An in-depth discussion of this potent means of world service and personal spiritual growth for experienced and new meditators.

Meditation is, depending on the meditation, a more or less scientific means of contacting the soul, and of eventually becoming at- one with the soul. That is the basic purpose of meditation of any kind.

Transmission Meditation is a way of serving the world. Unlike many other forms of meditation, it attracts to it only those people who have a desire to serve. This desire to serve manifests itself in an individual only when that person has made some degree of contact with his or her own soul. This is because it is the soul which desires to serve. The nature of the soul is to serve. The first response to soul contact (whether it is followed up or not) is a desire to serve the world in some way.

Transmission Meditation provides a simple, easy form of very potent service to the world which at the same time is an extremely potent, fast method of personal growth. This personal, evolutionary result is a side effect of the Transmission Meditation process. The Masters have at their disposal tremendous spiritual energies. A major part of the Masters' work is to distribute these energies in the world to produce the effects, the fulfilment of the Plan of Evolution which They know to be envisaged for this planet.

The Masters are the custodians of the Plan and the custodians of the energies which bring about the fulfilment of the Plan. Many of these energies are cosmic in source and if they were released directly into the world they would be too high, and would simply bounce off the mass of humanity. Transmission Meditation groups act as sub-stations. The Masters send these spiritual energies through the chakras of the individuals in the groups. This automatically transforms the energies, making them more accessible, more usable by humanity. The Masters then direct the energies into the world wherever they are needed. There are several hundreds of transmission groups, all over the world, and they meet regularly at a particular time and day, whatever is suitable for the individual group. This can be once, twice or three times a week.

The groups can be anything from three people upwards. Three people form a triangle; that is the basic group. The group meets and sounds together, aloud, the Great Invocation, which has been given to humanity for this purpose. This Invocation was released to the world in 1945 by Maitreya to give us a technique for invoking the energies which would transform the world and prepare for His coming. By the sounding of this great mantram with the attention focused on the ajna centre (between the eyebrows), a conduit is formed between the group and the Hierarchy of Masters. Through that conduit the Masters send their energies.

These spiritual forces are precisely the energies which are transforming the world right now. Maitreya fills the world with the energy of equilibrium, for example, and national leaders find that they can work together, can compromise, can reach some kind of consensus, almost overnight. Suddenly, nations who have been enemies for centuries, perhaps, find that they can talk together round a table, and peacefully work out a solution. They are simply responding correctly to the energies which the Hierarchy of Masters are sending out into the world. That is the service which the transmission groups perform for the world. It allows you to move away from simple contact with your own soul to a working relationship with the Kingdom of Souls, the Spiritual Hierarchy of Masters.

It is not possible to work in this way, to have the energies sent through the chakras, without the chakras themselves being stimulated, galvanized and transformed. The Masters measure the point in evolution of any individual disciple by the quality of light emanating from the chakras. People talk about auras: brilliant auras and rather dull auras, wide auras and narrow auras. The auras are really the synthesis of all the energies emanating through into - and out of - the chakras up the spine. The more active, the more stimulated these chakras are, the greater the radiation, the wider and more brilliant the aura. This designates the degree of the disciple.

In Transmission Meditation, your chakras are stimulated in a way that would be altogether impossible otherwise. In one year of consistent, intensive Transmission Meditation, you can make the same kind of advance as in 10 or 15 years of personal meditation. It is a hothouse, a forcing process. For this reason, it is not for everyone. Only those who wish to serve the world in some way would be bothered to do Transmission Meditation, because nothing seems to be happening during the meditation. You may or may not be aware of the energies; some feel the energies very clearly and powerfully, some do not feel them at all. This has little to do with your point of advancement, but, in the main, with your particular type of physical body.

This work, however, leads to very profound changes in the ]individual. Most people, within six months or a year of starting Transmission Meditation, realize the changes in themselves, recognize that they are becoming a different, a better person. People find that they can experience, and demonstrate, love more easily. They find that their minds are more stimulated and creative. They may find that they have more discipline, more determination, more consistency in their approach to work. People see their group members become more radiant, softer, more loving - in a word, more spiritual.

A large number of people receive healing, spontaneously, during the transmissions. The technique involved is very simple and is applicable to anyone above the age of 12. Transmission Meditation does not interfere with any other form of meditation which you might do. On the contrary, it can only potentize, make more valuable, any other meditation. It is absolutely safe because it is in the hands of the Masters, the Master scientists of the planet. It is potent, safe and scientific because the real work, the major work, is done for you by the Masters themselves. All that you are asked to do in a Transmission Meditation is to hold your attention at the ajna centre between the eyebrows. That is all. You will find, however, that your attention will wander from this centre. When you realize that this has happened, you sound, inwardly, the mantram OM, or think OM, and your attention will come back automatically to the ajna centre. Holding the attention at the ajna centre produces an alignment between the physical brain and the soul. The energies are sent from the level at which the Masters habitually work: the soul level (the buddhic level, to be precise). While that alignment is held, the transmission will take place.

I can assure you that there is no more potent service that you can give so easily, with such little expenditure of effort, to the world. Nor will you find a technique of personal growth so potent, so far- reaching, for such little effort. All the Masters, perfect as they are, spend 24 hours a day in transmitting their energies. There is no being in cosmos not involved in transmitting energy from levels above to levels below Them. We live in an energetic universe. That energy, from however high a level, is being transmitted, stepped down, received; transmitted, stepped down, and received, throughout cosmos. If you find that Transmission Meditation is for you, then you have a mode of service which will last until the end of your life and through all future lives.



Reprinted with the kind permission of Share International Magazine.
Authors Details: Benjamin Creme.

Benjamin Creme is the British chief editor of Share International, an artist, author, lecturer and esotericist. His telepathic contact with a Master of Wisdom allows him to receive up-to- date information on the Christ's emergence and to expand on the Ageless Wisdom Teachings.

Increasing Psychic Abilities With this Meditation Technique

We all have psychic abilities. For many people this ability is dormant or asleep. It’s a bit like the person who sits at a piano for the first time and discovers that they have a natural talent for music. The ability was always present it just takes the right circumstances for the talent to become apparent.

Most of us have times in our lives when we notice something at work that can be considered psychic. Usually this psychic ability is in the form of intuition, hunches or gut responses that seem to defy reason or logic. These uncanny hunches and sudden insights can sometimes leave us feeling bewildered, but the truth is that they are a perfectly natural ability. And like any other talent, psychic abilities can be trained and perfected.

There are any number of tools and methods available to the psychic any or all of which may help to increase or focus intuitive skills. Most psychics use some form of meditation to enter a frame of mind that heightens intuitive awareness. Some read palms or tea leaves, tarot cards or rune stones or use a crystal ball; some may involve intricate rituals. Regardless of the tools used to assist a psychic reading they each serve to aid the psychic in entering a form of focused meditation which greatly enhances the natural intuitive sense.

A focused meditation technique provides the frame of mind that is most receptive to intuitive information. Meditation quiets the mind, filters out the noise and chatter of the conscious. This filtering of conscious noise allows the sub-conscious mind to voice its thoughts, as well as enable the mind to tune in to the environment. Some have called this a heightened state of awareness or altered consciousness. The attention is drawn inward with a kind of detached awareness. Developing your ability to enter into this heightened state of mind plays the important role in increasing your intuitive senses.

If you’re unfamiliar with the practice of meditation then the following meditation technique should help to gain a better understanding of the methods used. This exercise focuses on breathing and visualization. Controlled breathing provides an area of immediate connection with the mind and body and also increases the supply of oxygen to the brain.

