Keeping Yourself Together in Difficult Times

Things are challenging for most of us these days—both personally and globally. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed. It’s even more difficult when we think we are alone. 

Things are challenging for most of us these days—both personally and globally. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed. It’s even more difficult when we think we are alone.

A patient said to me this week, ‘I read that depression is in the past and anxiety is in the future; but how can I experience being present?’

We have three centers—our body, mind, and feelings. Each center is subject to stress and dysfunction. If you read about something bad in the news, the mind becomes stressed; if you have an argument with a friend, your feelings become more reactive, your digestion may be affected, and you feel unwell.

When our three centers work together, we are balanced. Together, they form a strong foundation in you that gives you strength, support, and a foothold in challenging times.

When body, mind and feelings are functioning harmoniously, you have the possibility to see events from a higher level of understanding, recognizing that chaos and unrest are a part of life. The events happening in the world today aren’t really new—they are a symptom of disconnection, of lack of connection to meaning and purpose. When we look at the world from our small perspective, we don’t consider what is most beneficial for everyone. We are taught that if one person wins, another must lose—but in actuality, we are not separate from others, and what happens to one person affects us all.

There is another way to relate to life, one in which we can navigate situations and find an outcome where everyone benefits, guided by the principle of Mutual Support.

To experience Mutual Support, you need to be present. To be present, you first have to bring mind and body together. This is very simple in theory, but to be able to remember in daily life takes practice—everything we see, and every thought we have distracts us, and leads us back to separation. When mind and body are together, the real feelings enter in (not the superficial reactive emotions, but our natural, open, available feelings)—and you can experience yourself in unity. You experience that you are not alone, and you may see how you can support and be supported by everyone and everything.

When you use the events of life as a reminder to come to the present, you find that:

—in the present, you experience harmony within yourself.

—when you become present around other people, they are affected positively.

—you have more energy and enthusiasm for relating to others, for your job, and for your life, and you can have a positive impact.

—you discover increased harmony, vitality, and a natural well-wishing to support those around you.

 Breema, Self-Breema and the Nine Principles of Harmony support us to practice body-mind connection in daily life. Receiving a Breema bodywork treatment or attending an online or in-person class or workshop introduces you to the practical tools Breema offers to bring more presence, positivity, and stability into your life!

Alexandra Johnson, MD practices integrative, functional family medicine and is a Breema bodywork practitioner and instructor. She finds this approach invaluable for supporting mental, physical and emotional health. She also has extensive experience working with other professionals, including health professionals, to alleviate burnout, chronic fatigue, and compassion fatigue. She has clinic locations and teaches workshops in Santa Cruz, Oakland, and internationally.

Alexandra Johnson, MD practices integrative family medicine and Breema bodywork. She finds this approach invaluable for supporting mental, physical and emotional health. She has clinic locations and teaches workshops in Santa Cruz and Oakland.

Alexandra Johnson, MD