yoga and meditation - lifechange

Life is right now - Jon Kabat-Zinn on Mindfulness

2014-12-04T19:42:00.001+00:00

Sogyal Rinpoche ~ When the Clouds Dissolve

2014-10-13T18:55:00.001+01:00

Meditation programs teach how to battle pain with brain power

2013-06-21T12:37:00.000+01:00

This is something that greatly interests me, I have tried it for myself on my fairly minor aches and pains and it works !!!

Doctors in Ontario are taking a new approach in the battle against chronic pain, ditching the prescription pad and teaching sufferers how to harness the healing power of the mind.

St. Michael’s Hospital pain specialist Dr. Jackie Gardner-Nix developed the program targeting pain with mindfulness and meditative techniques. The classes are facilitated at St. Michael’s Hospital and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto.

“I do nothing but teach chronic pain patients meditation and mindfulness,” she said. “I am so impressed with it.”

Vipassana Meditation-Mindfulness of Breathing

2013-05-12T18:00:00.000+01:00

9 days into a 12 week Vipassana Meditation course.. ...am finding it really helpful to clarify my meditation practice.

In the Pali language of the early Buddhist texts, vipassana means insight. It is often used to describe one of the two main categories of Buddhist meditation (the other being samatha or tranquillity).

The first stage of the course teaches Mindfulness of Breathing or ānāpānasati.

Instructions

Choose a good time and a quiet place. Somewhere where you will not be interrupted.

Sit in a comfortable position with your spine erect, and your hands resting gently in your lap. You may wish to use a traditional meditation posture - such as the half lotus - or kneel down using a meditation bench, or to sit in a firm upright chair. Whichever posture you choose it should be one that is sustainable for about 20 to 30 minutes without placing too many stresses on the body. We will be practising Mindfulness of Breathing, so it is important that we set up our posture in a way that will allow us to remain alert, without physical pain, and that keeps the air passages unobstructed. You may wish to loosen any restrictive collars or belts.

Sit for a few moments and collect yourself, let the breath settle, allow the face to relax, ease any tension from the muscles, and let your gaze fall a few feet ahead. Gently close your eyes. Allow thoughts to subside, and move the attention away from planning and analysing the activities of the day.

Section One

Bring your attention to focus on the breathing. Just the natural flow of the breath. Gentle, unforced. Mentally count after the exhalation of each breath:

Breathe in, breathe out, count 1

Breathe in, breathe out, count 2

Breathe in, breathe out, count 3

.... and continue until you reach 10, before beginning again.

Any time that a thought or distraction comes into your mind, let it gently subside and return to the breath. Don't worry about remembering where you were up to ... begin again ...

Breathe in, breathe out, count 1

Breathe in, breathe out, count 2 ...

It is important to focus on the breathing. The counting is just a tool to aid concentration on the breath, this is not a breathing exercise.

Don't become irritated by the inevitable distractions as they occur. Simply return to the breath and begin again. Gradually your concentration will improve, it takes time and practice.

Breathe in, breathe out, count ...

After several minutes (try 5 - 10 minutes when starting out, but see if you can manage to do this twice a day), move on to the next section.

Section Two

This is similar to the previous section, but with a subtle change in emphasis: this time we count before the in-breath.

Count 1, breathe in, breathe out

Count 2, breathe in, breathe out

Count 3, breathe in, breathe out

... continuing with this sequence until Count 10, then beginning again at Count 1.

Remember each time that you become distracted to gently bring the attention back to the breath and begin again at Count 1.

Your attention should remain with the breathing as much as possible, but distractions and wandering are usual when starting this practice. Don't allow any tensions to build up around the inability to keep with the breath. It is the nature of the mind to wander until it has been trained in attentiveness. Simply start again. Be gentle.

Count 1, breathe in, breathe out

Count 2, breathe in, breathe out ....

Always remembering that it is the breath that is the focus of attention. Soft, normal breathing.

Just try these simple practices for a few days or some weeks even before you try the third & fourth stage.

Namaste

Breathing Well

2013-04-10T18:00:00.000+01:00

Western medical and scientific studies are proving time and time again what the Eastern health traditions have known for centuries, when we breathe well - we create optimum conditions for health & well-being, and when we don't we lay the foundation for illness & dis-ease in our bodies.

To reclaim your essential breath requires your conscious awareness and participation.

When you were born your whole body breathed, naturally, fully, easily. Its one of the reasons why children have so much energy, they breath with relaxed open bellies..........but as life goes on we accumulate bad breathing practice, a lack of awareness of our beautiful breathe, which just like our bodies requires loving care and attention.

Most people are not aware that they breathe poorly or of the consequences of this; headaches to heart disease as well as many other common ailments. Breath therapy has been found to alleviate (and sometimes cure) migraine headaches, chronic pain conditions, hypertension, epilepsy, asthma, panic attacks ..... slow, deep breathing can reduce menopausal hot flushes.

