For her stunning performance Mengele let her live and gave her a loaf of bread. Like her future mentor and colleague, Victor Frankl (author of Man’s Search for Meaning), Edie chose to exercise the power of the imagination to manifest staying alive.

What we imagine, is the blueprint the subconscious mind uses to create the physical outcome of our lives. To not pay attention to what we imagine is to allow our lives to unfold without clear intention. To choose what to imagine is to assume conscious responsibility for the content of our imagination and hence, the direction and outcome of our lives.

When it comes to the state of our health, the quality of our thoughts, as played out in our imagination, is fundamental. We are daily flooded with messages of vulnerability to outside invasive bacteria and viruses. As well, we are saturated with influencers touting potential remedies and preventive measures.

The imagination is solicited to play out these scripts that irritate and activate the central nervous system (CNS) to manufacture neurotransmitters, as well as the endocrine system to produce hormones, to prepare our body and mind for simply a thought of invasion of no true substance.

The subconscious mind responds to the imagination the same way it responds to actual reality. What we imagine is reality to the subconscious mind, which in turn innervates the brain to respond accordingly.

Rather than fixate upon the alarming messages seeking to generate a false reality in the mind and body, we are free to choose to focus our attention upon thoughts that calm the imagination and, consequently, the CNS.

These thoughts generate the production of feel good hormones such as serotonin, dopamine and oxytocin. These promote deep states of relaxation, calm and peace. If, in fact, a genuine threat were to present itself, our resilience, accrued from such calm practice, provides confidence to meet the challenge, rather than being overwhelmed by a crisis.

The practice I suggest to achieve such calm is quite simple. The internal dialogue within the mind never sleeps, but you can override it by taking charge of the words you say to yourself. Saturate yourself with positive words. Simply say them all the time, with intention.

If negative thought intruders momentarily steal your attention, simply shift to the positive words as soon as you notice the disruption. Don’t waste a second more thinking the negative thought.

Here are some positive word suggestions: peace, love, freedom, happiness, joy, comfort, relaxed, beauty, calm, pleasure, warmth, refreshed, happy, treasure, rested… Truthfully, the list is endless.

Choose a word. Perhaps say it many times at a chosen rhythm. Make up poems, jingles, or songs to play with the words. Saturate your inner experience with the words and positive feeling states they generate.

Also, when you say one of these words, they often bring up associations to similar words or experiences to be lived and enjoyed in the imagination. Go there.

One of the practices I enjoy is Vim Hof’s retentive breath work. I utilize the word method, choosing the word that feels right in the moment. I have been able to vastly achieve calm states during lengthy breath retention through this approach. These calm states are retained long after the practice has ended.

Positive saturation promotes deep states of calm to be readily available at the mere stating of a word. Positive saturation does not eliminate real challenges that must be met, but it removes the bulk of negative states manufactured in error.

Positively saturate yourself to your heart, mind and breath’s content,
Chuck