DR. JAY KUMAR

Is joy different from happiness? How does our society define happiness? This stimulating and engaging conversation on the science and spirituality of happiness was my topic on the most recent Doug Stephan Good Day Show. I think you will defintely enjoy it, as you continue your quest for health and happiness! As I often say," “No external conditions are required for happiness. Happiness is who you are!" Dr. Jay Kumar

The other big surprise coming out of medicine is that the human heart actually emits an electro-magnetic field of energy around your body. According to studies from the Institute of Heart Math, this cardiac field of energy is almost a 1,000 times stronger than the one produced by your brain. Imagine that...your heart IS actually more powerful than your brain

This medical breakthrough now makes it possible to understand how different emotions we feel actually produce different frequencies within the body. Preliminary findings now indicate that emotions of love, joy, and compassion produce stronger and more coherent fields around the human body than do the emotional frequencies of sadness, fear, and anger. Why is this so important? It turns out, the strength of this newly discovered field around the heart correlates to your body's immune system. Studies in the emerging field
of psychoneuroimmunology and neurocardiology suggest that, in addition to stress, the quality of your human emotions appear to affect the state of your physical wellbeing. Pretty amazing stuff to know that you literally can love yourself to health or worry yourself to death.

You can learn more about these incredible findings from the two brief videos by ABC News and from the Institute of Heart Math. Each delves into the pioneering science behind the tremendous healing potential we manifest within our heart and by the power of love!

In the affirming words by Harvard trained psychiatrist, Dr. John Redinger, “Perhaps the real heart within us is not just a pump. Perhaps the real heart within us is about love and faith. Perhaps the physical body is not who we really are. Perhaps we are these invisible souls walking around, and the body is just an instrument or metaphor for something we are trying to learn.”

So as you celebrate this Valentine's Day, bear in mind that it is your heart that will always lead the way for the health and happiness you desire in life!

Dr. Jay Kumar

www.drjaykumar.com
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Let’s start with the hidden power of language and your thoughts by exploring the wordresolution. When you break down this word, a resolution is in reality a re-solution When you re-solve to do something, you’re generally re-solving a problem or a situation. So if your New Year’s resolution sounds something like, “I re-solve to eat more properly, I re-solve to quit smoking, I re-solve to exercise more regularly, etc.” the underlying message is that you’re attempting to “solve a problem” in your life and judge aspects of yourself that you dislike. While I agree that wanting to manifest changes in your life are worthwhile, if you’re making them from an emotional and mental place of low self-esteem, self-judgment, and self-pity, it only makes it that much harder to continue with your goals and intentions for wanting greater health and happiness. 

This idea of making resolutions from a psychological state of negative thinking connects to the other piece regarding your brain and emotions. The latest findings in neuroscience state that your brain is biologically wired to remember more negative thoughts and emotions over positive ones. The neuropsychologist, Dr. Rick Hanson, sums it up nicely by stating, “The mind is like Velcro for negative experiences and Teflon for positive ones.” I’m sure many of you can relate to this idea, but why is that your minds tend to remember the painful, negative experiences but not so much the joyous, happy moments? There’s actually a neurobiological answer that has to do with something called anegativity bias. At the University of Washington a study revealed how a negative experience remains wired into your brain more strongly than a positive one. In fact, it takes up to five positive experiences to outweigh a negative thought! So whenever you perceive aspects of your life as a problem, your consciousness automatically perceives them as negative or unwanted aspects of yourself that you have to rid in order to be perfect, happy, etc. This type of thinking only generates and perpetuates low self-esteem and feelings of unworthiness that in turn compound your attitude of failure and frustration. So it’s no wonder that you might lack commitment and abandon your hopes and dreams that you made with enthusiasm at the start of the New Year. So what’s the answer to stop your unhealthy thoughts of shame or guilt when it comes to making New Year’s resolutions in order to lead a more happy and healthy life?