Breathing is one of the simplest things in the world, a readily available resource for creating and sustaining your vital energy, tapping into this resource, this essential breathe will change your life.

Just try this one simple breathing exercise for a few minutes :-

Take a comfortable seat (on the floor/cushion or a chair), sitting tall and straight
Hands on thighs (palms flat, arms comfortable) or right hand in left hand on your lap
Close your eyes and just left the mind & body settle for a minute or two
Look at your breathe .... what is it doing, (fast, slow, is it stressed)
Just watch it and slowly it will calm.......try to let it happen naturally ...
Dont worry about thoughts, feelings ...if they come just brush them aside for now, or file them in 'to do later', ... I am meditating.

namaste

http://yogameditation-lifechange.blogspot.ie/2012/06/breathe-sweetly-pranayama-make-wish-we.html
http://yogameditation-lifechange.blogspot.ie/2012/05/what-is-meditation-word-meditation.html
http://yogameditation-lifechange.blogspot.ie/2012/04/meditation-is-to-wisdom-as-lamp-is-to.html

Donna Farhi - The Breathing Book

Breathing....Donna Farhi

2013-01-29T17:02:00.000+00:00

Finally got this book...........

“Full body breathing is an extraordinary symphony of both powerful and subtle movements that massage our internal organs, oscillate our joints, and alternately tone and release all the muscles in the body. It is a full participation with life.” Donna Farhi, The Breathing Book

Breathing is a simple act we have performed since the moment we were born, but for many of us only becomes illuminated within our yoga practice. We might go all day without noticing our breath until the moment we come to the mat – and observe. Of all the functions of our body, the act of breathing is one of the most fascinating. It is completely subconscious yet we can exert conscious control. It is a muscular act, yet one also controlled by the laws of science that govern molecules of gas. It sustains our life, nourishes our organs, helps expel waste from our body, and can affect our emotional state by acting on our nervous system. Understanding exactly how our body performs this extraordinary act can bring us deeper into our pranayama (breathing) practice.

http://yogameditation-lifechange.blogspot.ie/2012/06/breathe-sweetly-pranayama-make-wish-we.html

Glorious Juice

2013-01-09T22:34:00.001+00:00

Banish the Winter Blahs with Green Juice!

Morning Glorious Juice

Cucumber is the perfect base since it yields lots of mild and refreshing juice and minerals, and it’s a fountain of alkalinity.

1 Wash and prep all ingredients.

2 Juice all ingredients.

Serves 2

1 large cucumber

A fistful kale

A fistful romaine

2 or 3 stalks celery

1 big broccoli stem

1 green apple, quartered

1/2 peeled lemon, quartered

Headstands..... Definitely working on them this year..starting today

2013-01-09T10:26:00.001+00:00

10 Reasons to Do a Headstand Every Day

African hunter-gatherers are linked to earliest human split

2012-12-20T19:27:00.001+00:00

African hunter-gatherers are linked to earliest human split

Dagmar Yoga Class #3 Vinyasa Flow - Intermediate - Energizing Sunrise Pr...

2012-11-23T16:12:00.001+00:00

I have regularly practiced a morning and a grounding afternoon class with Dagmar.... wonderful...this is an intermediate class so no beginners please

3 SANSKRIT WORDS YOU MIGHT BE MISPRONOUNCING

2012-11-16T18:00:00.000+00:00

asana, namaste & yogini

Children's Referendum | Children's Rights Alliance

2012-11-10T14:02:00.001+00:00

Children's Referendum | Children's Rights Alliance

WHAT YOU THINKING ?

Discovery Fit & Health : Sara Novak

2012-11-06T21:57:00.000+00:00

just wanted to share this article about some of the benefits of meditation....namaste

Discovery Fit & Health : Sara Novak

Lost Irish Buddhist

2012-11-01T16:38:00.001+00:00

THE LOST IRISH BUDDHIST

IRISHMEN have been at the centre of some notorious legal trials. Charles Stewart Parnell, Oscar Wilde and Roger Casement feature prominently in history books but, thanks to the unlikely “rediscovery” of a Dublin-born campaigner against colonial rule in Burma, another name can be added to the list: Dhammaloka.

A century ago, a Buddhist monk by this title went on trial for sedition in Rangoon. His crime was to have spoken out against Christian missionaries in the country, and by extension western imperialism. In a series of lectures in the southern city of Moulmein in 1910, he accused Europeans of bringing “the Bible, the Gatling gun and the bottle” in equal measure to Burma

I came across this great story about Dhammaloka - apparently the first western buddhist monk....see the above clip.

guardianeatright.co.uk

2012-10-17T09:29:00.000+01:00

To change your weight permanently, you need to change your life. Your weight can "creep up" on you, without you realising it, a little at a time. This is a way to take it off again, slowly but surely.....

