I found few interesting things about proprioception . Have a read and know more about it .

Source  :  http://www.myyogaonline.com and www.namasteworksyoga.com

Proprioception is having an acute awareness or sense of where the body and limbs are in space. In a yoga class, as we move our body through space or even if we are standing perfectly still, our ability to sense where our body is at any given moment can enhance the harmony of body and mind.

There are many opportunities for you to help your clients raise their awareness and enhance their ability to sense their body in relation to space. In yoga we often guide our students to go inside and inhabit their bodies. To sense what they are feeling as they move with breath from pose to pose. Try one of these practices to help your aging clients boost body awareness in class.

Sensing with eyes closed
Start your clients out by simply standing in Tadasana. Have them place a block between their feet and sense the sides of their feet touching the block. The block will allow many clients who feel ungrounded to connect with a tangible object and feel more secure. After they have positioned themselves from the ground up, invite them to close their eyes. Ask them to take note of any subtle movement of their body. Are they moving forward and back, side-to-side or noticing no movement at all? What do they feel moving most? Where do they feel their body weight? Encourage them to observe from the inside out.

Sensing with eyes closed and adding movement
Now invite them to lift their toes on an inhale and release them down on the exhale. Still keeping the eyes closed, can they sense the four corners of their feet. Next have them move their arms overhead on an in breath, while still keeping the eyes closed. Do they feel that the arms a parallel? Do they perceive that their arms are overhead? Do the arms feel like they are out in front or drawn behind the body? Just have them observe.

Adding in Rotational Movement
Have them drop the arms to shoulder height and invite them to rotate the arms so that the pinkies and thumbs rotate up to the sky and down to the floor, like rolling a log. How has this dynamic changed what they are sensing or hearing in their body wisdom?

This warm-up is an example of how to begin to create a sense of body awareness in seniors. After the warm up, include in their practice the elements of changing their stance, opening the eyes, and adding breath with movement, and varying the length of the inhalation and exhalation.

Helping your clients become aware of proprioception begins with allowing them to truly connect and experience solid mind body integration.

Balance plays a pivotal role in our lives whether we notice it or not. We are constantly bombarded with external forces that disrupt our equilibrium. So much so, that we often fail to notice, as our bodies are so effectively equipped to deal with such disturbances. We do, however, notice when our systems fail us, resulting in injury or an embarrassing moment, or even worse, both! Understanding balance in its entirety makes it much easier to comprehend movement, appreciate how incredible our bodies truly are, and realize how something like yoga can develop abilities that we didn’t even know we possessed.

There are three systems in the body that contribute to the function of balance: the visual system, the vestibular system and the proprioceptive system. The visual system contributes to the execution of balance as it provides feedback as to where we are in space. The vestibular system is a network of canals in the inner ear which supply information of our head’s position (tilted, rotated, flexed or extended). The proprioceptive system is composed of sensory receptors in the muscles and tendons that inform the central nervous system as to the varying lengths of muscles, as well as force loads traveling through tendons. This notifies us as to how and where our body and limbs are oriented in space.

The human body has many regulating control systems that function via the nervous system. Receptors exist in our muscles which recognize when the length of the muscle fibers are changing. These act as a protective mechanism for the muscles. With excessive lengthening of a muscle, a reflex will be initiated which will cause the muscle to contract in order to prevent a ligament sprain or muscle strain injury. A similar regulation system exists in tendons, but it instead is dependent on the force being loaded through the tendon rather than on its length. These two regulatory systems of the muscles and tendons contribute to what is known as proprioception.

Proprioception is the new catch term. Rehabilitation programs are now focusing their attention on muscle coordination and muscle inhibition with the intention of improving muscle firing (contracting) patterns. Throughout our lives, we develop motor patterns which are essentially the blueprints that muscles follow in order to accomplish a movement task such as walking or even chopping up vegetables. Typically, muscular weakness, inhibition (muscle not firing properly), and / or pain will cause a normal motor pattern to become abnormal.

For example, the primary function of the gluteus maximus (buttock muscle) is to extend the hip. However, many people have gluteus maximus muscles that are either inhibited or weak. Therefore, the hamstrings or lumbar spine (low back) erector muscles are forced to facilitate hip extension. Due to this novel, aberrant, motor pattern, these individuals commonly complain of tight hamstrings, irritated sacroiliac joints, and / or chronic low back pain. The probability of injury increases dramatically, as does the inefficiency of movements when muscles are regularly recruited to compensate for weakness, inhibition or pain. These abnormal patterns can be corrected; however, they do require specific rehabilitation.

When an individual’s balance is jeopardized by external factors such as being bumped into or slipping on ice, the correct muscles must be prepared to engage immediately. Proprioceptive rehabilitation focuses on training muscles to accelerate their ability to achieve maximum contraction. (Liebenson, p. 529) This is why training on unstable surfaces such as wobble boards and Bosu balls is currently so popular. By training on an unsteady surface, balance is constantly being challenged. The correct muscles must contract rapidly in order to counteract the forces that the disrupted balance is placing on the body. When muscles can respond quickly to perturbations, injury is less likely and performance is more likely to be enhanced.

