Your Stress Free Easter Weekend!

Easter weekend holiday is upon us: are you excited? 

Or, are you a wee bit stressed?

With the exception of those who still believe in the Easter bunny, most people seem to err on the side of 'feeling stressed' around the holidays. 

Small talk about the weather is replaced with -  "Are you ready for the holidays!?"

So what does 'being ready' really mean? Does it mean preparing brilliant entertaining 'Easter egg hunt', getting that perfect 'egg' for the 'hard to buy' people on your list, baking all 12 family favourite dishes, preparing the perfect meal and also sticking to your workout and diet regime?

I think this time of year is wonderful, but if you fall into the holiday trap of trying to do everything for everyone, it can also be incredibly stressful. If you love doing all the Easter-y activities, and feel like it's very manageable, then go ahead and enjoy it. 

However, if you feel overwhelmed with all that needs to be done, know that you don't have to do it all. 

Do this simple exercise to make your holiday to-do list more manageable and give yourself permission to relax a little.

The exercise is called a brain dump. This version is geared toward the holidays, but you can do it anytime of the year. I do, and it's wonderful! 

Here's how it goes:

1.

Write a list of all the tasks and activities you need to do around the holidays. Separate the tasks into a 'daily list' (things you do daily such as preparing meals, work, spending time with family, commuting, workouts, etc.). Create a weekly list (things you do 1-2 times per week) and a 'one-off' list (things you will likely only need to do only a few times, such as holiday shopping, writing Easter cards, preparing holiday meals, decorating, organising Easter Egg Hunts, baking, etc.).

2. Allot an amount of time to each activity.

3. Now you're ready for the fun part. 

Place a STAR beside all the tasks that are important to you, that you enjoy doing. Be honest- do you really have to do everything on your list? Do you really need to bake 12 different kinds of food? Will your family really suffer? 

If you really want to attend all the Easter activities you've been invited to, then great! 

But if you really don't want to go to a few, it's not 'star-worthy.'

4. Now ask, can you 'simplify any of the starred activities? If you need to spend an entire day preparing a holiday meal (and don't truly enjoy it), are there ways to simplify the task? Can you get help? Block time in your calendar to do the star-worthy activities. 

5. For everything that is not starred, you get to delegate or dump the task. Again, be honest. If you don't need to do something (for example, someone else is capable of doing the task), delegate it. No one to delegate it to? Then dump it.

This holiday season, I hope you can enjoy the time spent with loved ones rather than worrying about how you are going to tackle your 'to-do' list. 

"Focus on the things you like to do, and have a 

relaxing, stress-free holiday season"

by Tanja M Shaw: source

Video: The Science of Yoga (Part 6 - Karma)

The Science Of Yoga - PART 6 
Karma

Help Your Anxiety & Stress With ॐ Indian Yoga Music

Video: The Science of Yoga (Part 2 - Your Posture)

The Science Of Yoga - PART 2

1. Your bodily posture has a profound effect on your state....
...your nadis are channels running through the body carrying a life force called prana & if these nadis are kept aligned (posture) then the flow of prana would be smooth & unhindered, contributing to your overall health!

2. Your mind & body become a single continuum - they balance each other through yoga.

3. Your breath stimulates the vegus nerve, which in turn turns on your parasympathetic relaxation response.

Video: The Science of Yoga (Part 1 - Meditation)

The Science Of Yoga - PART 1

1. Brain plasticity: your brain can change with meditation. 

Such as....

i) ...your amadala  - which processes fear and anxiety is reduced in size & activity.

ii) ... your grey matter in your sensory regions increases, which in turn enhances your  sense perception.

2. Your thoughts are not real.

3. Recent success through cognitive thought therapy uses the the same principle as meditation -

...to see the falseness in your own repetitive thinking. These thoughts are an interpretation of what's going on, not the reality.

Your Meditation & It's Benefits

Meditation Benefits

Nowadays it seems that even the mainstream magazines are discussing the numerous benefits of meditation. What was once an activity reserved for the eclectic in our culture has now taken a strong foothold in the fabric of Western society.

But there are still many of us who would scratch our heads if asked to explain meditation. What is it exactly? To meditate means to focus your thoughts on something with the purpose of quieting the incessant chatter of the mind. If done properly, your brainwaves reach a level of consciousness called alpha state, and it is in this state that your mind and body begin to heal.

