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Archive for March, 2010

Trouble Sleeping? Meditation’s Free!

Sunday, March 28th, 2010

By now, most of us have the sense that meditation is a great tool for stress management, heart health, healing, boosting creativity, and more.

But meditation is also a great way to improve your sleep and enhance your dreams.

Did you know that anxiety, depression and pain stick with you while you sleep? You bet – they can be visible in the patterns of brainwaves, eye movements and muscle tone recorded in laboratories and sleep clinics. They disrupt our sleep architecture, or the cycles and rhythms of sleep.

Not surprisingly, when we carry extra stress, when we’re down in the dumps, or when we have aches and pains our sleep is far from optimal. Our REM (dream) density and deep sleep is lessened when we are anxious, sad or sedentary. We end up feeling unrested, and not quite right. We feed a negative cycle.

So how do we break it? How do we turn it around and feel truly rejuvenated physically, mentally and spiritually? Well, of course, one great way is through meditation!

During meditation you clear your mind. Essentially, you focus on “nothingness” and you simply “be”. This is easier said than done at first, but you get better and better at it the more you do it. Eventually the feeling of this becomes second nature. You get very good at recognizing when you need to take a minute to stop what you’re doing (physically or with your thoughts) and clear your head again to get back to that feeling.

With a clear mind you don’t have a bunch of mental congestion. Your body can “get through to you” better. You recognize when you need to calm it and lower your blood pressure, physically exercise or simply stop your thoughts and worries and just let go. You allow a state of rejuvenation where your body can glow naturally.

And our most potent, natural rejuvenator is sleep – without a doubt. Our deep “delta” sleep provides us with physical restoration while our REM sleep mentally restores us, and keeps us “sharp”. A meditator with a peaceful body and mind can let go of the day at will and drift into blissful sleep at the drop of a hat. And a peaceful body and mind enter naturally into optimal sleep rhythms so your body can do its thing cellularly and hormonally resulting in a balanced and radiating You!

Pretty great, huh? Well guess what? We can take it to even higher levels. Once your mind is cleared of chatter, worries and stressors, you then have an excellent opportunity to hold your focus on an intention, ideal, or something you DO want to fill your mind with. This may be something specific like new life patterns or behaviors, or something abstract like Love, Peace or Joy. You are only limited by your imagination.

Meditation is easy and effective. When you wake up in the morning, take a few minutes to clearly intend a perfect day, a perfect presentation, or a heart full of Lovingkindness. You’ll be surprised at how big of difference this makes in your life. As you are falling asleep, hold a clear intention of being restored fully and waking refreshed. Repeat your intention as many times as you like. Or repeat affirmations that tonight you will experience certain wonderful dreams, or even lucid dreams!

Lucid dreams are dreams in which you are aware you are dreaming while you are dreaming. This is easily a whole separate topic, but as it pertains to this one, fully lucid dreams can deliver absolute freedom, and a connection to something more. In lucid dreams, you can go anywhere with anyone anytime! About any person who has had this experience will report it as transcendent. Many report it as deeply spiritual, feeling wholly connected to higher aspects of themselves and the universe. Upon waking they cherish the experience and feel – yes – rejuvenated in every way!

I hope by reading this you get a sense of how powerful simple meditation can be. When applied to the realms of sleep and dreams, you obtain an amazing inner resource for rejuvenation. All you have to do is “tap in”!

Article Source: http://www.hobbyarticledirectory.com

Daniel Topp, MA has spent over 15 years in clinical and research-based sleep medicine. For more information about meditation and sleep enhancement, visit his site: www.3PoundUniverse.com

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Insights Into The Benefits Of Yoga

Sunday, March 28th, 2010

The practice of Yoga has been used for centuries to promote a sense of physical and spiritual well-being. Although the origins of Yoga are shrouded in mystery, it is generally accepted to have begun at the dawn of civilization some 5000 years ago. A number of respected scholars have suggested that Yoga grew out of the shamanistic culture of Mehgarh, located in the region now known as Afghanistan. In fact, many facets of Hindu culture have their roots in Mehgarh.

The principle goal of the practice of Yoga is to assist practitioners in the transcendence of the human condition. It was an attempt to discern the order of the cosmos, and to apply those principles to daily living. Yoga has been linked to the Indus-Sarasvati civilization, which was one of the oldest and most advanced of the ancient cultures. This civilization also gave birth to some of the oldest scriptures ever discovered in modern times. The Vedas are considered by many as a form of divine revelation, and contain many references to a higher power and to the practice of Yoga.

