Burnout is defined by the ICD-11 as “a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterized by three dimensions:

• feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion;
• increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; and
• reduced professional efficacy.”

With this definition comes the caveat that burn-out is a phenomenon specifically related to one’s occupation and does not apply to other aspects of life.

Other mental health factors that influence employee productivity are anxiety and depression. The WHO estimate 264 million people life with depression globally, with many of these individuals also experiencing anxiety. A study led by WHO found that the global economy loses nearly US$ 1 trillion each year due to lost productivity as a result of these mental health conditions.

A different WHO-led study estimated that for every US$ 1 that was dedicated to the treatment of common mental health disorders, US$ 4 was returned in the form of improved health and increased productivity.

In 1979, Emeritus Professor of Medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical Centre, Jon Kabat-Zinn introduced the west to The Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction programme.

In a study published in Creating Healthy Work Environments  in 2019, the authors found that integration of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) techniques in the workplace led to lower cases of worker burnout. The researchers also found that MBSR led to lower depression, anxiety and distress amongst employees.

Hilton and colleagues published a summary of recent Mindfullness-based research in Work in 2019, while this article published by Forbes (and this article here) indicate that large companies like Google, Intel, Aetna and General Mills have all incorporated mindfulness training as employee wellness offerings.

While a person’s mind tends to wander about half of his or her waking hours, mindfulness training helps to bring focus back to the task at hand. Mindfulness has been shown to improve stability, control and efficiency. Employees tend to be less scattered and complete tasks more thoroughly and quicker.

Practicing mindfullness has a positive impact on a variety of areas. It improves attention, cognition, emotions, behaviour and physiology. It reduces stress enabling employees to feel calm and focussed on the task at hand. It also has physical benefits such as lower blood pressure and stress-induced health concerns. This means lower cost of health benefits and less employee absenteeism due to poor health caused by stress.

Individuals who practice mindfulness show greater empathy, emotional resilience and compassion which leads to better interpersonal behaviour and workgroup relationships.

Mindfulness is the practice of being fully present without judgement. Often referred to as ‘in the now’ or ‘in the moment’, it is the practice of fully engaging with an activity or situation that is occurring at that particular moment, without judging anything that comes up. Besides paying attention to the activity, practitioners of mindfulness are also aware of themselves in that situation, of their physical and emotional responses in that space, again in a non-judgemental way.

There are many was to cultivate mindfulness, with meditation being one of the most powerful tools to do so. With practice one can enter a deeply meditative state where the focus is completely directed at the quiet space with, linked to the breath and the sensations in the body.

Other practices like yoga and mindful eating or walking can also assist in cultivating mindfulness. Mindfulness practice is exactly that – a practice. Some days it might come easier than others. The key to releasing the benefits is to engage in it consistently.

As per the summary published by Hilton and her colleagues, there are a number of different mindfulness practices aimed at improving employee wellness, and through that efficiency and productivity. With the growing popularity and the pool of research on the benefits of mindfulness in the workplace more and more employers are introducing these programs.

Specialised employee wellness and mindfulness programs provide employees with the skills to perform better under stress and to be more productive while at work. These skills can be, and often are, transferred into the employees’ lives outside work, leading to overall improvements of health, psychological wellness and general contentment. Employees who find contentment in and outside of their workplace tend to be more motivated and stay with their employer for longer.

Mindfulness programs in the workplace not only hold benefits for the employees, but also for the employer in the form of lower absenteeism rates and more productive employees. This, in the long run, lead to lower costs per employee, and higher income due to a more efficient workforce.

Take a look at our employee wellness and mindfulness offer here.

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Om Mani Padme Hum is believed to have a wish-fulfilling effect. It is the mantra of Buddh Avaloketeshvara who is also known as Buddha Kwan Yin. The Dalai Lama said that this mantra (also referred to as simply the Mani Mantra) can “transform your impure body, speech and mind into the pure body, speech and mind of a Buddha”. Tibetan culture believes that this mantra holds all the teachings of Buddha as well as the truth of the nature of suffering and how to remove its root causes.