Begin by finding a comfortable place to perform your meditation. This can be any place of your choosing, provided that you find it comfortable and relaxing. It is not required for you to sit, though you may, if you choose. Many people find it difficult to sit still for any length of time. Standing or even walking slowly is perfectly acceptable for the sake of this exercise.

Focus your attention on your breathing. Notice the air as it enters your body. Try to breathe in through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Take slow, deep breaths.

Inhale slowly through your nose and hold the breath in for nine seconds, then exhale slowly for another nine seconds, count out the seconds steadily, not rushed and not sluggish, try to find a pace that feels comfortable, just remember to relax your breathing.

Inhale for nine seconds, exhale for nine seconds, and repeat this process nine times. With every breath, imagine that you are inhaling precious life giving air and exhaling any unwanted energies. After you have repeated this cycle nine times you can begin your visualization. Try to maintain the rhythm of your breathing without counting it out in your head.

At this point you may notice random thoughts popping into your head, simply dismiss them as they enter your mind, let them slip away easily.

Imagine that you are walking across a dry and sandy landscape. The temperature is comfortable, the air is easy to breath and you feel at ease.

As you walk along you notice a shape on the horizon. As you near the shape you see that it is a stone building, a round, stone building with a single door. You are facing the door and now you see that this door is slightly open and a light is coming from inside.

Now, you are standing at the door and decide to push the door open. You open the door and enter the stone building.

Inside you see a round room with a table in the centre. The room is well lit, warm and comfortable. You approach the table and notice a small wooden box, paper and a pen.

You form a question in your mind that you would like answered, an issue that you would like resolved, it does not take you any time to form this question. You write this question on the paper before you and place the paper in the box. You see the box has a lid and you close it.

After a moment you open the box, you see that the question is no longer written there, instead an answer has appeared. You take the answer with you as you leave the building and return to your present space.

You may see immediate results with this exercise or it may take several attempts before the answers found within the box make any sense to you.

Over time this visualization becomes much easier to enter into and you may be tempted to treat this exercise as some sort of oracle. This is not the true intention. Instead what we are trying to accomplish is entering into the receptive mode of meditation that was spoken of earlier. The easier it is to enter into this state the more likely it is that you will become tuned into receiving intuitive information.


Authors Details: Dr. Jeffry R. Palmer Ph.D.

Grounding Exercise #1

This is a grounding that I did once spontaneously and it worked amazingly well for me. It is Far Eastern in flavor, but try it and see. Take a moment after each session to journal.

First, if you don't get it the first or second or third time, don't hassle yourself. Just keep trying and be gentle with yourself. Second, get a notebook because you are going to be taking notes. Third, do this every day for 5 minutes. Fourth, repeat the first step until you have it in your head firmly. It will be our first and foremost rule.

Sit or lie down. Be comfortable. Put on some white noise if you need too. Or soft music may help. Let's get the basics down first.

This is about grounding and centering. Your center is that place that is there when you need inner strength. It is that place you reach for when your world is falling apart. It is always there. You don't lose your center.

See yourself in the center of a lotus blossom. The lotus is lovely and open.... pretty pink-purple (color choice is yours) petals laying about you. Now see the petals begin to rise. One by one they form about you. You are in the center with light streaming in from the cracks as the petals draw tighter. See the petals absorb into you as you become the lotus bud itself. Feel the heaviness in your stomach as you sink into the blossom.

Be at peace. Feel the quiet you have created for yourself. This is your center and you can find it any time. Try to stay here for a few heartbeats. Don't worry about random thoughts. Acknowledge them and put them aside for now. You can come back to them later. Let the solidness become familiar to you. When you are ready, let the blossom that is you unfold slowly. Petal by petal let them drop softly to the ground until you are once again sitting in the center of the lotus blossom.


Grounding exercise #2
This is one I learned from Starhawk's Spiral Dance. It is a very often-done meditation and you may have seen versions of this one in many places and from many people. This is my version.

Get comfortable. For this one, I find that sitting works best. I like to sit in a chair or sit with my back against something.

Take a deep breath and hold it. It is this space between breathing that I believe the Buddhist refer to as the "awareness". I need to research that though. Release the breath slowly.

Take a deep breath and hold it. (counting 1-2-3-4-5 slowly) and release the breath slowly.
Take a deep breath and hold it. (counting 1-2-3-4-5 slowly) and release the breath slowly.
Take a deep breath and hold it. (counting 1-2-3-4-5 slowly) and release the breath slowly.
Take a deep breath and hold it. (counting 1-2-3-4-5 slowly) and release the breath slowly.

Now, see in your mind's eye a tree. Don't worry if the tree isn't crystal clear. Just remember a tree you once knew. Sit down with your back against that tree. Feel the trunk against your back and know that this is a safe spot for you.

Now, your spine is the conductor of your chakras. The base chakra is the root chakra. This is literally where your spine ends. I want you to extend that base chakra down. This is your taproot. Press it down into the earth until you can feel that pulling at your center. Relax and just feel how this affects your body for a moment.

Now, slowly begin drawing energy up from the earth. Let it fill the root chakra. (pause). Now it moves to the belly chakra. Feel the energy slowly spreading. (pause) Next it moves to your solar plexus chakra. (pause) And now your heart chakra. Note what the energy feels like to you. Is it cool? cold? warm? hot? prickly? itchy? (pause) Now the energy moves up to your throat chakra. (pause) And to the third eye chakra (pause) As it reaches your crown chakra, feel the energy spill up and out like a waterfall. (pause)

Let this waterfall flow down to the earth and soak back into the ground. This is the energy pool that is always available to you. Take a few moments to feel the cycle of the waterfall.

(pause for at least two minutes here)

Now, let the waterfall gradually ebb back into your crown chakra. It slides down to your third eye. Past your throat chakra and to the heart chakra. Now the solar plexus down to the belly chakra. As it moves back to the root chakra, begin to draw your tap root up into the root as well. Excess energies will be flushed through the root chakra leaving behind only what you need.

When you feel ready, open your eyes and come back to yourself.

There are a few things you should know about contacting your spirit guides. Spirit Guides

Firstly - You already have contact with your guides. It may not be on this physical level but rather in other altered states of awareness.

Secondly - You could experience contact through dream state or your subconscious and superconscious.

Thirdly - It could be through obe state where you go to a special landscape of both your choosing and discuss things and to learn. They take you to these landscapes and you become pure energy as they are. Here they can do healing work and also have a special kind of physical contact.

There are different types of guides.

There are guides that you knew in a past life that have decided to stay back this lifetime and aid you in your journey. These guides have already learnt the lessons you are facing this lifetime and act of teachers for you to learn your lessons this lifetime. There are guides that come from other planets, dimensions, and realms that you once travelled with and experienced lessons in your past journeys. These guides still have the appearance, wisdom and understanding of your past life you lived. These guides aid you in remembering how important your journey is and help you to integrate your previous knowledge here on earth. These guides cannot effect changes on the physical because they are not physical beings. They can only offer you advice and wisdom. You need to go to them through astral travel to connect.

There are angels, shape shifters, sorceresses, witches etc that are dedicated to helping you create your dreams and goals, offer you protection, understanding and healing. Only a certain group of angels and guides have the power to effect changes on this level. There are good and bad in this section. Though in truth, in the higher realms good and evil does not really exist. More they are simply different types of energies that a soul integrates and learns from.

