All Things Stress Management: Experts Talk Meditation, Art Therapy (Zentangle) and Ayurvedic Medicine
“Stress, Stress, Stress…. This word comes up over and over again” Feeling stressed lately? We bring three women dreamers, Jaya Daptardar, Sunali Shah, and Dhanashree Ramachandran to share their expertise on stress management. From the modern approach of art therapy to practicing meditation, and the traditional ayurvedic approach, find out which practice works best for you. How do you manage your stress?
Sunali Shah, Dhanashree Ramachandran, and Jaya Daptardar (L-R)
The Meditation Approach with Dhanashree Ramachandran
COVID has heightened the already existing realm of mental health issues and has added new levels of complexities to it. Considering the stress of uncertainties, new ways of living and social distancing, it is safe to say that the virus has impacted the minds of us humans just as much as it has impacted our bodies. So, is there something as easy as putting on a mask to save the mind from the constant stress during the pandemic? Yes, it is meditation. Integrating meditation with the lifestyle is the safest and the most sustainable way to eliminate stress and maintain mental health. Here are three tips to make meditation work at its highest potential.
Use breath to prepare the mind for meditation: Meditation effortlessly happens when your body is relaxed, and your mind is free. Breathing with awareness helps to increase the ‘prana’- life force energy in the body and encourages the mind to settle in the present moment instead of getting caught up in thoughts. Breathing with awareness and if possible, as a yogic discipline (pranayams) helps to strengthen the respiratory system and builds an efficient defense against COVID. Breathing in and out through the nose (vs. through the mouth) and adding a certain count to the breath, such as breathing in for four counts and breathing out four counts can instantly bring a sense of calm to the nervous system and eliminate stress. Follow the breath in and out of the body for optimum effect.
Know that there is no wrong meditation: Many, including experienced meditators have reported difficulties in meditation during the pandemic. Know that there is no wrong meditation. Meditation is a practice, and the quality of meditation may vary everyday as it depends on a lot of things. Everything we consume including food, information, thoughts, music, visuals etc. impacts the mind and that can affect the quality of meditation. Somedays meditation would just mean deconditioning the mind with awareness and on others you will experience a deeper state of equanimity. Know that there is no wrong meditation. The effect of meditation is accumulative. Keep up with the practice especially during phases when you feel the lack of willingness and experience of depth. Approaching your meditation practice with utmost confidence allows the mind to let go of stresses effortlessly.
Make meditation a lifestyle vs. a practice for a few minutes: Most of us understand meditation as a practice for a few minutes a day. Imagine having the clarity of mind that you get after meditation for the whole day, in everything you do. It is very much possible if we approach it that way. In my experience, making meditation a lifestyle definitely takes away the stress of re-defining life through the stresses of COVID. It also brings stability and creates a space to connect with yourself and the world around you in the most profound way. Just the intention will take you halfway towards the destination.
Art Meditation, The Zentangle Approachwith Sunali Shah
Zentangle is a meditative art form, which is relaxing, easy to learn, and a fun way to create beautiful art. By using structured patterns, called tangles, step by step, you can create abstract images that are very pleasing to the eye.
Anyone can tangle. You do not have to be an artist and most importantly, you can be as old or as young as you are! Whether you are a novice or a trained artist, you will be drawn to this easy art form, and you will be sure to appreciate the effectiveness of its sophisticated process. In today’s world of stress, anxiety and all kinds of problems that one deals with every day,
Zentangle has benefitted many. The Zentangle method works because it is simple, fun and it helps you get out of your own way.
It is self-soothing and healing. Repetitive creative work can be calming and self-soothing. The process of drawing tangles on a 3.5 inch square paper, called a tile, has measurable relaxation benefits, reducing mental pressure. Accept the process with no expected outcome other than enjoyment of putting the pen to paper and staying open to whatever emerges. In this way…”Anything is possible… one stroke at a time”
It teaches how to own mistakes: Using a pen on paper requires that you risk making mistakes. Well, there are “no mistakes” in Zentangle as it is designed as a “forgiving” art form. One learns to embrace the so-called mistakes that you have made on paper. Thus, in life too, you learn to use your mistakes as seeds of discovery and encouragement to open yourself to new and unexpected opportunities thus having the power to increase feelings of happiness and tranquility in you.
