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Other/Mixed A Mental Program Minimum

Other strength modalities (e.g., Clubs), mixed strength modalities (e.g., combined kettlebell and barbell), other goals (flexibility)
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I've started doing freediving apnea tables again.
I usually do a breath hold test, O2 table, CO2 table, and then another breath hold test right before I go to bed.

It has a dramatic effect on my nervous system / mental state, and it helps my breathing.
 
A bit pysched up is a bit vague.

People are mostly quite similar. They need a couple of things to be happy.

Important stuff to look into:

1) Enough friends. 4 or more is enough. You have to see them, be open with them, trust them etc etc.

2) Have a job you find meaningful.

3) Have a good economy. Spend beneath your means.

4) try to get enough sleep.

5) If possible have an ok or good and mature relationship with your parents.

6) Some of my friends have gone to a psychologist to talk about their problems or challenges. They have mostly found it a very good investment.

7) dont spend too much time on your mobile or watching television.

8) Be in touch with your feelings. All your feelings. The dark ones too. There are at least eight feelings: anger, happiness, shame, guilt, sadness, contempt, dishust, love and curiosity. ( You could also count jealousy and Envy).


If all of this is in place, you can add meditation and yoga ( I do meditation once or twice every day). If you have no friends and a bad economy all the meditation in the world will not change that.
 
I've started doing freediving apnea tables again.
I usually do a breath hold test, O2 table, CO2 table, and then another breath hold test right before I go to bed.

It has a dramatic effect on my nervous system / mental state, and it helps my breathing.
How long does this routine take you?
 
Hey StrongFirst,

I've been finding myself getting a bit psychologically psyched out recently.

Does anyone have a mental program minimum incorporating maybe meditation or breathing?

Thank you, Adam

–Wake up early at regular time
–Subscribe to the Waking Up app by Sam Harris. 10 mins of guided meditation daily - life changing
–Incorporate some kind of "morning recharge"
–Get Seneca's "Letters" (Letters on Ethics: To Lucilius (The Complete Works of Lucius Annaeus Seneca): Seneca, Lucius Annaeus, Graver, Margaret, Long, A. A., Graver, Margaret, Long, A. A., Graver, Margaret, Long, A. A.: 9780226528434: Amazon.com: Books) and read one letter a day
–Eat like a responsible adult, not a TV ad. Cut alcohol.
–1-5 mins of cold shower/day
–Lift - there is no better place to start than S&S
–Google Non-Sleep Deep Relaxation - and do it
–Spend as much time as possible outdoors in nature, and with friends and family
 
How long does this routine take you?
About 40 min

Edit: but it's supposed to be either o2 or co2 tables, so it should be closer to 15-20 min. It feels so good that I always end up doing the whole thing.
 
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When I did Kung Fu I learned Qigong as part of it. I also did Tai Chi and other things as part of the Martial Art (it was 99% self defence though). But the Qigong was definitely effective for the sort of thing you are asking about, as a breathing exercise, balance, some flexibility, and some meditation packed into one. Lots of youtube videos online and a lot easier to learn on your own than Tai Chi or Yoga. There were 8 moves and it took about 12 min to do.
 
"A problem well stated is a problem half solved."

Thats an awesome-awesome statement.

Try this exercise at the start of the day, addressing the following five points on a blank sheet of paper.

One thing I’m anxious about today – it could be the most dominant issue currently swirling around your head or something in the near future that’s bothering you.

One practical thing I can do to prevent or prepare for it – not only can being proactive help with our anxieties, but the act of doing something practical can in itself make us feel better. Write down one thing you can do that will help you with the thing that is worrying you.

One reason why it’s probably not going to be as bad as I fear – our minds are hardwired to catastrophize about things. Fostering a more realistic view of our problems helps us see beyond the worst-case scenario.

One reason I know I can handle it – try to gain perspective by remembering how you tackled a similar event (or a more challenging one) and got through it.

One upside of the situation – things are very rarely entirely bad. What’s the one upside of the problem that’s worrying you? Most dark clouds do have a silver lining, identify what it is and focus on that.
 