On the physical plain, Yoga has shown incredible promise in treating and managing many illnesses. The practice of Yoga has a number of physical benefits for practitioners. It facilitates flexibility, and assists in the lubrication of joints, tendons, and ligaments. Many of the poses and positions work to massage the organs, thus stimulating the body’s detoxification process. The physical benefits of Yoga are often considered secondary to the spiritual development. Yoga has the incredible ability to bring into harmony the physical and the spiritual elements of the individual experience.

Meditation also plays a significant role in Yoga. By combining intense meditation with specialized physical exercise, practitioners are able to achieve a unity of body, mind, and soul. The intent is to create a sense of balance and harmony, both internally and externally. The emotional calmness associated with meditation works to reduce stress, which is considered by many as one of the root causes of physical illness. The primary goal of Yoga is to empower the individual to transcend the physical world and to achieve a sense of enlightenment or self-realization. For those interested in understanding and fully realizing the oneness of all things, a commitment to the principles and practice of Yoga will undoubtedly unlock the secrets of the cosmos in all their wondrous glory.

Article Source: http://www.hobbyarticledirectory.com

Brodi Saatpha has been practicing Yoga for a number of years. When she is not striving to transcend reality, she writes for www.yoga-insight.com – an enlightening and refreshing website with information about the history of yoga, yoga certification, worldwide yoga retreats and more.

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Yoga Journal

Friday, March 26th, 2010

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Who Reads Yoga Journal?
Yoga Journal is for both the beginning and advanced practitioner, and the casual and committed reader.

What You Can Expect in Each Issue:

  • Basics: Yoga Journal's most popular column, Basics makes yoga asana and philosophy accessible to students who are new to the practice and long-time practitioners looking for a refresher course.
  • Eating Wisely: How we eat is a reflection of how we live, and for yogis, this means making thoughtful decisions about what goes on the menu. Eating Wisely examines the deep connections between spirit and food.
  • Home Practice: Starting a home practice can be a big challenge for yogis. Personal Practice provides all the tools readers need to roll out their mats at home.
  • Master Class: Offers in-depth instruction for the serious practitioner. Written by authoritative master yoga teachers.
  • Media: A critical discussion of the latest and most noteworthy books, music, DVDs, videos, and audiotapes.
  • Om: High-energy and fun to read, Om tells readers all they need to know about trends, news, fashion, people, places, and things that make the world of yoga fun and rewarding.
  • Features: Features always look at some aspect of yoga, whether for physical, emotional, or spiritual well being. Some current examples: Creating a Yoga space at home; using yoga to release yourself from addiction.

Past Issues:


Contributors:
Most contributors are writers who have a long-established yoga practice. Current writers include Stacie Stukin, Hillari Dowdle, Dayna Macy, Nora Isaacs, and more.

Magazine Layout:
It is clean, featuring magnificent original illustrations and photos. It is more text than visual, with the visual in service of the article, and the reader's pleasure.

Comparisons to Other Magazines:
Yoga Journal is the most widely read and respected yoga magazine in the country. There are other yoga magazines but they are largely regional.

Advertising:
National advertisers across many categories including Aveda, Sigg, Lululemon Athletica, Ford, Eileen Fisher, and more.

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Chakra Meditation: 7 Chakra Meditation Techniques To Instantly Relieve Your Ailments

Friday, March 26th, 2010

Our body has seven different vital energy centers or meridians. When one of the meridians is out of balance, it results in anxiety and out-of-balance feeling. Sometimes, it also causes ailments like pain and emotional suffering.

One of the best ways to balance your meridians is to meditate. When you feel centered and grounded, you feel at ease with rest of the world and hence you feel a general sense of well being and happiness. An ungrounded human being feels exactly the opposite. He or she feel out of synch with rest of the world, and has a general sense of anxiety and stress. The feeling of out-of-sync causes health and relationship issues over long term.

You are about to discover how to resolve most of your life-problems simply by focusing on the chakra (meridian) that is out-of-balance. Following this simple and easy-to-implement will help you guide through your challenges and strengthen your spiritual muscles.

There are seven vital energy centers. Muladhara is the first and lowest chakra situated at the base of the spine. It is said to be the storage of kundalini. Muladhara energy is called “the electrical force of creation, the cohesive power of matter”. Meditation upon this center leads to the mastery of desire, jealousy, anger and passion.

