Breath Meditation
Your breathing is one of the easiest things to concentrate on during meditation. It is always there providing a solid life force whether you are aware of it or not. During this meditation technique we are going to focus solely on the breathing. This is a great way to relax and as a little side benefit you become more aware of how your body functions and hopefully have a little more respect and gratitude for the amazing job your body does..
Ok lets start by finding a comfortable, calm place to meditate. If you can change the lighting set it to a nice, low, unobtrusive level. Sit in a position where you feel comfortable and relaxed. Close your eyes and rest your hands in your lap.
Now I'd like you to bring your attention to your breath. Concentrate on the rhythm of your breathing. Don't try to force it, just let it come naturally. Feel the air as it moves in and out of your body. When you feel nice and relaxed I'd like you to direct your attention to your nose. Concentrate on this spot for a few minutes, feel the movements of the air as it passes through your nose. Think about the sensations it makes. Does it feel cool? Does it tickle slightly? Take note of everything you feel and be aware of the air passing through your nose at that exact moment.
Now I want you to direct your attention to other parts of your body. Move your attention down to your throat. Concentrate on this area, does your throat move when you breath? Can you feel the cold air pass over your throat? Think about any sensations that you feel and just be aware of how the air feels as it moves through your body, nourishing all your organs and keeping you strong and healthy.
Concentrate on your throat for a few minutes then move down to your chest. Become aware of your chest rising and falling with each steady breath. How does this feel? Is it calm and relaxing? Does your chest move more than you expected it to? Or is your breathing more shallow? Feel the air as it enters your lungs. Is there any movements or vibrations in your chest that you weren't expecting? Continue to concentrate in this area for a few more minutes.
Now I'd like you to move onto your solar plexus, or navel area. How does your breathing effect this area? Perhaps there is a lot of movement down here, or there may be no movement at all. It's ok if there's no movement, just take a note of this. Concentrate on this area for a few minutes then move on.
Repeat this process for every area in the body that you have time for. You can concentrate on any area of the body at all from your hands to your feet. Try your back or shoulders, does your shoulders move when you breath? How about your thighs, can you feel any movement there? Move around each area in turn concentrating slowly on that particular area for several minutes. Think about the muscles in that area. Is your breathing helping to relax those muscles? If you feel tense simply release that muscle and let it relax.
Once you have covered all the area's that you want to cover bring your attention back to your chest. Concentrate once more on the rising and falling of your chest as the air enters and leaves your lungs. Then slowly begin to release your concentration. Begin to see your body as a single unit, notice how the air travels the entire length of your body and is not specific to just one part. Feel the air as it enters your body then travels to all the muscles and all the organs within your body.Relax and enjoy this feeling for a while. Then when you feel comfortable slowly bring yourself out of meditation and enjoy the rest of your day.
Brenda Mayhew writes on self development related issues. You can learn more by visiting her website, Meditation Basics.
The Historical Sketch Of Hypnotism
The history of hypnosis is as antiquated as the human lineage. Even the most crude pagans were aware of this amazing psychological display, and it was used in the magical celebrations of their wizards to bring up apprehension and magnify faith in the supernatural and the occult. With this extensive record of supernaturalism and mysticism, it is not shocking that the conventional public point of view toward hypnosis has been and still is one of antagonism, misapprehension and fear. The early scientific presentations in the study of hypnosis began with Anton Mesmer in 1775, from whose name originates the term mesmerism which is even today in modern usage. Mesmer`s utilization of hypnosis commenced with his find that some types of medical patients were affected by arm stroking and sleep suggestions. Mesmer ascribed these sanative outcomes to the `quality` of `animal magnetism`, and he proposed a concept that animal magnetism was some enigmatic and peculiar cosmic fluid with remedial properties. Despite Mesmer`s excellent insightful comprehension of clinical psychology, he had no distinct awareness of the psychological attributes of his therapy. Yet, he cared for a large number of patients with success on whom traditional medical procedures had failed. Regrettably, his radical temperament and mystical peculiarity of his therapy brought him inordinately to discredit despite the fact that a lot of physicians visited his clinic throughout the height of his accomplishment to come to know the important lessons in the mystic art of psychotherapy, specifically, the significance of clinical psychology. Since Mesmer there has been a succession of talented men who became interested in hypnosis and maintained it effectively in medical purposes, granting it an gradually more scientific justification and power. Elliotson, the first man in England to utilize the stethoscope, got interested in hypnosis about 1817, used it thoroughly, and left tremendous manuscripts of its beneficial effect in selected cases. Esdaille, motivated by Elliotson`s case reports, became an devoted advocate of mesmerism, as it was then called, and truly succeeded in interesting the British government in founding a hospital in India, where he used it extensively on all sorts of medical patients, leaving countless exceptional transcripts of major and minor surgery executed under hypnotic anesthesia. The commencement of a psychological apprehension of the phenomenon began in 1841 with James Braid, firstly an opponent and then later a most dedicated inquirer and supporter. It was he who invented the phrase hypnosis, acknowledged the psychological constitution of hypnotic sleep, and addressed a lot of its manifestations, designing methods whereby to check their authenticity.
