Holiday Spirit and Your Stress

There is not a more stressful time than the holidays. And, well, I can't name one person who actually enjoys the stress associated with holidays. The stress of dealing with family, the politics that comes with buying the right gift—or worse, making the decision not to buy the gift at all! Let's not even mention the stress of dealing with other stressed out holiday shoppers all vying for the "last" of whatever is the hot ticket item.

Fortunately, in this age of technology the shopping is not so bad as it once was; with a few clicks of a mouse, you can purchase your much-needed item, have it shipped to you, and all that's left is the wrapping. I'll admit, I did a lot more online shopping this Christmas than for Christmases past, and I liked it.

The truth about stress is that a particular amount of stress or anxiety is healthy. As a Crisis Coach I deal with clients who are moving through not just this heightened holiday stress level that comes but once a year—which, by the way, we are more emotionally, physically and psychologically ready for than we might realize since we "know" about the upcoming stress and the triggers that get our blood boiling: triggers like line cutters, not getting the "good" parking spot, or missing the extra 20% discount by an hour.

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Postivity Tools for Your Business

Separating what is happening in your personal life from your business life and vise-versa is difficult during the best of times. Working through times of challenge or crisis can make keeping the two separate nearly impossible. We all agree that your outlook in life doesn't need to be positive 100% of the time, nor do any of your family, business associates and friends expect you to be "up" all the time. When you're confronted with challenges that look bigger than life itself, having a few tools in your emotional balancing kit will allow you to dance through the challenge with a feeling of balance and grace instead of stumbling.

Several reports show meditation supports a healthy standard of living, and it's considered one of the best habits to decrease stress. When our worry is reduced or handled effectively, our outlook on life improves. This, in turn, results in an upward spiral in all areas of your life. Individuals practicing meditation on a recurring basis understand how meditation directly supports their ability to improve their mind's tricks, resulting in a more peaceful, calm and focused point of view.

Basically, the human mind is the key to reducing pressure. With the aid of meditation we're able to feel calmer and more relaxed while experiencing increased clarity, better mental focus and a boost in a sense of harmony. As we meditate our amount of random feelings diminishes, as will our attachment to those feelings and identification with them. This is because we're generally not conscious of all the mental goings-on in which we're engaged. Like with any inspiring method in which we engage ourselves, our ability to allow ourselves to "just be" emerges when our inner artist flourishes. Our ability to create from nothing is a knack with which we're all born but only a few permit themselves to embrace. When we allow our authentic selves to step ahead and bask in the glow, our outlook effortlessly improves. With an optimistic outlook we're able to step into action through the most complicated of times and crisis situations.

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Finding Guidance

Regardless of their personal belief systems (spiritual focus, formalized religion, or a combination thereof), people tend to like the comfort of feeling connected to those beings that support us from the other side, whether we believe "the other side" to be an alternate universe, a heavenly realm, etc. One reason people find this so comforting is that they like knowing that something greater than themselves is available for them from which they can seek or receive guidance and clarity. I maintain that our angels (or guides, if you prefer) constantly surround us, always at the ready to gently guide us toward happier and better lives if we are willing to ask for their help. We can communicate with these guides in any of several ways, including those listed below.

Oracle Cards

Most divination and many bookstores carry angel and divine guidance cards with the rest of their merchandise. Oracle cards typically have about 50 cards in a deck that are full of words of compassion and wisdom. To properly read and benefit from oracle cards, first calm yourself with an effective mind training exercise, then silently offer a prayer of gratitude to your angels before requesting their help. Shuffle the deck a few times because spreading the cards on a clean table and selecting one card.

Although on the surface drawing oracle cards can seem like an entirely random way to seek guidance from your angels, the reality of the situation is that the "magic" of this process lies in its randomness. Selecting a particular card over all the others in the deck enables your angels to direct you to choose the right one rather than leaving it up to a matter of coincidence or chance.

Seek Help and Wait

For people who find it difficult to keep faith, simply choosing to seek help and wait can be the best way to getting guidance. When you find you could use a little nudge of guidance...

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Five Steps to Improve Your Spiritual Health

What does the term “spiritual health” mean? We all have our own perspective of what both “spiritual” and “health” mean in a general sense, but when we talk about spiritual health we define it as “a sense of wholeness.” For example, when we feel sick, we have two options: either we get better and recovered, or we don’t and complete our life cycle by finishing the connection with anything living. Some believe Spiritual Health is an art of healing: the ultimate medicine, a remedy that cures your inner sight as well as your spirit. There are those who believe it also provides you with the capacity of loving yourself unconditionally and reconnects you to your talents and gifts, which helps in feeling fulfilled with your life.

