PSYCHOLOGICAL IMMUNITY

2 IDEAS FROM ME

1. Similar to our biological immune system, humans have a psychological immune system which can protect us against unnecessary suffering. Two powerful ways to strengthen our psychological immunity are mindfulness meditation and stoicism negative visualization. Mindfulness meditation can also boost our biological immune system as well according to Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs).

2. Mindfulness meditation cultivates immunity by strengthening awareness and equanimity, undisturbable psychological composure and balance of mind. Stocism negative visualization strengthens our psychological immune system through daily reflective meditation using the SAVOR mnemonic:

   • S = Savoring our current experience versus craving the gap of some future state. Seeking the Silver-Lining in every Set-Back. Be grateful for the ability to Savor the current experience and Silver-Linings of Set-Backs.

   • A = Discovering the evolutionary Awe of the universe, nature, life, and consciousness. Feel gratitude for the evolutionary journey each of our atoms have made to enable our current existence.

   • V = Identifying the small daily Victories of progress to manifest our highest values and ideal state vision. Visualize what it would be like if things and people you cared about most were not there. It could be worse. We don’t know what we’ve got ’till it’s gone. Be grateful the things that matter most to us are not gone yet.

   • O = One-Time reflection on the impermanence of everything. Today is the last time we and our loved ones will ever be this young. We are living a Dream Life considered by most of our ancestors and over 2 billion people on the planet who are living in poverty and hunger. Reflect with gratitude on the opportunities and insights available to us that billions of others lack.

   • R = Imagine yourself in the last decade of your life looking back on your life now with Retrospection and fond memories of the things you are able to do now that you wont be able to do then. Be grateful for your abilities and awareness now.

2 QUOTES FROM SAGES

1. “Across 20 Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) and more than 1600 participants, we found tentative evidence that mindfulness meditation modulates some select immune parameters in a manner that suggests a more salutogenic immune profile. Specifically, mindfulness mediation appears to be associated with reductions in proinflammatory processes, increases in cell-mediated defense parameters, and increases in enzyme activity that guards against cell aging.”— David S. Black & George M. Slavich, Mindfulness Meditation and the Immune System: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. NIH National Library of Medicine, Jan 21, 2016.

2. “You don’t have to be a genius to practice negative visualization. You can do it in a few seconds, anywhere, and at no cost. It’s amazing that such a powerful technique is so easy to learn.”—William B. Irvine (The Stoic Challenge: A Philosophers Guide to Becoming Tougher, Calmer, and More Resilient)

1 QUESTION FOR YOU TO EXPLORE

1. What daily practices do you have to boost your psychological and biological immunity?

Namaste,

Duane Nelson