Do you have dumbells?
Get your metabolism pumping by picking up your dmbells at regular intervals! It will get your blood flowing!
We here at Healthy Treadmills Losing Weight present links to sites about health, fitness and losing weight.
More health, fitness and exercise links are coming soon!
Recent Articles on Health & Exercise
Managing Your Weight Loss Diet To A Successful Conclusion!
If you're going on a diet for the sole purpose of losing weight, it requires discipline, a regular exercise program and counting calories, but not much else. What? Isn't that enough trouble? Sure, but think of your weight loss diet program from the positive, glass-half-full perspective. People who are on `restricted' diets, such as heart [...]
The Seaweed Wrap is great for your body
The Seaweed Wrap is most touted as an all around body detoxifier and cleanser. Seaweed is rich in nutrients, including important amino acids as well as a host of vitamins and trace minerals such as copper, iron, potassium, zinc, and iodine. These nutrients are all absorbed through your skin, during the treatment, so it's no [...]
Notice: Healthy Treadmills Losing Weight is not responsible for advice given on health matters presented in articles or via hyprlinks to outside sources. We only present the viewpoints of authors and do not in any way endorse their products or services and suggestions. Please be sure to consult a health profession with proper credentilas and certification before embarking on any nutrition or health regimen. Please be careful and only accept approval based on your doctor's advice.
We are happy to present articles about Spiritual Practice!
|
|
Krishna saw his own self – as the Infinite – In the throng of lovely gopis. They experienced in Krishna, O wonder, Their own self – but as the Absolute. And when, in play, he stole their veils, He wished to see himself in Truth’s naked ray.
Atma and Maya: light and mirror. God is Love and He loves His image.
This poem by Frithjof Schuon (translated from the German) tells the story both of the historical Krishna - a man & teacher of great spiritual power - in his relationship with the gopis - women who were his devotees; and also (at the level of an extended metaphor) of the relationship between God/the Infinite/Atma and living beings/the finite/Maya.
The poems itself is lovely, and - like all poems - is its own answer to the question: what does it mean? So I won’t pretend to have anything to “add” to it … But will share some of what the poem evokes for me, on this February morning, warmish & windy in the Rocky Mountains near Red Feather Lakes, Colorado … particularly in relation to how sex, gender & sexuality interact with spiritual practice …
My favorite part of this poem is: And when, in play, he stole their veils, / He wished to see himself in Truth’s naked ray. How God (our own Higher Self, the “masculine” Krishna) “plays” with those parts of us (the “feminine” gopis) still trapped in duality by “stealing their veils” i.e. dissolving what prevents those aspects from realizing themselves as God. And why does he do this? There is a desire, a wish, perhaps even a need, that God has to “see himself in Truth’s naked ray,” to see himself reflected in the awakened/naked/transparent play of Maya.
Now many volumes have been written by those exploring - from psychological, sociological, philosophical & many other points of view - sex (the biological aspects of what makes us “men” or “women”), gender (how this biology interacts with social constructs), and sexuality (how sex & gender play out in our intimate relationships, in how we define ourselves in relation to sexual desire & practice). Exploring these literatures can be a great way of becoming more conscious of our social conditioning around these issues and - if we’re on a spiritual path - beginning to unwind some of these patterns (these “veils of Maya”).
There was a time in my life when I was quite passionate about explorations such as these. Recently my passion has been more along the lines of yoga & qigong & meditation: techniques for transcending all levels of conditioning (including those woven of sex, gender & sexuality). Yet frequently the two paths overlap: My exploration of Egyptian Yoga, for instance, revealed that certain Egyptian cultures had eight different categories of “sexual identification,” of variations on the theme of considering oneself to be “heterosexual” or “homosexual.” So the view & enactment of desire was much more fluid than it is in our culture.
And Taoist philosophy & practice (the foundation for qigong) is built upon a sophisticated understanding of the interactions between yin & yang: how the “feminine” and “masculine” principles are in constant flux, one becoming the other, continuously; how this movement depends upon the essence of yang always already existing within yin, and the essence of yin always already existing within yang; how they depend upon each other (like Krishna depending upon the unveiled gopis, and vice versa).
And how the process of yoga asana (as a Hindu path) involves drawing the energies that - when we’re still caught in duality - flow in the Ida & Pingala (feminine & masculine) channels, into the Shushumna Nadi (the central channel of the yogic body, representing Unity Consciousness, the “marriage” of the masculine & feminine). And how that energy of nonduality (or an awakened Kundalini) can then flow out again into the appearances, the play of Maya, representing this blissfully unified masculine & feminine energy.
