Meditation

Why You Need to Meditate

2009-05-11T04:31:00.001-07:00

The side effects of meditation are positive and countless. Studies have demonstrated that those who meditate on a regular basis have reduced illness, stress, and need for rest.

But one of the most compelling reasons to meditate is that the process of meditation itself is sublime. Meditation is not dependent upon the result, but the act of meditation itself is a blissful one, transporting one to a state of contentment and tranquil awareness during the training of meditation itself, not just at the end of training. Actually, because the means equals the end, the training has no beginning and never ends.

All of us in modern times experience a constant onslaught of stress. We are bombarded by uninvited energies in the form of such things as television, noise pollution, arguments, and angry or envious people. In order to counteract this enormously overwhelming force of negativity and distress, we need a superior power, gathered within ourselves; and meditation connects us to this internal reservoir of cleansing, enlightening energy.

In former times, nature surrounded people in their daily routines and rituals of existence. There were no artificial sound vibrations from telephones or machinery; there were no stresses and diseases resulting from urban industrial complexities. There was the sound of water, the hum of the wind, the beauty of the stars in the sky, and the scent of the earth. There were natural tempos in every aspect of life, as people planted seeds, nurtured them into foodstuffs, and as they observed the cycles of nature they felt a connection to them. Nowadays we can live our entire lifespan without ever contacting nature in a direct way. We live in artificially controlled climates, we gather food from fast food restaurants or from stores where it is packaged in a factory; we invite a total divorce of ourselves from our natural origins and our organic, original pace of life.

Meditation allows us an easy, convenient, portable method to enter into those lost natural rhythms and aesthetics, by closing out the world around us, letting go of our bodies, and clearing the mind of all the artificial stress it gathers knowingly or unknowingly during the course of lives.

Meditation costs nothing, it has no harmful side affects, and it won’t add calories or cholesterol to your body. Nor is it addictive in the sense of drugs and alcohol. But it does provide practitioners with an elevated sense of well-being, often compared to a natural “high” more powerful than those induced by drugs, and this component of meditation is one that can be fully embraced for positive, healthy benefits.

The human body is a complex creation, and in the brain the body naturally produces drugs that are hundreds of times more powerful than pharmaceutical narcotics. As one meditates, the body secretes mysterious hormones and chemicals that actually provide an incredible rush of energy and happiness, and this is only one of the amazing side effects of meditation practice.

Meditation is different things to different people. Some use it in place of, or in addition to, psychotherapy. Others find it most valuable as a tool to enhance sports or work performance, and to increase the memory and other mental functions. Some people rely upon it to help them deal with grief or the aftermath of trauma or tragedy, and to regain a contentment and appreciation for life’s beauties. And there are those who use meditation as a creative tool to inspire them in the arts. Meditation gives us stronger and more sustainable vigor, sexual energy, and calm, as it provides a restfulness that is comparable to deep, exceptionally restful sleep.

There are countless reasons to meditate, and one way to make the world a better and more peaceful and harmonious place, is for all of us to dedicate some time out of our stressful lives to pause and drink from the mental oasis of meditation practice.

Tags: why meditate

Why Try Meditating Outside?

2009-05-08T02:50:00.001-07:00

Meditating outdoors? Does it really matter where you meditate? I think it can. For some of us, being outside makes for not just a different meditation experience, but a more profound one. There are some good reasons for this.

perhaps meditating in a quiet room with no sounds and nothing to distract is the easiest way, especially for beginners. It's hard enough to quiet your mind without constant input from your surroundings. On the other hand, life is constant input, so if you want the peacefulness that comes from meditation to enter your life beyond your practice, perhaps learning to meditate despite surrounding sounds and movement is just what you need.

<b>Meditating Outdoors</b>

There's a high bank on a river where I lived years ago. It was a five-minute walk from the house. There's a level grassy spot at the top, looking down on the water fifty feet below. That is where I would go to sit. Often there was a breeze I could feel on my skin and hear in the surrounding trees. I also heard the water as it strained through some dead trees near the river bank. I smelled the dirt around me, and the odor of fish coming up from the water.

Meditating there wasn't only pleasurable because of the environment, but also different from meditating in the silence of my home. There was more of a sense of experiencing the world without thought, without over-analyzing. Why? Perhaps simply because there was more to experience. There were the sounds, which included birds, and the occasional splashing of some animal in the river. There were things to smell and the feel of the grass.

I usually close my eyes when I meditate, because I am a very visually-oriented person, and find it easier to meditate this way. When I finished my meditation by the river, I would open my eyes, of course, but what I saw was always different from what was there when I started. Of course it was the same, but I was seeing it differently, as if for the first time. While difficult to explain, this is easy to recognize if you have had the experience.

It's wonderful to look around as if seeing for the first time. You are seeing without preconception. I might see a deer on the opposite bank of the river, but the thought "deer" wouldn't cross my mind, meaning it wouldn't cloud my vision with any ideas about what a deer is or should be. The sounds and sensations were also "new." I think this more direct experience of life is a profound demonstration of how much we normally "live" through our thoughts, somewhat detached from reality.

If you haven't already tried it, why not get outside for your next meditation? Sit on a hill or in front of a garden, or try standing in front of a lake or pond when you meditate. The view will be wonderful when you open your eyes. There is nothing quite like meditating outdoors.

Tags: meditating, meditation, meditate

What is meditation - how to meditate

2009-05-04T11:55:00.001-07:00

Meditation is a group of mental training techniques .You can use meditation to improve mental health and capacities, and also to help improve the physical health. Some of these techniques are very simple, so you can learn them from a book or an article; others require guidance by a qualified meditation teacher.

WHAT IS MEDITATION

Most techniques called meditation include these components:

1. You sit or lie in a relaxed position.
2. You breathe regularly. You breathe in deep enough to get enough oxygen. When you breathe out, you relax your muscles so that your lungs are well emptied, but without straining.
3. You stop thinking about everyday problems and matters.
4. You concentrate your thoughts upon some sound, some word you repeat, some image, some abstract concept or some feeling. Your whole attention should be pointed at the object you have chosen to concentrate upon.
5. If some foreign thoughts creep in, you just stop this foreign thought, and go back to the object of meditation.

The different meditation techniques differ according to the degree of concentration, and how foreign thoughts are handled. By some techniques, the objective is to concentrate so intensely that no foreign thoughts occur at all.

In other techniques, the concentration is more relaxed so that foreign thoughts easily pop up. When these foreign thoughts are discovered, one stops these and goes back to the pure meditation in a relaxed manner. Thoughts coming up, will often be about things you have forgotten or suppressed, and allow you to rediscover hidden memory material. This rediscovery will have a psychotherapeutic effect.

THE EFFECTS OF MEDITATION

Meditation has the following effects:

1. Meditation will give you rest and recreation.
2. You learn to relax.
3. You learn to concentrate better on problem solving.
4. Meditation often has a good effect upon the blood pressure.
5. Meditation has beneficial effects upon inner body processes, like circulation, respiration and digestion.
6. Regular meditation will have a psychotherapeutically effect.
7. Regular meditation will facilitate the immune system.
8. Meditation is usually pleacent.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HYPNOSIS AND MEDITATION

Hypnosis may have some of the same relaxing and psychotherapeutic effects as meditation. However, when you meditate you are in control yourself; by hypnosis you let some other person or some mechanical device control you. Also hypnosis will not have a training effect upon the ability to concentrate.

A SIMPLE FORM OF MEDITATION

Here is a simple form of meditation:

1. Sit in a good chair in a comfortable position.
2. Relax all your muscles as well as you can.
3. Stop thinking about anything, or at least try not to think about anything.
4. Breath out, relaxing all the muscles in your breathing apparatus.
5. Repeat the following in 10 - 20 minutes:

-- Breath in so deep that you feel you get enough oxygen.
-- Breath out, relaxing your chest and diaphragm completely.
-- Every time you breathe out, think the word "one" or another simple word inside yourself. You should think the word in a prolonged manner, and so that you hear it inside you, but you should try to avoid using your mouth or voice.

6. If foreign thoughts come in, just stop these thoughts in a relaxed manner, and keep on concentrating upon the breathing and the word you repeat.

As you proceed through this meditation, you should feel steadily more relaxed in your mind and body, feel that you breathe steadily more effectively, and that the blood circulation throughout your body gets more efficient. You may also feel an increasing mental pleasure throughout the meditation.

THE EFFECTS OF MEDITATION UPON DISEASES

As any kind of training, meditation may be exaggerated so that you get tired and worn out. Therefore you should not meditate so long or so concentrated that you feel tired or mentally emptied.

Meditation may sometimes give problems for people suffering from mental diseases, epilepsy, serious heart problems or neurological diseases. On the other hand, meditation may be of help in the treatment of these and other conditions.

People suffering from such conditions should check out what effects the different kinds of meditation have on their own kind of health problems, before beginning to practise meditation, and be cautious if they choose to begin to meditate. It may be wise to learn meditation from an experienced teacher, psychologist or health worker that use meditation as a treatment module for the actual disease.

Tags: what, is, meditation, how, meditate, techique, explanation, of, defination, a, simple, mode, method, mental, training, begin, about, easy, form, learn, to, relaxation

Transcendental Meditation

2009-05-02T11:15:00.001-07:00

Since 1958, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi has trained more than 40,000 teachers in the practice of Transcendental Meditation or TM. These teachers have taught more than six million people worldwide this simple, natural procedure which allows its practitioners to gain deep rest and contact their inner reservoir of creativity, energy and intelligence. This information comes from the official Transcendental Meditation website at www.tm.org.

What happens during meditation

During the practice of TM, the mind and body experience a unique state of restful alertness. As the mind becomes more silent, the body becomes deeply relaxed. At the most settled state of awareness, the mind transcends all mental activity to experience the simplest form of awareness, Transcendental Consciousness. Hundreds of scientific studies have shown that experiencing this state correlates with greater creativity, improved learning, higher IQ, better grades, higher moral reasoning, increased brain wave coherence and improved neurological functioning of the body.

Practicing TM helps develops increased energy, creativity and intelligence. This in turn helps awaken the unlimited potential of the meditator's mind and body. The result is that those who practice TM enjoy greater health, happiness and success in all aspects of life.

How to meditate

Anyone can learn how to meditate. No special lessons, books or equipment are required. People of all ages, cultures and educational backgrounds can practice TM.

TM is an easy and enjoyable experience that takes only 20 minutes twice a day. You can do it alone or with others in a group. Pick a time and place where you will not be disturbed. Then just sit comfortably with your eyes closed. No effort, no concentration, no special skills nor change of lifestyle are required. Thoughts will enter and leave your mind as you meditate. Attend to them or not as you choose.

People can benefit from TM even if they don't believe it will work. Try meditating regularly for 20 minutes twice a day and you will start to see results in the form of improvements in your life.

Back in the 1960's when TM first became popular in the United States, practitioners were known to chant "OM" or another single syllable sound while they meditated. This is no longer considered necessary, though it can be done if desired. Most people now meditate silently.

The benefits of TM

Practitioners of transcendental meditation start noticing positive changes in their lives within a few days or weeks after they start meditating. These benefits include clearer thinking, improved memory, enhanced creativity and sharper intellect. These changes can enable people to achieve more in their work by becoming more creative and effective without having to work harder. Other people have said they feel healthier, more rested and relaxed, and have increased immunity to disease, reduction of aging effects and greater energy and vitality after starting to meditate.

TM can even help in relationships with others. It can help you enjoy closer friendships, become calmer and more self-confident and feel less anxious and stressed out. By radiating this increased harmony and lack of stress to the outside world, TM may even contribute to world peace.

The Maharishi teaches that by practicing Transcendental Meditation regularly, you can choose what you want to be and begin to achieve that goal. Why not try practicing TM now and see how your life improves?

Tags: transcendental meditation, TM, meditation

The Shaolin Workout - Harmony

2009-04-26T07:19:00.001-07:00

The following is an excerpt from the book The Shaolin Workout
by Sifu Shi Yan Ming
Published by Rodale; May 2006;$29.95US/$39.95CAN; 1-59486-400-4
Copyright ฉ 2006 Sifu Shi Yan Ming

My heart is in harmony with my mind. My mind is in harmony with my chi. My chi is in harmony with my power.

There are intrinsic harmonies between certain parts of the body. Your hands are in harmony with your feet. Your elbows are in harmony with your knees. And your shoulders are in harmony with your hips. As you continue to train the warrior's way, you will begin to find all the muscles and joints in your body working in harmony, giving you a strength and endurance you've probably never felt before. The Shaolin Workout trains your body from head to toe. No single muscle or limb can be anywhere near as strong as when all your muscles work together.

These physical harmonies reflect spiritual and mental harmonies: Your heart is in harmony with your mind. Your mind is in harmony with your chi. Your chi is in harmony with your power.

These are inseparable relationships. You can't separate your heart from your mind, or your mind from your body. The physical and the mental are linked. When your body is weak and tired, so is your mind. When your body falls asleep, your mind stops working, too. And by the same token, if you exhaust your mind, your body will be exhausted, too. If you're thinking and worrying so much at night that you can't rest, the next day your body will have no chi. You'll be doing your workout Sleeping Style!

