Get out of your bottomless pit!

Do you still feel tired even after eight hours of sleep? Does fatigue continue to haunt you after a brief rest? Do you feel like an engine deprived of oil that can make it run smoothly and effortlessly?

This feeling occurs too often. It is something that can happen to anybody, including you.

Experts explain this as something that has to do with behavior patterns that we unconsciously develop. There are times in life that we develop a behavior pattern, which we are not aware of until we fall into its bottomless pit. This negative behavior pattern has the tendency to pull down our spirits. It works very similar to the law of gravity – exerting a force that pulls down everything.

The good news is, you can do something about it and elevate your sagging spirits. The change need not be abrupt. The wrong behavior patterns that you have learned can be unlearned by adopting new and correct patterns of behavior.

This is where the challenge lies. Deeply ingrained behaviors are difficult to change, for people always seek the easy route or the comfort of the status quo. It may not be easy, but it can be done. Consider this perspective: Always remember that if you do not do the right behavior, you fuel the habit of doing the wrong behavior.

For example, you hardly have any exercise. The mere thought of going to the gym or taking a walk makes you wince. You snuggle under bedcovers, thinking you can do it tomorrow. You spend the day watching television munching unhealthy food. At the end of the day, you feel awful for having no self-discipline. You promise to exercise the following day. When the next day comes, the cycle stays the same.

Think of it this way: when you miss a workout, it’s not like you just stay at the same level you’re at. You actually take a few steps back. Every time you miss a workout, you have done something to strengthen the habit of not working out. The more workouts you miss, the stronger the negative behavior grows.

How do you change behavior patterns painlessly? You can start small by allotting fifteen to twenty minutes of your television time for exercise time. Try this for about two weeks. When your body is used to this new schedule, you may gradually increase your exercise time to half an hour. This automatically reduces your television time by a total of thirty minutes.

Say you spend most of the time sitting by the window thinking of fears, anxiety, apprehension, and all sorts of mumbo jumbo thoughts entering your mind. Replace this unproductive habit with a productive behavior. You might want to pick up a book and read it, or take your pet dog for a walk (this gives you the exercise you need at the same time). You can also spend idle time in socializing occasionally, doing occasional volunteer work, or just have plain fun with family or friends.

So you see, there are ways of changing behavior patterns. The technique is to do it gradually. Start small with just a few minutes a day for a week or two, increase the time for the weeks, and so on. You will see an amazing transformation in terms of mental, emotional, and spiritual fulfillment after a couple of weeks. The brooding feeling will be lifted and you will feel energized with the new pattern of behavior.

Again, it should be emphasized that for the new behavior patterns to take root, any improvement must be done gradually, giving it time to sink into your life for you to enjoy its long-term benefits.

Attempting to hasten behavioral change by doing it in large doses or in one gulp might not produce promising effects for improvement. Instead, it might lead to pain and frustration that might not give the same motivation to continue with the change process.

A gradual improvement with long-term effects is definitely worth your time and wait.

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Secrets of the Centenarians!

Dr. Kornfeld was speaking at a lecture where nine centenarians were in attendance.  Eight of the nine were women.  He asked each centenarian to share their secret to longevity.  Then he asked the audience if they noticed a common thread to the centenarians’ secrets.  No one seemed to notice a common thread.

Dr. Kornfeld noticed one, but only one.  The common theme he noticed was a positive attitude.  No matter what they faced in life; cancer, illness, injuries, etc. they all accepted their challenges and moved on.

Wow, that is powerful!  But, it does not surprise me.  We find the same thing in our fitness and weight loss businesses.

The people who are positive and have a great outlook on life reach their goals, get best results, and are overall healthier.  I’ve been teaching this over the last several years.  I regularly speak to groups, corporations and individuals about their thoughts and mental attitudes.  My primary message is having a healthy mindset; then I talk about exercise and eating healthy.

Iris is a 90 year young woman in our personal training studio who my husband trains two times a week.  Her goal is for strength and balance so she doesn’t fall.  She has such a positive outlook on life.  She dresses in fine clothes to workout.  We compliment her all the time how she looks so nice, and she said when she looks good she feels good.  It’s all in her attitude.

She loves that fact that she exercises with a personal trainer and it makes her feel important. She has also noticed a tremendous amount of benefits many she never expected to experience when all she wanted was a little strength and balance.  Her family is very proud of her also.

