Society, Religion, Spirituality and Meditation
Meditation is widely used in the western world today. As people hear of the benefits of meditation it has travelled the world several times over under various different names. One thing that we have realised though is that countries like India, China and Japan have always been at the forefront of meditation. Most of the new enlightenment techniques that we are just learning now started in Asia, and often centuries ago. As you can imagine though there are a lot of differences between how people live in Asia and how we live in the West today.Our upbringings are different, our lifestyles are different, and the way we learn and understand is totally alien to the people of Asia. This means that the way our countries understand and accept meditation is also slightly different.
In Asia students of meditation learn the concepts by way of parables or stories. In the West we encourage critical thought. We teach our children how to think with rational, logical minds. Telling stories to explain a thought doesn't work. We require facts and scientific data. We lose a lot of the meaning behind meditation because of this, and limit ourselves to the depths that we can reach. There is a meditation society in most countries now. This is often the best place to find meditation courses and seminars local to your region.
Religion
Religion has also adapted to encompass meditation practices into it's daily programme. You can now find meditation exercises adopted to suit Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, and many other religions. Some people are still finding resistance using meditation within their specific Church or Temple. While meditation has been accepted by most religions some people are finding it slow to trickle down to the people at the bottom. If you would like to incorporate meditation into your religious practices and are finding it difficult to get information from your local religious centre there are lots of examples and instructions online to show you the best ways to use meditation for your own religious purposes.
Spirituality
Spirituality and the new age movement was one of the first groups of people in the west to adopt and accept meditation practices into their way of life. Spirituality differs from religion in that spiritualists aim to reach a level of happiness in their lives. Religion tends to stick to a set of rules, where as spiritualists will try various different methods to find the path that is right for them. It is a very personal experience and they can use meditation to help them along the path that they have chosen.
It really doesn't matter why you come to meditation. It is such a simple technique to master that you can adapt it to almost any situation.
Brenda Mayhew writes on self development related issues. You can learn more about meditation by visiting her website, Meditation Basics.
10 Tips for Positive Thinking: Tips for a Happier and Healthier Frame of Mind
If you’re down in the dumps for disproportionately long periods of time and you find yourself blaming the rest of the world for your misery, then perhaps a change of attitude is in order. These 10 tips for positive thinking may be able to give your outlook in life its much needed overhaul. So increase your chances for a more constructive perspective with these 10 tips for positive thinking: 1. Recognize negative thoughts as they take shape and bury them before they take root. If you feel your mood darkening again, put a stop to these dangerous musings before you succumb to them. Rule your emotions, don’t let your emotions rule you. 2. Hang out with people who think positive as well. This condition can be quite infectious. 3. Just as contagious is a negative mindset. So avoid people who tend to think negatively on a constant basis. After all, who wants to hang around naysayers all the time? 4. Work out and eat right. If you look good on the outside, it’ll be easier to feel good on the inside, too. 5. De-clutter. Surround yourself only with the things you love and that make you feel good�"framed family photos, favorite books, potted plants, works of art, or whatever else that’s meaningful to you. 6. If people tell you you can’t do something, take that as a challenge and prove them wrong. Chances are, they themselves can’t do it or are too afraid to try and are simply bitter about it. If you show them it can be done after all, maybe they’ll even be inspired by your success. You can be a living tip for positive thinking to them. 7. Just when you’re about to blow your top for all the seeming misfortunes that befall you, remind yourself of all your blessings instead. This practice can be very sobering, indeed. 8. Be a volunteer or get involved in charity work. Not only will you realize the sheer number of people who have bigger problems than you do, but there is also such an emotional and even spiritual high to be experienced in helping others. 9. De-stress. You’re more likely to be cranky if you’re perpetually stressed out. So get away from it all and recharge. 10. Keep it up. Getting started is easy. It’s the maintenance that’s tricky. Make a habit out of thinking positively till it becomes an indelible part of who you are. Follow these 10 tips for positive thinking and be successful in your search for a happier and healthier frame of mind.