Milos Pesic is a successful webmaster and owner of highly popular and comprehensive Hypnosis web site. Visit now for more articles and resources on hypnosis related topics, free hypnosis inductions scripts, self hypnosis, weight loss hypnosis, stop smoking hypnosis and much more.
Ways To Properly Care For Your Feet
Your feet may be among the most underappreciated and hardest working parts of your body. They will carry you hundreds of thousands of miles during your lifetime, pound the pavement for you when you are looking for a job and keep you on your toes when everything else around you is falling apart. For all they do for you, don't you think your feet deserve proper care and a little pampering? Here's how to make sure that your feet feel good and keep on doing what they are supposed to do.
The Basics - Proper Footwear
Treating your feet properly starts with proper footwear. If you are on your feet a lot during the day, be sure that you choose shoes that fit well and offer proper support. Some very basic tips for properly fitted footwear include:
- Shop for shoes in the late afternoon because your feet will expand over the course of the day. It is best to fit your shoes when your feet are at their largest.
- If your feet are two different sizes (and that's true of many people) buy your shoes to fit the larger foot. Better to pad then to live in pain.
- Have the salesperson size your feet when you are standing, not sitting.
- Choose shoes with a roomy toe box and moderate heel.
- If you must wear heels for work, keep a pair of comfortable shoes that you can slip into for walking and commuting.
Footwear is more than shoes, though. The socks that you wear can also make an enormous difference in the way your feet feel - and in preventing some common foot problems.
- Choose socks that fit your feet right. Loose socks can wrinkle inside your shoes and cause blisters and discomfort.
- Choose socks that have cotton or wool blend that lets your feet breathe and wicks moisture away from them. Your feet will stay cooler and bacteria will have less moisture to breed.
- If you wear pantyhose or stockings, consider slipping a pair of cotton pedi-socks on over them for the reasons above.
More Basics - Routine Care
Most women lavish attention on their faces - daily scrubs and exfoliation creams, moisturizers and special cleansers - but few do much more for their feet than run a cloth over them in the shower. A monthly pedicure is no substitute for routine daily care for your feet.
- Wash your feet with warm water everyday. Do not soak them more often than once a week, though, or you will dry out the skin.
- After washing, dry thoroughly with a clean, soft towel. Make sure to dry between your toes.
- Keep skin soft and smooth with a thin layer of foot lotion, petroleum jelly or skin lotion applied to the tops and bottoms of your feet. Do not put lotion between the toes to avoid causing an infection.
- Smooth rough heels, calluses or other rough spots with a pumice stone. There are some great new products on the market that make smoothing your feet easier and prevent injury to your skin.
- Trim toenails once a week. Cut nails straight across to avoid ingrown toenails. If toenails are exceptionally thick or yellowed, or if they curve or press into the skin, have your toenails trimmed by a foot doctor or a pedicurist.
Home Care for Common Problems
You can head off serious problems by caring for your feet properly and dealing with common problems before they become acute. Some foot problems need medical treatment and can become serious health threats. Others are little more than an annoyance. Whichever categories your foot problems fall into, here are some tips for dealing with common foot problems.
Sweaty, smelly feet
If your body produces excess perspiration, you can end up with moist feet inside dark shoes - the perfect breeding ground for bacteria - which can lead to smelly feet. If you have a problem with smelly feet, there are several ways to deal with it:
- Keep your feet clean with daily washing. Pay particular attention to the areas between your toes, where dead skin cells can collect and contribute to the problem.
- Use foot powder in your socks.
- Wear cotton socks, or invest in anti-bacterial socks.
- Use odor-absorbing insoles in your shoes.