That is why we relax both our bodies and our minds. We want flexible minds in flexible bodies.

If you find yourself getting stressed-out today -- at your desk at work, in a long line at the supermarket, wherever it is -- take a moment to relax. If your mind is stressed, your body tenses. You feel the muscles in your neck tighten, and your shoulders hunching. Your chest constricts, and you can't breathe right. You can give yourself a headache or stomachache.

When you're tense, you can't celebrate your beautiful life. Loosen up. Relax your body and your mind. Stand up from your desk and do your neck stretches and shoulder rotations. Or do them standing right there in that supermarket line. Who cares if other people are watching? Untense those muscles, and you'll relieve some of the mental stress as well. It's not magic or mumbo jumbo. It's your body and mind working in harmony. And now that you're relaxed, you'll see how much easier it is to get through the task at hand. A relaxed mind in a relaxed body allows the chi to flow and releases your power.

Try it today. You'll see.

Reprinted from: The Shaolin Workout: 28 Days to Transforming Your Body and Soul the Warrior's Way by Sifu Shi Yan Ming ฉ 2006 Rodale Inc. Permission granted by Rodale, Inc., Emmaus, PA 18098. Available wherever books are sold or directly from the publisher by calling (800) 848-4735 or visit their website at www.rodalestore.com.

Author
Sifu Shi Yan Ming, a 34th-generation Shaolin warrior monk, is respected not only in the martial arts world but also in the entertainment world by stars like Jet Li, Jackie Chan, Wesley Snipes, and the Wu-Tang Clan. His kung fu classes have been featured in USA Today, The New York Times, New York Daily News, and Entertainment Weekly. Brian Gray of Inside Kung Fu magazine has called him a "living treasure of China." He has also appeared on the Discovery Channel, MTV, and CNBC, among other major networks. Sifu Shi Yan Ming lives in New York City.

Tags: Meditation, mind, body, workout, king fu, shaolin, fitness, wellness, Buddhism, health

The Power Of Your Subconscious Mind

2009-04-24T23:42:00.001-07:00

Scientists say that we only use 10% of our minds. Think about what I just said. We use only 10% of our minds! We are wasting the other 90%. Think of it this way….what if we only used 10% of our salary? Could we survive on 10% of our salary? No way, unless your Bill Gates. What about eating only 10% of the food we make? Wouldn't that be a waste of food? What if we slept only 10% of 8 hours or 80 minutes a day? Could we survive? What if we had only 10% of the oxygen that was available? Could we survive? The answer to all these questions is a resounding NO!

So why do we put up with using only 10% of our brain? Look at your life. Are you living the life you want….on your terms? Are you happy with what you've created or do you think it could be better? Chances are that you are living to only 10% of your abilities. What if you could make your life 100, 500, or 1,000% better? I can hear you now saying…"That's impossible" or "that's too hard to do." If you did say that, you're repeating the same pattern in your life, which is you are using only 10% of your brain or less.

If you're happy with using just the 10% of your brain then stop reading now. If you're not satisfied and want to be able to use the rest of it then keep reading. Think about the greatness you can achieve by using your entire mind. There have been a number of great teachers of using the mind, such as Napoleon Hill, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Maxwell Maltz and many others. These men knew the secret to using the power of your mind and how to tap into it.

I'm here to tell you that you currently posses the most powerful tool in the Universe….your SUBCONSCIOUS MIND. Your subconscious mind knows everything. It has all the answers if you just use it correctly. It can lead you to a life of harmony, wealth, health, joy and success! This is possible with all aspects of your life.

It's not your fault. You were never taught how to use your mind. The past is over and today can be a new start. It doesn't matter what happened before today, what matters is what happens from today on. You must believe in your subconscious mind and know that it can allow you to lead a life of joy and success.

Let's start off with a very simple procedure. Use your subconscious mind as an alarm clock. Before going to bed at night, tell it what time you want to get up. Let's say you want to wake up at 7:00am. Before going to bed, tell your subconscious mind to "wake me up at 7:00am" and while saying this visualize a clock that reads 7:00.

The first step in changing your life is to start making impressions on your subconscious mind. You can so this by making affirmations as well as thinking certain thoughts. For example, let's say you want to attract money in your life. You can simply repeat these words "I am wealth and success". Repeat these words several times a day. It's best to say them in the morning when you get up and right before you sleep. This is when your mind is in an alpha state. When saying them, make sure you really mean them and focus on the words. Don't feel it's a chore or else it will not do you any good. You can also say them while meditating.

This can work for anything. Make sure the affirmations are positive and not stating the negative. For example, if you want to quit smoking, don't say "I don't smoke". Instead say "My lungs are pure and healthy and I am cigarette free." "I am" are two of the most powerful words in the English language.

Also, it's very important to think positively, don't say to yourself, "I'm just never lucky" or "I'm just meant to be poor." Think the opposite, "I am lucky" or "Things always work out to my favor" and I am wealthy and successful." If you have trouble believing yourself when you say them then change them to become more believable. You can start small or say "I am becoming wealthy."

If you need help with a problem or are in a situation where you have to make a tough decision and don't know which is the best for you. Ask your subconscious mind for help. Let's say you are contemplating two separate job offers and you are having trouble deciding between the two. Ask your subconscious mind for help by asking it. You may say something like "Infinite wisdom of my subconscious mind, I ask for your help in deciding what is best between these two job offers, I ask for your help and guidance in making a decision that is best for me."

Be still and listen to your subconscious mind. Close your eyes if need be and do not force anything to come to you but just be still and listen. If the answer doesn't come right away, that's ok. It's probably searching for the answer and it may take a little bit of time. But, I assure you, the answer will come…..maybe the next day or next week. You just need to be alert and have your antennas up. The answer may come from something outside of you, perhaps after you wake up. You may be clear in your thoughts on what to do. You may read or hear something that may enlighten you on what to do. You may receive your answer by running into a friend and he may say something that may help you decide. Just be patient and do not get frustrated and think too much about it. By doing so, you are delaying the answer form coming to you.

Tags: The Power Of Your Subconscious Mind

The Power Of Binaural Beats And Holosync Can Change Your Life

2009-04-22T10:32:00.001-07:00

What if you could have a technology that allows you to meditate like a Zen Buddhist monk? Imagine all the benefits you could get from being able to enter a very deep meditative state without any effort. Can you think of anything you would like to program into your mind during this state? I bet you can.

I am about to introduce you to a relatively new technology that uses Binaural Beats. This technology is cutting-edge and can bring you all the benefits that would otherwise take you 30 years to acquire! I am talking about a meditation program by Centerpointe Research Institute called Holosync. I am going to share with you how this technology works and the benefits you can get from its use as well as the potential dangers that may not be immediately apparent.

Unlike other binaural beats recordings Holosync is a course and not a single recording. It is possible to purchase binaural beat recordings designed for a single purpose. They come in the form of CD and each one is designed to produce just one specific state. However Holosync is very different. The major affect that Holosync promises to produce is the elimination of past negative programing such as traumas, strong and slight emotional issues, negative memories and negative beliefs of all kinds.

Does it work?

To get a comprehensive answer to this question we are required to delve a little deeper into the technology itself and look at the foundation upon which Holosync is built. I am of course talking about Binaural Beat Technology.

It was in 1839 that Binaural Beats were first discovered by a man named Heinrich Wilhelm Dove. However it was much later, in 1973, when Gerald Oster released a paper called "Auditory Beats in the Brain", that their use in cognitive and neurological research was discovered. These beats are in fact different specific frequencies giving to the left and right ear. The audio produced by using binaural beats can send anyone into a deep meditative state in just a few short minutes. These states are Alpha (light trance), Theta (deep trance) and Delta (dreamless sleep).

Binaural Beats are created by an audio mixing technique that sends different frequency tones to each ear separately. They are designed to alter the listener's brain wave activity and they do this very effectively. You merely put on some stereo headphones, sit or lie in a comfortable position, close your eyes and allow the sounds to do their work. You don't even have to force yourself to relax.

Scientists have long known that when brainwave patterns change they affect the body. Chemical reactions take place as a direct result of these chnaging brainwave patterns. Such reactions in the body's chemistry usually results in profound positive changes throughout the whole physical system. In essence binaural beats appear to have the same impact and benefits of very deep meditation. It has been shown that this technology produces exactly the same brainwave patterns as those practising deep meditation. For normal people like me and you this is great news. Usually it takes the a life commitment to learn transcendental meditation. Practitioners of such deep meditative practises devote many hours everyday to perfecting the technique. You can do it in minutes. In fact entering even light states of trance can take years to learn and perfect.

The state of transcendental meditation is said to be enormously beneficial to humans. It can stimulate the creation of certain hormones needed by the body and reduce things like blood pressure and it is even said to slow down and reverse effects of the aging process. So the benefits of entering a deep meditative state are apparent as are the benefits of using binaural beat technology to do it.

As far as Holosync goes the other major benefit, as if we needed one more, is that the state produced by the Centerpointe recordings allow you to directly access the subconscious mind.

This means that the Holosync meditation recordings can be used with any other personal development tool, like subliminal recordings, hypnosis sessions or even as an aid to visualization, with dramatic effects. Using this type of 21st Century technology means you can therefore alter limiting or negative beliefs, heal emotional issues or create new positive behaviours in a fraction of the time it would take you using conventional means and with a much higher success rate.

Here are some of the benefits of transcendental meditation:

1. Creates a deep relaxing feeling throughout the body which stays with you for hours afterwards.

2. Boosts your creativity.

3. Slows aging.

4. Removes emotional blocks, old traumas and creates profound emotional changes at an extremely deep level.

5. Eliminates Stress & anxiety.

Now with all the benefits that transcendental meditation brings, and the fact that Holosync produces the same internal states as this meditation, it would be extremely prudent to try it. The real power of the binaural beats behind the Holosync recordings is that they can be used to induce a meditative state and thus create these changes with no effort whatsoever. All that you need to do is wear stereo headphones, sit or lie down in a relaxing position, close your eyes and allow the audio to do all the work. You only need the discipline to listen to the recordings everyday!

The Binaural Beat market is filling up with manufacturer's who offer some great titles. It is also possible to create your own with the proper software. Unfortunately, here lies the danger! You need an in-depth knowledge of brainwave patterns and their effect on the mind and body in order to create the correct frequencies. There are several forum postings that state the improper use of binaural beat technologies has created negative and even damaging results on some people. For this reason I would not recommend creating your own binaural recordings. Likewise, you should be very careful about where you get your recordings. Seek professional, qualified people who know what they are doing so that you know you are getting a quality product.

The CEnterpointe Research Institute, and the Holosync Solution which it produces, are the brainchild of Bill Harris. He created Holosync in 1989, is trained in hypnosis and as well as being a qualified trainer of NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming). He has studied contemporary psychology, quantum mechanical physics, the evolution of non-linear systems and the effects of a wide range of neuro-technologies on human behavioural change, evolution and healing. Holosync has also been endorsed by some top personal development trainers such as James Arthur Ray and Jack Canfield (chicken soup for the soul author) both of whom appeared in the movie The Secret.

The downside of the Holosync technology is that you need to listen to it everyday to get maximum benefit and it also comes in stages as a course. However, Bill Harris insists that you do not need to continue using it and can stop after each stage of the course is complete while permanently retaining all the changes you've made. You can of course continue and go deeper into the 'meditations' if you wish. The Holosync solution does create deep states akin to meditation and it does remove emotional traumas that are hidden deep in the subconscious mind. To sum up - Holosync does exactly what it says it will do if you follow the instructions.

Tags: meditation, holosync, self improvement, self help, personal growth, personal development, trance, hypnosis

The Holosync Solution. Does It Even Work?

2009-04-19T07:43:00.001-07:00

The benefits of practising deep meditation are enormous. Apart from reducing stress and anxiety it can produce amazing effects in the body and eliminate negativity from the mind. However it usually takes a lifetime to perfect through hours of daily pratise.

What if you could gain access to a new technology that would put you into such a deep meditative state within minutes, would you be interested?

I am about to introduce you to a relatively new technology that uses Binaural Beats. This technology is cutting-edge and can bring you all the benefits that would otherwise take you 30 years to acquire! I am talking about a meditation program by Centerpointe Research Institute called Holosync. You are about to discover the origins and workings of this technology as well as the benefits and pitfalls it offers.

Unlike other binaural beats recordings Holosync is a course and not a single recording. It is possible to purchase binaural beat recordings designed for a single purpose. They come in the form of CD and each one is designed to produce just one specific state. However Holosync is very different. The major affect that Holosync promises to produce is the elimination of past negative programing such as traumas, strong and slight emotional issues, negative memories and negative beliefs of all kinds.

Does it work?

To get a comprehensive answer to this question we are required to delve a little deeper into the technology itself and look at the foundation upon which Holosync is built. The technology behind this is Binuaral Beats audio recordings.

It was in 1839 that Binaural Beats were first discovered by a man named Heinrich Wilhelm Dove. However it was much later, in 1973, when Gerald Oster released a paper called "Auditory Beats in the Brain", that their use in cognitive and neurological research was discovered. These beats are in fact different specific frequencies giving to the left and right ear. The audio produced by using binaural beats can send anyone into a deep meditative state in just a few short minutes. These states are Alpha (light trance), Theta (deep trance) and Delta (dreamless sleep).

