We Are Made To Be Kind
The Dalai Lama suggests that achieving a social revolution begins with transforming our own minds. This is a topic of how to create a better world is close to my heart. It was what attracted me to yoga at the age of seventeen. As a teenager, I didn’t have much control over my outer circumstances, but yoga taught me something transformative: It was up to me to shape my inner attitude and choose how to respond to my experiences. Yoga empowered me and gave me a sense of agency. I loved it for that and still do.
You may not be focused on sparking a social revolution right now, but perhaps you’d welcome a personal revolution—one that shifts you away from reactive, nagging behavior and overwhelm, and toward a state of clarity, peace and calm. Because let's face it, even with the best intentions and promises to ourselves that we will never again act or say things out of anger, frustration or hurt, before we know it, we have done it again. And it is literally "before we know it", because when triggered, stressed or tired we act on impulse without having time to think it through. Our emotional reactions are hardwired to be faster than our conscious thought processes.
The good news is that modern scientific research validates what ancient spiritual teachings have known for centuries: we can rewire our brains through practices like meditation, mindfulness, and breathwork. These practices help us become less reactive and enable us to transition more quickly from high-alert states—such as anger, anxiety, or stress—into a state of calm.
When our minds are calm, we make better decisions, think more creatively, and respond with greater clarity. This inner work cultivates balance and grounding, empowering us to approach life with more compassion, kindness, and understanding. After all, as the short, insightful video below reminds us, "we are built to be kind."
Unlock Inner Peace and Awaken Compassion
Breathing is one of the few functions governed by the autonomic nervous system (happening unconsciously) that we can also control consciously. This unique quality makes it the perfect bridge between body and mind. Regularly practicing even simple breathing techniques can profoundly impact your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. These practices are quick, portable, and easy to integrate into even the busiest of lives.
To support you in this, I’ve recorded two new breathing practices, now available for download at the end of this email. Each practice has a slightly different effect on the nervous system, but both are designed to promote a sense of calm and ease. They’re accessible to everyone, regardless of your previous experience with breathwork—even if you’ve struggled to focus on your breath before.
These practices are invaluable tools for your "resilience toolkit," helping you stay grounded and centered when life feels overwhelming. I encourage you to give them a try!
1) Serenity Breathing (10min) guides you in getting to know and befriend your breath simply as it is. It fosters curiosity, calms the mind and increases your ability to 'let go' and 'simply be'.
2) Box Breathing (8min) is especially useful when you feel agitated and on high alert due to stress or anxiety. It is designed to (with some practice) quickly shift from the sympathetic nervous system (fight, flight or freeze response) into the parasympathetic nervous system (calm, relax & connect response).
Either practice can be done at any time*. Start with the one that has a greater appeal to you and that you find easier to do.
Kindly and with love
Uschi
*If you have high blood pressure or are pregnant, I would recommend to omit the breath holding in the "Box Breathing" and instead simply focus on making the inhalation as long as the exhalation as a continuous rhythmic cycle of breath.
Questions for you
This activity below will prime your mind to be self-motivated as it creates new neurological pathways in support of your desired action - this can be a very helpful life-hack for becoming your own most enthusiastic cheer-leader.
1) Choose a number between 1 and 10 to signify how committed you are to work towards greater clarity, peace and calm?
2) Whatever number you chose, ask yourself: "Why did I not choose a lower number?"
If you’re serious about rewiring your brain to support your goal—any goal—commit to this simple yet powerful exercise: set aside some time and write down 80 answers to why you didn’t choose a lower number. It’s perfectly fine to phrase the same idea (answer) differently; repetition is key.
Why 80? Neurological research suggests that it takes around 80 repetitions to create and strengthen new neural pathways. With each answer, you’re forming a new neuro-link in support of your chosen goal. This practice not only reinforces your commitment but also trains your brain to align more deeply with your intentions - which means, you will naturally take actions towards your goal without solely relying on your willpower or procrastinating for ages.
Human nature is often portrayed as selfish and power hungry, but research by UC Berkeley's Dacher Keltner finds that we are hard-wired to be kind.
Kind Living Massage
Have you heard about mirror neurons?
Mirror neurons enable us to “perceive and understand others’ feelings without words” Scientists believe that mirror neurons can account for affective empathy, involving emotional understanding and resonance (Jeremy Sutton, Sep 2023) Apart from booting our empathy, mirror neurons also affect our learning and cognition.
While my work as massage therapist is literally 'hands-on', I am aware of how my state of mind, and also the environment I create, impacts my clients. My longstanding practice (and teaching) of breathwork and meditation has given me the tools to create a calm and empathetic space that supports my clients' and my own wellbeing. I do believe that this also helps maximise the healing effect of the massage itself.