Svadisthana is the second chakra situated at the root of the genitals. Meditation on this center gives ability to see and to communicate with entities that inhabit the astral world.

Manipura is the third chakra located near the navel. Meditation on this center heal illness, fulfill secret desires, and gives insight into the deepest consciousness of other mind.

Anahata is the fourth chakra situated in the chest, near the heart. Meditation upon this center strengthens the psychic faculties, generates the ability to hear and see at great distances, and ensures material fortune.

Vishuddha is the fifth chakra located at the base of the throat and is considered the doorway to the plane of eternal wisdom. “Whoever will concentrate upon this center,” an old saying goes, “Becomes a sage in the sacred knowledge, a prince among yogis”

Ajna is the sixth chakra situated between the eyebrows at the site of “the third eye.” It is the seat of our mental capacity, the abode of the individual consciousness and our meeting point with the divine. Meditating on this center brings us into contact with our spiritual guru, and initiates us into the secret knowledge of tantra.

Sashasrara is the final chakra lies just above the crown of the head. Here, the final goal of tantra meditation is achieved. The sashasrara controls the six centers below it.

Practice these meditation techniques on a regular basis to enhance your life and feel the connection with untapped source of universal energy.

Our body has seven different vital energy centers or meridians. When one of the meridians is out of balance, it results in anxiety and out-of-balance feeling. Sometimes, it also causes ailments like pain and emotional suffering.

One of the best ways to balance your meridians is to meditate. When you feel centered and grounded, you feel at ease with rest of the world and hence you feel a general sense of well being and happiness. An ungrounded human being feels exactly the opposite. He or she feel out of synch with rest of the world, and has a general sense of anxiety and stress. The feeling of out-of-sync causes health and relationship issues over long term.

You are about to discover how to resolve most of your life-problems simply by focusing on the chakra (meridian) that is out-of-balance. Following this simple and easy-to-implement will help you guide through your challenges and strengthen your spiritual muscles.

There are seven vital energy centers. Muladhara is the first and lowest chakra situated at the base of the spine. It is said to be the storage of kundalini. Muladhara energy is called “the electrical force of creation, the cohesive power of matter”. Meditation upon this center leads to the mastery of desire, jealousy, anger and passion.

Svadisthana is the second chakra situated at the root of the genitals. Meditation on this center gives ability to see and to communicate with entities that inhabit the astral world.

Manipura is the third chakra located near the navel. Meditation on this center heal illness, fulfill secret desires, and gives insight into the deepest consciousness of other mind.

Anahata is the fourth chakra situated in the chest, near the heart. Meditation upon this center strengthens the psychic faculties, generates the ability to hear and see at great distances, and ensures material fortune.

Vishuddha is the fifth chakra located at the base of the throat and is considered the doorway to the plane of eternal wisdom. “Whoever will concentrate upon this center,” an old saying goes, “Becomes a sage in the sacred knowledge, a prince among yogis”

Ajna is the sixth chakra situated between the eyebrows at the site of “the third eye.” It is the seat of our mental capacity, the abode of the individual consciousness and our meeting point with the divine. Meditating on this center brings us into contact with our spiritual guru, and initiates us into the secret knowledge of tantra.

Sashasrara is the final chakra lies just above the crown of the head. Here, the final goal of tantra meditation is achieved. The sashasrara controls the six centers below it.

Practice these meditation techniques on a regular basis to enhance your life and feel the connection with untapped source of universal energy.

Article Source: http://www.articlewarehouse.com

Amy invites you to enhance serenity and calmness in your life through the use of meditative water fountains. Browse beautiful collection of indoor fountains for home and bamboo water fountain collection for your garden.

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Yoga Supplies: How To Choose The Best

Friday, March 26th, 2010

Yoga supplies are really important when it comes to practicing yoga. Yoga supplies help in focusing on your art well and also protect you from getting injured while practicing yoga.

Yoga is a specialized form of meditation. It works towards providing you the serenity that you actually require in order to keep stress away in this chaotic world.

When practicing yoga, it is important to relax as well as meditate with absolute comfort. No distraction should come your way if you want to enjoy the real benefits of this unique form of exercise. Hence, you need to follow certain guidelines when practicing yoga.

