What is Rumination?
Rumination is an uncomfortable, upsetting, negative thought or scene about yourself or another which keeps replaying in your head and seems out of your control completely.
When I looked up the definition of ruminate (or chew over), within the definition it stated that “cows emit more methane when they are ruminating”.
Can you imagine the toxic nature of “chewing over” a negative thought consistently and what it does to your mind or body?
And the more you do it, the more of a habit it becomes.
Every time you have negative thoughts and they produce worried, anxious feelings, these feelings are essentially having a physical effect on your body.
You can actually FEEL it. If you allow yourself to just relax, you can feel the exact place in your body which that specific, repetitive negative thought is effecting.
Some disorders rumination may cause include depression, psychosis, cardio – vascular disease or addictions and alcoholism to name a few.
The majority of people ruminate a great deal of the time; if it’s not about one thing, it could be about another.
One woman I had as a client was so obsessed with her body (she thought she was overweight) that everything that anyone did or said to her reminded her of how “fat” she was. She was systematically destroying her relationships, including her intimate relationship, because her mind kept ruminating over how fat and ugly she was.
Another client of mine would ruminate in the tube, thinking about “what pigs” the people in the tube were and even having violent feelings towards them…
Others ruminate about their health, making their health issues much bigger than they actually are by talking about, worrying and generating all these terrible feelings and actually causing their physical condition to get worse…
And who hasn’t ruminated about a lover, present or ex, and what they have or haven’t said or done….?
Actually rumination is addictive and just a way your ego keeps you from enjoying the present moment.
It’s a form of self – punishment or self – hate… making yourself feel miserable before anyone else can…
There are tons of reasons people ruminate and there are very few people who have enough control of their mind to catch themselves before doing it….
Psychological studies tell us that just a two minute distraction can stop us from ruminating over a specific issue in the moment.
Things you can do to stop ruminating are:
1. Take a deep breath! Follow your breath and place all of your attention on where your breath is going in your body.
Or do “20 connected breaths” – focusing on your breathing – do 4 short breaths and one long one (that’s 5 breaths) four times.
Make your breathing deep and circular… TAKE CONTROL of your inhale and “drop” your exhale, keeping it relaxed and easy.
2. Put some music on and dance… or just listen to it out loud (as long as you don’t put on something that reminds you of what you’re ruminating over!!)
3. Light a candle and focus on the flame and its light… every time your mind wonders bring it back to the flame.
4. Go for a walk in nature and actually LOOK AROUND you.
5. Go and get some rebirthing/ breathwork sessions and breathe out the negative charge connected to your problem.
6. Go for a jog, get some exercise!
7. Have a bath and put your head in the water, covering your crown chakra (brings you to a state of no mind or primal bliss)
8. Focus on an affirmation such as:
a. “ The present moment is the only moment there is. “
b. “I choose to relax into and enjoy the present moment whatever it is offering me.” Or
c. “Everything is a projection of my mind. When I OPEN MY EYES, I start to see and enjoy what is around me right in this given moment.”
Or come to one of our trainings and learn to master you mind!
It really is one of the best gifts you can ever give to yourself!
Your new life can be just a click away….
In Truth, Simplicity and Love,
Katia Boustani
Breath Master
Master Breathwork Trainer
Founder Rebirth Breath Therapy
Founder Global Breathing Awareness