Binaural Beats are created by an audio mixing technique that sends different frequency tones to each ear separately. They are designed to alter the listener's brain wave activity and they do this very effectively. You merely put on some stereo headphones, sit or lie in a comfortable position, close your eyes and allow the sounds to do their work. You don't even have to force yourself to relax.

Scientists have long known that when brainwave patterns change they affect the body. Chemical reactions take place as a direct result of these chnaging brainwave patterns. Such reactions in the body's chemistry usually results in profound positive changes throughout the whole physical system. In essence binaural beats appear to have the same impact and benefits of very deep meditation. It has been shown that this technology produces exactly the same brainwave patterns as those practising deep meditation. This is fantastic news because without the aid of this audio technology it usually takes a lifetime to perfect transcendental meditation. In fact entering even light states of trance can take years to learn and perfect.

The enormous benefits of transcendental meditation been documented by scientists across the world. It can stimulate the creation of certain hormones needed by the body and reduce things like blood pressure and it is even said to slow down and reverse effects of the aging process. So the benefits of entering a deep meditative state are apparent as are the benefits of using binaural beat technology to do it.

As far as Holosync goes the other major benefit, as if we needed one more, is that the state produced by the Centerpointe recordings allow you to directly access the subconscious mind.

Beacuse of this you can use Centerpointe's Holosync Solution along with any other self improvement tool. Your old subliminal resordings or hypnosis CDs can have a greater impact than ever before. You can even use the sound technology to increase your visualization skills. Using this type of 21st Century technology means you can therefore alter limiting or negative beliefs, heal emotional issues or create new positive behaviours in a fraction of the time it would take you using conventional means and with a much higher success rate.

Here are some of the benefits of transcendental meditation:

1. Creates a deep relaxing feeling throughout the body which stays with you for hours afterwards.

2. Boosts your creativity.

3. Slows aging.

4. Removes emotional blocks, old traumas and creates profound emotional changes at an extremely deep level.

5. Eliminates Stress & anxiety.

Now with all the benefits that transcendental meditation brings, and the fact that Holosync produces the same internal states as this meditation, it would be extremely prudent to try it. The real power of the binaural beats behind the Holosync recordings is that they can be used to induce a meditative state and thus create these changes with no effort whatsoever. All that you need to do is wear stereo headphones, sit or lie down in a relaxing position, close your eyes and allow the audio to do all the work. You only need the discipline to listen to the recordings everyday!

The Binaural Beat market is filling up with manufacturer's who offer some great titles. It is also possible to create your own with the proper software. However, this is where the danger lies! You need an in-depth knowledge of brainwave patterns and their effect on the mind and body in order to create the correct frequencies. There are several forum postings that state the improper use of binaural beat technologies has created negative and even damaging results on some people. This is why it is imperative to seek out professionals who know what they are doing and are properly qualified.

The CEnterpointe Research Institute, and the Holosync Solution which it produces, are the brainchild of Bill Harris. He created Holosync in 1989, is trained in hypnosis and as well as being a qualified trainer of NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming). He has studied contemporary psychology, quantum mechanical physics, the evolution of non-linear systems and the effects of a wide range of neuro-technologies on human behavioural change, evolution and healing. There are many personal development and self improvement coaches who endorse and personally use the Holosync Solution. You may recognise two of them - James Ray from the movie The Secret and Jack Canfield, author of Chicken Soup for the Soul.

The downside of the Holosync technology is that you need to listen to it everyday to get maximum benefit and it also comes in stages as a course. However, Bill Harris insists that you do not need to continue using it and can stop after each stage of the course is complete while permanently retaining all the changes you've made. It is possible, and advisable, to continue through all the stages of the course to reach a place of imperturbabilty. The Holosync solution, by Centerpointe, does create deep states akin to meditation and it does remove emotional traumas that are hidden deep in the subconscious mind. In fact it does exactly what it says it will do.

Tags: binaural beats, holosync, meditation, hypnosis, self hypnosis, self help, self improvement, personal growth, personal development

The Body’s Energy Centers

2009-04-13T09:29:00.001-07:00

Eastern philosophy and medicine, originating in ancient India and China, have traditionally regarded body structures and the life processes occurring within as inseparable. Their terminology resides halfway between structure and function and identifies certain entities in the human body, representing the flow of life energy and, in some sense, conduits for that flow that do not correspond to anatomical structures recognized by Western science and medicine. The chakras are the energy centers in a person’s biological field and are responsible for his or her physiological and psychological condition as well as certain groups of organs. All vital functions of the human body are determined by energy that spins in the chakras. These can be defined as “whirlpools referred,” and in Indian, they are considered ”energy bursts” or “wheels.”

The process of energy transformation happens exactly in these centers. Vital energy, along with blood, circulates around the meridians in the chakras and fuels all organs and systems in the human body. When the circulation in these meridians stagnates, the human body becomes susceptible to various disorders. An excellent preventative method, designed explicitly to battle such stagnation is Chi Gun, an ancient Chinese method for self-healing which activates the energy centers. Chi Gun teaches people to release the energy themselves by massaging specific areas corresponding to the different chakras.

There are 49 chakras mentioned in the Vedic Canons, seven of which are basic; 21 are in the second circle, and 21 in the third circle. According to the Vedis, there are multiple energy channels leading to different locations from the chakras. Three of these channels are basic. The first one, called “shushumna,” is hollow and is concentrated in the spine. The other two energy pathways, “ida” and “pingala”, are located on either side of the spine. These two channels are the most active in most people, while “shushumna” remains stagnant.

The seven basic chakras spin at high speeds in the body of healthy individuals but slow down in times of sickness or with advancing age. When the body is in a harmonious balance, the chakras remain partially open. Closed chakras are unable to receive energy, leading to various disorders.

The first basic chakra, “Muladhara,” is located at the base of the spine in the tailbone area. Life energy, which is at the core of a strong and healthy immune system, is stored in this chakra. It is impossible for a person to become sick, old or even to die, before exhausting his or her reserves of this vital energy. The very will for life is controlled by Muladhara. It is also in charge of the bones and joints, the teeth, the nails, the urinogenital system and the large intestine. The first symptoms of a malfunctioning Muladhara are unreasonable fear, faintness, lack of security or faith in the future, leg and foot problems, and intestinal disorders.

The interrupted activity of the Muladhara chakra causes lack of energy, digestive problems, diseases of the bones and spine, and nervous tension among others.
The second chakra, “Svadhistana,” is located at the level of the sacrum, three or four fingers below the belly button. This chakra regulates the pelvis, the kidneys and sexual functions. We also feel other peoples’ emotions through this chakra. Symptoms of a malfunctioning “Svadhistana” are kidney problems, cystitis and arthritis.

The third chakra, “Manipura,” is found in the solar plexus area. This chakra is the center for storing and distributing energy produced by digestion and breathing. It is responsible for vision, the gastrointestinal system, the liver, the gall bladder, the pancreas and nervous system. Symptoms of a stagnant “Manipura” are as follows: increased and constant worrying, as well as stomach, liver and nervous disorders.

The fourth chakra, “Anahata,” also called the heart chakra, is located in the chest area. We generate and receive love through this chakra. It is in charge of the heart, the lungs, the bronchi, the hands and the arms. Symptoms of stagnation include depression and cardiovascular imbalances.

The fifth chakra, “Vishudha,” is located at the throat level and is the center of analytical skills and logic. This chakra sustains the skin, organs of hearing, along with the trachea and lungs. Symptoms include a lack of emotional stability, discomfort in the cervical spine, soar throats, difficulties communicating, and esophagus and thyroid ailments.

The sixth chakra, “Adjna,” is located between the eyebrows and is called the “third eye.” Here is the throne for the human brain. “Adjna” circulates energy to the head and pituitary gland and is also responsible for determining our harmonious development. If a person’s “third eye” ceases to function properly, one might notice a decrease in intellectual ability, headaches and migraines, earaches, olfactory illnesses, and psychological disorders.

The seventh chakra, “Sahasrara,” is found at the very top of the head and represents the apex where an individual’s energy vibrates with the highest frequency. It is considered a spiritual center and the entrance to the body for cosmic energy. A stagnant “Sahasrara” can result in a decrease in or lack of inner wisdom, as well as a lack of basic intuition.

With this basic knowledge of the first seven chakras, we can address the question: “How do we use this information to locate the causes of our troubles and problems, and with the help of Eastern Medicine, learn to control the functions of the chakras ourselves?”.

From the perspective of Eastern Medicine, our health depends on the distribution of our energy-consciousness informational field. A shortage of energy inevitably causes ailments. According to Tibetan Medicine, the only difference between youth and old age, and between a sick and healthy individual, is the difference in the rotating speed of the whirlpool energy centers of the chakras. If these different speeds are balanced, old people will rejuvenate and sick people will heal. Therefore, the best way to preserve and keep our health, youth and vitality is to restore and maintain a balanced movement of the energy centers.

The easiest way to keep the chakras balanced is through a set of physical exercises. Yannis called these not simply exercises, but rituals. These rituals allow the human body to mold its energy centers to an ideal level of function. The seven rituals, one for each chakra, must be performed together every morning and when not possible, in the evening. Skipping rituals unbalances energy distribution, and so for the best results, no more than one day per week should be missed. The daily chakra rituals are necessary not only for revitalizing the body, but also for achieving success in every facet of life. “Once you learn how to transform your energy, you will also become happier,” concluded Yannis.

For learning these rituals (which have transformed many peoples’ lives throughout the world), seeing them in action is much more effective than trying to follow written descriptions or diagrams. A DVD, available from Helix 7, Inc. (www.FeelingOfHappiness.com), includes actual demonstrations of these rituals.

Another method of keeping the chakras balanced and in their optimal half-open state is meditation. Meditative methods are universal to the human experience; they have accumulated over the ages through many different cultures and have proven their value in attaining peace, clarity, equanimity and in transcending despair. People who meditate on a regular basis are usually calmer, more secure, more joyful and more productive human beings. They are more effective in their everyday lives because they use their mental and physical potential, abilities and skills to their fullest extent. All too often, we humans fail to realize the great latent powers which are, as yet, unawakened in our bodies. We must learn how to revive and utilize them. This can only be achieved through meditation. Eastern men of wisdom, who believed meditation to be a vital necessity, stumbled on this discovery more than 1000 years ago. They learned to influence their inner organs and control their metabolism with the power of their minds. Meditation is to the mind what exercise is to the body; mental strength can be built up just like physical strength. Just as in athletics, it is important for an individual to train his or her body, it is important for an individual to train his or her mind through meditation.

The best time for meditation is early morning, preferably at dawn. Do not meditate when you are sad, aggravated, desperate or sick, because these intense emotional and physiological distractions make an enlightened state of mind impossible. For an effective meditation session, it is preferable to arrange for the undistracted silence of a quiet, clean room with flowers, or the soothing sounds of Mother Nature - near a lake, river, waterfall, woods or fields. Many different mental practices, having their origin in historical traditions, fall under the general heading of "meditation." These paths of mental development can involve emotional and intellectual facets and may also be coordinated with specific movements. Meditation can be structured or unstructured, Dr. Wayne W. Dyer writes in his book Real Magic, “The process of meditation is nothing more than quietly going within and discovering that higher component of yourself … Learning to meditate is learning how to live rather than talking about it…”

Tags: chakra, basic chakras, meditation, energy bursts, energy wheels

The Art Of Silence: Meditation Techniques

2009-04-12T23:48:00.001-07:00

In today's fast-paced world, many people are seeking a way to get away from it all and relax. Meditation, which is essentially a method to obtain a level of deep thought and relaxation, is one way to find inner peace and tranquility. Many people think of monks or other spiritual types sitting in crossed-leg position and reaching states of bliss when they think of mediation, but there are many ways to meditate. While there are many ways to reach a meditative state, there really are no right or wrong ways to mediate (this would defeat the purpose), only practice and finding ways that feel right for you.

Meditation is associated with many religions, but one does not need to be associated with any particular religion in order to meditate. You might want to investigate different methods, however, to find a form of mediation that feels most comfortable. One common method includes repeating a sound or word, called a mantra. Other forms of meditation involve focusing on a visual image, such as the flame of a candle or a symbol. Other meditative techniques involve breathing and physical movements, such as yoga or other breathing practices.

No matter what the method, the tools used in meditation are there to help users reach a state of mental relaxation. Many mediation techniques help you clear your mind of the constant thoughts that normally run through the mind. In reducing or eliminating these thoughts, one can reach a state of deep thought that is associated with meditation.

There are two primary approaches to meditation, which are concentrative meditation and mindfulness meditation. In concentrative meditation, the practitioner focuses on breath, an object, or a sound (mantra). In mindfulness meditation, the practitioner sits quietly and "observes" everything in the environment, including thoughts, sounds, smells, and more. In this form of meditation, the practitioner practices not reacting to the environment (both internal and external), which can lead to a greater ability to act in a non-reactive way in daily life. Both forms of meditation are useful, and one is no better than the other is. Personal preference may determine which method you choose, and you can always try both.

