Random Notes on Health and Wellness

Like all fears of the unknown, when you lose control over your body, anxiety slowly creeps in. Perhaps it's this moment of fear that pushes us to start facing reality.

The weather is cloudy, and in post-summer Guangzhou, even the wind feels cool occasionally

Outside my window, the kapok tree that was full of red flowers before Qingming Festival is now covered in green leaves - the vitality of life is truly wonderful

"Meditation Really Works"

Borrowing a passage from Headspace:

Imagine yourself sitting by the roadside

Imagine watching the cars passing by - they are your thoughts

Usually, the constant flow of traffic would make us feel restless

So we run onto the road trying to stop those cars

Sometimes we even can't help but chase after them

Forgetting our original intention was just to sit by the roadside

In the past 20 years, scientists have been able to achieve this

They've strictly monitored changes in heart rate, blood pressure, stress levels, and even brain structure through modern technology.

Scientists have used functional magnetic resonance imaging to scan the brain,

Witnessing all the changes that occur in the human brain before, during, and after meditation.

Now we know that just like how our muscles become thicker and stronger when we exercise at the gym, similarly, when we sit down to meditate, the areas in our brain responsible for perceiving happiness and joy become more abundant. This part becomes thicker and stronger.

"A Day of Warmth and Ginger Tea"

Morning sunlight on my back, occasionally doing amateur meditation

Not exposing ankles even in summer, hot ginger tea in the morning and afternoon, evening walks

After autumn's harvest and winter's storage, looking forward to next spring's growth and summer's prosperity

"The Healing Power of Cats"

Two cats have been companions for four or five years, with completely different personalities - one clings to humans, one clings to cats

Though they can be mischievous at times, their constant charm and cuteness make up for it

I hope I can be with you for a very long time, and I hope you'll stay with me for a very long time too

"..."

There's so much more

After experiencing some painful and anxious times, I've become more serious about these small changes

It's hard to say whether these wellness practices have truly made a difference, but I hope so.

Because I really want to spend more and more and more time with the people I love and this beautiful world

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❤️ Translated by Claude

👉 Original: [养生不指南二三随记]