.
You might also want to accompany that with Spiritual Coaching.
3. Spiritual Coaching for Better Mind Balance
Unlike professional therapy there’s no official certification for spiritual counseling.
As it’s IMPOSSIBLE to tell for sure how ‘spiritually advanced’ an individual really is, it can be tricky to find a coach.
Unlike a fitness trainer who can quite clearly demonstrate their level of attainment by showing off their body, a spiritual coach can’t pull out their mind and show it to you!
Frankly, it’s a gamble.
But if you find the right spiritual coach, it can be a life changing experience.
If you are interested in Spiritual Coaching, then contact us.
Rick offers Spiritual Coaching via online video conferencing (or in person, if in Bangkok).
The Ultimate Lifeline
Ultimately, cultivating a healthy mind balance is an ongoing exploration means exploring deeply what energizes you vs. what depletes you.
It’s about altering your perception of what is happening in your life and gaining some proper perspective.
Because when we talk about balance, what we’re really talking about is PERSPECTIVE.
I’d always say that the best way of establishing that perspective and cultivating a healthy mind is by studying and practicing the Theravada Buddhist Dharma — but it’s not something you can just pick up in a time of crisis.
So, if you’re reading this and are actually quite happy with the way things are you should feel very fortunate indeed.
You should also seriously consider looking into what the Buddha taught.
It may well turn out to be the most important lifeline of all when the seas of life turn stormy.
Which they inevitably will.
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