Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Meditation is Key to Reduce Heart Disease
A study has suggested that stress management programmes such as Transcendental Meditation' should be brought into use to reduce heart disease related deaths.
According to a new editorial written by the Director of Cedars-Sinai Cardiac Preventive and Rehabilitative Cardiac Center, C. Noel Bairey Merz, MD, Transcendental Meditation' should be implemented to significantly reduce depression, heart attacks, strokes and deaths in coronary heart disease patients.
The study was conducted at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee in collaboration with the Institute for Natural Medicine and Prevention at Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, Iowa.
The report came after many controlled clinical trials had concluded that coronary heart disease patients, who practiced the TranscendentalMeditation® technique had nearly 50 percent lower rates of death, heart attack, and stroke compared to controls in a health education group.
The study was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. (MORE)
According to a new editorial written by the Director of Cedars-Sinai Cardiac Preventive and Rehabilitative Cardiac Center, C. Noel Bairey Merz, MD, Transcendental Meditation' should be implemented to significantly reduce depression, heart attacks, strokes and deaths in coronary heart disease patients.
The study was conducted at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee in collaboration with the Institute for Natural Medicine and Prevention at Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, Iowa.
The report came after many controlled clinical trials had concluded that coronary heart disease patients, who practiced the TranscendentalMeditation® technique had nearly 50 percent lower rates of death, heart attack, and stroke compared to controls in a health education group.
The study was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. (MORE)
Source: Times of India
Monday, June 27, 2011
Special-Needs Students Use Meditation to Control Behavior
Brandon Heinz, an eighth grader in the Bristol Township School District, told occupational therapist Charles E. Gallagher that he had been asked to sit still "millions of times."
The problem is that it's not always easy.
For Brandon, 14, and his classmates - students with autism, attention-deficit disorders, or other special needs - controlling signs of anxiety is often a struggle.
So Gallagher made a suggestion: Breathe.
"In through your nose, and out through your mouth," he instructed. Then, he said, let out a big sigh.
Gallagher went on to teach the students meditation techniques to help them cope when frustration threatens to overwhelm.
The session, at the Benjamin Franklin Freshman Academy in Levittown, was part of the district's summer initiative to help 25 first through eighth graders gain the social skills they often lack because of their special needs.
Students with conditions such as autism and attention- deficit disorders have difficulty reading the social cues of language, voice, and behavior and consequently might react in ways that appear inappropriate. They also can experience high levels of anxiety.
"They feel out of control," said JoAnn Allison, the district's supervisor of special education. "A lot of the strategies we have are to help them feel they have control of their environments and themselves." (MORE)
The problem is that it's not always easy.
For Brandon, 14, and his classmates - students with autism, attention-deficit disorders, or other special needs - controlling signs of anxiety is often a struggle.
So Gallagher made a suggestion: Breathe.
"In through your nose, and out through your mouth," he instructed. Then, he said, let out a big sigh.
Gallagher went on to teach the students meditation techniques to help them cope when frustration threatens to overwhelm.
The session, at the Benjamin Franklin Freshman Academy in Levittown, was part of the district's summer initiative to help 25 first through eighth graders gain the social skills they often lack because of their special needs.
Students with conditions such as autism and attention- deficit disorders have difficulty reading the social cues of language, voice, and behavior and consequently might react in ways that appear inappropriate. They also can experience high levels of anxiety.
"They feel out of control," said JoAnn Allison, the district's supervisor of special education. "A lot of the strategies we have are to help them feel they have control of their environments and themselves." (MORE)
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer
Sunday, June 26, 2011
How to Transcend Trauma and Abuse
Many children who run away from violence and abuse at home end up living on the streets. In the U.S., over 300,000 such children are involved in sex trafficking. For some of the lucky ones who have been rescued, in this country and abroad, meditation is a vital part of their healing and recovery.
"Children of the Night," a highly regarded youth shelter in Southern California, has teamed up with the David Lynch Foundation to offer the Transcendental Meditation technique as part of its program to help child prostitutes overcome trauma and build a positive, productive life.
"I never thought I could do it," says one of the teens, speaking of meditation. "Before I started TM, I had a really negative energy -- I had to have that vibe to survive. The first time I meditated, it was the most calming experience I ever had in my life. I started to become happier. I felt, like, human. When I do it, my anxiety goes away completely." (MORE)
"Children of the Night," a highly regarded youth shelter in Southern California, has teamed up with the David Lynch Foundation to offer the Transcendental Meditation technique as part of its program to help child prostitutes overcome trauma and build a positive, productive life.
"I never thought I could do it," says one of the teens, speaking of meditation. "Before I started TM, I had a really negative energy -- I had to have that vibe to survive. The first time I meditated, it was the most calming experience I ever had in my life. I started to become happier. I felt, like, human. When I do it, my anxiety goes away completely." (MORE)
Source: Huffington Post
Friday, June 24, 2011
Integrative Way: Hope For Menopausal Symptoms
As many women know, the Women's Health Initiative Study from 2002 showed that estrogen was not the dream treatment for menopausal symptoms that we once thought it was; estrogen treatment after menopause, especially when combined with a progesterone (needed for women with an intact uterus), increases a woman's risk of several diseases, including breast cancer, stroke, dementia, blood clots, and possibly lung cancer.
Estrogen alone, used for women who have had a hysterectomy, does seem to be a safer option, especially for women in their 50s, but many women still prefer to navigate the menopausal arena without prescription pills.