I invite you to consider the possibility that rather than making a New Year’s re-solutionyou make a New Year’s re-intention for what you want to manifest in 2013! How does that sound to you? Say to yourself – “I’m making a New Year’s REINTENTION!” When you say this phrase, you set a positive intention to manifest change in your life by affirming aspects of your life that are currently working for you. By making a re-intention you focus on all the empowered positive choices you’ve already made, rather than on re-solving all the problems you believe exist in your life. In the same way that a re-solution "solves" a problem you don't like in your life, a re-intention "intends" a committment for you to change something in your life. 

In the fields of cognitive psychology and neurolinguistics, the language and words that you use have a very powerful impact on how you act and how you live. In neuroscience, this concept is known as creating a neural network. The thoughts and words that you choose to believe about yourself rewire your brain physiology eventually creating a neural network that reinforces these patterns of consciousness. (Watch video of brain making a new thought) In essence, your thoughts literally influence your brain, body, and being! As the Buddha eloquently states, “We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts we make our world.” This quote is relevant to our discussion. When you shift your thoughts and language from a re-solutionto a problem to a re-intention to affirm change in your life, you in turn alter your consciousness from viewing your life as a series of pesky problems to one of joyous affirmations.

So here are two great exercises you can do. The first is to reword your New Year’s re-solutions into re-intentions. Taking the examples of resolutions I used earlier, you can rephrase them by saying, “I intend to continue being happy, healthy and to love myself in 2013 by eating more properly, by quitting smoking, and by exercising more regularly.” Can you feel a difference in the language in this new intention? The fundamental shift is that your re-intentions begin with your intention to the positive and joyous aspects of your life, which in turn make it easier to create the changes you want

The second tool, which addresses the negativity bias, is to make a list of five aspects or qualities in your life that you already do well. If you recall it can take up to five positive thoughts and emotions to outweigh an unhealthy one. I encourage you to have this list near you at all times by keeping it on your cell phone, in your wallet or purse, your bathroom mirror, on the fridge, or on your office desk. This is your “affimations” list, which will help alleviate any frustration and disappointment you might have as you move forward in your goals for 2012. Repeat these affirmations to yourself on a daily basis, or whenever you feel the need.

These exercises of rewording your resolutions to re-intentions and of creating your “affirmation list” help you to focus on those aspects of life that empower you, instead of shame or guilt you. In turn, cultivating more emotionally and mentally healthy thoughts creates the foundation for more transformation to occur in your life. In just a short time, you will quickly learn to use these newly created New Year’s re-intentions and begin the gradual steps to realize your goals. The key word here is gradual. Deep and profound change rarely happens instantly or overnight. So be patient and compassionate to yourself, knowing the great news is that you can continue manifesting your New Year’s re-intentions all throughout 2013! Watch the full video clip on Youtube here to learn more!

So if you’ve already broken your New Year’s resolutions, I’m here to tell you that there’s still hope. The answer for you to fulfill your dreams and goals for the year and beyond is to transform your New Year’s re-solutions to New Year’s re-intentions. Have a wonderful day and an amazing 2013 as you manifest genuine health and abundant happiness in Brain, Body, & Being! 

Dr. Jay Kumar
www.drjaykumar.com
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Tip # 1 - “Gratitude is a Healthy Attitude”
Expressing gratitude for what you have, no matter how small it is, can also contribute to your greater health and happiness. In the past few years, scientists now recognize that gratitude is one of the most powerful and healthiest of human emotions. Studies at University of Miami, UC Davis, and Stanford University successfully demonstrate that remembering to be grateful for what you have in life can greatly outweigh any sadness, stress, or challenges you might currently experience. Further discoveries in neuroscience suggest that when you experience gratitude, the left pre-frontal cortex of the brain, an area that correlates to emotions of love and compassion, begins to activate. As I like to say, “Gratitude turns WHAT YOU HAVE into enough, creates contentment for WHAT IS, and manifests greater joy for WHO YOU ARE!” If you can’t express gratitude for what you already have, how can you expect to be grateful for all the prosperity and abundance that awaits you in the New Year! Read more in “How Gratitude Heals Your Brain, Body, & Being.”  

