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Meditation Information.... from Heart-Links.com |
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Lighthearted Meditation: Playing With MindfulnessI often meet people who say things like, "I've been working on mindfulness for over twenty years." My response is always this: "Oh, you poor thing! Have you tried *playing* with mindfulness? It's very effective, and much more fun!" They tend to look at me like I'm some kind of kook, and then ask the million-dollar question: "How can you play with mindfulness?" Glad you asked.... We tend to think of mindfulness as something that develops only after years of dedicated meditation. We must sit for hours, contemplate in silence for days, go on retreats for weeks, practice daily for years. Okay, that can work. The unfortunate thing is that it IS work, and consequently, it's about as appealing to most folks as lying on a bed of nails. Sure, they want to develop a clearer perspective on life. Yes, they want to become calm and contemplative. Of course they want to live more meaningfully and with greater joy. But does it have to be so hard? Absolutely not. You see, while most people knock politely on that front door of meditation in order to get inside the House of Mindfulness, I like to sneak people in the back door to steal a few cookies. Why can't we play with mindfulness, dance with it, treat it like our favorite goofy cousin who happens to be brilliant instead of our strict uncle who happens to have a Ph.D? Why can't we tiptoe toward mindfulness through eyes-wide-open exercises that are engaging, uplifting, informative, and--dare I say it--fun? Mindfulness should be like a big game of mental hide-and-seek: "Where am I now? Gotcha!" As a student of Buddhism for nearly 30 years, I have the greatest respect for the Buddha and the philosophy that developed around his teachings. I have tremendous admiration for those who have dedicated themselves to a regular meditation practice. But it's disturbing to me that mindfulness is seen as "belonging" to Buddhism and that meditation is seen as the only vehicle that will take us there. This sounds a bit like, oh, attachment? Clinging, perhaps? I just can't find it in my heart to believe that the Buddha would be ticked off about the idea of developing mindfulness in whatever way works best. Not everyone likes the idea of meditation, but here's the cool part: those who start off with easy, enjoyable exercises often find themselves seeing the value in sitting still. In fact, many clients say they'd never have started with meditation, but they so enjoyed "playing" with mindfulness that they have begun a regular sitting practice! Sneaky? Sure, but that's part of playing. Fun--in whatever form that takes--is what keeps us going back for more. If you're not grinning, you're not winning in this big ol' game of life. If "working" on mindfulness isn't working for you, try playing instead. Throw open the doors. Let your inner monk go out and play. It's recess! Maya Talisman Frost is a mind masseuse in Portland, Oregon. Through her company, Real-World Mindfulness Training, she offers creative and powerful eyes-wide-open alternatives to meditation. To subscribe to her free weekly ezine, the Friday Mind Massage, please visit http://www.MassageYourMind.com.
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Meditation - Google News | | | | RELATED ARTICLES How to Train Your Brain to Keep You Healthy and Happy 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. Quieting the Mind Opening the Heart To put it simply, the act of meditation involves quieting the mind so you can open the heart. That's it in a nutshell. Meditating - Staying Awake Why is staying awake while meditating important? Falling asleep is certainly relaxing, and can be good for you, but to get the full range of benefits from your meditation you need to have your brainwaves in the alpha and theta ranges. When you are asleep, your brainwaves range from theta to delta. How To Meditate? 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For example: Self-analysis and meditation cannot be performed at the same time. After all, multi-tasking runs contrary to what meditation is all about. What Does Meditation Music Do To You? Personally I belief that it is possible for anyone to live a life of happiness,inner peace, and outward success, no matter what their present or past circumstances. There are very real methods anyone can use to achieve these things-if they are willing to make the necessary changes in how they see themselves and their relationship to the rest of the world, and take the necessary actions. A Look at Meditation I've counseled many people from every background and led workshops and lectures about self-empowering topics for about 25 years. Over that time, I saw a need. Herbal Teas If you want to get hold of a particular tea and can't find it, then it is fine to use a combination tea, which contains the ingredient you want along with a few others.Some Health Benefits from Particular Herbal Teas:Heart and Circulation: Hawthorn berry. Subconscious The subconscious is a scarey thing to comtemplate for some people. We have been taught that it is a dark place that keeps deep dark secrets about ourselves that could destroy our peace of mind at the very least, and our lives at the very worst. Meditation: A Path To Inner Peace Throughout history, meditation has been an integral part of many cultures. Records indicate that meditation was practiced in ancient Greece and India more than 5,000 years ago. Stevia 100% Natural Herbal Sweetener Artificial sweeteners are developed in organic chemistry labs. Stevia grows wild in the rain forests. Meditation: How to Enter a Deep State of Relaxation There are many methods of meditation that can lead to channeling, mediumship, or simply a greater spiritual awareness. Here is the method I use: Find a comfortable position, either sitting or lying down. Establishing A Daily Meditation Practice It's important to establish a daily practice and then stick to it. This doesn't mean dedicating 12 hours a day to meditation, it just means creating a space in your home where you can take a few minutes and meditate and do the exercises. Meditation Hello, sample some of the arguments below. But mind you, this is not an opinionated writer that is trying to forward his profound knowledge on an altruistic art that is meditation. Holosync Meditation - Does It Really Work? Chances are, if you are on a quest for self-improvement, you've already heard of the Holosync Meditation CD's. What It Is: Developed by Bill Harris in the late 1980s, the Holosync Solution is an audio program designed to bring your brain waves to the alpha (and lower)levels automatically just by listening to the cds. Full Body Awareness Now that you're comfortable working with your breath it's time to bring the rest of the body in. Continue breathing as I've outlined in my article on Breathing. Mindfulness and Eating: Divine Desk Dining Are you stuck eating lunch at your desk again?Lucky you.You see, staying put can be surprisingly soothing compared to making a mad dash to the cafe for a sandwich and running back to your office, all the while worried that you'll miss an important call. Bhagavad Gita Commentary Most of us have heard the story of the centipede who, when asked how he managed to walk with so many legs, could no longer do so, but tangled his legs hopelessly in the attempt to intellectually figure it out and ended up on his back, helpless. This is not unlike the person who attempts to plumb the depths of oriental scriptures. An Algorithm to Remove "Hurt" from Pain The behavior of pain was enigmatic. Its responses were strange. |
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