Thankfully, the results of some new research may provide women with a few more strategies for handling hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms.
The first study, which was just published in the journal Menopause, examined the impact of mindfulness meditation training on menopausal symptoms. In this study, Dr. James Carmody at the University of Massachusetts Medical School randomized 110 women with significant hot flashes and night sweats into two groups. (MORE)
Estrogen alone, used for women who have had a hysterectomy, does seem to be a safer option, especially for women in their 50s, but many women still prefer to navigate the menopausal arena without prescription pills.
Thankfully, the results of some new research may provide women with a few more strategies for handling hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms.
The first study, which was just published in the journal Menopause, examined the impact of mindfulness meditation training on menopausal symptoms. In this study, Dr. James Carmody at the University of Massachusetts Medical School randomized 110 women with significant hot flashes and night sweats into two groups. (MORE)
Source: Bellingham Hearld
Thursday, June 23, 2011
A 10-Minute Mind Clearing
INDUSTRIA SUPERSTUDIO, the West Village citadel of fashion photography where Mark Wahlberg once shed his jeans for a Calvin Klein ad, is not the first place one looks for spiritual enlightenment.
But on a Wednesday night last month, Andy Puddicombe, whom The Times of London once called “Britain’s top meditation guru,” stood before about 100 young, stylish New Yorkers on his first professional visit to the United States. He was hoping to turn the studio into the world’s most smartly accessorized zendo.
“What would New York look like if everyone took just 10 minutes out of their day to step back from it all?” Mr. Puddicombe, a former Buddhist monk, asked in his rubbery Bristol accent. He was trying out his message — that inner peace can be achieved in meditation sessions shorter than the average cab ride — on an invitation-only audience of harried fashion editors, hedge funders and advertising executives.
Outside, the roar of a motorcycle shredded the springtime evening calm. In the rear row, a leggy woman in a black miniskirt tapped away on her BlackBerry. (MORE)
But on a Wednesday night last month, Andy Puddicombe, whom The Times of London once called “Britain’s top meditation guru,” stood before about 100 young, stylish New Yorkers on his first professional visit to the United States. He was hoping to turn the studio into the world’s most smartly accessorized zendo.
“What would New York look like if everyone took just 10 minutes out of their day to step back from it all?” Mr. Puddicombe, a former Buddhist monk, asked in his rubbery Bristol accent. He was trying out his message — that inner peace can be achieved in meditation sessions shorter than the average cab ride — on an invitation-only audience of harried fashion editors, hedge funders and advertising executives.
Outside, the roar of a motorcycle shredded the springtime evening calm. In the rear row, a leggy woman in a black miniskirt tapped away on her BlackBerry. (MORE)
Source: NY Times
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Meditation: The Elixir for All Our Mental Ailments?
Sometimes I feel like the stereotype of the snake oil salesperson as I tout the benefits of meditation. It reduces anxiety, depression and physical pain. It increases concentration and creativity. With regular practice, relationships and self-regulation of intense emotions are improved. Even memory gets a boost. It would seem that there really isn't a difficulty that can't be helped with meditation.
Unlike snake oil, though, meditation has plenty of research to support benefit claims. The biggest challenge is this: you have to do it. When people tell me that they can't meditate, their reasons are usually one of these: "My mind is too busy," or, "I can't sit still." If you're one of these folks, I have a few prescriptions for you to try.
For those with busy minds:
Yes, our minds are very busy. The brain's job is to think, think and think. However, we tend to over-utilize the analytic function. When our minds are overstimulated, thoughts can become repetitive, like the proverbial broken record. Try one or two of these solutions: (MORE)
Unlike snake oil, though, meditation has plenty of research to support benefit claims. The biggest challenge is this: you have to do it. When people tell me that they can't meditate, their reasons are usually one of these: "My mind is too busy," or, "I can't sit still." If you're one of these folks, I have a few prescriptions for you to try.
For those with busy minds:
Yes, our minds are very busy. The brain's job is to think, think and think. However, we tend to over-utilize the analytic function. When our minds are overstimulated, thoughts can become repetitive, like the proverbial broken record. Try one or two of these solutions: (MORE)
Source: Huffington Post
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Meditating in Silence as the Fire Draws Near
Those living in the path of a huge wildfire typically express all sorts of emotions, but in one remote community in southeastern Arizona, the reaction has been muted.
The 39 Buddhists living at the Diamond Mound Retreat Center near Bowie, Ariz., are about six months into a three-year solitary retreat that includes a vow of silence. Ranging in age from their mid-20s to their late 60s, participants spend their days in intense meditation, living in basic huts that are separated from one another, in a spiritual exercise aimed at promoting world peace one person at a time.
Those administering the program are in regular contact with firefighters on the front lines of the Horseshoe 2 Fire, which has burned in excess of 200,000 acres in the Chiricahua Mountains since May 8, and say they are awaiting word from the Cochise County Sheriff’s Department on whether an evacuation will be necessary.
“They can see the smoke coming over the hill,” said Scott Vacek, one of the caretakers on the property and also a practicing Buddhist. “It looks startlingly close. But we haven’t told them that we may be coming in to evacuate them. We didn’t see any upside to that, because their meditations will immediately be over. They wouldn’t be able to concentrate.” (MORE)
The 39 Buddhists living at the Diamond Mound Retreat Center near Bowie, Ariz., are about six months into a three-year solitary retreat that includes a vow of silence. Ranging in age from their mid-20s to their late 60s, participants spend their days in intense meditation, living in basic huts that are separated from one another, in a spiritual exercise aimed at promoting world peace one person at a time.
