The Self Help Program of Life
Posted: Saturday, January 30, 2010
by Dr Russell Razzaque
Sileotherapy
Every situation we are in offers us an opportunity to work on ourselves. Indeed, each of our regular activities can be turned into a vehicle via which we can further our own personal growth. Such self help notions go back a long way - thousands of years, in fact. It was the Buddhists who talked about mindfulness where even, it is suggested, tasks like washing the dishes, if done attentively and with focus, can have a transformative effect on our inner lives over time. There is nothing too mundane for inner growth.
The remarkable thing is that there are a few studies coming out now that show us that these notions - far from being unsubstantiated wishful thinking - are actually real and provable. One I particularly like was carried out on a group of hotel maids: They were divided into two groups. One group was given information about exercise and its benefits. This was followed by more specific information relating to their own work - e.g. Hoovering, dusting etc. - and how each of those activities helped them burn significant calories to the extent that, through their work, they were actually exceeding the recommendations for regular exercise as laid down by the Surgeon General. Each activity was listed and its benefits laid down in stark terms. The second group of maids was given only the general information about the benefits of exercise and none pertaining to their specific job.
Only four weeks later it was found that both groups of maids had continued going about their work in the same way; their activities (on the face of it) remained the same day in day out but the first group, who received the work specific information, had begun to lose weight - losing an average of 2 pounds - and lowered their blood pressure by an average of 10 points.
Though their patterns of activity remained the same, the only thing that changed is how they saw the work they did. They believed the same routines were now a self growth practise for them and, lo and behold, that is exactly what they became.
So next time you're in a situation you'd otherwise consider mundane or even painful, find a way to make it work for you - your physical, mental or spiritual health - and I assure you, over time, it will do just that. Then you'll be converting your life into your own personal self help program. That, at the end of the day, is what I believe we're all here for.
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Dr Russell Razzaque is a practicing psychiatrist based in London, England. He earned his medical degree from the University of London, he is a member of the UK Royal College of Psychiatrists and in 2009, after several years of development, he launched Sileotherapy ' a stillness based online self help program teaching people to go beyond thought and realise their true potential:
http://www.meditation-therapy.net
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)Dr Russell,Me and my wife have enjoy you article, this is what I call it is all in your head and how much information you are getting.It is a very interesting concept and it is nice to apply that to a human being.Thank you
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