Om Mani Padme Hum translates to ‘The jewel is in the lotus’ – referring to the beautiful lotus flower that needs to that grow through mud and muck before it can realise its potential. A vast amount of spiritual energy gets generated when this mantra is chanted. It has a purifying and healing effect on the person who chants it as well as those around him or her. When the mantra is chanted (either aloud or in silence) it allows you to connect deeply with your innate loving and compassionate nature.

It is said that if you recite Om Mani Padme Hum 1000 times each day the next 7 generations of your descendants will be born in higher realms and that anyone who comes in contact with you will be blessed. It is recommended that you chant this mantra 7, 21, 49 or 108 times while entering a Mantra Meditation.

While it is simply beneficial to chant the Mani mantra, it is even more so when you meditate on the meaning of each syllable and chant it with a sincere heart, focus and pure intention. Each syllable frees something in the universe from the need to reincarnate. The pause after each repetition of the mantra is important as it signifies that there is nothing and no-one left to be freed. Through sincerely reciting the Mani mantra you wish freedom for all of creation.

Om (Aum)

Pronounced as Ohm or aaaauuuummmm and frees the Gods.

Om is believed to be the ancient and original sound vibration of the universe. The universe was created with this sound and it holds everything that is, was and ever will be. The sound vibration created by changing Om dissolves pride and our ego while cultivating kindness and generosity. It elevates the level of consciousness.

Changing Om with your palms together concentrates your mind in order to unify your mind, body and mouth. You can read more about Om mantra here .

Mani

Pronounced as Mah-nee. Man frees the gods and ni frees humans.

Mani means jewel. Ma dissolves jealousy and the attachment of fleeting pleasures. Ni also dissolves attachments – especially attachments to desires and passions while cultivating patience.

Padme

Pronounced as Pahd- meh. Pad frees animals while me frees hungry ghosts.

Padme means lotus and represents wisdom.

Pad dissolves attachments to prejudices and judgmental ideas. It also grows perseverance.

Me releases attachments to being possessive and grows powers of concentration.

Hum

Hum or Hung frees demons that live in hell.

Hum is the Tibetan form of affirmation meaning ‘so be it’ or ‘amen’. It releases attachments to aggression and hatred. It also refers to that which is unchanging and cannot be disturbed by anything. Hum cultivates wisdom.

There are 15 benefits to chanting Om Mani Padme Hum.

1. You will meet virtuous kings in all your lifetimes and by being in their presence you will have many opportunities to practice Dharma.
2. You will be reborn in virtuous or holy places. These places will be filled with holy objects, statues and stupas etc and give you the opportunity to practice Dharma, to create happiness and to accumulate merit. By being surrounded by others practicing Dharma (the cause of happiness) you will be inspired to perseverate in your own practice.
3. You will always have good fortune which will help you in your Dharma practice. If good things happen to you, you will be more inspired to practice Dharma, to receive teachings and to meditate.
4. You will meet good and virtuous friends.
5. You will receive a perfect human body.
6. Your mind will become familiar with the path and with virtue.
7. You will not allow your vows and morals to become corrupted.
8. You will encounter kindness and experience harmony with others.
9. You will always have enough wealth and a means to make a living.
10. You will be protected and served by others.
11. Your wealth will not be stolen or taken away by others.
12. Your every wish will come true.
13. You will be protected by nagas (semi-divine creatures) and devas (divine creatures).
14. You will see Buddha and hear the Dharma in all your lifetimes.
15. By listening to the Dharma you will be able to cultivate the ultimate emptiness.

In addition to these the mantra also has the ability to heal diseases and to protect from harm. Even just touching, seeing or inhaling the breath of someone who regularly chants the Mani mantra will benefit you.

Besides chanting the mantra, you can wear it on your upper body (in the form of a necklace of bracelet for example). According to the Bhagavat, writing these six syllables equates to writing 84, 000 Dharma treasuries.

Om Mani Padme Hum is a powerful mantra that can invite change into your life – even if you just chant it once a day… but with intention.

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I mean, surely this is a natural state of being. In fact, it is a natural state of being. It is the default position that our bodies, minds and souls want to get back to. It is a moment or more where every bit of you can just relax and be. With no judgement, no second-guessing, no ‘what if’s’. It is fully just present and paying deep attention to what is happening in that one particular fraction of time.