Michael Lee is unbelievably giving away over $2355 worth of the best self-help ebooks FREEat http://www.20daypersuasion.com/goldaccess.htm so take advantage now before it's too late!
Meditation Techniques For Time Pressed Executives
Meditation, quite rightly, has an image of relaxation, peace and quiet, and many may interpret this as meaning meditation can only be for those who have time to laze around half the day. For this reason, those people, such as business executives, who live a pressured life with little or no time to spare, may assume that meditation can never have a place in their lives. That is a shame, as meditation techniques can be quite flexible and quite easy to fit in to a busy day.
The benefits of meditation can be so great to somebody under pressure, that even a few minutes occasionally may bring a noticeable benefit. For a busy executive to have reached their position in life, they are likely to be determined and intelligent individuals. This can often mean that, should they perceive a benefit in an activity, then they will continue or extend that activity. It is therefore possible that an executive trying out even a brief period of meditation may soon adopt some meditation technique or other on a regular basis.
What type of meditation techniques may fit in with an executive lifestyle? Important features of meditation are being able to breathe well and consciously, relax and clear the mind, and then focus the mind. An executive with perpetual meetings and a full diary, with pressures to perform and maximise profits, may think such things cannot be fitted into their busy lives.
It is true to say that the most powerful and beneficial meditation sessions are prolonged. However, that does not mean short periods of meditation are a waste of time; far from it. An executive is probably geared up to packing as much into their day as possible and, although it may be difficult to clear a hyperactive mind, they may well learn to pack in short meditation sessions also. In so doing, they may well find that those sessions give them a boost that is far greater and more beneficial than caffeine.
So, what techniques can an executive use during their busy day? Here are a few ideas:
1. If using public transport to get to and from work, and you are able to sit down, it can be a good time to close your eyes, concentrate on correct breathing, and try to shut out the surrounding sounds. Commuting can be a very stressful experience every day of the week, so a snatched meditation session, even in far from ideal conditions, may minimize those negative effects, or even turn them on their head. In fact, it can be good practice to try to meditate in difficult conditions, as that makes ideal conditions even more beneficial later on.
The secret to these train or bus sessions is not to fall asleep, and to concentrate extra hard on maintaining the focus.
2. Do you go to a gym or health spa? Whether at lunch time or in the evening, this can be a good time to tag on a short meditation session. If you have finished your work out, you need some time to shower and relax your body a bit. Following that with a 10 minute or more period of meditation could work wonders. Most gyms or health spas will have a room you can use for a short spell of peace, so it is worth asking. A vacant massage room would serve the purpose.
3. Control your diary, and schedule in a mid morning and mid afternoon "tea or coffee" break. Only instead of tea and coffee, drink water, sit comfortably, focus on your breathing and then when totally relaxed, have a short session of meditation, focusing on something calming and not related to work. Even 10 minutes can provide a power inducing respite from the day's work, and the chances are you will not lose time, but rather gain time, as you will work more effectively.
Snatched meditation sessions spread through the day may not be the stuff of traditional meditation, but they are certainly better than none at all. Hopefully, the rejuvenated executive will perceive enough benefits to set aside time in the evenings and weekends to learn full meditation, and then be able to return to work at the top of is game every weekday morning.
This meditation techniques article was written by Roy Thomsitt, owner and part author of the Routes To Self Improvement website.