The healing benefits of meditation are threefold - physical, psychological, and spiritual. The meditation benefits touted the most in our culture are the physiological benefits that can be tested and proven. For example, due to a steady increase in coronary disease over the last few decades, many individuals are turning to meditation as a way of improving their heart health. The effects of meditation when practiced regularly include reduced blood pressure and cholesterol, which means an overall decrease in your heart's workload. Less work for your heart means it will be pumping for many years to come.

Other meditation effects on the body include a decrease in chronic pain and stress and better breathing due to improved lung and heart efficiency. Some studies also suggest that meditation may help those with sleep disorders or even those who suffer from autoimmune diseases such as fibromyalgia.

Other benefits of meditation are those which take place in the mind, and sometimes these are equally as important as the physical benefits. Psychological benefits of meditation include improved creativity, learning ability, and memory. And, let's face it - who doesn't need a little help with their memory? Studies also show an increase in overall happiness and emotional stability, while feelings of depression, anxiety and irritability tend to decrease.

In addition to the physical and psychological effects of meditation, we cannot discount the deep spiritual implications of this ancient art. For centuries enlightened cultures have sought the spiritual benefits of meditation and have discovered its awesome ability to momentarily separate us from our material needs and desires and put us in contact with something greater. We can use meditation to open up our minds to receive deeper wisdom, which helps to lead us down the path of self-improvement or even self-enlightenment.

The best part is that we don't have to be a shaman, or Gandhi, or attend a Buddhist temple to reap these spiritual meditation benefits. In fact, there exists a number of ways in which people like you and I can partake in the physical, psychological, and spiritual benefits of meditation.

Mindfulness, transcendental, and breathing meditation are just a sampling of the types of meditation you can use to bring your mind into a relaxed state of healing. In mindfulness meditation we allow thoughts and feelings to enter our mind, but we do not judge them. We practice living fully in the present moment. With transcendental meditation, we use a mantra, which we repeat in order to quiet our thoughts. Breathing meditation harnesses the rhythmic power of our own breath. Feel inspired to investigate other types. As long as the form of meditation benefits the body, mind, and soul, it is useful.

Feel overwhelmed by your choices? You can also purchase meditation tapes in order to experience the positive effects of meditation. Let an expert guide you through the process. Or, look for local churches or meditation centers that offer classes. Whatever form of meditation you choose, remember you must practice it regularly in order to experience the incredible benefits of meditation.






by Jamie Lynn: source

Video: Activate Your Second Brain: Mantak Chia

Video: Your Points of Gratitude Revisited!

"Moving on from my last blogpost I found this beautiful video, which shows everything that I was talking 

about in my own gratitude meditation.

Stop looking at what you 'don't have'..

..look to what you have!

If you wake up...be grateful!

You have another day!

Be thankful!"

Mike

Your Vibrational Energy Is Your Success Fuel!

Your Vibrational Energy 

Is Your Success Fuel! 

We are vibrational beings. 

With every thought we have we transmit a vibration to the Universe. 

When we place our focus of attention on a particular thought, we strengthen the vibration of that thought. 

The Universe responds to our vibration by giving us what we are placing our energy and attention on.

When we repeatedly hold a thought, it becomes a belief. Our beliefs determine what shows up in our lives. 

If, for example, a person believes he or she is not deserving of success, then despite all efforts, there will be some way in which she sabotages her success.

Most of our beliefs come from the ideas we picked up in childhood. Unfortunately, many of those beliefs are not true. Think about your self-talk. How often is it encouraging and positive? For most people, the majority of their thoughts are negative and habitual. No wonder so many people struggle to reach their goals and dreams!

Our beliefs, attitudes and values are stored in our subconscious mind. You may not even realize some of the beliefs you hold subconsciously. Our beliefs become the lens through which we see the world and affect how we behave. If you want to know what beliefs you hold, simply look at your life and ask, "What would someone have to believe in order to have created this?"

Perhaps you recognise some of these commonly held beliefs:

• No matter what I do or how hard I try, it's never good enough.
• I blame others for my problems.
• My opinion doesn't matter.
• What I do isn't really important.
• If people knew the real me they wouldn't like me.
• I shouldn't try anything new or risky because I'll probably screw it up.
• I don't deserve to be happy (be successful, have love, etc.)
• Mistakes and failure are bad.

The way to consciously deactivate a thought is to replace it with a different thought. When you first give your attention to a new thought, the vibration isn't very strong. But with practice, you begin to shift your limiting dominant thought to the new one. You actually create new neural pathways in the brain, so the new thought is now your default thought. Now you will be transmitting a vibration in alignment with what you want to create in your life.