Proprioceptive training is relevant for all people in all stages of life. With youth comes silly antics, sports and activities that place us at an increased risk of injury, despite relatively strong, healthy bodies. With age, our vision becomes diminished and our vestibular system begins to deteriorate; however, our proprioceptive system can be quite well preserved. As these changes occur throughout our lives, it is obvious that our balance becomes increasingly endangered. Decreased bone density is commonly associated with increasing age, as is the concern for deficient balance. Therefore, it only makes sense that fracture due to falls is the next concern to consider in this equation. The risks associated with hip fracture in the elderly are severe and often fatal. Proprioceptive training can aid in the prevention of falls and the subsequent concerns of pneumonia and death. Hence, in our younger, untamed years, having a well developed proprioceptive system will aid in the avoidance of plaster casts and time away from the activities we love. Similarly, in our elder years it will assist in the evasion of falls and succeeding complications.

Now that the importance of a healthy proprioceptive system has been made frighteningly clear, it is time to discuss further, how this can be achieved. The soles of the feet, the sacroiliac area and the neck are the three most richly supplied areas of the body with proprioceptors. (Liebenson, p.515) Due to this fact, these areas can be most affected by proprioceptive training. A technique now being used is known as sensory motor stimulation (SMS). The body creates motor patterns which can be altered both negatively and positively. The principle behind SMS is that abnormal blueprints can be corrected by reeducating the nervous system. (Liebenson, p.514). This learning comes from challenging the sensory system to convey messages appropriately and quickly to muscles that are required to fire both rapidly and maximally.

In yoga, it is taught that the longitudinal and transverse arches of the foot should be lifted. This means that both the inside and outside of the foot should lift while ensuring that all four corners of the foot remain in contact with the floor. The toes should be spread and should not be used as a lever by which to maintain lift through the arches. Therefore, they should gently rest on the ground. This “yoga foot” helps to increase the sensory feedback to the CNS, therefore improving the stability of the body in the upright position. (Liebenson, p.518) Working with the yoga foot through poses will heighten the sensory feedback from the body, especially during balance poses during which the proprioceptive system is ultimately challenged. Via this challenge, great improvements to the system can be made.

As certain poses become less of a challenge, increasing the demands on the systems of balance will allow for continual improvement. Some balance poses will stress the system more than others. However, the demand will be determined by the skill level of the practicing yogi. For example, for an instructor who has been practicing for years, revolved half moon pose is a piece of cake in regards to balance. However, Tree Pose can be a real tribulation for a beginner. This illustrates the point that balance can be both trained and improved via the practice of yoga. Drishti (gaze) plays with the visual component of balance as it often involves looking in a direction that makes the body feel unsteady. By utilizing drishti appropriately, it will further increase the difficulty of balancing in many poses, therefore providing opportunities for improvement of the balancing systems. Since the cervical spine has such a high density of proprioceptors, rotating the head to follow the correct drishti will often make us feel as though we are off balance. Again, with practice, this will become easier and with an associated enhancement of balance.

In this sort of training, it is important to ensure that the muscles are as free as possible of both scar tissue and trigger points as they can alter the ability to perform appropriate muscle firing patterns. Treatments such as Active Release Technique ® and Graston Technique ® are effective methods of ridding the tissues of such hindrances. Unhealthy tissues decrease the muscle’s aptitude to contract appropriately, initially causing the abnormal patterns. Therefore, it is ideal to attempt to have healthy muscular tissue before training.

With well developed balance comes great improvements. Balance is one very important element to a healthy neuromusculoskeletal system. If the proprioceptive system is able to adapt well to the forces placed upon it, half of the battle is won. The other half includes muscular strength and endurance which go hand in hand with proprioception. Without the former two, the latter can not optimally function. One should address the health of the muscular tissues and aim to improve the motor firing patterns, strength and endurance of the muscles. This will aid in the prevention of injury and contribute to peak performance: something which is desirable at every age.

Article as appeared on India’s leading newspaper - The Hindu www.hinduonline.com

Life can sometimes overwhelm us with the many tasks we have to accomplish and the roles we have to play. It is easy to get frustrated with not being perfect. Know what your strength is and do not overestimate yourself as well as the contributing energies around and your team. However hold a grand vision and the space for things being harmonious when you are juggling life’s roles. There are people who have more than one focus. Some can be both an artist and a business person. Apart from that one has to be a good mother or son, a spouse, a member of society, a friend and various other roles one needs to play along the way.

There are many approaches to increase one’s ability to participate fully in life without getting trapped by perfectionism. Yoga will make you better at whatever you do. It helps you approach your life with better energy and awareness. Hence your BEING will infiltrate whatever you are DOING. Yoga including the asanas, work on your BEING. So it is good to start working on your BEING through the practice of yoga. Then we become comfortable with our Being rather than escape it. With yoga we cultivate self awareness and learn to draw conscious loving boundaries. We are cultivating a relaxed or still (sattvic) being and from that space also doing.