Those administering the program are in regular contact with firefighters on the front lines of the Horseshoe 2 Fire, which has burned in excess of 200,000 acres in the Chiricahua Mountains since May 8, and say they are awaiting word from the Cochise County Sheriff’s Department on whether an evacuation will be necessary.
“They can see the smoke coming over the hill,” said Scott Vacek, one of the caretakers on the property and also a practicing Buddhist. “It looks startlingly close. But we haven’t told them that we may be coming in to evacuate them. We didn’t see any upside to that, because their meditations will immediately be over. They wouldn’t be able to concentrate.” (MORE)
Source: NY Times
Monday, June 20, 2011
Central Jail Inmates Learn Art of Living
A number of hardcore prisoners at Varanasi Central Jail experienced mental peace and joy of life after attending a three-day advance course conducted by the Art of Living. During the course, they observed complete silence and practised meditation, pranayam and sudarshan kriya.
"For me, it was a great feeling that cannot be explained in words," said Murari, one of the 68 prisoners who attended the course that concluded on Sunday. Similar was the opinion of other prisoners like Amarjeet and Ram Kumar Singh. They said they were relieved from their physical and mental troubles by doing meditation and sudarshan kriya.
According to Utpal Upadhyaya of Art of Living, the course was conducted under 'prison smart programme' at the Central Jail. Such a course was organised for the first in Uttar Pradesh. For this purpose, a senior teacher, Manjula, came from the Bangalore ashram of Art of Living. (MORE)
"For me, it was a great feeling that cannot be explained in words," said Murari, one of the 68 prisoners who attended the course that concluded on Sunday. Similar was the opinion of other prisoners like Amarjeet and Ram Kumar Singh. They said they were relieved from their physical and mental troubles by doing meditation and sudarshan kriya.
According to Utpal Upadhyaya of Art of Living, the course was conducted under 'prison smart programme' at the Central Jail. Such a course was organised for the first in Uttar Pradesh. For this purpose, a senior teacher, Manjula, came from the Bangalore ashram of Art of Living. (MORE)
Source: Times of India
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Trading Psychology, Emotions And Meditation
Something I read in Dr. Brett Steenbarger’s essay on emotions rang a bell. He’s a trading psychologist (now working for a hedge fund) who’s written several excellent books on the subject. His blog/twitter feed — no longer updated — provided stimulating commentary for traders concerned with adjusting their brains for better performance.
What rang the bell for me was his reference to meditation as one method (along with biofeedback and several unpronounceable neuroscience references) to achieve enhanced results through higher quality focus and concentration. What piques my interest here is that I’ve been an active meditator since 1982.
Since then, I meditate every day, usually for at least an hour. All of this would be boring and useless, except that between 2001 and 2009 I out-performed 99% of the 70,000 or so competitors in that on-line stock trading competition called Marketocracy. Forbes Investments Editor Matt Schifrin writes about that work in his book The Warren Buffetts Next Door and mentions one of my interests as “meditation.” (MORE)
What rang the bell for me was his reference to meditation as one method (along with biofeedback and several unpronounceable neuroscience references) to achieve enhanced results through higher quality focus and concentration. What piques my interest here is that I’ve been an active meditator since 1982.
Since then, I meditate every day, usually for at least an hour. All of this would be boring and useless, except that between 2001 and 2009 I out-performed 99% of the 70,000 or so competitors in that on-line stock trading competition called Marketocracy. Forbes Investments Editor Matt Schifrin writes about that work in his book The Warren Buffetts Next Door and mentions one of my interests as “meditation.” (MORE)
Source: Forbes
Friday, June 17, 2011
If You Hurt, Meditation Can Help Ease Pain
We know, and you know, that chronic pain isn’t all in your head. But you can use your noodle to turn down the volume on agonizing aches, whether you’ve got back pain, arthritis or other day-in, day-out discomfort.
The tool: an easy relaxation technique called mindfulness meditation. Bonus: It can counteract one of pain’s sneakiest, most frustrating downsides: memory loss.
You may have heard that this type of meditation eases pain by soothing stress, but the more we learn about mindfulness, the better it gets.
It also helps control your alpha rhythms, a type of brain wave that blocks out distracting information.
Practising mindfulness a few minutes daily boosts your ability to focus by tuning out distractions like, yes, pain signals, and fears about pain — both mess with your memory. It improves your ability to recall important stuff (when you’re meeting your wife for dinner or where you put the dog’s leash).
Want to give it a whirl? Find a quiet place. Get comfortable. Close your eyes, and breathe in and out at a natural pace. Notice whether your breath feels warm or cool.
When other thoughts, feelings and sensations crop up, acknowledge them, and then gently refocus on your breathing. After about 10 minutes, open your eyes and re-enter the world slowly. You’ll go about your day feeling better.
The tool: an easy relaxation technique called mindfulness meditation. Bonus: It can counteract one of pain’s sneakiest, most frustrating downsides: memory loss.
You may have heard that this type of meditation eases pain by soothing stress, but the more we learn about mindfulness, the better it gets.
It also helps control your alpha rhythms, a type of brain wave that blocks out distracting information.
