Aligning yourself with nature means finding natural ways to improve your health. It sounds obvious, but most people go straight to pills without realizing there are other alternatives. You can improve your mental health naturally, and in this blog post I will dive into one of my favorite ways; using altered states.
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Most people have negative connotations with the term “altered states”. They think of being drunk or on drugs. While those are ways to reach an altered state, they are not the way nature intended. Living a holistic lifestyle is all about aligning with nature, and when there is a natural way to do something, it is usually the best way.
Of course, sometimes for medical reasons it is imperative to take a life-saving drug, but for general purposes, natural is the way to go. And in this blog post, I will talk about the five easiest ways you can use altered states to improve your mental and emotional health. And you can do this safely and naturally!
What Causes Anxiety and Depression?
They say that if you are depressed, you are living in the past, and if you are anxious, you are living in the future.
The key to a calm mind is to live in the present as much as possible. Since this is so hard to do for most people, that is why there is so much depression and anxiety out there in our modern society. The stress of life in general causes people to dwell on the past when things were better, or worry about the future where something bad is expected to happen.
How can we escape this pattern and live more in the moment?
One amazing way is through altered states; and getting into an altered state is easier than you probably think.
5 Easiest Ways To Get Into An Altered State
Steady Drumming. You can get yourself a drum and do it yourself, but I suggest finding videos on YouTube. This way, your hands are free, and you can meditate while doing this, or dance, however, your body wants to express itself. During this trance state, the brain goes into alpha mode. This is an excellent time to either give yourself affirmations or to focus your intention on something you want to manifest.
Slow, rhythmic breathing is another way to enter into an altered state. This is why this is so important to do when you are meditating. Slow breathing calms the vagus nerve, which regulates your heartbeat. I always feel an immediate sense of calm after breathing slowly. Here is a more in-depth article that explains how this works from a scientific viewpoint; Longer Exhalations Are An Easy Way To Hack Your Vagus Nerve
Dancing is excellent for the body, mind, and soul, so doing this often is one of the best things you can do for your health overall. This works best if the music holds a steady rhythm, but it is greatly beneficial no matter what music you listen to.
Music. This is probably a no-brainer, but there is a trick to it. It doesn’t take you to an altered state if you are just listening to it in the background. You need to immerse yourself in it and give it your full attention.
The three elements of music are rhythm, harmony, and melody. What is essential for meditative music is only rhythm and harmony: the beat, and the main body of sound. Melody usually refers to the vocals or a single instrument that stands out above the rest. What we are looking for here is something rhythmic and calming; ambient music, Shamanic drumming, etc.
But you can also use different genres, such as rock, if the particular song has the right elements. I avoid songs with lyrics as this distracts you from the movement of the song. You want to focus on the beat and the overall flow of the instruments. Classical works for some people, but for me, it tends to be too erratic.
I find songs work best if they flow; if they have a steady rhythm. A good test is if you can sway back and forth to it. Become one with it, and don’t be doing anything else. It doesn’t even have to be upbeat music; you can “dance” to slow music too, even music without a beat. Sway your arms as if you were directing the flow of air. Imagine the energy around you and imagine yourself interacting with it.
Meditation. This one takes practice but not much compares to meditation for improving your mental and emotional health. There are many ways you can meditate if you have trouble with the traditional way. Try doing guided meditations, brainwave entrainment (binaural beats), taking a bubble bath, getting a massage, going for a drive, sitting in nature, or aromatherapy.
If you can work any (or all) of these suggestions into your daily life, your mind will overall become calmer and you will begin to feel better mentally and emotionally.
If you are looking for a structured, guided way to implement mental health practices into your life, my Mental Health Workbook is for you! It is a printable planner/workbook/journal with 21 pages you can download instantly at home. Click the image below to check it out in my Etsy shop.
Effective Help With Anxiety and Depression
Have you tried everything to improve your mental health and nothing seems to work? Many people still struggle with anxiety and depression despite their best efforts. In this case, a special type of therapy can help for 90% of people who try it. It’s called EMDR therapy.
EMDR works by allowing the brain to process traumas and stress within minutes. It sounds too good to be true, but the statistics don’t lie. You can learn more about EMDR and try it for free from the comfort of your own home by clicking the image below.
Some other articles related to mental health:
The Foundations of Mental and Emotional Health
How To Improve Your Mental Health Using the Five Senses
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