All posts by Sumana Rao

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Steps For Self-Guided Imagery Technique

Steps For Self-Guided Imagery Technique

One can practice guided imagery in a quiet and comfortable place.

 

1.       You can sit or lie down in a comfortable place where there is not much sound.

2.       Close your eyes.

3.       Inhale and exhale – take deep breaths to relax the body.

4.       Visualize a peaceful, calm setting and your happy place – it could be your garden, forest, mountain, lake, hiking place, riverbank, stream, or sea.

5.       Once you visualize, start picturing the place the way you wanted. Imagine the things that you want in those places – flowers, fruits, butterflies, scent of flowers, sun, moon, stars, painting, favorite books etc.

6.       While trying to get into the calmness and sense of relaxation linger into your favorite scene for some time or as long as you want. You should feel that you are energizing, rejuvenating.

7.       When you feel energized and calm, open your eyes slowly, blink a few times and come back to the present. You can always return to your favorite scene whenever you want.

 

Image credit: Image by John Hain from Pixabay (cc by 0)

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on: February 27, 2024
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Clarity Of Goals, Stress Reduction And Improved Focus

Clarity Of Goals, Stress Reduction And Improved Focus

Goal Achievement: By visualizing specific outcomes or behaviors, guided imagery can help individuals clarify their goals and reinforce positive intentions. This can be useful for personal development, sports performance, or academic achievement.

 

Stress Reduction: Engaging in guided imagery can trigger the relaxation response, which counteracts the body’s stress response. Regular practice can help reduce overall stress levels and promote feelings of well-being.

 

Improved Concentration and Focus: Guided imagery requires concentration and mental focus, which can help train the mind to stay present and attentive. This can have benefits for cognitive function and productivity.

 

Image credit: Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay (CC by 0)

 

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on:
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Body Response, Practice And Goal Preferences

Body Response, Practice And Goal Preferences

Mind-Body Connection: Guided imagery harnesses the powerful connection between the mind and body. When individuals vividly imagine themselves in a relaxed or healing state, their bodies may respond accordingly. This can lead to physiological changes such as reduced heart rate, decreased muscle tension, and lower levels of stress hormones.

 

Repetition and Practice: Like any skill, the effectiveness of guided imagery often improves with practice and repetition. Regular engagement with guided imagery can help individuals strengthen their visualization abilities, deepen their relaxation response, and cultivate a greater sense of well-being over time.

 

Personalization and Intention: Guided imagery can be tailored to suit individual preferences and goals. By customizing the imagery to address specific needs or intentions, individuals can maximize its therapeutic benefits and enhance their overall experience.

 

Image credit: Image by Kerstin Riemer from Pixabay (cc by 0)

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on:
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Encouraging Sensory Engagement And Emotional Healing

Encouraging Sensory Engagement And Emotional Healing

Sensory Engagement: Guided imagery encourages the individual to use all their senses to create a rich and detailed mental experience. They may be prompted to imagine the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and tactile sensations associated with the guided scenario. This sensory engagement helps deepen the experience and makes it more impactful.

 

Emotional Connection: Guided imagery often incorporates elements designed to evoke specific emotions or feelings. For example, someone visualizing a peaceful beach scene may experience a sense of tranquility and calmness. By fostering emotional connections to the imagery, individuals can tap into their inner resources for healing, relaxation, and emotional regulation.

 

Image credit: Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash (CC0 fee image)

 

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on:
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Ways How Guided Imagery Helps Body And Mind

Ways How Guided Imagery Helps Body And Mind

Guided imagery therapy involves four stages:

1.       Image generation

2.       Image maintenance

3.       Image inspection

4.       Image transformation

 

Guided imagery operates and helps in diverse ways to achieve our goals to lead a healthy life.

 

Relaxation: Guided imagery sessions often begin with relaxation techniques such as deep breathing or progressive muscle relaxation. This helps calm the body and mind, making it easier to focus and enter a receptive state.

 

Visualization: Once relaxed, the facilitator or recording guides the individual through a series of descriptive prompts designed to evoke specific mental images and sensations. These images can involve scenes from nature, imaginary landscapes, or healing processes. The goal is to engage the senses and make the experience as vivid and immersive as possible.

 

    Image credit: https://pxhere.com/en/photo/1059747 (CC0 public domain)

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on:
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Guided Imagery Therapy A Relaxation Technique

Guided Imagery Therapy A Relaxation Technique

Guided imagery is a relaxation technique that involves using mental imagery to create positive sensory experiences and allows a person to daydream to feel better. It typically involves a facilitator or a recording guiding the listener through a narrative or script designed to evoke specific mental images. These images can be of peaceful scenes, healing processes, or positive outcomes.

 

Guided imagery works by engaging the mind’s natural ability to create mental images and sensations. It helps by leveraging the mind’s capacity for visualization and imagination to promote relaxation, emotional healing, stress reduction, and overall well-being. It is a versatile and accessible technique that can be used on its own or in conjunction with other therapeutic approaches.