Practising mindfulness a few minutes daily boosts your ability to focus by tuning out distractions like, yes, pain signals, and fears about pain — both mess with your memory. It improves your ability to recall important stuff (when you’re meeting your wife for dinner or where you put the dog’s leash).
Want to give it a whirl? Find a quiet place. Get comfortable. Close your eyes, and breathe in and out at a natural pace. Notice whether your breath feels warm or cool.
When other thoughts, feelings and sensations crop up, acknowledge them, and then gently refocus on your breathing. After about 10 minutes, open your eyes and re-enter the world slowly. You’ll go about your day feeling better.
Source: Waterloo Record
Thursday, June 16, 2011
The Power Of Meditating with Others
I learned to meditate when I was nine years old, and it has proved to be an invaluable technique for dealing with stress and being at peace with who I am.
One of my favorite memories growing up is meditating with my parents. When I would come home from school, my brother and I would settle in for the afternoon, do our homework, watch some television and usually before dinner spend 15 minutes meditating with my mom. And on other occasions, when my dad (Deepak Chopra) was leading a seminar or speaking to a big group of people, we would meditate with dozens, if not, hundreds of other people.
While meditation is fundamentally about self-exploration, the coherence from meditating with others makes it personally and socially more powerful. While some are skeptical, there have been numerous studies that have shown that a large group of people meditating together has a measurable effect on the greater population.
For me personally, meditating with others helps me feel more connected. The experience of knowing that silence I experience in my meditation is the same silence that the person sitting next to me is tapping into is quite moving. (MORE)
One of my favorite memories growing up is meditating with my parents. When I would come home from school, my brother and I would settle in for the afternoon, do our homework, watch some television and usually before dinner spend 15 minutes meditating with my mom. And on other occasions, when my dad (Deepak Chopra) was leading a seminar or speaking to a big group of people, we would meditate with dozens, if not, hundreds of other people.
While meditation is fundamentally about self-exploration, the coherence from meditating with others makes it personally and socially more powerful. While some are skeptical, there have been numerous studies that have shown that a large group of people meditating together has a measurable effect on the greater population.
For me personally, meditating with others helps me feel more connected. The experience of knowing that silence I experience in my meditation is the same silence that the person sitting next to me is tapping into is quite moving. (MORE)
Source: Huffington Post
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Start Meditating Today
Meditation was never easy for me. In fact, I would find every excuse not to do it - run a marathon, climb a mountain, swim across an ocean - anything but sit still.
That was until I learnt the art of meditation from my teacher. Since then, my practice has become a part of my life, and I can't do without those precious 15 to 20 minutes a day where I drop deep into my heart centre and just allow myself to be.
Meditation provides me with stability, in an ever-changing world, as well as an appreciation of what is truly important. Meditation makes me a better person, more compassionate and accepting and has helped me immensely to stay focused with the many hats I wear as mother, wife, teacher and business owner.
Steps to take
First, meditation is best learned from an experienced instructor. If that is unavailable to you, try these simple steps: (MORE)
That was until I learnt the art of meditation from my teacher. Since then, my practice has become a part of my life, and I can't do without those precious 15 to 20 minutes a day where I drop deep into my heart centre and just allow myself to be.
Meditation provides me with stability, in an ever-changing world, as well as an appreciation of what is truly important. Meditation makes me a better person, more compassionate and accepting and has helped me immensely to stay focused with the many hats I wear as mother, wife, teacher and business owner.
Steps to take
First, meditation is best learned from an experienced instructor. If that is unavailable to you, try these simple steps: (MORE)
Source: Jamaica Gleamer
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Meditation Is Not What You Think
Through many years of being involved with meditation we have seen how easily people miss the point, mainly because they take the practice and themselves too seriously. Many “try” to meditate but their minds are so busy they get frustrated and quickly believe they are no good at it. Others turn into die-hard advocates of a particular method or technique and become like a salesperson trying to sell their product.
Just like yoga, people want to own meditation and to believe that their technique is the best one. They give it a name: TM or Vipassana or Mindfulness and sometimes make outrageous claims of what can be achieved, but that is not the point. Meditation is not a technique – being quiet happens by itself, not because of following the breath in and out, reciting a specific mantra or creating a visualization.
Teachers, through their compassion, created the many methods and techniques in order to help their students to concentrate and focus their minds, to be one-pointed. No one technique is better than another; they equally give our monkey minds something to do other than drive us bananas. Many of the practices known as meditation are actually concentration; they bring the mental energy together so the mind is less fragmented. But this is not meditation. (MORE)
Just like yoga, people want to own meditation and to believe that their technique is the best one. They give it a name: TM or Vipassana or Mindfulness and sometimes make outrageous claims of what can be achieved, but that is not the point. Meditation is not a technique – being quiet happens by itself, not because of following the breath in and out, reciting a specific mantra or creating a visualization.
Teachers, through their compassion, created the many methods and techniques in order to help their students to concentrate and focus their minds, to be one-pointed. No one technique is better than another; they equally give our monkey minds something to do other than drive us bananas. Many of the practices known as meditation are actually concentration; they bring the mental energy together so the mind is less fragmented. But this is not meditation. (MORE)
Source: Care2.com
Monday, June 13, 2011
Grieving Well: Meditation To Grow Through Loss
Why are we roaring though space on this mud ball, and what is life all about anyway?
