Showing posts with label Meditation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Meditation. Show all posts

Sunday, August 2, 2020

How KARATE Can Help With MEDITATION

Français : Méditation avant le cours de karaté...
Meditation before the karate class 
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)


Although the ancient origins of karate are somewhat unclear to us, The one thing I can tell you is that about 1400 years ago, while teaching at the Shaolin Temple in China, Daruma Daishi used techniques that were similar to karate. Later these techniques developed into forms of karate known as Shaolin Boxing.

You need a clear mind to use Karate and meditating is the best way to clear your mind when you are in a sport such as a karate. In 1955 one of Master Funakoshi's last direct pupils cam to the United States and was the first person to teach karate in this country. That same year he put together the Southern California Karate Association, which has grown over several years to now become a national non-profit organization. 

As I meditated I continued to learn more about karate. I learned in 1961, which happens to be my year of birth, Mr Caylor Adkins, One of Mr Ohshima's first black belts, began attending CSULB and soon formed the school's first karate club. In 1968 after being gone for a while he returned to CSULB along with a gentleman named Mr Don Depree. Mr Depree carried on the tradition and led the growing club until the year 1992, when he entrusted the leadership of the club to Mr Samir Abboud.

Still keeping my mind clear by meditating I learned that Mr Samir Abboud was a continuing student of Don Depree since the year of 1969. Samir was the CSUBL captain of the karate club and assistant instructor to Mr Don Depree for many years. Through meditation children and adults learn breathing techniques that help them concentrate on karate. When first starting karate you will want to start with the beginner's belt. The purpose of this level is orientation.





Students will be taught the general structure of the class, basic commands, the importance of self-defence and some basic combinations of self-defence moves. By concentration with meditation, the student will learn to be familiar with and to perform any of the moves on the curriculum sheet. The students also should be able to stand in a Chunbi position for 1minute without moving. Minimal proficiency will be required.

The practising time 5-10 minutes 3-4 times a week will be plenty for the beginners level. It will usually take 4-6 weeks to start your next belt. So whether you are a child or an adult learning karate for whatever reason, remember the key to karate is first using your breathing techniques and your meditation will help you to practice your breathing.

Meditation books are also very helpful if you are interested in learning more about meditation just go to your local library and check some of them out. Take time out to study meditation and you could be feeling much better real soon, which is something that most of us all want for ourselves. Good luck and remember that keeping a positive attitude can really make a difference in your stress levels. Please take time out for yourself for meditation. 



Saturday, January 12, 2019

ANGEL Guide and Healing MEDITATION

Weeping Angels
Weeping Angels 

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Angels are said to be part of every human's life. There have been many encounters with angels told in history, as many people claim. But a lot of individuals find that quite hard to believe especially if they lack spiritual awareness and faith. Did you know that today there are a great number of people who use angels as a guide to their healing meditation?

You've heard it right. There are many individuals who find using angels as an effective guide to meditation. You can find a lot of sites on the net that feature angel guide healing meditation. There are even books published about it. Now the question here is whether you do believe in angels because if you don’t, you will not succeed in achieving peace of mind nor be healed of your condition.

Angels love and protect people. For as long as anyone can remember, angels are widely recognized. Troubled souls can be enlightened and they can still follow the right path that would lead them to life's fullness. There are many individuals who believe that through angels, world peace is still achievable.

If you're experiencing spiritual difficulties, traumas, and stress, then it's probably time that you seek healing meditation through angel guides. Angel guides are also people who were given a special gift to acting as a spiritual channel; they can communicate with angels and they can greatly help people (with faith) to cope up with all their problems.

Most angel guides are willing to help other people regardless of race and religion. They believe that God created all men equal, and through the angels, they can bring people to love one another.

One of the major reasons why many people are now into meditation is because of health problems. More and more individuals are aware of their body and mind connection and that may be the reason why they practice meditation. There are even doctors that recommend meditation for stress-related depression and illnesses. Meditation is now accepted, scientifically speaking. Since there are many types of meditation, you should choose one that you think you can practice easily in your life.

