Natural ALLERGY Relief: Is It Possible?

Food types likely to cause allergic reactions in adults in Sweden:
drupe, cheese, nuts, wine, apples, and shellfish.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Do you suffer from allergies?  If you do, you may have been prescribed prescription medication by your doctor.  If not, you may have still tired a number of over-the-counter allergy relief medications and products.  Unfortunately, medicine does not always work for all allergy sufferers.  That leaves many individuals wondering if there is a way that they can seek more natural relief, without the use of medicine.

As for whether or not you can seek allergy relief without the use of prescription medication or over-the-counter products, you will find that you can.  In fact, you will find that you have a number of different options.  Some of these options are not only safer than using medicine, but they are also much cheaper.

If you do not suffer from food allergies, you can use food as way to seek relief.  As for why you should avoid this approach if you suffer from a food allergy, it is because you may have another allergic reaction, which you are trying to prevent.  With that said, if you are suffering from seasonal allergies, pet allergies, mold and mildew allergies, certain foods may be able to provide you with relief.  These foods include the juice from a lime, namely when mixed with lukewarm water, eating one or two bananas a day, as well as drinking vegetable juices.

Another more natural way to relive some of the symptoms that are associated with allergies is with vitamin B5.  Although many sometimes consider vitamin supplements to be medicine, they aren’t really.  Even though you will be taking a supplement, it is still much more natural than many allergy relief medications.  For how much vitamin B5 should be taken, most recommend one supplement a day for around two or three months.

Despite the fact that natural ways to seek relief from allergies are most commonly associated with natural remedies that involve certain foods, vitamins, and herbs, there are other steps that you can take.  For example, you can remove yourself from your trigger factors.  For example, if you have allergies that are due to mold and mildew, avoid areas in your home where mold or mildew is present, like your basement.  If you suffer from allergies due to dust, consider hiring a professional cleaning service or you can clean more often, which should reduce the amount of dust that accumulates overtime.

As it was previously stated, it is advised that you display caution if you suffer from a food allergy.  This is because many food allergies are more severe than other allergies, such as pet allergies.  Those who are allergic to peanuts can actually go into shock and die within a matter of minutes.  For that reason, if you suffer from food allergies, you will not want to just limit your consumption of foods, but you will want to completely eliminate the food or foods that you are allergic to from your diet.  This is important to know as some sufferers do get other allergies confused.  For example, those who suffer from pet allergies don’t always need to find a new home for their pets, but they should limit their contact.  However, it is important to remember that food allergies and pet allergies are not the same.

As previously stated, there are a number of different ways that you can natural seek allergy relief.  If you are looking for more steps that you can take, perform a standard internet search online.  Also, consider investing in natural remedy books or guides that are designed to help those living with allergies.

Try ALOE VERA to Fight Crohn's Disease

Schematic of patterns of disease in Crohn's disease (CD). Based on diagram of human intestine in GFDL. 

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Crohn's disease is an inflammatory bowel disease that normally triggers inflammation in the intestines. This illness can attack any part of the GI tract right from the mouth to the anus, but mostly it occurs in the lower portion of the small intestine known as ileum. It is an illness that occurs both in men and women and is sometimes hereditary. 

One of the best trouble free solutions to this illness is to use Aloe Vera. You can use aloe Vera in the form of pills that are available in the market today. They are called Aloeride and are one of the most well tolerated drugs available now. This drug is actually the most natural form of Aloe Vera that is produced in the market today.

If you continue consuming Aloeride for quite a long time regularly, the indications of Crohn's disease can be lessened to an extent. Actually there is no complete cure for Crohn's disease; you can only try to find some respite from the uneasy indications of this illness. But Aloe Vera has been proved to make the life of Crohn's victims much easier and normal.

Aloeride comes in the form of capsules and this implies that that the capsules will not spilt open before it reaches the stomach. Aloe Vera is found to be extremely soothing and aids to relax and loosen up the large intestine. There is absolutely no laxative property in this pill and this is a great benefit as diarrhea is very often a symptom of this disease. Aloeride has the ability to rinse out and mend the lining of the digestive tract in addition to reinstate the actual working of the digestive system. Another big advantage of this pill is that it is completely free of adverse effects.

Aloe Vera products have great medicinal value and can be used to cure skin diseases, Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn's Disease etc. You can find out more about it at http://www.aloeelite.com. Article Directory: EzineArticles

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Eight Myths About ACUPUNCTURE

There are a lot of myths with regards to acupuncture. Some of these are true; others are silly while the rest only have a half truth. As you read on, you will learn which ones are worth believing. 

The first myth is that acupuncture is painful. This is not true because those who have tried it claimed they only experienced a tiny prick while others did not feel anything at all. There is no tissue damage when the needle is inserted into the skin or pulled out and only in very rare cases are there traces of bruising. 

Hua Shou. Expression of the fourteen meridians. (Tokyo, 1716). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The second myth is that you can get hepatitis or AIDS from acupuncture. This is true only if the needles used are not sterilized. In the US, this will never happen because acupuncturists are required to use disposable needles thus you are not at risk from these two diseases.