Tip # 3 - “Practice Compassion and Kindness”
As His Holiness the Dalai Lama often says, “If you want to be happy, make others happy!” In my piece “The Neuroscience of Health and Happiness" research into the human brain has discovered that we possess a peculiar thing known as a mirror neuron. Scientists know believe that these mirror neurons are the reason why humans, along with certain primates, elephants, dogs, and dolphins, are biologically wired to experience the emotions of others. Mirror neurons suggest that the human brain has evolved to experience both the pain and euphoria of others. It is this biological conditioning that may account for human empathy and compassion. Brain scans reveal that expressing more compassion and kindness helps you develop these mirror neurons, and it is this notion of compassion and empathy toward others that ultimately allows you to experience greater happiness and wellbeing on a daily basis. So the more kindness you practice toward people, the happier they become and the happier you become! Enjoy this True & Personal Holiday “Tail” about the power of human compassion and empathy we humans share with our pets.

Tip # 4 - “Keep Thinking Good Thoughts”
Did you know that it takes at least FIVE good thoughts to outweigh a negative one! Neuropsychologist Dr. Rick Hanson states, “The mind is like Velcro for negative experiences and Teflon for positive ones.” I’m sure many of you can relate to this idea, but why is that our minds tend to remember the painful, negative experiences but not so much the joyous, happy moments? There’s actually a neurobiological answer that has to do with something called a “negativity bias.” At the University of Washington a study revealed how a negative experience remains wired into your brain more strongly than a positive one. In fact, it takes up to five positive experiences to outweigh a negative thought! Neurobiologists believe that this “negative bias” of the human brain was an evolutionary trait that helped early humans survive by allowing the brain to react to, remember, and recall life-threatening experiences. Imagine you were an early human chased by a lion; your brain would store that information into a neural net, recalling that memory as a survival mechanism. The lesson is that in order to experience authentic happiness, you actively have to focus on the positive to overcome the negative experiences in your life that your brain has imprinted into your consciousness. Learn more about how your psychology influences your biology in “The Healing Power of Thought.”

Tip # 5 - “Just Breathe!” 
One of the simplest and most effective tools you have to alleviate stress and create more happiness in your life is to find some personal time in your day to focus on your breath. In “Breathe Your Way to Health & Happiness” one of the easiest ways to experience greater wellbeing is to engage in conscious breathing for as little as five minutes a day. Dr. James S. Gordon, a clinical professor of psychiatry at the Georgetown University Medical School, states, “Slow, deep breathing is probably the single best anti-stress medicine we have.” You may be surprised to learn that doing mindful, calm breathing exercises for just five minutes a day can begin to shift your emotional and mental health. In the growing field of “brain-body-being” research, studies show that focusing on your breath, specifically on the quality and state of your breath, might be the key to unlock your potential for health and happiness. Let’s face it, most of us do shallow breathing, i.e. not connecting our breath deep into the belly. Deep-belly breathing has now been shown in numerous studies to have a significant benefit on your neurophysiology, calming and soothing both your mind and body. When you connect and focus on your breath by taking deep and slow inhalations and exhalations, your nervous system and brain waves begin to come into balance and coherence. When your brain and body are in alignment you tend to cultivate the “four C’s” of calmness, contentment, caring and creativity. Watch my Self-Guided Breathing Video to learn how to alleviate stress and to experience greater happiness in your daily life and throughout the New Year. 

Dr. Jay Kumar

www.drjaykumar.com
Facebook – Dr. Jay Kumar
Twitter – docjaykumar

Dr. Jay Kumar

www.drjaykumar.com
Facebook – Dr. Jay Kumar
Twitter – docjaykumar

The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, nor to worry about the future, but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly." Buddha. Enjoy the latest podcast by Dr. Jay Kumar on the Doug Stephan Good Day Show sharing inightful tools from brain research for how to turn your worries into NO WORRIES! 