It enhances patience: Zentangle enthusiasts highlight the process as a form of mindfulness. A lot of the Zentangle method depends on free-flow and intuition. When you plan a Zentangle tile, it’s often less enjoyable. Zentangle teaches us not to rush and be patient and simply enjoy the creative process. Thus, in real life, we learn to listen to others more patiently, bringing about a more positive and confident approach within us. We learn to take good care of ourselves in the moment- after all, the present is all there is.
The Ayurvedic Approach with Jaya Daptardar
Stress, Stress, Stress…. This is the word coming up over and over again during the Covid 19 pandemic. Ayurveda has a non-pharmacological natural approach to manage stress.
Why Ayurveda for managing stress: Ayurveda is a science of life based on the balance and imbalances of three energies, Vata (Air), Pitta (Fire), and Kapha (Earth). The body is made of these three energies. According to Ayurveda, perfect health is the harmonious balance of body, mind, and soul. The definition of stress can be different from person to person. Stress happens to you and you don’t know until it affects your mind. It is a physiological reaction inside you in response to the outside physical, emotional or environmental stimulus.
Ayurveda has a unique concept: it looks at the energetic properties of the body. In Ayurveda, the nervous system is regulated by Vata energy. Vata/ air regulates all the movements inside the body. Some people have naturally excess Vata in the body and some have less. Stress is a disturbance or imbalance of the nervous system. People with excess Vata go through intense stress response when the amount of Vata or movement, in the body increases. This kinetic energy can be good in the short term, but it wreaks havoc on the body and mind over time, that’s called stress in Ayurvedic theory. When suffering from stress, many systems in our bodies can be negatively affected. Such as digestive system, metabolism, nervous system, immune system, cardiovascular system, reproductive system (due to hormonal and emotional disturbances), musculoskeletal system. Excess stress can impact our mental and emotional state. If it is not treated well, it tends to wear us down on a systemic level. So, the bottom line is to make sure to take some time to destress yourself by following three tips
Lifestyle and diet management to balance the imbalances: To manage stress, Ayurveda aims to calm down the Vata energy fluctuations of the body and mind. The goal is to pacify this excess Vata energy. There are many ways that you can quiet the wind of Vata: through lifestyle and diet management, through sleep, through Herbs. All these things can calm Vata energy.
The simple starting point is to do the Ayurvedic assessment to find out the imbalances. You can use the simple dosha (Energy) quiz online. Manage the lifestyle according to your energy or constitution. Establish a daily routine from waking up to eating meals on time. Going to bed at the same time each day if possible. Get enough sleep is required according to your constitution and age. Organize your schedule to maintain the daily lifestyle to balance the imbalances. These regularities will bring a positive effect on the nervous system. A balanced, seasonal food regimen according to the body type and regular eating habits will improve digestion. Good digestion can lead to a good immune system and a balanced mind. You will find amazing impactful results after doing adjustments to your daily lifestyle routine. Most animals and plants in nature are tuned their life cycles to the natural rhythms. You will feel connected to nature.
Slow down, take a break and focus on quality self-care: Sometimes it is necessary to give a little break to your body and mind from your busy schedule. That doesn’t mean that you have to go on vacation or find an expensive gateway to do that. Simple walks, hikes together with friends, partners, pets or kids can make a big difference. Watch the beautiful nature from the window, listen to the singing birds, the sound of water, your favorite music or songs can create positive vibes around us. Maintain hobbies whatever you like to do. It may be just gardening or volunteering, helping others. Eating warm and soothing food makes our minds calm down.Self-Care is a commitment to purposeful results. It is a beautiful part of a self-healing process. Devoted self-care routine reaffirms a commitment to self-healing, wellness and can maintain a healthy mindset. There are multiple simple ways to nurture and nourish yourself. Start with avoiding the stressors. Things that you need to forget after work. Practice forgiveness. Avoid overthinking is a meaningful way to avoid stress. Alter some routines to make it easy for you.
Practice “let it go”. Adapt a few good hobbies or adopt new things. Your stress response becomes milder. Accept change. Accept new ways of living or find some new things or projects.