Both physical and mental benefits can result from meditation. This can include increased heart health through relaxation, lowered cholesterol and blood pressure, and a more youthful feeling. Mental benefits can be an increased sense of well-being, decreased anxiety and depression, and emotional stability. Meditation should not be used as a cure for physical or mental ailments, however, but it can be a powerful supplement. Those with physical or mental health conditions should consult with a health care professional before beginning a mediation practice.

Meditation can be quite physical, such as with some types of yoga, or seemingly passive, such as in mindfulness types of mediation. In addition to the types of meditation, there are different stages as well. Generally speaking, in early stages of meditation, the practitioner is more aware of the practice. He or she may have difficulty concentrating on breath or not reacting to thought. With practice, this moves into a stage where one is much less aware. This is followed by a stage of bliss, which is followed by very deep sense of self, followed by an ability to reach a stage of deep stillness.

There are many resources available on meditation. Those new to the practice may opt to take part in a class or guide when beginning. Others may prefer to read up on the various options and practice on his or her own. Visit the local library for books and resources or visit a yoga or spiritual center. Meditation can be an enjoyable experience and provide balance to an otherwise hectic life.

Tags: Meditation Techniques

Ten Relaxation Techniques

2009-04-12T10:58:00.001-07:00

A few good relaxation techniques can save your life, because stress is more than just unpleasant. It's also dangerous to your health. Disciplined practices such as meditation can help relieve that stress, but what if you don't have the time or motivation? Maybe you need to try a few of these simple ways to relax.

1. Hug someone. Giving a hug means getting one. As long as it's from somebody you don't mind hugging you, this really can be relaxing.

2. Interrupt routines. Go talk to that guy sleeping on the bench, or eat lunch on the roof. Just doing anything that breaks you out of your habitual patterns can relieve stress.

3. Have a hot shower. It relaxes your muscles, and any break from more stressful activities can help too. Some find that an alternating hot and cold shower is even more relaxing.

4. Try watching your mind. Spot the stressors lurking just below the surface (hunger, worry, a phone call you need to make), and you can resolve them and feel more relaxed. If you practice this mindfulness exercise, it may become one of your favorite relaxation techniques.

5. Try laughing. Your own experience shows that this helps you relax, right? Go find a guy that knows all the best jokes, or find something funny in front of you.

6. Use relaxing music. Keep your favorite relaxation CD at the office, in the car, or wherever you'll need it most.

7. Leave the room for a while. This can really help if the things in the room or related to it are triggering your stressful thoughts. Why not get out for a little while?

8. Breath deeply. Try five deep breaths through your nose. Close your eyes and pay attention only to your breathing while doing this. It's like a mini-meditation, and perhaps the most effective of the quick relaxation techniques.

9. Drink some chamomile tea. Chamomile tea seems to have a calming effect on the nerves. Any hot tea without caffeine may be relaxing.

10. Walk a while. If you have at least ten minutes to spare, walking is one of the best relaxation techniques. While you're at it, find a pretty place to walk.

Naturally, it is ideal if you can change yourself, so you're naturally more relaxed all of the time. Perhaps the thought of the work involved in this just stresses you more. In that case you might have to take it slow, so why not start with one or two of the simple relaxation techniques above?

Tags: relaxation techniques, relaxation, meditation

Stress Meditation

2009-04-12T09:04:00.001-07:00

Too much stress? You need a simple stress meditation. Of course, learning to meditate might intimidate you, and it's tough to find the time for daily meditation. A solution to both problems is a meditation you can learn right now, that will take a minute to do each day.

An Easy Stress Meditation

When you breath through your mouth, it expands your chest. Breath through your nose and you'll notice how your abdomen extends. Nose-breathing causes the diaphram to pull air to the bottom of your lungs. This delivers a good dose of oxygen into your bloodstream and brain, and it also tends to relax you. Breathing through your nose is healthier, and it's the basis of this one-minute meditation.

Here's how you do it. Close your eyes, sigh, and let the tension go out of your muscles. It may help to tense up your muscles first, then release that tension. Then let go of your thoughts, as much as possible, and take four or five slow, deep breaths through your nose, paying attention to your breathing.

Can Meditation Be This Easy?

The short answer is yes. No, you're not likely to get you into a deep meditative state with this simple stess meditation. However, you will get benefits, including a clearer mind and a reduction in stress.

It helps to develop a "trigger" for your meditation. For example, do your four breaths when you get into the car, or right after lunch each day. These triggers are places or times that remind you, so your meditation becomes a habit.

You can say this isn't "real" meditation, but there's nothing wrong with enjoying the relaxation you'll get from this technique. If you want, you can always pursue deeper meditation later. Meanwhile, remember that not everything has to be difficult to be of value. Why not try this easy one-minute stress meditation?

Tags: stress meditation, meditate, meditation

Stay Healthy - Learn To Meditate

2009-04-10T06:39:00.001-07:00

Wondering how people who live to be 100 with a great quality of life do it? In his book, “Aging Well,” Harvard researcher, George Vaillant, M.D., found out just what centurions do. They cultivate a sense of peace, well-being and maintain a positive attitude. How? Here’s one of their biggest secrets: meditation. What’s ironic about meditation is, it has just become known in the West as a healing technique, but it has been practiced for ages in the East. So in my quest to give you easy sensible ways to purify your energy, I'll begin by defining meditation, then I'll show you how easy it is to apply to your daily routine.

Meditation Defined
Meditational exercises primarily use the experience of the body and thought as a means to reconnect with the environment and its healing power. Meditation, when practiced frequently, has been proven to promote inner peace and wellness. Meditation is also a mental practice in which the mind is directed to one area, often the breath. It draws its energy from the human connection to nature and creates a sense of unity or one-ness with it.

This unity has been shown to increase communication with the spirit of the body. It has also been known to allow positive thoughts in and to stimulate positive physiological and psychological effects. Meditation techniques are easy to learn and can easily be incorporated into any lifestyle. If practiced regularly, meditation will bring balance to your body and mind.

General benefits of meditation and breathing exercises include:

• Deep inner peace
• Improved self-esteem
• Increased creativity
• Physical health/healing
• Reduced medical care
• Slowing/reversal of aging
• Reversing of heart disease
• Stimulation of the body’s immune system
• Reduced stress

I have found there is really no one right ways to meditate. Here are a couple of my favorite meditational exercises that will get you started. Remember, there is no wrong path here. Try these, or simply sit in silence for 20 minutes, daily. You’ll be glad you did.

Meditative Grounding Exercise

• Sit with your legs crossed in a comfortable (Indian-style) position with your hands relaxed on you lap. Close your eyes and imagine a beam of light dropping from the base of your spine through the earth and connecting you to its center.

• Allow this beam of light to expand in width until it is wider than your own body and envelopes it. This is your personal space.

This exercise places you totally in your body and reminds you that you are anchored to the earth. Remember, the more grounded you are, the more aware you are. Sense the presence of your higher self: listen to its voice.

Energy Cleaning Exercise

Now that you are grounded, it’s important that you cleanse this personal space. Often we collect other people’s energies and are not aware of it. We do this both through interaction with others and basic activities of daily living.

• To remove all foreign energies from your space, imagine holding a brush and sweeping away the debris.

• Allow the debris to fall to the ground and become washed away. Let the light from the previous exercise envelop your body and spread its healing energy to the edge of your space, forming a protective force field around you.

Cleaning out the area surrounding your body will keep you grounded, define your personal boundaries and declare your space. Then choose who and what you wish to enter you space, keeping disease and illness out.

Breathing Exercise

• Follow your breath as you slowly inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Count with each exhale until you reach 10 then begin again at one.

• If you find yourself past 10, acknowledge this and begin again at one from wherever you are.

• Imagine your body’s cells being replaced with fresh, pure oxygen and positive healing energy from this power source. Picture yourself exhaling old cells, stress, illness and worries.

• Let your thoughts pass through your mind like drifting clouds. Let them in and gently let them pass through. If the mind should harbor a negative thought, refocus on the breath.

• Thank any persistent negative thoughts for coming into your mind then gently let them go.

• Listen only for the positive, pronounced voice; the voice of your body.

Retrieve Your Energy Exercise

Since foreign energy often resides in your space, let’s also assume that you leave energy in other places. After completing the preceding exercises it is necessary to re-energize and call energy back.

• Imagine you have an energy magnet used to attract your energy back to you. Visualize energy flowing back to you, filling your body with light, health and empowerment.

• Allow a few minutes for the process.

Journal Questions:

1. Record in your journal any problem or trouble you may be having – emotional, physical or otherwise. Let problems go and give them over to your meditation.

2. Do you notice solutions coming to you throughout the day? Do you notice with regular meditation that your body and mind are becoming calmer and clearer?

Ideas To Consider:

1. Make time for your spirit daily. Exhibit behaviors and self talk that show your reverence for yourself.

Tags: alternative medicine, health, wellness

Six Types Of Meditation

2009-04-08T05:20:00.001-07:00

There are so many different types of meditation. How many? Who knows, but enough so that you can find the one that's right for you. To get your search started, here are six types of meditation you can try.

1. Breath watching. Can meditating be as simple as paying attention to your breath for a few minutes? You bet. Relax in whatever position works best for you, close your eyes and start to pay attention to your breathing. Breathing through your nose gets your diaphragm involved and gets oxygen all the way to the bottom of your lungs. As your mind wanders, just re-focus your attention on the air going in and out of your nose. Just do this for several minutes, or longer as you get used to it.

2. An empty mind meditation. Meditating can create a kind of "awareness without object," an emptying of all thoughts from your mind. The techniques for doing this involve sitting still, often in a "full lotus" or cross-legged position, and letting the mind go silent on its own. It can be difficult, particularly since any effort seems to just cause more business in the mind.

3. Walking meditations. This one gets the body involved. It can be outside or simply as a back and forth pacing in a room. Pay attention to the movement of your legs and breathing and body as you walk, and to the feeling of your feet contacting the ground. When your mind wanders, just keep bringing it back to the process of walking and breathing. Meditating outside in this way can be difficult because of the distractions. If you do it outside, find a quiet place with level ground.

4. Mindfulness meditation. A practice Buddhists call vipassana or insight meditation, mindfulness is the art of becoming deeply aware of what is here right now. You focus on what's happening in and around you at this very moment, and become aware of all the thoughts and feelings that are taking your energy from moment to moment. You can start by watching your breath, and then move your attention to the thoughts going through your mind, the feelings in your body, and even the sounds and sights around you. The key is to watch without judging or analyzing.

5. Simple mantra meditation. Many people find it easier to keep their mind from wandering if they concentrate on something specific. A mantra can help. This is a word or phrase you repeat as you sit in meditation, and is chosen for you by an experienced master in some traditions. If you are working on this alone, you can use any word or phrase that works for you, and can choose to either repeat it aloud or in your head as you meditate.

6. Meditating on a concept. Some meditative practices involve contemplation of an idea or scenario. An example is the "meditation on impermanence," in which you focus on the impermanent nature of all things, starting with your thoughts and feelings as they come and go. In the Buddhist "meditation on the corpse," you think about a body in the ground, as it slowly rots away and is fed on by worms. The technique is used to guide you to an understanding that your rationalizing mind might not bring you to.

There are many other meditations you can try, such as the "meditation on loving-kindness" or "object" meditation, and even meditating using brain wave entrainment products. Each type has its own advantages and effects. For this reason, you may find that at different times and for different purposes you want to use several different types of meditation.

Tags: types of meditation, meditation, meditating

Singapore - Asia’s Premier Medical Hub

2009-04-06T07:34:00.001-07:00

Singapore healthcare industry has achieved fame with a series of breakthrough medical procedures including the following events.

ท In 1995, Singapore doctors carried out the world's first successful peripheral blood stem cell transplant from an unrelated donor.
ท In 2000, Singapore doctors performed Asia's first unicompartmental arthroplasty.
ท In 2001, Singapore doctors carried out Southeast Asia's first heart transplant using an Electronic Heart Assist (Left Ventricular Assist Device) on a 36-year-old patient suffering from severely impaired heart function.
ท In 2001, Singapore doctors successfully separated a pair of craniopagus, conjoined (joined at the head) twins from Nepal in a milestone operation that lasted more than 90 hours.
ท The world's first successful cord blood transplant from an unrelated donor on a patient with Thalassaemia Major, was performed in 2001.
ท In 2002, Singapore doctors performed Southeast Asia's first Adult Living Donor Liver Transplant.
ท The revolutionary procedure of tooth-in-eye implant was performed successfully in 2004.
ท Singapore doctors successfully separated conjoined twins at the stomach in 2005.
ท In 2005, Singapore performed Asia’s first kidney cum bone marrow transplant.

In addition, Singapore has the most JCI-accredited hospitals in Asia. With internationally accredited hospitals, Singapore offers medical facilities that match the international healthcare standards at lower rates. This is one of the major reasons behind the booming medical tourism industry in Singapore. The following statistics will give you an idea of the medical travel scenario in Singapore.

ท Every year, more than 300,000 healthcare visitors come to Singapore to seek medical treatment.
ท In 2005, Singapore attracted 374,000 patient visitors.
ท Asia’s medical tourism market will worth up to US$4 billion by 2012 and Singapore is focused to attract one million patients by year 2012.

