Manifesto: a public declaration of intentions, opinions, objectives, or motives.

As a long-time yogi, I have been setting an intention before my daily practice for more than 10 years. Perhaps it was this habit that prompted me to write my first manifesto in 2004. Gathering healing thoughts and wishes into one short document was enlightening, centering, and deeply positive. Since others have found this process helpful, I wanted to share the method and some suggestions for possible inclusion in your own manifesto.

Guidelines for Writing Your Manifesto

Let it flow. In my opinion, the best thing you can do when you start to write anything is let it flow. As you allow thoughts, feelings, and ideas to take shape on the page, give yourself the gift of writing without interruption. That means both carving out a little time for yourself and not stopping to edit your words. You can revise and rewrite later on.

Brainstorm. Write the word “manifesto” in the middle of a blank page and let your mind wander. When an idea pops into your head write it in a circle around that central word. Then, focus on each word and write what comes to mind in a line branching out from it.  That may be enough for one day. If you feel like continuing, focus on any word or concept that speaks to you, and think of your wish for your own growth, development, or peace as it relates to that idea.

[fat_widget_right]Daydream. Recent studies show that encouraging your mind to wander in what appears to be an aimless manner actually generates creative solutions to problems and is just as valid as any other kind of “work.” If you regularly keep a journal, or a dream journal, you may find rereading entries gives you plenty of fodder for your manifesto.

Let go. If you have a health issue, you might explore ways to be more comfortable with your body. Think of phrases that help you let go of preconceived notions about your health, and accept things as they are because you can be sure they will change. In situations you can’t control, it is often best to find power in letting go, and allowing what is to be exactly as it is.

Build resilience. During a particularly difficult transitioning period, you may want to focus your intentions on building resilience. Certain life events—such as becoming a parent, taking a job, or moving—naturally inspire new thoughts and wishes. Let your mind wander, and imagine ways you would like to be in this stage of your life. If you are working with a therapist, there may be recurring themes you want to address.

Whether you try some of these suggestions, read the examples below, or just start writing, it is best to remember your manifesto is an ever-changing, fluid document meant to support you on your journey to your truest self. It is not a rigid set of rules or “shoulds” to encourage negative self-talk or critical self-evaluations. Let your imagination run wild. Think of how you would like to live your life, and write what comes from that deep, all-knowing place.

Here are some ideas to stoke your creative process:

• I embrace my humanity and fallibility.
• I appreciate every goodness and kindness in my life by practicing gratitude.
• I allow my body, mind, and spirit the time and space to heal.
• Every day, I make time for self-reflection.
• I am exactly where I am supposed to be in this moment.
• I get outside and let nature work its magic.
• All I seek is already within me.
• I tenderly acknowledge the small, vulnerable child in myself and others.
• I surround myself with beauty.
• I give my body the movement or stillness it seeks.
• When I feel hopeless, I let myself take another breath until despair departs.
• I regularly tune in to nourish any areas I have neglected, whether social, creative, physical, spiritual, or intellectual.
• I acknowledge my losses and grieve, letting go when the time is right.
• I cultivate patience during the fallow times, for they nourish and prepare me for a bountiful harvest I may not be able to see in those dormant, but fertile, moments.
• Every day, my heart opens a little more with compassion for myself and others.
• I allow myself to feel and express all emotions.
• I carefully and authentically share my truth.
• When I say or do something insensitive or thoughtless, I apologize.
• I take all the time I need to be with grief, hurt, and anger, knowing they will pass.
• Appreciating my unique gifts comes easily and naturally to me.
• I rise to the joys and challenges of each day, knowing I have made it through every one, so far.
• I allow life to unfold and surprise me.
• I welcome the rhythms of my body, mind, and spirit as they continually evolve.

Scents, Memories, and Emotions

The use of pleasant aromas to enhance well-being dates back thousands of years. Fragrant oils were ceremonially used in the Far East, as well as in ancient Egypt and Greece. Essential oils were extracted from herbs and flowers to create medicines and perfumes, to scent one’s home, and to anoint the ill and deceased.

Smell is considered to be the most poorly understood of our senses, yet most have experienced the powerful ability of familiar scents to trigger emotions and memories of times past, such as people in our lives, places we miss, or particular events, such as the holidays.