Do your best: One of the main teachings of the Bhagavad Gita is to do one’s best and leave the rest to the universal consciousness. There is no point in getting trapped in indecision and depression over a long period as it is an energy drainer. Sometimes though we may wish for harmony we have to confront conflict. Once this attitude is there, then one can move ahead to create harmony or balance by doing that which is in alignment with the universal plan.

Keep at it: As with every act, the more practice a juggler has, the better he gets. So just practice. Any artist or scientist knows the value of keeping at it. There will be challenges and hurdles along the way and learn to face them. Also when planning fit in time for this.

Let a few balls drop: Sometimes when you are concerned you are not as good with juggling five balls as with three, it’s okay to let a few of them drop. See what activities are most in alignment with your life purpose and feel the rest drop. It is ok to let go of some activities.

Energy management: A lot of people are very focused on time management, which is good. However it is good to keep in mind how you manage your energy as well. The entire yogic system is to optimise energy in the system. Yoga, therefore, does not mean just asanas but also how we structure our lives.

Use of energy

Asanas and pranayamas help generate energy and remove pranic or energy blocks. We have to be aware as to how to use that energy. That is why discernment or viveka is constantly applied. One uses discernment to see if the energy is used in a way that takes us towards our life purpose. If the activity is just dissipating us then we need to see that as well.

The more prana or energy we have the more we can do easily. As we know indecision can drain us of energy and too much analysis can as well. So sometimes it is good to clearly SEE the situation and do what needs to be done. It is good to communicate our needs as well and not feel guilty for being aware of our needs. We also need to know the difference between wants and needs.

Even the best juggler needs a rest. At a juggling festival in Italy, I observed that some had the focus to go on for a long time. They were so relaxed that the balls seemed like an extension of their bodies. It was beautiful to watch. However even they needed some rest.

Yoga practice builds energy and awareness in the system.

The Sharaba Kriya: The sharaba is said to be part bird, part lion and part man. This was the form that Shiva took to fight and calm down Narasimha who had slain the asura Hirnayakashipu. Narasimha was half man and half lion. The form of the sharaba, which also had the powers of a bird including flight, was necessary to win the fight with Narasimha. Then Narasimha calmed down to his peaceful form where he could be worshipped by his devotees. Narasimha is the incarnation of Vishnu, the sustainer.

Whenever there is too much imbalance he incarnates to bring back balance into the world. He is like the maintenance person in a company who would check if some machine or system is not at good working condition. He also plays HR and sees if things are in order in the people front.

One need not look at them as religious symbols but as metaphors for life. Then they take on a whole different meaning and one surrenders to these beautiful life truths rather than just being superstitious.

Similarly we all know or relate to Shiva as the destroyer. He essentially is the change management guru. He brings down the old buildings, structures or systems when its purpose is over so new things can evolve.

Either way the point of these stories is to depict that the combined forces of man, lion and bird are very powerful. This power can be accessed by thekriya we learn and practice. By practicing the sharaba kriya we can access this power to release us from tamas (inertia, ignorance) or rajas (mindless activity). It helps especially with those who are wired and whose nervous system is agitated. The deep breathing accompanied by the body movement done consciously offers tremendous benefits. It also purifies the system of this need to do, just for the sake of doing.

Yogacharini Maitreyi is a practical mystic who teaches yoga and creates conscious community around the world. E-mail: maitreyi9@hotmail.com;www.arkaya.net

The Sharaba Kriya technique

1. Stand on all fours and breathe deeply in a relaxed fashion. This is the chatus pada (four feet) asana. Be aware to check that the arms are shoulder distance apart and feet are relaxed.

2. Breathe in and lift your right leg up gently and gracefully. Let the legs be as straight as possible. A slight bend at the knee is fine. Look up. Check to see that the hips are not tilted. Be aware of the right side of your lungs

3. Breathe out and bring the knee back to the ground, rounding the back, shoulders and neck and being aware of all your back muscles and vertebrae as you move. Also bring your awareness to your core or abdominal area. Then go back to chatus pada asana and relax.

4. 4.Relax in the child’s pose.

Do three rounds on the right side and then three on the left. As you lift your right leg, focus on the right lobes of the lungs and as you lift the left leg be aware of the left side of the lungs. This is a more subtle dimension and you will become aware of the lobes of the lungs over long term practice. So in the beginning just get the technicalities right and that in itself will bring many benefits. Also take care to relax after the kriya.

]]> http://www.yogictrance.com/2009/10/25/juggle-life%e2%80%99s-roles/feed/ http://www.yogictrance.com/2009/10/25/juggle-life%e2%80%99s-roles/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/YogicTrance/~3/ywG0Dcd2DbM/ http://www.yogictrance.com/2009/10/19/the-secret-to-calm-10-minute-stress-buster/#comments Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:20:16 +0000 admin http://www.yogictrance.com/?p=611

Why is yoga such an effective stress buster? It’s all in the breathing. “Long, slow exhalations can quiet the sympathetic nervous system, which is part of the flight-or-fight system, and activate the parasympathetic one, an important part of the body’s relaxation response,” say yoga experts.

10-minute stress buster

No time for a full workout? That’s just when you need it most. This mini routine will help you recharge and unwind — without having to slip into workout clothes.