Hello,

+1 @watchnerd
Otherwise, I like doing knots. There are ton of them to learn

Kind regards,

Pet'
I started tying knots a few years ago as a hobby. Like other activities I think the problem solving of tying takes your mind off the issues around us for a time.
 
Hello @TedM

Yes sure.

I have started doing knots with sailor knots.

There are books out there to learn them but you can also simply doing a search on YT with 'sailor knots'.

Then I have doing bracelets. Here again, YT is a great source. You can do 'survival bracelets' (there are several kinds, like quick deploy or not, etc..). You can also do pure aesthetic bracelets.

An 'advantage' of sailor knots is that they have a lot of daily life applications. You'll have to be focused to do them multiple times to really learn them well.

The 'advantage' of bracelet is that they have a repetitive pattern. While you do them, you can really 'empty your mind'

Hope that helps,

Kind regards,

Pet'
like knitting... kind of a meditative activitity
 
They say there is nothing new under the sun re: "Non sleep deep rest meditation"

Dr Ainslie Meares in the 1980s in reference to his still mind meditation said:- "Not unconscious nor asleep but awake."
When the mind is still then you know that you remain awake but not really much else. Time passes quickly. Afterwards you know of calm. This provides a different form of mental rest than sleep. The absence of mental activity permits the mind to rest and integrate things. Hence, the calm afterwards.
 
They say there is nothing new under the sun re: "Non sleep deep rest meditation"

Dr Ainslie Meares in the 1980s in reference to his still mind meditation said:- "Not unconscious nor asleep but awake."
When the mind is still then you know that you remain awake but not really much else. Time passes quickly. Afterwards you know of calm. This provides a different form of mental rest than sleep. The absence of mental activity permits the mind to rest and integrate things. Hence, the calm afterwards.
It is an even older tradition - so-called "sleep Yoga," Yoganindra.
 
It is an even older tradition - so-called "sleep Yoga," Yoganindra.
NSDR = Yoga Nidra.
It would appear some people prefer not to use the word "Yoga" as gen population get the wrong idea of what it's all about, maybe they think they'll have to do a headstand or something to get to sleep?
I've found there's a lot of misunderstanding around Yoga practice. For example, Lady I work with said she couldn't do Yoga as she wasn't religious.
 
The words yoga nidra do appear in certain ancient texts, however, the modern yoga nidra is usually ascribed to various yogic adherents in the mid-1970s. Many different things have become incorporated into modern yoga over time and this is one of them. Those inclined to research will find that this is the case. I'm not saying it is incorrect or wrong for evolution to occur. If it improves an art or science then it can be of benefit.

Dr Meares meditation method predates the modern yoga nidra as it was developed in the 1950s and was well known by the mid1960s. Meares as I mentioned earlier made a distinct between the still mind state and sleep. He believed that both forms of rest were required for persons to effectively function. It is well known amongst meditators that those who do not get sufficient sleep nod off during meditation. Also, getting too comfortable will tend to result in sleep rather than the still mind state. Meares identified the need for a slightly uncomfortable position when meditating in the late 1950s. His method includes a postural progression that adds tiny amounts of physical discomfort as one moves to more difficult positions. Initially, one relaxes on a chair and that is sufficient. Later on, one changes to different positions. Relaxation in the presence of a (potentially) uncomfortable or annoying stimulus deepens the meditation but only if you are able to relax through it. If you take on too much stimulus too soon then you will tense up and the process will be self defeating.
 
Wow, I think you just dinged all of mine. Well maybe not the dig or paint a room, haha.
I'm with you. I can really zone out when I'm painting. Same with digging, but that's a little different. I used to do a lot of manual labor in my teens and early 20s, a lot of moving dirt around. It can be cathartic.
 
I'm with you. I can really zone out when I'm painting. Same with digging, but that's a little different. I used to do a lot of manual labor in my teens and early 20s, a lot of moving dirt around. It can be cathartic.
I'm with you on the outside physical labor, but not digging, but I like to shovel snow.
 
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