And how Yidam practice of the Buddhist vajrayana path utilizes the imagery of sexual union between male & female deities as a skillful means for accessing aspects of awakened mind. Though at the level of actual consort practice (with or without a physical partner), the yogi or yogini is able to manifest either a masculine or a feminine form (since this is all unfolding at the level of the subtle body, which is not bound or defined by biological sex) … so not only are women are able to act as consorts/supports for men (the “traditional” arrangement), but men also are able to act as consorts/supports for women; as well as women and men acting as consorts/supports for practitioners of their own sex.
And how the path of Buddhist or Hindu Tantra (as well as Taoist Inner Alchemy) involves the skillful transformation of the energies of desire (that yearning of the finite for the infinite) into the nectar of spiritual awakening … and the subsequent infusion of all aspects of life with this awakened energy.
And how all these thoughts/verbal expressions are nothing more than the play of conceptual mind, until one actually finds oneself in the Presence of an Enlightened Master: a Being (a woman or a man) already flowing with the energy of Krishna. At which point one becomes (men & women alike) - for better or for worse - a gopi, in love with ones own Self as reflected in that Being. At which point ones spiritual practice becomes the practice of surrendering, of allowing ones conceptual veils to be “stolen,” and generating devotion - endless devotion - to that which is being reflected back: the nakedness of our own Divinity.
Sobeit.
Elizabeth Reninger is an independent scholar & and essayist, who has been exploring Yoga - in its Buddhist, Taoist & Hindu varieties - for more than twenty years. For more yoga-related writing & resources, please visit her website "Alchemy Of The East" at: http://www.writingup.com/blog/elizabeth_reninger
The honest answer is that they can be. A therapy session with a hypnotherapist will involve multiple aspects. A scoping session to define exactly what the issues are that need to be resolved, a history to understand how these issues have developed (and so define how they can be undone) as well as specific personal traits and resources which can be used by the patient.
All of these will allow the hypnotherapist to create a very specialised and unique programme fro the patient. The quality of the sessions with a therapist will depend upon the accuracy of the initial meeting, the knowledge of the therapist as well as their skill in implementing the plan they produce.
All of this means that the quality of a therapy session will vary dramatically.
With a Hypnosis CD or MP3 on the other hand the quality of them is consistent. The initial scoping is done by the patient and it works on the principle that the patient knows what is best for them. They then decide which programme to go with and make a purchase. This one time cost is usually the cost of 1 or 2 sessions with a qualified therapist. This means that the person can undergo treatment at their own convenience and at their own pace. Remember that a Hypnosis CD has to be created by a qualified hypnotherapist anyway in order to be effective so you are still getting the correct treatment.
Ultimately it is up to you, the patient, as to which is better for you. A Hypnosis CD will only help to reinforce the work you do with a therapist anyway so it is best to start there. Once you begin to see the benefits you can then make a decision based on the return you expect from a session, rather than guesswork.
Rachel Silvers is the creator of the Spirit Waves website. This site is dedicated to bringing the best in Hypnosis CDs and MP3s, hypnosis, healing and self development resources into one place. She has also begun to bring together the unique bodyshifting resources and techniques that will enable people to change their physical body to more suit their desires.
There are so many different types of meditation. How many? Who knows, but enough so that you can find the one that's right for you. To get your search started, here are six types of meditation you can try.
1. Breath watching. Can meditating be as simple as paying attention to your breath for a few minutes? You bet. Relax in whatever position works best for you, close your eyes and start to pay attention to your breathing. Breathing through your nose gets your diaphragm involved and gets oxygen all the way to the bottom of your lungs. As your mind wanders, just re-focus your attention on the air going in and out of your nose. Just do this for several minutes, or longer as you get used to it.
2. An empty mind meditation. Meditating can create a kind of "awareness without object," an emptying of all thoughts from your mind. The techniques for doing this involve sitting still, often in a "full lotus" or cross-legged position, and letting the mind go silent on its own. It can be difficult, particularly since any effort seems to just cause more business in the mind.
3. Walking meditations. This one gets the body involved. It can be outside or simply as a back and forth pacing in a room. Pay attention to the movement of your legs and breathing and body as you walk, and to the feeling of your feet contacting the ground. When your mind wanders, just keep bringing it back to the process of walking and breathing. Meditating outside in this way can be difficult because of the distractions. If you do it outside, find a quiet place with level ground.
4. Mindfulness meditation. A practice Buddhists call vipassana or insight meditation, mindfulness is the art of becoming deeply aware of what is here right now. You focus on what's happening in and around you at this very moment, and become aware of all the thoughts and feelings that are taking your energy from moment to moment. You can start by watching your breath, and then move your attention to the thoughts going through your mind, the feelings in your body, and even the sounds and sights around you. The key is to watch without judging or analyzing.