Head-to-knee pose

Targets lower back and legs. Sit on floor with the right leg extended in front of you, foot flexed, left leg bent so that the sole of the foot gently presses into the right thigh; arms at sides, palms down. Inhale, lift chest, and lengthen torso. Exhale, twist torso slightly to right, and fold forward over leg. Hold and breathe for about one-and-a-half minutes. Inhale and sit back up. Repeat on the other side.

Cobbler’s pose

Targets abs, lower back, legs. Sit with soles of feet together, hands on floor behind hips. Inhale and lift chest without arching back. Take 10 breaths, then relax, hugging knees to chest. Do four times.

Child’s pose

Targets back, shins, tops of feet. Begin on all fours, then sit back on heels. Lower forehead to floor, bringing hands next to feet, palms facing ceiling. Rest for 10 breaths.

Corpse Pose

Targets entire body. Lie face-up, legs extended, arms at sides, palms up. Breathe deeply as you focus on and relax one body part at a time from your legs to your head. (If thoughts come to mind, acknowledge them, then let them drift away.) Relax in this pose for at least three to five minutes.

Active cat

Firms arms, chest, back, abs, butt, legs. Kneel on all fours with arms straight, wrists beneath shoulders, and knees aligned under hips. Inhale and extend right leg behind you, parallel to floor. Exhale, bend elbows, keeping close to body, and draw torso forward, lowering upper body toward floor. Inhale, and in one motion with abs tight, press torso back, rounding spine while bringing right knee to chest. Repeat six more times; switch sides.

Extended side-angle

Stretches and firms shoulders, chest, back, abs, butt, legs. Stand with feet about three-and-half feet apart, right foot pointing out, left one turned in slightly. Inhale and lift arms out to sides at shoulder level. On an exhale, bend right knee 90 degrees and hinge to right from hips, extending torso over right thigh. Inhale and place right hand on floor behind right foot, extend left arm overhead, palm facing down. Look toward left hand; hold for five breaths. Inhale and return to centre, straightening right leg. Repeat on opposite side, without standing back up.

Yogic bicycles

Firms arms, chest, back, abs, butt, legs. Lie face-up on floor with hands behind head, knees bent 90 degrees, and head and shoulders off floor. Exhale, twist right shoulder toward left knee, and extend right leg (be careful not to pull on neck). Inhale and return to start; repeat to left for 1 repetition. Do 10 times.

It’s time to get rid of salted potato chips from your shelves and replace them with healthier nuts that will help you overcome hunger pangs and attain a healthy lifestyle.

For years it was said that nuts contain fat and lead to body heat and so they should be avoided, especially during summer.

“There are so many myths associated with nuts that are not at all true. First of all, eating a handful of nuts every day doesn’t mean that you will become fat. Nuts have mono-saturated fat that are good for your body. They also help you lose weight,” nutrition expert Geetu Amarnani told.

“The other myth associated with nuts is that they generate body heat if eaten during summer. This is not true. Excess of everything is bad and the same goes with nuts. You don’t have to eat them in plenty. A handful is more than enough,” she added.

Also, one has to choose from a wide variety of nuts from almonds to pistachios, from cashew nuts to walnuts and from hazelnuts to pine nuts.

Fitness expert Aamit from FX Zone Noida says that nuts help in losing weight if you start replacing junk food with them.

“We all have this tendency to eat junk food whenever we get hunger pangs. We eat chips, noodles, biscuits or namkeens and they are not at all filling. You will feel filled for some time but in another one hour you will again feel hungry,” said Aamit.

“The best way is to keep a fruit or sprout handy. But that also might not give you a feeling of fullness. So when your hunger pang is at its peak, you should opt for a handful of nuts. They will keep you full for a long time.”

At the same time Aamit warns that one should avoid eating nuts at night.

“As a universal rule, one should eat dinner early and then if you get hunger pangs then one should avoid approaching nuts because they take time to digest and if there is no such activity then they can result in weight gain,” explained Aamit.

Nuts are also excellent sources of antioxidants, fibre and protein. They contain vitamins and minerals like magnesium, copper, folic acid and zinc that help protect against heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke, and may also prevent certain forms of cancer.

Given this, nuts should be a convenient choice for between-meal nibbing but one should not replace a full meal with it.

“One should never replace lunch or dinner with nuts. It is a healthy snack and fits perfectly in a balanced diet but meal replacement is a big no,” explained Amarnani.

Fitness experts and nutritionists are not the only ones who understand the benefits of nuts. Bollywood actress Karisma Kapoor too admits that the secret behind her healthy body is a handful of nuts.

“Nuts have always been a part of my daily life as they are a gift from nature and are good for health. What is exciting is that nuts are not just healthy snacks, they can be enjoyed in many different ways in different cuisines,” said Kapoor.

“I have always been particular about making informed food choices defining good health as it creates a feeling of well being that enables a person to truly enjoy a good life,” she added.