Iris hasn’t been the youngest client we’ve worked with.  My husband also trains a 99 year young women.  Molly is full of life and still dances.  Her attitude affects her health and she doesn’t look a day over 80.  Both of our 90 year old clients know the importance of eating health.  They don’t skip breakfast and have a great attitude on life.  They want to make the most of their time left on earth.

Their secret to longevity is healthy eating, exercise and to be happy and positive.

From personal experience, I know how my attitude affects my life, health, business, and relationships.  I’ve seen both sides from clinical depression to working diligently on my positive attitude.  And guess what?

It certainly is more fun and energizing to be positive rather than negative.  It does take effort to maintain a positive attitude on a regular basis, but the effort is so worth the benefits!  Ask the people around me.

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Kettlebell Workouts

This report by a successful chiropractor who have discovered tha the very best tool for improving the back strength and overall health of his patients is the use of the Kettlebell! Here’s the report :

After 14 years as a successful chiropractor I have finally discovered what I believe to be the very best tool for improving the back-strength and overall health of my patients. That tool is the kettlebell – something I had never heard of until two years ago. I have to admit that initially they intimidated me… until I needed them for my own injury.

Growing up I was always extremely athletic in high school and college. I lettered in volleyball, softball, and basketball, and I became a Doctor of Chiropractic because I knew firsthand how important a strong and well-aligned body is for physical activity.

As an athlete and a doctor I never experienced any problems with back pain – until about 5 years ago. I was adjusting a very large male patient (6’3” 300lbs), something I never had a problem with in the past because of my use of proper techniques.

Somehow this time was different. When I applied my force into this patient’s body to adjust his hips – nothing moved. I felt like I had just attempted to pass my hands through a pillar of marble. The resulting wave of resistance immediately reverberated through my entire spine. At that moment I knew I was injured.

I did everything I tell my injured patients to do. I stretched, iced, went for massage, received chiropractic care, physical therapy, and acupuncture treatments. Being in the healthcare profession, the treatment I received was the best available. At times I was in the offices of other providers 5-6 times per week.

Frustration with Traditional Methods

The treatments kept my back functioning so that I could do my job but the repair and healing of my body did not progress. If I sneezed it would throw my back into spasms.

If I slept wrong I would have to wear a back support for a week. This was more than pain and inconvenience – my very livelihood was at stake! Nobody wants to put their trust in a chiropractor who clearly has a bad back herself. So I did everything I could to hide and mask my pain from my patients.

Two years into this constant pain I knew I had to try something different. I hired a personal trainer (a former N.F.L. player) who I hoped would whip me into shape. After 6 months, although I gained arm and leg strength, my body did not tone up the way I expected and my back pain did not improve. In fact it got worse. There would be times when I would spend half an hour on the treadmill in the evening and not be able to get out of bed the next morning.

Impressing A Skeptic

About this time I came across a book titled Beyond Stretching, by Pavel Tsatsouline. There was something different here. There were stretches in this book that I had never seen before. Even my physical therapy associates were impressed with this new and cutting-edge material. I had a feeling that Pavel could help me with my back, and hoped this might be the answer to restore my health and the future of my practice.

Fortunately I live close to Seattle because at that time Pavel was visiting the city twice each year. I took his stretching, strengthening and abdominal class. I was impressed – not something easily accomplished because I do body work myself, but also because I had experienced so many disappointments.

After attending Pavel’s classes my stretching improved and my pain was decreasing. In fact, I was so impressed that I encouraged all of my patients and colleagues to attend Pavel’s seminars.

I had patients drive 70-80 miles one-way to attend Pavel’s seminars, and I would bring no fewer than 10 people with me each time. I always made sure to bring my most acute patients – the ones I knew would experience the most benefit by attending.

When Pavel witnessed my third trek to Seattle with patients in tow, he was impressed with my commitment and suggested that I train with kettlebells – round cast-iron weights, like cannonballs with handles. He even implied that I should become certified as a kettlebell trainer to assist my patients.

Well, I was more than slightly intimidated – in my mind there was no way I could throw around this big piece of iron without inflicting further injury. But everything Pavel had showed me so far was helping, and I was intrigued.

I ended up purchasing a kettlebell, but picked it up maybe five times before it began to gather dust at home. I was so out of shape that I would get winded swinging the kettlebell only twenty times. Being an athlete, I think it hurt my ego more than anything else!