A healthy “spirit” does take a little extra effort, as it becomes a daily priority to embrace. In the beginning it is on your “to-do” list, but after a while it becomes second nature and a habit that for the most part you begin to do subconsciously. But what does that mean? Well, each day you will need to give spirit a top-level priority to do such actions as thinking positively or focusing on your successes and not your so-called failures. And your next question is most likely “Really? That simple, eh?” And my response in most instances is a simple yes. But it is not without effort and time before your perspective will shift to see it being just this simple.

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The Art of Meditation

Meditation an art? Well, in a sense, yes, meditation is an art. Just as with sketching, painting or drawing, meditation requires a certain amount of creative skill. We know meditation to be a practice or technique that those just starting out normally need the support of focusing on things such as a candle, their breath, a flower or a sound when they are unable to hold their concentration. It is when we take meditation to the next level we begin to embrace the creative element and artist essence of meditation.

Scientific studies have shown prayer or meditation supports a healthy lifestyle, and it is considered one of the best ways to reduce stress. Those practicing meditation on a regular basis know firsthand how meditation supports our ability to ease our minds’ activities, resulting in a more peaceful, calm and focused perspective. Basically, the human mind is the key to removing stress. With the help of meditation we feel calmer and more relaxed while gaining clarity and improved mental focus, which causes an increase in a sense of peace. As we meditate the number of random thoughts occurring diminishes, as does our attachment to those thoughts and our identification with them. This is because we are usually not aware of all the mental activity we are engaged in. As with any creative process in which we engage the ability to allow ourselves to just be is when our inner artist flourishes. Our ability to create from nothing is a skill with which we are all born, but only a few enable themselves to embrace it.

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Depression and Pregnancy

A lot of women experience symptoms of depression in varying degrees during their pregnancy. In fact, according to the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, around 10% of pregnant women tend to suffer from major depression and around 20% experience some symptoms of depression during their pregnancy. While under normal circumstances anti-depressants may be prescribed to people suffering from depression, there is a chance that prescribing the same to pregnant women may affect the health of the child adversely.

The following non-invasive therapies are therefore considered more suitable for treating depression in pregnant women.

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Sixth Chakra and Intuition

According to yogic philosophy, the sixth chakra (or the third eye, as it is commonly called) connects us to our higher self. Our intuitive powers are based on whether or not this chakra is functioning properly. In simple terms, if the third eye chakra is blocked or restricted, our intuitive voice gets muffled.

To balance this chakra you can use yogic, crystal therapy, hypnosis, aroma therapy, simple meditation techniques and/or positive affirmations.

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Stress and Spirituality

No one likes stress, but the fact is that it exists and a certain amount of stress is important to our bodies being able to respond properly. That doesn’t mean we need to allow stress to build to a level that is unhealthy, so it is therefore important we learn how to manage it. All of us seek different ways to keep stress as far away from our lives as possible; some techniques work well and some don’t.

More often than not, stress-busting techniques that fail are the ones that focus on eliminating stress or suppressing it. The truth is that stress is an unavoidable side effect of living, and to an extent it is even necessary. Your focus needs to therefore be on reducing your stress to a manageable level.

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Secrets about Meditation

I’ve written about meditation before and how it is a simple exercise, how to easily begin fitting it into your daily life, and the many benefits it offers, Yet there are lots of misconceptions and myths surrounding it. I thought I would take some time today to share with you a few of these secrets before you start or get too far down the enlightening and invigorating path of meditation. Having a clear understanding of its concepts will allow you to travel a little easier. The following are five of the common meditation facts of which people may be unaware.

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Concentration and Meditation

I am a firm believer that meditation can happen just about anywhere we find ourselves. The important element is being able to concentrate long enough to receive not only the inspirational benefits of meditation but also the overall health and wellness benefits. If you are like most people, concentrating is the piece that keeps you from feeling as if you are experiencing successful meditation. I would like to share with you a few useful tips I personally use to help me concentrate when meditating—no matter if I am sitting in a quiet, warm and familiar place such as my practicum room or on a noisy airplane.

Perfection!
One of most important things to remember when meditating: all is in perfection! If you are interrupted or lose focus after just a few minutes, take a breath! Do not let the “shortness” of the meditation get in the way of what even a few minutes can bring to you.

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Meditation

Once we become conscious of the world around us, we begin a struggle to come to peace with ourselves and the world, to come to terms with the mysterious and in large measure unknown universe. Sages and seers have uncovered the answers within themselves through meditation. Today the world is going back to this age-old technique for wholesome living.

So, what is meditation? In simple terms, meditation can be defined as a process to concentrate on the inner self. It is also a kind of a practice to come into some sort of communion with the almighty. The practice of meditation not only provides spiritual fulfillment, but it is also now widely believed to provide holistic healing to those who practice it at a psychological as well as a physiological level.

