I’ve been talking about body-mind connection all the
time. We can’t talk about healthy
self without considering healthy mind.
There is a Japanese saying, “Sickness originates in mind. (Yamai wa ki kara.)” If we want to be well inside out, we
need healthy thinking to nurture our mind.
A source of routine nutrients for my mind, so to speak, is a
weekly e-newsletter “Just One Thing (JOT)” by Rick Hanson, PhD.
It’s a short essay about “a simple practice each week for more joy, more
fulfilling relationships, and more peace of mind.” His topics deal with
everyday experiences, and the solutions are simple. I first came across his writing "Relax and Contended" when I was looking for an article about relaxation and the
nervous system for one of my first posts “Benefits of Massage Therapy.” He is a psychologist interested in
modern neuroscience. I like his
approach incorporating physiological aspect (body) into psychology (mind)
because it mirrors my approach to massage therapy (mine is incorporating mind
into body).
This week’s Just One Thing, “Relax anxiety about
imperfection,” came at the right timing.
I’ve been anxious about a relatively minor thing this week, which didn’t
cause a big damage, but could have been prevented or better. Imperfections are everywhere. Instead of reacting to each
imperfection, which makes us feel even worse, he suggests we should accept them
as they are, and “realize the impossibility of perfecting anything.” I try to tell myself that everything
will be all right in the end, even with a few imperfections. And, peace of mind - that’s what
matters most.