One Demonstration Makes All the Difference

Then in October 2004 I was fortunate enough to attend another one of Pavels stretching and strengthening seminars that included a quick kettlebell demonstration. One of the people who spoke was Dave Werner, RKC. He related his experience with severe lower back pain, nerve damage in his leg, and using a cane to walk.

I couldn’t believe it – this man had recovered and looked like an Olympic athlete! Right then I knew I had to give kettlebells another chance. I not only needed to try them for myself, but for the benefit of all my patients that were in the same predicament as me.

I hired Dave to show me what to do, and one month into my training I sneezed — and had NO PAIN!! For almost five years I had been in pain from the slightest movement, and after one month of training with kettlebells I was able to sneeze and not have pain. That may not seem like much to you, but for me it was a miracle.

I started training harder and signed up for the April 2005 RKC. People must have thought I was crazy because I hadn’t exercised in well over a year due to my pain and now I wanted to go and subject myself to three days of Russian boot camp!

The more I trained in preparation for the RKC the more my fitness improved, and my back pain quickly became a thing of the past. I made it to the RKC and survived – believe me, I had lots of sore muscles, but never a twinge in my lower back. I had been given my life back!

Sharing the Secret

When I returned from the training I soon began working with one of my worst back injury patients. The type of patient I see has extreme back pain and most of them have such poor body mechanics and muscle tone that they can’t even do a squat correctly.

They’re afraid to move their body, believing they can prevent spasms by not moving, so I start them out slowly. This particular patient had constant pain and couldn’t do even simple household chores such as vacuuming or cleaning dishes
.
I started her out with the 4 Kg. bell, doing squats and swings in 5 sets of 5 reps each. If you’ve ever lifted the 4 Kg. bell, it weighs almost nothing, but it was heavy enough for her body and started improving her strength. We continued her chiropractic adjustments twice per week to control her pain and prevent spasms. After three weeks I introduced an 8 Kg. bell for one of the five sets, and her spine was starting to hold so I reduced her office visits to once per week.

I have been training her now for five weeks and she has only minimal pain. She recently vacuumed her whole house without assistance – something she had not done in three years. You’ve never seen someone so excited about being able to vacuum the floor!

It’s now been almost two weeks since she needed an adjustment and I’ve added a figure eight with the 8 Kg. bell to expand her range of motion. It’s important for those with chronic back pain to expand their abilities so they don’t give in to the fear of triggering a back spasm. Kettlebells allow this incremental increase, and it builds confidence in patients like nothing I’ve seen before.

Kettlebells – the Missing Ingredient?

I’ve seen the kettlebell workout help one of my associates with his asthma. Another eliminated her wrist and knee pain after 6 weeks of doing kettlebells. Like me, she was very worried about her career as a chiropractor because her wrists kept giving out. Now she is stronger and more confident that she can do her job for years to come.

I’m still amazed at the improvement in back stability that comes with kettlebell training. I feel like a kid again! I can honestly say I am in the best shape of my life – after only 8 months! I now work a full day in my practice and then train people with kettlebells one-on-one and in groups 4-5 nights a week.

I now believe kettlebells to be the single most important tool that can be added to a recovery training schedule. There are too many people out there who cannot enjoy life, who are merely existing because of their back pain. Their abdominals and back muscles are so weak from repeated spasms that they fall apart with any activity. I believe all of them can be helped with kettlebells.

It’s important to start slowly, primarily because of the weakness and lost muscle tone that develops from repeated muscle spasms, but also because of the mental block created by the fear of pain. Kettlebells allow you to do this. I know, because I’ve been there. But at 39 years old I now feel better than I did in my twenty’s, and I can’t wait to see how I will be a year from now. Thank you Pavel for giving me my life back!

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Learn Guided Meditation

Guided meditation is used by many people not only to relax from a busy day but also to tune into their own bodies and minds. Since days have become more stressful, the world has become more crowded and more worldly problems have risen, many people are finding comfort, safety and bliss in a few minutes of guided meditation a day.

With the help of a guiding voice, many people who are new to meditation have found it easy to achieve a much needed quiet moment during the day. Guided meditation can help the user to focus his or her thoughts and block out any distractions in order to experience the pleasure of silence for a moment during the day.

The voice assists the user and keeps his or her on track. Guided meditation helps people to follow the stages of meditation, allowing a person to go as deep into the process as he or she decides they would like to go.

The benefits of properly guided meditation can span from relieving migraine headaches to relaxing cramped muscles to a simple moment of pleasure, satisfaction and quiet. Over-stimulation and stress are both problems that many people deal with on a daily basis.