There is also a telepathic link to your soul group, family etc. This telepathic link enables you to keep in touch with your family. They may be existing here on earth or on other planets, dimensions and realms. This link enables you to keep in touch and also offer and receive wisdom and guidance. As they and you learn their/ your wisdom, they / you share this wisdom with you/ them. That is why many people wake up and discover they know something they did not know the day before. Your group collective share with you knowledge and your soul integrated this knowledge. There is a group of souls that are dedicated to sharing and teaching all the souls in this universe. These beings do not become close and or attached to you or your life personally. Rather they simply offer assistance without interference. These beings can be accessed at any time and work in our subconscious and as you grow in understanding can even be channelled in the physical. They are excellent communicators in the dream state. There are simply spirits that float close to this dimension that offer friendship, even love, advice and if they can, healing and protection. These spirits simply attach themselves to you and your quest. Maybe they experiences simular experiences and wish to help. As I said earlier, you already have contact with these beings. You have to bring your awareness and focus to how you are communicating with them. Through meditation, you are able to open your channels up and remember and see your guides. It takes sometimes time and practise. Although many people these days are reaching their spirit guides quickly.

Meditation

Make yourself comfortable...

Take slow, gentle breaths in and out through your nose...

Feel the air going into your lungs, feel the air releasing from your lungs......

Breathe in, breathe out... Breathe in, breathe out...

Place your focus and attention only on your breathing...Feel your body begin to relax...With each breath you take in, feel all the tension sift away from your body, leaving you calm, relaxed and peaceful...Your thoughts drift in and out through your mind...Let them flow until your mind is calm...Place a white protective bubble of energy around your whole body. This bubble protects you from any negative thoughts and energy...

Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out....Relax your body, relax your mind...Do not allow any noise hinder your meditation. Make it a part of your relaxation....

Place your focus and intent on wanting to reach first your own personal guides. Create a place where you can visualise in your mind and later obe to. Your guides can take on any shape. So at this point create how you would like your guide to look. In time they will take on their own form. But for now, you can control the physical features. For your first contact. Simply have a list of questions you want answered. Please understand the information may take days to filter from your your higher self down to your physical being. It is important you keep a diary of any changes that commence after these meditations. Once you have reached a certain level of understanding and control with this form of contact. Your natural ability to contact your guides will filter through. Good luck.


Authors Details: Leonie Faye

Aligning your Chakras & Grounding Meditation

Using the Chakra protection and Grounding meditation is an excellent way to bring more light into you. It's also one of the best ways of protecting yourself when channeling, doing readings or doing healings.

Find a quiet room where you won't be disturbed.

You may light a candle if you wish, sometimes it helps to set the mood and bring tranquility.

Make sure you have loose fitting clothing if just starting to do this form of protection.

Sit comfortably feet flat on the floor, spine straight, hands in lap or on your legs.

Take 3-5 deep breaths breathing in the Universal Flow of Energy that is in and around all in existence.

Inhale through the nose and think Love, exhale through the nose and think Peace.

In your mind's eye (Third Eye) see a large shaft of Pure White Light come down from above you and into the top of your head (Crown chakra)

Bring this Light into your spine...notice how this feels as this energy is Unconditional Love, Peace and Harmony

Tell the Chakras to open, guide the Light to fill your Chakras completely

sit for a moment and feel all the engery & love encompassing your body.

Tell the Light to spin each Chakra into perfect balance and harmony and realign your Chakras into perfect heal according to your divine blue print.

Tell your Chakras to send this Pure Light to all the different areas and parts of the body they are over see

sit, relax and feel this as the Light being sent out through your body, now ask the Light to completely fill your body with its Light.

You will feel this Love as it permeates through you, through every cell, molecule and atom of your being.

Its a warm, gentle, beautiful and peaceful experience. Re energizing your entire being.

Now tell the Light to go out your tailbone, down deep into Mother Earth....connect with the earth and tell Her that you love Her, send your love to Her.

Wait a few seconds as the love will be returned to you. You will feel your heart to swell with love.

Ask that she share in this energy with you and Thank Her for all that she has given you.

Ask that Mother Earth to ground you.

Bring the energy back up through your tailbone up through your spine and out the top of your head in a beautiful Rainbow Fountain of colors cascading down all around you.

You are now protected by the Universal Flow of Energy and Grounded by Mother Earth.

You are ready to meditate or work.

After you have done this a few times, you will find that it comes automatic and and the feelings and emanations are always there through the energies.

You will also find that it helps you in many ways throughout the day.

Meditation Techniques Secret #1: The True Purpose of Meditation

Many people feel a sense of fascination when confronted with the possibility of mystic visions, psychic intuition and heightened mental functioning. While meditators often report these sorts of improvements, these experiences should not be the primary reason for practice. The purpose of meditation is to bring us back to ourselves.

As we become healthier, happier and realize greater self-awareness, the other benefits of meditation begin to follow naturally -- improved mental functioning, greater intuition as well as greater access to unconscious resources and abilities.

Meditation Techniques Secret #2: Distraction Does Not Equal Failure

Meditation is not work in the sense that you have to 'force' yourself to concentrate completely for long periods of time. If we consciously try to prevent thinking, it's going to have a negative impact on the meditation.

Instead, whenever we become lost in thought or confusion, we simply acknowledge those thoughts and then gently return the attention to the object of the meditation. We do this as many times as distraction or thought occurs. Eventually, the mind becomes calmer and discursive thought begins to slow.

Meditation Techniques Secret #3: Insight Alone Is Not Enough

Insight alone will not transform our lives. Meditation is likely to help us by giving us larger perspectives and increasing clarity of thought. But although our sense of inner guidance might become stronger, unless we ACT on that guidance, we will never manifest the changes we truly want in our lives.

This doesn't just mean we need to take action in our outer world, for example, having an honest conversation with a friend or paying a bill.

It also means we must actively request the assistance of the unconscious in a clear and persistent way. When you do that, as I teach in 'Secrets of Meditation, Energy and Manifestation,' you find yourself magnetically drawn toward your dreams with an irresistible impulse.

Meditation Techniques Secret #4: Learn To Let Go

Once you have made your request, it's important that you let go. Don’t be concerned with HOW you're going to get what you truly want in your life. Needing to know how can hamper the process of making it manifest in the outer world. Learn to trust your unconscious.

Some changes -- perhaps all of them -- will happen automatically. I have personally found that many of my destructive habits simply dropped away with minimal conscious effort.

For me, this was achieved not by self-discipline and will power, but rather a “letting go” and a realization that spiritual growth is a natural process powered by parts of ourselves that know more than we can understand consciously.

As we let go consciously and receive more input from these parts, we learn to trust this feeling, this feeling that we are in safe hands and that something amazing is about to happen.

By: Rebbie Straubing

In less than a minute you can complete a single breath meditation session. Start to finish, it will take you about 30 seconds.

Infinite Nows

There are as many instants of now in a minute as there are in an hour. The now is infinite no matter how long you linger there. Sometimes, when we sit to meditate for 20 minutes or longer, big segments of that time slot lose their immediacy. We drift into default thinking and ride the shallow turbulence of our mental activity. We miss the depth of the moment completely.

By narrowing the time of your meditation session to one breath, you send a message to your consciousness. "This is your only chance. Pay attention now or you'll miss it!" In the beginning, you may be amazed at how much your mind can wander even in the space of one breath. Don't worry about that. It's natural.

How can one breath provide any kind of practice at all? For now, we want to go short and deep rather than long and shallow. We want to be awake and aware for the simple matter of seconds it takes to complete one single cycle of breathing. When you think about it, it seems manageable. You may feel a surge of confidence. "This is something I might actually be able to do!" When you realize that each breath holds the hologram for all your breathing, you may begin to honor the power of one pure breath. When you sense that each now is nested within all nows, you realize that an instant of pure consciousness will take you further than a marathon of habit driven practice.

Who is Breathing?

In preparation for your brief session of meditation, consider this question: Who is breathing? Then release the question completely into the nonverbal realm. Accept no answers that come in words. Let this question hover in the silence of your one breath.

