Evolution Medicine: Meditations for mind, body and spirit - by Sonya Lazarevic MD

Dear Listener,

Recent weeks felt as if a chapter was closing, another opening… was it the same for you? With the cycles of news increasing pace and intensity I try to re-balance myself with another (somewhat neutralizing or opposite) action, analogous to hugging the knees to the chest after a back bend series or a downward dog after a headstand (in yoga, the first releases the back, the second releases the neck). Those counter-movements release pressure/intensity in the body, what is the way to approach the pressure placed on the mental/emotional body these days?

Personally I run this somewhat informal list through my mind, depending on what I’ve been doing (or not doing). It’s simple places to check for ways to pay better attention to the self;

* healthier nutrition, filling in deficiencies, attention to physical health

* play/laughter, social connection

* mind-body movement (yoga, however select what interests you)

* aerobic movement (break a sweat)

* meditation (can include contemplation/ concentration practices)

* unburden the mind and heart in healthy ways (seek a professional, community support, journal, engage in something creative)

* unplug and keep busy with a project: a job, refinish a dresser, grow veggies, cook something novel, help a friend, read a novel

When navigating these months, it important to try to not get swept in stories that pull us away from ourselves. A lot that is happening is (understandably) angering, depressing or anxiety provoking. When I find myself being pulled, I put whatever I’m reading (or listening to) down and let it rest. Then I do something that’s centering, ask yourself what that might be for you? Think about something that could help settle the mind, calm the emotions, ease the body or broaden a higher awareness.

Today’s meditation starts from the feet and moves up the body, it was inspired by some material I read on the sound, and the music of the universe, of creation. While one might consider the creation of worlds, we (humans) are included in manifestation. So, this music is the sound that gave rise to you. You may wish to repeat this a few times, it can be a stretch to the imagination, but also that’s the point :)

Thank you for listening. This post is public, please share it with anyone you think it might benefit.

Take it easy.

Below pic: This caught my attention on a recent walk, a graceful arrangement of chaos and order

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Dear Listener

I’ve decided to update the name of this podcast to reflect meditations I record and encourage contemplation/self reflection. Rather than make the title long by adding a string of words too lengthy to remember, I just selected one word, this one- meditations.

These past few weeks I’ve been on a quest to dive deeper within, challenging when I’m running around A LOT! It felt like opposite actions. How to be still with so much movement? Yin yoga helps bring me arrive ‘home’ to myself, consider what helps you. Wiped out from a lot of driving, I didn’t have the motivation to do much more than a reclined supportive inversion (feet up the wall) thus settled for a Yin class. 60minutes stretched the fascia and releases breathing enough for the fatigue to lift. I cannot praise the benefits or restorative and yin yoga enough! If you struggle with fatigue, anxiety, sleep issues, I suggest you give it a try to supplement your current plan, it helps do practice a few times a week to see benefit. I added some abhyanga (ayurvedic self massage, using oils that corresponds to one’s dosha) and felt renewed the next morning. It was like a coffee without the buzz.

Today’s meditation was inspired by moments I noticed the spark of life, people’s dollops of vitality, some may understand it as a little piece of creation that dwells within. I felt the spark during July 4th- and not due to the fireworks. It was a vibrant local town scene- festive in a way that contrasted the ongoing political, social, economic collateral of the pandemic’s drag. It was a pleasure to hear adults share laughter, watch strangers celebrate with one another and kids run around full of curiosity. It felt like a moment we regained our humanity. A few homes went all out with fireworks, a gift of fun they gave all of us- whom they may never meet. The spark was in the laughter, the warmth, how people’s eyes sparkle. Let’s never lose that.

When you do this meditation, let your body rest, allow the mind to follow the breath, engage your imagination as a point of focus. Imagination is a uniquely human trait, visualizations engages the mind in a way that can help expand consciousness, quiet the mind and open creativity.

This pod intends to offer tools to help you find calm in the storm. Please feel free to share it with anyone you think it might help. Thank you for your interest and welcome the listeners from North America, Europe and now … the Caribbean! :)

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit evolutionmedicine.substack.com/subscribe

Dear Listener

Today was inspired by a moment laying on a dock with a friend, gazing at the sky, taking in the elements around us: water, air, earth, wind. I was aware of how one could not exist without the other, such as water was contained by earth. So I hope you have a moment (or 9 minutes, actually) to listen to this meditation, which was inspired by the sky and the rolling hill under it.