Third, acupuncture is used to treat pain. This is only a half truth because this holistic technique has been proven to do other things such as stop a person’s addiction, lose weight and prevent certain illnesses. 

Fourth, there are some who think that Asians are the only ones that can practice acupuncture. Since 1982, there are already 50 schools all across the country that teach students about this technique and become licensed acupuncturists. 

This means that anyone who has the desire to learn about this ancient practice can do so and help treat patients. Just to give you an idea, there are at least 3,000 acupuncturists now working in the US. 

Fifth, medical doctors do not believe in the potential of alternative medicine. This is not true because there are more doctors these days that are open to the idea that there are other ways to help patients aside from conventional medicine. In fact, some of them even recommend an acupuncturist if they know that what they have done is not effective. 

Another myth is that every patient will undergo the four needle technique. This is not true and it will only be used when the specialist feels that the energy of the patient is virtually not moving as a last resort. 

The seventh myth is that it is better for a medical doctor to perform acupuncture. This is wrong because the training is much different than that taught in medical school. Students who have an acupuncturist license train for 3,000 hours before they are allowed to practice this profession. So between an acupuncturist and a medical doctor, you should go with someone who has learned about this much longer.

The eighth myth is that acupuncture is only used in third world countries. This is not true because this technique originated in China more than 2000 years ago and this has spread to developed nations in Asia such as Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Malaysia. 

Here at home, acupuncture been practiced for more than 2 decades and is legal in 30 states. In fact 22 of them, license professionals after they graduate once they pass the state board examination.

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Although acupuncture has been around for a very long time, there is still a need for this form of holistic healthcare which is why this is being taught in colleges and in use today. It is painless and cost efficient and a lot of studies have shown that it is effective in treating various illnesses and preventing some of them. 

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DYNAMIC YOGA – Exercise 3 & 4

POSE OF THE MOON (Shashankasana)

Sit on your knees with palms on thighs. Close eyes and relax, but keep spine and head straight.

Inhale deeply and lift arms above head, keeping them straight and shoulder-width apart. As you breathe out, bend forward from the hips, keeping arms and head in a straight line. Hands and forehead should eventually rest on the floor in front of your knees. Bend your elbows, so that arms are fully relaxed and hold for five seconds.

Then breathe in and slowly raise arms and body back to the upright position.

Exhale and return your palms to the top of your thighs. Repeat 3-5 times.

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MOUNTAIN POSE (Parvatasana)

Strengthens nerves and muscles in the arms and legs, and stimulates the circulation in the upper spine.

Kneel on raised heels and stretch your arms forward so your forehead is on the floor. Breathe deeply and relax for a few seconds. Raise yourself on to your hands and knees, keeping your toes tucked under and your back flat.

Inhale and push up onto your toes. Raise your buttocks and lower your head between your arms. Your back and legs should form two sides of a triangle.

Exhale, rest your feet on the floor and try to touch the floor with the top of your head. Hold the position for 10 seconds.

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DYNAMIC YOGA – Exercise 1 & 2

SWAYING PALM TREE POSE (Tiryaka Tadasana)

Streamlines the waist and develops balance. Stand with feet 8 inch apart and fix eyes on a point directly in front of you. Interlock fingers and turn palms outward. Inhale deeply as you raise arms over your head. As you breathe out, bend from your waist to your left side, taking care not to reach forwards or backwards. Hold for a few seconds, then inhale deeply and slowly return to the upright position.

Repeat 5 times to each side.

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CAT-STRETCH POSE (Marjari-asana)

Kneel and lean forward to place hands on floor below your shoulders, fingers facing forward, hands in line with knees. Arms and thighs should be at right angles to the floor; knees may be slightly separated.

Inhale deeply, raise head and drop spine so your back is concave. Fill your lungs and hold for three seconds. As you exhale, lower your head and stretch your spine upwards. At the end of the breath, pull in your buttocks, contract stomach muscles and place head between arms.

Repeat 5 times.

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Can WITCHCRAFT Cause Erectile Dysfunction?

Man suffering from impotence is about to sacrifice a pig to Priapus. Ca. 40 BC. Roman fresco from the eastern wall of room 4 in the Villa dei Misteri in Pompeii. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Perusing the many directions you can when researching anything at all I came upon the most unique thought that I had found on Erectile Dysfunction and Impotence. It seems there are men even in this enlightened day and age that go to their doctors complaining that they have been hexed or a spell has been cast on them and they can no longer get an erection at all.

So what do you think about it? Do you believe in witches and spells? The stories I read told of a Doctor in Manhattan of all places that had a man come in with some hair off the witch that hexed him and he swore if the doctor would wash and perform some chant over the hair that the man would get his erections back.

Another came in and said that his wife told him she hexed him to keep him from ever being with another woman and it happened he could not get it up with his girlfriends.

Yes I am serious, these are true stories and there are many more, but my thought is not that it is witchcraft as much as it is mind over matter. Even in witchcraft voodoo type of thing the person being troubled, has to agree and believe that what is said is true.

So this again to me is a psychological impotence, in that it is the mind that has somehow condemned the ability to achieve an erection because it is the mind that fully believes that what the person said or did is truth.