Through an angel guide meditation, you can awaken your spiritual levels through your own experience and not how you've been taught or read. Meditation can help a person discover himself and his potentials. So don’t miss your chance of being healed through an angel guide.

Have you heard about the so-called touched by an angel? There are stories of people who were healed because of an angel. Miracles are indeed hard to believe but for people who are desperate to get answers and to be healed, they would likely believe in any miracle that might come their way. If you want to take your chances, do it with an angel guide. You have nothing to lose, and only everything to gain. Perhaps you will get well after such healing. There's no harm in trying, and just make sure that you trust only the experts.



You can ask your friends and family members if they know an angel guide. Or if you want, you can purchase a book that's all about angel guide healing. Remember, with faith in God you can overcome a lot of problems in your life.


Wednesday, December 19, 2018

WALKING MEDITATION as a Modern Way to a Healthier Life

Meditation walk
Photo   by magical-world 
Meditation has always been associated with solitude, tranquility, and physical inactivity. When one talks of meditation, you may usually come up with a scenario in which a person finds a secluded area, closes his eyes in silence, and rests his body while working his mind out. Does meditation always have to be like this?

Meditation is an art. A method. A skill. A process. It is the art of keeping in touch with yourself, of discovering your entirety and the many facets of your being. It is also a skill that must be developed. It requires discipline and the right mindset. You cannot simply think that you will meditate and expect to achieve a result right after. This requires the tuning of one's consciousness. Meditation typically involves a set of procedures and guidelines to be followed. Typically, the success of the activity will depend on the adherence to the given principles and rules.

One interesting form of meditation that deviates from the old and traditional concept is walking meditation. Walking meditation is a lot different from other forms of meditation known to many. For one, you will not have to be physically inactive just to do it. In fact, you need to move and be active – you need to walk! You have to actively engage your mind and your body in this activity in order to experience a holistic positive result. This brings another benefit. Since walking is a daily activity, you can actually grow by meditation every day!

You also will not have to find a secluded place just so you can meditate. Anywhere will do. Actually, a noisy and crowded place is even encouraged. Here is where the challenge lies. Concentration is important and awareness must be focused. You must not allow the outer world to bind your mind into it – by the things that you see, hear, or whatever you perceive. You may be aware of them, but you must guard not to do anything about them. Do not cling to anything.

The guiding principle behind walking meditation is achieving a balanced awareness, equilibrium, between your inner self and the outer world surrounding you. This meditation will invite you to feel your entire body, all the workings of the parts that make you up, being aware of how each of your body parts operates. While doing this, you also have to notice your emotion and your mood. These are all done while you walk. The outside world need not be lost in your focus. There will always be stuff that will catch your attention as you meditate, and you are not to resist. You are not to hang on to these, though. You have to let them pass by, observing them without doing anything at all.

This is the real sense of awareness. The ideal result of walking meditation is the person's consciousness of the outside world while being completely aware of his inner self. When this is achieved, many of the puzzles and complexities of life will become clearer and simpler. By bridging the gap between what is within and what is out of yourself, you can take full control of your life and enjoy a healthier and a more satisfied lifestyle.



Thursday, November 22, 2018

Transcendental MEDITATION

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (2007)
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (2007) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
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 1960s 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?



Saturday, October 20, 2018

The Power Of BINAURAL BEATS And Holosync Can Change Your Life

English: Binaural Beats and Interaural Time Di...
Binaural Beats and Interaural Time Differences Blue and red graph: Ear signals at binaural beat experiments (example) Green graph: Interaural time delay (ITD), resulting from these ear signals
(Photo credit: 
Wikipedia)

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 effect that Holosync promises to produce is the elimination of past negative programmings 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 changing brainwave patterns. Such reactions in the body's chemistry usually result 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 them a lifetime commitment to learning transcendental meditation. Practitioners of such deep meditative practices devote many hours every day 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 ageing 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 every day!

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 brainchildren 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 every day 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.


Friday, September 21, 2018

BINAURAL BEATS

digital-drugs-binaural-beat
Photo  by digitalbob8 
Optimizing your brain with just your set of headphones!