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Preparing for Meditation

Although it sounds like a simple exercise on the surface, people often find it difficult to focus during meditation. This is especially true for beginners, who can find that it’s a special challenge to move from finding the time to embrace the solace meditation offers to committing to practicing meditation on a regular basis. Often this is because they underestimate the degree of focus necessary to practice true meditation, since it’s far more than a simple breathing exercise. Indeed, meditation is a form of intentional introspection that demands the total involvement of the entire person, including mind, body and soul. As such, it’s critical that you appropriately prepare yourself to practice meditation.

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Meditation Preparation

Preparing Yourself for Meditation

Meditation may sound like a simple exercise, but most people find it difficult to focus on a mundane task to the exclusion of everything else. The problem most individual – especially beginners moving from finding a few minutes to embrace the solace of what mediation offers to becoming more committed by embracing a weekly or daily ritual of meditating – underestimate is the amount of focus required for an exercise as simple as meditation. It isn’t just a breathing exercise. Meditation, in fact, is a way of introspecting: it’s an exercise that requires the complete involvement of one’s body, mind and soul. Therefore, it is important to prepare oneself for this ironically simple exercise…

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Finding Your Balance Amidst Chaos

We have a great new blog entry about finding and maintaining your personal balance up on Beauty Forever Network. Click here to learn more about how establishing and maintaining a ritual or routine, along with regular journaling, can help you find balance.

Understanding Tarot

Are you curious about the history and use of tarot cards? Click here to go to our website to read our new article about understanding tarot.

Finding Balance Where Chaos Resides

Before having my son, I adhered to a daily ritual of getting a coffee in the morning, sitting down to write my three pages of "stress dump," and then 20 minutes of meditation focusing on being centered and having a proactive day.

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How to Erase Negative Influence ...

Today's focus on erasing negative thoughts and living positively is definitely another area in which the general population needs extra support especially during these difficult economic times. Enjoy!

How to Erase Negative Influence and Live Positively
Source: Wikihow.com

All of us have at a time lived negatively or as I should say are still living negatively. There is a lot of negativity within us where people are afraid to express themselves as to being afraid of negative response. Every thing that we as human being do is for ourselves and I cant afford to make anyone happy if I am not. It has to start with me first and what I want in my life nobody can take away from me.

Steps

1. Anything that happens in my life affects me not anyone else.
   
2. Although anyone is affected the results pair on how I choose to overcome the situation. And nobody can make me happy either than myself.
   
3. Everything I do i do for myself.
   
4. If I dont believe im stupid the no-one can convince me otherwise.
   
5. I must set my own goal and dreams and live to achieve them.
   
6. I must learn to take all the advices I get from people whether negative or positive and use it in a positive way.
   
7. Never underestimate the power of positive thinking!
   

Tips

• Forget about anybody else and think about yourself.
  
• Nobody is going to make sure im sorted if I dont sort myself out.
  
• Everything I do I do for myself and everyone is for themselves so even if I do things to please other people I wont be happy in the end.
  
• For me to have a fruitful and happy life I have to make myself happy and thats all that matters.
  
• NOBODY CAN TAKE YOUR HAPPINESS AWAY.
  

Warnings

• People that always pull you down
  
• People that add negativity to your life
  
• Lastly people that never give you valuable advice.
  
• Attempting to satisfy immediate desire by compromising your integrity
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Erase Negative Influence and Live Positively. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How to Avoid Thoughts Hampering Your Daily Activities

This is another area which people allow themselves to get caught up in the negative self talk which can eliminate any possibility of achieving and manifesting your full potential and desires. Enjoy!

How to Avoid Thoughts Hampering Your Daily Activities
Source: Wikihow.com

Negative thoughts make a person dull and unable to function properly. Malefic thoughts spread laziness, procrastination, etc. Ample time can be wasted with useless thoughts. A person with no control over his / her thoughts has no control over his / her life. Thoughts lead to actions, actions become habit, habits form one's behaviour, behaviour builds character, and character ultimately makes one’s personality. If we don’t do the things which we ought to do, then we have wasted that particular moment which would remain a permanent loss of time from our life which would never come back. This precious time could have been spend for the other daily chores which we had to do anyway or something productive.

Steps

1. Identify the different thought threads
   
2. Allow a particular time period for it
   
3. Keep doing your essentials which you were in the middle of doing
   
4. Keep a running list of the thoughts which keeps pestering between your work
   
5. Think about all those on your allowed time
   
6. Make a list of things which you have to do anyway
   
7. Keep a running list for it too
   
8. The sooner you finish those things which you have to do anyhow, the more time you get to think about those thoughts listed
   
9. Talk with someone about it! Talking about things puts a little distance between you and your thoughts so they aren't so consuming.
   

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Avoid Thoughts Hampering Your Daily Activities. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How to do a Concentration Meditation

Another area of focus which you might be interested in considering regarding meditating and bringing this stress reducer into your daily life. Enjoy!