And then the problem propagates itself, for instance a man believes he has been hexed and yet he doesn't want to believe it so he goes to the woman he is with and tries to get aroused but he cannot, so he stops and maybe once or twice more will try but each time he fails it only tells him the truth of the spell to begin with and soon he quits trying to make love at all. From that point on he lives with the believed assumption that he can not ever get an erection again.

So I had to bring up this most unusual cause of Impotence and totally deny that it is true. If you have a different opinion or knowledge then please let me know I would be most interested.

Need help with an embarrassing erection issue? Go here to download your FREE Report "What is impotence and do you have an embarrassing erection problem?" and get a weekly article that reveals how you can conquer one of many embarrassing issues at ; embarrassednomore.com Article Directory: EzineArticles

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Are TATTOOS An Addiction?

The longtime connection between tattoos and individuals of questionable character is not the sole account for why tattoos are frequently given a bad reputation.  While of course this connection, which is becoming less and less of a factor as each generation progresses, has been true in many circumstances, the subject of tattoos in the present day has yet another cloud over its reputation;  it is darker, and rarely based on the truth.  

Tattooed woman (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

From both those who know and those who do not, there are frequent insinuations about the "addictive" characteristics of tattooing.  Many people sport multiple tattoos;  some have acquired them over a number of years or decades, while others make regular trips to their favorite tattoo studios, but arbitrarily labeling this as an "addiction" is unfair, unrealistic, and rarely based in fact.  As each person has his or her own individual reason for getting tattoos, it is impossible to know what a person's reason is unless he or she states it.  Some like artwork, some wish to honor a special person, some get tattoos in order to feel a part of some specific group, some people just enjoy spending money.  In other words, most people have their own individual reasons for getting tattoos, and it is almost never a matter of being "addicted" to them.

There are two parts of this misconception.  Both play a role in giving a bad reputation to the subject of tattoos as well as to the people who elect to get them.  The first is that people are addicted to the tattoos themselves;  the second misconception is that people are addicted to the process of getting them--  specifically, that they are "addicted to pain."  One might wonder the mindset of anyone who states the latter opinion;  but it certainly provides quite a scope of misunderstandings on the entire subject.

One tattoo artist, in remarking that tattoos are a "fever," had been referring to the simple, if odd, enjoyment which many of his clients had in being able to spend money to buy permanent artwork for themselves.  "I think I'll get another one" was something often heard in his studio.  This did not constitute "addiction" by any definition of the word.  Nor, in his decades of practice as a tattoo artist, did he ever have a customer who even remotely enjoyed the discomfort of the tattooing process.

The word, and its mistaken applicability to tattoos, is often tossed around by those who know too well what the word "addiction" really means.  Addiction is a compulsion, something over which a person has no self-control.  Addiction cannot differentiate between a "want" and a "need."  Individuals who do have numerous addictions--  drugs, alcohol, behaviors, etc.--  can very well become addicted to tattoos.  However, that is certainly not the case for the majority of people who decide to get them.  Most people who get tattoos do so simply because they want them;  they do not possess the weakness of character which leads addicts in the position of being compelled to do something.

The concept that a person gets tattoos because he or she is addicted to pain and therefore enjoys the painful process of being tattooed can only come from either the most ignorant or those who have some personal issues of their own.

Unfortunately, both of these misconceptions shed a very negative light on both the subject of tattoos and the people who wear them.  It is a bad reputation which neither deserve, for there is almost never any fact in either point of view.  While there are those who get tattoos with less than desirable motives, most people who get them do so with no negative attachment to either the tattoos or the process whatsoever.  The bottom line is if you find someone who is attempting to convince you that getting tattoos is an addiction, you've probably found someone who actually is an addict and does not realize that most people are not.

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Anarchy as an ORGANIZING Principle

Profile of Adam Smith (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The recent spate of accounting fraud scandals signals the end of an era. Disillusionment and disenchantment with American capitalism may yet lead to a tectonic ideological shift from laissez faire and self regulation to state intervention and regulation. This would be the reversal of a trend dating back to Thatcher in Britain and Reagan in the USA. It would also cast some fundamental - and way more ancient - tenets of free-marketry in grave doubt.

Markets are perceived as self-organizing, self-assembling, exchanges of information, goods, and services. Adam Smith's "invisible hand" is the sum of all the mechanisms whose interaction gives rise to the optimal allocation of economic resources. The market's great advantages over central planning are precisely its randomness and its lack of self-awareness.

Market participants go about their egoistic business, trying to maximize their utility, oblivious of the interests and action of all, bar those they interact with directly. Somehow, out of the chaos and clamor, a structure emerges of order and efficiency unmatched. Man is incapable of intentionally producing better outcomes. Thus, any intervention and interference are deemed to be detrimental to the proper functioning of the economy.

It is a minor step from this idealized worldview back to the Physiocrats, who preceded Adam Smith, and who propounded the doctrine of "laissez faire, laissez passer" - the hands-off battle cry. Theirs was a natural religion. The market, as an agglomeration of individuals, they thundered, was surely entitled to enjoy the rights and freedoms accorded to each and every person. John Stuart Mill weighed against the state's involvement in the economy in his influential and exquisitely-timed "Principles of Political Economy", published in 1848.