This is a mindfulness based meditation, however I added some Tibetan elements to it (something explored recently). You might notice that in the colors noted, the attention to sound/tones, elements, minerals and the way it was brought into the body. This post will be short (I had some technical issues recording today!) so I’m sending this out for your practice.

Please transport yourself there and awaken the mountain within.

Here are some delightful photos of mountainous areas I visited once upon a time.

I thank you for your interest, here in the US and across nations.

Feel free to share this podcast with anyone who might need a lift. These posts come from a place of service to help you navigate our unfolding times.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit evolutionmedicine.substack.com/subscribe

This meditation is different, I’m rolling with it… It explores a contraction and expansion of the senses, for a broader relationship to yourself. Keep reading below...

The past week moved at a faster bumpier pace that seem to require an extra degree of calm and focus. Maybe the full moon had something to do with it?? To summarize; it seemed to be about knowing how to surrender, while applying a sprinkling of insight and intuition.

Surrendering is an important process.

When I think about surrendering, I consider its flip side- willfulness. What is it? Willfulness is a state of being in which a person decides to apply energy against the flow (of their life), which might look like pushing to manifest something, or blocking the progression of something (or maybe ‘digging heels’ in). Willfulness can have a quality of rigidity or an intensity to it and can cost a person health, friendships or relationships…

Understandably, people are stressed about changes unfolding since the pandemic started. These are stressful times! Whether it be direct (on a personal level) or indirect (political or economic climate) - there IS much to be concerned about. However, is there a degree of willfulness in your response that may not be serving you? Could accepting ‘what is’ be useful? Would it help to go with the flow a smidge more while quieting enough to notice (thus tend to) personal needs? (eg: more rest, less isolation, not working after a certain hour) The emphasis here is on surrendering to yourself, which can be understood as a way of honoring yourself.

Where to begin? Quiet the mind, steady the heart, reduce internal noise.

How? Engage in- something creative, a breath practice, meditate, contemplate, use a journal to direct your worries or troubles.

Clearing a space within makes it a little easier to tune in to You.

I thank listeners here in the US and across nations, I appreciate your interest!

Feel free to download and share this pod with anyone who might need a lift, these posts intend to help you navigate these novel times. Take care.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit evolutionmedicine.substack.com/subscribe

Dear Listeners,

No matter how much I think about doing these posts in advance, I wind up writing and recording the day before or the day I post them. As I mentioned in previous posts, I get inspired by something from the week and synthesize it with other notable movements. I can't pretend the (self imposed) deadline doesn’t help, it does.

This week's meditation is inspired by an Iyengar class I took this week but speaks to the palpable loneness, defeat or despair I’ve encountered. I've been practicing yoga for a long time, a few decades, but don't be too impressed by that because I'm still somewhat of an intermediate practitioner. I've primarily practiced hatha and vinyasa in the pre-pandemic years (decades) while maintaining a light relationship to Iyengar. B.K.S. Iyengar's 'Light on Yoga' was the first book I purchased over 30 years ago, and the most recent copy I picked up again to reference details in poses (because all my stuff is in storage!).

At the onset of the pandemic I had a few personal events collide, a perfect storm that left me reglularly wiped out in a way that wasn’t usual for me. Yin yoga was a practice I picked up to slowly nourish my parasympathetic nervous system as I did barely beginners yoga. While I attended to my health (medically) and radically changed my diet, I practiced yin regularly even if only 5 or 10minutes in a day! Now, I cannot sing enough praise for yin yoga, because the way it helped me nourish myself back to a restful place. Yin helps insomnia, anxiety, digestive issues, chronic stress and trauma, to name a few issues, and you don’t need to invest in props- just use cushions, towels or pillows. It’s so low key you barely get off the floor. I still weave yin into my practice and often suggest my patients to give it a try if they seek to do something on their own to find peace of mind. I think we underestimate the stress associated with the national/global churning in the news- whether it be about politics, war, inflation, employment trends, food availability, illnesses...

Iyengar is another style I began to practice more regularly during the pandemic, mostly because I could practice an open class in a beginner's way, and the same class in an intermediate way depending on how I was doing. Iyengar uses a many props to meet the body where it’s at, yet the detailed instruction seemed to coax the attention while IN the pose. Todays meditation is inspired by the teacher who spoke about spreading one’s consciousness within the body. Though I’m not teaching an asana practice in this pod, I'm suggesting an opening of awareness to your self, within your self, opening to a space within, to your vitality and a stillness within- so that your consciousness has more room to roam, grow and expand within.

