Traditional Indian Holistic Wisdom to Heal Anxiety and Stress Disorders
by Vera Kaur
The human body is a latticework of energies, vibrating at different frequencies, encompassing the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual aspects. It has been perfectly created to function optimally, providing we observe the laws of nature.
Traditional Indian energy healers believe that the root cause of anxiety and stress disorders lie within the endocrine and exocrine glands.
The endocrine and exocrine glands have a profound effect on our entire being as they regulate the functions of our systems, organs, tissues and cells by secreting the numerous vital hormones essential for our physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
Our endocrine and exocrine glands act as buffers to absorb the negative impact of physical, mental, and emotional stress including toxic chemicals from our diet and environment. If our glands are exposed to excessive amounts of negative stress, energy imbalances result, and our glands become impaired, leading to dis-ease.
Re-connecting with the ancient Indian wisdom of nature’s self-healing practices, allows us to cleanse, calm and empower our energies, to release stress, fear and anxiety, restoring balance, harmony and well-being.
Self-healing practices include:
Acupressure
The ancient Indian holistic practice of diagnosing and treating the root cause of dis-ease, by applying intermittent pressure on areas of the hands and feet that correspond to specific organs, glands, nerves etc. This regulates the vital energy within the body part, empowering it to function optimally.
A simple acupressure practice to check the degree of stress within the body is to press the base of the middle toes. The degree of pain on this area, when pressed, directly relates to the severity of the imbalance.
To release temporary stress, intermittently press the base of the middle toes, using the thumb and the index finger, for one minute each, three times a day, until any pain has been alleviated.
To release accumulated deep-rooted stress, grasp the little toes with the thumbs and the index fingers. Rotate the little toes to the left and right, pull and bend them backwards, allowing the tips to face upwards and hold in this position for fifteen seconds. Release and repeat with the remaining toes. Next bend the ten toes backwards, all at once, using the palms of the hands and hold for one minute. Apply the same technique to the fingers. Practice two times a day for fourteen days.
To relieve anxiety, clasp the hands and interlock the fingers as tightly as possible. Press the fingers deeply into the back of the opposite hand and hold for ten seconds. Release and repeat five times. Practice three times a day. The nerve acupressure points begin in the webs between the fingers and the nervous system acupressure points are located on the back of the hands. The regular practice of this simple technique calms the nerves and strengthens the entire nervous system.
To relieve emotional anxiety, gently massage the centre of the chest, using small circular clockwise motions, for five minutes, two times a day.
To relieve mental stress, place the fingers on the forehead and thumbs on the temples, for five minutes. Breathe slowly and deeply.
To empower the nervous system and strengthen the body’s stress response, firmly massage the back of the hands and the top of the feet, for two minutes, two times a day. These areas correspond to the nervous system.
Barefoot Walking
The ancient Indian holistic practice of walking on the natural earth barefoot. Within the earth there lies a powerful and unique energy source which we can draw upon. The earth is composed of minerals and our body is mineral in essence, therefore our body’s energy resonates perfectly with that of the earth. The earth’s energy is greater and this allows it to be absorbed naturally through the soles of our feet.
To re-balance the body’s energies and dis-charge the accumulation of harmful free radicals and electro-magnetic pollution to relieve stress and anxiety, practice walking barefoot on bare earth, grass or sand for fifteen minutes in the evening.
Yoga Asanas
The ancient Indian holistic practice of physical postures known as asanas, each of which has specific physical, mental, emotional and spiritual benefits, to unite the body, mind and soul. It is believed that as our physical body becomes more relaxed, flexible and open, this promotes a similar effect on our mental and emotional body.
Practice at sunrise and sunset.
Yoga asanas to strengthen the body’s stress response:
Virabhadrasana II (Warrior 2 Pose)
The Virabhadrasana II invigorates the physical body, instilling a sense of inner confidence and empowerment to dispel stress, fear and anxiety.
Stand with your legs wide apart and your arms stretched out to the sides, with your palms facing the floor.
Turn your left foot out to a 90-degree angle and your right foot in at a 15-degree angle.
Bend your left knee, allowing your left thigh to be parallel to the floor.
Ensure your left knee is directly above your left ankle.
Distribute your weight evenly on both feet and turn your head to the left.
Bring your awareness to your breathing.
Allow any stressful emotions to be released with each exhalation.
Relax in the posture for five minutes.
Release and repeat on the other side.
Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward Bow Pose)
The Urdhva Dhanurasana activates the endocrine and exocrine glands, with its deep spinal stretch, instilling balance and harmony to the body and mind.
Lie on your back with your knees bent and your heels at your buttocks.
Place your hands on the floor at the sides of your head, with your fingers pointing towards your feet.
Keep your feet and hands pushed firmly against the floor and lift your body to form an arch shape.
Straighten your arms and feel the deep stretch on the front of your body.
Bring your awareness to your breathing.
Allow any painful emotions to be released with each exhalation.
Relax in the posture for up to five minutes.
Viparita Karani Asana (Upside Down Seal Pose)
The Viparita Karani Asana gently calms the nervous system to alleviate stress and anxiety and encourage positive thoughts and emotions.