Dry, cracked heels
The skin on your heels is especially prone to drying and cracking. This condition can be especially common in people with diabetes and in older adults. The best way to deal with cracked heels is to prevent them with good foot care, but sometimes that is not enough.
- Use a pumice stone to gently rub away dry, dead skin.
- Wash feet regularly, but go easy on the soaking. Too much soaking will dry out your skin further.
- Do not use razors or other trimmers to remove dry, dead skin.
- Keep circulation going in your feet with regular exercise and stretching.
Stephanie Larkin is a freelance writer who specializes in writing about beauty and personal care as well as personal care products such as the Ped Egg
Why Metaphysics? Part 1
What is metaphysics, and why should we bother studying it? What benefits does it have for humanity? What is its purpose? How will its teachings help advance society? How will it assist our civilization and culture to progress? How will our lives be re-created individually and collectively with the application of metaphysical principles? Questions abound concerning metaphysics, for people intuitively feel that it may have something precious to offer in terms of facilitating personal growth and self-empowerment. Among those spiritually inclined, it has become a "prime directive" to understanding their lives in terms of metaphysical principles and concepts such as multi-dimensional realities, the Higher Self, love, karma, reincarnation, etheric energies, psychicism, oneness with all, cosmic beings, the ascension, etc., and some of the causes of this higher thinking and awareness is the thinning of the cosmic veil between dimensions; the increased contact with invisible forces; the influence of intense electromagnetic cosmic energies bombarding upon our planet and solar system at this time; the influx of higher spiritual beings incarnating in the physical realm; the discoveries of many ancient secrets left hidden in monumental structures and time capsules; scientific developments in hyper-space technologies, and shifts in its paradigms, etc.
All of these are occurring on a global scale, in every nation of this planet, and it is affecting every human being. So it would seem that humanity is awakening from its long sleep of forgetfulness and ignorance. The Tree of Life of immortality, enlightenment, and illumination will be found hidden in the seeds of the Tree of metaphysical knowledge--using the word "metaphysics" in its most spiritual, gnostic sense.
For thousands of years we have sought for truth, and most of the time from the wrong persons and in the wrong places--what we received were man-made opinions and beliefs which were forced upon our minds to be accepted as the "word of God," or the way that Nature had decreed, and that there is nothing that anyone can do to change it. While in our infancy, physically and spiritually speaking, we accepted everything told to us by organized religion, elders, and pedagogues as gospel and truth and we based our philosophy of life on the indoctrination imposed upon us and which subsequently formed our false sense of "conscience," and a poor understanding of spiritual values. This caused us great soulful sufferings and torment in succeeding years in our everyday life--an intense sense of shame, guilt, fear, and sin whenever we "violated" any so-called law of God formulated by theology; and it never occurred to us to question the systems, the mechanisms, and their origins that brought about our morbid condition. This naturally lowered our self-esteem. Conscience is not similar to the concept of the "still, small voice." The latter is the silent voice of the Spirit, whereas conscience in part, is simply the engrams or programs imprinted upon the subconscious mind. Conscience is also partially our memory of the negative consequences of our past actions impinging upon our conscious mind whenever we are about to act in a negative way resembling that of the past.
But to return from our digression: in past centuries we were told lies by false prophets and the ministers of religions that mediators between God and men were necessary; that theirs was the only way to God; that their race or sect were the chosen one of God; that everything that God would reveal to humanity lies in a single book; that God punishes us for sinning and perhaps in the afterlife casts us into hell; that illness, old-age, and death were a natural part of life; that one no longer receives any new revelation from God, etc. We were told to fear God, to see everything as separated from us, to believe that we were born in sin, that the sexual act is shameful, that we were simply mortals subjected to the whims of God for the determination of our fate, that we were inherently bad--and even more--that the world was flat! While at the same time heinous crimes against the Holy Human Spirit were being committed by those very same representatives of religions such as the crimes of persecution, torture, and murder of innocent human beings who simply were more spiritually and psychically inclined or conceived the universe from a different viewpoint--and all these atrocious acts were carried-out in the name of Religion, Love and God. The Crusades and the Inquisition are dark chapters in the history of man.