No Effort

Let your one, single, on-stage, in-the-spotlight breath be completely natural. Let it move at its own pace and achieve only the depth it seeks on its own. Don't force. Don't push. Don't direct it. Simply follow it. It is the only breath you will be attending to in this way so give it all your attention. There's not enough time to get bored. This is as easy as it gets.

Punctuation

When you are ready to begin, close your eyes. Once you have completed one cycle of in and out (or out and in), open your eyes. You're done.

Using the opening and closing of your eyes to punctuate your session accomplishes two things. It funnels your attention inward as your eyes close for your very brief chance at sensing this unique breath which will never occur again in all of creation. It also makes distinct your session. It tells your conscious mind that you have started something and you have completed it.

Unraveling

Distortions in our thinking create physical and emotional pain. This single breath meditation is so simple and unintimidating that it does not create anxiety or inspire much resistance. It does, however, begin the unraveling of deep patterns of distortion. In a soft and gentle way, it loosens the ties that hold resistant thought-forms in place. It creates little regions of space in your consciousness each time you do it. In this way it begins to undo those templates that keep replicating your challenges. It introduces tiny hints of freedom into physical and emotional areas of constriction. Ultimately, this subtle sense of liberation filters down to your relationships, your health, your work, and more. It brings space, light, and openness. It gives you some room to be yourself.

Cookies

These single breaths become like cookies. They taste sweet, and once you have one you want another. They are small and individual and you can have one as a treat or you can sit down with the whole box and meditate for an hour.

Copyright (c) 2006 Rebbie Straubing

Dealing with stress? Here are some ways to make you feel better!


Stress affects everyone, nearly all of the time. Some of the stress is good stress, like forcing yourself to work harder to study for a test you need to pass. Some stress, however, can control our lives. Do you worry consistently, perhaps about things that you have no control over? Do you find yourself snapping at friends and family? Here are some reminders of what you can do to make yourself feel better, giving yourself time to recover from the stress that can take over our lives.

First off, it's important to take time for yourself. Sometimes we get so caught up trying to take care of other people, we lose part of ourselves, forgetting that it's ourselves that we need to take care of more than anything. Realizing that taking care of yourself is a good idea is the very first step towards a stress-reduced life!

Tell yourself that you are going to do something nice for yourself at least once a day.

Here is a list of nice things that you can do:


* Tell yourself something nice. Examples of this include things like "I'm doing a good job taking care of my family," or "I handled that situation well," etc. It's good to let yourself know that you are a great person and that you are handling your life very well.

* Put something inspirational on your mirror. Whenever you look into your mirror you will be able to read it and feel inspired. Perhaps this thing could be just a quote, or maybe a poem, or a list of things that remind you what make you truly happy.

* When you wake up in the morning, shower, put on your make up, get dressed, make your bed, and be sure to put your shoes on! This may sound silly, but often just lounging around the house in pajamas can make a person feel tired and not inspired to do much of anything. Just taking the time to get dressed and take care of yourself in the morning helps you feel more confident and ready to begin your day with flare!

* If you want to relax at night, try taking a nice warm bubble bath. Burning candles and your favorite relaxing music add a nice touch!

* Every once in awhile, treat yourself to your favorite meal. Cook it yourself, or take yourself out to dinner and enjoy!

* Relax and watch a movie that YOU want to watch. Oftentimes, I find myself only watching things that everyone else in my family watches, neglecting my own desires. For a change, it's good to just kick back and enjoy a good movie that I want to see, whether or not someone else watches it with me!

* Read a book. Taking time to read something that enjoys you, even if it's not reading that is educational, is a fantastic way to relax. Find a comfortable quiet place in your home, or even go to the park or library, curl up, and read!

* Keep a journal. This can either be a paper journal or an online one. Write down your feelings, and go back and read it a little bit later. Sometimes it isn't until we put our worries in to written word that we understand that we are overreacting or that we are too upset about things that really don't need worrying over!

* Take care of yourself. Eat healthy, with lots of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Feeling healthy is a great start to feeling less stressed!

* Drink a lot of water! It's suggested that we drink around eight glasses of water a day. Carry a water bottle with you, or go out and choose a stylish water bottle for yourself, and make sure to actually drink the water! It'll be an adjustment at first, but once you get started, you'll remember to always drink your water, and you will notice how much better you feel!

* Exercise! Even if it's just for a small walk a day. You don't need to go to the gym and work out to feel better, walking is free, and it's fun! Take a friend, walk around your neighborhood, and enjoy. Just two walks a day for twenty minutes each will prevent you from gaining twenty pounds in a year! Just something to think about! It also reduces stress. Going for a short walk after work is a great way to get the stress of work out of your system, and get you ready to calm down for your evening at home with your family.

* Just say no to caffeine! Drinking caffeine can cause your nerves to feel just a bit more frayed. If you must drink caffeine, then drink it only until noon, and for the rest of the day, drink decaffeinated drinks only. You'll notice that you'll sleep better, and feel a little bit less angst during the day. Drinking water and exercising will give you more energy to replace the lack of caffeine!

* Limit your sugar. When we are stressed, it's tempting to go for the chocolates or the ice cream in the freezer, but it's only going to make you feel worse in the long run. Sugar causes you to feel "high" for a short period of time, but after the sugar high passes, you are going to crash and feel even worse than before. Not to mention that the chocolate cake that goes straight to your hips will make you even more stressed about yourself. If you feel that you absolutely must have sugar, have one scoop of ice cream, not three, or just one cookie instead of half the pack. Gorging yourself is going to make you feel sick, not to mention make you feel worse about yourself as well. Showing yourself that you have the willpower to only stick to one treat (or even better, none at all) will give you more confidence, and you'll feel better physically, as well!

* Get rid of your clutter. Clutter around the house can make everyone feel more stressed out. When it's difficult to find things you are looking for, or the kitchen is such a mess that you don't even want to cook, it's time to take action! Even if you only clean up clutter for fifteen minutes a day, that's fifteen minutes towards your ultimate goal, a clutter free home! Search the internet for Flylady and Freecycle, two wonderful things that can help you get your home in order!

* Do you like to shop? Go shopping, then! If you can't afford to buy much, just walk around the mall and look at things. Not only are you getting your exercise in, but you are having fun doing it! There's no harm in a little bit of window shopping.

* Put together a garden! Grow whatever interests you! Flowers, vegetables, herbs, etc. Gardening isn't just something that produces flowers or food for you to eat, it's a great activity that keeps you interested and keeps you moving! Taking time out of your day to garden is very calming and enjoyable, and you get rewards for doing it! If you live in an apartment, do some research on things that will grow well in containers, and put together a container garden for yourself! Plenty of herbs and flowers especially do well in containers.

* Find yourself a hobby! Maybe you like collecting things but never got to doing it, or maybe you enjoy painting, or building furniture. Whatever it is that you always wish you could have the time to do, take the time and do it! You will feel more fulfilled as you work on your new hobby, and certainly more relaxed, as well.

* Take a class. Perhaps you can take a class on dancing, if that's something that interests you. You can get your exercise in and learn something new all at once! There are classes available on nearly anything you'd ever want to know about, including free classes online at various websites. All you have to do is look for them! Your local community college and parks and recreation center should also provide different options for you.

These are just a few sample ideas of things to try when you are feeling stressed out and overworked. You can take time for yourself, because you deserve it! Its okay to say no to extra work if you are feeling like you can't handle things. Its okay to put yourself first every once in awhile, because you are important! Making time for yourself and spoiling yourself, even if it is only a little bit, will make you feel so much better! Getting rid of the bad stress will help make room for you to do things more productively and more positively, which not only helps you, but everyone around you, as well! Remembering that you aren't the only one who benefits from stress relief may be the reminder you need to keep on trying!

