One of the great western spiritual teachers in modern times, Shri Brahmanada Saraswati, used to tell his students, while leading meditation, “Feel the bliss of your own Self”. This was a suggestion to the subconscious mind of students that all of the resources they need are within… The teacher was alluding to self-confidence being synonymous with spirituality. If you wish to deepen the connection with your SELF, experiment with these practices.

Repeat Mantras to overcome doubt and re-program your nervous system

A Mantra is a phrase, syllable, or sound that one repeats over and over till it becomes ingrained in memory. An example of a classic English mantra is the phrase from Nike, “just do it”. When repeated or seen enough times, it can cause a runner to commit to a daily training regimen. Mantras are not always positive, like the phrase “I’m not good enough”.  When repeated often, a phrase has more of an opportunity to become a belief, so we must be careful with our words and self-talk. Positive suggestion is the key to empowering action. Three mantras that unlock great inner power are: “I am universal consciousness”, the syllable “Om” and “Let, Go”

Start a Self Massage Routine before Bed Time

Self-care has always been the best health care, but one cannot put a price on the power of good sleep. A good night of rest can help the endocrine system optimize for proper hormonal balance. This means the signals and switches that control your energy and states of mind, (neurotransmitters) will work in concert. Self-massage builds intimacy and understanding with one’s body.  We are living inside of a machine, a meat vehicle that needs maintenance, lubrication, and touch.  The practice of self-massage creates an environment for gas exchange in muscle tissues. The metabolites of respiration- uric acid, lactic acid, and ammonia are more readily picked up by the blood and excreted as waste while providing nutrients and oxygen. Try this self-massage video practice, one hour before you go to sleep:

Practice Gratitude

One of my teachers, the co-founder of Jivamukti Yoga, Sharon Gannon used to tell me, “magic is a shift in perception”.  She was hinting to the fact that one’s whole world can change if only one were to shift their point of view.  Simply adjusting the angle we are looking from can tweak the way our lens and filters work. We can transform mental anguish and suffering into appreciation and joy. The start of a ten-mile run can feel daunting, but if one connects to the feeling of accomplishment that will come from completing the task, one will take the first step. If one is grateful for having functional healthy limbs, one can be inclined to take care of the body.

Listen to uplifting music

Everything is vibration. Sound is a more reliable sense than sight. One is always sure that they heard something, but with the “blind spot” in our sense of sight, we cannot be certain that we saw what we thought was in our field of vision.  Sound goes to the core of our being and taps our ancient memory.  Great music can make you feel your soul. Our ancestors have been drumming around fire for millions of years. Sound is inside and outside of us. Some are inspired by classical composers, others by the all-time greats of rock and roll, and a few will groove to ambient wordless DJ beats of a good set. Inspiring music can greatly expand our consciousness.

Ultimately, masters of the past are encouraging us to be responsible for our own happiness. By choosing positive actions we overcome our lower drives more times than not, and we write an interesting story with our life.  A solid self-care program brings us to a place of wellness where we feel like “nothing is missing”.