 

Ways How Guided Imagery Helps Body And Mind – Click to know more

 

Ways How Guided Imagery Helps Body And Mind

 

Encouraging Sensory Engagement And Emotional Healing – Click to know more

 

Encouraging Sensory Engagement And Emotional Healing

 

Body Response, Practice And Goal Preferences – Click to know more

 

Body Response, Practice And Goal Preferences

 

Clarity Of Goals, Stress Reduction And Improved Focus – Click to know more

 

Clarity Of Goals, Stress Reduction And Improved Focus

 

Steps For Self-Guided Imagery Technique – Click to know more

 

Steps For Self-Guided Imagery Technique

 

Where guided imagery used – Click to know more

 

Where guided imagery used

 

Image credit: https://pxhere.com/en/photo/1192085 (CC0 public domain)

 

References:

·         https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/

·         https://www.verywellmind.com/

·         https://www.goodtherapy.org/

·         https://www.cancer.gov/

·         https://www.cancer.gov/

·         https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on:
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Jeera Rasam Recipe

Hot Spicy and Tangy Jeera Rasam Recipe

Cumin rasam is a flavorful and aromatic South Indian soup made with tamarind, tomatoes, spices, and of course, cumin seeds. It’s known for its tangy and spicy taste and is often served as a comforting dish, especially during cold weather or when someone is feeling under the weather.

Here is recipe for making cumin rasam that you can drink like soup or mix with rice.

Ingredients:

  1. Cumin / Jeera – 1 Tbsp
  2. Black peppercorns – 1 Tbsp
  3. Mustard seeds -1 tsp
  4. Fenugreek seeds (optional) – 1 tsp
  5. Red chilies – 2-3
  6. Ghee – 1 Tbsp
  7. Hing -1/4 tsp
  8. Curry leaves – few
  9. Minced ginger – 1 Tbsp
  10. Minced garlic – 1 Tbsp
  11. Chopped tomatoes – 2 medium size
  12. Tamarind paste – 1 Tbsp
  13. Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
  14. Salt to taste
  15. 4 cups water
  16. Chopped coriander leaves for garnishing

Preparation:

  1. Dry roast the cumin seeds, black peppercorns, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, and dried red chilies in a pan over medium heat until fragrant. Allow the spices to cool, then grind them into a fine powder using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.
  2. Heat ghee or oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the asafoetida and curry leaves, and sauté for a few seconds until fragrant.
  3. Add the minced ginger and garlic to the pot, and sauté until golden brown.
  4. Add the chopped tomatoes to the pot, along with turmeric powder and salt. Cook until the tomatoes are soft and mushy.
  5. Dilute the tamarind paste in 1 cup of water, then add it to the pot along with the remaining 3 cups of water.
  6. Stir in the ground spice powder and bring the rasam to a gentle boil. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together.
  7. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. If the rasam is too tangy, you can add a pinch of jaggery to balance the flavors.
  8. Remove the pot from the heat and garnish the cumin rasam with chopped coriander leaves.

Serve the cumin rasam hot as a soup or with steamed rice and vegetable side dishes as part of a traditional South Indian meal. Enjoy your flavorful and comforting cumin rasam! Adjust the spiciness and tanginess according to your preference by varying the amount of dried red chilies and tamarind paste used.

Image credit: The Grand Sweets And Snacks, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on: February 26, 2024
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Healing Environment

A Healing Environment Is A Safeguard For Our Wellbeing

A healing environment refers to a physical or social setting intentionally designed to promote health, well-being, recovery and safeguards us from any mental agony. These environments are present in healthcare facilities, but they can also extend to other settings such as homes, workplaces, schools, and communities.

The key elements of a healing environment that promote our wellbeing are;

Physical comfort: A healing environment prioritizes physical comfort through factors such as adequate lighting, comfortable temperatures, noise reduction, and ergonomic furniture. These elements help reduce stress and create a sense of ease for individuals.

Safety and security: Feeling safe and secure is essential for healing. Healing environments prioritize safety measures to prevent accidents, minimize infection risks, and ensure the physical and emotional security of individuals.

Access to nature: Nature has a calming and restorative effect on people’s well-being. Healing environments incorporate elements of nature such as natural light, views of green spaces, indoor plants, and outdoor healing gardens to promote relaxation, reduce stress, and enhance mood.

Social support: Social connections play a crucial role in healing and recovery. Healing environments foster social support networks by encouraging communication, collaboration, and interaction among individuals, caregivers, families, and peers.

Holistic approach: Healing environments adopt a holistic approach to health and well-being, addressing the physical, emotional, social, and spiritual dimensions of healing. This includes providing access to complementary therapies, mental health support services, spiritual care, and opportunities for self-expression and creativity.

Empowerment and autonomy: Individuals are actively involved in their healing process in a healing environment. This includes providing opportunities for shared decision making, autonomy in care choices, and access to information and resources to support informed decision making.

Cultural sensitivity: Healing environments respect and incorporate diverse cultural beliefs, values, and practices. They provide culturally competent care that is sensitive to the needs, preferences, and traditions of individuals and communities.

Innovation and technology: Healing environments embrace innovation and technology to enhance care delivery, improve outcomes, and optimize the healing experience. This may include incorporating advanced medical technologies, telemedicine, digital health tools, and interactive patient engagement platforms.

Environmental sustainability: Healing environments prioritize environmental sustainability by minimizing resource consumption, reducing waste, and promoting eco-friendly practices. This aligns with the concept of planetary health, recognizing the interconnectedness between human health and the health of the environment.

A healing environment recognizes the interconnectedness of physical, social, and environmental factors in promoting health and well-being. By integrating these elements, healing environments create supportive spaces that facilitate healing, recovery, and overall flourishing for individuals and communities.

Image credit: https://pxhere.com/en/photo/868961 (CC0 public domain)

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on: February 25, 2024
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