Moments of mindfulness offer us a space to just breathe. Away from the race of life, away from thoughts speeding through our minds at light-year speed. While this is a moment of rest, it is not a moment of inaction (although it could also be that). Studies on mindfulness have shown that being focussed and present makes you more efficient – multi tasking actually gets less done.

Being mindful means you pay full attention. You take in everything that is present in that moment. You really notice the details that sometimes get lost in the madness of a moment. Like the colour of the eyes of the person that you are talking to. Or the feeling of the wind on the back of your neck. It not only helps you to do things more thoroughly, it also creates a space where you get to soak up the essence of life. Moment by moment.

Being mindful and staying present is something that needs to be practiced. It is something that you need to remind yourself to come back to again and again. A good way to start practicing mindfulness is to invite small moments into your everyday life. Become fully present whenever you remember. Here are some tips to help you do that:

Pay attention to your breathing.

Your breathing tells you a lot about what is going on around you and within you. Long, deep breaths tell you that you are comfortable and relaxed. Short, quick, shallow breaths usually mean that there is something you need to pay closer attention. In these moments ask yourself what is going on, check in with your thoughts, feelings and emotions to identify exactly what is happening inside. Once you have identified this, then you can look at your surroundings and the situation to see what could have triggered this response. You might find that there is some healing work that needs to be done, or you might find that you are just really unfit and out of breath from climbing that hill! Either way, congratulations, you just spend a few moments being fully present.

Make a habit of bringing mindfulness to everyday tasks.

Start to develop the habit of being mindful during specific everyday tasks like taking a shower or doing the dishes. Pay attention to each and every spoon, knife, fork and plate. Notice the tiny scratches or dents. See the bubbles that the soap makes and notice the texture of the sponge in your hand. Fully immerse yourself in washing the dishes. As this becomes a habit you will naturally start to become present and notice more and more moments of being mindful during your day. The wonderful thing about practicing mindfulness is that the more you do it, the more spontaneously you will slip into those moments of peace.

Do yoga.

Yoga is a great tool to help you achieve mindfulness. Yoga means ‘yoke’ and aims at binding or connecting your mind, body and soul. Through practicing yoga, you aim to get all three of these elements in synchronisation. During practice you focus on your body and breath, lose your focus and your poses become less stable and you tend to be unable to go as deep as you might when you are focusing and breathing. By focusing completely, you are giving your mind the opportunity to experience what it feels like to be fully present, to focus on only the asana that you are in, with no distractions from outside, or from your own scattered thoughts. Yoga is the ultimate tool that leads you to be able to experience deep meditation and mindfulness.

Meditation.

A powerful way to crate mindfulness is through meditation. It helps you to cultivate that deep stillness where your mind and soul can rest. Meditation aims at quieting your mind and creating a space where you can just be. As you are, in that moment.

Like all forms of mindfulness, meditation is a continual practice and some days the quiet will come easier than others… and that is ok. As time goes by you will experience more moments of quiet and those moments will get deeper and deeper until you get to the space where you enter a semi-dreamlike state. Where time does not exist, and you feel like you are floating in a universal soup of energy. That…that beautiful moment is what meditation is about, or at least for me. I have created a few guided meditations here, they are great for beginners and more experienced meditators.

The ultimate goal of practicing mindfulness is to become fully present in each moment. It is to create a space where your mind is quiet and focused, and you are free to absorb everything that the moment brings you. Every moment of ecstasy and every moment of sorrow. Every ordinary moment… until you realise that there are no ordinary moments, only extraordinary moments waiting to be witnessed.

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The day they arrived I ripped the package open and instantly feel in love. I felt super spiritual and aware, because my rosewood mala even came from Nepal – never mind that it was dyed and stained most of my arm red when I did yoga on a humid day!

That was almost 5 years ago. Since then I have learned a lot about yoga and spirituality, about what spirituality is and what it looks like. Now my mala is no longer something pretty that I wear to look like a yogi. It is a powerful tool that I use for meditation practice to create mindfulness, focus and enhance my self-awareness.

Why are there 108 beads?