Turning on your Heart Light
As you sink into your space remember a time when you experienced love or appreciation . . . it can be something as simple as when you looked into the eyes of a baby, or a pet or a cherished friend . . . allow yourself, in this moment, to re-experience those feelings of love or appreciation. . . as you do this notice the area around your heart . . . breathe these feelings of remembered love and appreciation into the area in and around your heart. . . And I want you to imagine that this experience of love and appreciation allows you NOW to locate your own personal heart light . . . however it appears to you… know that you have an internal heart light. . . see it now and switch it to the ON position . . . Good, take a breath into your heart as you continue remembering the feelings of love and appreciation . . . And as you allow yourself to breathe in these feelings, surrender any doubt or thoughts that you are imaging this. . . Strongly connected to your internal heart light, imagine now that you can broadcast these feelings of love and appreciation out into the world . . . out to every other heart in the world . . . out to every man, woman, child, dolphin, bird, every sentient being . . . practice now broadcasting your purest love to the world and as you do this, knowing that your inner heart light is now in the ON position . . . know that you are beaming a signal to the heart of your soul mate that you are ready and willing to magnetize them into your life see this light emanating from your heart, this light filled with trust and knowingness, see it filling the spaces around your body and beaming out to the world around you . . . breathe into this light, into this loving feeling and continue to broadcast it out around you. Sink into the deep knowingness that your soul mate has been touched, just now, by the energy of your heart. Breathe into the deep knowingness that he or she IS on the way. Rest assured that every cell of your being now knows that your soul mate is on the way. You do not need to know the when, the where, the how of your meeting . . . just rest in the YES that they are indeed coming to you. And allow that thought to bring a smile across your lips. Tell yourself now that it is safe to keep your heart-light on . . . know that you are loved and protected and ready . . . remember that you have much love to give and much love to receive. Know that as you savor the waiting for your soul mate to appear, you can give your love to all around you and as you do this, your heart-light beams stronger and brighter with each loving thought you have. And when you are ready open your eyes remembering to keep your heart open as you do.
Arielle Ford is a professional, previously unmarried woman who is revealing her secret to finding romance, love, marriage, and a perfect soulmate. She discovered how to take her professional success and apply it to her personal life, and she has never been happier. Now she wants to share that secret with you. Learn how to find your soulmate at http://www.SoulMateKit.com.
Spring Cleaning For The Mind
A look at how mindless tasks help us connect to the universe You know the feeling you get right after spring-cleaning your whole house. I don’t mean just the routine cleaning. I mean a real reorganization of your entire household complete with moving furniture and elbow grease. What a great feeling it is when you’re all done and you sit back for the first time and just relax. This good feeling comes not just because you have a freshly cleaned house. Nor is it just a feeling of self-gratification for accomplishing, what is in my case, a monumental task. It is also the result of your recent connection with the universe through your own subconscious thoughts. You may not realize it but as you focus your attention on physical activities you are actually allowing your subconscious mind to surface with new ideas. When you really focus on something as mindless as cleaning your kitchen or garage you are actually distracting yourself from all the external influences that surround us all the time. It is this distraction that allows your subconscious mind to rise to the level of awareness with new ideas fresh from the universe for you to act upon. Ever have any great ideas in the shower or while shaving? As the master teachers of mindscapes when I’m faced with uncertainty. It helps me clear my head and focus on what my creative side is trying to tell me. I try to let my subconscious mind create the images and shapes as I draw, without expectation of what will come of the art. I enjoy the “now” moments that come with the creation as I draw and it is in those moments of connection with the universe that I project a mental image of what I really want to attract. Occasionally those images end up in the art. In some cases it’s pretty obvious what I wanted to attract at the time of “the doing” but finding the answer to what it is that you really want is half the battle of getting it. So many people believe that the answer to all their problems is money, especially if they don’t have any. I think it’s funny how we humans spend so much of our time following some grand fortune to bring us bliss, when it doesn’t cost anything to be happy. Happiness can be found just about anywhere you care to look for it. I’ll bet if you take a look around you right now you can easily find something or someone close by that makes you happy. There is nothing wrong with believing that it’s easier to be happy when you’re rich. The irony is, very few people realize that the opposite is true. It’s easier to get rich when you’re happy. People make things too hard. Have a Happy Day. www.neopoe.com
neopoe is a rouge scholar with absolutely no credentials, just a freethinking individual with nearly 30 years of study in personal development and metaphysics. See http://www.neopoe.com
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