These daily stressful situations and the exposure to too many over-stimulating activities can seem to be normal and accepted conditions that everyone takes for granted as standard. Although most people are dealing with these situations on a regular basis, it doesn’t mean that these situations do not still put stress and tension on the body and mind.

There are many people who may feel stressed and hopeless about their current home or work situation. Most people think that a vacation or a break from their daily lives is the way to relive this stress.

However, a retreat from basic stresses is only a temporary fix from the anxiety of many people’s lives. In order to have the ability to deal with the tensions that life can put on their body and mind, many people are turning to guided meditation to teach them how to handle their daily lives with ease, patience and a clear mind.

By creating a moment in the day to connect the mind, body and soul in a calm and hushed manner, many people are finding their stressful days don’t seem as stressful anymore.

Guided meditation can help a person to realize the many options he or she has when dealing with the daily tensions of the workplace or home environment. By possessing the foundations of guided meditation, the situations that can usually seem impossible to stay calm through can now seem easy to think through and figure out.

Guided meditation is a great way to help a person just beginning the process to concentrate better and easily achieve the full benefits of a meditative moment. Guided meditation can also help advanced meditation students to hold their concentration and learn new and more developed techniques to make their minds and bodies go deeper into the meditative state.

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Acupunture as a tool for healing!

Acupuncture, as an alternative medical practice, is now making headway in the Western world. It is now accepted as a drug-free treatment and method of stress relief.

Practiced in China for more than 2,000 years, acupuncture is a therapeutic system that makes use of sterilized needles for the purpose of restoring the body’s equilibrium.  The needles are inserted on specific vital points that correspond to a specific internal organ.

The light insertion of the needle into a vital point is supposed to free the flow of internal energy or “chi.”   According to Chinese medical theory, any blockage in the flow of chi in the body’s “energy streams” or meridians can an imbalance in the body — resulting to an illness.  The natural flow of chi ensures a person’s general state of health.

The focus of acupuncture is on restoring harmony in the flow of the chi throughout the body and, in the process, balancing the metaphysical concepts of yin and yang.

Acupuncture is used to treat a wide range of ailments such as nausea, sinusitis, migraine headaches, lower back pain, knee pain, and chronic pain. Ancient Chinese texts also claim that the acupuncture can be used to treat minor mental and emotional problem such as anxiety disorder.

For this reason, some even compare the Traditional Chinese Medicine method of acupuncture to the Western medical discipline of psychology.  Both are seen as similar disciplines or therapy methods that have a positive effect on the mental health of patients.

The true benefits of acupuncture are found in its efficacy as a non-invasive, drug-free means of alleviating a number of physical ailments. It is also used in conjunction with traditional Chinese herbal cures that are perceived to be as effective as modern pills and medication.

Acupuncture is concerned not only with providing cure to specific ailments. It is also used to determine the causes of physical discomforts and illnesses. Acupuncture practitioners make use of body charts that show the meridians or channels where internal energy flows to different parts of the body. These meridians correspond to the Western medicine layout of the central nervous system and circulatory system.

Studies are still being made by Western doctors and other scientists to determine the efficacy of this Eastern alternative form of healing. Even if acupuncture already accepted in different parts of the world as an alternative healing method, some quarters are still skeptical about its long-term effects.

While there are still no research findings that make the curative claims about acupuncture absolutely undisputable, it is interesting to note the depth of understanding that the Chinese had about the inner workings of the human body thousands of years before the formal organization and practice of Western medicine.

Perhaps, one day, scientists will finally prove that the differences between Eastern and Western medicine is found mostly in culture and terminology; and that both systems are actually alike in terms of philosophy and theory in the use of the needle as a tool for healing.

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How to increase and maximize your metabolism easily!

Metabolism basically means the count of calories you burn per day.

Repeatedly you have might read from the articles about accelerating the rate of metabolism. The most common reasons are consuming highly nutritious food and performing workouts. If your metabolism rate is slower, it shows you are burning less of calories. In order to increase the rate, you must follow the below tips:

1) Do not observe fasting because you burn too many calories at once, which is really harmful to your body. In this process your muscles turn weak and you face dehydration rather than minimizing the fat content.

2) Dine about 6-8 times a day by consuming nutritious items such as fruits and vegetables.

3) A heavy breakfast is a key factor in increasing the rate of metabolism. Since you are awake for the whole day, the rate of metabolism is fast.