Here’s a checklist of small changes that pay off in big rewards: a slimmer trimmer waistline.

1. Set your goal for health.

Your weight is just a number on the scale; there is no "ideal" weight for anyone, so set your goal to feel good about your body.

2. Prepare to succeed.

Have healthy snacks available for snack attacks. Crunchy vegetables are great. If you don’t have time to cut up vegetables, buy baby carrots for a quick crunch. Quickly microwave frozen veggies and sprinkle with herbal seasoning for a tasty snack.

3. Give in to sweet cravings, without doing damage to your waistline.

A low-calorie hot chocolate goes great with a sliced granny smith apple. The combination of tart and sweet is infinitely satisfying.

4. Be snack savvy.

Spread a rye cracker with a tablespoon of hummus and top with halved cherry tomatoes for a quick, low-calorie, low-fat snack. For a cool summer sweet treat, munch on frozen berries straight from the freezer.

5. Choose colour.

Choose deeply coloured vegetables and fruits – for example a sweet potato instead of a white potato, and your bonus will be a healthy dose of beta carotene, an antioxidant that protects your immunity.

6. Make a shake.

Shakes are convenient and nutritious: in a blender, mix a handful of blueberries or strawberries, 150 ml of semi-skimmed milk and 2 tablespoons of low fat yoghurt.

7. Think high fibre, low fat.

Fibre protects you against heart disease, and some cancers. When you’re shopping for bread, cereals or other baked products, read the label. Choose items that have three grams of fat per serving or less. The first ingredient on a label should be whole wheat.

8. If you’re watching your weight, use smaller plates.

Use a plate for your main course and vegetable, another for your salad. You’ll get used to smaller portion sizes, and you’ll learn what portion size is right for you.

9. Make your own healthy ready meals.

Double your healthy recipes, and refrigerate or freeze in single serving containers. Bring your lunch to work and always add a bag of chopped vegetable sticks (carrots, celery, peppers) and a piece of fruit.

10. Save money and bring lunch.

Buying lunch every day is a budget buster, and it’s more difficult to control your calories. Save money by bringing your healthy lunch and snacks to work or school, and put the money toward a reward that enhances your health, such as a new bike or a gym membership.

information source
guardianeatright.co.uk

Diabetes & Yoga

2012-10-12T18:30:00.000+01:00

Shocking Statistics about diabetes

It is World's fastest growing disease and millions all over the world suffer from it. The global statistics are alarming: diabetes kills one person every 10 seconds, and a limb amputation is carried out as a result of the disease every 30 seconds. One out of every three people with diabetes is unaware they have this chronic condition. Diabetes can be dangerous if ignored and it can make a person's life hell. If you are interested in reading more about this topic click on link below.

Dr. Rita Khanna's also writes about epilepsy, chronic back pain, the breathe (one of my favourite topics) and many other yogic topics... check her out.

http://yogashaastra.blogspot.ie/

test kits

diabetes cookbook

5 Ways to Calm Your Kids with Meditation

2012-10-06T20:34:00.001+01:00

5 Ways to Calm Your Kids with Meditation

Cult Furniture

2012-10-06T16:59:00.000+01:00

cultfurniture

I came across this very cool site recently, I really liked the red wave magazine rack, as for this rocking chair wheel I would love it in my house :)

» How to Alkalise your Body – Become pH balanced » Bodhi Yoga

2012-10-01T14:05:00.001+01:00

» How to Alkalise your Body – Become pH balanced » Bodhi Yoga

Suu Kyi urges end to U.S. sanctions

2012-09-26T18:00:00.000+01:00

Suu Kyi urges end to U.S. sanctions

African hunter-gatherers are linked to earliest human split

2012-09-24T17:04:00.001+01:00

African hunter-gatherers are linked to earliest human split

Thich Nhat Hanh

2012-09-04T18:00:00.000+01:00

‎"If you think that peace and happiness are somewhere else and you run after them, you will never arrive. It is only when you realise that peace and happiness are available here in the present moment that you will be able to relax. In daily life, there is so much to do and so little time. You may feel pressured to run all the time. Just stop! Touch the ground of the present moment deeply, and you will touch real peace and joy." ~Thich Nhat Hanh

Survival International

2012-09-01T18:00:00.000+01:00

I really think that remote and not so remote tribes should be left to live their lives in peace .......

http://www.survivalinternational.org/news/

Light - Irish Orchid Society

2012-08-22T15:09:00.001+01:00

Light - Irish Orchid Society

guardianeatright.co.uk

2012-07-26T19:00:00.000+01:00

SOME SIMPLE HEALTHY BREAKFAST TIPS FROM THE GUARDIAN

guardianeatright.co.uk