Binaural beats are unique sounds recorded in such a way that they re-adjust the brainwave frequencies of the listener automatically. Through a technological technique that has been named brain entrainment, binaural beats can change the mental and physical state of anyone who listens. 

Analysis has shown that some brainwaves, like intense relaxation, are ideal for learning and retaining new information while delta brainwave states promote relaxed healthy sleep. Until the adaptation of binaural beats tapes, CDs and MP3s, the only technique to create deliberate changes in your brainwave patterns was with deep meditation. For thousands of years, this type of meditation has only been possible for practitioners of meditation with over 20 years experience, such as Zen Buddhist Monks.

However, by using binaural beats it is now possible for every person to enter this kind of meditative states within minutes only by using good headphones and a specifically recorded pre-made binaural beats recording.

Although the science consists of brain entrainment is a bit complex to explore the basic premise is easy to comprehend. Binaural beats were discovered by Heinrich Wilhelm Dove when he was an Associate Professor at the University in Berlin. Prof Dove discovered that when 2 similar sounds, that differ only slightly in frequency, are presented separately to the left and right ear (Binaural) they will cause a pulsation or beat type effect to occur in the brain.

It was in the late '70s when Scientific American published the research paper by Dr. Gerald Oster called "Auditory Beats in the Brain". This paper showed how Dr. Oster took Prof. Dove's discovery and through research found that by utilizing these binaural beats he could direct the brain processes of the listener to match the internal beat created by the binaural beats. When this occurred the brainwaves of the listener began to resonate with the same frequency as the binaural beats. Thus Oster found that through this technology he was able to change the brainwave frequencies of the listener and bring about deliberate mental states.

To the normal person, this would just be another scientific discovery that has nothing to do with real life and our everyday routines were it not for the fact that everything you do in life has a corresponding brainwave pattern. Most times the effects you wish to create are affected correspond to the state your brainwaves are in at that moment. The things you do have a dominant frequency associated with each and every one. When you are in a state of deep relaxation when asleep your brain has a specific frequency associated with it with specific patterns such as Theta waves. When you a physical state where you are alert and intensely concentrating your brain is engaged in Beta or even Gamma frequency patterns. When you enter a state of focused relaxation like enjoying TV, imagining or while under the influence of hypnosis, you are in the Alpha state. This is also the state experienced with most forms of meditation. However men and women with a year of meditative experience, like Zen Buddhist Monks, can enter Theta and Delta states while staying extremely aware. These states would normally take an entire life to achieve by practicing meditation, can be prompted within minutes using binaural beats.



"This all sounds great", you may say but how does it affect me? It is possible to induce meditative states at will using binaural beats? Is this relevant to you and me? In order to answer that question, it is best to look at the benefits of meditation.
Some of the benefits of meditation include:

1. Deep relaxation.
2. More profound more restful and energizing sleep.
3. Higher levels of creativity.
4. A slower aging rate.
5. Releasing of past negative emotional turmoil.
6. Relief from Stress.
7. Heightened physical energy.
8. Heightened focus and concentration.
9. Better retention of learned information.
10. Faster recovery times after surgery.

This list is a small sample of the benefits of meditation and this list is certainly not extensive. 

It is evident then that the benefits of having a technology that can induce desired brain states that correspond to beneficial changes in mind and body is very advantageous. We are very blessed to live in a time where we have access to different forms of this technology from Holosync and Brain Entrainment, designed for major self-improvement, to individual Binaural Beats recordings designed to create definite states in mind and body.

The experiments conducted in binaural beats and its effects shows that this technology produces results and can be used very successfully by any person. I have listed some resources that I have found for your interest.



Wednesday, August 22, 2018

INSOMNIA: Causes and Cures

Insomnia smiley
Insomnia smiley (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
If you've been counting sheep till the wee hours of the morning quite regularly, you're a victim of insomnia. This condition can not only make you dread the night but also disturb your normal flow of life. And it’s common enough to afflict around 3.5 million people in the US alone! 