Who among us has not passed a restaurant or bakery and been immediately transported to another time when a similar dish or baked good was enjoyed, with all of its emotional accompaniments? Have we not all smelled a particular laundry detergent or perfume and thought of a loved family member or former flame? For some, even less-than-pleasant odors can call to mind a cherished memory. I have heard people say that walking into a faintly damp or musty house reminded them of the fun and friendships of summer camp, even 30 or more years later.

Today, the term aromatherapy refers to the deliberate use of plant-derived oils to enhance physical and emotional health. Although aromatherapy is still considered to lie outside the realm of medically accepted therapies and mainstream psychotherapy, interest in this area has grown substantially over the past few decades. Most of those who use aromas for healing tend to do so as part of a whole-person approach to healthcare, rather than as a stand-alone treatment. When applied thoughtfully, aromas may be incorporated into more “mainstream” healthcare practices with good results.

The Impact of Scents on Stress and Performance: What’s the Evidence?

Research related to the impact of scents, particularly essential oils, on mood has increased since the 1970s. Specifically, there have been several studies on the use of essential oils, such as lavender and rose, as well as other pleasant aromas to reduce stress. Lavender in particular has been shown to reduce self-reports of stress. In some preliminary research,  lavender was also linked to increased peripheral blood flow (an effect associated with relaxation) and a decrease in blood pressure, as well as positive changes in heart rate variability. In another trial, peppermint and lavender essential oils were associated with increased accuracy while proofreading.

The calming benefits of pleasant aromas many not be limited to essential oils, however. In at least two studies, the scent of coconut has been associated with decreased startle response, whereas an unpleasant scent (Limburger cheese) was associated with an increased startle response. A more recent study suggested that exposure to pleasant scent (also coconut) may blunt the body’s response to performing a stressful task and also enhance recovery after the stressor has stopped. It is important to note that most of these studies have had methodological challenges, including small numbers of people participating in the trials. Nonetheless, the results are thought-provoking and may make intuitive sense to those who have experienced subjective benefits from aromatherapy.

Aroma in Psychotherapy

How might this be relevant to the practice of psychotherapy? Pleasant aromas can be paired with relaxation training, such as diaphragmatic breathing, mindfulness practice, hypnotherapy, and biofeedback. Doing so may link the experience of relaxation with the scent sufficiently so that in the future, exposure to the scent alone may be enough to elicit the relaxation response.

In cognitive behavioral therapy, this pairing is referred to as “associative learning” or “higher-order conditioning,” and the goal is for the conditioned stimulus (the scent) to trigger the same response as the biofeedback, breathing, or meditation does.

I have frequently used scent as a therapeutic adjunct during all of the above types of treatments for both children and adults. Many have reported enjoying the use of this tool in session and on their own, eventually noticing that they can more quickly and effectively access a state of calm. Even something like at-home mindfulness practice involves “taking in” and being present with the scent of what one is consuming or doing. This includes experiencing fully the aromas associated with eating, drinking, or walking in nature. Thus, being mindfully present can be “aromatherapeutic” or at least “aroma-aware”—even without deliberately introducing a specific scent.

The at-home use of pleasant aroma can be as simple as adding a few drops of an essential oil to a hand or body lotion or hair conditioner, buying natural laundry or cleaning products that feature relaxing or invigorating essential oils, chewing a stick of peppermint gum while proofreading a term paper, or mindfully sipping a cup of fragrant tea.

Common Sense with Scents

When using scent in psychotherapy, it is important to take into account people’s individual preferences for and aversions to various aromas and be aware of the fact that some dislike using any scent at all. Similarly, it is important to inquire about emotional associations to scents that may be popular but could elicit unpleasant memories (“Ugh! My old boss always wore rose oil!”).

Finally, it goes without saying that one should:

1. Ask about allergies to any scents
2. Place undiluted oils on tissue or another object, rather than directly on the person, as many are harmful when applied to the skin at full strength
3. Educate oneself about the properties associated with different oils before introducing them into the work.

Additional Aromatherapy Resources

• For general information about aromatherapy, you can visit: www.aromaweb.com
• For information about training in clinical aromatherapy and the use of aromatherapy by health professionals, you can visit Dr. Jane Buckle’s website: http://www.rjbuckle.com/home.html or read her text, Clinical Aromatherapy: Essential Oils in Practice
• For a recent scientific article describing some of the studies mentioned here, see the text (available to journal subscribers and at many medical or nursing school libraries): Mezzacappa, E.S., Arumugam, U., Yue, S.I., Stein, T.R., Buckle, J., & Oz, M.C. (2010). Coconut fragrance and cardiovascular response to laboratory stress: Results of pilot testing. Holistic Nursing Practice, 24(5).