Courtsey : samaylive.com

Encountering sadness in one way or the other, every individual, today, has developed familiarity with it. Sometimes, we succeed in overcoming it, and sometimes, we get gripped in its tentacles. At certain times, it even haunts us, assuming the terrible form of serious depression. Quite ignorant of its severity, we keep on bearing it until we eventually find ourselves afflicted by some ailment. It is then only that we start our irresistible stampede to doctors and hospitals. Sadness, being the root cause of many physical ailments, needs to be nipped in the bud. Moreover, the management of sadness demands special attention because unmanaged sadness leads to clinical depression. Disorders such as depression are spreading like wildfire nowadays.

In addition, the substance abuse as a remedy is menacingly prevalent today. Not only this, the disease of sadness has even reached its critical level, as is vivid from the fact that most of the depression-ridden people often commit suicide. Thus, sadness can prove fatal, creating an environment of grief and remorse.

Mostly people leave it unnoticed and, hence, untreated, considering it to be a common cold of the mind. At certain moments, especially during the winter, when we suffer from the common cold, we don’t usually rush to the clinics or get hospitalised. Likewise, misconceiving sadness as the common cold of mind, people, ignorant of its life-consuming consequences, prefer enduring it silently instead of working it out. An un-nursed sadness or dejection, then, manifests as melancholy, disappointment, self-criticism, guilt, boredom, tiredness or restlessness, lack of interest, and many such feelings. Thus, assuming various forms, it devitalizes us, making us gloomy. All these factors demand the raising of an immediate call for the management of sadness.

Its management, however, requires a deep analysis of its causes. There are various prevalent theories explaining the causes of sadness. Generally, it is said that people become victims of sadness when they fail in their pursuit for achieving happiness. Some say that sadness is the negative end of the mood scale whose positive end is happiness. Some claim that melancholy crops out of the psychological disorders, while others propose that it is the outcome of the malfunctioned brain chemistry, and still others consider the physiological dysfunction responsible for such pitiable state of dejection and despondency. Combinedly, it can be defined as a neuro-physiological state in which psychological factors play a vital role.

Psychological science has verified and established that people tend to be more decisive, dexterous, healthy, optimistic, creative, motivated, social, trusting, loving, and caring when they are happy as compared to when they are in low spirits. Therefore, the mental state determines our behaviour too.

So, is it that we can take charge of our mental state and, hence, our behaviour? Can we glide into the most dynamic, resourceful state at will - an energetic state with our mind alive in which we can be sure of success? For that, we will have to reflect upon the whole biology of the brain. The functions of the brain are performed by the parts of the limbic system capable of detecting the impulses of happiness and sadness. Each of our mental states, happy or sad, involves biological changes in our brain. Further, the type of biological variation in a specific state itself depends on the severity of the state. For instance, depending upon the depression levels of melancholic individuals, there is a variation in the features. In some, there is a decreased activity of a specific neurotransmitter, a molecule carrying a signal between nerve cells, while in others, there is an over-activity of a hormonal system. Thus, depression, otherwise erupting out of non-conduciveness, can be considered as an outcome of an elevated or the reduced levels of selected molecules in the blood.

Geneticists have succeeded in even providing some of the oldest proofs of biological components involved in sadness or the state of dejection. The involvement of biological or genetic components is clarified by the fact that manic depression frequently runs in families, as is vivid from the prevalence of depressive disorders among blood relatives, children, siblings, etc. of patients with severe depression or other mental disorders.

In addition, there are other investigators who are concentrating on neuro-chemical aspects. Much of their work is focused on neurotransmitters. According to them, in many cases, depression is the outcome of disturbances in brain circuits that convey signals through certain neuro-transmitters of the monoamine class. These neuro-transmitters are the biochemicals, all derivatives of amino acids. Monoamines first drew the attention of depression-researchers in the 1950s. Early in that decade, physicians discovered that severe sadness arose in about 15% of patients who were treated for hypertension with the drug Reserpine; for, this agent depletes monoamines. At the same time, physicists discovered that an agent prescribed against tuberculosis elevated mood and spirit in the patients suffering from depression along with tuberculosis. Later on, the experiments revealed that the drug, in fact, inhibited the neuronal breakdown of monoamines by an enzyme, monoamine oxidase. It was then presumed that the agent eased depression by allowing monoamines to avoid degradation and remain active in brain circuits. This insight then led to the declaration and prevalence of monoamine oxidase inhibitor as the first class of antidepressants.

However, the major point of concern is which monoamines are most important in regard to depression. In the 1960s, according to the Catecholamine Hypothesis of mood disorders, norepinephrine was identified as the feel good chemical. It was proposed that depression is the outcome of the deficiency of norepinephrine, also classified as catecholamine, in certain brain circuits. In addition, it was proposed that the overabundance of the same causes mania and, therefore, is again fatal. The proposed relationship between norepinephrine-depletion and depression gained much experimental support; nevertheless, subsequently, it was researched that it does not happen in everyone’s case. The imbalance in norepinephrine is the cause of depression in just a few and not all.