What causes Insomnia?
There are some known causes of insomnia, like chronic pain, restless legs syndrome, nocturnal disturbances, too much coffee, and the like. But, today, mental stress is one of the main culprits for this problem. Worries and tensions keep the mind engaged at night, keeping you wide awake. If you're stressed only for a few times, you can cope with sleeplessness. But, if you're a chronic worrier, chances are you're an insomniac too. 

How it can be cured? 
Of course, there are sleeping pills to put you to sleep. But, you know how harmful they can be if taken in excess. These over-the-counter pills do more harm than good, because of their terrible side effects. However, certain alternative therapies and exercises have proven effective against sleep disorders caused by stress, depression or other psychological factors. 

A non-drug therapy, showing promising results, is called cognitive behavioral therapy. The therapy basically trains the patients to calm their mind and regulate their thought patterns for a sound sleep. 

There are many breathing and relaxation techniques too that can promote relaxation and relieve stress. These techniques teach you how to breathe deeper and slower to become more relaxed and sedated. 

However, the cure making waves is a product called the All Natural Sleep Patch Rest Quiet™. This new approach to getting a peaceful night's sleep is really a godsend for insomniacs. Read what one of the users has to say, “The sleep patches are nothing short of amazing. They are going to help millions who, especially after the age of 35, have trouble sleeping. I used one. I slept more deeply and soundly than I have for years. I could not be more enthusiastic about them.”


The method allows a natural organic material to interact with the human body to improve relaxation and well being. The good news is it’s non-invasive, that is, nothing enters the body. Its new organic nanotechnology structures allow energy transfer between you and the patches. It’s believed that Rest Quiet™ helps the body in balancing its own natural meridians by the application of the Rest Quiet™ Patch to specific acupuncture points. And the result is a quiet, restful sleep!

Conclusion
Insomnia affects millions of people around the world.  There are many causes and solutions but for those interested in natural organic solutions, Rest Quiet™ is safe, effective and without any side effects. You may also try natural ways but don’t forget to consult your physician before you opt for any such remedies.



Monday, August 20, 2018

Using HYPNOSIS To Get Mind Power

Mahasati Meditation Basic Rhythmic Movements
Mahasati Meditation Basic Rhythmic Movements
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The 12 steps to acquire mind-power is intended to build positive visuals, acquire mind power and help you achieve your dreams and desires that may be as varied as improving your personality, increasing your wealth, attracting love and making yourself attractive.

Follow these steps I have specifically found to help anyone who is new to Power of Creative Visualization.

Step One: Choose a quiet place, which is free from all distraction, interruption or disturbance. This may even be inside a bus or in your own room. The idea is to be able to concentrate in an environment that you find is suitable. The idea is to be able to concentrate in an environment that you find is suitable. The ideal time, however, I have found to be is, early in the morning or before going to bed. The ideal place, however, may be anywhere as long as you can concentrate.

Step Two: Feel comfortable. Wear loose clothes or else loosen your belt and tie.

Step Three: Be comfortable. Keep your spine straight. Loosen your hands. Relax! This eases your body tension and helps your blood circulate efficiently.

Step Four: Close your eyes. That way your physical world does not interrupt you and you can concentrate on your mental world. But avoid quenching your eyes. Close them gently. In fact, once you focus on your images, you may find your eyes closing naturally.

Step Five: Breath normally. Let your body roll with the rhythm of your breathing. Listen to that rhythm.

Step Six: Now begin the process of visualization. Create the key images of the subject you have chosen. Form the shape. Add color. Build the sound. Sense them! Focus on them. See them as sharply and clearly as you can with your mind's eye.

Step Seven: Put yourself in the images you have created. You must be inside the picture so as to let your subconscious mind know that the image you see that leads to your goal is actually meant for you, and not for anyone else.

Step Eight: Feel the image you have created. Now that you are inside the picture imagine yourself to be leading

the time you see. Feel the environment. Watch how different it feels to lead a life that you had desired. Bring your images alive.