First and foremost, you should feel extremely comfortable in the position you are, in the clothes you are wearing and the place you are in at present. Second matter to take into consideration is sweat absorbance. Keep your body away from too much of sweat. You should have something that lets you absorb your sweat.

For fulfilling the above mentioned conditions, you must purchase some of the important yoga supplies. These supplies are widely available these days and extremely affordable.

You need to know the kind of yoga supplies you should purchase prior to setting out for accomplishing the task.

Here are certain yoga supplies you should focus on purchasing:

– Yoga mat

– Yoga footwear

– Sports Bra

– Yoga clothes

– Yoga music

– Yoga DVDs

Once you have a list of yoga supplies you need to purchase, it is time to choose the best of skippers that’s available. You should consider your own comfort level when purchasing yoga supplies.

When purchasing yoga supplies, you need to understand that comfort is the main consideration here. When choosing yoga clothes or yoga shoes, make sure that these are comfortable to wear.

The yoga clothes you purchase should let you move every joint of your body freely. Remember that while moving your body, you should not have any fear of hindering blood flow.

Loose clothing is a good option. However, it has a tendency to slide down when performing certain bending positions.

A good yoga clothing is one that provides you easy motion and capability to leave parts of the human body lift and move in varied positions and postures.

Remember that when performing yoga, you need to perform a lot of twisting and strengthening. Unfit clothes will prove to be a problem to you. The best choice would be elastic materials such as spandex. Pure cotton is also a great option.

Another thing that you need to consider when purchasing yoga supplies clothes is sweat absorbance factor. Make sure that you choose fabrics made of cotton that breathes and absorbs sweat easily.

Make sure that the clothes you purchase are of the right fit. This will ensure the best yoga experience to you.

Remember that in order to practice the best and benefit to a great degree, you must focus on purchasing the best of supply.

Keep all the above mentioned points in mind when purchasing yoga supplies.

Article Source: http://www.a1-articledirectory.com

For more Articles, News, Information, Advice, and Resources about YOGA and MEDITATION please visit YOGA TIPS and MEDITATIONBUZZ

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Yoga Plus Joyful Living

Thursday, March 25th, 2010

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Dedicated to bringing authentic information on the practice of yoga in our contemporary world. Contains articles on meditation, personal growth, and holistic health for cultivating a balanced lifestyle that acknowledges our need to integrate body, mind, and spirit.

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Want To Cultivate A Positive Attitude? Meditation Is The Key

Thursday, March 25th, 2010

Having a positive attitude towards life is the best way to enjoy your life and meditation is a great way to develop that outlook. We have the choice about whether or not to let a certain event affect us in a negative way or a positive. We are the only one who can determine this.

Your mind is a blank canvas when you’re born, and straightaway you begin to absorb messages from the world around you. The cultural values from your parents, TV, peers, are all accepted, usually without analysis. All of these influences combine to make up the internal personality that makes you different from anyone else.

You make dislike rainy days, because someone once told you that umbrellas are dangerous. This is probably not at a conscious level, but you still end up being in a bad mood every time it rains. On the other hand maybe you fell head over heels in love in the pouring rain of a monsoon. And had an incredible affair. Then you’re most likely going to have a different perspective on rain aren’t you?

Most messages will penetrate to the subconscious level if they’re repeated enough and we often find ourselves saying something simply because we heard it, not that we even agree but it’s hovering in our mind, waiting for a chance to express itself. This can be good thing if it’s a positive message, but all too often it’s a negative attitude that we express. This saps our own energy and that of everyone we come into contact with. That which you sow, you shall reap – especially within your own mind!

If you have a positive attitude, you’ll not only experience less negative situations, even so-called negative events in your life will gradually lose their power to affect you. So as time goes on, there are more helpful and uplifting experiences and fewer negative ones, al because you changed the way that you look at the world. So what is the best way to start this process?

You can select what information and influences you have in your life. What books do you read? Do you religiously watch the news every night to support your view the world is going down the drain? Why not try watching a joyous movie that lifts your spirit instead? How about a book or magazine that focused on the positive aspects of life? This isn’t to say that you want to sick your head in the sand, but it’s about choosing where you want to spend most of your time, in a world where wars are rife and we’re powerless to do anything to help, or where there’s a beautiful flower at every corner and a smile on the lips of people you pass on the street. It’s up to you.

