Reiki and Breathing Exercises

Did you know that Reiki actually originated many years ago in Tibet? However, it was then rediscovered by the Japanese who developed and propagated it further. Reiki is a very popular practice today because it doesn't involve any side effects or any harmful techniques and chemicals. It is based on the most natural and basic concept of cosmic energy. This is referred to as 'ki' in Japanese, 'chi' in Chinese, 'prana' in Hindi or 'bioenergy' in science. All that Reiki involves is the replenishing of this 'ki' and it's correction.

If you are a beginner to Reiki or want to have an idea before you enroll into a course then this is just the place for you. Here are some simple exercises that will help you stay fresh after a long day and help you eliminate all the stress in your daily life.

STEP 1
You can do this either sitting down or lying down, and practice it anywhere and everywhere be it the office or home.

Close your eyes and concentrate on your breath, how it flows in and out, then in and out again in and out and carry on.

STEP 2
Once you have established this rhythm you will start feeling a bit relaxed but at the same time you will be able to feel a few tension points in you body. Put your hands softly wherever you feel the tension. you will be able to know the points or places automatically, don't strain yourself much.

STEP 3
Once you have placed your hand at a specific spot imagine that your breath is energy. Now you are directing this energy towards your hands. Let it flow through your whole body and collect and expand in your hands. Relax at the same time. You will feel relaxation spreading in that specific part of your body. Next the relaxation will spread in your whole body through that area. Do this for about 5 minutes.

STEP 4
Now take your hands to another spot and repeat the same process. Breathe into your hands and feel the 'ki' flowing through the spot in your whole body. You might find your mind drifting towards past experiences and memories, don't get into them. However just let go of yourself and feel the flow inside your body.

STEP 5
Give the above step 5 minutes and then pick up 2 more places of tension, if you are not feeling any kind of physical strain and continue with the exercise. If you are feeling some strain, go to step 6.

STEP 6

Slowly open your eyes.
Stretch your whole body and breath deep.
Get back to your normal activities.

You will feel a new kind of relaxation pervade your mind and body and feel calmer and rejuvenated after doing this exercise.

Yoga and Meditation: Basics

Going back to basics. That is what meditation is all about. It is a state of consciousness that allows you to go beyond the limits of normal awareness. When you meditate, you focus the mind on one point and stifle all other thoughts. By stopping the waves of thoughts you understand your true nature and discover the wisdom and tranquillity that lies within you.

Meditation differs from deep sleep or relaxation in that it involves active mental effort rather than total rest. As well as relieving stress and replenishing energy, it can bring you physical, mental and spiritual peace. To achieve inner serenity, you must learn to quieten your mind and focus your mental energy inwards. If you meditate for half an hour daily, your thinking will become clearer and you will be able to face life with greater spiritual strength.

Do I have to adopt some special pose for meditation?

Yes. The ideal positions for meditation are the classic sitting postures, as these keep the prana, or vital energy, within your body. The Lotus, Half Lotus and Easy Pose are all suitable.

The ideal pose

Sit in one of the above mentioned meditation poses. Your head should be held straight and aligned with your back. Keep your spine and neck straight but not tense. Keep your eyes gently closed. Place your hands in a comfortable position. Form a circle with your thumb and index finger. Rest the backs of your wrists on your knees. You can also relax with your hands in your lap, palms upward, one on top of the other, or you may also clasp you hands gently and lay them in your lap as you meditate. Breathe quietly from your abdomen. Maintain a regular rhythm.

Focus all your attention and energy inward. Command your mind to be quiet. Begin by allowing your thoughts to wander, then select a focal point, such as an uplifting image, and concentrate on it. Bring your attention repeatedly back to the object of concentration so that you achieve an unbroken flow of thoughts. Initially, try to spend about half an hour every day in meditation.

Here's what you should remember before you begin meditation:

• Set aside a special place for meditation - the atmosphere you build up will help still the mind.
• Choose a time when your mind is free of everyday concerns - dawn and dusk are ideal.
• Using the same place and time daily conditions the mind to slow down more quickly.
• Sit with your back, neck and head in a straight line, facing north or east.
• Instruct your mind to remain quiet for the duration of your meditation session.
• Regulate your breathing. Start with five minutes - deep breathing, then slow it down.
• Establish a rhythmic breathing pattern - inhaling then exhaling for about three seconds.
• At first, let your mind wander - it will only grow more restless if you force it to concentrate.
• Now bring the mind to rest on the focal point of your choice.
• Hold your object of concentration at this focal point throughout your session.