Malas represent the path of the sun and the moon across the sky, called the ecliptic. The ecliptic is divided into 27 equal parts called nakshatras and each of these are divided into 4 sectors, called paadas. Together this makes up the 108 steps that the sun and the moon take through the sky.

 Each one of these steps represents a specific blessing force and as you move each bead through your fingers you align yourself with these forces.

 In Buddhism it represents the 12 astrological houses multiplied by the 9 planets in our solar system.

 Some believe that we take 10, 800 breaths during the day (while it is light) and 10, 800 breaths at night (while it is dark).

 Others believe that there are 108 each of earthly desires in mortals, lies humans tell and delusions or forms of ignorance humans prescribe to.

 The 108 possibly also represent the most important 108 Upanishads, and some say the beads represent Krishna’s gopis (close servants), with Krishna himself being represented by the Guru Bead.

The Guru Bead is the 109^th bead on a mala. It is usually larger than the others and doesn’t get counted. When you get to this bead, you can flip the mala around and move backwards through the beads as you continue with your mantra, moving through the blessings again. Turning the mala around also avoids you going over the Guru bead – an action that could represent stepping over your teacher or the divine.

 The Guru Bead also represent the summer and winter solstices, when the sun stops and ‘turns’ and the seasons start to change. This is a way to remind us that we are connected to the cycles of nature and the universe.

 There are 108 energy lines that run from the heart chakra, leading to self-realization, while Ayurveda recognises 108 sacred places (crossways between matter and consciousness) in a human body. According to Hinduist beliefs, we have 108 Earthly Desires that we need to give up before we can become the 108 Energy Lines that form our higher and enlightened state of existence.

 Ancient Hindu scriptures known as Veda believe 108 represents the wholeness of the universe. For them the 1 represents the solar (or God and higher truth), the 0 is the lunar (emptiness and completeness in spiritual practice) and the 8 represents infinity and eternity, and thus the entire universe.

 Tassels represent the connection between us and the divine (as it holds everything together), while the string of the mala shows how everything is connected.

How to use a mala.

Malas are used during meditation or prayer in conjunction with a mantra or spoken phrase. This is Japa meditation, which means ‘muttering’ or ‘to recite’ in Sanskrit. They can also be used during pranayama practice.

 Some malas have space beads that divide the mala into four sections of 27 beads – they are there for you to keep track of where you are and should not be counted. These beads act as a reminder to be mindful and to bring you back to the present moment during your meditation.

The mala is generally held in the left hand and each bead is passed along as the mantra is spoken or thought. The beads should be held between your thumb and index finger and the thumb pulls the beads to slide along the index finger with each completion of the mantra.

 Mantras can be used for 4 purposes: to increase, to overcome, to soothe or appease or to tame by forceful means.

 A popular mantra to use with a mala is ‘Om Mani Padme Hum’. This mantra is said the hold all the teachings of Buddha as well as the truth of the nature of suffering and how to remove the root cause of it. Other popular mantras are ‘Om’ and the Gayatri Mantra.

 They are powerful meditation tools but can also be worn around the neck as a reminder of being mindful, and/or the intention represented by your mala. You could also place it at the top of your yoga mat while you practice, to increase your set intention.

How do you choose a mala?

 Like most things spiritual, your connection with your mala beads is unique.

While malas are usually made up of 108 beads, you can find shorter mantras, with 9, 18 and 27 beads to wear around your wrist.

 Bodhi seed, red sandalwood and lotus seed malas are recommended for universal use.

 Mantras intended to soothe or appease should be used with malas made from crystal, pearl or mother of pearl beads that are clear or white in colour. This clears away obstacles (like illness or bad luck) and purifies someone who is unwholesome.

 To increase something mantras are used with malas made from gold, silver, copper or lotus seeds. These mantras usually focus on increasing your life span, knowledge and merit.

 Sandal wood, saffron or other fragrant woods combine with mantras for overcoming others. The intention behind this should be self-less, only with the wish to help others.

Raksha seeds or human bone beads can be used by holy men to tame extremely harmful spirits or general afflictions.