But this is only a part of the story, you want to find out what is inside you, find your unconscious triggers and make them conscious and then you can make a choice about whether or not they serve you. If not, let them go and replace them with something that helps you to live your life with joy. Meditation in whatever specific form it takes will unlock hidden parts of your personality and help you to get in touch with the true source of joy in your life.

Meditation has been described as a stilling of the mind, or focusing on one thing, letting all other thoughts subside from your awareness. We all tend to think the same things over and over, rarely having a new thought. This is how we can blink and wonder where that last year went because we are too caught up in the incessant, often negative internal dialogue. As you become aware of your thoughts and each moment, you begin to truly live your life as it was meant to be lived

Through meditation, we can tame this beast of negativity and replace the self doubt and judgment with acceptance of ourselves and all those around us. Issues get smaller and people who bother us seem to change. How we view and experience life, truly is up to us. Nobody else has control over how we react, only we have that power. If you take control of that power, you can control your life, take everything with a smile whatever happens.

Meditation is a great way to develop this positive attitude and has helped countless people across the world. Simply by detaching a bit from the day to day bustle of the world around us gives clarity and insight into life. There’s not really any such thing as a negative experience only the negative perception of events.

Having a positive attitude towards life is the best way to enjoy your life and meditation is a great way to develop that outlook. We have the choice about whether or not to let a certain event affect us in a negative way or a positive. We are the only one who can determine this.

Your mind is a blank canvas when you’re born, and straightaway you begin to absorb messages from the world around you. The cultural values from your parents, TV, peers, are all accepted, usually without analysis. All of these influences combine to make up the internal personality that makes you different from anyone else.

You make dislike rainy days, because someone once told you that umbrellas are dangerous. This is probably not at a conscious level, but you still end up being in a bad mood every time it rains. On the other hand maybe you fell head over heels in love in the pouring rain of a monsoon. And had an incredible affair. Then you’re most likely going to have a different perspective on rain aren’t you?

Most messages will penetrate to the subconscious level if they’re repeated enough and we often find ourselves saying something simply because we heard it, not that we even agree but it’s hovering in our mind, waiting for a chance to express itself. This can be good thing if it’s a positive message, but all too often it’s a negative attitude that we express. This saps our own energy and that of everyone we come into contact with. That which you sow, you shall reap – especially within your own mind!

If you have a positive attitude, you’ll not only experience less negative situations, even so-called negative events in your life will gradually lose their power to affect you. So as time goes on, there are more helpful and uplifting experiences and fewer negative ones, al because you changed the way that you look at the world. So what is the best way to start this process?

You can select what information and influences you have in your life. What books do you read? Do you religiously watch the news every night to support your view the world is going down the drain? Why not try watching a joyous movie that lifts your spirit instead? How about a book or magazine that focused on the positive aspects of life? This isn’t to say that you want to sick your head in the sand, but it’s about choosing where you want to spend most of your time, in a world where wars are rife and we’re powerless to do anything to help, or where there’s a beautiful flower at every corner and a smile on the lips of people you pass on the street. It’s up to you.

But this is only a part of the story, you want to find out what is inside you, find your unconscious triggers and make them conscious and then you can make a choice about whether or not they serve you. If not, let them go and replace them with something that helps you to live your life with joy. Meditation in whatever specific form it takes will unlock hidden parts of your personality and help you to get in touch with the true source of joy in your life.

Meditation has been described as a stilling of the mind, or focusing on one thing, letting all other thoughts subside from your awareness. We all tend to think the same things over and over, rarely having a new thought. This is how we can blink and wonder where that last year went because we are too caught up in the incessant, often negative internal dialogue. As you become aware of your thoughts and each moment, you begin to truly live your life as it was meant to be lived

Through meditation, we can tame this beast of negativity and replace the self doubt and judgment with acceptance of ourselves and all those around us. Issues get smaller and people who bother us seem to change. How we view and experience life, truly is up to us. Nobody else has control over how we react, only we have that power. If you take control of that power, you can control your life, take everything with a smile whatever happens.

Meditation is a great way to develop this positive attitude and has helped countless people across the world. Simply by detaching a bit from the day to day bustle of the world around us gives clarity and insight into life. There’s not really any such thing as a negative experience only the negative perception of events.