Seven Steps Of Transcendental Meditation

Transcendental Meditation (TM) is both easy to learn and practise. Over 4 million people all over the world, of all ages, profession, education and religion have learnt TM and enjoyed its benefits. However, unlike other meditation techniques, TM cannot be learnt from a book or tape. You need to learn it from a teacher. Personal instruction from a qualified TM teacher ensures that you learn the technique properly and draw the maximum benefits of the technique.


The TM programme is taught through a seven-step instruction course offered at the various Maharishi Vedic Universities and schools throughout the world. The course includes two lectures that provide the intellectual understanding to start the technique and four consecutive days of actual instructions for 2 hours daily. Take a look at the course structure:

Step 1: An Introductory Lecture
The first step is a public lecture that provides an introduction to the TM programme and presents a vision of possibilities from practising the technique. The lecture is about 90 minutes and includes the description, the benefits and how to begin the technique which outlines the seven-step course of instruction to learn TM.


Step 2: Preparatory Lecture
The second step is also a public lecture, which provides an explanation of the mechanics of the Transcendental Meditation technique. It lasts for about 90 minutes and includes a discussion of:

• How TM works
• How TM is easy to learn and effortless to practice
• How TM is unique and different from all other techniques of meditation or self-development, and
• The origin of TM

You also have the opportunity to ask any questions that you may have and can even seek an appointment for personal instruction. The interview takes about 15 minutes.

Step 3: A Personal Interview.
This is with a trained instructor.


Step 4: Personal Instruction in TM.
This is the actual instruction in the technique of TM, which is held on a one-to-one basis with a qualified teacher. Here you will actually learn to practice the technique. Personal instruction takes about 2 hours.


Step 5: First Day of Checking Seminar
Following the personal instruction, the fifth step begins with a 3-day series of 2-hour checking seminars. It helps you review the mechanics of the technique and to verify and validate the correctness of your practice. All those who have received personal instruction the previous day attend this seminar.


Step 6: Second Day of Checking Seminar
The sixth step is held on the second day after your personal instruction. In this session you can ask any new questions you might have, verify the correctness of your practice, and discuss the mechanics of stabilising the benefits of TM.


Step 7: Third Day of Checking Seminar
The seventh step is held on the third day after your personal instruction. Its purpose is to answer any new questions you might have, verify the correctness of your practice and gain a vision of the goal of the TM programme: the development of full human potential in higher states of consciousness. The complete follow-up programme is also outlined.


Following these seven steps of TM instruction, there is a complete, optional lifetime follow-up programme that is available for every TM practitioner. The programme includes regular personal checking, advanced lectures and special seminars to ensure your complete understanding of the benefits. The seven steps, plus the follow-up programme, are offered through Maharishi Vedic Universities and Schools located throughout the world.

Transcendental Meditation Benefits

Regular practice of Transcendental Meditation (TM) can treat your stress-related problems such as high blood pressure, improve your mental capabilities and help you improve your relationships. Overall, TM will make you a relaxed, happier and contented person. Let's see how this happens:

• Improves intelligence, creativity & memory: Research has shown that the experience of pure consciousness during TM twice a day makes the mind more alert, creative, and intelligent throughout the day.
• Provides complete rest: TM provides the mind and body with a unique and profound state of restful alertness. The body gains an extraordinarily deep state of rest while the mind settles down to a state of inner calm and wakefulness.
• Improves health: Since both the mind and the body are rejuvenated, it leads to improved health and provides the basis for a more dynamic, productive, and satisfying life.

Is there any scientific proof of TM's benefits?

