A Pharmacists Journey to Wellness with Manjit Hansra l S1E027

Hello and welcome to a call for love. I believe the most powerful gift you can offer yourself is to give and receive love more freely. I'm your host, Linda Orsini meditation guidance spiritual coach. Everyone has the desire to be seen, heard, respected and loved. The journey to becoming more connected to your greater purpose lies within the ability to live from the deep source of love within you. Let's begin.

So welcome back to a call for love. Today I'm talking to Manjit Hansra. And he owned and operated a chain drugstore for over 18 years. And he decided to leave community pharmacy because he saw the toll the pandemic was taking on his staff and the clients he served, he wanted to be a part of the solution to help people not rely on just a pill but to improve their lives all around. From his experience. Real change occurs when we look at holistic treatment options. And that's exactly what a call for love is really noticing and being mindful of where you are in each moment. And he uses the practical tools of turning inward through breath work through connection with the mind, body and soul. He actually hosts retreats, He guides retreats for professionals, which I was a part of. And it was really fantastic. And thus I've invited him to speak on a call for love. And Manjit I'm so happy to have you here, I really think you have a powerful message to share. And I would like to begin here by just sharing how your journey really led you to where you are now.

Thanks so much, Linda. It's an absolute pleasure to be here. And to be a part of this, this message that you're spreading, like we talked about just before kind of getting on the call today. I just feel like we can speak for hours about this. So yeah, like my personal journey has been an interesting one, I think I owned and operated a pharmacy had about 65 employees for a change drug store here in Canada. And I did that for about 18 years. And then about six months ago, actually was probably about three years ago, I started kind of going through the process of self reflection. And that kind of came from attending a lot of different retreats in a lot of different parts of the world, and really kind of going inward to really see what I truly wanted to do and what I was truly capable of that actually, I just started thinking about death a lot. And when you when you talk about death, people kind of are like, whoa, that's such a morbid thing to talk about. But I really do think you have to you have to think about your own death and your own, like mortality before you can actually start really living life. And the whole process started with me. But thinking about regrets. I didn't want to have any regrets on my deathbed. And I wanted to be able to look at my two young kids, look them in the eye and tell them that you know what you're capable of doing anything. And for me, I had one I got out of school, became a pharmacist, I worked for about a year, year and a half. And then I became an owner operator. And that's all I knew for 18 years. And I really wanted to try to expose myself to different types of things. Because I think I truly believe that we're all we've all been gifted with something that's very unique. And the purpose of life is really to develop that gift and then to share it with others. So I'm still on the path. I'm on the journey, like, like everyone else, I just needed to take a step. Kind of a bold step, I guess some would say in terms of doing a big career shift, but really just wanted to pursue things that I was in alignment with, in a way where my values kind of mimicked and mirrored what I was doing in the world. And just being an example for my for my young children.

Yeah, and I think that's really beautiful that you are living intentionally as you know, a husband and father and you want to be there for your kids because I Imagine owning an operating pharmacy is a lot of work. It's a it's a big ship to steer. And I feel that it must have taken so much courage for you to notice and then to make a choice to sit and change your life for the better. And now you're using what you've learned and your new path to guide others. I know you have become breathwork and you are very are a proficient at it and guide others? How did you settle on breathwork as your modality for healing and for just feeling great inside and out?