Undaunted by mounting evidence of market failures - for instance to provide affordable and plentiful public goods - this flawed theory returned with a vengeance in the last two decades of the past century. Privatization, deregulation, and self-regulation became faddish buzzwords and part of a global consensus propagated by both commercial banks and multilateral lenders.

As applied to the professions - to accountants, stock brokers, lawyers, bankers, insurers, and so on - self-regulation was premised on the belief in long-term self-preservation. Rational economic players and moral agents are supposed to maximize their utility in the long-run by observing the rules and regulations of a level playing field.

This noble propensity seemed, alas, to have been tampered by avarice and narcissism and by the immature inability to postpone gratification. Self-regulation failed so spectacularly to conquer human nature that its demise gave rise to the most intrusive statal stratagems ever devised. In both the UK and the USA, the government is much more heavily and pervasively involved in the minutia of accountancy, stock dealing, and banking than it was only two years ago.

But the ethos and myth of "order out of chaos" - with its proponents in the exact sciences as well - ran deeper than that. The very culture of commerce was thoroughly permeated and transformed. It is not surprising that the Internet - a chaotic network with an anarchic modus operandi - flourished at these times.

The dotcom revolution was less about technology than about new ways of doing business - mixing umpteen irreconcilable ingredients, stirring well, and hoping for the best. No one, for instance, offered a linear revenue model of how to translate "eyeballs" - i.e., the number of visitors to a Web site - to money ("monetizing"). It was dogmatically held to be true that, miraculously, traffic - a chaotic phenomenon - will translate to profit - hitherto the outcome of painstaking labour.

Privatization itself was such a leap of faith. State owned assets - including utilities and suppliers of public goods such as health and education - were transferred wholesale to the hands of profit maximizers. The implicit belief was that the price mechanism will provide the missing planning and regulation. In other words, higher prices were supposed to guarantee an uninterrupted service. Predictably, failure ensued - from electricity utilities in California to railway operators in Britain.

The simultaneous crumbling of these urban legends - the liberating power of the Net, the self-regulating markets, the unbridled merits of privatization - inevitably gave rise to a backlash.

The state has acquired monstrous proportions in the decades since the Second world War. It is about to grow further and to digest the few sectors hitherto left untouched. To say the least, these are not good news. But we libertarians - proponents of both individual freedom and individual responsibility - have brought it on ourselves by thwarting the work of that invisible regulator - the market.

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Geothermal as a GREEN ENERGY Source

We have the technology to do a lot of things and one of these is to tap the earth’s energy. This is exactly what we do when we decide to use geothermal which happens to be a green energy source.

Geothermal energy is energy obtained by tapping heat from the earth itself. This comes from magma and the radioactive decay of uranium, thorium, and potassium.

The downside to geothermal energy is the fact that it is expensive to build. On the other hand, because the earth's crust continuously decays replenishing the heat, it is still a renewable source of energy.

Diagram of EGS with numeric labels. 1:Reservoir 2:Pump house 3:Heat exchanger 4:Turbine hall 5:Production well 6:Injection well 7:Hot water to district heating 8:Porous rock 9:Well 10:Solid bedrock
 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There are three types of geothermal plants around. These are namely dry steam, flash, and binary.

Dry steam plants take steam out of fractures in the ground and use it to directly drive a turbine that spins a generator.

Flash plants take on water at temperatures over 200 °C, out of the ground, and allows it to boil as it rises to the surface then separates the steam phase in steam/water separators which runs the steam through a turbine to generate electricity.

Last, you have binary plants. Here, hot water flows through heat exchangers and that boiling organic fluid is what spins the turbine.

Once power is generated, the condensed steam and remaining geothermal fluid from all three types of plants are injected back into the hot rock to pick up more heat.

Geothermal plants are used operational in different parts of the globe. These are usually located in geologically unstable parts of the planet. You can see some in Chile, Iceland, New Zealand, United States, the Philippines and Italy. At home, two most prominent areas for this are in the Yellowstone basin and in northern California.

Aside from digging deep into the earth, there are some who believe we can generate power from hot dry rocks. You have to dig 3 kilometers deep are drilled into the earth first to find these hot underground radiogenic granite rocks. Right now, some Australia companies are exploring this technology.

If you were to compare the amount of energy collected from geothermal to solar, you still get more from the sun. Despite that, people should still use it since solar energy cannot be harnessed when the clouds block the sun’s rays from reaching the solar panels.

Geothermal energy is a green energy source just like wind, hydropower and biofuel because it is a renewable. By maximizing its potential, we don’t have to worry about the price of oil in the world market when it hit more than $110 a barrel and is now under $40 in the world market.

But that is not the only thing we should be concerned about. We should also do our best to protect the environment given that coal fired and nuclear power plants produce harmful gases and radioactive waste that may cause to people and the surrounding areas.