Over 500 scientific studies have been conducted on the physiological, psychological, and sociological effects of Mahesh Yogi's TM programme. These studies have been carried out at 210 different universities and research institutions in more than 30 countries. Results of these studies have appeared in more than 100 journals, including major scientific journals such as Science , the American Journal of Physiology, Scientific American, and the Lancet. The studies have shown that a regular practice of TM is highly beneficial and leads to:

• Reduced stress: The deep rest that the mind and body get in TM eliminates mental and physical stress and fatigue.
• Increased intelligence: The mind returns to its natural state of alertness and thus increases the person. s intelligence level.
• Increased creativity: TM meditators become more creative than others because the mind is in a refreshed and relaxed state.
• Improved memory: The mind. s state of alertness increases its capacity to memorise things.
• Improved health: Incidence of illness and risk of heart disease is reduced significantly among TM meditators.
• Reduced high blood pressure: Free from stress and anxiety, they have less chance of suffering from high blood pressure.
• Improved relationships: TM meditators spontaneously radiate a purifying and nourishing influence of positivity and harmony, which improves their relationship with others in society.
• Increased energy: With better health and mental state, TM practitioners are always full of energy.
• Reduced insomnia: Being relieved of stress and anxiety, followers of TM experience a better and healthier sleep pattern.
• Reversal of biological ageing: Those practising TM, on an average, are biologically 5 to 12 years younger.
• Increased happiness: Meditators have warmer interpersonal relationships, less anxiety, increased self-esteem and self-confidence, increased problem-solving ability and greater creativity, all of which together bring more happiness in their life.

TM has helped many Japanese companies: More than 10,000 business people in Japan have learnt the TM technique. After the TM programme was conducted at Japan's Sumitomo Heavy Industries, the employees showed a marked difference.

Isn't it time your company enrolled for a TM programme?

Starting Meditation: Yoni Mudra, Mantras, OM

There are several techniques to help you meditate. Some use the power of sound, others use visual symbols or even breathing. But all have a common aim: to focus the scattered rays of the mind on a single point, so as to lead you into a state of self-realization. Repeating a mantra or japa is a highly recommended technique. But if you are a newcomer to meditation, you may wish to make use of the other meditation techniques to discipline your mind. Some of these include:

Yoni Mudra

Yoni Mudra is an exercise in Pratyahara or withdrawal of the senses. Blocking off your ears, eyes, nose and mouth you retreat inside yourself like a tortoise drawing its legs under its shell. Only when your senses are brought under control and the mind is no longer pulled constantly outward, can you hope to concentrate.

How to do: Close your ears with your thumbs. Cover your eyes with your index fingers. Close your nostrils with your middle fingers and press your lips together with your remaining fingers. Release the middle fingers gently to inhale and exhale while you meditate.


Category Concentration: When learning to meditate, narrow your field of concentration to a category of objects. In the category concentration exercise, you can choose four flowers as objects of concentration. After concentrating on one, you can move to the next when your mind starts to wander. If you don't feel at ease concentrating on flowers, choose a different category of objects, such as fruit or trees. It is important that you restrict your mind to a group of objects and that the objects you choose are ones you can regard with detachment. Practising this exercise will hone your focus and teach you single-minded concentration. Once you can stay focused on a category of objects you are ready to concentrate on one single object.

Steady Gazing or Tratak

Tratak is an excellent concentration exercise. It involves alternately gazing at an object or point without blinking, then closing your eyes and visualising the object in your mind's eye. This steadies the wandering mind and focuses you to pinpoint your attention with accuracy. Though primarily intended to strengthen your powers of concentration and purify the mind, Tratak also improves your eyesight and stimulates the brain via the optic nerve.

Targets of Tratak: Tratak is most commonly performed with a candle but you can use other objects as targets for your gaze. You can mark a black dot on a piece of paper and attach it to the wall or use a chakra or a yantra. Yantras are geometrical diagrams that serve to focus the mind. Like a mantra, each yantra has a specific mystical meaning. Alternatively, you can try gazing at a symbol, such as OM, or at the image of a deity. In the daytime, a flower or a shell can act as a target of attention, while at night you might try fixing your gaze at the moon or a bright star. As long as your object of concentration is fixed and relatively small, focusing on it will produce the desired effect.

Frontal and nasal gazing: Yogis often use the space between their eyebrows and the tip of the nose for Tratak. Gazing between your eyebrows, or at the tip of your nose strengthens your eye muscles, besides improving your concentration. To start with, it is sufficient to gaze for one minute, gradually building it up to 10 minutes. However, if your eyes feel sore or tired, close them at once.