5. Simple mantra meditation. Many people find it easier to keep their mind from wandering if they concentrate on something specific. A mantra can help. This is a word or phrase you repeat as you sit in meditation, and is chosen for you by an experienced master in some traditions. If you are working on this alone, you can use any word or phrase that works for you, and can choose to either repeat it aloud or in your head as you meditate.
6. Meditating on a concept. Some meditative practices involve contemplation of an idea or scenario. An example is the "meditation on impermanence," in which you focus on the impermanent nature of all things, starting with your thoughts and feelings as they come and go. In the Buddhist "meditation on the corpse," you think about a body in the ground, as it slowly rots away and is fed on by worms. The technique is used to guide you to an understanding that your rationalizing mind might not bring you to.
There are many other meditations you can try, such as the "meditation on loving-kindness" or "object" meditation, and even meditating using brain wave entrainment products. Each type has its own advantages and effects. For this reason, you may find that at different times and for different purposes you want to use several different types of meditation.
Steve Gillman has meditated and studied meditation for over twenty years. You can find a good mindfulness exercise and subscribe to The Meditation Newsletter at: http://www.TheMeditationSite.com
There are many forms of meditations. Most of the research has been done on Transcendental Meditation, popularly known as TM.
At the end of the day, whatever type of meditation is done, the end result is the same- the nervous system becomes calm and the muscular tension in the body is reduced. In wakeful state, the nervous system is constantly stimulated. It experiences input from the senses, mainly the sights and the sounds in the environment. The senses of touch, smell and taste also have their input in stimulating the brain. The brain and the nervous system can get a rest from these stimuli if the person finds a quiet environment in which they can close eyes for a few minutes. But then something else starts to stimulate the nervous system from within.
When the person sits quietly, the thoughts and memories start to intrude in the mind. The more the person does not want the thoughts to come in, the more thoughts interfere, preventing the person to be stimulation free. In such a case the person starts fighting the thoughts. This never works successfully. One has to either ignore the thoughts or has to allow the thoughts to come in. These are techniques that are commonly taught in case someone has difficulties with meditation.
A principle that work in Nature is the ‘principle of seed.’ It simply means that you need a seed to make anything grow big. A tree starts with a seed too. It is only when it becomes a tree, that it can give fruits. A sugar candy is formed only when a small piece of candy is put into a sugar solution. If there is no piece of sugar candy for the sugar to deposit around, a big crystal of sugar will not be formed. Do you know how yogurt is produced? You dissolve a small quantity of yogurt in lukewarm milk and then let the milk stand for a few hours.
In all these examples, there are two qualifications. Each one of them starts with a core or a seed. In each one of them, you have to let the seed remain undisturbed and allow it to grow. What has this to do with meditation?
People who are extremely stressed out will lose their sleep. They will not be able to sit still without thinking even for a moment. They would be busy doing something physically all the time as if they are carrying the responsibilities of the universe around their shoulders. They do not have time ( to relax or to do anything personal). They cannot relax even for a moment. These people lack the ability to stay still even for a moment (the seed). They do not have time to allow themselves to be thought- free , undisturbed, even for a moment.
It is people who meet with these characteristics that have difficulty relaxing. They cannot meditate because they cannot keep their mind or eyes or their breath still, even for a moment. These are the people that would benefit most with meditation. But if you advise them to meditate, they would either consider it time-wasting or would not believe that meditation would help them. Such people are more prone to depend on sleeping tablets, alcohol and other habits that are self-damaging.
In order to meditate, a person needs to have the qualification of being able to relax a little bit. If that ability is not there, unfortunately, meditation is not possible for them to do. For such people I sometimes advise the following exercise.
You will start seeing the results within a week and would be able to appreciate changes within a matter of three weeks. You have hardly anything to lose by doing this exercise regularly. This exercise can create ‘the seed’ around which you can start to practice meditation for longer periods.
Pradeep K Chadha is a psychiatrist who specialises in helping patients with meditation and imagery using little or no medication. He is the author of The Stress Barrier-Nature's Way To Overcoming Stress published by Blackhall Publishing, Dublin. He is based in Dublin, Ireland.His website address is: http://www.drpkchadha.com
What if I told you that there is one thing you can do that would make more of a difference in changing your life than anything else I know of? What if I told you that this thing can be done almost anywhere, can be performed by anyone, is free, takes no special equipment, is stress reducing, and even relaxing? What if I told you that this thing, more than anything else you've tried, can truly change the way you live, the way you relate to people, the way you perceive the world and most importantly, the way you think and feel? Would you do it?
Well, many of you have already tried it and given up. Some of you are doing it and some have never tried it. What is it? It is meditation. Now before you groan and sigh, hear me out.
In my own journey for personal growth, I've tried many, many techniques and methods. I've studied with many therapists, coaches, teachers and masters. I've attended workshops, seminars, and teleclasses. All of the strategies that have helped me grow are in my own personal tool box. I use many of these techniques in my workshops and my coaching. But the one that I depend on in my personal life the most is meditation.