4) There are many kinds of healthy fats available such as nuts, fish, olive oil, and flax oil. They can be the substitutes for processed carbs.

5) Consume less of sugar so that the insulin production is regulated and you will thus burn calories easily.

6) Eat about 1 gm of protein per pound because the excessive fat content will be drained away.

7) Remember that alcohol is uprightly harmful for the people planning to loose weight. It prevents fat burning and contains almost 100s of calories.

Green tea and water are the best forms of beverages that do not affect the metabolism process. So use them instead of tea, coffee and alcohol.

9) Night shifts are normally not advisable, but if you think they are unavoidable then follow the above-mentioned tips carefully.

10) In order to make your metabolism process effective use the right method that WILL provide you right instruction to perform workouts. One of the method recommended by one of my friends include the use of the CrossFit method! Learn what is CrossFit here.

If your metabolism rate is slower, it shows you are burning less of calories. Remember the above points for a healthy life.

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Trampolines for Fitness

Using a trampoline can be a great way to get fit with an added touch of fun you might not find in more traditional exercise pursuits. Activities like jogging and participating in sports might be ideal for those who love to zone out while exercising, or for those with that competitive edge, but for those who like to break a sweat while they break out in giggles, trampolining might just be the best path to fitness.

You might think trampolines are best left in the school gym, but these fitness tools are ideally situated in your home or garden. Available in a variety of sizes, from the mini trampolines that can be used indoors, to the larger variety more suitable for outdoor use, a short search should find you the right trampoline to meet your needs. And whether you are a fitness guru or just taking those first, tentative steps upon a healthier path, a trampoline can provide you with a great workout that will leave you energised and ready for anything.

Trampolines provide the exerciser with a repetitive, rhythmic movement that is ideal for even beginning fitness fanatics. Not only does the bouncing motion offered by the trampoline allow either a tantalising jump to new heights or a slower, more relaxing movement, but the exertion required to either hold yourself to rights or recover from all kinds of bouncy impacts utilizes a wide range of muscles, providing a workout that is easily as effective as it is fun.

Trampolines are as good for the mind as they are for the body. The new perspective offered by the trampoline and the fun and excitement it can provide are fantastic stress busters, rekindling in even the most overworked and overburdened nine to fiver a sense of fun and frolic that hasn’t been experienced in years! As experts recommend exercise for these stress releasing effects as much as for the physical fitness it affords, it’s clear that thirty minutes spent on the trampoline is as good as it gets!

Trampolining is a wonderful way to reach your healthy lifestyle goals. Combining exercise with good, clean fun, trampolining can help you bounce your way to a healthier you. So what are you waiting for? Jump to it!

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Fitness and Diet secrets of the Celebrities

Celebrities always look fabulous. Whether appearing in television or films or strutting down the red carpet during movie premiers and awards, they never cease to fascinate us with their larger than life presence.

The truth is, it takes a lot of effort to look the way they do, and being the public figures that they are, they cannot afford to slack off when it comes to taking care of their physical appearances. Their livelihood largely depends on how they look. Aside from the clothes, the hair and the makeup, celebrities have to take good care of their bodies.

So it is no surprise that these stars have their own secrets when it comes to staying fit and gorgeous. Their health agenda can range from extreme workouts to well-planned meals. Who doesn’t want to know their secrets in staying absolutely sexy? Here are some of the diet secrets of seven women celebrities.

1. Jennifer Aniston

The star of the phenomenal television show Friends not only mesmerized audiences with her adorable comic sense and her famous hairstyle, she was also known for having one of the sexiest bodies in Hollywood, as she appeared in countless magazine covers. To stay trim, Jennifer follows the 40:30:30 diet method. The diet consists of:

40% Low glycemic carbohydrates
-Foods such as beans, fruits and vegetables, legumes

30% lean proteins
-Tofu, fish, chicken, turkey, beef and low fat dairy products

30% essential fats
-nuts and seeds, fish and olive oils

It is essential that every meal should contain macronutrients to attain the balance of hormones and maximum weight loss.

2. Kate Hudson

The gorgeous daughter of actress Goldie Hawn gained 60 pounds during her pregnancy, which she needed to shed quickly before commencing on her next film. From her previous eating plan, she switched to a higher protein diet. She consumed high protein meals in smaller portions, and she combined this diet with an exercise program that includes weight training and cardiovascular workouts. After getting a lot of flak because of her post-pregnancy figure, Kate removed all that baby weight in only four months and has gained abdominal muscles that gained the envy of many in Hollywood.