By: Robert Morgen

By now you've probably heard the buzz about the Law of Attraction. It's the concept that says that you can have, be or do anything that you want no matter how large it might be.
The Law of Attraction is an extremely simple concept that we've all heard before. Simply put it's 'Like Attracts Like'.
In very simple terms the Law of Attraction says that what you think about and what you feel is what you will attract. This sounds too simple to be true, but with only a small bit of experimentation you'll be able to prove this for yourself.
In order to do that you'll need some basic principles.

Principle #1 The Universe is Neutral
The Universe doesn't care or even realize that you may have wants and needs. It simply exists and the elements that exist within it operate under very basic rules. 'Like attracts like' is one of those rules.
In order to use the Law of Attraction purposefully you must develop a level of self-awareness that will let you avoid negative thoughts and concentrate on the positive. One of the problems that many people experience is the fact that they are constantly thinking about what they don't want.

Principle #2 What you think and what you feel is what you get
The Universe doesn't hear "I don't want debt". It only hears the subject of the thought, which in this case was 'debt'. Thoughts have a certain amount of energy, but feelings actually project more energy, therefore the universe will respond to what you feel over what you think. Remember that this is a process and that you will spend some time identifying and deleting old thoughts, habits and patterns. When you see something that you'd like to have and instantly think "I'll never be able to afford that", just remember that this can take awhile. Don't beat yourself up over the occasional negative thought like that. Just remember that this is about learning a new way to think and feel.

Principle #3 You must ask for what you want
When you think about something you want you project your intent. When you write down what you want you are projecting a stronger intent by giving your intention more energy. When you make time each day to visualize and experience what you want then you are showing the Universe exactly what you want to attract.

Principle #4 You must give yourself permission to receive
This is a step that many people have a hard time with. They may ask for something such as love, happiness or money, but in their hearts they may not believe that they deserve it. It doesn't matter what you ask for if you don't believe that you can get it! If you can't honestly visualize yourself in that situation then the Universe will not manifest it for you. This leads into the next step.

Principle #5 You must be in alignment with what you are asking for
Say a prayer, cast a spell, light a candle or some incense, visualize, affirm, look in the classifieds, get a new suit, whatever. DO something that puts you on the path to receiving that which you desire. Take action. Act as if you already have the money or the love or the car or whatever. Live as if your desire has already manifested. You give much more energy to your intent if you back it up with action.

Principle #6 Start at a level which is believable for you
The Universe is unlimited in its potential. The Universe doesn't recognize size or amounts or depth or any other qualifier. Those are all human qualifications that we place on things. The Universe only sees energy. With that in mind you should, technically, be able to instantly manifest a million dollars, or a new house or a new spouse. In reality most of us have to build up to asking for the big things, and that is perfectly fine. Have faith in your process and don't worry about HOW you are going to manifest, just trust and get on with it. Start with something small and develop your abilities. The more you use it and the more success you have the better you'll be able to make the Law of Attraction work for you.

Principle #7 Have FUN with this
Life is an amazing experience. Every day you are surrounded by miracles and wonders. Enjoy it! Be happy and experiment. Try new things, ask for more, play with the world as if it were your toy and spread that joy and love and laughter and then look at what you are manifesting.

Take some time and experiment with these simple concepts. Feel free to experiment and play and enjoy the process. This should NOT be hard or stressful, life in an abundant and unlimited Universe is not meant to be so. Feel good and follow your bliss.

Simple Meditation Techniques Anyone Can use
By: Louis Bonaventura

Meditation refers to a state where your body and mind are consciously relaxed and focused. Practitioners of this art report increased awareness, focus, and concentration, as well as a more positive outlook on life.

Meditation is most commonly associated with monks, mystics and other spiritual disciplines. However, you don't have to be a monk or mystic to enjoy its benefits.

You don't even have to be in a special place to practice it. You could try it in your own living room!

Although there are many different approaches to meditation, the fundamental principles remain the same. The most important among these principles is that of removing obstructive, negative, and wandering thoughts and fantasies, and calming the mind with a deep sense of focus. This clears the mind of debris and prepares it for a higher quality of activity.

The negative thoughts you have - those of noisy neighbors, bossy officemates, that parking ticket you got, and unwanted spam - are all contributing to the "polluting" of the mind. Shutting them out allows for the "cleansing" of the mind so that it may focus on deeper, more meaningful thoughts.

Some practitioners even shut out all sensory input - no sight, no sound, and nothing to touch. They try to detach themselves from all of the commotion around them.

Once you achieve this, you may now focus on deep, profound thought, if this is your goal. It may seem deafening at first, since we are all too accustomed to constantly hearing and seeing things, but as you continue this exercise you will find your awareness of everything around you increasing dramatically.

If you find the meditating positions you see on television threatening; you know ... the ones with impossibly arched backs, and painful-looking contortions ... you don't need to worry.

The principle here is to be in a comfortable position conducive to concentration. This may be while sitting cross-legged, standing, lying down, or even walking.

If a position allows you to relax and focus, then use that position as a starting point. While sitting or standing, the back should be straight, but not tense or tight. In other positions, the only no-no is slouching and falling asleep.

Loose, comfortable clothes help a lot in the process since tight fitting clothes have a tendency to choke you up and make you feel tense and restrained. The idea is to let go, not to restrain yourself!

The place you perform meditation should have a soothing atmosphere. It may be in your living room, bedroom, or any place where you feel comfortable.

You will probably want to use an exercise mat if you plan to take on the more challenging positions (if you feel more focused doing so, and if the contortionist in you is screaming for release). You will want to have the area arranged so that it is soothing to your senses.

Silence helps most people relax and meditate, so you will need to search for and find a quiet, isolated area far from the ringing of the phone or the humming of the washing machine.

Pleasing scents also help in that regard, so using on aromatic candles isn't such a bad idea either. They aren't very good for your health due to the chemicals they emit into your breathing space, but they are relaxing.

Some people use incense in place of candles, again, not very good for your health but relaxing just the same.

The monks you see on television making those monotonous sounds are actually performing their mantra. This, in simple terms, is a short creed, a simple sound which, for these practitioners, holds a mystic value.

You do not need to perform these things; however, it's worthy to note that focusing on repeated actions such as breathing, or humming help the practitioner enter a higher state of consciousness.

The principle here is focus. You could also try focusing on a certain object or thought, or even, while keeping your eyes open, focus on a single sight.

One sample routine would be to, while in a meditative state, silently name every part of your body and focus your thoughts on that part.

While doing this you should be aware of any tension on any part of your body. Mentally visualize releasing this tension. It works wonders.

All in all, meditation is a relatively risk-free practice and its benefits are well worth the effort, or non-effort; remember we're meditating in order to help us relax.

Studies have shown that meditation does bring about beneficial physiologic effects to the body. And there has been a growing consensus in the medical community to further study the effects of these practices. So in the near future, who knows, that mystical, esoteric thing we call meditation might become a science itself!

Purchasing Your First Reiki Table or Massage Table
By: Zach Keyer

Purchasing a Reiki Table or Massage Table can be a surprising upfront investment. You need to be aware of the pros and cons of the different styles and types of tables out there on the market. In this small article, I will go over some of the basics.

First off, you may want to decide on whether you want a Reiki style table or a massage style table. The difference being at the ends of the table. Reiki tables have an open end, so that your knees can fit under the table at both ends. A massage style table will usually have criss crossed bars at the ends which prevent you from sitting with your knees under the table.

Secondly, you are going to want to consider the portability of the table. Take into consideration the weight and folding up of the table. Decide whether your table will be placed in a room and left there, or if it will be a traveling table. Using your table for expos and shows, and also for home visits or office sites will require you to pick the lightest table possible, but still with enough strength to hold a heavier than normal person. And, the ability to fold your table up in mere seconds is a great benefit to anyone who is on the go. Some tables require tools to assemble and some are easily compact. So, make your decisions regarding portability based upon your expected usage for your table.

