Few people realize the power of experiential exercises. Fewer still know how to make full use of them. But those who do are able to unlock the reservoirs of positive energy present in their body. They feel healthier in body, in mind, and in soul. They are able to drive negative thoughts and negativity from their minds and their surroundings.

Most important, they radiate positive energy when they reach out to others, energy that helps them build stronger and more intimate relationships. There is a spring and bounce in their steps; they do not get depressed easily; and they learn to enjoy life much more than others.

Experiential workshops

There are several groups that hold week or month-long experiential workshops where they teach breathing and body exercises. Most of these are group exercises, and an individual is required to follow the group leader or the trainer. Some of these workshops are residential, where the participants are provided healthy food to cleanse their systems of toxins. The experience invariably is explosive; participants go in as tired, stressed out individuals but come out full of energy.

The exercises are backed by healing sessions which are aimed to dissolve fears, guilt and shame about ***. Most of the messages are conveyed through movement, music, creative art, breathing exercises hypnotherapy, and meditation. There is a feeling of intimacy and playful sharing. Individuals not only get to know their bodies better but how to use it to derive greater pleasure.

Breathing exercises and meditation

The object of breathing exercises and meditation is to drive out toxins and negative feelings from the body and generate positive energy. Both perform this task in their own way. The breathing exercises drive out carbon dioxide from the body, and replace it with oxygen. The cells, which were battling with carbon dioxide earlier, get a flood of oxygen to breathe. They get energized and the chemical reactions occurring in them get a new life; they generate more energy that make individuals feel all charged up, alert, energetic and raring to go.

Meditation, on the other hand, relaxes the body muscles and removes stress. It also drives away negative thoughts and forces individuals to focus on positive images. An individual feels relaxed and content. He finds it easier to deal with partners, and the day to day stresses and strains of life. He does not get worked up, and enjoys whatever he does.

His love life improves because he can bring much more to the relationship. There is greater intimacy, and there is greater give and take. The individual is not in a hurry; he wants to cherish each moment of his love life.

The soft touches

The teachers of experiential exercises encourage soft touches or activities that touch the senses. That is why the experiential exercises are conducted against a background of soft music, which is all the time washing against the bodies of participants, cleansing them, touching emotional chords, making them feel better.

The participants are also asked to draw. This is a great way for the unconscious mind to express itself. The trainer gets a chance to see the individual’s inner feelings, the thoughts that first come to participant’s mind. It’s another way to purge negative thoughts by making the individual aware of what his subconscious mind is thinking.

Self-acceptance

Experiential exercises train us in self-acceptance. They make us realize that a healthy body is the gateway to a healthy mind, and a healthy soul. They make us accept ourselves as we are, and turn us into better human beings. This, in itself, is a great achievement. Our lives improve several-fold the day we learn to be at peace with ourselves.

But all this will not happen in an instant. It takes years of training to move from the physical to the spiritual level. Individuals need to be patient. They must understand that they need to cleanse their body and mind of all negativity – which means thoughts and acts pertaining to pain, violence, jealousy, hate, anger, dislike etc – before they can move to a higher level.

This should not, however, dampen their enthusiasm. Instead they should celebrate the coming together of body, heart and soul. They will find that they are better able to internalize the pleasures of love. They can reach out to their partners more fully, and bring more fulfillment to their sexual lives.

The union of bodies will not generate any feelings of shame or guilt because the experiential exercises would have purged these feelings. There is more joy, and more intimacy in each union.

So, if you have not felt the power of experiential exercises till now you should try to do so. It is an activity that has the potential to change your life — forever.

There is one therapy that can you help ward off addictions, depression, stress, anxiety and even Alzheimer’s, all the while keeping you strong, slim and feeling great. That mental-health “treatment” is of course a proper exercise program. Research reveals that exercise supports the intimate connection between the health of the body and that of the mind. Since exercise is the body’s key method of staying healthy it also appears to be crucial to mental health as well.

Our busy lives don’t come without stress which is just a build up of inactivity, of over thinking without release. Modern life has us performing constant intellectual thinking tasks and we need a reprieve from these. Proper exercise is the tool that will give you that release stimulating a healthy release of the body’s natural chemicals that have a soothing and calming effect.

If this stress is not dissipated thinking becomes disordered leading to “stinking thinking” which can then lead on to depression. These bad negative thoughts can soon be chased completely away with a good solid exercise session. Mood is quickly improved and the risk of becoming depressed is lessened.

The time spent on your exercise session is also a bit of “me” time. This can provide a time for reflection and some alone time to contemplate thoughts or problems. It can be a special time to re-center yourself and get in touch with the real you which tends to be put aside and lost in the busyness of our lives. You will feel more in control of your life.

Exercise will get you active in a productive manner which the human body is dependant on to be able to stay healthy and well. The brain will send out the good chemicals signaling a happy pleasant state of mind both during and after the exercise session. This will set you up for the day enabling you to deal more effectively with problems or challenges that otherwise might have caused you significant levels of stress.

The brain is the “muscle” of conscious intelligence and just like the muscles in the rest of the body develops and gains strength during youth. As we get older we can maintain the strength of our brain or we can allow it to degenerate and become weaker diminishing its capability and thinking power.

Your exercise program needs to contain at least 60% strength training exercise and is an important factor in maintaining mental fitness. When you exercise and raise your heart rate this increases blood flow to the brain which in turn leads to enhanced memory, and better intellectual capacity and mental function.

Another important benefit you will experience is that you will feel so much happier within yourself; which could be defined as an inner sense of well-being. This will in turn give you a better outlook on life, seeing your cup as half full rather than half empty. If you are not already appreciating all of the good things in your life then you just might start.

If you have previously been living a no exercise lifestyle you will feel a huge boost in your energy levels. Exercise gets your blood pumping, pushing life giving oxygen into every cell and system keeping you youthful and vibrant. There is nothing worse than a sedentary lifestyle to make you feel tired, apathetic and listless with low motivation levels. You simply don’t feel like being active.

Learn to lean on your exercise program to pull you up and out of this situation if necessary. Think of it as a tool to move you beyond life’s challenges and make it part of your mission for better health and well-being.