Thank you for your interest, here in the US and across nations. It is humbling. Feel free to share this podcast with anyone who might need a lift, these posts come from a place of service to help you navigate these unfolding times.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit evolutionmedicine.substack.com/subscribe

Dear Listener,

Last week’s holiday was a little needed downtime, however I’m back now, with both feet on the ground, reading my (imaginary) thermometer of public thought. Writing/recording for this pod seems to break life into 1-2 week increments, leaving me to reflect on trends like the one I’ll string together here.

Recently I had several conversations with people about their desire to be more themselves, authentically. I’d also call this self acceptance. Movement into this direction entails breaking out of old patterns, and seems to engage most (if not all) of the following; taking a temperature of the room, a bit of confidence, a touch of ‘who cares’, letting go, a thicker skin so the results bounce off, and a resonance with something that's known to be true from within.

I think self acceptance is an act of self-compassion or love, hence todays meditation.

What does that last part look like (knowing something to be true)? It can be; knowing you're a person who wants to give back to your community, knowing you're a creative type who needs engagement in projects that challenge or cultivate this, knowing cooking for others helps you clear your mind and expand, knowing walks with your dog resets your day and connects you with the natural world, knowing a hot bath soothes and grounds you- and makes you nicer around others :) , knowing fixing your friend's plumbing gives you joy.

I happened to be listening to a 70’s station on my drive today, when a Gladys Knight and the Pip’s song came on “I've got to use my Imagination.” The feel is uplifting, inspiring, spirited and soulful! Listen if you can. The lyrics caught my attention, the song is intense - she speaks of a lost love, sadness, her tone at times carries the devastation that follows, yet she sings the refrain as her guide getting through it all:

Ooh, ooh, oh, I've really got to use (I've got to use)

My imagination (I've got to use)

To think of good reasons (I've got to use)

To keep on keepin' on (I've got to use)

I think that is true- imagination helps us get through difficult situations by providing a direction to point our minds and hearts as we navigate hard moments.

For each of the scenarios a person reevaulated their degree of authenticity - pain prompted a self-reflection and a desire to step further into themselves. So if this applies to you, where can you begin? Open your mind, imagine the person you wish to be and the world you would like to create for yourself (so you know where you are going).

Listen to today’s meditation to help you quiet your mind and open your heart. Once the chatter dims, open a space for your imagination to grow by do something (creative) that speaks uniquely to you (sings to your soul).

Even if it’s the tiniest thing, it will mean a lot (to you).

Keep on keeping on.

This is a 1974 recording of Gladys Knight and the Pips singing "ive got to Use my Imagination"

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit evolutionmedicine.substack.com/subscribe

Dear Listener,

This is a meditation I started to do in the late 90’s and return to from time to time for a ‘refresh’. I find meditating on the sound of tinkling bells clarifying and mentally uplifting. In this recording- I rang bells a close friend gave me for the holidays. I adore their sound- I find them so soft and human. You may on your own, play bells or tie a bell to a door knob (to your bedroom, a home office or back door) to remind yourself to ‘ring in clarity’ or ‘wake up’. Some people like to meditate focusing on other sounds, like a harp or running water (see prior meditations). When my mind is cluttered or knotted, I try to give it a place to rest, sound can be a useful neutral tool to help quiet itself. Resting the mind on sound (to me) appears more accessible (compared to a silent meditation) when it’s challenging to focus or the mind with weighed with heavy thoughts.

In this recording I play the bells, then ask you to imagine the sound of tinkling bells in your mind… it intentionally invites you to exercise your imagination.

Why?

Because imagination is a uniquely human trait, it is so very special and important more then ever to cultivate these days.

Thank you for listening and reading my Substack whims aims to encourage mental peace and clarity in these wild times. I am profoundly grateful to all you adopters/practitioners of meditation, and appreciate your effort to elevate the world we share. I hope you find this a useful tool. I continue to encourage you to share with friends, family, classmates or colleagues so this continues to touch others- across North America, Europe and other continents.

Let’s raise our consciousness and progress together.

This pod is an act of service, for the public, a tool to add to your tool box for living. Thank you for listening.