Step Nine: Experience the images with all your emotions. See! Hear! Smell! Feel how it feels to have achieved your goals. Let the excitement and happiness of success flow through you. Let the thrill of success building in you. Feel your success.

Step Ten: Once you have experienced your images with emotion, let your mind go blank. If you hold on to your images for too long, the images might disappear due to overexposure. So, let go of it.

Step Eleven: Create a space in your mind to receive what you desire. Say to yourself that what you desire - like, "I deserve to be healthy", "I deserve to be rich and famous." By doing this, you not only let your subconscious mind support the picture, you literally achieve your success.

Step Twelve: Feel creative while creating the images. I have given you the basic guidelines in the following pages to create visuals that will help you achieve your goals. You may change them accordingly to suit your needs. The more the images meet your specific needs, the more effective they will be.

These then are the twelve important steps to mind-power. Remember, it is better to visualize 2-3 times a day for a shorter duration than to visualize for a long stretch during the day. Doing this, the quality of visuals remain fresh instead of becoming stale and plaid and draining all energy out of you.

Steps one to ten might take you anything between 5-10 minutes. It is better if you do not prolong it. Instead, repeat it at another time of the day.



When you release the image after this brief exercise, your mind will become free of the mind-power you had activated. But your subconscious mind keeps on supporting the image you had seen. This helps your goal and your dreams to be a reality.

The twelve steps to Mind power that I have explained above is the most powerful tool in this world. When you switch on your mind power and extend it to creative visualization for turning your dreams into reality - then, that is exactly what will happen. Your dreams will become reality.

Remember, with your mind, you can rule the world.




Wednesday, July 25, 2018

Learning TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (2007)
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (2007) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
It is not difficult to learn transcendental meditation. If you are looking to escape from the whirlwind of ringing cell phones, traffic snarls, and screaming kids, transcendental meditation can provide a peaceful getaway from the craziness of everyday life. 

In 1958, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi formally introduced his transcendental meditation technique. Since then, he has written several books, lectured and toured extensively all over the world and trained over 40,000 teachers. Transcendental meditation is now practiced in the workplace, at home, and in medical settings. In addition, doctors and health professionals are increasingly prescribing transcendental meditation as a means of combating anxiety disorders and stress. 

You may be wondering what is transcendental meditation and what makes it different from other forms of meditation? One of the most exciting elements of the transcendental meditation technique is that it so simple and easy to practice. With the right focus and dedication, you can learn transcendental meditation in a matter of moments. 

Basically, during the meditation session, your body enters a deep and peaceful state of relaxation, while maintaining alertness and clarity. First, the person chooses a word or image to focus on, perhaps a religious or cultural symbol that has special meaning. As the person replays this word or image over and over, the body descends into a deeper and deeper state of restfulness. The session can last anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour and should take place in a calm and relaxed setting, with minimal noise and distractions. 

No other meditation technique has been so extensively studied and researched. During transcendental meditation, the brain falls into a theta brain wave pattern (akin to sleep and deep relaxation), which then carries over to the state of wakefulness. Physical benefits include increased mental comprehension, focus, retention, and creativity. Another interesting benefit is the actual reversal of the aging process. In a study conducted by the International Journal of Neuroscience, the biological age of practitioners of transcendental meditation was, on average, twelve years younger than their chronological age. Transcendental meditation also has positive effects on age and stress-related conditions such as insomnia, high blood pressure, decreased visual acuity, hearing loss, and depressed cerebral blood flow. 


It is interesting to note that adherents from all religions choose to learn transcendental meditation. Although it has roots in Hinduism, the transcendental meditation technique can be applied to any cultural context. In fact, those who learn transcendental meditation are encouraged to adapt symbols that have meaning and depth for the individual. For example, a rabbi may choose to focus on a symbol or image rooted in Judaism to enhance the effectiveness of the session. In contrast, an agnostic may choose an image from nature such as a beautiful meadow or sunset to achieve relaxation. The beauty of transcendental meditation is its flexibility. 