Mantras

Mantras are Sanskrit syllables, words or phrases which, when repeated in meditation, will bring you to a higher state of consciousness. They are sounds or energies that have always existed in the universe and can neither be created nor destroyed. There are certain qualities common to any true mantra. Repeating a mantra or japa not only provides you with a tangible point on which to focus your mind - it also releases the energy encased in that sound. The energy literally manifests itself, creating a specific thought pattern in the mind. Correct pronunciation of the mantra is therefore very important. With sincere practice, repetition of a mantra leads to pure thought where the sound vibration merges with the thought vibration. In this way the mantra will lead you to true meditation, to a state of oneness, of non-duality. It is believed that mental japa is the most effective, though at the beginning you can start by voicing the mantra, then whispering it, before turning to mental repetition. Whichever form of japa you use, it is helpful to co-ordinate the mantra with your breathing. In addition to a japa, there are three other techniques to aid your concentration:

• Using a mala:You can use a string of beads repeating your mantra as you count along the beads. A mala has 108 beads plus a larger meru bead. Holding it in the right hand, start at the meru and roll the beads along one by one between your thumb and third fingers while repeating your mantra. When you reach the meru, roll the mala in the opposite direction. Don't cross over the meru bead.
• Finger-line counting :You can use the thumb of your right hand as a pointer to count along the lines between your finger joints. Place your right thumb on the top line of your little finger and move it on each time you repeat the mantra -- first to the middle line, then the lowest line, then on to the lines of the fourth finger, and so on.
• Writing down the mantra (Likhita Japa):You can write the mantra down at the same time as repeating it mentally. Set aside a special notebook for the purpose. Before you start, decide how many times you will repeat the mantra or for how long. The aim is not to write as quickly as possible, but to give due consideration to every single repetition. You can either use Sanskrit or the translated version to write your chosen mantra. Instead of just working from left to right, try making patterns with your mantra writing too.

OM

To a yogi, no symbol is more powerful than the syllable OM. It is described as the "eternal word: what was, what is and what shall be". In Sanskrit, the long lower curve represents the dream state, the upper curve stands for the waking state and the curve originating from the centre symbolises a deep, dreamless sleep. The crescent shape stands for "maya ", the veil of illusion and the dot for the transcendental state.

Meditation & Spirituality: What, Why and How?

What is meditation? A popular way to envision meditation is to see a person sitting with their legs folded saying 'ohhm,' this indeed is a form of meditation. However, there are MANY more ways.

In a more general sense, meditation is an exercise in contemplation, reflection, an act of keeping the mind fixed upon something and an act of clearing the mind free from the day's distractions and possibly delving deeper into one's own mind.

Many people meditate, but in different ways. Everyday a woman walks down to the wheat farm near her house in Kansas and looks across the field listening to the breeze rustle through the fields of wheat-this is meditation. A man rides his bike to work in the morning and concentrates on moving his legs in a circular motion - this may be considered meditation too. A woman working in a closed office without any windows takes a 15-minute break to rest her mind, breathe and to repeat a favorite scripture; this too may be considered a form of meditation.

When asking around the office what exactly is meditation, I received a variety of responses. One person said, "meditation is discovery." Another said that meditation is, "playing tennis with focus." My office mate believes that meditation means "lighting a candle, sitting at rest in front of it, and focusing on the flame while repeating an affirmation."

According to a book on alternative healing therapies, "meditation can give you 'time off' from the pressures and stresses of everyday life." It can also be considered "a rigorous discipline aimed at the achievement of 'oneness' with the universal energy that underlies creation." Used therapeutically, meditation can help a person to visualize, focus on affirmations that will have a beneficial effect on the person's behavior and to gain more awareness and control of the body. Therefore, meditation can be of use to athletes, dancers, artists, people in recovery, students, and anyone dealing with stress or change.

It has been said that Tibetan monks meditate to "communicate with the cosmic mind." Perhaps this is what is meant by "discovery." Through meditation, it is possible for a person to become more in tune with the self and the spirit. The mind can clear itself free from the noise of civilization and listen to the more profound influences of the mind.