3. Oprah Winfrey

As one of the most successful talk-show hosts in the world, there is no question that Oprah needs to maintain her physical appearance for her millions of audiences.

Known as one of those celebrities who are constantly battling weight gain, she has recently toned up her figure and has never looked figure in age 50 by combining a regular exercise regime and diet plan. Oprah works out five days a week, spending 30 minutes on the threadmill and doing free weights. Her eating plan consists of legumes, fish, nuts, fruits and vegetables, chicken and dairy products that are lowfat. She limits her consumption of white sugar and flour. Oprah also credits her trim figure to her habit of not eating anything after seven in the evening.

4. Gwyneth Paltrow

A lot of people may find it hard to believe that the perpetually slim Academy award-winning actress actually needs to diet. Gwyneth actually follows a healthy eating plan that resembles Oprah’s, avoiding sugar and white flour. She usually follows a macrobiotic diet, eating foods like vegetables, brown rice, and lean meat. She also eliminated dairy from her diet, and does yoga everyday.

5. Madonna

The pop star known as the Material Girl has always flaunted a body that is to die for, and has become a true fitness paragon over the years. She keeps herself in tip-top shape by having Ashtanga Yoga, and follows a strict diet that mostly shuns junk foods. She adopted a macrobiotic eating plan that includes organic foods rich in lean protein.

6. Claudia Schiffer

The bodacious German supermodel eats salad and steamed vegetables for dinner and eats only fruits before the afternoon. While on locations, she prefers to eat black grapes and drinks tomato juice and herbal tea.

7. Christie Brinkley

Long-time supermodel maintains her all-American good looks by being a vegetarian. She does not keep junk foods of any kind inside her home to make sure that she does not eat them when cravings occur. She snacks on sweet potatoes in place of candy bars, and she adopts a liquid juice diet when she needs to slim down fast.

Celebrities are just like ordinary people. They need to maintain their figures just like anyone else, and there is more pressure on their part since they are constantly in the public eye. Ordinary folks can have celebrity-like bodies, too, and by following these diet and fitness plans, they can also look like red-carpet worthy.

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This gift has been given to us to fulfill divine goals.  But it is our ill-fate that we have forgotten our divine nature, God’s gift and the goal/ importance of a human life.

Neither do we know our divine potential, nor the Lord’s goal, wisdom or meditation. We are straying far away in this dark, gloomy world.

This forgetfulness is strange.  People generally forget objects and also what they have read, heard etc. A person whom we had known in the past is now a stranger for us, since we have forgotten him.

But it is rare to find a person who forgets himself.  We think ourselves to be a body with name and form. We desire what our mind desires, we look upon the body’s needs as our own need. The body and mind are the 2 wheels of the chariot of our life.

But we have totally forgotten that we are the soul and not the body.  No doubt we hear time and again that the body is different from the soul.  But it is very rare that someone actually experiences this fact. And even if we experience it, it is in a very hazy manner.

If we understand true reality and the difference between the life-force and peripherals that manifests in our consciousness, we will give prime importance to soul well-being.  We would give only that much importance to material objects as is required.

Today we are walking with feet devoid of shoes and decorate our cars with frills of gold. We are dying of hunger and give clarified butter to vehicles. “We” means the soul and vehicle means body or mind.  The Lord is serving his servants. It is indeed strange that he has forgotten his responsibility.

ATTAINING THE SOUL’S GOAL

The goal of life is to attain self-fulfillment. This self-fulfilled state can only be at the level of divinity. In order to attain God, the mind should get concentrated on him.  Before constructing important buildings, their maps, plans and models are designed.  An engineer, architect etc. will build buildings based on these models.

An image of God with his qualities, activities and nature is carried out for the purpose of meditation. As a result one experiences nearness, oneness and a sense of merging of God.  This is the true nature of meditation.

The goal of true meditation is to regain our lost memory regarding our real nature.  If someone happens to regain it, it is definitely akin to a man coming out of a very scary dream. It is only then that one experiences a condition akin to a child being lost in a massive crowd or like that of a man who has lost the memory of his identity.

Those undergoing such anguish, experience a great loss and they hurt their near and dear ones. Since we have lost our memory (that we are the mighty soul and not the body), our condition is as demeaning as a baby lion being brought up in a family of goats.  As a result we are giving pain to our true nature, which is divinity.