Friday, June 22, 2018

MEDITATE to Unlock Your Hidden Potential – Part 2

"Gathering the Light" from the Taois...
"Gathering the Light" from the Taoist book The Secret of the Golden Flower, translated by C. G. Jung and Richard Wilhelm (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
You can be the creator of your own manifest destiny. Through daily meditation practice and focus on changing your life for the better. In fact, you have the ability to redefine yourself in any direction you desire. The power that you can cultivate is limited only by your own imagination.

As I have mentioned earlier, this will change the lives of people who you come into frequent contact with. Therefore, you must always be kind, trustworthy, and considerate of others. You should make a change in that direction at this very moment.

Why the sudden need for character improvement? It goes hand-in-hand with using power and influence wisely. Remember Lord Acton’s saying: “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." The power of your mind has the ability to alter reality. Therefore, this is a power that must be controlled.

How is this possible? Here is an example: If you had two identical twin boys, who haven’t eaten for two days, and you put an apple in front of them; what would they do?

Most likely, they would fight over it, and the winner would eat, most or, all of it. You and I know they should divide it equally, but each of them has really felt starvation, and that is a reality you and I do not feel at the moment. So we are not talking about imagination, but three legitimate points of view, that each becomes our own reality.

Meditation will allow your mind to see multiple points of view, without judgment. If you can see only one point of view, you haven’t meditated long enough. The best leaders, negotiators, and diplomats know that you have to understand the opposing viewpoint, to move forward, on any issue. There is always a justification, on both sides, in any conflict, but true compromise is meeting the opposition in a different reality than you both started from.

If you had the ability to travel in the space shuttle, your view of earth, from within your space vehicle, would be much different from the person living in poverty, within a refugee camp. You could not see, or feel that person’s pain, and each of you would have a vivid picture of life on earth.

You can meditate from a mountain top, but once you have seen the full picture, you have an obligation to help mankind, with acts of kindness. Once you have discovered how easy it is to help others, you are no longer struggling with; “who is right and who is wrong.”

Your new reality becomes, “how can I help?”



Thursday, June 21, 2018

MEDITATE to Unlock Your Hidden Potential – Part 1

Mahasati Meditation Basic Rhythmic Movements
Mahasati Meditation Basic Rhythmic Movements (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Meditation is often misunderstood by those who do not practice it. Very often, I hear meditation referred to as, “altered states of consciousness.” That sounds more like intoxicants, rather than bringing clarity to a cluttered mind.

Without going too deep into what meditation is, or is not, let’s focus on one of the many things a daily meditation practice can do for you.

Meditation is commonly seen in many Yoga classes, but it has been practiced by a variety of cultures, including Roman Catholic priests, as well as Japanese Samurai, who practiced a form of Zen meditation. I mention this so you can see the full spectrum of meditation and its many facets.

There are many varieties and types of meditation, but the easiest form to learn is, “breath awareness meditation.” Compared to many other meditation techniques, this will enable anyone to experience the benefits of meditation in much less time.

At this point, let’s consider that meditation and Yoga teachers often compare the mind to a monkey. Many thoughts are running through your brain, at the same time, and it is hard to control all of your impulses - let alone, sit still and meditate. So why go through all this trouble?

Meditation has many rewards, and we will now consider one of extreme value. Through daily practice of meditation, you will release the unlimited potential of your mind. The ability to change, or alter the universe, starts as a single thought within your mind.

One human decided to harness the power of fire, and did he/she foresee the global warming effect? How could he/she imagine where we are now? This is just one of many thousands of examples of Karma - the law of cause and effect. Therefore, one seemingly small change, of any kind, will have a ripple effect on the universe.

Some of the seeds to change the universe rests locked up in your mind, but you have the ability to shape the future by any small changes that you make.

Let’s say you have a friend, family member, or associate, who cares for you deeply, but, up to now, you have always taken it for granted. Can you imagine what would happen if you take the time to groom that relationship?

The answer is you would have a loyal ally and all you had to show was kindness or appreciation.

You have the ability to alter your own personality and affect the world around you. Hopefully, your personality will always continue to change for the better; if so, this will alter everyone around you for the best.