Think about how you feel when you have a negative thought. Not so good, right? That feeling of contraction is your indicator you are off track from creating what you want. Your Source knows you are deserving and capable of bringing into being everything you want to be, do and have. When you think a negative thought you are out of alignment with what is actually true about you. So, use your feelings as your internal guidance system to tell if you are in alignment with your desires or keeping them away from you.

Some ways to practice shifting to positive thoughts: 

1. Start paying more attention to your self-talk. When you notice a negative thought, gently replace it with a thought that feels better. Practice the new thought as an affirmation. You can start the new thought with the words "I've decided" or "I chose." Ex: I choose to know that I am deserving of success" or "I've decided I am deserving of success."
2. Scripting is another great way to practice new thinking and raise your vibration. Simply write a story about how you want your life to look, as if it was already accomplished. Use sentence starters like, "I love knowing that... " and "It's so exciting when... " Read your script frequently to raise your vibration-and make sure it is something that feels great to read!
3. Vision boards and "mind movies" are great if you are a visual person. There are many resources online that will help you with ideas for creating a vision board or create a video version of a vision board.
4. EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique, also called "tapping") or PSYCH-K are two modalities that work to help you shift limiting subconscious beliefs quickly.

by Estra Roell: source

Video: The Scientific Power of Your Meditation

Reduces.... 

anxiety & depression

Improves

memory, self awareness, goal setting, empathy. 

Video: How to Manifest Instantly (Must Watch!)

"Moving on from previous posts...

>> IF YOU CAN DREAM IT YOU CAN MANIFEST IT! <<

This video explains simply how The Law of Attraction works:

1. Your DESIRE needs to be true; be a genuine thought.
2. Is it REALLY what you want....FOCUS is key! 
3. PATIENCE...creates manifestation faster!"

Video: The Hidden Power In Your Breath of Gratitude

"Focussing on Gratitude 

helps...

lower stress, decrease depression, improve heart health.

N.B. Stick with the introduction until 5.45 min 

when Rory begins to talk about the correlation 

between breathing and gratitude. 

Fascinating stuff!"  

Attract The Life *YOU* Want Through Gratitude

Gratitude & The Law Of Attraction

The largest obstacles standing in our way when we begin attempting to utilise the Law of Attraction are our current habitual thought processes. 

Whether we realise it or not, most of us focus solely on our lacks, our wants, (also translated as "things we don't have" or "lack"), and on the things that irritate us or stand in our way. 

This is largely counterproductive, as what we are magnetising is more lack and more irritation.

There is a fantastic trick to altering our mode of thought in a more positive, abundant direction. 

This is the process of gratitude.

Take a moment and stop worrying about the things you need. Stop worrying about the things you want. Stop worrying about what's going wrong and what you can't do anything about. 

Instead, focus on what it is in your own life that you already have that you are grateful for. 

Do you have a significant other? A child? A great car? A great computer? Great friends? A job you enjoy? Even a book that you are reading right now that just tickles you pink is a good point of focus.

Become aware of the effect these things have on your life. What would life be like without them? Aren't you grateful to have these things? 

Focus on your gratitude for what you have. 

Spend a little time every morning and every night feeling gratitude for the things you already have acquired or accomplished that have made your life better. 

Now here's the fun part... 

When you focus on the things that you love and already have, you create a magnet to attract more things you will love and have. 

When you are constantly grateful for your family, your house, your pets, or whatever, you are placing these positive emotions and thoughts out in front of your negative worries. Now, the stronger of these thoughts (the positive ones) will begin to have the most effect on your manifestations.

Because you are now in a mindset of enjoying the things you have, you are in a present, positive state of mind which allows fast and easy attraction of more wonderful things and people into your life. 

The irony is that most of us completely ignore and neglect that which we already have, and therefore we are creating even more lack in our lives - we are creating an energetic lack of that which we've already attracted! 

That form of magnetising will only continue to bring you things and experiences you do not desire. 

Focusing on and developing gratitude causes your energy to focus on manifesting more reasons to be grateful.

And so it is that the simplest, most effective trick for manifesting things that you want is to stop and take the time to appreciate and enjoy the things that you already have.

by Marie Barnes: source

Secret Powers Of Your Mind

Uncover The Secret Powers Of The Mind

 Through Meditation & 

The Law Of Attraction

Many people believed that what you are, where you are and what you have are because of the people around them and because of the external events happened in their lives. 

You should not include yourself who believe with this idea.