Yeah, it's actually an interesting kind of story or process that I kind of went through. So I grew up in a pretty spiritual, religious household. There's a lot of meditation, praying, retreats, mantras, chanting, a lot of that type of stuff that I kind of, you know, brought up with me throughout the years. And it was during the pandemic, where I was experiencing certain symptoms of burnout, physical burnout, mental burnout, when I started looking, looking back at some of the breath work, and I started doing some research into looking at different types of modalities and treatment, things that were out there in the wellness kind of industry. And well, when I, when I looked at breathwork, I actually saw that there was a, there's a lot of science to back up, what actually happens when we're actually breathing. So, you know, when we, when we would be meditating, we would have, you know, you would inhale, you'd say the mantra and then when you say the mantra, it's a very long gated exhalation, where it would be like eight to 10 seconds of saying this mantra. And then when you look at the science, there's actually a lot of science behind that. So when you exhale, your diaphragm actually, is relaxed. So what that does is, it actually kind of decreases the amount of space that your heart has to operate it. And the effect of that then is a smaller heart, which means that the heart doesn't have to pump as strongly and as quickly as it would have to, when you're inhaling. So the the impact of that is lower heart rate, lower blood pressure, and a more relaxed type of being. So when I started looking at that, and looking at the science, I really did find that there was a there's a big correlation between what I had experienced and what what from a science perspective is actually like physiological perspective, what was actually happening. And as I continued to do more experiential, breathwork, somatic breath work and teaching people how to breathe efficiently, I really developed this opinion. And in this, I guess, understanding of, of the power of the breath, and how the breath really is a bridge, which does connect your, your mind to your body. And then through that connection, I feel like you develop a better, more intense and deep connection with your soul. And that's really where a lot of insightful, interesting, things kind of come up. And that's really what started the process of internal reflection, which eventually turned into an act of me of me leaving and trying to pursue this and try to just dig deeper and try to try to provide this as a service to more people.

I do love what you're saying, I know that there's a lot of people who are reluctant to get into or experienced these modalities. And when you bring in the science of it, it enables people to safely dig into this process. Because it is uncomfortable initially, if you're not familiar with all these modalities of breath, work, meditation, Mantra, etc. So the science almost gives people a permission and a deeper understanding that yes, this is good. And I always say, We know so little about our bodies, that it's fascinating. And it all begins with the breath. I've also said before that it's the first thing you do when you're born. And that's the last thing you do. And it's the least thing we pay attention to.

Yeah, so just to kind of piggyback on that, Linda. So the average person will breathe about 20,000 to 24,000 breaths in a single day. And the question that I often ask people is, how many of those breaths? Are you actually taking mindfully? You know, like, like, if I asked you right now, are you being how are you reading? Are you bringing your chest? Are you reading through your belly? 60 70% of people don't even know, we're so unaware of our breath, which is essentially keeping us alive. And that's where I think breath work is particularly useful if people are too much in the mind, right? Because we talked about mindfulness talking about meditation. It's really difficult for people with all the stimulus that's happening out there for people to quiet their mind. Right. So that's where I think the breath is because I kind of look at like meditation. Mindfulness can sometimes be very passive, where you almost need to be like the witness of your thoughts and let the thoughts come and go and that's very difficult for people but when you use breath work, it allows them to use their mind actually to focus on their breath and even if they go down to just that one Are two thoughts, that's much easier for them to be able to connect with. And then they still experience the benefits of, of the mindfulness and the meditation, they just do it through the

breath. Yeah, I agree. I just love, love the science behind the breath, and behind the body. And I do feel that those people who are so driven, are not really comfortable with practicing self care, self love. But when you place it in that context, it gives them more of a permission to really experience the power of breath work.

Yeah, I totally agree. And that's where I think, you know, sometimes you, you know, because we've had it through our through our conversations, we've had some unique experiences with just connecting. Sometimes we want to kind of get on our soapbox and just share it with like, everyone and anyone because we've experienced this, this beautiful, like a connection. And we have to kind of remind ourselves that sometimes people aren't ready. And sometimes, you have to adjust the message that you're trying to share. So it does resonate with you. So just exactly what you spoke about, you kind of have to say it in different ways. So that people can kind of be attracted to kind of what you're what you're trying to get them exposed to.

Exactly. And you catch more fish, you catch more people, when you offer it in different ways. And of course, I really love how you have put together wellness retreats for professionals, I attended one in May. So I would like you to just share? How did you start on these wellness retreats? And what are the challenges of running these events?