Then in 1990, research was conducted on serotonin. These investigations were based on the therapeutic success of the drug Prozac and related antidepressants capable of manipulating serotonin levels. Findings revealed that defects in serotonin-using circuits dampen norepinephrine signalling, for serotonin-producing neurons project from the raphe nuclei in the brain stem to the diverse regions of the CNS (Central Nervous System), including those regions that secrete or control the release of norepinephrine. Thus, serotonin-depletion might contribute to depression by affecting the neurons releasing other kinds of neurotransmitters. Moreover, serotonin-producing cells enter into many brain regions thought to participate in depressive symptoms; e.g., the amygdala - the area involved in emotions, the hypothalamus - the area involved in appetite, sleep, etc., and the cortical areas that participate in cognition and other higher processes.

Thus, in short, it is the disturbed functioning of the brain circuit that leads to sadness. Our brain is a neurobiological system with the vital role played by the neurotransmitters. There are three chemicals in the brain that act as messengers of brain signals - serotonin, noradrenalin, and dopamine. Serotonin is responsible for making sure that our body’s physiology is set for sleeping; noradrenalin sets our energy levels. Without enough noradrenalin, we feel exhausted and unmotivated. Dopamine propagates and runs the body’s pleasure centre, allowing us to enjoy life. When stress interferes with our dopamine functioning, the pleasure centre becomes inoperative and the normal pleasure-filled activities no longer impart any pleasure or joy.

All these harmful effects and consequences prompt us to look for some solution out of this fatigue. Is there any clinical treatment available for this gloominess? The prevalent systems of medicine are helpless and poorly organised in this regard. In one way or the other, it is our negative thought pattern that is responsible for inflicting melancholy. As per our thought pattern, there are changes in our brain pattern, and it is our brain pattern that determines the type of biochemical reactions taking place in our body. Sadness, being the outcome of the malfunctioned biochemical reactions, is thus indirectly related to our thought pattern. However, our modern medicines fail to infuse the positivity required to overcome melancholy at our thought level.

There has been no such medicine that can alter our thinking strategy. That’s why emphasis has been made to anchor ourselves to spirituality, which can provide a comprehensive toolkit for mastering our mind and, hence, controlling our brain activity. By learning the strategy for mind control, this crippling neurophysiological state called sadness can be altered easily. There are certain neurobiological states that can empower us and the others that can leave us limp. These states can be easily managed like other health problems. One simply needs to change the internal representation from the negative to the positive one, producing more healthy results. Our medical world considers pain as a signal to heal something in the body. Unless you dress a particular wound, the pain will not be relieved. Likewise, sadness, melancholy, or dejection is a correction business. Do not mask it and escape from it; instead, try to find its cause, and heal it right from the root.

The healing strategy for overcoming sadness involves the prime step of getting rid of negative thoughts and tendencies, which demands for an effective strategy that can exercise an alchemical effect on our thought patterns. And this strategy can be none other than the meditation based upon the Light of the Soul. It is only this protocol that exercises a transforming effect on our thoughts by re-channelling them towards Pure Consciousness, the embodiment of positivity, morality, and divinity. However, for the implementation of this strategy in our life pattern, first of all, we need to achieve True Knowledge - Brahm Gyan, by the grace of a Perfect Spiritual Preceptor.

http://divyajyothi.org

]]> http://www.yogictrance.com/2009/06/29/how-to-counter-sadness/feed/ http://www.yogictrance.com/2009/06/29/how-to-counter-sadness/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/YogicTrance/~3/jv5U9lTe2tc/ http://www.yogictrance.com/2009/06/21/you-can-see-god-in-this-life/#comments Mon, 22 Jun 2009 06:38:02 +0000 admin http://www.yogictrance.com/?p=584

I have seen God and I converse with God. You can also see God and converse with him. These were the statements of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. Some his disciples used to trouble him frequenty to show them the God. He facilitated their visualization of God.

All those people, who depend on external situations to be happy, will never know true joy in their lives. No matter what kind of a person you are, how powerful you are, even if you are a super human, you don’t have absolute control over the external situation. Even if there are two people in the family, they don’t have total control over the situation. You can manage the external situation only to a certain extent. But your interiority can be taken into absolute control. Now whatever we understand as peace, whatever we understand or experience as happiness or love in our lives, there is a certain inner basis to this. 
One simple way to understand this is; today if you lose your mental peace totally, you go to a doctor. He will give you a pill. If you take this pill, your system will become peaceful. May be just for a few hours, but it does become peaceful. This pill means a little bit ofchemicals. These chemicals enter your system and make you peaceful. Or in other words, what you call as peace is a certain kind of chemistry within you. Similarly, what you call joy, what you call love, what you call suffering, what you call misery, what you call fear - every human experience that you go through has a chemical basis within you. Now the spiritual process is just to create the right kind of chemistry when you are naturally peaceful, naturally joyous. 

When you don’t have to do anything to be happy; by your own nature, if you are happy, then the very dimension of your life, the very way you perceive and express yourself in the world is very different. 

Now you are no more a vested interest because, whether you do something or you don’t do something, whether you get something or you don’t get something, whether something happens or doesn’t happen, you are anyway joyous by your nature. Your actions will rise to a completely different level. When you are seeking happiness through your action, you are always enslaved to the external situation. As long as you are enslaved to the external situation, you will always be in some level of suffering because outside situation is never going to be 100% in your control. Your own family, children, businesses, whatever you have are never under your total control, always. It is in control only to a certain extent. Rest of it is always fluid, anything can happen. 

