Mental health during the transition of human consciousness:

Time of transformation 10.10 – Now until early 2025.
Our DNA evolving into 24 chromosomal pairs and the spiritual portal is opening. We feel unsettled, even unsafe; sometimes as if we’re losing our minds. We explain it according to outside events, such as relationship problems, financial challenges, career issues and so on. It is, however, an inside job! We have to turn within, support our vagus nerve, the 10th cranial nerve, by choosing to become still, calm, connect and focus on vagal breathing. Create our inner soul sanctuary to ride out the storm, emerging as more loving, tolerant, kind, higher frequency vibrational human beings. That’s who we truly and deeply are.

The body is the barometer of the soul

According to the Oxford Dictionary, a barometer is an instrument used to measure atmospheric pressure, used especially in forecasting the weather and determining altitude.

It also means something which reflects changes in circumstances or opinions. In this instance it is used in the sense of a mirror reflecting our inner thoughts and beliefs, often past trauma, old, unconscious beliefs that keep us prisoners.

The physical symptoms manifesting in the body, then act as a guide to a deeper soul meaning, or lesson for growth and transformation, pointing to cell memories of blocked emotions, preventing release into healing, the wholeness at the core of our being, that which we truly are, to release cell memories, using the body to connect mind, emotions and soul

Are you feeling: STRESSED OUT, OVERWHELMED, ANXIOUS, EXHAUSTED, TIRED OF TRYING SO HARD? MEDITATION TOO CHALLENGING FOR YOUR BUSY MIND?

Then this PROCESS experience might be just the thing for you!

Pause, breathe, focus
Release technique
Open, willing, accepting/welcoming, allowing, loving kindness
Creative, easy, fun solutions
Energy enhancers to support your physiology
Stillness, silence
Soul connection. Set your spirit free.

In the quagmire of the new consciousness, with all the accompanying chaos of new beginnings and changes we are all experiencing now, is often a huge challenge! It is not an easy ride. As is giving birth to a baby, exciting and creative, but associated with a deep responsibility nevertheless.

Transforming from scorpion (deep earth, subconscious, past-focused consciousness) to eagle  (soaring high with eagle eye perception of earthly worries, troubles, fear-based survival responses), to phoenix rising from the ashes of old (even ancestral) beliefs, patterns and habits, to soar freely, flying untethered as authentic souls living and expressing who we truly are, how to express our purpose in this life now. It is a life journey of high responsibility and commitment to living beyond the ego, me-me-me self, to a superconscious, transcended higher self of blessing, miracles and love for ourselves and rippling out to all around us..

It is a daily choice.
It is clear that stress is all around us and has a massive impact on our mental health, weight, overall health and happiness and basically ALL ASPECTS OF OUR LIVES.

If left untreated, it may cause mild health challenges (lack of sleep, low concentration and memory, low energy levels, fatigue, a suppressed immune system etc) or even more extreme chronic lifestyle diseases (including anxiety, depression, heart disease, diabetes, overweight/obesity, arthritis, cancer and all other inflammatory diseases).

Stress is the number 1 cause of ALL chronic diseases.
It is, therefore, crucial to become aware of your stress and learn how to manage it effectively, to reduce your health risks.

The good news:
You can learn to manage it, as stress will never disappear.

Depression, anxiety and panic attacks

Depression, anxiety and panic attacks are not signs of weakness. Rather signs of trying to remain strong using your own ego willpower for far too long. One in three of us will experience symptoms at some point in our lives and will need love and support. For all of you feeling depressed and anxious during these times, take a look at my books Health & Happiness, Managing Diabetes and Insulin Resistance, Stress Solutions, for natural tips for treating and managing depression.
‘We teach best what we most need to learn’. Therefore, when I share any of my teachings, it comes from a deep place of empathy and compassion born from experience. My motto from Jonathan Livingston Seagull.

