Talking Sustainable Wellness At Urban Zen NYC (VIDEO)

There's a wellness revolution going on, but creating real global change depends on one thing: you.

Such was the conclusion of Arianna Huffington and Dr. Frank Lipman, who spoke Thursday as part of Urban Zen NYC's "Conversations on Sustainable Wellness" series.

During the hour and a half talk, Dr. Lipman and Arianna made the case for a wellness revolution that would not only transform individual lives -- in body, mind and spirit -- but would even help solve the health care crisis in the United States. Dr. Lipman, who is the founder of the Eleven Eleven Wellness Center and a long-time HuffPost blogger, ended the night's discussion by answering his own opening question: How do we get the revolution out there?

"The wellness revolution," he said, "starts with a personal revolution."

You have a choice: Drive yourself into the ground or start making different, better choices. Our culture has made unhealthy decisions the default. Today, we need to build toward a critical mass of wellness-consciousness.

Dr. Lipman says Arianna has given a voice to the integrative medicine world and helped begin the revolution.

"For me, it's not just the detoxification of the body, it's the detoxification of the mind," Huffington said. And during the conversation, she and Dr. Lipman described some key practices for attaining such holistic healing.

• Get more sleep: Arianna is perhaps most famous for establishing nap rooms in the Huffington Post Media Group's new digs at AOL, named Napquest 1 and Napquest 2 (because AOL owns Mapquest). At Urban Zen, she again vouched for the magical power of a 20-minute nap.
• Get better sleep: Good sleep is contingent upon how dark the room is. To achieve this, Dr. Lipman advocates for an "electronic sundown" (i.e. turn off your electronics) and to sleep in a pitch black room. Cover lights with scarves. Nap instead of eating sweets as an afternoon pick-me-up. And, Dr. Lipman says, if all else fails, get an eye mask.
• Unplug: Leave electronic devices in a place other than your bedroom. If you wake in the middle of the night and look at your nearby phone or computer, you've disrupted the sleep cycle even more. During waking life, too, know when it is time to disconnect from the hive. (Arianna imagines a "GPS for the Soul" that could tell us when to break, when to meditate, when to breathe. It would, obviously, be wireless.)
• Stop judging others: Forgiveness is one of the keys to being a well person. Cultivating it allows you to live in the present moment. It's impossible to connect with other people if we constantly set unrealistic standards for them. So stop holding grudges. Quit ruminating. Forgive.
• Stop judging yourself: Our self judgments influence our well being. The most important thing in the wellness game is to learn to get out of your head. The endless chatter of thought can be exhausting. Learn to hold thoughts briefly before letting go. Dealing with our sense of guilt and our self-criticism is the path to personal wholeness and connecting with others.
• Be permeable: It is OK -- it is good, even -- to feel sad, hurt or angry about something. But you shouldn't hold onto these feelings for very long. Here we can look to the example of children, who can go from temper tantrum to fits of laughter in an instant.
• Find your joy triggers: Joy can be life changing. Find the things that make you happy and make them a part of your life.

"I think that health is connected to wisdom," Huffington said. "If there's one thing the world is starving for, it's wisdom."

With the Internet and organizations like Urban Zen, we don't have to wait. The information -- the wisdom -- is available. We have the power to revolutionize wellness now.

Now, if only we had that GPS for the soul...

WATCH:

Read a recap of the discussion at the Urban Zen website.

Comments

[William Hunter Duncan]

07:02 PM on 05/01/2011

I would add to this list, consume less.

www.offthegridmpls.blogspot.com

[Vajara]

04:40 PM on 05/01/2011

I appreciate all that you describe about maintaining our whole being, especially without judgment..one suggestion I have is for everyone to prepare a daily health routine or selfcare plan that includes our whole being physicaly, mentally, emotionally, spiritually and socially.. Perhaps determination and willpower will be the result of choosing health and wellness over sick care-- diagnosis, labels, meds and Dr's. office and hospitals--a revolving door with no end in sight.

[bartle6]

11:03 PM on 04/30/2011

That's special.

[lauracarroll]

12:16 PM on 04/30/2011

The one about judging self and others is particularly powerful. Judging others just seems to have its roots in trying to feel worth by making others "less" than...and being hard on oneself points to the same kind of lack of self love and acceptance. We can get enough sleep, try to unplug, but it seems it starts with doing what we need to do to feel good about ourselves -- this seem to be the key to creating the possibility of sustainable wellness...Laura
http://livetruebooks.com

[Kringle]

06:37 PM on 04/27/2011

Sell-out.