So yoga is a science of establishing your interiority in such a way that you are naturally peaceful and joyous by your own nature, not seeking it from external situations.

Source : http://www.minddisorders.com/

A person’s food intake affects mood, behavior, and brain function. A hungry person may feel irritable and restless, whereas a person who has just eaten a meal may feel calm and satisfied. A sleepy person may feel more productive after a cup of coffee and a light snack. A person who has consistently eaten less food or energy than needed over a long period of time may be apathetic and moody.

The human brain has high energy and nutrient needs. Changes in energy or nutrient intake can alter both brain chemistry and the functioning of nerves in the brain. Intake of energy and several different nutrients affect levels of chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters transmit nerve impulses from one nerve cell to another, and they influence mood, sleep patterns, and thinking. Deficiencies or excesses of certain vitamins or minerals can damage nerves in the brain, causing changes in memory, limiting problem-solving ability, and impairing brain function.

Several nutritional factors can influence mental health, including: overall energy intake, intake of the energy-containing nutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, and fats), alcohol intake, and intake of vitamins and minerals. Often deficiencies of multiple nutrients rather than a single nutrient are responsible for changes in brain functioning.

In the United States and other developed countries, alcoholism is often responsible for nutritional deficiencies that affect mental functioning. Diseases can also cause nutritional deficiencies by affecting absorption of nutrients into the body or increasing nutritional requirements. Poverty, ignorance, and fad diets also contribute to nutritional deficiencies.

Zen is an art that is most generally associated with spiritual exercises. However, Zen concentration can be used for anything from relaxation to washing the dishes. A sense of well-being is cultivated and enhanced through this technique. This is especially helpful when you’re engaged in an unpleasant task.

1. RELAX

The best way to introduce yourself to Zen concentration is by applying it to meditation and relaxation. In this way you associate well-being with the technique. When you therefore apply it to tasks you do not especially like, the sense of well-being is stimulated by the association with the initial relaxing exercise.

Begin by lying down. Zen is different from other meditation methods, because it is absolutely okay if you fall asleep. So the best part of the day to do this would be before going to bed. However, do not be so tired that you do not have time to at least begin the exercise. Apply the technique to relaxation for about a week before moving on to other activities.

When you are lying down comfortably, concentrate on your senses. Begin with the sense of touch. Feel your skin. Feel any breeze, whether it’s hot or cold, the pressure of your clothing, the bed, etc. on your body. Close your eyes.

Move to your hearing. Concentrate on everything you can hear. The birds, the wind, your family, your own breathing. Finally concentrate on your sense of smell. For this it might be a good idea to open a window. If it’s cold, or if all else fails, light some mild incense and smell that. It is important that the smell should be pleasant.

Concentrating on your senses brings you into contact with your environment and your body. You should feel fairly relaxed by now. For the second part of the exercise you can begin either at your toes or the top of your head, whichever works best for you. Alternatively you could begin with whichever body part is most tense.

Mentally zoom in on the selected body part. Feel every part of it. Just think about it. Do not try to make it relax; this will make you more tense than you already are. Just gently focus on your body and gradually you’ll get a sense of it relaxing. You might even experience a tingling sensation in the part you are concentrating on.

Do the above with your whole body until you are completely relaxed. If you haven’t fallen asleep, you could slowly rise and return to your routine if you are so inclined. Otherwise (my favorite) keep lying down and read a book until you fall asleep. When you wake up you should be energetic and ready for the day.

When you feel that the relaxation and pleasant association with Zen is established in your mind, you are ready to move on to the more unpleasant aspect of life.

2. WASHING THE DISHES

Consider for example your household chores. What do you hate most? Ironing? Dusting? For me it’s the dishes.

Focus your mind. While you do your most loathed chore, again concentrate on physical sensation. Feel the warmth of the dishwater on your hands. Try to distinguish smells, sound, or sense of touch and texture. Focus on one sensation at a time. When I’m ironing, I find the sound of steam boiling from the iron especially pleasing. Focus on those sensations you find most pleasant.

In this way, nasty chores will amazingly enough become more enjoyable and meaningful. With time you might even come to look forward to doing them. Another nice and for me entirely unexpected side effect is that you do the job much better than you normally would.

3. FOOD

Speaking of dishes, do you remember what you had for dinner yesterday? Do you remember the taste, aroma and texture? Or did you rush through your meal because you had to be somewhere or you had a great deal on your mind? For 21st century man the last is probably true. This is not good for your health or your weight. If you rush through your meals you tend to eat more and derive less pleasure from it than might otherwise be the case.

Slow down when you eat. It will make no more than five minutes’ difference anyway. When eating, concentrate on the taste and texture of what you put inside you. Using the Zen method, visualize and experience the sensation of it entering your body and fusing with your system. Concentrate on the energy and health that it gives you. Smell the food and see it, feel the utensils in your hands. Become entirely involved in the eating process with both body and mind.