One of the points that we wish to put forth here is that since time began the dark, retrogressive forces have infiltrated or have tried infiltrating every institution that have sought to improve the condition of the soul, and the expression of the human spirit in our mundane lives. They have always opposed and attacked the true representatives of God and steered seekers of truth away from them. Their purpose is to stall human evolution and progression indefinitely, that human beings cringe and cower under their manipulative control, that humans be made into slaves and automatons answering to their every whim. They work openly and subtly, physically and psychically. They make us believe that we need them--their services and wares--and we are psychologically controlled to be dependent upon them and return to them again and again for their assistance--usually for a large fee or with some loss on our part. We will not be too specific here, we simply caution our readers to "be wary, be very, very wary!" Treading the spiritual metaphysical path will assist one to be more discerning as to the understanding of what is True and what is false, what is Real and what is illusory.
Generally speaking, a portion of humanity is now more experienced in the ways of men and the world than in bygone days, and they seek for that which will release them from all their mortal limitations and errors, from that Gorgon we call "the human ego," from concepts that bind one to personal illusions and glamour, and from that state of human mortality. Many of us are beginning to realize the existence of different dimensions and multifold realities. We seek ways for improving the human condition, for perfecting human expression, and the generation of a new type of Homo sapiens whose intelligence and heart matches those of the immortal gods.
Human beings are basically seekers. Some of us thirst for that which we know not what. The "curiosity instinct" impels every one of us to learn everything we can of our environment, of ourselves, of the universe, of Nature, and of God. What fascinates and intrigues us most are the phenomena caused by forces and powers that transcends the perceptual capacity of the physical senses and the apprehension of the human mind. Humanity is intensely interested in the Intelligence that shapes human destiny--whether this "Intelligence" be considered as a being, a force, a Universal Mind, an omnipresent energy, or a collective consciousness. People are seeking explanations to their "inexplicable" experiences in the field of psychicism and the paranormal. Such occurrences as coincidences or "synchronicity" also baffles the mind as it begs for enlightenment. Those of elderly years wonder what lies for them in the "after-life," as the youthful ones wonder of their place in this world. A questioning being is a thinking being and it denotes, whether consciously realized or not, as a desire to seek, to know, and to be aware of Truth. The curiosity instinct mentioned above could well be the primitive stirrings of the divine will of the highest aspect of Man seeking to be aware of Its essential nature. The teachings of the Ageless Wisdom as taught in metaphysical, esoteric, occult and arcane schools are filled with principles that would help us understand ourselves and our omniverse.
Humanity as a whole, is jaded and sickened by the constant wars and conflicts; with the materialistic and hedonistic life that do not offer any permanent peace and happiness or solutions to the various problems facing us as we approach a new millenium with its tremendous supernal and mundane challenges. Many seek for a more profound meaning in life, for they see through their mundane activities as a brittle illusory facade presenting itself as reality. We often ask "why am I here?" "why do I exist?" "where will I go from here?" Our present systems of religion, philosophy, and science offer no real solution, consolation, solace or comfort to our hearts and soul-search, instead they tend to mislead, confine, and circumscribe the soul and mind to a certain area of life; to a limited way of living and thinking; to a sense of separatism; to a dualistic judgmental attitude; to a sense of fear and helplessness; and to a state of external dependency--it especially confines man to a mortal sense of existence--and we say this not from a sense of judgment but from an observational standpoint.
Conversely, metaphysics as a repository of "New-Age" concepts, the Ageless Wisdom, divine energies, power-centers, and angelic and cosmic support, seek to liberate us from self-imposed limitations as it offers answers to questions that troubles the human soul. The soul loves freedom for freedom is ingrained in the soul. God gave man the liberty to choose, and this privilege should not be taken away from man by any being for it is a violation of the natural order of things.
Freedom may be considered as an instinct for it is to be found in animals as well. No creature enjoys being confined in a cage. Every creature love to be free and to express the genetic joy programmed in its DNA. Nature has granted all creatures their freedom of expression but some of us would impose our will upon Divine Will by creating cages of man-made laws and regulations that do not reflect the laws of Heaven. Man-made laws may easily be manipulated by the unscrupulous for their own heinous purposes. Crimes may be committed that are "lawful," that goes undisciplined in our courts of judgment. In the laws of our society, the innocents are often made to pay for the crimes of another. Where is the love (religion), and rationality (science), and justice (philosophy) in that?
We are writing intuitively here and our statements may be interpreted and applied in various ways. In fact, statements in our literary works may seem to lack any logical structure or sequence. They may appear to be non sequitur. Logic may appeal to the thinking mind, however it is more than conceptual reasoning that we have to develop. There are higher faculties of the soul that should be cultivated and made used of, such as intuition. The cliché "reading between the lines" may seem irrational to the scientific type and yet it is this particular mode of perception that has to be practiced as a spiritual stimulus to the Soul.