Yeah, thanks so much. Thanks for your participation in Atlanta, your your yoga class that you led, was, was well attended, and people had really positive feedback. So it was really an absolute pleasure to have you a part of the program. Yes, the wellness retreats basically just started from seeing a lot of people kind of in the corporate landscape. Meeting this, you know, being a pharmacist and operating a pharmacy, a lot of my staff were being impacted by this, I saw a lot of colleagues being impacted by burnout. And I just felt this, this need to provide an avenue and some exposure to different types of modalities, right, because I truly do believe that experiential types of experiences really do help people into action. So one of the biggest challenges, I would say, was trying to convince corporations that they should offer these types of programs to support employees. And, you know, every time I talked to a corporation, it would be a part of their mission statement, it would be a part of their values. But they weren't really, in my opinion, they weren't really doing enough to offer these types of initiatives and programs for, for employees. I mean, that being said, I was able to connect with some companies that that did offer support, and it was in line with their mission statement. And they did share it with their employees and and some of them were able to attend and, and support the event. So all in all, I mean, even if you have any listeners that you know, would like or think that there's a need for this type of like a half day retreat or something like that to be a part of their employee benefits package or something like that. And you can always shoot me an email and could be something that we can create some some change from today's podcast through you, Linda.

Well, yes. And we will put your links in the show notes. So that's very kind thank you for for bringing that up. And I know that you have really made it your mission, to be of service to professionals, in order to help them relieve stress and anxiety that you certainly saw through the pandemic. So what are your what's your vision for the future?

Yeah, you know, I'm just starting on this journey, like, like everyone else. So, I mean, my vision for the future is to continue to do these types of retreats to help people that I know, I guess I guess one thing is, I remember reading something in a book and it said, The Times in the days that you don't feel like meditating are actually the times where you actually need to meditate the most. So similarly to that. I think a lot of a lot of this is people don't know what they don't know. So try and expose people that are living very busy lives. And that say that they don't have the ability to, you know, take an hour to go to a yoga class or take an hour to do a breathwork session or Something like that those are the people that I'm trying to reach. Because I think that they, they probably need it the most. Also just trying to educate people on the power of breath work, doing different types of speaking types of engagements about the efficiency of you know, because we're told how to eat, we're told how to walk, which what we're taught how to ride a bike, we're taught how to swim. But has anyone ever taught you how to breathe, how to breathe so that you're efficiently creating this exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide and how you can use your breath to regulate your nervous system. So when you're in a dysregulated, state, what are different types of breathing tools and techniques that you can use to, to stay regulated? So a lot of it comes from exposure, I think, would be one thing exposing exposing people to different modalities, including breathwork. And also educating people about how breathing can you know what the power of breathing is. So those are probably the two focuses that I have have right now. And, you know, I think that once you go on a podcast like yours, and have different types of interactions with people in the space that have already been doing it, that opens up other opportunities. So try not to one thing that I have learned during this the last six months is try not to put pressure on myself, you know, do what I can control, control the controllables, and let the universe kind of take me where it does. And just be totally open open to that. Because I think sometimes if you put too much pressure on yourself, you actually can prevent some of those channels from opening up channels of opportunity.

I feel like this is a great vision that you have and a movement for you to move forward to guide others. I do hear what you're saying previously about how hard it is to really penetrate these big companies in order to support their employees. But I feel that if we can just offer if we can just open our hearts to giving and where it lands, then people will hear it the people who are meant to hear it will hear it and of course, different phases and seasons of your life, you're more willing to be open. And here we are together being open, and then those who are ready will definitely find us.

Absolutely and and that's part of a part of the growth is also just not becoming attached to any sort of outcome and just being of service and sharing. And I totally agree with you. When it lands it, it lands. And usually when it lands, it also knows a lot more powerfully because it's just Happening. Happening kind of on its own without it being you know, forced or trying to convince anybody that this is kind of what they should be doing. People will hear the message when when they're ready to hear.

Absolutely. I know on Episode 10, I called it breath for balance, energy and calm. And I talked about water, whiskey and coffee breath to relax ourselves or to give us more energy or just to come into balance. Do you have any breath work that you could or a breath in particular technique that you could share with the listeners today that you could guide us through?

Sure. It's so funny. You mentioned the coffee whiskey in the water. So I actually did my first certification was through through that exact kind of program through through Lucas. So yeah, it's a small world. Yeah, you know, one thing, one breathing technique that I really do, like, it's probably one of my favorite ones, is the 478 method. It just basically helps, helps you to relax, stay regulated, but at the same time also helps you improve focus. So it's a great thing to do before getting on a podcast before public speaking, or going into a big meeting before maybe having a difficult conversation with someone because it helps to balance but also helps to keep you focused. So yeah, absolutely, I'd be be my absolute pleasure.