Patients from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Middle East, Bangladesh, India, Australia and even from U.S. and U.K. are coming to Singapore in large numbers. So many patients from all corners of the world are flocking the hospitals in Singapore to seek specialist care in the areas of cardiology, gynaecology, orthopaedic surgery, oncology, otorhinolaryngology, urology, neurosurgery and opthalmology, along with general surgery and general medicine. There are a number of reasons behind this phenomenal increase of patients opting for medical travel to Singapore. Here, we are sharing just some of the key points with you that we think have been instrumental in making Singapore a hot spot in international healthcare scene.

ท Specialized Centers – There are specialized centers of treatment including neurology, cardiology, ophthalmology, oncology and much more. These centers provide highest level of healthcare service that caters to patients coming from all across the globe for health screening as well as treatment.

ท Experienced Professionals – There are wide pool of expert doctors to take care of the simple to most complex health problems. Besides, there are expert professionals working at the Singapore healthcare establishments to ensure optimum healthcare solution.

ท Cutting Edge Technologies – Hospitals at Singapore have state of the art infrastructure to ensure top class treatment of the patients. The most advanced technologies puts Singapore at par with the US and UK hospitals.

ท Advanced Treatment Procedures – Singapore is the biomedical research hub of Asia. There are extensive R&D facilities to explore new and more advanced medicines and treatment procedures.

ท Peace of Mind – Singapore is a multilingual and multi-cultural city with truly cosmopolitan sprit. So, while you are in Singapore for medical reasons, you will never feel out of place. Your companions will be safe too as Singapore is well-known for its low-crime environment. Moreover, the organized travel and tourism industry is ready to take care of your travel and accommodation requirement in Singapore.

So, if you are suffering from any health problem or you want a proper health screening, come to Singapore and experience truly international quality healthcare facilities at unbelievable cost.

http://www.singaporemedicine.com

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Tags: medical tourism, medical travel, international healthcare

Serenity

2009-04-05T01:49:00.001-07:00

Serenity refers to a state of peacefulness where the mind is calm and unruffled by the external environment. This higher spiritual echelon, or inner peace, is accompanied by a sense of contentment and bliss. Human beings are distinct from all other life forms due to their intelligence and consciousness. The conscious mind perceives the external world and feels various emotions based on experiences and perception.

These feelings, emotions, and sentiments, in turn, determine our inner equilibrium or “inner life.” Consciousness, which stems from internalization of social values and morals, also plays a major role in directing the inner equilibrium. Most of the time, the inner life or equilibrium of a human mind is in a disturbed state. The mind is never at peace, and chaos reigns due to anger, shame, feelings of guilt, and sadness. The human mind strives to achieve the right balance or equilibrium. The eternal quest for the ultimate goal—bliss—proceeds in many directions.

Some seek respite in various forms of addiction, or others by passionately submerging themselves in work or pleasure. These paths, however, never satiate the true desire for peace or tranquility. Serenity, or peace, is achieved by striving for inner peace first. The most important step in this direction is to recognize the inner child of the mind. The second step emancipating the inner child from all forms of abuse and loving it unconditionally, like a child.

Self-love is the key to serenity. Self-love doesn’t require one to be directed by the inner child. One should take control as a conscious being and love one’s self, yet not be dictated by it. Some find serenity in nature; for others, serenity is found in visiting with family and friends. True serenity is achieved by empowering the inner life and allowing it to reflect the external life.

Tags: Serenity, Serenity Prayers, Serenity Spas, Serenity Symbols

Sahasrar Chakra and Brahmarandhra-Centers of Divine Powers

2009-04-02T10:54:00.001-07:00

The human body (Microcosm) is said to be a small sample of the cosmos (Macrocosm). The entire body of a big tree is hidden in a tiny seed. In a small sperm lies the cast of the entire human body. The manner in which the mutual attraction and activities of the planets of the solar system are executed, can be seen albeit at a microlevel within the atomic family represented by electrons, neutrons etc. In the same way the entire cosmos can be seen in a microform within this small human body. Whatever is visible / invisible in this gigantic cosmos is present within this tiny human body. All the special characteristics of earth too are found in the human body.

All the energies, special qualities and glories of earth are found in the point of balance i.e. the North and South Poles. From here all movements /activities of earth are controlled. As a result this earth is an active ball and a playground for all creatures. If the North / South Poles lose their balance or they undergo some change, the entire earth will look like something totally different. It is said that even if a minor fist blow is executed on the point of center of balance in the 2 Poles, the earth will change its orbit by leaps and bounds. As a result this very nature of days, nights, seasons etc. will change and take up a new extreme form. Further this minor fist blow can induce earth to dash into other stars, galaxies etc. and thus get powdered to pulp. The cause is very clear. In that the 2 Poles control all the movements of earth. It is their energy centers that induce our earth to dance to its tunes like a puppet. All earthly activities are given the necessary capacity and inspiration to function aptly. The 2 Poles are the central points of earth’s activities and energy centers.

Just as the planet earth attains energy and activities from the 2 Poles, so too the human body has 2 Poles. The North Pole is Sahasrar Kamal in the Brahmarandhra (center of the brain). The South Pole is the Mooladahr Chakra of Kundalini or Divine Serpent Power center at the base of Sushumna (near the genitals). According to Indian Mythology, Lord Vishnu sleeps on Lord Shesha (1000 hooded serpent) in the Ksheersagar (ocean of nectar). This Ksheersagar is nothing but the intense white ocean of love in our brain. Sahasrar Kamal is that atom which instead of being round like other sheaths is like serrated teeth of a cog-wheel. These teeth are compared to the petals of a lotus. The central point of energy lies in this atomic Pole. This Vishnu Pole or Sahasrar Kamal (1000 petalled lotus in the brain) is the very basis of attainment of sensory and extrasensory knowledge pertaining to the innumerable conscious and unconscious units of the brain. This region is the central point of all spiritual practices like meditation / trance / self-reflection / Yoga of devotion alongwith will power, soul power and Sidhis attained due to a strong power of resolve (Sankalps).

The North Pole lies in the central point of the head called Sahasrar Chakra. In the center of the head is a subtle 1000 petalled lotus and is called the Sahasrar Chakra. Within it dwells divine energy or Shiva. It is over here that Kundalini or Divine Serpent Power rises from the South Pole to merge into Shiva in the North Pole. From this area all bodily movements are controlled just as a puppeteer seated behind a curtain, controls his puppets via mere finger movements. It is also called the region of the soul etc. All energies and its sub-categories that create movements in this gigantic cosmos are found situated around the Sahasrar.

Sacred scriptures say that Kundalini is the very life force of all energies and Sidhis. A person who activates the otherwise latent (sleeping) Divine Serpent Power becomes the Lord of infinite grandeur of this world. In India this has been discovered right since ancient times. There is no end or limit to the potency of Kundalini Shakti or Divine Serpent Power.

But activating the Kundalini is not the ultimate goal of a living being. The ultimate goal of all creatures is to attain salvation (Moksha) i.e. merging the individual ego into the cosmic soul (God). The aim of any human life is to merge into Brahman / God/ cosmic soul. Yoga and other spiritual practices are meant exactly for this purpose. The same holds true for Kundalini too. This has been commented upon in Hathayoga Pradeepika as follows –

“Just as a person tries to open the lock of a bolt, so too a Yogi finds the path of Sushumna via Kundalini based practices. He then enters Brahmaloka so as to attain salvation (Moksha).”

Only when a spiritual aspirant enters this Sahasrar Chakra, can he experience the joy of immortality, vision of the cosmos, control of cosmic powers and Samadhi or trance. The Brahmaloka mentioned in the above lines is nothing but the Sahasrar Chakra. It is very difficult to reach this Chakra. Majority of spiritual seekers get stuck in the lower Chakras and merge into the lower type of bliss that they get in that region. Hence Sidhis (extraordinary powers) attained during preliminary Kundalini awakening are said to be obstacles. Just as a man thinks the material world to be the ultimate goal of life because of having immense wealth, grandeur and a beautiful wife, so too a person who activates his Divine Serpent Power thinks that Sidhis like hearing far off words, seeing far off objects, knowing other people’s thoughts, predicting the future accurately etc. attained while activating the lower Chakras, is the be all and end all of life. Thus he totally loses sight of the supreme goal of rising upto the last Chakra i.e. Sahasrar and merging into it.

Even if a person reaches the Sahasrar Chakra, he cannot dwell in this region for a great length of time. How long can a spiritual seeker dwell in the Sahasrar Chakra? This depends on the nature of spiritual practice which he follows and how much inner spiritual energy he possesses. Many spiritual seekers dwell in the Sahasrar Chakra for a certain length of time and then get demoted into lower Chakras and their levels of lower bliss. But he, who steadfastly “ripens” his Sahasrar Chakra, attains the omnipotent Lord and thus experiences infinite bliss eternally.

The Sahasrar Chakra lies 2 inches within the ears and 3 inches within the eyebrows. Its form is that of a ball of light in the hollow portion of the upper region of an opening called “Mahavivar” of the brain area. Via the process of Divine Serpent Power awakening, this Mahavivar opening has to be widened so as to enter the state of divinity. Hence it is called the “10th door” or Brahmarandhra too. In the Dhyanbindupanishad it is said that –

“A Yogi is one who knows the light akin to a jewel in the brain. That jewel akin to 7 golds that is lit up by an electrical like stream, is found in the lower region of Meru and 4 fingers above the fire region. It seeks shelter in the Svadhishthan Chakra and is subtle sound manifest”

The scriptures while describing the powers attained in reaching this region say –

“Such a person knows the ultimate knowledge, he becomes omniscient (i.e. knower of past, present and future) and can do anything he wishes. He may perform any action, yet no sin accrues. None can gain victory over such a person.”

In one way Brahmarandhra is the head office of a creature. It is a laboratory which helps us attain whatever we see in this visible world and all those things which are beyond our knowledge. According to Indian philosophy over here there are such rare auras of light made up of 17 principles which cannot be seen in the visible world with our gross eyes. All nervous elements and air tubicles come out from this area and spread out into the entire body. The Creator seated in this white lotus, sends and receives orders and messages from any part of the body via any nerve. He can create movements in any area. He can clean and create a rain of vital force in any area without any technological paraphernalia which we limited creatures can never even dream of doing. All this takes place because of emission, contraction and relaxation of auras of light. It is this ball of light that induces the nose to smell, the ears to hear, the eyes to see, the tongue to taste and speak. This ball of light is under the direct jurisdiction of Almighty God dwelling in the Sahasrar Chakra. In the initial stages of meditation, this light is seen either as glow-worms, twinkling stars, shining petals or half/ full moon. Slowly and steadily its divine nature is experienced. As a result the gross sense organs become lax and the working arena of the soul shines brilliantly in the entire world. An ordinary individual can worry only about his immediate family members. But a Yogi enfolds the entire world in the embrace of his soul and extends upto other Lokas (worlds) too. He also has to ascertain whether there is any imbalance in the movements of planets, galaxies etc. In a gross manner denizens of our planet earth too are influenced by these activities. Hence even unknowingly such a spiritual seeker, who enters the state of Godhood, can work only for the well-being of all creatures of the cosmos. Whatever rights and omnipotency is attained by such a great soul is taken up as a gigantic responsibility by him. He may seem to be having a human body yet he has no body consciousness at all. He knows everything. He sees and hears everything and can predict future events very accurately.

The substratums of the Intellectual Sheath and Mental Sheath viz. the intellect and mind dwell in this region. They unearth news of objects lying far away or those beyond the ken of the sense organs of knowledge. When one’s soul resolve progresses into the intellectual arena after leaving the mental arena, one attains divine wisdom. It comes out from the Ajna Chakra so as to unite with the different types of rays of the cosmos and thus attains its knowledge. Just as with the help pf electrical waves, space shuttles can be directed to the right or left of planet earth (called traversing), just as with the help of a television you can see scenes of far off places so too man can see scenes in my part of the world or obstruct one’s cosmic movement with the help of the rays of his resolve (Sankalpa). In the Mundak Upanishad (Chapter 2) and Chandogya Upanishad (Chapter 9) details of this self-realization have been given as follows –

“A self realized saint subtly experiences that God without Kalas (divisions) in the form of a light that is whiter than white and is present in the Golden Sheath.”

Many forms of Sahasrar based spiritual practices like Pratyahar (disallowing sense organs to contact their respective objects), Dharana (focusing of mind), Dhyan (meditation) and Samadhi (trance) have been put forth as studies. A description has been given about the good results attained due to their successful execution. The deep import of the success of that region has been given in the form of material and spiritual progress.

Today even modern scientists accept that there are extraordinary energy centers in the brain. According to research studies conducted by the brain specialist Smithy, a pure intellect is controlled by different centres of the human brain. It is a production of a cooperative endeavour of all of them. This is the gist (region) which creates a human character and nourishes it. A mental level is created by memory, analysis, synthesis, selectivity etc. Where does its admixture and production take place? This has not been aptly deduced yet it is clear that this area should be in the cerebellum part of the brain. This is that very sensitive spot which if undergoes ripening, can induce advancement of one’s inner personality. Spiritual seers of yore had discovered this center and had named it Sahasrar.