Dr. Jay Kumar

www.drjaykumar.com
Facebook – Dr. Jay Kumar
Twitter – docjaykumar

My gift to you is this True & Personal Holiday "Tail" affirming the powerful love we share with our pets. I hope you take the time to read and enjoy its inspiring message. Happy Holidays from Dr. Jay Kumar.

As many of you know, I recently lost a very special and amazing soul in my life. Pico and I have spent so many Holidays together that his furry loving presence will be all the more painfully missed this year. I was recently and beautifully reminded that even personal grief and sadness can have a happy and heart-warming outcome. Here is why: The street next to the parking lot of my gym in Venice, CA is a haven for numerous homeless people. While it breaks my heart knowing that our society largely ignores these folks, I am even more disheartened seeing how many loyal canine companions faithfully stand by their side. 

A few days ago walking from my car to the gym a homeless man, Jeff, randomly smiled at me and said hello, while his sweet and adorable German Shepherd, Mandy, playfully wagged her tail. Jeff asked for no money, nor did it seem that he was angry about the circumstances that life gave him. I've probably driven by Jeff and countless other of nameless faces of the homeless a hundred times this year on my way to the gym, but for some reason, Jeff's disarmingly friendly smile and Mandy's warm eyes kept gnawing at me. Yesterday evening, the Holiday Spirit came over me in a way that I never knew possible. I happened to find Jeff and surprised him with a 50 lb bag of Pico's favorite dog food and a handful of favorite doggie treats that I would buy for Pico every Holiday. I gifted them to Jeff for Mandy and all the other homeless dog companions on the street. 

Needless to say it was a very emotional scene for everyone. I told them the grief of recently losing Pico, and they all shared stories about their own dogs. Many of the homeless people there said that what I did for their dogs was the best Holiday gift they ever could have received. It turns out, many of these homeless folks actually will feed their dogs first before even feeding themselves. When I heard that, my tears just flowed. I share this Holiday story letting you know that the loving intimate bond that we have with our animal companions is universal. The greatest Holiday gift this event has given me is knowing that out of every personal loss there is always the potential for compassion and love. I know that somewhere in doggie heaven Pico is wagging his tail and smiling in agreement! Happy Holidays to you all! 

Dr. Jay Kumar

www.drjaykumar.com
Facebook – Dr. Jay Kumar
Twitter – docjaykumar

Dr. Jay Kumar

www.drjaykumar.com
Facebook – Dr. Jay Kumar
Twitter – docjaykumar 

Well, after years of hype December 21, 2012 is here! Unless you've been hiding in a cave with no internet access the past few months, I'm sure you've read or heard in the collective media about the possible fate of the world on this day. Whether you're a skeptic or believer that this popularized calendar date has any major significance for humanity is to be seen. 

I've been frequently asked over the past few weeks by students, clients, and many people what exactly does this event mean for the planet. So I thought, why not just share my views on the matter with everyone, once and for all. So do I believe that our world is coming to an end? No, I don't! What I do believe is that our current worldview is coming to an end!  

How many of you remember the lyrics to the famous David Bowie song, “Turn and face the strange ch..ch…changes!” It seems that everyone is experiencing change on some level. All around us major transformations are occurring in humanity and around the planet. While I’ve explored the nature of change and why we can sometimes fear it in previous posts (full article here), many of us still might be confused, anxious, or even fearful of the monumental shifts happening all around. 

One of my favorite quotes comes from Charles Darwin who says, “It is not the strongest of the species
 that survives, nor the most intelligent,
 but the one most responsive to change.” In essence, change is inevitable! Ironically, change is the only constant of the universe and of life. The more we resist change, the more we suffer, the more we remain in fear, and the more we get stuck on the journey.