The goal of Yoga of meditation is to overcome loss of memory i.e. to awaken to the fact that we are the soul and not the body. In that one remembers God and one experiences one’s soul nature.

The memory of the union of a living being (Jiva) and God (Brahman) is re-activated and one experiences, that this very Divine Power contact was broken by us, is in reality our Divine Mother and Benefactor.  Not only this but like the proverbial wish-fulfilling cow (Kamadhenu), it is so powerful that by drinking its nectarine milk, we attain divinity.

By sitting in the shade of a wish-fulfilling  tree (Kalpavriksha) one can attain anything. After contacting, coming close to that Divine Centre, one does not lack anything and thus we can overcome all types of poverty.  Thus Yoga of Meditation helps us attain this goal.

CONCENTRATION

It is not something great to attain Divine Powers. It should be protected from any type of wastage and should never be misused. The benefits of attaining Divine Powers are encountered when they are gathered in a safe place and that they are utilized only for sacred tasks.

As a result of heat, a lot of water of the oceans gets converted to steam.  So much steams rises into the atmosphere from cooking gas, fire etc. All this goes in waste.  But in an engine, a little bit of water is converted to steam.

This steam is not allowed to stray in the atmosphere and is in fact collected in a tank. Later its energy flow passes out of a small hole and reaches the piston. As a result of this small process, the engine of a train starts functioning.

Not only does it move but it runs at a great speed. Its movement is so powerful that it tugs alongwith it many other compartments  at a high speed.

If tons of gun powder are spread out on the ground and lit with a match-stick, it will show a little light for a flash of a moment and then get burnt to ashes.  This is a total wastage and is of no use to us.

But if it is enclosed in a small area of a gun and by pressing the trigger a little, sparks of fire touch the gunpowder, this infinitesimal gunpowder gives amazing results. The bullet runs at a mammoth speed to its target.

Wherever it lands, it topples that object. One can thus clearly note the difference between just lighting up tons of gunpowder with a matchstick and on the other hand, lighting up a minute amount of gun powder in a gun.

The rays of sun light are scattered all over the earth.  Daily the sun rises and then sets in the evening.  This sunlight can give only a little heat and light to us. But if a few sunrays are concentrated on paper using a special lens, the paper starts burning. If it is thrown in a huge jungle, a forest fire ensues which destroys that entire area to ashes.

During Draupadi’s Swayamvar (choosing you own groom), the condition for getting married to her was that the prospective bridegroom should pierce the eye of a bird placed at a distance with an arrow. Dronacharya was helping his students to master this art. Before his students aimed an arrow, Dronacharya would ask them as to what they were seeing.

On an average the students would say that are seeing a bird on the tree. As a result Dronacharya would declare that such students would never succeed.  When it was Arjun’s turn, he answered that I can only see the bird’s eye and nothing else.

Thus Dronacharya declared that Arjun would definitely succeed.  Truly at the Swayamvara ceremony of Draupadi, Arjun pierced the eye of the bird with one single arrow and thus got married to Draupadi.

It is said that a flying creature called a buzzing bee catches hold of a caterpillar and continues to buzz in front of it. As a result of continuously hearing the buzz of the bee and visualizing the bee’s form, the mental state of the caterpillar becomes that of a bee.

The caterpillar starts thinking itself to be a buzzing bee.  As a result the body of the caterpillar takes the shape of a buzzing bee instead of a grown up butterfly.  Zoologists may doubt this but it is a definite fact that whenever man concentrates/ focuses his mind on a particular name and form, his mind too takes up the name, form and characteristics of that object. As a result of focusing her mind on beauty and youth, a prostitute regains her beauty to a great extent at an advanced age too.

On the other hand, many young men and women look aged because their minds are all the time thinking of hardships and dire circumstances. All this   is a result of focusing one’s mind on a particular good/ bad thought.  This could be intentional or unintentional.

Spiritual concentration means to stop the mind from straying away from its center and that after focusing one’s Divine Powers at one central focal point, one should utilize the same for sacred endeavors only.

This is called control of mind or focusing of the psyche in spiritual texts. A lot of discussion takes place regarding Yoga of Meditation.  It should be surmised as an art of concentrating one’s mind.  When we hear about it, its success seems mediocre but in reality, it is a great achievement.  When one masters this art, man by focusing his scattered conscious energy in one place, utilizes it for some sacred purpose and thus attains amazing success.

Water is filled in dams. But when it is ejected from a small opening, a stream of it flows at break neck speed because of water pressure generated by the dam. This flow has extraordinary energy. Its influence aids the movement of wheels of many machines and as a result these machines start moving.