The Ayurvedan Institute in Albuquerque, New Mexico states, "The aim of meditation is union with higher self, but you can unite with your higher self only when you have a healthy body, healthy mind and healthy consciousness." Yet through meditation within itself, we can find a healthier body, mind and consciousness.

Scientific studies have shown that the regular practice of some form of meditation can lead to a decreased heart rate, decreased muscle tension, decreased oxygen consumption and less fatigue. Meditation can also improve one's ability to think analytically and it reduces anxiety.

To begin meditating, first of all be aware that meditation requires no special tools and can be practiced anytime, anywhere, anyhow you feel most comfortable. Secondly, be aware that you must be patient; good meditation comes with practice and experience. Finally, realize that meditation is an individual exercise and can be adapted to your personal interests and needs - there really isn't a true formula for successful meditation, but rather a few good guidelines.

One of the most common and simple meditation techniques is breathing meditation.

Focus on your breathing:

1. Take deep breaths filling your lower belly (below the diaphragm) without straining. Breathe smoothly and slowly a rhythm.
2. While breathing, focus on different aspects of your breathing - feel the air enter your nose and fill your abdomen for a while. Then, shift your focus to your exhalation. Finally, focus on the rhythm of the exhalation and inhalation combined.
3. If you wish, you can count how long it takes to breathe in and to breathe out. Or try giving your exhale a 1-count and the inhale a 2-count and repeat this for a cycle of ten and then switch the numbers to words of affirmation. This helps you with your concentration.
4. If you find your mind wandering, start over and try counting or using the alphabet for every breath to see how long you can go without losing concentration. After awhile, you will notice that you can concentrate for longer and longer. When this happens, it's easy to return to the affirmations or your own counting style.

There are many more ways to practice meditation. Running with a steady breath, doing T'ai Chi, playing repeated scales on the piano, and sitting on a chair in a proper sitting pose are all ways to meditate. Please revisit this post for more detailed articles on meditation, how others prefer to do it, and how other have benefited.

Meditation & Spirituality: Mind Overload? Meditate

Have you ever been preparing breakfast and poured orange juice instead of milk into your cereal? Or you get up from your chair, walk to the bedroom to get a hairpin but when you get there you have absolutely no idea what you were going to get? When this happens, the first thing we ask ourselves is, "Am I going crazy or what?" The response to this question is usually "or what?" The name for this is Mind Overload.

From the moment that you get up in the morning, your mind starts working. For most people life means caring and dealing with family, home, work, health, money, traffic, etc. If you're lucky, you do this only sixteen hours per day. You barely get a good night's sleep. You're mind is at work day in and day out with practically no rest. Even during sleep your mind is not fully at rest. How can it not be on overload?

You try to take care of yourself, right? You eat healthy, exercise, and visit the doctor for regular check-ups. But who's taking care of your mind? Most people don't give this much thought until they have a nervous breakdown or develop severe depression. And when this happens, they wonder how it happened. Well, it was very simple, they didn't take care of their minds. Your mind needs as much caring as the rest of your body. This is where meditation comes in.

Your body needs it on a regular basis if you want to maintain its health. Imagine your mind as an overstuffed drawer. Every so often you need to empty it out. Get rid of the junk that you've accumulated, re-arrange the keepers, and leave plenty of room for the stuff that you'll be collecting in the future. This is exactly what meditation is: cleansing, throwing out and making room. If you meditate on a regular basis you won't find yourself pouring coffee into the coffee maker without a filter. And you won't be reaching for the remote when you meant to answer the phone.

It doesn't matter what kind of meditation you do as long as you do it on a regular basis. There are so many to choose from; it won't take you long to find one that you like. Making time to meditate is just as important as making time to exercise.

Meditation: A Script to Use to Relax

It may seem strange, but many people do not know how to relax or what it actually means. Flopping in front of the television with a glass of whisky isn't it.

Relaxation is the art of having a relaxed body and a peaceful mind -- we are not after an empty mind but to just allow our thoughts to slow and become non-intrusive. Relaxation is something we can learn and become good at so we can achieve a deeply relaxed state very quickly.