While deeply analyzing the brain so many layers are discovered which not only help us think but also creates our very character. This region of special capabilities is the “Frontal lobe”. In it one discovers man’s personality, imagination power, ambitions, social behaviour, experiences, sensations and other important functions. It is not possible to influence this area by medicines or surgery. Only those spiritual practices like Dhyan (meditation), Dharana (Concentration) etc. can be made use of which is a part of Kundalini i.e Divine Serpent Power awakening.

In the above paragraphs we have merely made a minor reference of only one center of the brain. Yet it is well-known that the brain abounds with infinite mysterious powers. The conclusions drawn by today’s modern scientists specializing in brain research, is very much in tandem with the discoveries of ancient Indian seers.

From a grosser type of classification, the brain can be categorized into 5 parts 1) Cerebrum 2) Cerebellum 3) Mid-brain 4) Pons 5) Medulla Oblongata. The last three parts that is mid-brain, pons and medulla oblongata together form a single unit called the “brain stem.”

According to Spiritual Sciences, 0.33 billion demigods dwell in heaven represented by the brain. But 5 of them are chief representatives. All of these control various divine centers. The 5 regions of the brain listed above can be said to be the region of the 5 demi-gods. With their help the 5 energies of the 5 sheaths are produced and controlled. The 5-fold spiritual practices of Gayatri help evolve these 5 in unison. As a result a creature dwelling in Brahmaloka or heaven, experiences a heavenly atmosphere.

So far our discussion revolved around a certain type of classification. Many scholars right since ancient times have been describing this very fact albeit in various ways. Even today this type of discussion continues. This one single precept pertaining to the classification of the brain and Sahasrar Chakra are described in various ways.

The Sahasrar Chakra is also called the “pot of nectar”. It is said that Som juice emanates from it. The demi-gods drink this nectar and become immortal.

According to modern brain anatomy, the brain is filled with a special “Cerebro-spinal fluid.” This fluid nourishes and protects the various centers of the brain. It drips from the brain’s membrane and is absorbed by various centers of the brain and the Sushumna (subtle spinal nerve).

The “pot of nectar” has 16 coverings. In the same way at certain places the Sahasrar is said to have 16 petals. These are nothing but 16 important centers of the brain. The Shiva Samhita too says that the Sahasrar Kamal has petals.

“One should meditate on the Sahasrar Chakra made of 16 Kalas situated in the centre of the brain and which shines like the moon.”

-YOGA MANJUSHA

These 16 Kalas of the Sahasrar are the 16 points of the brain related to the cerebrospinal fluid. If the previously 5 grossly classified parts of the brain are classified more minutely, they will add upto 16 in number as follows –

1) Cerebrum 2) Cerebellum 3) Medula Oblongata 4) Pons 5) Mid brain 6) Corpus Colosum 7) Corpus Stratum 8) Pituitary Gland 9) Pineal gland 10) Thalamus 11) Hypothalamus 12) Subthalamus 13) Metathalamus 14) Epithalamus 15) Corad plexuses 16) Ventrilces.

All these above parts have centers full of ESP (Extra Sensory Potential) that control the body. By activating the pot of nectar of Sahasrar, we can make the brain more active and thus attain extraordinary benefits. The scriptures have clearly said –

“Due to activation of the Sahasrar Kamal, a Yogi’s psyche becomes equipoised and thus merges into his soul. He overcomes bondage of the material world. He is full of all-round potential. He moves freely everywhere and his speech becomes nectarine.”

- SHATCHAKRA NIRUPANA

“One must meditate on the Ksheersagar ocean in the core of the forehead and on the moon-like light in the Sahasrar Kamal (1000 petalled lotus).”

- SHIV SAMHITA

“That Yogi who continuously drinks the nectar emitted by the Sahasrar Kamal can bring in a law to ‘kill death’. Meaning death is no longer death for him because he lives a life that has gone beyond death. It is in the Sahasrar region that Kundalini merges itself. At that time the 4 types of creation merge into God and everything becomes Godlike.”

- SHIV SAMHITA

“That Soma juice of Sahasrar Kamal which purifies Richas, Samveda, Yajurved, Brahmanas, may it purify me too.”

- YAJURVED

What exactly is the Sahasrar? This answer according to anatomists is that the electrical onrush from the center of the brain which controls bodily movement does not get emitted from a substratum but that a special center is responsible for it. This is not man’s own creation but is a divine blessing. The liver, heart and other organs function as a result of this energy attained from a divine center. The blood nourishes various bodily organs and it is a fact. It is also true that the lungs are responsible for respiration and the stomach for digestion. Yet the question arises that when these organs carry out various tasks, where do they get the necessary energy to do so? It is not correct to say that respiration, digestion etc. give us the energy to survive because if this were to be true, man could only die because of hunger or choking of breath.

This electrical onrush continuously gets emitted in spurts in the central region of the brain. It can be said to be an extraordinary electrical spring. From there a fire-worklike light is emitted in spurts. The heart experiences such rests in between heart-beats. There is a rise and fall even in wave-flows of heat, sound etc. The same holds true for the activities of the fount of energy in the central point of the brain. Scientists opine that the energy spurts are the main basis of the activities of various centers of the brain. This very principle has been elucidated by Indian Yogic scriptures in their own way.

“In the center of the brain is a jewel-like light. From that, electrical streams are emitted akin to heated gold. He is a true Yogi who understands this mystery.”

- DHYANBINDU UPANISHAD.

“The light of Brahman (God) dwells in the Brahmarandhra as fire. It purifies our spiritual practice. This it self is fire of Yoga.”

- MATSYA PURANA

This brain dwelling energy fount can be called Sahasrar Chakra according to anatomical sciences. “Sahastra” means 1000 but here it means infinite. The Lord is said to have 1000 heads, 1000 legs etc. The sparks of energy emitted from the brain fount are not 1000 in number but are infinite in number. The number of drops of that shower is not 1000 only but connotes infinite number of drops. On the basis of this description this “1000” is the fount of energy called Sahasrar.

Today’s modern science accepts that infinite streams of electricity flow from the brain. As per requirements those streams flow in infinite special nerves in infinite directions. Based on each one’s function, scientists have classified these nerves into various categories. For example, Ascending Reticular Activating System, Descending Reticular Activating System, Specific Thalamic Projection, Defused Thalamic Projection and Brain Stem Reticular Formation. From the standpoint of Yoga, the combined influence of the above systems can be seen in the form of thousands of streams of electrical onrushes in the brain.

This is the very basis of the Sahasrar Kamal (1000 petalled lotus) and Lord Shesha (1000 hooded serpent). The form of Lord Vishnu sleeping on Lord Shesha abounding with Kundalini Shakti in the midst of the Ksheersagar or Brahmaloka, is meant for understanding the state of Sahasrar. Ksheersagar means marrow of the brain. The coiled 1000 hooded serpent means the teeth of the axle of Sahasrar Chakra. A wheel of a cart too has an axle. The Lord’s Sudershan Chakra (disc weapon) too has teeth. Thus Sahasrar can be correlated to the abovementioned details.

The Sahasrar has been compared to the sun (1000 rays) too. It is the energy that lights up the solar system and induces various activities in them. Every unit of human existence is influenced by the brain energy. Hence if the sun is said to be the presiding deity of the ball called Bhuloka (earth), it definitely is apt. The divine existence of Sahasrar has been compared to the sun –

“O Deveshi! Within the stalk of the great lotus Sahasrar dwells the soul akin to Mercury. Although it radiates likes crores of suns, yet during emotions it is comparable to crores of moons. This supreme material is extremely grand and oozes with the Divine Serpent Power.”

- SKAND PURANA

“This sun is nothing but the divine principle and its material symbol is the material sun.”

- YAJURVEDA (23/48)

“Your indwelling nectar is one who is the indweller in the sun whom the sun does not know, whose body is the sun and who controls the sun by dwelling within the sun.”

- BRIHADARANYAK UPANISHAD

Just as our solar system gets energy from the sun, in the same way the brain gets the necessary capacity for various functions from the energy source of Sahasrar Kamal. Many machines are used in mills, factories etc. These machines are attached to motors, transmitting electricity. When the motor functions, it transmits energy to the machine. But the electricity does not belong to the motor. It comes from another source. The brain is our motor and the bodily organs are small / big machines. The energy required for smooth functioning of mills, factories etc. comes from somewhere else. It is akin to the flow of grace attained by earth from its polar regions. This is a gift of interplanetary energy. A man is free and the author of his own destiny. Yet the energy that creates man’s inner personality is said to be divine grace. The moment this stream of energy is obstructed, man dies instantly. Even if the heartbeats have stopped completely yet via artificial means it can be re-activated. But the moment the electrical onrush of Sahasrar stops, know for sure that this is ultimate death. Despite the fittings of a bulb being appropriate, if the electrical connection is cut off, we face darkness. Despite the bodily organs being healthy, if the brain energy flow stops, we cannot remain alive.

Grossly we may describe birth and death of creatures in a certain manner, yet according to subtle sciences like Yoga, birth and death are totally dependent on the activities of Sahasrar Chakra. This is not the end of the discussion because a lot more follows hereafter. Sahasrar is not merely the source of life but it is from here that the nature of one’s character and level is charted out and determined. Even a little extra tilt, will change the course of flow of rain. When a particular form of slant that induces rain water to enter a particular river is changed, this rain water will enter another totally different river. At the beginning of the slant there was a difference of only a few inches yet when the rain water enters a totally new river, the difference in number of miles of area covered amounts to thousands. Many trains standing in queue at a railway junction travel in different directions because of change of levers. The changed levers are separated by the few inches only yet the trains that travel in different directions are separated by thousands of miles. The same holds true for the Sahasrar Chakra. In that, even an infinitesimal change in the Sahasrar, can induce amazing transformations; both within and without.

For a modern scientist even to think of reduction / addition in the grants given by interplanetary space to earth, means facing fearful worries and turmoil. Even a mere thought of taking one step in this direction, induces jitters in their minds. Even a slight bit of topsy-turvying can induce massive destruction. As against this if some conducive solutions are found it will greatly benefit all denizens of earth. Thus we can become lords of unimaginable comforts. Today scientists refuse to take big steps in this direction because of lack of knowledge. They have merely taken minor steps in conducting research on the earth’s polar region. They have yet not found the earth’s axis and nor have they made serious efforts in this direction.

But no such danger is encountered when we talk of the Sahasrar which is the axis of the brain situated in the polar region of the human body. Material / worldly energy is like a demon. Even minor misuse of electricity, fire etc. can kill many people. As against this no major calamity comes in the way in the relationship of a body and its doting mother. This is the material difference between soul consciousness and material consciousness. Sahasrar is a center of union of the individual soul and cosmic soul i.e. God. This is a consciousness based give and take. Within it overflow high leveled sentiments. The nature of spiritual practices has been conjoined to the wealth of good-will. This divine grace of greatness overflows from it.

The Sahasrar Chakra is related to the Brahmarandhra. Brahmarandhra is the 10th door. The 9 doors are the 2 nostrils, 2 ears, 2 eyes, 1 mouth and 2 openings of faeces and urine. The 10th door is Brahmarandhra. Great Yogis give up their life by passing through this 10th door. The very reason behind which the “Kapal Kriya’ (rite) is carries out after death, is that even if a bit of vital force has remained behind, it should pass out from this 10th door and thus induced go to a higher state.

A newborn baby has a bit of a hollow space in the center of the scalp. In it there is a tissue instead of bone. It is situated between the parietal and acivital bones. As the body grows the bones too augment in size and cover the above mentioned hollow region. The Yogic scriptures say that divinity or cosmic consciousness enters the human body through this hollow region.

From the standpoint of bodily design, this region is not merely made up of bones because below its frontal area there are other principles. There is also the cerebral cortex beneath the bones of our forehead that covers the brain region. Within it are carvings akin to those seen when a farmer ploughs his field. Thus it categorizes the brain into various parts. These parts are called sulks. The cortex is partitioned lengthwise by the longitudinal fissure and breadthwise it is called central cortex. The crossing or point of union of both these corresponds to the Brahmarandhra of Indian Yogic scriptures. In front of this Brahmarandhra, lies the most mysterious gland in the upper region of the brain called the Pineal Gland.

This Brahmarandhra is a very special doorway for the individual’s bodily soul to establish a bond with the cosmic soul (God). Great Yogis give up their life force through this very doorway at the time of death. Thus they merge into the cosmic soul or God. It is very clear that while their bodies are alive the Brahmarandhra of great Yogis execute tasks of give and take of divine experiences and divine powers via the medium of Sahasrar Chakra of the brain. The Sahasrar Chakra and Brahmarandhra work in tandem like a unit. Thus in Yogic practices they are influenced and utilized in unison.

Tags: trance, meditation, Chakras, subtle, plexus, brain, mental, Kundalini, Yoga, Mooladhar, spiritual, practices, seeker, knowledge, nature, macro, micro, atom, electron, neutron, energy, divine, powers, conscious, unconscious

Relaxing The Mind

2009-04-02T04:51:00.001-07:00

What is relaxation?