Lastly, I want to cover the issue of quality and price. I know that especially when you start out in the field of Reiki or Massage, you are usually on a shoestring budget. This being said, you do not want to sacrifice quality for price. The above mentioned subjects will help you in picking the table that is right for you, but when you are stuck between price or quality, always choose quality. The price of a massage table is very small compared to the actual use you will get out of it. I personally have had the same Reiki table since 1997, and it has earned its price more than a hundred times over. It really comes down to pennies when you consider how many sessions that your table will be serving you for. So keep your eye on the bigger picture, and if you absolutely cannot afford to go with the higher quality, then i highly recommend that you find a partner that will go half and half with you on the cost and usage of the table.

These are some of the main considerations in getting a Reiki Table or Massage Table, there are considerations for the accessories also, but that will be another article. I wish you and all of your future clients the very best. To your comfort and success!

By: Robert Morgen

The following exercises range from pretty simple to pretty complicated, but as you develop your abilities you'll eventually find that you can do them all at once and effortlessly. It can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few years to develop this ability, so remember what I said about expectations.

You'll eventually be able to remember how to do these exercises by memory, and then after that you'll get to the point where you just do them without having to think about them.

Grounding

Grounding will always be an important skill, no matter how advanced you become, so take the time to learn this now and to be able to do it effortlessly.

Stand in the "Standing Stake" pose described above. Go through the breathing and Full Body Awareness exercises. Visualize roots growing from your feet down through the core of the earth, just like a tree. In later meditations you can add some variety by seeing the roots flow down to a large crystal at the earth's core. Depending on the effect you want you can vary the crystals and access different energies, but that obviously beyond the scope of the exercise at this point.

As you inhale feel the energy of the earth being drawn up through your roots and up through your body and out through the top of your head. On your exhale, let that energy drop back down through your body and feel all the accumulated stress of your life flow out with it and back down through your roots and into the earth. Feel your muscles relax as the stress flows out. This is a good way to release all your stresses, fears, angers and feelings of inadequacy. Repeat this exercise for awhile, as many times as necessary to clean yourself out.

There's nothing wrong (and a lot of benefit) to stopping at this point and just doing these exercises that I've gone over up to this point, until they become completely effortless. Whenever you feel yourself becoming stressed or angry learn to take a moment and ground yourself and let those feelings just flow out.

Progressive Relaxation

Progressive Relaxation is easy to do and you can do it anywhere and anytime. Assume your meditation position of choice (I like the half-lotus on a zafu) and go through all the exercises I've covered up to this point. Just take a moment and feel the relaxed energy that you should have after grounding and releasing all your stress. Are you ready to get deeper into this feeling?

Feel the energy that flows up through your roots and into your feet. Make fists with your feet by curling your toes in as far as you can until it hurts, then relax. Let that relaxed feeling flow from your toes back over your feet and feel them relax. As you inhale draw that relaxed feeling up over your ankles and feel them relax completely. On the exhale let any residual stress flow back out and down through the earth.

On your next inhale draw that relaxed feeling back up over your calves, letting them relax after walking all day. Draw that relaxed energy up over your thighs with the next inhale. They're the biggest muscles in the body, so let them relax and rest now.

As you inhale feel that relaxed feeling flow up over your hips and buttocks. Feel the stress bleed away. We store a lost of stress here, so take a moment and let this area relax. Draw that relaxed feeling up over your stomach and lower back. Feel the muscles in your back relax and feel your stomach move with your inhale.

Bring the energy up over your chest and the middle of your back. Feel your heart area expand with the relaxed energy and feel all the accumulated stress in between your shoulder blades release and flow out and back down with your exhale.

Draw the feeling of relaxation up over your shoulders and neck. Feel any residual tension flow out with your exhale. Let that relaxed energy flow up and over your head. Let the muscles of your face and those at the base of your skull relax.

Just sit here and feel this relaxed body that you have. Remember this feeling as its how you should feel all the time. Tense muscles store energy, which means that your energy isn't flowing through you, but rather sticking in certain places in your body.

When your muscles are relaxed then your energy flows unimpeded and is continually renewed, leaving you feeling much lighter and more refreshed.

By: Robert Morgen

Developing full body awareness is very simple and easy to learn.

In addition to feeling your breath flow and your stomach and ribs expand, I want you to feel the energy that flows into your body with each breath. For me it feels like a lightness, or a very light feeling. It may feel different for you so take some time here and just open up and feel the energy.

Now when you draw the energy in can you feel it pooling at your center of gravity just below your belly button? Now as you breathe just let that pool of energy expand throughout your body. Can you feel it flowing down through your legs and up your back and down your arms? Take some time here and practice this feeling that energy pool expand through your whole body. Later we'll expand it out even further, but for now just let it flow.

This exercise should help you to feel rejuvenated and refreshed as you're drawing energy from an infinite pool. Do this exercise whenever you're depressed or down, and eventually as you progress you'll learn to do it all the time. It's a habit that you have to grow into.

Awareness and Intention

EVERYTHING is about 'Awareness' and 'Intention'. Now that you've begun to build an awareness of the energy, called Chi, Ki or Prana in some circles, you'll be able to do things with it and move it around in your (and other peoples) body.

We move energy with 'Intention', and this is a very important fact. EVERYTHING is energy! Our thoughts, our actions, our beliefs, everything around us and everything we see, feel, hear, think and do is energy. Intention is what we do with that energy.

We are all connected in a vast energy pool that encompasses everything that is, was and will be. It doesn't matter whether a person believes in it or can feel it; they still have the ability to affect it. How many times have you seen a person with a negative attitude who continually draws more negative reactions to himself? He's broadcasting his intentions through his attitudes with the result that he becomes a human 'crap magnet', drawing in all the negative feelings and emotions and experiences.

The other side of this is the continually positive person who always approaches everything from a positive attitude. This doesn't mean that everything always goes the way she wants it, but if you'll watch you'll see that even the bad times provide fuel for her growth and she tries to take every 'bad experience' as a lesson to help improve herself.

Just as our thoughts can influence Chi subconsciously, so can they move it around in our body. Energy follows thought, so when you think about moving energy then it will actually go where you send it. The important thing here is to stay out of its way. Energy moves in a spiral and at its own speed, so don't try to micro-manage it, just let it flow.

Now take some time and do the Full Body Awareness exercise again, and this time feel the energy go where you send it. You can also play with this a bit. Send it down to your feet, now bring it back to your center and this time just send it down to your left foot, now your right. Now send it up to your head, and down to your left elbow.

Now, the next time you're stuck in traffic, or impatiently waiting in line at the Motor Vehicles Office, just relax and start to play with this. Isn't this a neat toy?

By: Robert Morgen

Breathing is the MOST important part of meditation and Kundalini Awakening. It's the foundation of all the exercises and skills that come after, so taking the time to learn it now will make things much easier.

From our birth until death we breathe more or less continually, yet for the most part we do it without any awareness of our breath and its effects on us, and believe it or not most people in the western world do it wrong!

Breathe in through your nose and draw your breath down into the area just below your navel, allowing your stomach to expand as you breathe (Baby Breath) and filling your lungs entirely with each breath before exhaling through your nose.

Take a moment right now and feel your breath. Pay attention to the air as it flows in through your nostrils and down into your lungs. Don't think about anything or do anything other than just breathe.
1. Are you taking a relatively shallow breath and just filling the upper lobes of your lungs?
2. Does your stomach move out as you breathe?
3. Do you feel the bones of your ribcage expanding and opening with each breath?
For most people the answer to 1 is YES and the answers to 2 and 3 are NO so lets expand this exercise a bit.