Notice the differences between HuffPo pre- and post-AOL takeover?

[CAELadyJane50]

06:01 PM on 04/27/2011

I remember reading this one book from a library called "How To Stop Procrastinating" and it said that it takes about 21 days for a good habit to become an instilled or less mindful habit like brushing your teeth everyday. We don't have to write notes for ourselves to remember to brush our teeth everyday; it is a habit that is mindfully instilled into our subconsciousness.

[DavidMG]

03:27 PM on 04/26/2011

In the 1960's many of us discovered much of this and delevoped interests in meditation, macrobiotics, vegetarianism, organics, nature and the like. Nothing new here, but we need to be reminded.

[David4FreePress]

05:38 PM on 04/26/2011

Hi Dave,
I think that we need more than just a reminder.
I think we need grass root efforts to expose more and more people to these thoughts and practices.
The entrenched financial interests have NO intention of spreading these ideas.
For anyone who has any of this functional knowledge, sharing it and using it to help and teach others, is definitely gratifying and a worthy social endeavor.
Dave

[DavidMG]

06:33 PM on 04/26/2011

Dave,
I agree, as I have been writing about and teaching wholefoods vegetarian cooking for 40 years. I have learned however, that my students as well as myself very often know some of this stuffbut also "fall off the wagon" so reminders are important.
I have feelings about mainstream medicine (to coin a phrase) are mixed. My life has been saved more than once by it. However, as in all of life, mistakes were made and focus too narrow. As Andy Weil says, we need to use "what works." David

[smile13]

03:07 PM on 04/27/2011

Hi Dave. It is great that people are thinking like me. Why can't I be rewarded for being well? I'd rather spend my share of health insurance each month (200.00) on food, gyms, ....you get the drift. I dont care what side someone is on for the health care debate....wellness is our only way out!! I heard yesterday on NPR that Vermont could be the first state with a single payer system that will focus on wellness and take out a lot of admin costs. They say they can save half a billion a year! I do have to give my provider some kudos...Humana....their website promotes being well. I guess it has taken them this long to figure out the save $$$$ in the long run.....have a great day! xo :) Keep living well. fanned!

[David4FreePress]

02:29 PM on 04/26/2011

Fabulous discussion that just hit so many of my own priorities, except for the importance of using meditation to help deal with stress. Dr. Lipman mentioned the importance of getting out of our head. Learning meditation techniques will accomplish this as well as help people to let go of their thoughts and sleep better.

IMHO, political questions about healthcare are not about leadership; they are about entrenched financial interests. In modern society, making money is more important than having the best healthcare.

IMHO, joy triggers are energetic connections to stored positive energy or the positive energy shared with others.

We have to make the changes as a grass root effort.

The GPS is just as you said, periodic meditation, like periodically checking a compass.

[intelliwoman]

01:17 PM on 04/26/2011

Sorry folks, no wellness in this country unless you're rich and have good health insurance.

[Parkite]

02:01 PM on 04/26/2011

I think you are talking about SICKNESS CARE insurance. Being healthy is NOT getting sick in the first place. Practice healthy habits, i.e., eat real food, not processed food, organic if possible so you stay away from GMOs, sugar, artificial sweetners, HFCS, etc. Get regular exercise, fresh air, reduce stress, have healthy friendships, relationships. Have a glass of wine with dinner. Smile and laugh alot.

[walkinthewoods]

02:03 PM on 04/26/2011

I disagree. You take responsibility for your own health and eat right, exercise maintain a weight that's right for you. It's called preventive medicine and everyone can do it. Doctors just write prescriptions for meds that aren't necessary most of the time. Go to the library and find books on health. If you are in control you can maintain good health.

[bkerensa]

01:14 PM on 04/26/2011

I could never unplug.

[smile13]

03:15 PM on 04/27/2011

Yes you can!

[RMankovitz]

12:54 PM on 04/26/2011

Regarding emotional detoxification, there is a fascinating and controversial body of work in the field of psychotherapy known as Family Constellations, pioneered by Bert Hellinger. It is based in part on the concept of certain orders of love that have been found to exist in healthy family systems. For info in this area, see “The Healing of Individuals, Families & Nations” by John Payne, and “The Healing Power of the Past” by Bertold Ulsamer.