Article Source: http://www.articlewarehouse.com

Using meditation to develop a positive attitude is so easy. Thanks to modern recording technology, you can get all the benefits of meditation at the click of a button. Click here for all the details www.howtomeditate.biz

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Yoga Bags – A Helpful Medium

Thursday, March 25th, 2010

Practicing yoga is very easy provided one does the yoga according to ones capabilities. It wouldn’t be advisable for a 50-year-old person to attempt yoga for the first time and start doing poses which are done by 20-year-olds. So if you want to get yoga poses right then there are some things which will be handy for you such as mats, straps, physio balls, yoga foam blocks and many more. For all these things to be in one place there are different types of bags which can be helpful. These bags make your life easy and much more comfortable if you are juggling too many things.

Some of the different bags which are used in market

Nylon Zippered Yoga Mat Bag
These bags are very sturdy and are used for carrying yoga mats which are an integral part of practicing yoga.

Cotton Drawstring Yoga Mat Bags
This is made of 100% cotton with a strong strap to hold your yoga mats which have a drawstring closure.

Cotton Zippered Yoga Mat Bags
Made of 100% cotton, the difference between this bag and the drawstring bag is that it has zipper closure with two pockets.

The Journey Bag
With the hectic schedule everyone keeps traveling and many do not want to miss their practice of yoga which can be very easy to carry on while you are traveling.

The Cargo Bag
These bags are specially designed to carry the extra load which can be easily carry the load of your yoga accessories.

The H2Om Bag
To quench your thirst this bag has small pocket which can carry a bottle of your favorite drink or water, so that’s the reason for the name of the bag.

Deluxe Yoga Duffel Bag
Urban Yoga Bag
The Overnighter Yoga Bag
The MatPack Backpack Bag
The Mat Tube
The Sling
Vinyasa Strap Bag
Tapas Harness
Blanket Bag

There are many more bags in the market which are available and very easy to find.

Article Source: http://www.hobbyarticledirectory.com

Kevin Pederson is the webmaster for Yogawiz , where you can find information on yoga basics, different yoga asanas, poses, yoga bags and much more .

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Yoga Breathing For Stress Reduction

Wednesday, March 24th, 2010

Due to lifestyles, there are many common diseases affecting people today such as nervous system or cardio-vascular disorders disorders. But it is actually possible to alter your breathing technique in a natural way that can help prevent problems such as these? Well that is the basis of much of what Yoga is about, and it has been proven many times by many people. In fact many cardiac specialists advocate the benefits of “correct” breathing.

Surprisingly, most people do not actually use the full capacity of their respiratory organs. A sedentary lifestyle, poor brething, eating and posture can contribute to what is known as lifestyle disorders. In yoga, breath awareness forms the basis of good practice.

But how can someone I alter their natural breathing process? By training our bodies to breathe in a particular fashion, we re-program our involuntary system to adopt this new way of breathing. Breathing exercises, known as pranayama, are used to improve and strengthen breathing and the body. The breath, known as prana or life-force is the link between the mind and the body.

As you practice breathing, it will prove that you feel calmer, stronger and better able to concentrate.
To help you gain a better understanding of the basis of correct breathing, the following are some of the basic exercises.

1. Abdominal Breathing

Lie on back with arms and legs apart and eyes closed.
Feet should be around 2 feet apart, ankles to the side.
Arms should be about 6 – 12 inches from the body, upwards facing palms.
Lower back should be flat on the floor and the chin tucked in slightly,
The jaw is relaxed and the neck is long and also relaxed.
Become aware of your breathing, and allow a slow and steady breath.
On Inhalation, the abdomen should rise gently, and on exhalation the abdomen should sink down.

2. Full Yogic Breathing

The best position to check this type of breathing is to sit in a cross-legged position.
Right hand is placed on your upper chest and place your left hand on your abdomen.
First, take a deep inhalation into your abdomen, and feel your left hand rise up, Allow the breath from your lower chest to expand into your upper chest, feeling your right hand rise as he ribs expand, and as if the breath is rolling upwards.
As you breathe out, the process is reversed when air is released from the upper chest, then the lower chest, and out of the abdomen.

This cycle should be repeated until it feels like it flows easily.

3. Alternate Nostril Breathing or Anuloma Viloma

This breath should also be practised from a comfortable cross-legged position, with the spine straight, and the body relaxed.
Focus on your right hand, with the index and middle finger bent into the palm. The thumb, ring and little finger are up into the position known as Vishnu Mudra. The right nostril is closed using the thumb and the left nostril is closed using the ring and little finger.
With the right nostril closed, inhale through your left nostril for 4 seconds. With both nostrils closed, hold the breath for 16 seconds, (but do not have pressure against the closed nostrils).