When we practice active nothingness, the benefits can be astounding. Most notably is a feeling of calmness and inner well-being. Deep relaxation gives our immune system a boost, helps us to sleep better and facilitates quicker recovery if we do get ill. We can also use the time to make changes and/or use positive powerful affirmations. The script below can be used as it is or you can use it as a guide to create your own. If you are creating your own, use words that you associate with relaxation and use your imagination to create it.

You can memorize it, record it or have someone read it to you. Pause at the ellipses.

Make yourself comfortable with your arms and legs uncrossed … ensure that you are warm enough. Make sure that your head is supported.

Begin

Close your eyes and pay attention to your breathing for a few moments. Don't alter your breathing just notice -- be an observer. Think of a word that you associate with relaxation and silently say it in your mind as you breathe out.

Focus your attention on just you.

Imagine now, that your legs are relaxing from the knees down and each time you breathe out … you are feeling a wave of relaxation wash over you and through you.

All sounds that you hear apart from an emergency, remind your mind that you are relaxing. If you need to awaken, you may do so immediately. You will feel alert and refreshed. But, for now, just enjoy this peaceful, calm and restful experience.

Spend a few moments thinking about how you would know, what you would experience, what you would feel if your legs were more relaxed than they had ever been. Only you can experience your relaxation.

Imagine now, that your arms are relaxing from the elbows down. And, all the while your breathing is becoming slower and slower. Gentle, comfortable regular breathing. Continue to say your word each time you breathe out.

Spend a few moments thinking about how you would know, what you would experience, what you would feel if your arms were more relaxed than they had ever been. Only you can experience your relaxation.

Now, you can allow the relaxation in your lower arms and lower legs to spread and flow upwards … feel your arms and legs relax … completely.

You have no need to think of anything or nothing, but if you wish, you may think of everything.

The relaxation in your legs can now begin to flow gently up through your hips, pelvic area, tummy and chest.

The relaxation in your arms can spread out across your shoulders, and slowly, gently but very thoroughly down your back.

All that relaxation can now flow up, into your face, up the back of your head, all the way to the very top of your scalp.

And then, gently, like waves on the sand, calming peaceful relaxation can wash all the way back down your whole being.

Everything is slowing down. Every part of you is relaxing.

This is your time ... time just for you … to rest … and … relax.

Mentally scan your mind and body for any tensions or anxieties. If you come across any, imagine them soothing away and melting into nothingness.

Resting now. Feeling peaceful.

Imagine now, that you are standing at the top of some steps that are leading down towards a door.

We are now going to slowly carefully walk down the stairs counting from 1 to 10 as we go.

As we go down each step … with each number … feel yourself relaxing more and more deeply.

Lets begin … the first step … one … slowly, gently going down. Two … you can gently allow yourself to feel calm and peaceful.

Three … everything can relax more and more.
Four … experience slowing down.
Five … and, breathing out … tensions, worries, fears and anxieties.
Six … slowly, carefully, going down the steps … Relaxing even more.
Seven … think of your word that you associate with being calm and relaxed.
Eight … and say this word inwardly to yourself every time you breathe out.
Nine … continue to say your word. And every time you hear your word in your mind you relax even more deeply.
Ten … you can carry on resting, using your word and continuing to feel calmer and calmer.

Stand in front of the door at the bottom of the stairs. It is closed, but in a moment you can go through the door and find yourself in your special place.

Go through the door now and be in that special place.

This special place is the place that you are creating just for you. It is a place within you that you can be within. In this special place, all is well.

You can visit your special place whenever you choose to do so. Spend some time now having a look around. Make sure it is all exactly as you want it.

The following suggestions can go into your inner mind, repeating without your needing to think of them consciously.

All is well.
You are healthy, fit and strong in mind and body.
You can make any and all changes that you desire, on all levels of your being, because you have control of you.
You can release anything within you that is not serving a purpose.
You are free.

Add any positive thoughts of your own that you wish to put in to your mind for you to make any changes you desire. Be clear in your mind. Create specific images.

Imagine how you will feel and look. Imagine all the things you will experience when you have accomplished your goal/s. Have total belief that you can achieve everything you set out to achieve. Imagine now, that you are, 'there.'

It's good isn't it?

Enjoy the experience.

When you are ready, and only when you are ready, gently bring yourself to an 'awake' state by counting in your mind three, two, and one -- awaken.