Saturday, May 26, 2018

Six Types Of MEDITATION

Meditation by William Bouguereau
Meditation by William Bouguereau (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
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 an 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 brainwave 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.




Sunday, April 29, 2018

Meditation Techniques That Anybody Can Use

English: MeditationMeditation (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Sometimes those of us “regular people” get intimidated by the idea of learning meditation techniques even if they will do us a lot of good.  For a lot of us, when we think of meditation techniques, we get an image of a white-haired guru sitting on top of a mountain, not of an ordinary run of the mill person like you and I.

But we know that meditation techniques can do even everyday people like us some good.  That is because people that you know who use meditation techniques tend to be calmer, more at ease, relaxed and able to handle stress better than those that don’t.  So it makes you think, maybe there is something to meditation techniques worth looking into.

The good news is that most of those meditation techniques that those “gurus” use are based on some very practical and easy things that we can do, without special equipment and even without a huge amount of special training to get the simple results that a lot of people work hard to achieve.  So what we all need are meditation techniques that anybody can use.

Meditation Technique #1 – It’s all in the breathing.

It may seem ridiculously easy but much of the fuss about meditation technique is all about breathing.  You may have already noticed that as you get more upset or excited or agitated, your breathing becomes shorter and you breathe faster.  When that happens, you get less oxygen to your blood, your heart beats faster and your mind, with less blood, gets upset more easily. 

So by slowing down your breathing, you can reverse the effect.  You take the outcome and make it the cause.  Instead of letting your breathing react to how you feel, you control your breathing to change how you feel.  It is as simple as taking a few moments and closing your eyes and concentrating on breathing ten or so deep breaths in and out. 

As you do so, think about those breaths and nothing else for a moment.  Think about the air going in and then going out again.  It is as though you are breathing on purpose.  The outcome of this meditation technique will be your heart will slow down, your blood will get more oxygen and before long, you are calmer and able to react to things much more serenely.  You have taken control of the situation.

Meditation Technique #2 – A moment of peace and quiet.

Life has a way of taking over and running us instead of us running it.  Work gets hectic, a family life full of joys and challenges and you have days where everything seems to go crazy all at once.  There is another simple meditation technique you can use to return control of the day to you.

The gurus who use the advanced meditation techniques know that they should have a place where they can retreat to enter into a more contemplative state of mind.  So too, you can start to look around your various environments and select a place where you can get a moment of peace and quiet to do your breathing and gather yourself to get control over the chaos that sometimes your day turns into.  While in that quiet place, don’t just reflect on how bad things are, slow your breathing, use your ability to reflect and calm yourself and slowly get back to that inner tranquility that will give you control.  One meditation technique that people use is to imagine a quiet lake inside their soul.  You want that lake to be still, the surface quiet, the air pure and cool, the environment serene and at rest.  Then when the world around you is going mad, your tranquil lake is never disturbed.

Meditation Technique #3 – Self Talk

You are what you think.  And how you talk to yourself when you are using your meditation techniques can bring you up and calm you if you know what to say.  Now don’t panic at the idea of talking to yourself.  Self-talk is a long established meditation technique that you too can use to get your composure in the midst of your busy world. 

Again, as we mentioned above, you have to let that self-talk be positive and reassuring.  Remember the good of your life and your feelings when you were in control.  There are other key meditation techniques that you can use that fall under the category of self-talk that can calm you and put you in a serene state of mind fairly quickly.  Remember a time when you had perfect control and try to become that person.  Have a common location that is always serene for you and go to that place in your mind for a moment and gather your thoughts there.  Reflect on the things in your life that give you power and self-worth.  Let those things talk to you.  Slowly this positive self-talk can do its magic and lift you back to a stable place and give you peace.



Now, this is not to say that formal meditation techniques are not of value.  They certainly are.  As you take advantage of these down to earth meditation techniques we have talked about here today, you will start to feel the benefits in how you sleep, how you react to stress and even in your health. 

