How to Cleanse Your Psyche

Cleansing your psyche is as important to good mental health as is periodically cleaning out the clutter from your closets or getting a good night's rest. It allows you to handle every day issues with a fresh perspective. It is your way of throwing open the windows and inviting in a breath of fresh air. Helvetius, a French philosopher, wrote, "A clear mind is nothing but the ability to bring thoughts together, to tie already known ideas with less known ideas and to express them in exact and clear words."

Instructions

Instructions

1

Find a quiet space that is void of any interruptions. Whether it's your bedroom, your garden, the beach or your bathroom, pick a place that you will be able to rid yourself of any nuisance and noise for any given length of time. In order to begin cleansing your psyche, you must first be able to experience a sense of peace and quiet. If you have children, this isn't always easy to do. So you may have to plan for certain times of the day, including when the kids are asleep or in school. Once you find that space, take advantage of the quiet for as long as you can. It's good to be able to hear yourself think.

2

Have a good cry. Oftentimes. letting go of the pent up emotional baggage inside of you can release the negative clutter from your psyche and allow you to see things more clearly. According to Dr. William Frey at the Ramsey Medical Center in Minneapolis, "Reflex tears are 98-percent water, whereas emotional tears also contain stress hormones which get excreted through the body through crying." He also suggests, "crying stimulates the production of endorphins, our body's natural pain killer and 'feel-good' hormones." So the next time you think to hold in your tears, think again. Crying is actually the body's way of releasing stress.

3

Give yoga a go. Physical activity, particularly yoga, helps to relieve stress through meditative and breathing techniques. It has been proven to create a sense of calm in the body by reducing certain hormone levels that cause stress. Yoga is also fast-becoming a key component in reducing the risk of heart disease. As for cleansing your pscyhe, yoga is a huge boost to both your mood and concentration, mainly because of the increase in oxygen levels to the brain.

4

Meditate your way back to good mental health. Not only does meditation reduce stress, but it also increases a sense of inner peace and self-awareness. Ridding your mind of all of those negative, stressful thoughts doesn't take a lot of money or effort. As a matter of fact you can practice meditation anywhere, including at home or at the office. Simply take a long walk while listening to some of your favorite music; close your eyes and imagine peaceful images; repeat a mantra - a word or phrase that will help you focus your thoughts; take a hot, candle lit bath.

5

Close your eyes and focus on your breathing, inhaling deeply through the nose, holding and then releasing your breath through your mouth. Repeat as many times as necessary in order to reach a pure state of relaxation. Breathing exercises can decrease your stress level and heart rate, while increasing your consciousness levels. Deep breathing exercises are vital to your state of mind, as it allows for more oxygen to the brain.