If you would rather, you can 'tell' yourself that you are going off to sleep and that you will sleep soundly for the perfect amount of time that is right for you.

When you practice deep relaxation, your brain slows and is then predominantly in an alpha pattern. You have probably heard of the 'magic alpha'. In this state we are at our creative best, we heal, recover and our cells replenish and rejuvenate healthfully.

The more you do it, the easier it becomes and the more benefits you can enjoy.

Give yourself permission to do 'nothing' and enjoy.

Breath Counting: A Great Way to Start Your Day

Imagine the body is merely an extension of the mind. If you're mentally unbalanced, you will be physically unbalanced as well. Get in control.

You may have a weaker appetite; trouble falling asleep or waking up, more aches and pains and less energy in general.

But like two connected batteries, you can use the mind to charge the body and vice versa. If you incorporate some simple directive meditation into your daily routine, you will feel stronger physically and have more energy to get through the day. As little as 10 minutes of meditation a day can have a profoundly positive impact on your sense of balance, control and overall health.

If the idea of meditating makes you think of swamis and elaborate rituals, you may say, "Ugh!" and never want to try. However, meditation can be very simple, time efficient and (best of all) cost free.

Try this exercise in the morning. Find a quiet place and get into a comfortable position. You can lie down or sit, whichever is most relaxing. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Simply count each breath in your head, up to four. Then start over at one. Don't count higher than four because, believe it or not, you'll start to lose track and begin worrying about what number you are on.

As you count, focus on the feeling of your chest as it rises and falls. If you get distracted by thoughts about work or things you have to do, gently guide yourself back to the counting. The mind is not always a cooperative entity, especially if you are a Type A person, which means you are constantly moving from one chore or responsibility to the other. So at first, thoughts may intrude fairly frequently. But don't worry! Stay with it. As long as you are patient and gentle with yourself, the outer world will become less and less distracting during those 10 minutes.

To provide some structure for the exercise, you may want to use an egg timer. Then you won't have to open your eyes periodically to look at a clock or watch, wondering whether your 10 minutes are up.

The breath count is a great beginning meditation. It does a number of powerful things. First, it turns your attention inward. During those 10 minutes, you will become more aware and connected with your body. Second, it relaxes you. Your head, arms and legs may feel heavier or suddenly warmer as you count. Third, it centers you. It allows you to just "be" for a few minutes, before you must re-enter the busybody mode of life. It is a moment where you can gather all your body's energy and direct it in a very simple way.

This exercise should make the energy you need to accomplish life's most demanding tasks more readily available, and you will be able to access it faster. Getting control of a situation won't seem like such a tall mountain to climb. You may even be surprised to find that, after a week of morning breath counts, you can concentrate better at work, organize yourself more easily, and manage your relationships with greater confidence. If you are tired of relying on concentration-enhancing drugs like Ginkgo Biloba, try breath counting. And welcome yourself to the world of meditation!

Meditation & Spirituality: The Value of Relaxation

Relaxtion helps you to reduce your stress levels in many ways - physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. Actually, it's impossible to draw solid boundaries between these levels. Each influences the other, as mind, body and spirit are inextricably linked.

Relaxation helps you to reduce your stress levels, in many ways:

• Physical: Relaxation activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which counteracts the effects of the stress response by reducing the level of arousal in the body: muscles loosen, breathing and heartbeat slow down, blood vessels may dilate, and the digestive system acts more efficiently. Regular relaxation gives the body an opportunity to heal itself and strengthens the immune system, allowing the effects of chronic stress to dissipate.
  
  
• Emotional: Relaxation allows panic, anger and anxiety to drain away, to be replaced by a sense of stability and well-being. Everyone is familiar with the draining effects of these negative emotions; as relaxation reduces the intensity of these emotions, our inner resources and sense of self become stronger.
  
  
• Mental: One of the characteristics of stress is that everything clamouring for our attention assumes equal importance, making it hard to know what to tackle first, and even harder to concentrate on any one thing. Relaxation allows us some distance and perspective on our lives, creating the space in which clear priorities can emerge. As thoughts slow down, and the mind becomes dreamy and detached, we begin to access the resources of the right brain -- the creative, intuitive, non-linear part of our minds. This part can often come up with solutions to problems that defeat our logical thought processes.
  