This post is public, please share it with anyone you believe may benefit from it.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit evolutionmedicine.substack.com/subscribe

Dear Listener,

Recently I’ve revisited a topic with a few people about the expereince of palpable tension in the air. I realize that might sound weird, but are welcome to ask if it speaks to your experience. How would you know if this applies? You might notice an excessive peak of mental business, a buzzy feeling in the body, tension in the chest, shoulders, jaw or a change in your body posture (from upright and open, to slumped with rounded shoulders). The tension may be in your house, street, neighborhood, town, state or country… What to do with this (from within)?

You may begin by removing yourself a few hours, a half day, or more (if possible) to experience any difference between being ‘in it’ versus ‘outside of it’. It might involve a walk, hopping on a train/bus/car for a day trip or an overnight stay with a friend.

Consider finding a way to connect with nature, to whichever degree that holds meaning for you. Does that include sky gazing or sitting in a park? Will it include a walk, a hike, a swim or a night in a campground? Personally I like walking and gazing the most, a pretty view goes a long way :) The more active I am in that environment the more refreshed I feel at the end of it.

When meditations (thike this one) use visualization, it activates the mind’s skill to create and generate a state to influence your state of being = mood, thoughts, body. If your mind can work against you (worry, stuck thoughts, intellectualizing) why not access it’s other capacitites that allow it to rest, regenerate and refresh. When the mind is not over-tired (from thinking too much) it can be ready for moments when problem solving is needed!

A Sphere of Peace can be something to imagine, like a ‘skin of ease’, to surround or accompany you. Let is serve similar to a ‘personal field’, where things bounce off, you may decide what enters.

Thank you for your interest and for participating in these meditations for self- cultivation. Watching these meditations spread through continents is exciting. I believe if more people are touched by consciousness raising activities/practices our chance to elevate as a human race- grows immensely. Become a part of this silent and steady movement. This pod is an act of service, for the public, offering tools to add to your navigating-life tool-box.

Thank you for listening. This post is public, please share with a friend.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit evolutionmedicine.substack.com/subscribe

Dear Listeners,

Try not to be dismayed by these times, take a deep breath in and exhale release.

Every moment you get a chance to begin again. The past is in the past, that is done. We can’t go back, but it informs the present. In the present we can make a choice. Even if the choices are between bad and worse, it is a choice. Choice is free will. Consider this to be a time you can begin again, start from zero.

Every action has meaning- not in a burdensome way. Consider actions as impactful; if you take a call from someone who is (for example) a complainer, maybe you brush it off as inconsequential to speak with them, but what happens is this experience reinforces patterns of negative thinking within. Using this example, consider how minor or inconsequential decisions are meaningful and impact the present that shapes your future. Change the world by changing yourself.

In this meditation I ask you to imagine an aspect of the world you wish to create- contemplate whatever arises, then let it go. Come back and visit it, but try not to grip it, just hold it loosely, simply recognize anything in your daily living that mirrors it, and acknowledge that. If the tone is laughter, the word is joy, the color is green, notice expressions of that around you. Let it grow like a seedling you tend to, not by force, hovering or neglect … just the right amount of caring attention (it’s food and water) to let it develop on its own. The rainbow and metal elements reflect my readings this week.

Keep it up, one foot in front of the other.

I welcome the expanding American and European listeners and forward to more listeners across nations. This pod is an act of service to the public, a shared tools (one amongst many in your toolbox) for navigating these times.

Thanks for your interest and please share with anyone who may find this helpful.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit evolutionmedicine.substack.com/subscribe

Dear Listeners,

What an odd week. It was a little fast and different. All I can say is practice was about slowing down and quieting within. I’m not terribly convinced this pace (around us) will let up, anytime soon. Thus the practice of self-pacing might be a helpful tool to have in the back pocket. Or front pocket. Yin yoga can help, however do what works for you- walking, writing, reading, cooking, running, swimming, hiking, gardening, drinking tea, doing laundry, detail your car.

This meditation is a visualization, imagination is a tool that can help shift the mind and thus perspective. There are some dark events happening in the world, this is one way to remember the light.

Please feel free to share this with anyone who might benefit from listening. In these times, use all tools available to you to open your awareness, invite a gentling about your humanity, remain as connected as you can to others. We are social beings and tend to fair better when facing life with others.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit evolutionmedicine.substack.com/subscribe