I was seven years old when I came across a deer that had just died in a wooded area not far from my house. It was the unfamiliar stillness that stopped me first. I was walking into a foreign atmosphere, a pocket of life, or rather lack of it, which felt so apart from school, and home and friends. What is it in me that knew instantly, viscerally, that the boldly silent body was more than just a deer at rest? How was I recognizing what was so blatantly absent in its empty, open eyes?
I sat close wanting to pull information out of it with my curiosity, all the while afraid I would get caught doing something wrong. Not that I ever heard rules about avoiding dead animals exactly, but it was the very absence of talk about death that formed my seven-year-old logic of it somehow being forbidden, unclean, something I am not suppose to look at. It is one of those things to be whispered only by adults late at night behind closed doors. (MORE)
I was seven years old when I came across a deer that had just died in a wooded area not far from my house. It was the unfamiliar stillness that stopped me first. I was walking into a foreign atmosphere, a pocket of life, or rather lack of it, which felt so apart from school, and home and friends. What is it in me that knew instantly, viscerally, that the boldly silent body was more than just a deer at rest? How was I recognizing what was so blatantly absent in its empty, open eyes?
I sat close wanting to pull information out of it with my curiosity, all the while afraid I would get caught doing something wrong. Not that I ever heard rules about avoiding dead animals exactly, but it was the very absence of talk about death that formed my seven-year-old logic of it somehow being forbidden, unclean, something I am not suppose to look at. It is one of those things to be whispered only by adults late at night behind closed doors. (MORE)
Source: Huffington Post
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Summer Tips For Yoga
While the sweltering summer heat might prove too much to continue with those intense workouts, this might be a good time to start with yoga for mental peace and physical fitness. With some simple tips in mind, beginners can indulge themselves in yoga, this summer.
While a fit body and increased flexibility are add ons, the primary goal of yoga is peace of mind, so before starting with it, mental peace is very important. Yoga is an activity that can be pursued at any age without any concern for the level of fitness. However self awareness is very important since yoga is not simple gymnastics, it is a thousand year old system which aims to enhance self-awareness and well-being. An important tip is to be sensitive and focus should be on feeling a posture rather than the look of it. (MORE)
While a fit body and increased flexibility are add ons, the primary goal of yoga is peace of mind, so before starting with it, mental peace is very important. Yoga is an activity that can be pursued at any age without any concern for the level of fitness. However self awareness is very important since yoga is not simple gymnastics, it is a thousand year old system which aims to enhance self-awareness and well-being. An important tip is to be sensitive and focus should be on feeling a posture rather than the look of it. (MORE)
Source: Times of India
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Summer a Time To Relax, Meditate
A rich, elderly golfer was playing an appalling round at his exclusive club. By the 18th hole, he was 70 over par. Seeing a water hazard near the 18th green, the old fellow joked to his caddy, "The way I'm playing today I'd probably be better off going and drowning myself in that pond!" The caddy looked at him and coolly replied, "Frankly, I doubt if Sir could keep his head down long enough to drown!"
Golf is not the only occasion where keeping one's head down is crucial to success. In life, looking downward can lead to great results — it keeps one's nose from getting out of joint; it avoids sticking one's nose where it doesn't belong; it can lead to great relaxation techniques; and it can deepen one's relationship with God through meditation. A little silence in our noisy world goes a long way and casting one's eyes downward embraces the quiet.
When we baby boomers were kids, summer was designed to slow down the pace of the school year, inviting us kids to use our creativity in filling the time slots of both days and evenings. And so we went on bike rides, swam at the pool, played pick-up games of baseball and kick the can, and built forts. Today, our kids are often scheduled with activities as tightly as they are during the school year. I remember distinctly last August several middle school youth saying they couldn't wait for school to start so they wouldn't be so busy. Now if the kids are that busy, the adults are, too, which means there's very little time for introspection, meditation or relaxation. I can't look downward or within when I'm hurrying to get to my next scheduled event. (MORE)
Golf is not the only occasion where keeping one's head down is crucial to success. In life, looking downward can lead to great results — it keeps one's nose from getting out of joint; it avoids sticking one's nose where it doesn't belong; it can lead to great relaxation techniques; and it can deepen one's relationship with God through meditation. A little silence in our noisy world goes a long way and casting one's eyes downward embraces the quiet.
When we baby boomers were kids, summer was designed to slow down the pace of the school year, inviting us kids to use our creativity in filling the time slots of both days and evenings. And so we went on bike rides, swam at the pool, played pick-up games of baseball and kick the can, and built forts. Today, our kids are often scheduled with activities as tightly as they are during the school year. I remember distinctly last August several middle school youth saying they couldn't wait for school to start so they wouldn't be so busy. Now if the kids are that busy, the adults are, too, which means there's very little time for introspection, meditation or relaxation. I can't look downward or within when I'm hurrying to get to my next scheduled event. (MORE)
Source: Green Bay Gazette
Friday, June 10, 2011
Beat Stress, Improve Wellbeing With Meditation
Meditation is an ancient practice that is now being repeatedly verified by modern science to be a highly effective technique to improve wellbeing on the physical, mental and emotional levels.
Practising meditation regularly helps to manage stress, reduce anxiety, improve sleep patterns, lower blood pressure and improve overall immunity. It heals the accumulated effects of stress on the mind-body, and transforms our experience of stress in our everyday lives.