In common terminology, relaxation means that we leave ourselves free of tension. Relaxing mind may mean that the mind is not under stress or active. In today's lifestyle, this looks difficult. Isn't it?
Now a days, most of us believe to be being under stress during most of the week and relax only on the weekends. This is considered the common way of life. Is this the right way of living? Is living a relaxed life all the time not our right? Let us reclaim it.

Bad stress -

If you ask anyone that why is he/she under stress most of the week, what answer do you expect to get? I have so much work to do, deadlines to meet, tasks to be completed, prepare for the new launch etc. Don't you think that something like this will be the response?

Let us discuss why most of us are stressed all the time.
At some time in our life, while we are chasing the dreams we lose our habit of sitting back and reflecting. We begin giving auto responses. If we are held up in a traffic jam, our response is - either to worry about the work ahead, or blame the system or some such negative thought. Not many of us think - All right. If the traffic is not moving, let me relax, listen to some good music, or go back to some childhood memories, remember good friends, let me make the best use of the time to relax and enjoy life. Not many of us respond in this way. We respond in stressed way whenever we come across any similar situation. This habit is taking a big toll on our quality of life.

Stress - A way of life.

We have taken stress as a way of life. Very few of us think about why they are trying to work at such a hectic pace and if ultimately, we are going to leave this world with a lot of incomplete work, why not at least work in a relaxed way? What is the use of working so much , if we kill all the joy. In search of a better tomorrow, we kill the present. Isn't it?

Stressed work environment, stressed family life, no time to just walk around doing nothing but watch the nature...Why? It is as if we want to achieve most in the shortest possible time and therefore have no time to relax Working non-stop all the week is a way of life for a large majority. The increase in cardiac attacks, depression etc, are all the results of this stressed lifestyle. When we get stressed, we look around for the latest stress busters, latest therapies, etc. to counter the stress.

And then by the time the week ends, we again go out somewhere to relax. Sometimes holidays also tire, don't they?

Why not lead a relaxed life all through the week?
Why not work in a relaxed frame of mind? Why get stressed?
Reflection about our own life is very essential if we want to reclaim our right to live peacefully. Will it help, if we bring some beautiful scenes of nature on our computers? Will it help, if we find time to watch a butterfly flying on our screens? The beauty of a colorful flower. Can it make us little relaxed?
If your answer is yes, download screensavers and find time to watch them whenever you find time while working. Look at them, wonder about the beauty of nature, think of their perfection and just relax.

Tags: relaxation, living, relax, stress, nature, flowers, holidays, time

Relaxation Exercises And Ridiculous Mental Conditioning

2009-03-31T08:11:00.001-07:00

When Oprah Winfrey was interviewed by the legendary US television reporter Barbara Walters she was asked "what's the reason you put yourself on the line week after week, year after year, on the cutting edge of human emotion?" Oprah replied "Teaching people to take responsibly. I believe the secret to life is to take responsibility, once people grasp that I believe everything in their life changes. Once people understand it and live it, they are at cause for their life rather than living in effect and in reaction."

Public issues aside most people agree Bill Clinton was a very charismatic leader. Yet by his own admission in his autobiography he talks about painful acts in his childhood, anger and emotion that drove him to a better life. He hit a level of threshold where he was finally dissatisfied enough with his life to make changes. He was literally propelled forward to improve his life, and dream, and apply and learn the tools and strategies to assist himself and those around him. It's up to us to make a decision, to release all our negative emotions, to live in the present and to move into the future with improvement. The best thing about the past is that it's over.

Make a decision right now to release any old emotion you had with other people and move forward empowered. Put your shoulders back. Now stop and do something a little ridiculous. Float way up in the air in your mind, imagine you’re near a big ravine, put 100 singers down each side and hear them singing now. Hear the lightning coming down the side of the cliff. Feel the static electricity in the air. Now imagine a big puma in front of you, licking its lips. Now step inside the puma, feel the muscles and the strength and look way down the bottom, way off into the distance, so small it’s barely a speck, way down the bottom of the cliff is a person or situation you were facing. Hear the singers sing "Your Butt is Mine". Most of us don't feel good because we don’t do what could be described as "ridiculous mental conditioning".

Stop now and imagine a room in your mind, walk down the stairs, as you walk down with each stair releasing negativity and building up strength. At the bottom is a door. Open it. Inside is a beautiful garden. Imagine the sight, the sound, the feel and the smell. And in this garden are some people you need to meet. You need to have a conversation with them that goes something along the lines of "I forgive you". You may not be aware yet of the cords that still connect you to these people.

Now, stop and take two giant blades and drop them down and cut those cords and see the people fly off into the distance to go about their own growing. Now feel a pleasant feeling in your body. Lock this feeling in.

Consciously feel the release. Now visualize in front of you how you want to be, a more advanced version of you. Filled with whatever positive emotions you desire. Stop and imagine the qualities you need. Notice how does this new you look? Notice how his new you is feeling? Notice how this new you sounds? If you haven’t yet noticed then feel the strength from being around this new you. Notice how this new you stands and breathes. Now step into this taking on all the qualities of this new you. Make a commitment with this deepest part of yourself to take this new you around with you wherever you go.

What would this new you do? What would this new you stand for? What would this new you contribute? What would this new you be interested in? How will this you respond when you get off track? How will it feel when you live you life at this new standard? Step into this new you and feel the feelings in your body.

Decide to take your relationships to the next level. People love to talk about their own interests, learn to cultivate the art of being a good listener and people will like you - even if you have to sacrifice some of the conversational enjoyment for yourself to give to others. Watch the difference in your own life. People build up rapport with others by speaking at about the same speed and the same volume as the other person.

Consciously dwell on something that makes you feel strong. Clear your head. Adapt some positive characteristics of a role model. One of the best ways to gain confidence is to decide right now to have it, and embrace it.

Tags: visualization, visualisation, forgiveness, emotion, release, anger, resentment, hypnosis, relax, meditation, nlp, self help, new age, hippie, love, sel

Personal Growth Through Binaural Beats And Holosync

2009-03-30T03:59:00.001-07:00

This article is designed to help you understand the relatively new technology of Binaural Beats, as used in the Holosync recordings. You should be aware of how this technology works, the benefits it can bestow and any potential dangers that may come from its use.

By far the most popular binaural beats recording is Holosync. This program is designed to remove negative programming from your past and free you from past traumas, bad memories, emotional issues and negative beliefs. But does it work? To answer that question let me explain a little about the technology.

Binaural Beats are specific frequencies that can bring you into a profoundly deep state of meditation within minutes using the latest innovations in sound technology. They utilize a specific audio mixing technique designed to alter the listener's brain wave activity. By sitting or lying down in a quiet environment and wearing headphones these beats can be used to create Alpha, Theta and Delta brainwave patterns.

When brainwave patterns change it has been documented that there is also a change in chemical reactions within the body which can have a profound effect on your entire physical structure. In effect these beats have the same impact and benefits of a deep meditative state akin to hypnologic trance or transcendental mediation. Now very few people can enter such deep states of hypnosis and transcendental meditation takes a lifetime to perfect. So the immediate benefits of using a binaural beats recording is apparent.

An added benefit of using such technology is that the states it creates allow you to access the subconscious parts of the mind. Those parts that are subliminal and just below the conscious threshold. Binaural beats can be used with many other self improvement tools (such as subliminal recordings, affirmations or visualization etc.) to increase your personal development dramatically as it creates deep states of relaxation and can put you into Alpha and Theta states. Therefore they can be used as an aid to alter beliefs, heal emotional issues or create behaviour changes. One of the great benefits they can give is a quick energy boost equivalent to a few hours sleep. It is believed that by using binaural beats you can:

1. Create deep states of meditation.

2. Boost your intelligence and creativity.

3. Slow aging.

4. Remove emotional blocks, old traumas and create profound emotional changes at an extremely deep level.

5. Eliminate Stress & anxiety.

The beauty of binaural beats is that they can be used to induce these states and create these changes with no effort on the part of the listener. You just wear a set of headphones and let the sound technology do the rest.

The discovery of binaural technology is mostly accredited to Dr. Gerald Oster. Oster first published research about binaural beats in 1973 in Scientific American after he had conducted extensive studies.

However, this is not as well known, binaural beats where in fact first discovered as far back as 1839 by an Associate Professor, at the University of Berlin, called Heinrich Wilhelm Dove. Dove accidentally discovered that when two similar sounds, which are only slightly shifted in frequency, are given separately to left and right ear they cause a pulsation or beat type effect within the brain.

However, it was Dr. Oster who uncovered the full benefits of using this new technology when he discovered the effects that binaural beats have on the mind and body.

There are many producers of binaural beat technology competing in the market today. It is possible to create your own with the proper software. However, an in-depth knowledge of brainwave patterns and their effect on the mind and body is advisable before ever trying to create your own. I have read several forum postings that state the use of binaural beat technologies has created negative and even damaging results on listeners. For that reason I believe it is safer to stick to the tried and tested pre-made recordings that are available for a reasonable fee. You can purchase separate binaural beat recordings to induce almost any emotional state or you can even enrol on a binaural beat program for self improvement that takes several years to complete.

I, myself, have no experience of any damaging effects due to the use of binaural beats. However, if you are using binaural beats for personal development purposes their use can be uncomfortable. All my experiences have been extremely positive, although not always pleasurable. Let me explain.

ECC machines have been used in the past to monitor the brain activity of life-long meditaters. These experts at meditation showed alpha, that and even delta brainwave patterns while in a self-induced meditative state. Through binaural beat recordings you can create such states easily.

The alpha brainwave patterns are only apparent during a relaxed state. Alpha brainwaves are the most apparent brainwave state encountered during hypnosis and when we experience this state, which do constantly throughout the day, we are extremely susceptible to suggestion. This is the state that you enter during hypnosis. Theta brainwaves allow for the absorption of huge amounts of information while Delta brainwaves are most apparent when you enter a state of deep but dreamless sleep. It is the Delta state that is the main aim of such practices as transcendental meditation. Although for many entering the delta state while fully conscious can be very relaxing, for most it is not, for it is during such brain activity that internal change occurs.

Through deep meditative states you can activate profound positive changes in your body, mind and emotional state which remain permanent. As binaural beta recordings bring you into these states effortlessly, you can gain all the benefits without any of the work. This can be a very profound and extremely life-changing experience. You will find past buried memories resurface as the beats direct your brain to restructure its neural network and raise your "comfort level" to a new high. It only takes a few listening sessions before you see positive results. You will feel less stressed in situations that previously sent you up the wall, will be more focused in the moment and your tasks at hand, much more centred and composed. The technology literally eliminates negative emotional, mental and physical patterns. The discomfort I spoke of earlier comes from the restructuring of your brain's neural network as old buried uncomfortable memories are triggered in the brain before the connecting emotional response is wiped away. You are still left with the memory of the event but you no longer have any emotional attachment to it. Don't worry, for some reason, it doesn't affect positive memories! It may be due to the natural state of the mind and body, for this system of mind/body is always seeking equilibrium and harmony, which tends to lead to feelings of joy and happiness.

Binaural beats is a proven technology that can create brainwave changes which alter your mood and changes the chemical reactions in your body to encourage faster healing and harmonious interaction between cells. However, there is currently research being conducted to determine if these beats can actually direct the brain to reformat DNA encoding. If this is possible the possibilities are almost limitless - decrease in illness, genetic disorders, a reversal of aging etc.

If personal development and self improvement isn't your main aim for investigating binaural beats (and don't want to get younger) then the single recordings designed to induce specific mind/body changes is enough. You can get recordings for an energy boost, meditation, to spark the creative areas of the brain, induce deep sleep and even one that acts like a digital drug!

All these changes happen effortlessly and easily. You will need a place to sit or lie quietly and a good pair of stereo earphones. The recording does the rest.

Tags: binauarl beats, meditation, personal development, personal growth, self improvement, hypnosis

Oh What A Feeling

2009-03-29T07:50:00.001-07:00

So here is the story. I crashed a dirtbike. I know its a short one, but why bore you with details that you really dont need to know? Why is it that when we get power in our hands, we attempt to use it to the fullest. It's as if we will never have it again. Lets get out of that habit, it hurts.

Moving along with the story, I clearly needed some therapy for the injuries that I suffered in the accident. So I went to my physiotherapist and asked her what we should do. We did all the massaging and ultra sounds, and then it happened... We did the acupuncture therapy. OH what a feeling!

Its a little wierd at first, becuase they stick a bunch of needles all over your body. Apperently, every spot on our bodies is connected with some sort of feeling. Clearly, I chose the spots labelled "happy". So I am laying there, needles all over my body, in silence, and i catch myself thinking about childhood memories of playing football with my dad! Our subconscious minds are truly amazing.

Once again though, back to my story. Now, my physiotherapist is located in the heart of downtown Calgary. For those not familiar with Calgary, it's just a city with to much traffic. So I'm in my "happy" state after the therapy, and I'm driving home in rush hour traffic. This is how good acupuncture works - I was in a lineup 3 miles long of traffic, LETTING PEOPLE MERGE!

Tags: acupuncture, acupuncture weight loss, acupuncture and chinese medicine, acupuncture specialist, acupuncture schools, acupuncture point, acupuncture infertility, acupuncture quit smoking, acupuncture a

More chi!