This time draw your breath down to a point about 2 inches below your navel (the body's center of gravity). When you do this you'll feel your stomach expand and push out in front of you. Most westerners usually keep their stomach pulled in and their chest out, so when you do this you'll have to relax all those muscles. Just take a moment and be aware of your breath as it flows down into your center.

Now as you inhale and draw your breath down, also let your ribcage expand. You'll feel your floating ribs at the bottom of your ribcage spread and move, and you may get a few pops out of your spine also. Just take a few moments and breathe this way. Don't think or let your mind wander, just breathe. If you've never meditated before then congratulations, you just did! It's exactly that simple.

There are many benefits to proper breathing. The extra oxygen in your system means that your heart doesn't have to beat as fast, lowering your pulse and your blood pressure. Drawing the breath down into your center also helps to massage your internal organs, providing more oxygen to them as well as helping to release the accumulated stresses that build up there. The long term health benefits are immeasurable and have been repeatedly proven for thousands of years.

Breathing is by far the most important part of the kundalini awakening exercises, although it sounds so simple. Paying attention to the breath is the beginning of opening up your awareness and it's seen in every meditative culture on the planet.

Take some time to practice this, as it's the foundation for everything that comes next. If you have to dedicate your meditation time to breathwork for awhile then that's good, as we all proceed at our own pace.

I recently read a translation of some of Jesus' teachings from the original Aramaic (the language he actually spoke, although he apparently wasn't literate) and it was very interesting to me that in Aramaic they used the same word for "wind", "breath" and "spirit". Those with a Chi Kung background might find it interesting to take another look at the New Testament and insert the word "breath" every time you see the word "spirit".

It's funny that something as simple as proper breathing can have such a profound effect on the rest of your life, but don't take my word for it, you can find out for yourself beginning with your next inhale.

By: Robert Morgen

During various exercises we'll be drawing energy in through our chakras, into our organs and even through the entire area of our skin. Drawing energy into yourself is fairly easy to do and simply requires a heightened sense of self-awareness to feel.

To begin drawing energy just take a moment and focus on your breathing. Feel your breath as it flows in through your nostrils and down to your Dan Tien, the area two finger-widths below your belly button. Feel the chi as it flows in with your breath down to your Dan Tien. Take a few breaths and let the energy build up and spread through your body.

Now, as silly as it sounds, imagine a nose or an opening that covers your heart chakra, just over your sternum. Remember what it feels like when you draw the chi in through your nostrils? As you inhale let the nose over your heart chakra inhale chi directly into your heart. It may take awhile to really feel this, so don't be worried if it doesn't seem to come easily. As you exhale let any stress or unhappiness in your heart chakra flow down through your legs and deep into the earth.

Take some time and practice inhaling energy this way. As you get comfortable with it you'll be able to draw chi into yourself in many different ways. Below are some sample exercises that you can experiment with. You'll probably come up with some others on your own as the possibilities here are literally endless.

Chakra Breathing
We'll get deeper into this in the Chakra Chapters, but you can draw energy into any of your chakras at any time just like we did for the heart chakra.

Energizing your organs
This can be a lot of fun and really help strengthen your immune system and improve your overall health. It's also an exercise in using intention to send energy where you want it to go.

Take a moment and relax as we did above. On your inhale draw chi into your liver. Don't worry if you don't know exactly where your liver is, you don't have to. Just intend for relaxing, healing energy to flow into your liver as you inhale, and then draw it in. On your exhale let the stresses and built up energies flow out of your liver and down into the earth. Can you feel the lightness and relaxation? The liver is related to anger and aggression. The next time you find yourself becoming angry do this exercise and see if it doesn't help to shed some of those feelings.

You can run chi into any of your organs exactly the same way. The infusion of energy will help cleanse your organs and release bound stresses and memories, so you may find yourself having some unexpected emotional releases as that energy has to go somewhere once it's released.

Relaxing Stress Knots out of your muscles
Whenever you feel a stress knot building up in your muscles just draw energy directly into the knot on the inhale and let the stress flow down into the earth on your exhale. As an exercise in awareness you can take some time and just choose a body part at random and draw energy into it.

Improve your eyesight and hearing
I've personally experienced some radical healing in both my eyesight and hearing just by drawing more chi into my eyes and ears. At an age when my eyes should be getting worse I actually have gotten to the point where I only wear my glasses when I'm working on the computer or watching a movie.

Drawing energy from trees, rocks and plants
Sit with your back to a tree or better yet face it and wrap your arms around it. Relax and spend a few moments practicing feeling your own energy. Expand your awareness to the tree. Can you feel the rough bark against your skin and hear the rustle of wind in the leaves and branches. Can you smell it? Can you feel the energy from it? Create a circuit with the tree. As you inhale feel the energy from the tree flow into you. As you exhale let your energy flow into the tree. Let your friends who haven't experienced this laugh at you for being a tree hugger. Experiment with this with other plants as well as rocks and crystals. Do they all feel the same? Can you tell the difference between tree species based on the feel of their energy? Can you differentiate between different crystals based on their energy? You could keep yourself occupied indefinitely in the backyard with this exercise.

Drawing energy is something that you can do at any time, any place. As you get better at drawing energy and more comfortable with it you'll also be able to develop more control over your emotions and your physical responses by using variations on the exercises above. Don't be afraid to play with this exercise and experiment with the healing energies as this is all about building up your personal catalog of feelings and experiences.

By: Robert Morgen

It's important to establish a daily practice and then stick to it. This doesn't mean dedicating 12 hours a day to meditation, it just means creating a space in your home where you can take a few minutes and meditate and do the exercises. I advise people to start with some of the basic exercises and devote 10 -20 minutes a day as they develop their physical and mental abilities. Many people quite simply overload themselves and expect too much too soon, then get discouraged when they don't see the results they thought they should see.

Getting Started

Set aside a corner in one of your rooms. You can stock it with whatever accoutrement you wish. Many folks have cushions, candles, incense and a small CD player for music or guided meditation CDs. Use whatever tools and accessories you want to, as there's no right or wrong at this point.

Once you've created your sacred space then all you have to do is use it. Set aside a few minutes each day and begin working on your breathing and Full Body Awareness. Don't worry at this point about how long you meditate, just get into the habit of doing it. The effects of meditation are cumulative, so 5 minutes a day everyday is better than 20 minutes once a week.

Eventually you'll get to the point where you don't need any accessories and you can clear your mind and meditate anywhere, at any time, but for now don't worry about that, just create a pleasant, sacred atmosphere and get started.

On Expectation

In the spiritual circles we often hear people talking about doing things without expectation. It's amazing how often the simple truths are all around us.

When we begin meditation or working towards the kundalini, we often feel that we should be able to do certain things within a certain time frame. We expect to be able to clear our minds and access our deeper abilities. We expect to be able to sit for an hour and meditate, or to see auras, or feel other people's chi. Then when it doesn't happen we become disappointed and confused. I can't tell you how important it is to break free of these expectations.

When we let go of expectations and learn to just relax in the moment and just BE, then we are making progress of the most important kind. In the west we tend to be so goal oriented and have a need to see results, but frequently the cumulative effects of meditation aren't noticeable until much later. Meditation is about this moment, about BEing totally in this moment, rather than about who you'll be when you've become a good meditator.

The important thing with a regular practice is to just do it. The effects are cumulative and one day you'll look back and see that all those short meditation sessions actually added up.

Copyright 2006 Robert Morgen. This article may be used by anyone, anywhere as long as the author's bio and links are included.