In a nutshell, the hypothesis is that many of us carry the consciousness of our ancestors, and it can act out in a variety of positive and negative behaviors. In some cases we carry on the unresolved burdens of one of our ancestors, and in essence relive their lives to our detriment.
In constellation work, you interact with your ancestry in a form of roleplaying, and significant healing can take place in as little as 45 minutes!

There have been some anecdotal reports of patients who have heavy metal toxicity and are not responsive to detox agents until they have undergone “emotional detoxification.” The release of emotional toxins leads the way to the release of physical toxins.

Anne Schutzenberger further discusses this phenomena in her incredible book "The Ancestor Syndrome." Example: generation after generation, the same event may befall members of a family on a time schedule that is predictable.

A description and references on the subject can be found in “The Wellness Project.”

Roy Mankovitz, Director
http://www.MontecitoWellness.com
A research organization

[walkinthewoods]

02:06 PM on 04/26/2011

Thanks for the information. I believe there is so much that we need to be aware of with foods and this involves finding a new and better way to eat. Most people do continue to eat the way their parents and grandparents ate which was largely comfort foods.

[leorangerie]

12:01 PM on 04/26/2011

I like the fact that Ariana is using her new found fame to promote wellness, rather than being one more voice yelling about politics. Good for her.

[merlinspinoza]

11:48 AM on 04/26/2011

i trust Dr Lipman will agree with this correction of terminology : traditional mediicne is integrative medicine

what MDs do is not traditional medicine, its modern mediicne or contemporary medicine , allopathy

Dr Abram Hoffer says orthomolecular medicine for integrative

WHO used the expression traditional medicine TM to indicate Ayur Veda , TCM traditonal chinese mediicne, master herbalism ,naturopathy ND degree, local healers [ who need help an dupgrading or rectification from loss or neglect]

[[[ the solution to the Aids crisis is in this traditional medicine [ socalled alternativ e]

i dont have permission to mention this but John Hagelin said it at the David Lynch foundation fundraiser ' operation warrior wellness ' : " i married donna " urban zen founder

at some press conferences between 2002 and 2006 Dr hagelin said 10 000 medicla doctors are prescribing TM ; the official canadian TM website said 8 000 doctors have learned TM

TM is the GPS mentioned above

in comment to huffpost articles i've said [ and to whitehouse.gov, consciencecomments@hhs ] when 1% of americans learn TM and square root of 1% are in a group of yogic flyers in one place, then sickness costs will drop by $ 1 000 000 000 000 and crime costs drop by > 23% [USA crime bill is $ 400 000 000 000]

the Maharishi predicted in the 1970's, in talks with scientists, that TM is epigenetics and unified field of natural law

[Vajara]

10:12 AM on 04/26/2011

As a stress management and health promotion trainer and therapist, I learned early on that it is important to design a self-care plan that include and incorporates activities and approaches in all of our realms--meditation, nutrition, exercise that works all of our systems, massage, Reiki, acupuncture, progressive relaxation and water aerobics. I also ride my bike every day and regularly use my Inversion Table.

I have learned that by maintaining a daily health program with a plan helps us develop and maintain our willpower or determination throughout our life time-- wellness will be our happy outcome. See our work with injured warriors and their families as they restore their health and wellness and their resilience. http://jerryvest.pages.qpg.com

[walkinthewoods]

02:10 PM on 04/26/2011

Vajara, I want you to know how much I enjoyed reading your post.

Thanks,

WELLNESS WITLL BE OUR HAPPY OUTCOME. So true.

[Vajara]

10:49 PM on 05/03/2011

Thank you, Walkinthewoods....you are very kind and thoughtful...perhaps a very good sign or outcome practicing what you teach and how you express yourself...nice!!!

[David4FreePress]

09:43 AM on 04/26/2011

I'm dissappointed that they didn't mention meditation, at least in this artilce.
We can't just avoid stress; we have to learn to deal with it, and meditation is very powerful and readily accessible to all. Even modern psychology is turning more to meditation and it is being taught in professional psychology schools.

[walkinthewoods]

02:11 PM on 04/26/2011

Meditation is a major defense on dealing with stress. I agree.