2009-03-28T08:51:00.001-07:00

The following is an excerpt from the book The Shaolin Workout
by Sifu Shi Yan Ming
Published by Rodale; May 2006;$29.95US/$39.95CAN; 1-59486-400-4
Copyright ฉ 2006 Sifu Shi Yan Ming

More chi! Train harder!

Sifu often encourages his students with the cheer "More chi! Train harder!"

What does this mean?

Chi (also spelled qi) is often translated as "life force." It is similar to what we in the West mean by "energy," but it's much more than that. Chi is the vital force that flows through all things -- humans, animals, plants, rocks, microbes, mountains. Chi connects us to all other things in the universe. It is the source of all spiritual, mental, and physical energy and health. It is dynamic, circulating in us like our blood. It has been compared to electricity flowing through circuits, and to the force flowing around magnetic poles.

When our minds, hearts, and bodies are in harmony and in balance, the chi flows freely, helping us to live beautiful lives. When our lives are out of balance, the chi may be blocked or depleted. Stimulating the correct flow of chi can heal us when we are sick and invigorate us when we are tired.

Chi is the force that gives kung fu masters like Sifu their incredible power. It is through stimulating and guiding the flow of chi that we train and push our bodies to actions we might never have known we could do before. This is why we constantly cheer one another on with the cry "More chi! Train harder!" The more chi you put into your exercises and movements, the harder you are able to train. The harder you train, the more you master your body and its movements, and the more chi you'll have.

Some beginners fear that they'll never be able to master certain stretches or movements. It's not unusual to experience some muscle pain when first performing certain exercises and stretches. A "pulled muscle" is a muscle that's not used to being stretched and worked. In the modern world, we use our legs for so little. We sit all day in our cars, at our desks, on the sofa, watching TV. Now you're suddenly asking your muscles to do some work. It's no wonder they're sore!

The wrong way to respond to that sore muscle is to tense up, physically or mentally. Tension will only block the flow of chi to that muscle.

The right way to respond is to relax your body and your mind, extend your body and your mind, and train harder. Athletes have that saying, "No pain, no gain." That's what "Train harder!" means as well. Don't back away from the work, don't tense up, and certainly don't give up. If you give up on your exercises, you give up on yourself. Have faith and confidence in yourself, and tomorrow the stretch you found difficult will feel easier. The next day, it will be easier still.

Today, think about how you can apply this warrior's attitude to your whole life. The more chi you put into your life, the more you'll get out of your life. When you feel like you just can't face another day of washing and folding the kids' laundry . . . when your boss drops an extra stack of paperwork on your desk an hour before quitting time . . . when you get home exhausted after fighting rush hour and plop down on the sofa, and your son asks you to help him with his math homework. Whatever chores, problems, or responsibilities you face today, don't flinch from them, don't avoid them, don't feel defeated by them. Tackle them head-on. Put more chi into it and get it done. Train harder!

Reprinted from: The Shaolin Workout: 28 Days to Transforming Your Body and Soul the Warrior's Way by Sifu Shi Yan Ming ฉ 2006 Rodale Inc. Permission granted by Rodale, Inc., Emmaus, PA 18098. Available wherever books are sold or directly from the publisher by calling (800) 848-4735 or visit their website at www.rodalestore.com.

Author
Sifu Shi Yan Ming, a 34th-generation Shaolin warrior monk, is respected not only in the martial arts world but also in the entertainment world by stars like Jet Li, Jackie Chan, Wesley Snipes, and the Wu-Tang Clan. His kung fu classes have been featured in USA Today, The New York Times, New York Daily News, and Entertainment Weekly. Brian Gray of Inside Kung Fu magazine has called him a "living treasure of China." He has also appeared on the Discovery Channel, MTV, and CNBC, among other major networks. Sifu Shi Yan Ming lives in New York City.

Tags: Meditation, mind, body, workout, king fu, shaolin, fitness, wellness, Buddhism, health

Meditation technique of perception

2009-03-26T04:55:00.001-07:00

One Answer….for all questions - This too will pass...

This meditation technique is quite different from thje conventional meditation techniques. This technique is actually a contemplation exercise and involves thinking over life. Though people of all age can try this technique, it is basically suitable for people with mature age (I mean 18 & above). The reason is that only those who have lived a certain (substantial) duration of life can reflect back on their past. Very young people who are still in the initial phase of their life are less likely (though not impossible) to analyze their life from the angle which this meditation demands. Nevertheless, this meditation technique is very useful for knowing our true self.

Method:

First read this thought provoking story :-

Once a king called upon all of his wise men and asked them,

" Is there a mantra or suggestion which works in every situation, in every circumstances, in every place and in every time. Something which can help me when none of you is available to advise me. Tell me is there any mantra?"

All wise men got puzzled by King's question. One answer for all question? Something that works everywhere, in every situation? In every joy every sorrow, every defeat and every victory? They thought and thought. After a lengthy discussion, an old man suggested something which appeal to all of them. They went to king and gave him something written on paper. But the condition was that king was not to see it out of curiosity. Only in extreme danger, when the King finds himself alone and there seems to be no way, only then he'll have to see it. The King put the papers under his Diamond ring.

After a few days, the neighbors attack the Kingdom. It was a collective surprise attack of King's enemies. King and his army fought bravely but lost the battle. King had to fled on his horse. The enemies were following him. His horse took him far away in Jungle. He could hear many troops of horses were following him and the noise was coming closer and closer. Suddenly the King found himself standing in the end of the road - that road was not going anywhere. Underneath there was a rocky valley thousand feet deep. If he jumped into it, he would be finished…and he could not return because it was a small road…From back the sound of enemy's horses was approaching fast. King became restless. There seemed to be no way.

Then suddenly he saw the Diamond in his ring shining in the sun, and he remembered the message hidden in the ring. He opened the diamond and read the message. The message was very small but very great.

The message was - " This too will pass."

The King read it . Again read it. Suddenly something strike in his mind- Yes ! it too will pass. Only a few days ago, I was enjoying my kingdom. I was the mightiest of all the Kings. Yet today, the Kingdom and all his pleasure have gone. I am here trying to escape from enemies. However when those days of luxuries have gone, this day of danger too will pass. A calm come on his face. He kept standing there. The place where he was standing was full of natural beauty. He had never known that such a beautiful place was also a part of his Kingdom. The revelation of message had a great effect on him. He relaxed and forget about those following him. After a few minute he realized that the noise of the horses and the enemy coming was receding. They moved into some other part of the mountains and were not on that path.

The King was very brave. He reorganized his army and fought again. He defeated the enemy and regain his lost empire. When he returned to his empire after victory, he was received with much fan fare at the door. The whole capital was rejoicing in the victory. Everyone was in a festive mood. Flowers were being thrown on King from every house, from every corner. People were dancing and singing. For a moment King said to himself," I am one of the bravest and greatest King. It is not easy to defeat me.: With all the reception and celebration he saw an ego emerging in him.

Suddenly the Diamond of his ring flashed in the sunlight and reminded him of the message. He open it and read it again: "This too will pass"

He became silent. His face went through a total change -from the egoist he moved to a state of utter humbleness.

If this too is going to pass, it is not yours.
The defeat was not yours, the victory is not yours.
You are just a watcher. Everything passes by

We are witness of all this. We are the perceiver. Life come and go. Happiness come and go. Sorrow come and go.

Now as you have read this story, just sit silently and evaluate your own life. This too will pass. Think of the moments of joy and victory in your life. Think of the moment of Sorrow and defeat. Are they permanent. They all come and pass away. Life just passes away.

There were friends in past. They all have gone.
There are friends today. They too will go.
There will be new friends tomorrow. They too will go.

There were enemies in past. They have gone.
There may be enemy in present. They too will go.
There will be new enemies tomorrow and......they too will go.

There is nothing permanent in this world. Every thing changes except the law of change. Think over it from your own perspective. You have seen all the changes. You have survived all setbacks , all defeats and all sorrows. All have passed away. If there are problems in the present, they too will pass away. Because nothing remains forever. Joy and sorrow are the two faces of the same coin. They both will pass away. Who are you in reality? Know your real face. Your face is not your true face. It will change with the time. However, there is something in you, which will not change. It will remain unchanged. What is that unchangeable ? It is nothing but your true self.

You are just a witness of change. Experience it, understand it.

Everyday for 10-15 minutes sit in silence. Just think over the sentence, " This too will pass." Pondering over your own life will make you realize the true meaning of this sentence. Everything passes yet your real identity remains the same. That real you is your true self. To know that self is true meditation.

Tags: Meditation technique of perception

Meditation For People On The Go

2009-03-25T06:47:00.001-07:00

Meditation is an ancient ritual that is perfect for individuals seeking a bit of peace, quiet, and inner reflection into their daily lives. However, many individuals erroneously believe they do not have the appropriate time to devote to meditation. This practice does not require a special room and hours upon hours of inner reflection to be done properly and receive the most results. In fact, meditation can be done in any quiet corner, including your living room, office, hotel room, or even the airplane. In order to achieve the proper meditation in some of these places, you may need to practice certain techniques or bring along special devices that will block noise and ensure quiet for your designated meditation time.

Consider joining a meditation group so that you can effectively learn the methods of meditation before you attempt to meditate in unusual surroundings. The techniques and methods you learn through a learned meditation instructor will help you accomplish your own personal goals of meditation and inner exploration.

Meditation does not have to be incredibly time consuming. Make it a point to dedicate a few minutes each day to your meditation goals and spend some time reflecting inward. Mornings are excellent times to begin meditation, since you at the most at ease during this time and your home is probably the quietest. Consider waking up before the rest of your household to snag a few much needed minutes along in order to successfully complete your meditation process. This is critical for both men and women with children who find it hard to meditate amidst the noises and demands of children.

When you are on the go, do not leave your meditation practices at home! Consider snapping up a pair of noise canceling headphones to block out noise on trains, planes, or automobiles. This will allow you the greatest sense of peace and quiet so that you can continue with your meditation techniques. Bring along a special meditation soundtrack of familiar tunes to which you can also block out unnecessary background noise in order to meditate.

Meditation can be an excellent way to unwind after a long day of traveling, so consider taking time to practice your techniques once you reach your destination. For individuals who are constantly calling hotel rooms home, it can be quite easy to miss your personal meditation space. For this reason, carry a small token or a few items with you on your travels to remind you of home. Consider bringing a favorite blanket, pillow, or mat to aid you in your meditation practices. Also, bring along a photograph of your family or friends to help with the homesickness.

Use scents to transport you to a more serene world. Aromatherapy has been used in conjunction with meditation for thousands of years. Consider beginning your meditation to comforting or exotic smells of incense or candles. For individuals on the go, consider bringing along travel candles or a vial of essential oil that you can leave open to pervade the atmosphere.

Tags: meditate, meditation

Meditation Chairs

2009-03-23T23:29:00.001-07:00

Meditation chairs can enhance the experience of exploration by allowing you to sit in a comfortable and relaxed position during your relaxation session. If you have back problems or limited flexibility, the chair offers a comfortable alternative to sitting on the floor.

For those just beginning the practice of meditation, a sitting device can be an effective way of enhancing focus and concentration. There are different types of chairs available including meditation benches, ergonomically designed tilt chairs and inflatable cushions.

A meditation bench allows you to sit in alignment without putting undue pressure on your back. A tilt chair also supports your back while allowing you to remain in the optimum upright position. Many companies providing meditation supplies also manufacture portable meditation chairs, inflatable cushions and folding benches, so that you can meditate in any setting or environment. A portable chair is an excellent investment if you are continuously on the go.

Meditation chairs have several advantages over sitting on the floor or a regular chair. Meditation requires harmony of body and mind, in the sense that physical discomfort should not interfere with the meditation experience. To expand our consciousness and achieve clarity of mind, it is important to be as comfortable as possible during the meditation session. Sitting in any one position for a length of time is bound to cause cramping and distress. Specially designed chairs can provide the proper support and alignment necessary to allow you to get the most out of your meditation experience. It is important to note that regular chairs do not mold to the body in the same way as an ergonomically designed meditation device.

The best chairs have a slight forward angle, which prevents you from slumping during meditation. However, take care that the chair is not too steeply angled, as this will cause overarching. The ideal tilt should be no more than a few inches. The best option is to purchase a meditation chair that you can adjust according to your height, weight and comfort level. Having an experienced person on hand to guide you through the meditation process and adjust your posture is also a good idea.

A sitting device may be particularly useful if you are practicing Zen meditation, which requires several sitting postures. Zen meditation chairs can be made out of numerous materials and come in several different styles. You can choose the style that best suits you as long as the device enables your diaphragm to contract and expand freely.

Meditation is all about discovery and inner peace. Contrary to popular belief, self denial and physical discomfort detracts rather than enhances the experience. It is difficult to expand our minds and awareness when our legs are cramping beneath us. A meditation chair is a device which allows us to focus on what’s really important during our meditation session. With the proper tools and surroundings, the meditation experience is sure to be a positive one.
http://www.meditationandmore.com

Tags: meditation, meditation chair, meditation techniques, alternative health, alternative healing, yoga, hypnosis, holistic health, stress, depression, anxiety