Evolution Medicine: Meditations for mind, body and spirit - by Sonya Lazarevic MD

Deal Listeners, It’s been another interesting and, in many ways, adventurous month since I last wrote. I’ve been thinking a lot about the healing process—and how basic some of its foundations are. Proper nutrition. Minimizing sugars and caffeine. Restorative sleep. Hydration. Supporting the body in returning to homeostasis, rather than overwhelming it. Even supplementation, at least for me, has fe...

Dear listeners, I’d like to speak about the power of being seen. For many people, their lived experience remains largely silent — held within the mind or the body, unspoken and, at times, even unexamined. There can be a tendency to undershare, to withhold, or to avoid visiting the deeper regions where struggle resides. And so, when someone encounters the right person — a friend, a therapist, a par...

Dear Listeners, I’d like to share a reflection, on the intersection of spirituality and commerce — a pairing that struck me as contradictory when a teacher proposed it a few years ago. Then, I struggled to understand how business could be conducted in a manner that left everyone involved feeling nourished, joyful or fulfilled — how an exchange such as buying a scarf might become, simply put, mutua...

Dear Listeners, I have a small snowy tale to share — one that, only after I was nearly finished shoveling, revealed itself as a lesson in the difference between pain and suffering. During New York’s most recent blizzard in late February, I began shoveling the night before in hopes of getting ahead of the storm and clearing a few pathways. By Monday morning, before starting work, I was back outside...

Dear listeners, What a year. And it’s clear- there is more to come. As we move through this changing landscape together — over the coming months and years — whatever shape the ride may take, I’d like to offer a simple rhythm to lean on: pause, reflect, act . Then repeat. Pause. Reflect. Act. And remember that non-action is sometimes a form of action. I say this because the momentum of change right...

Dear Listener, When it rains, it often pours — and lately, it seems as if the tempo of life has quickened again. The holidays amplify that pace, adding weight, expectation, and emotional static. In times like these, when everything accelerates, the wisest response is often to slow down. I know it can feel as though the world is not working in humanity’s favor. Yet I’d offer a counterpoint: we now...

Dear Listener, In recent weeks, several patients have confided a longing for clarity around purpose. I’d like to offer a few thoughts on this, beginning with an important clarification: purpose is not a single, fixed destination . It is not something one “arrives at” once and for all. Rather, purpose is fluid—changing with our roles, relationships, and seasons of life. The question What is my purp...

Dear Listener, Since my last post, life has been fast, demanding, and full of change. Visitors, home repairs, and a caseload in which several patients required extra care all made it difficult to carve out time for myself—let alone for this Substack. By the time I reached my scheduled nine days off, I was already so depleted that recovery would have taken much longer. At the end of an unforgiving...

Dear Listeners, I’ll be brief as I’m traveling, taking time to rest and reflect on the mid-point of the year. Today’s meditation emerged from the waters of the Mediterranean, which themselves have a story and history. Nonetheless, I found a place, a space, that embodied stillness, movement, darkness and light- translated into this meditation. Forgive the audio, I didnt have my better mic with me y...

Dear Listener, I’ll be brief today- I’m continuing to receive stories from patients regarding an unshakable fatigue. I decided to record a longer guided meditation to facilitate rejuvenation. Length is an experiment for me, lets see how this goes…. Next month I hope to share futher thoughts how we might adapt and grow despite the circumstances. As aways, take care of yourself and please feel free...

Dear Listeners, When I think more change can’t be packed into a single week, this past week happens. It is not just people, its also environment, nations… it seems as if everything has some kind of new spin to it. Attempting to observe this movement in its totality—is mind boggling. So when I see patterns like this, even if its new (but somehow related to old ones) I suggest slowing down, quieting...

Dear Listener, It’s been a while since I last posted—life has been busy with projects to finish and loose ends to tie up. Like many, I’m working to balance the demands of developing a clinical practice, engaging in self-care, maintaining work-life harmony, and pursuing personal growth—all while keeping this space alive. Amid my own timeline, I’ve noticed a broader theme: Time itself feels as if it...

Dear Listeners, It has been a while since I last wrote. I often see August as a pivotal moment, a time for reflection, recalibration, and preparation for the season ahead. It serves as a respite before the holiday rush and the onset of a new year. During this pause, I find it valuable to consider the past year's trajectory and our current moment in time. We are amidst profound changes on economic,...

Dear Listeners, Where to begin? The degree to which life, culture, nations, technology are changing around us is expectantly high. The movement is fast. Somehow, amidst this change, it seems we collectively passed through a threshold into a new time. Why do I say this? Using a small (but not insignificant) example will be easier. Recently AI was integrated into a number of products I currently use...

Dear Listeners, Paying attention to the shifts in season leaves a quietness worthy of taking a moment. As this holiday weekend (in the US) wraps up, allow yourself to pause, be present so you may renew for the spring to come. Enjoy todays meditation on the night sky within. Share if it moves you. SL This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bon...

Dear Listeners, It’s been a minute since I posted. In the time that passed I visited some different lands, I contemplated how the year was going and the direction of whats to come. Todays meditation is based on some observations I’ve made regarding our precious endocine organs and critical anatomical centers. I’m aware people dont necessarily think of their body this way, but with such delicate, s...

Dear Listeners, I’d like to share a recent experience which (to me) demonstrates how the mind and body connect in inexplicable ways. Recently I attended an online yoga class taught live in India. I woke up at 1:45am to practice at 2:00. Though I have some 30 odd years of practice behind me, I’d like to say I am likely an intermediate practitioner of yoga on a “good day” (keeping in mind the existe...

Dear Listeners Recently I attended a training in Pennsylvania on essential oils. It was texturally robust; the surroundings offered open rolling hills, colors of sunrise and sunset, a late fall palate, the scent of tilled soil, cows and horses, and farm dogs barking in the distance. It was truly relaxing. The oils are a novel experience for me, we shall see where this leads! It seems to offer an a...

Dear Listener, I recently had a conversation with a patient about finding ways to settle the mind and meditation came up. BUT, like many of my patients, understandably, it felt daunting to start and challenging to maintain based on prior attempts. So my response is maybe consider an informal (versus formal) practice. Whats that? Informal meditation is what you can do as you ‘do your day’ (not quit...

meditations and contemplations to help you rise above the chaos and thrive This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit evolutionmedicine.substack.com/subscribe

Dear Listeners, People ask me how they can slow down the chatter in their mind. This is the one of the many pursuits in the realm of being a human, no? My suggestion is that each person approach this in a multi-layered manner. Often the question arises when considering anxiety, clinically speaking an aspect of it (in terms of treatment) tries to address a nervous system that has trouble being at r...

Dear Listeners , Sometimes when the mind is busy, it is a little easier to rest the attention on the senses-as point of focus. With so much going on in the world, I try to do things to help my mind settle and at the same time reduce over-stimulus (see below). This meditation is a simple introductory practice you can do in the morning or at the end of the day before bedtime. If you do practice with...

Fellow listeners, Standing meditations can be a interesting way to be a little more engaged in a meditation practice (compared to a seated meditation), It requires a little more muscular activation (for balance), the weight in the feet are more noticable and the eyes are also needed for balance. Standing meditations can generate a little more alertness. I suggest keeping a soft gaze (meaning, not...

Hi Everyone My apologies, I was unable to post last week… but I am back. While anxiety is an ongoing issue these days, I recently found myself speaking more about breathing practices as a tool, thus thought to demonstrate an exercise known as ‘square’ or ‘box breathing’ (it has many names!). This practice is a simple method to help reset the breath when the chest is tight from stress or anxiety or...