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Showing posts with the label stress meditation

Binaural Beats - What They Are, How They Work & What They Can Do For You

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Binaural bests were first discovered in 1839 by Heinrich Wilhelm Dove. However, Dove didn‘t realise the full potential of this technology, he merely observed that it occurred. It was another 134 years before Gerald Oster penned an article called "Auditory Beats in the Brain" which was published in Scientific American in 1973. It was proposed that a binaural beat occurs in the brain if you apply slightly different frequency sine waves independently but simultaneously to each ear. This beat affect is created by the brain itself and is largely due to the structure of the brain's internal wiring. These binaural beats are auditory brainstem responses, originating in the superior olivary nucleus of each hemisphere of the brain due to the interaction of the two different impulses.  The frequency of the two tones is between one and 30 Hz. Lets take the example that the difference between the two tones is 10 Hz. This 10 Hz difference is experienced within the sup...

Yoga for mothers

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I am not a Yoga teacher. I’ve only attended about 3 Yoga classes although my gym offers Yoga classes. So, why am I writing about Yoga when I know nothing about it? I am curious – that’s my nature. And through the years, this curiosity has helped me develop a career as a freelance graphic designer and writer. And it is through a very weird type of Yoga (my own type, or whatever I thought was Yoga at that point in time) that helped me swim ashore when I was teetering between drowning in the sea of depression after giving birth to my sons. Both times, I was hit badly and constantly turned to the bottle for a solution. The bottle never will be a solution and yet, I hoped it would be. Yoga and the soon-to-be-mother There’s all this hype about Yoga that I didn’t fully understand before – what’s all this clamor about Yoga for pregnancy?? What’s the big deal? You have a big belly, retch half the time, have a sudden liking for pickle and have to wear your husband’s clothing….y...

Oh What A Feeling

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So here is the story. I crashed a dirtbike. I know its a short one, but why bore you with details that you really dont need to know? Why is it that when we get power in our hands, we attempt to use it to the fullest. It's as if we will never have it again. Lets get out of that habit, it hurts. Moving along with the story, I clearly needed some therapy for the injuries that I suffered in the accident. So I went to my physiotherapist and asked her what we should do. We did all the massaging and ultra sounds, and then it happened... We did the acupuncture therapy. OH what a feeling! Its a little wierd at first, becuase they stick a bunch of needles all over your body. Apperently, every spot on our bodies is connected with some sort of feeling. Clearly, I chose the spots labelled "happy". So I am laying there, needles all over my body, in silence, and i catch myself thinking about childhood memories of playing football with my dad! Our subconscious minds are t...

Why You Need to Meditate

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The side effects of meditation are positive and countless. Studies have demonstrated that those who meditate on a regular basis have reduced illness, stress, and need for rest. But one of the most compelling reasons to meditate is that the process of meditation itself is sublime. Meditation is not dependent upon the result, but the act of meditation itself is a blissful one, transporting one to a state of contentment and tranquil awareness during the training of meditation itself, not just at the end of training. Actually, because the means equals the end, the training has no beginning and never ends. All of us in modern times experience a constant onslaught of stress. We are bombarded by uninvited energies in the form of such things as television, noise pollution, arguments, and angry or envious people. In order to counteract this enormously overwhelming force of negativity and distress, we need a superior power, gathered within ourselves; and meditation connects us to...

How To Eradicate Your Emotional Health Problems Including Insomnia

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The stresses and strains of everyday life can bring with it a variety of emotional health problems. These can include depression, anxiety, insomnia, irritability and panic attacks. In this article I write about each of these potential problems and suggest solutions to overcome them. Depression I am sure that we all become depressed at different times of our life, I certainly do. It is easy to let things and people get us down. We can start to feel sorry for ourselves and to think that the world is working against us. The brain has two halves, positive and negative. In these periods of depression the negative side assumes control and it can become very hard to get out of this rut. I see the positive side of my brain as an apple and the negative side as a pear. If I only ever eat pears, I will not be able to experience the joy of eating apples. In short I have to give the positive side a chance to help me to reach a state of happiness and I need to learn to ignore...

The Art Of Silence: Meditation Techniques

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In today's fast-paced world, many people are seeking a way to get away from it all and relax. Meditation, which is essentially a method to obtain a level of deep thought and relaxation, is one way to find inner peace and tranquility. Many people think of monks or other spiritual types sitting in crossed-leg position and reaching states of bliss when they think of mediation, but there are many ways to meditate. While there are many ways to reach a meditative state, there really are no right or wrong ways to mediate (this would defeat the purpose), only practice and finding ways that feel right for you. Meditation is associated with many religions, but one does not need to be associated with any particular religion in order to meditate. You might want to investigate different methods, however, to find a form of mediation that feels most comfortable. One common method includes repeating a sound or word, called a mantra. Other forms of meditation involve focusing on a visua...

Meditation

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Meditation refers to a state where your body and mind are consciously relaxed and focused. Practitioners of this art report increased awareness, focus, and concentration, as well as a more positive outlook in life. Meditation is most commonly associated with monks, mystics and other spiritual disciplines. However, you don’t have to be a monk or mystic to enjoy its benefits. And you don’t even have to be in a special place to practice it. You could even try it in your own living room! Although there are many different approaches to meditation, the fundamental principles remain the same. The most important among these principles is that of removing obstructive, negative, and wandering thoughts and fantasies, and calming the mind with a deep sense of focus. This clears the mind of debris and prepares it for a higher quality of activity. The negative thoughts you have those of noisy neighbors, bossy officemates, that parking ticket you got, and unwanted spam are said to...