Ayurvedic therapies of stress management and quality of self care
Abhyanga (Ayurvedic oil massage). Abhyanga or self-massage with plain sesame oil, coconut oil, or any other oil that suits your constitution and season is an ancient practice in Ayurvedic therapy. Oil massage with warm oil calms the nervous system. It calms down the elevated Vata (Air) energy. It releases stress, lubricates and rejuvenates the skin tissues, and promotes healthy circulation of blood throughout the body. A Sanskrit word for oil is “Sneha” which means love. Abhyanga benefits the physical body and calms the mind. The warm oil massage creates a protective blanket around the body that may help to buffer the nervous system from experiencing stress or pain. Self-massage can be done before taking shower or you can go to a professional Ayurvedic Abhyanga therapist. The nurturing body makes your mind happy. Which is the good promotion of Ojas (Immunity) in Ayurveda.
Before Bed: Massaging your feet before going to bed is a simple practice to release stress. You can soak your feet in warm water before massage. This is a good solution for getting good sleep. Drinking a warm tea or milk with cardamom, turmeric, and nutmeg help to reduce the effects of daily work stress and solution for a goodnight’s sleep. Listening to light music can make you forget the stress before going to bed.
Simple Breathing Exercise (Pranayama): Inhale for a count of four, hold your breath for a count of four, exhale for a count of four, and then hold your breath again for a count of four. You repeat this cycle until everything quiets down. This simple breathing helps fresh air (Prana) to diffuse into every cell and tissue through our bodies. It helps to restore fluidity and vitality to the subtle energy channels of the body. It also helps in clearing accumulated stress, anger, tension and it supports improving wellness of mind.
Yoga: Yoga means union. It provides discipline to our body and mind. Breathing in and out during the yoga asanas (Exercise) clears the stagnation of energy and encourages fluidity at the physical mental and spiritual levels. Regular yoga practices help in the proper digestion and elimination process. It balances stress and emotions.
Meditation: Meditation helps in increasing the concentration and capacity of our mind to cope with stress. It helps to recalibrate your systems to generate passive awareness. Daily meditation practice can revitalize and rewire our brain to respond calmly to a challenging situation. Herb: Traditionally Ashwagandha (Withania Somnifera) has been used in Ayurveda with milk. It can be used in a powdered form or tablet form. It has a calming property. It provides calming energy. Better way to say it is, it digests the stress. This is a kind of a golden herb traditionally used in Ayurveda for calming the mind for years and years.
Thank you Ladies for sharing your expertise with us! We are excited to have you in our empowered women’s network!
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Bios: Dr. Jaya Daptardar is an internationally renowned Ayurveda expert, a writer, an entrepreneur, healthcare executive, speaker, and leader. She is an Ayurvedic doctor and has a Masters in healthcare administration & Management in the USA, she is a director’s choice title winner in the Mrs. India Connecticut beauty pageant. She has been recently interviewed by MediQueen, a doctor’s beauty pageant in India, and interviewed in multiple other countries. She has been highlighted by magazines, newspapers, and television in the USA. She is an author of four books, passionate about beauty care in Ayurveda.
Sunali is one of Mumbai’s most prolific mixed media designers. She graduated in 1983 with honors at the state level in Textile Designing and Weaving from Mumbai. In 1986, armed with a degree in Fashion Designing, she began work in Mumbai. Over the years her creative and customized expressions have been appreciated by young and old alike in curated fashion events in India, Singapore, Kenya, London and New York. In 2015, Sunali became a Certified Zentangle Teacher at Rick and Maria’s Seminar at Rhode Island, USA. Sunali has written and published a set of 3 workbooks,‘Recipes for Mindfulness’, Elementary 1,2 and 3.
Dhanashree Ramachandran is an award-winning entrepreneur who parlays her intimate knowledge of meditation to her strong commitment to community development and societal equity. Dhanashree was born in India and received training in meditation at a young age. She has taught transcendental-style meditation to thousands of people from around the world. She is a respected voice in the field of mental health advocacy and has created several programs to benefit communities that experience extreme stress such as, first responders, veterans, people in recovery, athletes and entrepreneurs. Dhanashree is the Founder and CEO of Nous Labs- an experience design start-up on a mission to democratize meditation by incorporating techniques into everyday experiences, entertainment, products and activities. Dhanashree also leads a visionary non-profit, Mass Wellness Initiative (501c3). Dhanashree lives in Burlington, MA with her husband and enjoys long-distance bicycling and acting in theatre in her free time.