The key to building inner strength and resilience is adaptability. But to be adaptable, we need to create a mind and body that are still, and build a philosophy of acceptance, empathy, compassion, and generosity.

My approach to building inner strength comes from personal experience as well as formal training and years of practice in hatha yoga and pranayama (yogic breathing), as well as other extreme life experiences. These things do not make me special, and my approach can be done by anyone.

It involves a 4-step process: 1/ Breathe & Move; 2/ Meditate & Immerse; 3/ Rest & Digest; and 4/ Loving your Tribe.

Within each of these there is the process of belief, doing, and confidence. With a a belief or faith in something bigger, whatever that is, we can act, and with action comes confidence.

Phase 1: Breathe & Move

Breathe

Everyone needs a way in. For some it’s physical yoga, for others it’s breathing, for others simply a realisation.

The first step in any process of change should always be the breath. This is something that anyone can do. This is not just any breath, however; the breath needs to expand down deep into the abdomen and be slow and steady. After a set period we can start to move our mind to movement.

Move

The second step in phase 1 is movement. However, we do not stop breathing in the way that we have practices. Instead, we take out breath and build on it as we start to move. Movement is synchronised with the breath and focused on opening up the torso and building stability and strength.

Phase 2: Meditate & Immerse

Step 1: Meditate

Here we are creating quiet in preparation for nature immersion. The reason we do this is to still our mind so that we can experience nature objectively and fully without the mind getting in the way. Again, we continue to focus on the breath as we meditate and continue the deep abdominal breathing as we begin our journey into nature.

Step 2: Nature Immersion

There can be different ways of immersing ourselves in nature. The most obvious, perhaps, is cold-water immersion. This is most definitely a test of our ability to still our mind. And yes, putting our bodies under good stress (such as cold-water showers) has been shown to be extremely beneficial for mental and physical health. But we also benefit from immersing ourselves in nature in different ways. The key is to surround yourself and get as close to nature as possible, and at the same time maintaining a meditative or mindful state. Again, we continue to focus on the breath throughout.

Phase 3: Rest & Digest

Step 1: Rest

This is sometimes forgotten, but is absolutely crucial for mental health and wellbeing.

Step 2: Digest

Food is important, and the type of food, how we eat it, who we share it with are all vital. Plant-based diet (or plant-centric diet) – a diet which is largely plant based provides enormous benefits. Breathing before eating will improve the benefits of the food. But we are also

But it is not just food that the body digests. Our mind digests everything that we perceive, and this includes things like what we see, hear etc. Phones have become ubiquitous. News and social media. 

Phase 4: Love your Tribe

Love here is not meant in the romantic sense. It is meant as an approach that emphasises taking a positive approach to life. This includes everyone and everything we interact with. 

As a result , I want to share with you my 6-pillar approach. This has been inspired by many factors such as yoga (physical; hatha), Qigong, breathwork, pranayama, Wim Hof etc. These are my 6 pillars – movement – breathing – meditation – immersion – plant-based diet – loving your tribe. You can read more about my approach here.

From my experience, this often comes as a result of doing the other techniques, especially movement, breathing, meditation, and immersion. Group techniques that include breathing.

loving your tribe (we are all part of the tribe – tribe refers to the people you encounter in your daily life – everyone you encounter is part of your tribe – there is no us and them – activities should be based around bringing people together (e.g., conversation, music, physical touch). This also includes non-human animals and other life forms, and even non-animate objects. This does not mean love in the romantic sense, but instead the acceptance that we all come from the same place and will return to the same place – the difference is simply in the form that we have taken.) 

There are those, however, who want to divide the world, and their profits are based on division and individual insecurity. When you encounter these people do not engage.