However, another way to view change can be as an awakening. One of my favorite movie lines comes from an old 1980’s film Joe versus the Volcano with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. It goes, “Almost the whole world is asleep. Everybody you know, everyone you see, everyone you talk to. Only a few people are awake, and we live in constant and total amazement.” So when you can begin to see life not as a fearful and dreaded element of change, but as an adventurous, joyous, and exhilarating journey of awakening, that is when you truly start LIVING! 

Whether it was the Arab uprisings or Occupy Wall Street movements that were happening both here in the US and globally, one thing is for sure–the new emerging paradigm on the planet is about BECOMING AWAKE. Awake not in the physical sense, but in the context of human consciousness and global awareness of feeling alive, whole, vibrant, and most of all individually and collectively empowered. On the contrary, the old paradigm we’re releasing as a species was about being ASLEEP by feeling disconnected, isolated, depressed, devalued, ignorant, and disempowered.

I personally believe that humanity is in a time of tremendous transformation. All the current long-standing structures of the planet are transitioning as we awake to an emerging worldview of wholeness, interconnectedness, compassion, tolerance, and justice. In order for this shift to occur, all the old structures of separation, domination, oppression, nationalism, and fundamentalism have to come up in our collective consciousness so that they can be healed, if humanity is to evolve as a species.

A phrase I've said repeatedly in reference to Dec. 21, 2012 is that “THE SHIFT IS ABOUT TO HIT THE FAN – BIG TIME!” Depending on what side of the fan you’re standing on, that will determine how easily you’ll make the shift. If you happen to be standing on the side that fears all the changes, you might not like it when the “shift starts flying!”

In essence, what is happening right now and currently manifesting around the world is an AWAKENING! In Eastern philosophy, the word for "one who is awake" is known as a Buddha. The renowned Buddhist spirtual leader, Thich Nhat Hahn, nicely sums up this notion of global awakening by saying that the next Buddha is not going to be a person, but the actual planet and humanity! THE ENTIRE PLANET AND HUMANITY ARE THE NEXT BUDDHA.

This notion of transformation and awakening is even evident in the Biblical traditions. The Biblical concepts ofthe Apocalypse and of the Revelation both derive from words that mean to “reveal, awaken, lift back the veil.” The word apocalypse derives from the ancient Greek verb apokalyptein "to uncover, disclose, reveal," which in the Latin version of the Bible became the word revelatio “to reveal, unveil, uncover, disclose.” So for all you doomsday types out there who fear the Apocalypse or the Revelation as the end of the world, to you I say, “BEWARE, THE BEGINNING IS NEAR!”

Humanity's emerging worledview of wholeness and interconnectedness is not only a concept advanced by the many spiritual traditions of the world, it is one that science also states to the be the actual reality of our universe. In the exciting field of quantum physics and mechanics, there is the fundamental understanding that at the very basic level of the quantum realm, everything in the universe abides in a state of undivided wholeness. In this worldview concepts of time, space, and possibly even consciousness itself are entangled together in a unified state. According to academic colleagues of mine, who happen to be renowned quantum physicists, this new paradigm of holism is gradually evolving within the sciences with the potential radically to transform all of humanity's platforms such as medicine, ecology, economics, neuroscience, and the very evolution of human consciousness. Indeed, we are living in exciting times!

As more of us become awake, the more this awakening accelerates around the planet. It only takes a small but dedicated few of us to be catalysts for humanity’s great awakening. As the noted anthropologist Margaret Mead once insightfully observed, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

Always remember just how amazing and incredible you are, and just how joyous and magnificent life is. The key to navigating these times of change and transformation is to “change” your attitude toward change. Once you begin to understand that the personal and planetary changes are nothing more than humanity’s powerful awakening, you will be just fine!

Keep on Living Your Light® as you keep on Awakening Into Your Light!

Dr. Jay Kumar
www.drjaykumar.com
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