  
• Spiritual: Relaxation provides the detachment from everyday concerns that allows us to realize what is really important in our lives; to observe thoughts, emotions and physical sensations without judging; and to have the time and space just to be, without doing. Without the distractions that normally crowd our minds, we can discover and accept who we really are.

Actually, it's impossible to draw solid boundaries between these levels. Each influences the other, as mind, body and spirit are inextricably linked. Recent research on peptides (the body's ''messenger molecules") confirms that peptide receptors are found all over the body, not just in the brain; and that the nervous system, the immune system, the endocrine (hormonal) system and the digestive system are in constant multi-way conversation.

Quick relaxation techniques are useful in dealing with acute stresses. Regular, deep relaxation has a deeper and more permanent effect. As your levels of stress reduce, you become more relaxed in everything you do, able to place each event of our day in perspective rather than overreacting. It becomes much harder for people or situations to upset you and much easier for you to take control over your thoughts, emotions and actions, and to take charge of your life.

Regular relaxation with the help of your relaxation tape will assist you in coping with your own stresses. Practice relaxing without the tape as well, perhaps by repeating some of the suggestions on the tape to yourself, so that you can relax quickly and easily whenever you need to: before an important meeting or interview, between periods of intense work, or when you need to go to sleep.

Meditation: Give Yourself a Gift

In this season of gift-giving, it is easy to become so preoccupied with searching for the perfect gift to give someone else that we forget to take care of ourselves. The altruistic spirit is a nurturing spirit when it is fully expressed. To be fully expressed it must come full circle-nothing in nature continues to exist only with the outflow. Everything flourishes in giving and receiving.

We all have the same amount of time, which flows, for eternity, in an endless stream of "now" moments. The illusion of not having enough time comes when we face the options, requirements, and opportunities that life presents to us as if we had to choose them all, or as if we cannot choose the ones we want because of obligations and forces beyond our control.

Here are some gifts you can give yourself that can make the holidays seem less hectic and more meaningful.

The Gift of Spirit:
The spirit with which we enter into everything influences its effect on us and on everyone around us. Before you go to any event, or even out shopping, do an attitude check. Use your option to say, "No" to those activities where your spirit will be agitated rather than lifted.

The Gift of Release:
Decide to let go of any rituals or activities that no longer have full meaning. Your family and friends may be just as ready to simplify their lives. Trim your card list; engage in meaningful activities and practice serenity in everything.

The Gift of Time:
Spend some time by yourself, either doing nothing or engaging in an activity which is refreshing to you, one in which you will come away renewed--not frazzled. You may also choose to combine one or more of your other gifts to yourself with this one.

The Gift of Music:
Music has the ability to soothe, uplift, renew, and inspire. Choose to have music, which evokes pleasant memories and feelings, in the background of your activities. Listen to soft music as you drive, prepare meals, or as you soak in a luxurious bath.

The Gift of Balance:
A frantic holiday season comes from keeping our attention fixed on all we have to do, or on the negatively imagined results of not being able to do everything. The ability to see and appreciate the sacredness and beauty of life comes to us only one moment at a time. Balance your activities with time alone. Allow enough time to get to where you are going without being pressured.

Opening Your Gifts:
You can begin by consciously choosing to align the way you spend your time with the needs of your body, mind and spirit. Bring your shopping, relationships, work, and resources into balance within the framework of the gifts you are giving to yourself. It is not so much what we do, or how much we do, as it is how we do it that produces a creative and peace-filled life.

To have a happier holiday season answer these question when you feel stressed:

1. How can I change the way I perceive this event? This person?
   
2. How does what I am doing right now contribute to the quality of my life or the life of others?
   
3. How can I bring the highest that is within me to this moment now?
   
4. What can I release, remove or rearrange to bring peace to my life?

Use these steps to remind yourself of your commitment.

• Be true in your actions to the spirit of your heart.
  
• Clarify your thoughts and focus on one thing at a time.
  
• Orient your choices toward satisfaction, flexibility, compassion and contribution.
  
• Affirm: Today I am at peace in my world. I move in my world with a deep spirit-nurturing attitude. This is my gift to myself and to the world.