Sometimes small things make the biggest difference. One place this applies is in the doctor’s office. New research published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) finds that a few simple gestures of empathy in the doctor’s office greatly impact the outcome of treatment. It’s not that empathy directly impacts physical health. Rather, patients who are treated with empathy are more motivated to follow through with their treatment plan and feel more satisfied with the care they’ve received. Though medical doctors specialize in treating the body, how they approach the patient as a whole has a pronounced impact.

If empathy makes such a difference in physical medicine, imagine its importance in the context of therapy and counseling. A qualified psychotherapist will have the necessary educational and licensing credentials, but effective, sincere and client-centered therapy involves more than knowledge and experience. It involves sincere empathy and compassion on a very human level. We know that compassion is one of the earliest social traits that pre-humans evolved to possess. Compassion and empathy are closely related, and both play large roles in our cultural development, family bonds, and relationships. (more…)

“Generosity brings happiness at every stage of its expression.
We experience joy in forming the intention to be generous.
We experience joy in the actual act of giving something.
And we experience joy in remembering the fact that we have given.”

—The Buddha

The universe works in mysterious ways, often paradoxically. When you give compassion, you open to receive it. When you give love, love comes to you. When you give money or material possessions, your wealth increases. Whatever the focus of your generosity, the underlying assumption is abundance: there is plenty for everyone.

What keeps you from giving freely? Fear. Fear that you won’t have enough, that there is a limited amount of what you want or need in the universe, and you will be short-changed.

I am not suggesting you give everything away, as that shows a lack of basic self-care. But when you let go of possessions and money, when you bravely open your heart to love, when you bestow a kind word or smile on someone, you open unseen portals for goodness, compassion, and prosperity to flow to you.

Of course, when you feel unloved, financially stressed, or beset with personal demons, it is hard to do the opposite of how you might reflexively want to act. It is natural to want to conserve your energy and funds and close your heart when life is particularly stressful. But by taking a leap and having faith that the universe will provide, you change your energy. This allows you to see new opportunities and let life bestow what you need.

It is crucial to remember that you may not get what you asked for in the exact form you desired or envisioned. Perhaps you asked for a loving relationship, and the man or woman of your dreams didn’t come knocking at your door. But maybe while waiting, you developed self-compassion, self-love, and self-acceptance. Weren’t those exactly what you were hoping to find in a relationship: someone who would show you compassion, love, and accept you as you are?

When you can really let go and assume the universe provides, you can deeply relax. This doesn’t happen overnight. It requires a big leap of faith and a lot of practice.

One way to enhance your abilities in the leap-of-faith department is to meditate on the concept of plenty. It is not that the universe will change and just send you everything you want: it’s that you change and, as a result, things appear.

Sometimes, when you feel most afraid financially, the best thing you can do is donate some money to charity. It doesn’t have to be your rent check, just something to symbolically teach you that what you need will come back to you. Another technique is to buy yourself a treat when you feel as if you can’t afford it. This shows your faith in yourself and the universe. I am not suggesting going into debt, just a small item to help you escape a poverty mentality.

Similarly, when you feel lonely, go out into the world and smile at someone, call a friend who may also be flying solo, or write a loving note, text, or email. Again, by giving what you seek you change your energy.

Letting your love show when you feel vulnerable takes great courage. Giving money, time, and kindness when you acutely feel their lack is deeply generous and openhearted. By letting go and giving freely, you enhance your connection with others and imbue life with more meaning.

Remember: a radical shift in consciousness and behavior takes time and practice. Be patient with yourself as you gradually change your behaviors. Your worldview will shift accordingly, leaving you more positive, peaceful, and empowered.

Some suggestions:

• A quick and easy way to give is through websites like The Hunger Site, which cost you nothing and benefit those in need.
• Check out books, like Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning.
• Be aware of opportunities to be generous, whether it is leaving a coupon on the grocery store shelf, tipping well at a restaurant, or putting furniture out on the street. Even if you have nothing material to donate and no time to volunteer, you can always give a heartfelt compliment.