Meditation is also a simple practice. Although many people who try it deem it ineffective or think they can’t do it right, this is usually not the case. Often the only thing anyone is doing wrong is judging the experience based on expectations about what should or should be happening.
Although meditation is a process of quieting the mind, this does not mean the mind will be quiet for the entire process. Often the mind is turbulent but there are moments of stillness. And these quiet moments bring profound benefits to the body and the subconscious mind. In time, we eventually start to notice these benefits in our approach to our busy daily lives. Daily meditators report reduced stress, improved health and increased happiness. (MORE)
Practising meditation regularly helps to manage stress, reduce anxiety, improve sleep patterns, lower blood pressure and improve overall immunity. It heals the accumulated effects of stress on the mind-body, and transforms our experience of stress in our everyday lives.
Meditation is also a simple practice. Although many people who try it deem it ineffective or think they can’t do it right, this is usually not the case. Often the only thing anyone is doing wrong is judging the experience based on expectations about what should or should be happening.
Although meditation is a process of quieting the mind, this does not mean the mind will be quiet for the entire process. Often the mind is turbulent but there are moments of stillness. And these quiet moments bring profound benefits to the body and the subconscious mind. In time, we eventually start to notice these benefits in our approach to our busy daily lives. Daily meditators report reduced stress, improved health and increased happiness. (MORE)
Source: Mayo Advertiser
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Yoga and Meditation: Going Beyond the Physical World
We have seen a shift in the mindset of Americans, with more emphasis on leading healthier lives and absorbing values from various cultures.
There is more awareness regarding a vegetarian diet as seen by the replacement of the food triangle with the food plate, with more than half allocated to fruits and vegetables.
Another phenomenon is the gradual assimilation of Eastern values.
More Americans are adapting Eastern diets and learning about the practices of yoga and meditation.
There are probably an equivalent number of yoga studios in New York City as there are Starbucks cafes.
The benefits of these practices are now also being touted by many medical practitioners and are being frequently prescribed to patients to manage stress.
When it comes to adopting yoga and meditation, some aspects of the practices have been lost in translation. (MORE)
There is more awareness regarding a vegetarian diet as seen by the replacement of the food triangle with the food plate, with more than half allocated to fruits and vegetables.
Another phenomenon is the gradual assimilation of Eastern values.
More Americans are adapting Eastern diets and learning about the practices of yoga and meditation.
There are probably an equivalent number of yoga studios in New York City as there are Starbucks cafes.
The benefits of these practices are now also being touted by many medical practitioners and are being frequently prescribed to patients to manage stress.
When it comes to adopting yoga and meditation, some aspects of the practices have been lost in translation. (MORE)
Source: MyCentralJersey.com
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Forgett The Whistling. Yoga While You Work!
Our desk jobs may be killing us.
Over the past 50 years in the United States, our energy expenditure has decreased by more than 100 calories. That accounts for a significant portion of the increase in weight for men and women, according to researchers from the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, La.
But the study confirms something I've been thinking about long and hard: How do you compensate for all that time spent sitting in your chair every day?
During the workday, I often keep my practice in the closet. Actually, I keep it in the bathroom stall.
In the largest one in our office, I'll often bust out a few warrior, lunge, dancer and half-moon poses. (Not all at once.)
I've learned that sitting all day wreaks havoc on my psoas muscle, which is so cranky from being contracted all day, it's often in a state of rebellion.
I've always wanted to bring my yoga out into the open at work, but I haven't always felt comfortable busting a move in the newsroom.
That's why I've come to admire yogi Michael Reich.
As vice president of communications at the American Cancer Society, Reich puts in long hours -- but he manages to take his yoga with him wherever he goes.
That includes at his desk, in meetings and even with handstands in the hallway. (MORE)
Over the past 50 years in the United States, our energy expenditure has decreased by more than 100 calories. That accounts for a significant portion of the increase in weight for men and women, according to researchers from the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, La.
But the study confirms something I've been thinking about long and hard: How do you compensate for all that time spent sitting in your chair every day?
During the workday, I often keep my practice in the closet. Actually, I keep it in the bathroom stall.
In the largest one in our office, I'll often bust out a few warrior, lunge, dancer and half-moon poses. (Not all at once.)
I've learned that sitting all day wreaks havoc on my psoas muscle, which is so cranky from being contracted all day, it's often in a state of rebellion.
I've always wanted to bring my yoga out into the open at work, but I haven't always felt comfortable busting a move in the newsroom.
That's why I've come to admire yogi Michael Reich.
As vice president of communications at the American Cancer Society, Reich puts in long hours -- but he manages to take his yoga with him wherever he goes.
That includes at his desk, in meetings and even with handstands in the hallway. (MORE)
Source: TBO.com
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Meditation Helps Homeless Kids
Transcendental Meditation is helping traumatized Kids at the Children Of The Night Shelter Recover and heal
Thousands of adults and children live on Southern California streets.
And for a time so did Kelsey, cast out by her abusive Midwestern family.
"I been kicked out of my house since I was nine, on and off. This last time, my father was sexually abusing me," according to "Kelsey", who is 17 years old.
Living on the streets in Los Angeles was so horrifying and dangerous, Kelsey sought shelter at Children Of The Night, where she was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress and introduced to Transcendental Meditation.
"When you take like twenty minutes sit down and do TM, and calm yourself and be peaceful you're not crabby. The daily things that make your day more frustrating, just kind of go away," according to "Kelsey"
Helps Homeless Kids More Multimedia Hollywood filmmaker David Lynch and his wife Emily were confident traumatized kids could benefit from Transcendental Meditation.
