One more time I had the opportunity to conduct a Mindfulness and Meditation workshops as part of Cardio Metabolic Institute (CMI) team, at St Peter’s Hospital and their Family Health Center in NJ. Met a group of professionals who work hard and give their best to every single patient they interact with directly or indirectly every day.
In the workshop, some of the participants shared that they have been practicing some form of meditation and mindfulness “to keep ourselves calm” and stable at work as well as home. Still there was a great enthusiasm to learn more tools and techniques that Yoga and Mindfulness practices offer. Some of the tools we discussed in the workshop:
- Using our five senses daily, especially during and after any form of distress
- Listening to your gut feeling more often, especially when confused
- Following 8/8 rule which means minimum eight hours of sleep and eight glasses of water/day to keep mind and body stable, and prepared for daily stressors
- Meditating regularly for overall health, and early recovery from daily distressing situations
- Pressing you face with your warm hands and/or hugging yourself
- Using white/yellow lights as per the need and many other tools.
Even though this appears to be a list of simple to do things, our mind and bodies need intense work to make them part of our lives and that’s where I help my clients.
It is very important for a healthcare professionals to stay calm and in control during any moment of distress because in those critical moments, they are not only helping their patients but are also role modeling for everyone else involved!
During the workshop, the participants performed three different kinds of meditations and whole body muscle relaxation. We followed with discussion on how Neuroscience has been providing evidence about benefits of daily meditation in bringing positive changes in our mind/body chemistry which play an exceptional role in keeping our mind as stable as a calm river, without any ripples.
In the end, I must admit that representing CMI, and presenting to this group was very satisfying. I always wanted to do something for the fellow professionals. Being part of the huge healthcare system, I am aware of the daily challenges, especially when it comes to expressing compassion for clients/patients while a professional herself is having a bad day. That demands enormous energy and strength. So hats off to all those professionals who, in spite of their own stresses, provide care to their clients with a smile!!