The power of the mind is wide. It can make you live a successful and happy life. There are two ways on how you can harness the powers of the mind: meditation and law of attraction.

Meditation: 

One of the Secret Powers of the Mind

The most powerful and efficient way in unveiling the powers of the mind is meditation.

Every time you meditate, you focus your attention to de-stress and unwind. It detaches yourself from your everyday work and stress, and brings both peace and wisdom to a busy and active mind

For a busy person, they will think that this is almost impossible. However, by practicing and by making it part of your routine, you will easily learn and develop this. You will learn how to detach yourself from the external world even for just a few minutes of your time each day. Once you start meditating, your mind is opening up to all kinds of opportunities.

You can meditate by simply doing visual imagery and deep breathing. Your mind can reduce the physical and emotional symptoms of your worries and stress. You have to let go of such things as your deadlines and activities for the day. The power of your mind is up to you: it is limited on how you can detach from your outside world.

The Universal Law of Attraction: 

One of the Secret Powers of the Mind

The secret powers of the mind can also help you achieve your goals much easier.

The Universal Law of attraction states that what you focus on, what your thoughts are, is what you'll attract into your life.

Whatever you tell the universe will come to you.

However, the universe is not capable of identifying if it's positive or negative. For instance, you tell yourself, "I'm going to get a parking slot this morning." Viola! Without spending too much time in the parking area, you were able to find a parking space.

On the other hand, if you worry too much of losing your job, you are telling the universe that you are going to lose your job. Whatever you tell or ask from the universe, the universe will act on your instructions and give it to you.

The Law of attraction is responsible for everything - the past, the present and the future events of your life. If you have the life that you don't want, it is because you are attracting negative energies in your life. You might be thinking that you are always broke, you do not get the job you want and you are not happy with your life.

What Now is the Importance of Uncovering the Secret Powers of the Mind? 

When you know how to meditate, you allow yourself to have serene moments in your life each day. You will be able to approach life peacefully. Through meditation, you have the option to choose serenity over worries. Meditating for at least five to ten minutes per day will help you to be calm. Once this has become part of your routine, you will have a more productive and happy day.

Moreover, once you know the universal law of attraction, you will be able to know how to attract positive energies. You will focus more on positive opportunities which will mean that more positive opportunities will come into your life.

Learn to meditate and understand the concept of the law of attraction to uncover the secret powers of the mind.

The power of your own mind is truly unlimited. You really can have anything you desire in your life when you know how to your mind correctly. Attract never ending success, happiness and abundance quickly and easily by unleashing the secret powers of the mind 

by Robert N Jones: source

Video: Let Go Of Your Control

Let The Universe Decide

The Principle Of Unity - Trust In The Universe

Allow The Organic Power To Flow For You

Give Away Your Control

Let Go & Trust In The Universe!

By Mike

Let Go.. 

The Universe Is Giving You Signs 

That You Will Be OK

I'm speaking from experience now.

Have you ever reached that point in your life whereby you have felt you just have to 'give in' to the Universe (the unknown) and just 'let go' of the result and the answers to the next step in your journey?

I've been experiencing that feeling too. 

As I've said before I am building a new business and looking after an ageing parent and at times it has been demanding.

So, I want to share with you a couple of things that have happened recently, which have recognisably happened in my past too.

I have recently had to face many challenges; the business not going as planned, money issues and my mums health.

The other day I felt I was out of answers or actions for the next step of my journey.

So I went into the garden to be 'in touch' with nature and just to 'let go' of what was supposed to happen next.

It was a cloudy, heavy autumn day, but peaceful at the same time. 

I consciously made the decision in that moment to 'let go' of the next step, to stop worrying about the future and allow the answers to come to me.

As I thought this the heavy clouds moved across the dark sky and the most beautiful watery sun appeared.

The warmth and light of the suns rays at that precise moment made me feel I was being given a sign that I was supported and all would be ok; to trust in the Universe.

This had happened before in my life. 

At points in my past where I have felt like giving up, a beautiful sun has made itself known to me; showing me that I have been heard and not to give up.

Look out for your sign; you'll know it when you see it. 

Trust in the Universe that...

...when you 'let go' you will be OK.      

Listen From Your Heart

Listen From Your Heart

Your heart is a powerful listening tool to capture the subtle nuances of tone of voice, body language and choice of words. All too often people listen on the surface with their egos--hearing the words, but failing to notice the subtle nuances--as they patiently wait for their turn to speak.