By: David Wells

You know you shouldn't. You made a decision that you weren't going to do this anymore. You know it's the right thing to do. You know that your life will be better for it. But, You do it anyway.

All the while you tell yourself that it's okay because this is the last time. You're only going to do it once more and then you'll quit. After all, it's always easier to quit tomorrow than it is today.

If you have a bad habit you know this scenario all too well. It seems like it ought to be easy. We all have free will right? Just stop. If only it were that easy.

You see, our habits aren't really controlled by our conscious mind. The powerful and compelling emotions and cravings that drive us toward our bad behavior come from our subconscious mind.

What's worse, your subconscious mind won't listen to reason. It'll ignore the most rational and persuasive argument you can muster. In fact, your subconscious mind isn't even capable of rational thought. Instead, it is driven and consumed by emotions and feelings.

Therefore, your subconscious can only be persuaded by powerful images, desires and intense emotions. But it's not enough to just visualize yourself free of your bad habits because your conscious mind acts like a filter. It prevents much of what you experience from entering your subconscious mind.

So you must not only create powerful emotional images to persuade your subconscious mind, you also have to get past your own consciousness with these images before they will have any effect on your subconscious mental scripts.

That's why hypnosis has been proven to work so well for personal habit change. It can by-pass the filtering process of your conscious mind and allow you to deliver your emotionalized message right into your subconscious mind.

The results are sometimes very powerful. Imagine how much easier it would be to quit any bad habit you might have if you didn't have those nagging cravings; if the compulsion to indulge your bad habit didn't crash down on you from out of the blue with such irresistible force.

We've all been there. We wake up in the morning and tell ourselves that we're going to be strong. Today we're going to quit. Today will be different. And for a while it is.

Then it happens. You've gotten through half the day. You've even forgotten about your habit all together. Then, like a ton of bricks, it hits you; the sudden sinking realization that your resistance has failed. Your mind has already decided to indulge your habit.

You feel guilt and shame at your failure of will power but that's not enough to overcome your compulsion. You rationalize it, telling yourself that one more time won't hurt. You'll quit after that.

Pretty quick you've told your self "just this one more time" every day for the last year. The whole thing is maddening and ridicules all at once. And the sad fact is, you are bound to continue in this kind of cycle until you re-write the subconscious mental scripts that are driving your destructive behavior.

Once that's done you can hardly keep your bad habit alive, even if you want to. Once your subconscious mind has been convinced that you no longer have a particular habit you will no longer feel those terrible, nearly irresistible, cravings and urges for your habit. Then it's just a matter of making good choices. And that's easy when you aren't a slave to those horrible feelings you get when you don't indulge in your vice.

Self-hypnosis can be a powerful tool for helping you overcome almost any destructive habit or behavior. It's gentle, safe, easy to learn and most anyone can do it. And best of all, once you've mastered self-hypnosis you will be able to apply it to any area of your life for easy personal improvement and change.

By: Abhishek Lodha

At the end of a whole day of hectic work, Mr. Rajiv Mathur, the project manager of a reputed company, steeped out of his office with a face, the expression of which cannot be actually mentioned! When asked by his colleagues, he replied that he is very anxious for the partially completed project which, by any means, has to be completed by the next day i.e. as it is the deadline date!

Now what is Anxiety? Is it tension? No. Is it fear? Well, not either. It is something which is invisible, intangible. It is a sort of sickness sometimes irresolute, sometimes violent and again at times it is unendurable! It is not real fear, yet it belongs to the fear syndrome. So what actually is it? Well, it is a kind of fear. But a fear which is inexplicable.

It is best describes as the fear of a danger which does not in reality exist. A fear for the unknown! Anxiety, during a period of crisis, sometimes bring about severe physical disturbances such as quickening or slowing down of the pulse rates, paleness, drooping mouth, sweat, haggard eyes and respiratory and cardiac troubles.

Effects of Anxiety

Anxiety is an exaggerated tension, with several common side effects. The very common effects of anxiousness or anxiety are:

1. A feeling of having a lump in the throat.
2. An obstruction in the throat.
3. A feeling of having an iron band across the chest or in front of the heart.
4. A choked throat causing dumbness.
5. Tightness of the bladder with frequent urine discharges.
6. Difficulty in digesting.
7. Bloated by wind.
8. Stammering.
9. Palpitations in the stomach or intestines, etc.
10. Agitation.
11. All kinds of twitches.
12. Fits of hysteria.
13. Over salivating.
14. Tears and flushes.
15. Convulsions.
16. Vomiting, and
17. Trembling and palpitations of the heart with heavy heartbeats.
18. Anxiety - physical or psychological?

Anxiety is basically a psychological effect, although certain physical illnesses such as epilepsy
or cardiac troubles do cause anxiety. Psychologically, anxiety appears when some element within becomes menacing to an individual. For instance, take the case of a timid chef. Because of his job profile he is forced to appear timid. Yet the thought of being discovered as a timid person presents to him a permanent threat. It is very logical to assume that in the face of permanent menace, anxiety will appear. Now this anxiety may be a conscious or an unconscious one.

In any case, anxiety arising from a psychological cause is just as intense as a fear which is provoked by a visible danger. Too often, there is a tendency to diagnose such sickness as being 'imaginary illness' because the victims are unable to define their anxieties. They are not imaginary but very real illness. Whether the illness is objective or subjective dies not really bother!

By: Jimmy Cox

Yoga at last is coming into its own in the Western world. After many years of being dismissed as a bizarre cult attractive only to eccentrics, it is today recognized as a fundamental art and skill. More than that, many of its most bitter opponents, people who were among the first to cry down Yogic culture, have now embraced it as a way of life.

The ancients who formulated the science of Yoga were way ahead of us in our modern world of stress and hurry. Recognizing, thousands of years ago, man's basic need for discipline to counteract the physical and spiritual deterioration caused by the mere fight for survival, they evolved a science which is at once as ancient as India herself and as modern as the space age.

The law of Yoga is the law of Life. Yoga embodies the secrets of successful living and combines profound and age-old truths with a way of life acceptable to the modern mind. It was evolved from the Veda, one of the most ancient scriptural books known to mankind in which Indian saints and sages taught that the Universe is one and that all religions are paths ascending the same mountain towards Eternal Truth. The great modern saint, Sri Ramakrishna, is often quoted as saying, 'As many faiths, so many paths.

But Yoga is not a religion, nor is it a mystic cult. It is a Hindu system of philosophic meditation and asceticism designed to affect the reunion of the devotee's soul with God. It is a philosophy, which integrates the individual life and the world surrounding us to achieve a basic harmony and equilibrium in the heart and mind of man.

How is physical health a part of so spiritual a philosophy as Yoga? Simply that the trichotomy of our lives, divided into body, soul and spirit, is echoed in the complete Yogic philosophy whose three approaches - asana (posture), pranayama (breath control), and meditation - are unified as one approach to self discovery.

One of the fundamental doctrines of Yoga is that God is within each one of us but He reveals Himself only in conditions of purity, both spiritually and physically. To function on a higher level, either mentally or physically, the first step must always be to rid the body of the impurities that cause disease and which impede spiritual development. One can draw the analogy of the window, which must be cleaned before one can see the light clearly through it.

This basic principle of purification underlines all Yogic practice and at the same time it aims at establishing a balance in the body so that it functions, as it were, like a perfect machine. When this state of physical balance is achieved the mind can then be controlled and can realize the ultimate in pure thought and reason.

I have yet to meet anyone who can successfully employ the techniques of mind control while plagued with indigestion, asthma, a thumping headache or any other of the ills and stress symptoms which plague modern man. So first things first. Physical ills drag one downwards and the disciplinary science of Hatha Yoga was evolved that the body would be freed from pain and disease.