"I myself meditated, and I thought this would be a good tool for them. So we brought them the Transcendental Meditation program," according to Emily Lynch, volunteer and philanthropist.
"My first meditation blew me away. It curled my hair," says David Lynch, filmmaker and philanthropist. (MORE)
Thousands of adults and children live on Southern California streets.
And for a time so did Kelsey, cast out by her abusive Midwestern family.
"I been kicked out of my house since I was nine, on and off. This last time, my father was sexually abusing me," according to "Kelsey", who is 17 years old.
Living on the streets in Los Angeles was so horrifying and dangerous, Kelsey sought shelter at Children Of The Night, where she was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress and introduced to Transcendental Meditation.
"When you take like twenty minutes sit down and do TM, and calm yourself and be peaceful you're not crabby. The daily things that make your day more frustrating, just kind of go away," according to "Kelsey"
Helps Homeless Kids More Multimedia Hollywood filmmaker David Lynch and his wife Emily were confident traumatized kids could benefit from Transcendental Meditation.
"I myself meditated, and I thought this would be a good tool for them. So we brought them the Transcendental Meditation program," according to Emily Lynch, volunteer and philanthropist.
"My first meditation blew me away. It curled my hair," says David Lynch, filmmaker and philanthropist. (MORE)
Source> NBC Los Angeles
Monday, June 6, 2011
The Workplace Meditation Boost
While there are many tips to improve your productivity through managing e-mail, developing better to-do lists and similar tactics, consultant Chris Edgar says that misses an important fact: One of the biggest obstacles to getting our work done is our own minds.
On lifehack.org he cites the power of meditation to discipline the mind, and suggests you borrow from it when you are getting distracted or scatter-brained at work.
Focus on your breathing. Whenever we focus our attention on what's happening in our bodies, our awareness settles into the present. This allows the memories and concerns bothering you to dissipate.
When you have uncomfortable thoughts - be it anxiety or boredom - just let them be, relaxing and taking note of them. You'll find the thought or sensation will pass away quickly, perhaps within a few seconds or minutes. This beats fighting boredom by distracting yourself with Web searches. (MORE)
On lifehack.org he cites the power of meditation to discipline the mind, and suggests you borrow from it when you are getting distracted or scatter-brained at work.
Focus on your breathing. Whenever we focus our attention on what's happening in our bodies, our awareness settles into the present. This allows the memories and concerns bothering you to dissipate.
When you have uncomfortable thoughts - be it anxiety or boredom - just let them be, relaxing and taking note of them. You'll find the thought or sensation will pass away quickly, perhaps within a few seconds or minutes. This beats fighting boredom by distracting yourself with Web searches. (MORE)
Source: Globe and Mail
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Meditation Can Help Unclutter the Mind
Meditation once was thought to be a mysterious practice reserved for Buddhist monks or hippie types. But now we see articles about meditation and the benefits to our health in magazines and on television, and we hear people talking about their own practice of meditation.
In our culture, which often views multi-tasking as a sign of competence, focusing your attention on one thing can seem unproductive. But members of many Eastern religions long have realized the benefits of meditation. In Western civilization, it could be compared to some of the benefits we are familiar with during times of silence, appreciation of nature or prayer.
As long ago as 1968, Dr. Herbert Benson and his colleagues at the Harvard Medical School started putting meditation to the test. Since then, researchers have found the practice successful in the treatment and prevention of high blood pressure, heart disease, migraine headaches and autoimmune diseases such as diabetes and arthritis. In the mental health profession, it has proven to be helpful in curbing obsessive thinking, anxiety, depression and anger.
So, what is it and how long does it take to learn? Actually, you can learn in just a few minutes. But as with any new skill, the benefits increase as the practice deepens. People report feeling more relaxed, attention becoming steadier and having more peace in their lives. (MORE)
In our culture, which often views multi-tasking as a sign of competence, focusing your attention on one thing can seem unproductive. But members of many Eastern religions long have realized the benefits of meditation. In Western civilization, it could be compared to some of the benefits we are familiar with during times of silence, appreciation of nature or prayer.
As long ago as 1968, Dr. Herbert Benson and his colleagues at the Harvard Medical School started putting meditation to the test. Since then, researchers have found the practice successful in the treatment and prevention of high blood pressure, heart disease, migraine headaches and autoimmune diseases such as diabetes and arthritis. In the mental health profession, it has proven to be helpful in curbing obsessive thinking, anxiety, depression and anger.
So, what is it and how long does it take to learn? Actually, you can learn in just a few minutes. But as with any new skill, the benefits increase as the practice deepens. People report feeling more relaxed, attention becoming steadier and having more peace in their lives. (MORE)
Source: Wiscoinsin Rapids Tribune
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Meditation May Help Women Cope With Hot Flashes
Mindfulness training reduces bother, not intensity, of menopause symptoms
An easy-to-learn meditation technique can help ease the hot flashes, night sweats and insomnia of menopause, a new study says.
The University of Massachusetts research showed that mindfulness training, based on a Buddhist meditation concept, reduced the distress associated with hot flashes and improved physical, psychosocial and sexual functioning.
"The findings are important because hormone replacement therapy, used to treat menopause symptoms in the past, has been associated with health risks," said study author James Carmody, an associate professor of medicine in the division of preventive and behavioral medicine.