The construction of huge electric powerhouses takes place near gigantic dams.  It is very expensive to generate electricity using engines and machines but hydroelectricity is cheaply operated near dams.  Near smaller waterfalls, you have water mills.

The resultant energy is not due to the stream of water but it is due to its concentration. By focusing a widespread area in a smaller area, you generate power.

The aim of Yoga of Meditation is to concentrate mental thought scattering in one small area of thought.  The more an individual succeeds in concentrating his mind, the more his psyche will radiate with power.

Like an arrow of word, it is easy for him to attain his goal.  If spirituality is his aim, he will advance spiritually and his psyche will radiate with Ridhi-Sidhi or what are called Divine Powers.  If the aim is material progress, we will attain this goal too.  In whichever appropriate direction this energy is used, it will reap good dividends.

Concentration/ focusing means overcoming the wasteful scattering of the thought waves of our mind.  By obstructing the water flow of a small stream, a dam is created and thus a small pond, lake is created.  Then artificial streams are created from this lake which give water to far off arid regions.  If this stream were not converted into a dam, it would have lashed at the shores and caused wasteful flooding in surrounding regions.  This would lead to material destruction in that region.

One should not look upon the thought flow in our mind as less important when compared to a hydroelectricity generator. The power of an electricity powerhouse is limited and can transmit electricity to a very limited region in its vicinity.  But this cannot be said about the mind.  Its potential of today can be augmented infinite fold in the future.  Its area of influence which is today limited to the family and friends will in future encompass the entire world.

Generally people of great authority like scientists, philosophers, artists, scholars, sculptors, authors, managers, leaders etc are like ordinary laymen.

Their body is very ordinary and their minds lack a magical wand. Whatever difference one perceives in them alongwith the miracle of their greatness, is a result of their inner special qualities which in turn are related to the focusing capacity of their mind and their steadfastness in reaching the desired goal. Everybody possesses infinite amount of intellectual energy.

To the extent that weak brained individuals too have a lot of radiance.  The difference only is this that some have activated this radiance and the rest have not done so.  Even a very wise person is like a dead corpse when he is in deep sleep.

But on waking up, he manifests his intellectual brilliance.  This holds true for the brain too.  Due to certain circumstances, the intellectual powers of some people remains latent and thus look weak intellectually. But if their intellect is activated with effort, not only will they be as brilliant as other wise people but sometimes they will march ahead of them too.

Everyone knows that many threads unite together to form a strong rope and many broomsticks join together to form a broom.  Many drops of water constitute a jugful of water.  This example is given to accept the fact that by obstructing the wayward scattering of the intellect, one can focus/ concentrate one’s thought waves at a focal point.

One can easily understand that wayward scattering of thoughts in various directions diminishes our mental prowess and that if these thoughts are concentrated at one single point, it will give us miraculous mental strength.

By advancing mental concentration, great scientists, Yogis, philosophers etc. enter the deep ocean called the mind and thus collect priceless jewels.  Those who just float on the surface of the sea, attain nothing but those who dive deep into it, attain priceless materials.

Superficial thinking is like a wayward blade of grass moving aimlessly here and there.  On the other hand focusing one’s thought waves at a single point in the psyche via meditation gives miraculous results.

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Someone introduced me to the most amazing concept for breakfast. By now I was well entrenched in not taking time over the first meal of the day (and sometimes the second meal), so anything that captured my attention was going to have to be fast, no fuss and delicious to warrant any of my attention.

Instead of cardboard cereal and bland milk, it’s possible to start the day with power packed, nutritious, energizing and best of all, yummy smoothies.

Smoothies have been around for ages, but I had never twigged they make a great start to the day. Imagine the delight of selecting from a range such as Chocolate Strawberry, Hazelnut Coffee, Peach Almond, Banana Bread & Apple Pie Surprise.

Kid you not! You can make an endless variety to suit your own taste. Now this was interesting to me.

Not only did I start regularly eating breakfast, my energy shot through the roof! This changed my whole perspective on being a human. A period where I thought as an executive I was supposed to be tired all the time. Not true.

Here is one of my favorite recipes.

3 tablespoons vanilla flavored soy/whey protein powder
250g (6oz) strawberry flavoured fat free yoghurt
1 cup strawberries
4 ice cubes

Blend in hand-held or benchtop blender. Pour into your favorite glassware and enjoy.

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