Everyone knows that our planet has changed due to global warming. We learned our lessons from Chernobyl and Three Mile Island but this does not mean it may not happen again.

For us to do our share to protect the environment now and for generations to come, we have to promote alternative energy and geothermal as a green energy source is just one of many that is currently available.

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Walking the Path to GUIDED RELAXATION

Join me as we walk along the beach while listening to the sounds of waves splash about as we move ahead. Oh so peaceful. Wouldn’t it be nice to have that all the time? Letting go of the worries that keep you down is a guaranteed way to relieve stress and move to guided relaxation. You can walk along that beach anytime you choose. There are videos and CDs with the sounds of the ocean playing on the track, and the videotapes has coaches to help with learning to do this. You can use the guides as a tool to reach your guided relaxation stage. 

Stressed and worried (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

What is stress and tension?

Stress and tension is bad for your health as well as your mind. Stress is very controlling and will control your mind and make you go into a deep depression then you will have to get medical altercation as well as mentally attendee. Medically there is a lot that can go wrong, as well. Some of things that go wrong is you get high blood pressure, aches and pains, headaches, as well maybe you can have a heart attach or even a stroke.

Where can I get the information I need to get help?

Dealing with stress and tension is easy nowadays. You can find many helpful guides that teach you how to relax. However, you have to try some things to see if they will work for you. Everyone is different so it depends on you as a person. Some of things that you might want to try are hot baths, spas, scented candles, aromatherapy; yoga is good for you to do as well. 

Yoga is a self-teaching program that you can get the information out of a book or some form of videos. It is good for your health as well as your mind. Yoga is good for your mind it helps you to learn how to control your thoughts and breathing in which this will help you to relax all parts of your body. Some places that you can get this information is at your local store or sometimes you can go to your local family dollar or Wal-Mart they have spots that you can go to see if they have what you need. If you are unable to find what you need, you may want to visit sites that you can go to on the Internet to get information on relaxing.

Some people take stress better then others. However, regardless stress is stress and no matter what it is not, it can affect your life dramatically. Before it is to late and it takes total control over you and your body do something now. For some people it comes natural to worry about many things then others. 

For us that worry so much we need to manage our worries and allow room for peace. If you need to worry then make it wild and worry about something worth worrying about.

How to manage worry: 

Worry is a mean mechanism that will only destroy you. If you take control of worries, you will soon see stress slow. Keep the golden rule in mind, i.e. sufficient for each day and you will learn to relax your worries. You can also use the guide to live one day at a time to relieve stress. You have many choices, and making those choices your own will guide you to relaxation. If you find it difficult to manage on your own, visit the Internet to open your mind to suggestions. When you have an open mind you will find your guided relaxation. 

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The Anugraha REIKI

Mikao Usui 臼井甕男 (1865–1926)

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Anugraha Reiki is one of the many forms of the popular Reiki system of healing.

Reiki has its origins traced back to Japan where the practice was developed by a Tendai Budhhist named Mikao Usui in 1922. He was said to have discovered the technique after a 21-day retreat on Mount Kurama.

After undergoing meditation, fasting and prayer during the retreat, Usiu claimed to have received some mystical revelation and was handed down the knowledge as well as the spiritual power for healing.

Reiki has been known to be fairly easy and simple to use. Everyone is said to be able to employ the system to achieve spiritual healing of self as well as others. Teaching the system usually involves three parts which are better known as degrees. The first degree usually teaches the basic theories and procedures with using Reiki energy.

This energy is said to pass through a channel in the body which can be opened by way of four "attunements" given by the Reiki master to a student. The first degree of training also involves the learning of certain hand placements that allow the Reiki energy to heal people.

The second degree of the Reiki training involves the use of the Reiki symbols and how they can be used to enhance healing. Students are also taught how to provide distant healing. This will allow people to be able to heal others without being physically present. The third degree of the Reiki training involves making the student become a Reiki master. As a Reiki master, a person may now be able to attune others to Reiki and teach the system to others.

Different forms of Reiki now exist and each one of them provides different ways of providing spiritual healing. One of them is the Anugraha Reiki which is a mystical healing art that originated in India. The word "Anugraha" means Grace, which is considered as one of the five functions of the Divine that ultimately leads to Liberation or "Mukti". Anugraha can also refer to the Power of Revelation. On another level, the word can also relate to Mercy.

Just like the Japanese form of Reiki, the first level of Anugraha Reiki focuses on self healing, self awareness, replenishment and perfecting relationship. A Diksha or attunement is given to help activate seldom used parts of the brain. A simple yet advanced spiritual practice is taught to help transform a person's consciousness and result to deep states of awareness within 30 days.

The second level of the Anugraha Reiki focuses on healing others. During this period, sacred sounds are being taught that is said to help invoke positive consciousness. An advanced form of meditation is also taught. A type of special mantra used to invoke the presence is taught along with the techniques for doing healing work both through personal and long distance means.

The third degree initiation of Anugraha Reiki involves the teaching of the esoteric use of important Reiki symbols that can be used for different means such as for astral projection, meditation, altering time or space, bridging the worlds of life and death, and easing the transition process. There are two additional master symbols are also revealed.  For a student to succeed and qualify for the third degree of teaching, he or she should already be relatively clear of his or her own physical and psychological suffering

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Who Uses ORIGAMI in Society Today?