Too often we are preoccupied by what we want to say or by projecting our hopes or fears onto the other person's words. Consciously using your heart, however, allows you to access a deeper part of yourself--a part that is both receptive and willing to listen to the depth and breath of the message that is being conveyed. In so doing your heart allows you to connect to others on a soul level, taking you beyond mere words into the realm of truer and more soulful, thus meaningful communication.

Consciously listening from the heart and thoughtfully hearing the nuances and deeper emotional meaning of the words is a wonderful way to truly tune into who people are.

You can learn to listen with your heart by imagining that your ears are in the centre of your heart--that your heart is receiving the sound vibrations of the words, which helps you to access the more profound level of meaning. Listening from your heart brings greater meaning to your interactions as well as making it easier for you to respond in a genuine and heartfelt way to the emotional content of what is said.

As a metaphysical and energetic realm, the heart is the centre of the human energy system. The new field of energetic cardiology has revealed that the heart is more than a muscular pump. It has wisdom; it is the metaphysical and energetic centre of love, and knowing. It is unfortunate that we have been taught to distrust the wisdom of our hearts. We have become disconnected from who we truly are--spiritual beings having a human experience. We work when rest is called for, we eat even though we are not hungry, and laugh when it is a sad situation, and we harbour angry when forgiveness would set us free. It is our ego/intellect that drives us to prove ourselves when our heart may be hurting, we feel rejected or we are struggling with a sense of unworthiness. The intellect/ego personality knows only fear and lack. We have forgotten to forgive, nurture and honour ourselves. We have forgotten to live with an open heart.

The metaphysical wisdom of our heart is a gift from Spirit and our Higher Selves. 

Listen and develop the ability to discern and balance the intellect with heart wisdom. When you listen from your heart, you have moved into your Spiritual Consciousness. You are raising the energy frequency of your being, the Planet, and yourself. That is what you are here to do; that is your love to yourself and others made manifest.

by Dorothy M. Neddermeyer: source

Video: Move Past Negative Thoughts With Oprah

Become A Good Thinker

How To Become A Good Thinker

Most people, especially those who are not as intelligent as Einstein, would want to have a boost of their brain power. If you are one of those people who want to think better, your brain power boost might be just a few steps away.

These seven steps might help you in your quest to keep your brain working perfectly fine.

Engage yourself in a Regular Exercise

Do simple exercises like a simple walk or jog. It may not be as intense as a full-blown work-out. You just have to keep your body physically fit and active.

Simple work-outs may trigger the release of neurochemicals known as endorphins. These chemicals are responsible for making us feel happy and by feeling happier, a more positive effect on the brain can be observed.

Supplement your Diet

Natural supplements with magnesium and vitamin B are believed to have a good effect on the brain. These supplements not only keep your body healthier, they also maintain the fitness of your brain; thus resulting to better brain power! These supplements are so popular that they can be found anywhere, from your local health and food store up to the web pages of the internet.

Use your Brain

If you are to exercise your body, you should exercise your brain as well. Use your brain muscles more often - think and learn. You may read, talk with other people or even play educational games. Any activity that can keep your brain working effectively may be tried out.

Play Games

Choose games that will definitely have a good effect on your brain. Refrain from playing games which are "no-brainer." Nowadays, most computer games are designed to exercise your brain, so all you have to do is to choose well the games that you will play. Gaming consoles are also following the fad into increasing brain function. So, do your part in boosting your brain power, play games that will increase your brain power.

Enjoy an Educational Hobby

Choose a hobby that will give you some lessons at the end of the activity. This will not be such a difficult task since most of the time, we learn something from our experiences. Just be sure to do things that are not monotonous. Your hobby should be something that will help you learn new things every time you perform it. This way, you will be able to use some parts of your brain which are left unused before.

Sleep Well

Sleeping is the time when your body rebuilds and recharges itself. Most professionals believe that you should sleep for at least six to eight hours a day. Aside from these hours, you should also try to take ten-minute power naps. After these refreshing sleeps and naps, you will surely feel energized to take on more activities for the day. Do not deprive yourself of sleep, and you will then realize that your brain will function better with more hours of sleep.

Relax

Because of the complexities of our society today, your brain is exhausted just as much as your body. Thus, you should take the time to relax and cleanse your mind of the worries and stresses that might overwhelm your thoughts. You may want to try on spas or meditations to give your mind a break from all the hassle. After the relaxation, you will feel that you are prepared to take on another complex day!

by Betty Osbourne: source

Video: THE 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE

Stephen Covey