Stop eating when you feel you have had just enough; not too much. Eat again only when you feel hungry and continue applying the Zen method. Get to know your body and its needs.

4. WATER

Water is even more essential to life than food. Yet people tend to overlook its importance. What do you drink in a day? Chances are that for most of us, fluid intake constitutes coffee, tea, alcohol and soft drinks. We drink much less than the required six to eight glasses of water a day. Drinking a lot of water helps to keep your weight down and your health up. Combining water drinking with Zen enhances its benefit.

Drinking water in its unadulterated form is both refreshing and energizing. When you feel tired or hot, leave the soft drinks and beer in the fridge. Open the tap. Put your hand under it until the water is at its coldest. Concentrate on the physical sensation of it. Fill a glass and drink the water. As with the eating exercise, feel the path of the water into your body. Feel it refreshing you and blessing your cells with its health. Both your body and mind will be energized.

Apart from the above, water can also be beneficial in preventing harm. Hangovers and the headaches associated with them is the result of dehydration. Therefore, if you are going to a party, and you know you tend to drink yourself into a hangover, have at least two glasses of water before going. At the party itself, try to drink one glass of water per one measure of alcohol. Use Zen concentration when you drink it. Concentrate on how the water protects your whole body from the harmful effects of alcohol. Feel the protection and health benefits of the water. Visualize it driving out the toxins you absorbed from the alcohol. This will also help you to drink less than you normally would.

5. BODY AND MIND

When applied to physical exercise (perhaps not the most pleasant of activities, but at least better than doing the dishes), Zen can also be beneficial. Be aware of your body while you exercise. Focus on your muscles and how they contract and relax. Focus on one muscle group at a time. Also concentrate on contracting and relaxing the muscle consciously as you exercise it. In this way not only your body is involved; your mind also contributes greatly to sculpting the perfect you.

In activities involving the mind alone, such as studying, reading or any other mental activity, your enjoyment is increased using Zen. Before sitting down to a mental activity, breathe deeply a few times. Then begin with the physical senses. Concentrate on seeing the exact shade of the text, or whatever you are studying. Look at the texture of the material. Feel it with your fingers. Become aware of the scent emanating from the pages. Then concentrate on the words and ideas entering your head. You can almost feel them. Feel your mind processing what you are studying. This will both benefit and improve studying, or any mental activity that you indulge in.

6. ZEN IN EVERYTHING

Applying Zen to physical and mental activity can help you become a fit and healthy individual. No longer will it be necessary to spend an already limited budget on health gadgets or doctors.

Zen concentration will enhance your sense of enjoyment in whatever it is you’re doing. If it’s something you love, such as stroking a cat, listening to music, or playing in the pool, well-being is enhanced. If it is something you hate - washing the car, cleaning, cooking - a feeling of joy and pride in your job is cultivated.

Your sense of life and enjoyment in both work and play will be magnified to astonishing degrees. The Zen principle of concentration is not only fabulous for enhancing enjoyment. It will do wonders for your physical health as well. So apply Zen to every aspect of your life and reap multiple benefits.

Ardha Kurmasana is also known as Half Tortoise Yoga Asana. Due to its resemblance to a tortoise it is known as the tortoise pose. This yoga asana can prove to be very beneficial to your body in every possible way. By performing this asana regularly and properly our bodies can be rejuvenated. The organs get stretched to its maximum with every movement of this asana.

The shoulder movement gets improved and so does the muscles in the corresponding areas. The abdominal muscles gets toned and become more flexible. The asana stretches the lower part of the lungs which is good for your breathing. It also increases the lung capacity which proves to be crucial if you have breathing problems like asthma. The pressure put on your neck and head improves migraine problems. It can be stated as a stress buster due to its stress relieving capacity.

Stomach related problems are solved too. If you suffer from indigestion or constipation this asana helps to improve it greatly. The digestive system is up and running with the help of the asana. Fresh supply of blood is provided to each and every organ for a smooth flowing bodily system. It relaxes the brain by the fresh supply of blood. Many of your sleeping problems are addressed by performing this asana. It is a good cure for insomnia.

Backache problems can termed as a thing of past. Ardha Kurmasana stretches the spine which relieves you from any backache or spine problems. Due to the level of blood circulation, your heart remains fit and fine. The bending and stretching increases the level of flexibility of your arms and hips. Toning gives great shape to your body which keeps you positive and healthy.

The internal organs are massaged very well to bring the extra zest needed for your body. It serves as a great remedy for anemic as well as diabetic patients. The pressure on the thigh and legs makes it strong and sturdy. It also tones the thigh muscles due to the position in which the asana is done. The spine is elongated by the stretch provided during the asana. It is a benefit in disguise, as it cures many ailments.

The internal organs are massaged very well to bring the extra zest needed for your body. It serves as a great remedy for anemic as well as diabetic patients. The pressure on the thigh and legs makes it strong and sturdy. It also tones the thigh muscles due to the position in which the asana is done. The spine is elongated by the stretch provided during the asana. It is a benefit in disguise, as it cures many ailments.