The art of origami dates back to the 1600's. First practiced by the Chinese and Japanese, the art of paper folding was and continues to be popular in many cultures. When it was originally started, origami instructions were passed on verbally. Over the years the details and steps required for origami projects have been written down and/or relayed through diagrams. Folding paper may not seem to be very challenging but as the projects advance, origami can in fact be quire complicated and complex. 

Origami star (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Who uses origami in society today? No doubt there are many people who still do origami simply as a pass-time or hobby. For children and adults alike this activity can provide hours of enjoyment. Origami is great on rainy days and snow days. Once starting a project, it's difficult to stop until the desired result is achieved. It may take several attempts but eventually the results will be top-notch.

Origami has grown in popularity as a teaching tool. Educators and teachers are using origami in the classroom. This activity has proven to be effective in teaching children to be patient and attentive. Both of these skills are necessary in a group as well as in every day living. Origami also teaches children about problems solving and other aspects of mathematics that are relative to life. It also encourages children to set goals and work toward achieving them. 

Psychologists and physicians use origami as a therapeutic tool. It has proven to be successful in the treatment of mental health patients. It helps the patients to become more relaxed in their environment and with their doctor. Besides filling many lonely hours in the hospital, origami teaches patients to get along with and help one another. The art of paper folding can actually bring people out of their shell and encourage them to participate in conversation and group activities. 

Parents use origami at home to help their children develop different skills. This activity can help children develop their reading and writing skills. For young children it can help them learn how to use both hands together. Origami teaches concentration, patience and problem solving, all imperative to the growth and development of children. Besides the educational and behavioral advantages of origami, parents can use this activity to occupy a child who's bored or lonely. It's an inexpensive activity that a parent and child or children can do together. This means time spent together and an opportunity to build a good parent/child relationship. 

When people first began practicing the art of origami, they probably had no idea of the amazing benefits this activity would produce. Likely initially used as a decoration or simply a way to kill a few hours, origami has been transformed into an activity that has many magnificent uses. There are books written about the art of origami and its benefits for various situations. The Internet has loads of information about the origami. If you'd like to learn more about this great activity, log onto the worldwide web and start learning.

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Why MUSCLES Get Sore

Illustration of the pain pathway in René Descartes' Traite de l'homme (Treatise of Man) 1664. The long fiber running from the foot to the cavity in the head is pulled by the heat and releases a fluid that makes the muscles contract.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

As people age, they begin to complain more of pains in their muscles and joints. They seem to stiffen up with age, and such commonplace activities as bending over for the morning paper can make them wince.

Such pain can grip so fiercely that they are sure it begins deep in their bones. But the real cause of stiffness and soreness lies not in the joints or bones, according to research at the Johns Hopkins Medical School, but in the muscles and connective tissues that move the joints.

The frictional resistance generated by the two rubbing surfaces of bones in the joints is negligible, even in joints damaged by arthritis.

Flexibility is the medical term used to describe the range of a joint’s motion from full movement in one direction to full movement in the other. The greater the range of movement, the more flexible the joint.

If you bend forward at the hips and touch your toes with your fingertips, you have good flexibility, or range of motion of the hip joints. But can you bend over easily with a minimal expenditure of energy and force? The exertion required to flex a joint is just as important as its range of possible motion.

Different factors limit the flexibility and ease of movement in different joints and muscles. In the elbow and knee, the bony structure itself sets a definite limit. In other joints, such as the ankle, hip, and back, the soft tissue—muscle and connective tissue—limit the motion range.

The problem of inflexible joints and muscles is similar to the difficulty of opening and closing a gate because of a rarely used and rusty hinge that has become balky.

Hence, if people do not regularly move their muscles and joints through their full ranges of motion, they lose some of their potential. That is why when these people will try to move a joint after a long period of inactivity, they feel pain, and that discourages further use

What happens next is that the muscles become shortened with prolonged disuse and produces spasms and cramps that can be irritating and extremely painful. The immobilization of muscles, as researchers have demonstrated with laboratory animals, brings about biochemical changes in the tissue.

However, other factors trigger sore muscles. Here are some of them:

1. Too much exercise

Have you always believed on the saying, “No pain, no gain?” If you do, then, it is not so surprising if you have already experienced sore muscles.

The problem with most people is that they exercise too much thinking that it is the fastest and the surest way to lose weight. Until they ache, they tend to ignore their muscles and connective tissue, even though they are what quite literally holds the body together.

2. Aging and inactivity

Connective tissue binds muscle to bone by tendons, binds bone to bone by ligaments, and covers and unites muscles with sheaths called fasciae. With age, the tendons, ligaments, and fasciae become less extensible. The tendons, with their densely packed fibers, are the most difficult to stretch. The easiest are the fasciae. But if they are not stretched to improve joint mobility, the fasciae shorten, placing undue pressure on the nerve pathways in the muscle fasciae. Many aches and pains are the result of nerve impulses traveling along these pressured pathways.