VAGUS NERVE STIMULATION FOR RELAXATION, TO RELIEVE ANXIETY, DISTRESS, RUNAWAY THOUGHTS AND SUBSEQUENT INFLAMMATION, EVEN DEPRESSION

The vagus nerve is the 10th cranial nerve, the only cranial nerve that runs from the brainstem, throughout the rest of the body. Nervus vagus, also known as the rest-and-digest wandering nerve, is the seat of the parasympathetic, relaxation response. To stimulate vagus nerve, is to elicit the opposite of fear, worry, anxiety, into deep relaxation, anti-inflammatory, relax and unwind, recovery mode.

Here is a short and simple exercise you can try anywhere, any time:

Become still – sitting, standing or lying down,

Eyes closed, half closed, or open – whatever feels most comfortable to you.

Become aware of your breathing. Simply feel it. Don’t change it at all. Simply notice it.

Now inhale for a count of two, three or four, whatever feels comfortable to you.

Make sure the exhale is twice as long as the inhale, to a count of four, six or eight.

Do this for six breaths

Now bring your attention to your body, focusing on each part, breathing naturally and affirming ‘I am safe’, or ‘we are safe’, with each body part, patting each part softly if circumstances allow.

  • Ankles right and left
  • Top of feet
  • Soles of feet
  • Lower legs front and back
  • Both knees
  • Upper legs front and back
  • Both hips
  • Pelvis
  • Abdomen
  • Back
  • Both hands top and palms
  • Lower arms
  • Elbows
  • Upper arms
  • Both shoulders
  • Shoulder blades
  • Neck front and back
  • Face
  • Head
  • Top of the head

Sense the whole body and release any lingering tension.

Become aware of your breathing.

Gently stretch and move your body.

Come back to normal awareness, feeling calm and focused.

Start and end your day with this exercise and notice the difference in your quality of life nearly immediately

MENTAL-EMOTIONAL LEVEL

In your transformation journal, ask the following questions and write down intuitively and truthfully, without overthinking:

  • What do I want?
  • Why am I here now, this lifetime, this day?
  • Am I willing to change? Choose!
  • Focus on one area of challenge.

– What is it? How long has this challenge been around in your life?

– How does it make you feel?

– Which other challenges have developed because of it?

– Is it perhaps time to release, surrender it and grow through it to who you truly are?

In quiet and in stillness, focus within, prepare for daydreaming time, sleep-dreaming and remembering the dreams. Contemplate the symbolism for you personally. A book by Pamela Ball that might help you understand the symbolism of your dreams, is ‘The Complete Book of Dreams and Dreaming.‘

Think, feel, write, draw (even stick figures will do) the elements of the dreams. Dance the dream, with your choice of evocative, rhythmic, harmonious music, expressing through flow, drumming, stomping, crossover, jazzy movements, deeply-felt body cell memories. Write down how you feel after this practice. Sing and express your voice and truth. Sit in nature, noticing and really seeing, the macrocosm and microcosm around you. Choose joy and inner peace moment by moment. It is there, deep within you. 

KEEP IN MIND THE FOLLOWING

  • The heart-brain connection, and body awareness;
  • Three Ps: Practice, patience, perseverance. A daily practice… stumble, fall, get up, dust yourself off, rewire in private… try and try again.
  • Play-dance – rhythm, harmony, excellent for brain integration and mental health. Each one of us is able to move to music!
  • Love for self, cells and others is the highest frequency feeling for brain plasticity, health and flourishing! Mental health par excellence! As are feelings of gratitude for big and little things, always tuning in to abundance if you to choose to see with deep inner vision.
  • There are many practical ways to hack your happy chemicals.

Our cells feel like we do! Gratitude, or appreciation, deep breathing, lead to a slower, more coherent heart rate (parasympathetic – relax, digest, unwind – system). We can choose in any moment to run the gratitude frequency circuitry inside our minds, to have a positive effect throughout the body and every single one of our cells, as well.