How to do a Concentration Meditation
Source: Wikihow.com

This type of meditation can really help you focus. It will take time to get into the correct mental state, but once you do, you'll be able to improve your life.
Steps

1. Sit down or stand very still.
   
2. If you choose to sit put your palms on your lap or knees. If you are standing, let your arms fall naturally at your side.
   
3. Relax.
   
4. Breathe naturally, but deeper than normal.
   
5. Be attentive to your breath, in and out.
   
6. Count your breath from one to ten (Don't count loudly. Just count in your mind). Example: Breath in, count one; Breath out, count two; Breath in, count three.
   
7. When you have counted to ten, repeat counting from one to ten.
   
8. Think nothing. If thought enters your mind, acknowledge it, then go back to become aware of your breath.
   
9. Relax.
   
10. Continue.
    
11. Stop your meditation when you want to.
    

Tips

• Benefits: Your concentration will increase; You will develop self-confidence; You will develop reflex skill in your martial art training.
  
• Breathe with your stomach. When you breathe in make sure your stomach goes out. When you breathe out make sure your stomach goes in.
  
• If you try to think of nothing you will be thinking. Try not to think of not thinking anything.
  
• It helps to concentrate on a single very simple thing in your mind such as a plain white circle with a black outline. You could also concentrate on the sound of yourself breathing.
  
• It is recommended that you obtain direct instruction from a meditation teacher.
  

Sources and Citations

• 5min - A great video about how to meditate 5min is a videopedia for instructinal videos. Source of images in this article, shared with permission.
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Do Concentration Meditation. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How to do an Awareness Meditation

Passing along knowledge is very important and it because of this personal philosophy I chose to do these "how to's" postings. Enjoy!

How to do an Awareness Meditation
Source: Wikihow.com

Steps

1. Sit down or stand still. Sitting in a lotus position is usually quite stressing on your legs unless you know how to do it very well.
   
2. Rest your palms on your lap or knees. If you are standing, let your arms fall naturally at your sides. Just don't collapse!
   
3. Breathe slightly deeper than normal.
   
4. Be aware of your breath.
   
5. If you notice that you are thinking, acknowledge it. Then let it fade away.
   
6. Return to awareness of your breath.
   
7. Repeat steps 4-6. Once you are done that, repeat this step. This step is an infinite loop.
   
8. Stop your meditation any time if you want to.
   
9. If you have back problems you may want to sit on a pillow.
   

Tips

• The Benefits: You will become calmer; you may have insight; you will increase your level of martial art skill; you can get along with people easily.
  
• If you count your breaths for the first few tries it will become easier to think of nothing. Beginners should try in for the count of 5 hold for 5 and out in 5. Get slower as you go but only up to 7.
  
• It is recommended that you obtain direct instruction from a meditation teacher.
  
• Meditation may be prayer, and you may believe in meditating, or praying, "through," perhaps for hours to find, "peace" (a quiet place).
  
• Some believe in an unknown meditational language, "glossolalia" - lingua - tongue (or tone) with which the "Holy Spirit" may groan to the heavenly Father in "charmistic" meditations.
  
• Charisma has an attribute of the unseen leading of the Holy Spirit in personal relationship with the Father (discerning the Spirit).
  
• That word derives from the Greek charis (“grace”) and charizesthai (“to show favour”), connoting a spiritual grace for salvation granted by grace through faith for enabling good works.
  
• Charisma comes from the being comfortable with yourself, it comes from practicing meditation. From knowing and accepting the core human fallible and childlike part of you that connects you to all humanity. It comes from letting go of all the 'chatter' that we learn in our lives, of how we should be and what we should be. It is about being in the moment and letting go of all the external stuff.
  
• With meditation you can learn to let all the stuff that is other peoples frustrations and problems wash over you and stop affecting you because you are aware of the core central person you are, with all the strange feelings that this involves. These feelings are all about you being a human rather than because of external factors, it is about knowing yourself. Try to remember that others behave according to their internal stories and therefore it is not necessarily to do with you, even when it seems to be directed at you. Rise above it. do not engage in this tit for tat type stuff.you can be above it. Letting go of this is liberating and this is what meditation offers. Go for it no matter what you religious stand point is at the moment, its no other than learning about the central human self.
  
• When you meditate the goal is zoning out. To practically fall asleep while still staying aware or focusing on certain points. This allows your mind to revert to that relaxed, stress free mental state during stressful situations (IE taxes or work). So when you do a session, always pick really warm thoughts that help you zone out. You will go deeper when your more comfortable!
  

Warnings

• Don't fall asleep, especially in a large crowd.
  
• Don't collapse (if standing), especially in a large crowd.
  
• Make sure you have plenty of time. True meditation makes time seem to accelerate, and you might not notice the hours passing.
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Do Awareness Meditation. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.