A month to detox mind & body
Published: 06:04 PM,Apr 02,2023 | EDITED : 09:04 PM,Apr 02,2023
We have crossed the ten-day mark of the holy month of Ramadhan, but we still have time to bring understanding into our lives.
And this is why many people wait for this time of the year to bring changes into their lives, said Dr Hamed al Sinawi, Senior Psychiatrist. “Ramadhan is the time of the year where we get a chance to detox ourselves from bad habits that we accumulated over the years, be it in the way we eat and drink, relate to people around us and in managing our time.”
Ramadhan provides an opportunity to reflect because it is once a year when there are changes in one’s lifestyle. Praying in the mosque and reading the holy Quran have an effect on the mind, says Dr Hamed. “During Ramadhan, our daily cycle is changed, we get shorter working hours so we can have enough time to enhance our spiritual health through prayers and reading the holy Quran. Praying in the masjid gives us that feeling of collectiveness, that we are in this together, we meet new people and expand our social network. Most masjids run short lessons that link Islamic values to modern life or reflect on the early history of Islam when the (then) new belief faced discrimination and hardship yet they stood for their values.”
He pointed out that reading the holy Quran and thinking of the meanings of the verses enhances our spiritual power and strengthen our ability to accept the things we cannot change in our life.
And this is the significance of praying
at the mosque.
“During Ramadhan, a Muslim spends more time praying either on his own or with a group at the masjid. These prayers enable the person to deal with distractions around him and help him focus more on his spiritual connection with God. It washes away the influence of noises in our lives, be it our own hopes and desires or materialistic demands of people around us.” According to him, Ramadhan also teaches us to be more patient so we deal with our desires wisely.
“Our desire to eat or drink is shifted to the night. We also learn to manage anger outbursts which are often due to trivial things so we practice self-control,” he said.
Ramadhan also brings in the benefits of togetherness and this is exactly opposite to loneliness, which Dr Hamed explained, is a major risk factor for several mental health problems such as anxiety, depression and sleep disorders. “During Ramadhan people get together either during prayers or Iftar where people share food with each other and get to talk and form social connections, this sense of community enhances togetherness and helps lonely people because they work away from home or have no immediate family members not to feel left out. In the Omani culture neighbours exchange food plates before Iftar time even when they know that the other person can afford food,” he noted.
He clarified that it is not about the presentation of the food but the acknowledgement that we are one community and Ramadhan brings us together.
@lakshmioman
And this is why many people wait for this time of the year to bring changes into their lives, said Dr Hamed al Sinawi, Senior Psychiatrist. “Ramadhan is the time of the year where we get a chance to detox ourselves from bad habits that we accumulated over the years, be it in the way we eat and drink, relate to people around us and in managing our time.”
Ramadhan provides an opportunity to reflect because it is once a year when there are changes in one’s lifestyle. Praying in the mosque and reading the holy Quran have an effect on the mind, says Dr Hamed. “During Ramadhan, our daily cycle is changed, we get shorter working hours so we can have enough time to enhance our spiritual health through prayers and reading the holy Quran. Praying in the masjid gives us that feeling of collectiveness, that we are in this together, we meet new people and expand our social network. Most masjids run short lessons that link Islamic values to modern life or reflect on the early history of Islam when the (then) new belief faced discrimination and hardship yet they stood for their values.”
He pointed out that reading the holy Quran and thinking of the meanings of the verses enhances our spiritual power and strengthen our ability to accept the things we cannot change in our life.
And this is the significance of praying
at the mosque.
“During Ramadhan, a Muslim spends more time praying either on his own or with a group at the masjid. These prayers enable the person to deal with distractions around him and help him focus more on his spiritual connection with God. It washes away the influence of noises in our lives, be it our own hopes and desires or materialistic demands of people around us.” According to him, Ramadhan also teaches us to be more patient so we deal with our desires wisely.
“Our desire to eat or drink is shifted to the night. We also learn to manage anger outbursts which are often due to trivial things so we practice self-control,” he said.
Ramadhan also brings in the benefits of togetherness and this is exactly opposite to loneliness, which Dr Hamed explained, is a major risk factor for several mental health problems such as anxiety, depression and sleep disorders. “During Ramadhan people get together either during prayers or Iftar where people share food with each other and get to talk and form social connections, this sense of community enhances togetherness and helps lonely people because they work away from home or have no immediate family members not to feel left out. In the Omani culture neighbours exchange food plates before Iftar time even when they know that the other person can afford food,” he noted.
He clarified that it is not about the presentation of the food but the acknowledgement that we are one community and Ramadhan brings us together.
@lakshmioman