3. Immobility

Sore muscles or muscle pain can be excruciating, owing to the body’s reaction to a cramp or ache. In this reaction, called the splinting reflex, the body automatically immobilizes a sore muscle by making it contract. Thus, a sore muscle can set off a vicious cycle pain.

First, an unused muscle becomes sore from exercise or being held in an unusual position. The body then responds with the splinting reflex, shortening the connective tissue around the muscle. This cause more pain, and eventually the whole area is aching. One of the most common sites for this problem is the lower back.

4. Spasm theory

In the physiology laboratory at the University of Southern California, some people have set out to learn more about this cycle of pain.

Using some device, they measured electrical activity in the muscles. The researchers knew that normal, well-relaxed muscles produce no electrical activity, whereas, muscles that are not fully relaxed show considerable activity.

In one experiment, the researchers measured these electrical signals in the muscles of persons with athletic injuries, first with the muscle immobilized, and then, after the muscle had been stretched.

In almost every case, exercises that stretched or lengthened the muscle diminished electrical activity and relieved pain, either totally or partially.

These experiments led to the “spasm theory,” an explanation of the development and persistence of muscle pain in the absence of any obvious cause, such as traumatic injury.

According to this theory, a muscle that is overworked or used in a strange position becomes fatigued and as a result, sore muscles.

Hence, it is extremely important to know the limitations and capacity of the muscles in order to avoid sore muscles. This goes to show that there is no truth in the saying, “No pain, no gain.” What matters most is on how people stay fit by exercising regularly at a normal range than once rarely but on a rigid routine.

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Different BUDDHIST MEDITATION Techniques

There are a number of different Buddhist meditation techniques that followers and many meditation enthusiasts practice. Despite their differences, the techniques are all generally based on developing two things- mindfulness and concentration. Attentiveness to the movements of the body and to the ever changing states of mind is to be developed in order to identify the real concept of self. 

Buddhist Meditation Monk in Wat Huai Chalong Rat Bamrung (Phra Ajaan Daeng Siribhatto)
 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Objectivity in this case can be a valuable aid to clear thinking. With objectivity comes concentration, the ability to focus the mind and keep in focused on a single point or object.

Many Buddhist schools employ different techniques in meditation. Some may focus on such practices as breathing meditation while others on movements. The diversity can be so wide ranging that there are a multitude of variations available. Most Buddhist techniques can be school specific. Only a few masters aim to combine and categorize the techniques from several Buddhist traditions.

One of the known meditation techniques is that being practiced by Western Order meditation master Kamalashila. The teacher identifies that there are five basic methods to be used as a traditional set for meditation. Each method can be used as an antidote to one of the five primary obstructions to Enlightenment- distraction, hatred, craving, conceit and ignorance. 

One of the five basic methods is the mindfulness of breathing. This involves the practice of tranquility meditations. This method helps to counteract distraction and aims to develop better concentration. Another of the five basic methods laid out is the Metta Bhavana. This method includes the four brahma viharas and is used to counteract sentimental attachment or hatred. This method aims to develop loving kindness in a person. 

Another of the five basic methods in Buddhist meditation is the contemplation of impermanence. This method can help counteract craving and develop inner peace and the feeling of freedom. The six element practice is based on meditation involving the six elements- earth, water, space, air, fire and consciousness. The six element practice method of meditation counteracts craving and develop instead some clarity in a person regarding to self. The fifth basic method of meditation is the contemplation of conditionality which aims to counteract ignorance and instead develop wisdom and compassion. There are also other Buddhist meditation techniques not identified by the five basic methods. This includes different methods of visualizations, meditation by sitting and the walking meditation. 

Another of the many techniques used in Buddhist meditation include the five types of Zen as grouped by Kuei-feng. In this case, the Zen practices were grouped according to five categories. Although mostly common for Zen practitioners, the techniques are also applicable to Buddhist meditation methods. One of the types is the "bonpu" or "ordinary" meditation that is done to achieve physical and mental well-being in absence of any spiritual goal. There is also the "gedo" or "outside way" which is meditation that is used for non-Buddhist purposes. The third is the "shojo" or "small vehicle" which is meditation used in pursuit of self-liberation or nirvana. 

The fourth of the Zen Buddhist meditation techniques as grouped by Kuei-feng is the "daijo" or "great vehicle" which is the meditation in pursuit of achieving self-realization to experience the unity of all things. Then there is also the "saijojo" or "supreme vehicle" which is the meditation aimed to realize the Buddha nature as imminent in all beings. 

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Procedures Taken For Natural BODY DETOX

Setting up a cleansing or detox program is not an easy task. You need to undergo various procedures. It includes health history evaluation, physical examinations, biochemistry tests, mineral level tests, dietary analysis and other related specific tests to diagnose your entire health status. These are helpful in determining the appropriate natural procedure that you should take to clean up your body.

Spotted forms of Aloe vera are sometimes known as Aloe vera var. chinensis. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Take note, analyzing your present health status, disease, and symptoms as a result of your lifestyle, familial or inherent patterns, and diets can help in creating a body detox plan that is best suited for you. Remember, any healing procedure needs a plan that must be followed accordingly to achieve positive results.