Remove thumb from nostril and exhale through the right nostril for 8 seconds.

Repeat inhalation through right nostril for 4 seconds.

With both nostrils closed, the breath is held for 16 seconds.

Release your fingers and exhale through the left nostril for 8 seconds.

Seems complicated? Not at all, just practise daily maybe, 6-10 times and you’ll have it down!

4. Yogic Cleansing Breath

From a comfortable sitting position with the spine straight, closoe your eyes.

Slowly breathe in through the nose for 3 seconds, and slowly breathe out for 6 seconds. This should be repeated 4 to 6 times at a relaxed pace.

There is no doubt that with regular practice this breathing will make you feel more invigorated, calmer and better able to deal with the world. And if you incorporate correct breathing into your yoga practice the benefits will be increased further still!

Article from www.zenthings.com where you can see our Irish handmade meditation stools ….Thanks Mick Hogan!

Barry Walsh is author of this article on Ashtanga Yoga Basics. Find more information about & Background here.

Article Source: http://www.thecontentcorner.com

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Four Things To Consider When Choosing Your Meditation Cd?s

Wednesday, March 24th, 2010

Meditation is one of the most important activities you need to do each day. One of the most important tools you need when starting to learn how to meditate is the type of meditation music you use. Whilst many experienced meditators will not use meditation music, beginners will find it easier to get to that state of calm and focus using the right meditation music.

#1. The Tempo of the Music

The number one issue that must be considered when selecting Meditation CD’s is the tempo of the music. When choosing your meditation cd’s you need to make sure that the meditation music you choose is written and played at 60 beats per minute. Research has found that meditation music played at 60 beats per minute will help produce alpha waves on both the left and right side of the brain. The research showed that Baroque Music played at 60 beats per minute produced alpha waves, better known as Calmness Waves that helped you gain a sense of calm and relax.

Baroque Music played at 60 beats per minute, produce a similar volume of alpha waves in the same way whistling a happy tune does. The alpha state of mind is ideal for creative learning and meditation.

#2. The Style of the Music

Just like with the tempo, the style of music is crucial when choosing your first meditation cd. The style of music you choose will play an important role when you are first starting to learn meditation. The best style of music for those starting out is Baroque Music played at 60 beats per minute. The reason for this is that the 60 beats per minute correlates to our optimum heart rate and research has found this style of music helps a person reach that point of calm in an optimum period.

Other styles of music written and played at 60 beats per minute are also appropriate for meditation. Even music based on flowing water or bush sounds can be very useful for somebody first trying meditation.

#3. Instrumental Vs Voice

The best style of meditation cd’s is those that are instrumental over voice based. The only exception to rule is where you are using a guided meditation cd. The key reason we try to avoid voice based meditation cds is that the person meditating, especially if they are new to meditation will tend to focus on the words of the music, than trying to release their mind.

#4. The Sorts of Instruments Used

Choosing the right sort of music with appropriate instruments will be a strategic decision and can make a huge to the success of your meditation session. You will find that most meditation cd’s will base their core instrument on a stringed instrument rather than a woodwind instrument. However, all that said and done there is lots of very successful meditation cd’s that use flutes for their meditation music however it is unlikely you would find effective meditation cd’s using a Saxophone.
When starting out on your meditation voyage, try to locate a meditation cd that uses string instruments such as guitars or harps because the music is more sustained and

#5. Length of the Songs

The length of the songs can play a very important role in meditating. When you are starting out you need to locate a range of meditation music that will go for a period of 20 minutes. From experience it has been found that meditating for less than 20 minutes simply does not give you the same result as meditation for 20 minutes or more. Make sure that when you do choose a certain type of music makes sure that your meditation tape plays the same type of music for the full length of the meditation period. Sudden changes in style of music during a meditation period can affect your ability to maintain your focus during the meditation session.

Meditation can make a huge difference to your life when done correctly and one of the best tools you can use when starting out on your meditation voyage is to use meditation music. To finish I will outline the five things you should evaluate when choosing your meditation cd’s.

#1. The Tempo of the Music
#2. The Style of the Music
#3. Instrumental Vs Voice
#4. The Sorts of Instruments Used
#5. Length of the Songs

Chris has Baroque Meditation Music available at – Meditation Music and a simple six step meditation program – Relaxation Techniques for Stress Management

Article Source: http://www.thecontentcorner.com

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