Cultivate Calm Monica Rottmann

So many of us struggle with overthinking. Trapped in an endless cycle of ruminating thoughts, it can feel overwhelming and like there’s no way to come out of it. Thankfully there are ways to calm a busy mind and today I’m talking about some of the reasons why we overthink, how it impacts our mental well-being, and sharing some effective strategies to bring your mind into a state of peace and calm. Overthinking isn’t just a modern problem. Even the ancient yogis struggled with the same pr...

Many of us grew up thinking we had to be hard on ourselves to succeed. We believed that criticising ourselves was the only way to improve. However, constantly criticising and being hard on ourselves often leads to feelings of shame and hopelessness. It drains our mental energy, makes us feel unworthy and puts our nervous system into freeze mode. So, why do we punish ourselves?Behind the mask of the critic is often a wounded child. Our inner critic tries to protect us from failure, hurt, or em...

I'm often asked if yoga helps people with anxiety, and as tempted as I am to say that yoga is the cure for everything, it's not so straightforward. Learning to manage anxiety is a journey so today I’m sharing some practical tools to help you care for your nervous system and feel a whole lot better. To address anxiety effectively, it's important to understand the mechanics of our nervous system, which is the link between our mind and body. According to polyvagal theory, there is a hierarchy to...

If you’re like many people and your mind is bombarded with busy thoughts, I’ve got something really special for you today. In this episode, I’m sharing a guided meditation and breathwork practice that will help you sink into a deep state of peace and tranquillity. This ancient technique dates back over a thousand years and holds the key to unlocking a secret portal to a calm mind. Throughout this calming and peaceful meditation, I’ll guide you through gentle eye gazes and breathing patte...

Today I’m diving into a topic that holds immense power in our healing journey: our emotions. In previous episodes, I’ve talked about the effects of the nervous system on our well-being but today I’m exploring how suppressed emotions can cause stress and hinder our physical and mental health. Join me as I share my own healing journey and how I experienced a profound transformation by confronting and processing emotions I didn’t realise were there.I’ve always considered myself a calm and collec...

Our nervous system has two main branches: the parasympathetic and the sympathetic. The parasympathetic branch is associated with relaxation and calm, while the sympathetic branch triggers the fight or flight response when it perceives a threat or danger. Chronic stress can disrupt the balance of our nervous system, triggering prolonged fight or flight responses. This can lead to issues like chronic muscle tension, high blood pressure, digestive problems, anxiety, and inflammation.In this...