Meditation Chairs

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Meditation chairs can enhance the experience of exploration by allowing you to sit in a comfortable and relaxed position during your relaxation session. If you have back problems or limited flexibility, the chair offers a comfortable alternative to sitting on the floor.  For those just beginning the practice of meditation, a sitting device can be an effective way of enhancing focus and concentration. There are different types of chairs available including meditation benches, ergonomically designed tilt chairs and inflatable cushions.  A meditation bench allows you to sit in alignment without putting undue pressure on your back. A tilt chair also supports your back while allowing you to remain in the optimum upright position. Many companies providing meditation supplies also manufacture portable meditation chairs, inflatable cushions and folding benches, so that you can meditate in any setting or environment. A portable chair is an excellent investment if you are ...

How to Train your Brain to keep you healthy and happy

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When you are unhappy what do you do? Do you go out for a meal? Go to the cinema? The theatre, perhaps? Do you go shopping? Perhaps you like a drink to overcome your unhappiness. Or do you get a buzz from jogging or going to the gym? Whatever it is scientist are in the process of proving that internal change is the only thing that can give you health and happiness. Everything else is an illusion.  What does this mean?  Your brain is the only thing that can keep you healthy and happy. Richard Davidson, a neuroscientist at the University of Wisconsin and Jon Kabat-Zinn from the University of Massachusetts Medical Centre have just completed some interesting research that can actually be of benefit to you and me and the way we run our lives. They took a group of 41 stressed, but otherwise healthy, individuals working in a biotechnology firm in Wisconsin. 25 were taught meditation. In this case: mindfulness meditation. The group met for a 2.5 to 3 hour medi...

Meditate to Unlock Your Hidden Potential – Part 2

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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 to 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 ...

Meditate to Unlock Your Hidden Potential – Part 1

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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...

Binaural Beats

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Optimizing your brain with just your set of headphones! Binaural beats are unique sounds recorded in such a way that they re-adjust the brain wave 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 these kind of meditative states within minutes only by usin...

Serenity

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Serenity refers to a state of peacefulness where the mind is calm and unruffled by the external environment. This higher spiritual echelon, or inner peace, is accompanied by a sense of contentment and bliss. Human beings are distinct from all other life forms due to their intelligence and consciousness. The conscious mind perceives the external world and feels various emotions based on experiences and perception. These feelings, emotions, and sentiments, in turn, determine our inner equilibrium or “inner life.” Consciousness, which stems from internalization of social values and morals, also plays a major role in directing the inner equilibrium. Most of the time, the inner life or equilibrium of a human mind is in a disturbed state. The mind is never at peace, and chaos reigns due to anger, shame, feelings of guilt, and sadness. The human mind strives to achieve the right balance or equilibrium. The eternal quest for the ultimate goal—bliss—proceeds in many directions. ...

Yoga For Children And Kids

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Children are exposed to a lot of stress factors nowadays. There is homework that they do daily... the competition with other children... TV and computer games... and even over-scheduling. And just like adults these kids need something relaxing to turn into and that could be: Yoga. Yoga for kids helps then develop better body awareness, it also delivers to them a total self control, flexibility and coordination. All of these they could carry not just on their class but this exercises can help them with their daily routines. Yoga for kids has shown to help children who are hyper active to tone down and to brighten up those attention deficit ones. Children today crave movement and sensory motor stimuli that can help then balance out their inner souls flow. Yoga for kids helps them channel out this impulses in a positive way. The main Yoga for kids poses that seem to work perfectly with kids are the warrior pose and the tree pose. These two yoga for kids...

Yoga Diet

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One of the essential things about yoga, together with the positive attitude, is the diet. It is highly recommended to perform your yoga session after about 2 hours from a main meal.  Many specialists agree that what we eat is reflected both in our appearance, as well as in our health state. In other words, it is important to mind the things we consume, in order to prevent illnesses and discomforts. However, the question related to what does healthy food mean, remains a constant reason of inquiry for many people. According to reliable studies, a very diversified diet represents the ideal food for any human organism. However, fruits and vegetables, containing fibers and vitamins should be a permanent component of your daily meals. Furthermore, everything that can be defined as natural food is recommended, when it comes to preserving your state of well being. Despite the fact that many people try to eat as little as possible, as they believe food can produce them harm, y...

Yoga – A Cure for Modern Day Stress

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As we walk the tightrope between modern life and our animal instincts, the human race strives to find balance. In our bodies, our minds, our environment, in our lives. With our brains over-stimulated and our bodies more sedentary than ever, many of us suffer from the fatigue and imbalance that comes from chronic stress without sufficient recovery. A yoga practice is an excellent way to soothe nerves that are in a constant state of overdrive. Yoga can help give us the ability to live healthy amidst hectic schedules and bustling environments. Why does it seem that as technology evolves at such epic pace we have less and less time at our disposal? Now more than ever we need to slow down, quiet our minds, take a deep breath... Stress has become a chronic aspect of life for many of us; and it takes its toll. The nervous system senses continued pressure and remains slightly activated, producing extra stress hormones over an extended period of time. This can wear out the body’s re...