I love the 478 breath, Manjit and just to let listeners know that if you're driving, then pause this recording and listen to it when you're in a safe place because this will relax you and you want to be safe.

So let's just sit down comfortably. We're just gonna take a deep breath in for five seconds. And we're going to exhale for five seconds, breathing through our belly watching our belly button. Expand away from our spine, breathing in through the nose for a count of 512345 and exhale out. Let's breathe in again. Now for a count of four through the nose 1234 and hold your breath hair. Relax your shoulders. This As the present moment, feeling what comes up, and now exhale with the with a vocal tone. Ah, let's try that again, inhale for four and hold

an exhale

let's do one more round, really feeling what's coming up right now and hold the key with the breath hold just to try to be relaxed as possible. Don't try and tensor, just feel the sensations in the body. And our final exhale.

Thank you, and like literally that 20 seconds, Linda, and I'm sure that hopefully listeners felt a little bit of like a transition in terms of where they were at at a time. And where they were afterwards. I mean, listening to your voice and listening to us talk is a pretty relaxing thing to do anyways. But this is a great tool to use, if you feel like you're starting to get dysregulated. Or you feel like you just need to take a short break, because literally 2030 seconds can really create a big shift in your nervous system state.

Absolutely I use this breath work a lot with my coaching clients just to calm them down. And you know, I just felt even myself calm down once we did that breath. And I like to always place my feet on the floor to do that. And it's well, just for grounding. But while I love how you guide guided us through that, and your voice is really very peaceful and calm. And I think people notice that energy too. It's how you're showing up and what energy you are emulating and vibrating at that people want that. And sometimes do you find that people come up to you and ask you more about yourself and what you do? Because you have this presence that is very calm, and very peaceful. And that comes with effort, correct?

Yeah, I think you have to kind of put yourself out there. And actually, one thing that I will tell people is that when I was trying to make this transition, we're doing a lot of different reading. And sometimes we think that we're we're good at something or that we're not good at something. And one really useful tool sounds like like a monthly book club that I have just some close friends. And we did this exercise where we asked each other, what are three things that you think each of us do very well. And to get that feedback from friends that kind of know you quite well, like it took them three months to agree to it, because they were like scared, if I say something that is this is gonna affect the friendship and you know, we had to get into that safe place. But sometimes we don't know, like what we do well, so it's really a really useful tool to ask someone that is willing to provide you with that constructive feedback. And I just found that like two or three of them said kind of the same thing that that I really didn't think was something but it was kind of to that effect, right? That I just have a calming type of voice and just, you know, have this type of presence. But anyway, so that's what the point of what I'm trying to say is that it's a really useful tool to be able to use and sometimes the feedback that you get might surprise you, and it might help you along along the lines of doing different types of things that you're aligned with, because sometimes they will tell you that you have this these qualities that you might not think you do.

Yes. Well, that's really I'm so glad you were able to come on a call for love and share your unique brilliance with us. If there's one last thing you would like to leave our audience with. Is there one last inspiration you'd like to share with us?

I think just taking time to be with yourself, you know, there's 14 140 minutes in the day. That's a lot of time. And how much time are we actually spending with ourselves in solitude just with our thoughts? Because when people say I don't have time to meditate, I don't have time to do that. Absolutely. Like you can spend three minutes just start with three minutes, two minutes even start with one minute, one minute a day. And the key to changing or to developing a new habit is not how much effort you put into it. It's consistency. So if you are consistent with that one minute a day, then you'll actually notice a little bit of a shift. So the only thing that I'd like to leave the To start with is, is that that part of just being with yourself and seeing what comes out. And thank you, Linda, you're absolutely You're so easy to talk to it's absolute treat, I'm really pleased that we were introduced with each other to each other. And I really am looking forward to connecting with you in the future, and seeing how popular this podcast becomes, and how many other lives are able to change. So thank you so much for the good that you're doing in this world. I really do appreciate it.

Well, thank you Manjit. You know, I just really believe there is a call for love. And it's a call to notice and be in a place of bearing witness to ourselves with loving kindness. And when we can be in that place, we can shine our light to others. And that is the whole message here. And you definitely emulate that. And that's why I'm so grateful to have you here today. So thank you for sharing your time, and wishing everyone a wonderful day ahead.