 Base materials like rudraksha, sandalwood and rosewood all have their own unique properties. Sandalwood have calming and meditative qualities while rudraksha is healing and rosewood has protective qualities. All three of these are considered to increase prosperity and abundance.

 Many malas are made by incorporating different crystals or gemstones into the pieces. They can either form part of the mala as the 108 beads, or the Guru bead. The mala will carry the energy and vibration of the gemstones, like love if it is made up of rose quartz for example.

 Some malas have tassels or bells while others are plainer. When choosing your mala, look at what you would like to invite into your life, consider the intention that you will set with your mala, but above everything, get quiet and let your intuition guide you.

Remember that your mala is a sacred object and thus needs to be treated with respect. Keep it with your other spiritual objects and don’t let it touch the floor or get wet and dirty.

 Malas are not only beautiful pieces to wear, but they are a physical reminder to come back to practicing mindfulness. They are helpful tools to assist during meditation and pranayama and they can amplify mantras and intentions through their unique qualities.

*This article might have some affiliate links- I could get a small percentage of things you buy through them. It helps me to keep the site going and I thank you!

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I’m sitting here scrolling through my memories on Facebook. Sometimes it makes me happy, sometimes it makes me sad and depressed. For a while I had stopped even opening them because it either represented forgotten friendships or people that I have lost, or… a visual reminder of all the most difficult times that I had gone through, neatly packaged into a stream of memes and quotes.

But it also gives me a sneak peek into my growth. I look at something I posted… I look at the date… I say ‘Ohhhh…that was when…” Most of the times that sentence ends with ‘I was hurting/struggling from or with something’.

The last day of May 2016 was the day that tore my soul apart. It broke me… Actually, it didn’t even break me. It completely erased me. All I was, was just empty. Nothing. It left me wondering whether I would ever be able to feel again. Hope again. Love again.

So I spent a year working on me. Sitting alone in the darkness of my room and my soul. Feeling unloved… feeling unlovable. And I healed… And I hurt… and I grew… and I clawed myself out of the dark and into the light.

I worked and worked – good lord I did all the hard work. And I felt like with every step forward I kept moving leagues back. But I kept at it. I kept persisting. Because in the moment that you have nothing, there is nothing to lose. Slowly, painfully I started to look at all the broken bits of me. At my insecurities and my flaws. At every limiting thought and believe that was holding me back. I looked them straight in the eyes – often shaking with fear. And I kept staring.

Until I felt it soften. Until I was able to envelope every barbed bit of me in love. And then I got cut some more. It is difficult to love the sharp, splintered bits of the human that is you.

But… I had nothing… and nothing to lose. So I sat with the pain. And I grew. And I got stronger. And slowly I started to change. I started to embrace me. Every dark and sharp and brittle and broken bit of me. I infused it with gentleness and love. I soaked it until self-adoration dripped off of my shattered edges like blood off the tip of a sword.

I was at war. One part of me shouting that I am not worth it, that I do not deserve to be happy, to be loved… while the other quietly whispered… ‘But dear Woman, you are’. And slowly the whisper grew louder than the shout. Day by day… moment by moment. The knowing grew. That I am worthy. That I am enough. Even with all my broken bits, with my cracks and dents, bruises and bumps.

This person, this soul is Enough.

The moment I started realising my worth my life changed. I fully loved myself, and within a month found someone who loves me, who accepts me, and who pushes me to heal even more. Today I see my posts on facebook from two years ago. And they show me the exact moment that I started Remembering my worth. I feel the change in the energy of the me from the past. And I cheer her on. I celebrate her. And I encourage her.

Because I know what she has been through. And I know what the me of this present moment has been through. Somewhere, for a moment, a minute, a month, I let myself forget.

I had put my head down and got caught up, and the ‘knowing’ my worth became a ‘guessing’ my worth. And really, that just wasn’t enough.

I have been feeling a massive shift in the last few days, and as if in an instant I was reminded of my worth. Of what I deserve. Of who I am and why I am here. That I am a beautiful, empowered, confident, created being who manifested myself into this life.

I can feel the changes in the air, the water, the earth and the fire. Are you ready to join the shift?

What pushed you to Remember your worth? Tell us in the comments below.

Click here to find out how I did it

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