Emotions like bitterness, unresolved anger, resentment, fear and worry constantly trigger your stress response. These then become buried in ever deepening layers inside the cell memories. The layers become the physical footprints of your dream body, psyche or soul, manifesting in unhappiness, mood swings and, eventually, physical illness or chronic health problems.

The whole range of human emotions is valid and worthy of your complete attention. Become aware of your emotions, welcome them, maybe feel them somewhere in your body, then choose to let the ones that don’t serve your health and wellness any longer, go – it can be as simple as that! It starts with becoming aware of how you’re feeling in this present moment, right now.

Tip: Position where you are, by sensing how you feel (content, hopeful, angry, irritated, fearful, worried, etc). It is ideal to do this once a day, soon after you wake up. Then set your intention on a higher bar, just one or two steps up. Then ask yourself: What can I do to feel better?  Focus, breathe deeply, align; connect with nature in this moment, sleep awhile, take a short power nap or a hot bath with essential oils and Epsom salts, listen to soothing music, draw a stick figure or two. Colour in.

PHYSICAL LEVEL
Grounding/earthing
Getting a time out in nature has the power to quiet the mind, encourage creativity, improve your energy, help you destress, improve concentration and allow for more inspiration. Walk barefoot on grass, in water, on the beach.

“Meta-analyses of multi-disciplinary research studies have clearly shown the evidenced-based conclusions of the multiple health benefits of daily earthing (grounding) practice for healing mind, body and soul and restoring balance, homeostasis and integration in the whole system of living on earth for all living beings.”

On a physical level there are also many foods, micronutrients, herbs, movements and more to support mental health. 

Food and physical factors for mental health

Feel-good food: Serotonin and dopamine

  • Rice, potato, pasta
  • Bananas, hot peppers, berries
  • Legumes/beans
  • Nuts especially for the brain?
  • Sesame, pumpkin seeds
  • Negative ioniser bedroom
  • Exercise
  • Making love (not procreation! But touch, intimacy)
  • Kissing/hugging (17 seconds!)
  • Oxytocin (bonding)
  • 10-20 minutes sunlight per day – early am, late afternoon
  • 5 HTP – bananas, nuts
  • St John’s wort
  • Oils: Lavender, rose, orange blossom
  • Feelings of peace, joy, bliss 

Eating for brain, heart and whole body:

  • Salmon, trout, sardines – fatty fish
  • Olive oil, coconut oil
  • Probiotics for optimal gut-brain/mental health
  • Lion’s mane, shiitake mushroom soup
  • Nuts that look like the brain: Walnuts, pecan nuts

Water: Stay hydrated! Every cell in your body depends on it. For every 10kg of body weight, 250 ml liquids should be taken daily for maintenance, with more when it’s hot or when you’ve been exercising.
Choose from the following: Water, Rooibos, any herbal tea. Normal tea and coffee use water when metabolised in the body.

‘In stillness and in quiet listening, I can hear the hymns of gratitude the world is singing underneath the sounds of fear’ – A Course in Miracles.

‘Our souls want us to dance, whoop, holler. Music allows us to bypass the logical loops in our brains’ – Dr Arien

The stillness of a quiet mind, inner ease, alignment soul to mind to body, dance, sing, joyful being, grounding, gratitude: Some keys to mental health!

Dr Arien van der Merwe

Dr Arien van der Merwe

Medical doctor, author & holistic health counsellor

Dr Arien van der Merwe is a medical doctor, author and holistic health counsellor. She developed and presents continued professional development training through VideoLearn and Synergetica CPD Courses on Mental Health in Challenging Uncertain Times; Heart Health; Inflammation both Friend and Foe and Neuroplasticity.

Dr Arien teaches group and individual meditation and relaxation classes, as well as health coaching online (WhatsApp video consultations) and at her rooms in Pretoria. More info: https://www.DrArien.co.za