Lie on your back with your right hip close to the wall.
Raise both legs vertically against the wall.
Loosen your shoulders and place your hands overhead.
Bring your awareness to your breathing.
Allow any fearful emotions to be released with each exhalation.
Relax in the posture for up to twenty minutes.
Pranayama
The ancient Indian holistic practice of controlling the breath by a number of different techniques to increase the vital energy in the body. The regular practice of breath exercises can influence our physical, mental, and emotional state in the most positive of ways to initiate the body’s innate healing capacity.
The Expansive Breath Exercise assists in opening the heart chakra to release deep-seated fears and encourage emotional balance.
Sit comfortably with your eyes closed.
Place your hands on your chest, one on top of the other.
Bring your awareness to your heart chakra and your emotions.
Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose whilst stretching your arms out to the sides, parallel to the floor.
Retain your breath for as long as you are comfortable.
During the retention of your breath, visualize your heart opening, releasing any emotional pain or trauma.
Exhale slowly and deeply, bringing your arms back to your chest.
Repeat eleven times.
Mudras
The ancient Indian holistic practice of joining different combinations of the fingers and thumbs, which balances the vital energy throughout the body and mind, to regain equilibrium and alleviate stress, fear and anxiety. It is believed that the human structure is a miniature form of the universe, composed of the five elements, each of which corresponds to a specific finger or thumb.
Mudras can be practiced whilst sitting, walking or lying down.
Mudras to alleviate stress and anxiety:
Om Mudra
The Om Mudra assists in calming the mind, body and emotions to instil a sense of tranquillity.
Place the tip of your thumb and the tip of your index finger together.
Relax and extend your middle, ring and little finger.
Practice two times a day for twenty minutes in total.
Shakti Mudra
The Shakti Mudra assists in releasing accumulated stress by deeply calming the nervous system.
Place your thumbs in your palms.
Bend your index fingers and place them over your thumbs.
Bend your middle fingers and place them over your thumbs.
Place the tips of your ring fingers together.
Place the tips of your little fingers together.
Relax and breathe slowly and deeply.
Practice three times a day for thirty minutes in total.
Prithvi Mudra
The Prithvi Mudra assists in strengthening the root chakra to instil stability and promote peace of mind.
Place the tip of your thumb and the tip of your ring finger together.
Relax and extend your index, middle, and little finger.
Practice two times a day for twenty minutes in total.
Chromotherapy Healing Visualizations
The ancient Indian holistic practice of using colour to create positive images of healing within the mental body, which allows the emotional body to respond, by becoming receptive to healing, which subsequently initiates the healing process in the physical body.
Each colour has its individual vibration and carries its own healing properties. Our body and mind are intricately connected, which allows our thoughts to have a direct influence on our physical body.
Visualizations can be memorized, recorded or recited by a partner.
The Empowerment Healing Visualization relieves stress, anxiety, fear and panic.
Practice two times a day.
Sit outdoors in nature, with your feet in direct contact with the bare earth, grass or sand.
Close your eyes and visualize the colour green.
See the colour green as a dense vortex of deep green healing energy.
Sense the dense vortex of deep green healing energy spiralling in the earth, beneath your feet.
Feel its magnetic force gently drawing your energies downwards, through the soles of your feet.
Visualize yourself being rooted into the earth below.
Allow your entire being to feel at one with nature.
Bring your awareness to your body.
Your body feels safe and grounded by the deep green healing energy.
Bring your awareness to your mind.
Your mind feels still and centred by the deep green healing energy.
Bring your awareness to your emotions.
Your emotions feel balanced and peaceful by the deep green healing energy.
Bring your awareness to your breath.
Visualize the dense vortex of deep green healing energy attracting your inhalations, pulling them deeper within your body.
As your breathing becomes deeper, your body becomes relaxed, your mind becomes calm, and your emotions become balanced.
You feel grounded, centred and in control.
Observe this feeling of empowerment within your body, mind and emotions.
Create a positive image of this feeling of empowerment within your body, your mind and your emotions.
Draw upon it during times of stress, anxiety, fear and panic.
Open your eyes gently and repeat aloud,
‘I trust in the power of my breath to instil strength, stability and harmony throughout my entire being’.
As we strive to meet the demands of our busy lifestyles, we can easily become detached from nature, leading us to search for inner balance and harmony through our external world. However, by re-connecting with ancient Indian wisdom, we can care for ourselves from within, holistically, to heal our dis-eases, by empowering our energies and releasing our imbalances to instil physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
About the author:
Vera Kaur is from Sikh Indian origin and currently lives in the Forest of Dean, England. Holistic healthcare was part of her upbringing and in her twenties she visited and lived in ashrams in India, where she observed the remarkable results of the self-healing practices used by the traditional energy healers.
Vera would like us all to be empowered with this ancient Indian wisdom, to take responsibility for our own health and well-being.
Through her dreams and meditations she was guided to write her book,
‘Diagnose, Treat, and Cure All Dis-ease with Traditional Indian Holistic Therapies’.
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