About 40 percent of menopausal women suffer from hot flashes and night sweats, which undermine their quality of life, the researchers noted. But since hormone replacement therapy has been linked with an increased risk of heart disease, breast cancer and stroke, Carmody observed that "not only are women looking for alternative treatments, it is an NIH (National Institutes of Health) priority to find behavioral treatments." (MORE)
An easy-to-learn meditation technique can help ease the hot flashes, night sweats and insomnia of menopause, a new study says.
The University of Massachusetts research showed that mindfulness training, based on a Buddhist meditation concept, reduced the distress associated with hot flashes and improved physical, psychosocial and sexual functioning.
"The findings are important because hormone replacement therapy, used to treat menopause symptoms in the past, has been associated with health risks," said study author James Carmody, an associate professor of medicine in the division of preventive and behavioral medicine.
About 40 percent of menopausal women suffer from hot flashes and night sweats, which undermine their quality of life, the researchers noted. But since hormone replacement therapy has been linked with an increased risk of heart disease, breast cancer and stroke, Carmody observed that "not only are women looking for alternative treatments, it is an NIH (National Institutes of Health) priority to find behavioral treatments." (MORE)
Source: US News and World Report
Friday, June 3, 2011
City Police Take Yoga Route to Beat Stress
With an aim to increase their efficiency for better policing, men-in-khaki here have taken the 'yoga' route to overcome stress, fatigue and obesity.
A special camp to impart yoga training to police personnel was held at the Reserve Police Lines ground in the city on Thursday. A total of 700 police personnel, including senior police officials, underwent training in the basic principles of yoga. Inaugurating the session, DIG Rajesh Kumar Rai said the training aimed at reducing stress. Police personnel were more prone to strain at their workplace and yoga would help them develop stress management techniques.
The city police would now regularly organise such training programmes for their benefit in a phased manner, he added. "The idea is mental and physical development of the officers as well as to change their mindset to deal with the common people. It is going to change the work culture of the police towards commoners as well as to improve police, public relations," said yoga trainer Ravindra Porwal. He added long working hours affected policemen and for that yoga was the best cure. (MORE)
A special camp to impart yoga training to police personnel was held at the Reserve Police Lines ground in the city on Thursday. A total of 700 police personnel, including senior police officials, underwent training in the basic principles of yoga. Inaugurating the session, DIG Rajesh Kumar Rai said the training aimed at reducing stress. Police personnel were more prone to strain at their workplace and yoga would help them develop stress management techniques.
The city police would now regularly organise such training programmes for their benefit in a phased manner, he added. "The idea is mental and physical development of the officers as well as to change their mindset to deal with the common people. It is going to change the work culture of the police towards commoners as well as to improve police, public relations," said yoga trainer Ravindra Porwal. He added long working hours affected policemen and for that yoga was the best cure. (MORE)
Source: Times of India
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Transcendental Meditation Helps Vets with PTSD
A recently published pilot study suggests the practice of Transcendental Meditation reduces symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Although the research employed a very small number of participants (n = 5), the veterans of the Iraq/Afghanistan wars showed a 50 percent reduction in their symptoms of PTSD after eight weeks of practicing Transcendental Meditation.
The veterans, ages 25- to 40-years-old, had served in Iraq, Afghanistan or both from 10 months to two years, settings in which they experienced moderate or heavy moderate combat.
The study found that Transcendental Meditation produced significant reductions in stress and depression, and marked improvements in relationships and overall quality of life. Furthermore, the authors reported that the technique was easy to perform and was well accepted by the veterans. (MORE)
Although the research employed a very small number of participants (n = 5), the veterans of the Iraq/Afghanistan wars showed a 50 percent reduction in their symptoms of PTSD after eight weeks of practicing Transcendental Meditation.
The veterans, ages 25- to 40-years-old, had served in Iraq, Afghanistan or both from 10 months to two years, settings in which they experienced moderate or heavy moderate combat.
The study found that Transcendental Meditation produced significant reductions in stress and depression, and marked improvements in relationships and overall quality of life. Furthermore, the authors reported that the technique was easy to perform and was well accepted by the veterans. (MORE)
Source: Psych Central
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Meditation Creates Miracles
Meditation is a process through which one can experience the real essence of spirituality and in turn divinity. There are several ways and means to practise meditation, which can only be felt intrinsically at different states of mind and it cannot be calibrated and is intelligible. The divine power imbibed through different forms of meditation is so useful that it can create miracles and can even transform human beings into soft, disciplined, genuine and outspoken personalities with extra human intelligence.Our country is a home of spiritual saints like Swami Vivekananda, Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Sri Sathya Sai Baba and Buddha who had descended to the earth as true incarnations of God specifically in the interest of human salvation. When humanity is in deep distress, sorrow and suffering because of their karma of the previous and present births, meditation is a means to overcome these and helps them realise their true and natural identity in life. Meditation is the only panacea that can set right all maladies and sins committed during the course of one’s life provided it is practised through constant perseverance and continued effort.Although, meditation is a difficult practice in routine life, it can yield the desired results in the long run for those who wish to approach the real salvation. The natural process of meditation can help achieve the path of salvation. The final goal of spirituality is a transmitted form of divine energy. A continuous practice of meditation paves the way for spirituality which is possible through keeping the body, mind and soul in unison. (MORE)
Source: IBN Live
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