Meditation is like a foundation for the house (self) I'm building. It is like preparation of the field for planting by clearing and tilling. Many of the tools and methods I've learning worked well because of the foundation (meditation) on which they were built. Meditation's effects are cumulative and can be very subtle. You may not even notice on a day to day basis that changes are occurring. Then one day you look around and notice that you are clearer, less stressed, calmer and have a feeling of being "more" you. One of the more profound effects of meditating is the strengthening of the "witness" or "observer" part of myself, that is, the part of me that observes how I am acting or reacting and notices the emotions I feel, but is not "hooked" by them. This witness function is vital to personal evolution.
fter all, it is what gives you the observation or insight in the first place. If you cannot observe what you are doing, you cannot gain understanding and/or change it. This is where real growth occurs. When you have a strong witness within, you have distance from what you are feeling and reacting to. This keeps you from being totally at the mercy of your thoughts, feelings, sensations and reactions. What an incredible relief!
The obstacles to meditating are the same obstacles we have to doing anything that is new or may actually be good for us. Our ego gets involved and tells us we don't have time or the space or can't figure out how to do it or we don't feel like it today, etc.
I find that daily practice works best for me. You cannot have a bad meditation. Every meditation, even one where you are wiggling or have whirling thoughts or fall asleep are good meditations, because one of the main purposes of meditation is to learn about yourself. You can build a meditation habit just like you build a habit for anything. Do it every day whether you want to or not. Set aside the time, say 15 to 30 minutes to start and begin.
There are many books on how to meditate (see below for recommendations), but in brief:
· Sit up straight on the floor on cushions or on a chair.
· Your head is held balanced on your neck with chin slightly tucked to your chest.
· Feet flat on the floor or crossed with right leg in front of left if on floor.
· Hands in your lap, right hand palm up on left palm.
· Do not lean your back against a wall or chair, unless you have a medical reason to do so.
· You should be in an alert but relaxed position.
· You may close your eyes or keep them partially open in soft focus looking down to a point about six feet in front of you.
· You may have to build up your stamina to remain in this position for the full time.
· If you fall asleep, sit up very straight, and no leaning.
And of course, never meditate while driving or doing something that requires your concentration. This is by no means intended to be a complete discussion of meditation, just enough to get your started.
Mary Anne Fields is a Life Coach and Trainer dedicated to helping mid-lifers change their lives. Sign up for her free monthly newsletter at http://www.LifeUnfolds.com and receive a free report "85 Ways To Be Happier Now". To help you get started with your meditation practice, she has a fr*ee gift for you. The 5 Minute Meditation MP3 audio download is available for the readers of this article at http://www.LifeUnfolds.com/5minutemeditation.htm
Infections Purchasing Xylitol - In the medical field today, Xylitol is a favorite substance in almost every product.
Allergic Rhinitis State - Severe food allergies are a life threatening condition.
My Meditation Practice - I have been influenced by Zen meditation, yoga relaxation and breathing practices, visualization techniques, mantra repetition and even dancing techniques to name a few.
Preksha Meditation - Kayotsarga has two implications--complete relaxation of the body and self-awareness.
Anxiety Panic Attacks - It is a conjoin of two words prana and ayama. Prana stands for breath and ayama for dimension.
Free Relaxing Music - The dentist and the assistant continually asked me if I was okay – I’d slowly nod then zone out again, drifting away and closing the door to the sounds and movements of where my physical body was.
Basic Relaxation Techniques - The first stage of meditation is actually a technique in concentration. Once relaxed, focus on your breath for a few minutes.
White Noise Machine - There are many forms of meditation. I feel that meditation happens when we sit silently in a garden in the presence of nature or when we are perfectly still in the silence of prayer.
Yoga Booty Ballet - This is not unlike the person who attempts to plumb the depths of oriental scriptures. Right away it becomes evident that they consist of incalculable layers, nearly all symbolic in nature.
Reciprocal Maintenance Meditation - From time immemorial it has been known that some people, Yogis, Gurus, Shamen, Priests, Saints, Paramahamsas, Buddhas, Christs, including Ramana Maharshi have evolved to a state of high energy.
Biloba Pregnancy Supplements - Hoodia Gordonii is a plant very similar in appearance to the cactus which grows mainly in southern Africa.
> > > More coming soon!
Healthy Living articles on the web
Curing Anxiety the Natural Way
Many people experience stress and anxiety. It’s a common occurrence, especially in our environment. The good news is that you don’t need to use drugs when curing anxiety. There are natural cures that work just as well for most people. Here’s some information on curing anxiety the natural way.
Healthy Treadmills Losing Weight Navigation