Category Archives: Deep Mind
Hiraeth: an Emotional State That Affects Old Souls and Deep Thinkers
Lets start with the definition. Hiraeth is an untranslatable Welsh word that describes a longing for a home, a place, or a feeling that no longer exists or never existed.
Its a homesickness for the places from your past you cant return to or even those youve never been to. Hiraeth can also mean nostalgia for your past self, the people who are long gone, or the emotions you used to feel.
But it can also describe a sense of yearning for imaginary places, feelings, and people for example, the ones you read about. Sometimes, it feels as if you suddenly take a glance into your previous life and connect with the people and things that existed long ago or, at least, could have existed.
Hiraeth is a perfect example of a comprehensive term that is impossible to explain with just one or two words. And everyone who is familiar with this rare word puts their own meaning into it.
Old souls and deep thinkers are among those people who know what Hiraeth is better than anyone. These individuals are more prone to feelings of nostalgia and unexplained sadness.
According to the ideas of New Age spirituality, old souls are believed to be more intuitive, better connected with their inner self, and more likely to remember their past lives. If you relate to these beliefs, you could regard Hiraeth as a connection to your previous reincarnations.
In this case, its a feeling of longing for the places that were your home, the people who were your family, and the things you did in your past lives. Its just one way to view this emotional state.
If we go with logic, a person with an old souls characteristics translates into a deep-thinking introvert. Its someone who is highly contemplative, a dreamer, and an abstract thinker.
Such people are prone to feeling pensive or sad for no obvious reason. They think about their past often and immerse themselves in fantasy worlds.
No surprise that they may sometimes feel an unexplainable yearning for imaginary places and people. They also have the habit of overanalyzing their past, so they can feel nostalgia for the home they used to live in or the experiences they used to have.
All these are examples of Hiraeth.
We all have felt this emotional state at some point in our lives, but most of us had no idea that there was a name for it. The best example of Hiraeth is the feeling you get when staring into the starry sky.
Its an unexplainable longing, but you dont know what or who you long for. The stars in the sky look so distant, and yet, it feels as if they are calling you. Is it some kind of lost homeland trying to reach out from a faraway galaxy or is it the stardust speaking inside you and reviving your connection with the universe?
Im sure that you are familiar with this feeling, even though its difficult to explain. You can also experience Hiraeth while looking into the sea or the ocean. The boundless surface of the water, the reflection of the sky, and the unreachable horizon.
What is there beyond it? Its the lands youve never stepped on, the lights of the cities youve never seen, and the foreign air youve never breathed.
This is when you start to feel an inexplicable yearning for the places youve never been to and are not sure they even exist. Maybe they are just a product of your imagination.
Have you felt this emotional state? If yes, then what is Hiraeth for you? Id love to hear about your experiences.
Founder & Lead Editor at Learning Mind
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Hiraeth: an Emotional State That Affects Old Souls and Deep Thinkers
Relaxation techniques: Breath control helps quell errant stress …
The term "fight or flight" is also known as the stress response. It's what the body does as it prepares to confront or avoid danger. When appropriately invoked, the stress response helps us rise to many challenges. But trouble starts when this response is constantly provoked by less momentous, day-to-day events, such as money woes, traffic jams, job worries, or relationship problems.
Health problems are one result. A prime example is high blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart disease. The stress response also suppresses the immune system, increasing susceptibility to colds and other illnesses. Moreover, the buildup of stress can contribute to anxiety and depression. We can't avoid all sources of stress in our lives, nor would we want to. But we can develop healthier ways of responding to them. One way is to invoke the relaxation response, through a technique first developed in the 1970s at Harvard Medical School by cardiologist Dr. Herbert Benson. The relaxation response is a state of profound rest that can be elicited in many ways, including meditation, yoga, and progressive muscle relaxation.
Breath focus is a common feature of several techniques that evoke the relaxation response. The first step is learning to breathe deeply.
Deep breathing also goes by the names of diaphragmatic breathing, abdominal breathing, belly breathing, and paced respiration. When you breathe deeply, the air coming in through your nose fully fills your lungs, and the lower belly rises.
For many of us, deep breathing seems unnatural. There are several reasons for this. For one, body image has a negative impact on respiration in our culture. A flat stomach is considered attractive, so women (and men) tend to hold in their stomach muscles. This interferes with deep breathing and gradually makes shallow "chest breathing" seem normal, which increases tension and anxiety.
Shallow breathing limits the diaphragm's range of motion. The lowest part of the lungs doesn't get a full share of oxygenated air. That can make you feel short of breath and anxious.
Deep abdominal breathing encourages full oxygen exchange that is, the beneficial trade of incoming oxygen for outgoing carbon dioxide. Not surprisingly, it can slow the heartbeat and lower or stabilize blood pressure.
Breath focus helps you concentrate on slow, deep breathing and aids you in disengaging from distracting thoughts and sensations. It's especially helpful if you tend to hold in your stomach.
First steps. Find a quiet, comfortable place to sit or lie down. First, take a normal breath. Then try a deep breath: Breathe in slowly through your nose, allowing your chest and lower belly to rise as you fill your lungs. Let your abdomen expand fully. Now breathe out slowly through your mouth (or your nose, if that feels more natural).
Breath focus in practice. Once you've taken the steps above, you can move on to regular practice of controlled breathing. As you sit comfortably with your eyes closed, blend deep breathing with helpful imagery and perhaps a focus word or phrase that helps you relax.
Several techniques can help you turn down your response to stress. Breath focus helps with nearly all of them:
You may want to try several different relaxation techniques to see which one works best for you. And if your favorite approach fails to engage you, or you want some variety, you'll have alternatives. You may also find the following tips helpful:
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Relaxation techniques: Breath control helps quell errant stress ...