There are many scholarly definitions of metaphysics and they are all valid; however, for our purpose, without explaining metaphysics in an overly-academic way, let us say that metaphysics in its more modern connotation, deals with cosmic laws and principles, with unseen forces and powers influencing ourselves and the circumstances and conditions of our daily lives, and how we may take advantage of those laws and principles by re-directing them so as to improve our holistic lives for the better. Metaphysics teaches us how to harness and apply the cosmic power lying latent within us. In its most profound spiritual aspect metaphysics teaches us the nature of Reality and how we and Nature relate to it. Metaphysics instructs us how to harmonize ourselves with the Divine Plan of God, and it reveals the true purpose of life. Metaphysics, therefore, has a dual function: it helps us to improve our lives secularly now in this physical dimension, and it also prepares us for a glorious life in the higher cosmic realms. Actually, as seen from a spiritual perspective, life has no divisions: life is one, as it is continuous. There is no death only a constant change.
The application of certain metaphysical principles assists the acceleration of one's evolution and the quantum leap to a higher level of intelligence and spiritual awareness. We emphasize the word "application," for knowledge of principles or techniques alone is of no value. Knowledge of itself is not power, it is the application of knowledge that empowers one. Spiritually, it is not what we know or the psychic powers that we possess that counts, it is what we are. We know many people possessing a little knowledge or power feel themselves highly superior to their fellow men. This is arrogance and carries the seeds of peril. The saying that "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing" is literally and evidently true; we can well understand how insufficient knowledge and a disregard for life may result in catastrophes. It was the cause of destruction of previous high-tech civilizations, historically unrecorded, as it is the cause of our present social, political, and ecological unrest.
To understand the above concept of incomplete knowledge, consider for instance the knowledge that we have to construct nuclear weapons--how much do we really know of the impact that it will have upon us and the universe should we choose to detonate one? We may presently believe that the effects of a nuclear blast be localized causing the exploded area to be radioactive for centuries to come. This is an obvious effect, but what about the not-so-obvious rippling, chain-reaction that it would cause in the physical and not-physical universes to the very end of our galaxy?
Copyright © 2006 Luxamore
Leonard Lee aka Luxamore
Metaphysical teacher, counseler, healer and merchant of occult/magickal items of Indonesia.
Magickal Items from Indonesia: talismans, mustika pearls, kerises, etc.
Magickal Bezoar Mustika Pearls from Indonesia.
Spiritual Tourism is a Real Crowd-Puller to India
Spiritual Tourism is a real crowd-puller to India! India and other culturally rich countries are fast finding out the importance of their spiritual traditions and beliefs in context of tourism; though, India has always been looked upon as the universal truth-finder's path and a land of inherent spirituality. This view has been reinforced by the many overseas tourists to the country who return with memories of individual sanctification and weary souls rejuvenated after having stepped on the many legendary Indian worship sites and pilgrimage centers. How the Celeb-factor has turned around the fate of Spiritual tourism: word of mouth and great publicity! The global gypsy feet owner with a penchant for finding again the reassurance of religious feelings and those on spirituality scouting for inner peace find India the ideal Yog-bhoomi (land of yogic science). Many celebrities have found the ancient wisdom of Indian spirituality personally rejuvenating and have made it world-famous by giving it publicity and international exposure in action, dressing-style, using Indian meditation and other forms of spiritual peace that is predominantly Indian; some of these youth icons include Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, Sting and Meg Ryan. Indian counterparts like Shiv Khera, Swami Ramdev, Deepak Chopra and other motivating speakers and preachers of spirituality helped in building a brand image of India as a delight for spiritual tourism seekers with their inspirational discourses, seminars, public appearances and other related promotional and educational efforts for reviving interest in Indian spiritual tourisms. A tryst with spiritual tourism in India proves to be a balm to the global traveler's soul. India's innumerable saints and seers, success at peaceful attainment at enlightenment and strong emphasis on cultural diversity in various religious monuments such as Temples, Mosques, Monasteries etc having all received benevolent patronage has resulted in many places of worship being present for curious visitors from the tourism sector. Now, thanks to proper management and eco-tourism factors, this sector of spiritual tourism has gained more recognition.
Manoj Gursahani is the Chairman of India's first ecommerce travel portal- TravelMartIndia. Visit the blog for more travel related issues, travel tips and destinations
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