If you enjoy those benefits, then you are on your way to a lifetime of meditation.  Then you can start to look into some more formalized meditation techniques that will take the simple steps and take you to the next level.  Who knows, maybe one of these days you will be that white-haired guru on the mountaintop.  I bet the view is great from up there.




Saturday, April 14, 2018

CHAKRAS And Flowers

English: Crown, Brow, Throat Chakras, Nepal 17...
Crown, Brow, Throat Chakras, Nepal 17th Century (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
How do you connect chakras, the energy centers of the body in the Eastern tradition, and flowers, pretty, ephemeral, bright, cheerful manifestations of nature?

…by way of color therapy.. yoga energy balancing techniques…meditation… and a simple way of making yourself feel better and reenergized even if you don’t really believe in any of the above.

There are seven main chakras (as well as several others) in a line from the base of the spine to the crown of the head and one more newly recognized chakra just above the head which I believe is important. Each one is associated with various areas of physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. When the energy flow in one becomes blocked it can result in certain symptoms and vice versa. By keeping the chakras open and the energy flowing, we can maximize our body’s ability to keep well and heal itself.

One way of stimulating energy flow is by a simple visualization. Each chakra has a color of the spectrum linked to it. Focus on that color and imagine that color light pouring into the chakra and saturating it with pure colored light, then visualize the chakra as a spinning disc of color. Take 2 or 3 deep breaths as you do so. You can also repeat a mantra or affirmation to intensify the positive energy you are creating. Work through each chakra (see below for a summary) in turn from Root to Crown to rebalance your whole energy level.

So what about the flowers? Whatever you use to visualize the color would work, paint swatches, colored stones or crystals, an image in your mind's eye, but beautiful photographs of flowers saturated in the pure color of each chakra can bring some extra flower energy into your life as well. 

Flowers raise the vibrational energy around them, which is why they have long been associated with celebrations, brought as presents to new mothers, sick people, loved ones. Weddings and funerals are lavish with them. We are rarely aware of the spiritual connection these days, we just know that flowers cheer people up and make them feel glad. So flower photos as visualization aids make sense and are beautiful to have around. www.aflowergallery.com has a whole section devoted to chakra flower photos.

There are books written about the chakras going into far more detail than there is space for here, as it is a deep and complex subject, with infinite, individual interpretations, but here is a basic, brief summary of the chakras and their associated areas and colors.

1. Root - Red
Situated at the base of the spine.
Emotional grounding and ones roots. The excretory and reproductive systems and the immune system.
Mantra “I am in touch with the earth, my roots”
2. Sacral – Orange
A hands breadth down from the belly button.
Sexuality, creativity, financial issues, honour and ethics, one to one relationships.
Genital and urinary systems, bladder and prostate.
Mantra “I am a creative, sexual being”
3. Solar Plexus – Yellow
Over the solar plexus at the bottom of the rib cage.
Self-esteem, self-confidence and how you see yourself.
Digestive system, worries and fears, the stress of responsibility.
Mantra “I believe in myself”
4. Heart – Green
Over the heart.
Love, forgiveness, unconditional love. Relationships.
Circulatory and immune systems. Heart and lungs. Loneliness.
Mantra “I can give and receive love”
5. Throat – Blue
Centre of the throat
Communication, self-expression and will power.
Thyroid problems, sore throats, addictions(due to lack of will)
Mantra “I speak my truth”
6. Brow - Indigo
Centre of forehead
Intuition, intellect and mind, inner vision.
Brain and nervous system, eye problems.
Mantra “I see clearly”
7. Crown - Violet
Top of head.
Spiritual awakening, search for meaning. Our relationship to our spirit and God.
Central nervous system, overwhelming fatigue.
Mantra “I believe”
8. Soul star – White/crystal
Directly above the crown, about two hand’s breadths from the head
Awareness of ones soul and its connection to the conscious self.
Gives perspective on life and ability to see seemingly random positive or negative events as part of the soul’s journey.
Mantra "I transcend"

This is a personal, simplified interpretation of the chakras. Use it as a stepping stone to finding out more for yourself.

Copyright Kit Heathcock 2005