1. Proper Diet. People who are lacking energy and nutrients need a diet which is high in protein and nutrients for improving their health. Mineral deficiencies, fatigue, and low functions of organs should have a much supportive diet. However, in this particular circumstance, short cleaning of the body for three days can help in eliminating old debris. It also prepares your body for building healthier blocks.

If you feel congested with travel, stresses, and different foods, drink juices or eat lightly for a few days. It can display a huge difference. You could also eat low protein foods, high-rich-carbohydrate foods, and vegetarian foods for a couple of years. Mild detox can consist of vegetable meals which add proteins in your body. Fresh fish with a lot of vegetables can also energize you.

2. Using natural herbs. There are different body organs which are prone to the high development of toxins. One of them is your colon. Keep in mind that large intestines can accommodate much toxicity which can result to its sluggish functioning. So, detox programs are created to solve this problem. Fiber supplements cleansing diet are incorporated for cleaning and toning colons. It includes herbal laxatives like psyllium seed husk used alone or combined with agents such as betonite clay, acidophilus culture, and Aloe Vera powder. Enemas using herbs, diluted coffee, or water can be used for cleaning your liver, another important organ of your body.

3. Regular exercise. Exercise stimulates sweating thus it eliminates toxic wastes through your skin. It improves general metabolism and aids in your overall detoxification. Aerobic exercise done regularly can maintain your body to stay non-toxic because you are prevented from bad habits. However, exercising can also increase toxic productions in your body so it must always be accompanied with antioxidants, adequate fluids, mineral and vitamins replenishment as well as other related detox principles.

4. Regular bathing.  It is very essential in cleaning your skin from accumulated toxins. Sweats and saunas are most often used in purifying your body via more enhanced skin elimination. Dry brushing your skin using the right skin brush is often suggested before bathing.

5. Massage therapy. It is very useful in supporting detox programs. It stimulates body functions and elimination promoting a more relaxed feeling clearing you from worries, tensions, and mental stresses.

6. Recharging, relaxing, and resting. This is important in the rejuvenation process. It helps your body in rebalancing your attitude and mind which sometimes interferes in natural homeostasis. Practicing yoga is a powerful exercise related to breathing regulation and awareness helping you to obtain a more balanced and active aura.

Choose the right procedure you need to incorporate to clean your body from toxins in the proper way. It can make you feel much better and healthier.

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TAI CHI SWORD: A Connection Between the Human and the Weapon

After one year of practicing Tai Chi, it is time to introduce your mind, body and spirit to the king of weapons used in martial arts: the sword. Learning the sword would only mean that you have already conquered a lot of things in your life and some in-betweens. It will also mean that you are ready to face one of the toughest areas in your Tai Chi training. The sword will be taught only if you have successfully mastered every form; that will be the time that your mind, body, and soul will be ready to accept the sword and make you feel comfortable about it.

Photo by stevendepolo

At the beginning, Tai Chi will teach students the use of three weapons namely: tao (knife or broadsword), chien (straight sword), chang (spear or staff). Setting Tai Chi aside, these three are also used in different kinds of martial arts combat. It is used according to its range. Long-range weapons like the staff and spear are often used in the battlefield, while short-range weapons like the straight sword and broadsword are designed for a personal one-on-one combat.

The sword – a relatively light and small short-range weapon is considered as the king of combat because of its properties that can make your opponents run for their lives. Before, the sword is used as a symbol of power and is used for violence. Today, it’s a different story. People is now learning to handle the sword as a weapon used in exercises for the development of self-discipline in terms of mind and body connection.

The introduction of Tai Chi in the present society is a great medium where one can practice the usage of the sword. Some are attracted to learn because of the idea of how a weapon as deadly as this can be manipulated into one graceful and harmless act.

About the Sword

The chien or short sword has a length that is measured for about 3 ft. It is composed of a double-edged blade that has a range of 28 – 30 inches long and is about 1 – 2 inches wide. The handle is approximately 8 – 9 inches wherein a hole is found at the end of its hilt where a tassel or knot is commonly attached. The tip is sharpened and can make a person bleed in an instant.

In the traditional sense, the chien is crafted according to the user’s size, balance and comfort to the material. Today, there are wide varieties of swords that mass-produced in a non-functional and lighter sense that are used for practice and in competitions.

Before learning the sword, it is more advisable to learn the knife because of its simplicity and it is unlikely for the wielders to injure or cut themselves for the weapon only has one edge that’s sharp. Experts of Tai Chi give due respect to the sword and consider it as the weapon that only elite warriors and scholars can use. Unlike tao, which they considered as a soldier’s weapon.

Here are some points to remember when handling the sword:

1. Be familiar with the weapon at hand. Understand all possible aspects about it like its attacking parts.

2. Be one with the sword. Make it your best buddy. Practice it everyday like it was a long-time job.

3. Look at the sword as if it was a tool and not a display object that you can hang decoratively on the wall.

4. Whenever your in the presence of the sword, move with purpose and grace.

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