Gym Rat Transformed Into a Yoga Nerd

Gym Rat Transformed Into a Yoga Nerd


Gym Rat Transformed Into a Yoga Nerd

Posted: 09 Jun 2012 01:00 PM PDT

Article by Yoga Born




Guided Meditation - Quick Meditation for Newcomers Component 2

Posted: 09 Jun 2012 12:00 PM PDT

Meditation
by ElDave

Article by Ricky Aguilar

The scenario is usually a thing simple and simple to relate to these kinds of as walking by means of the woods or sitting on a secluded beach.There have been a number of health scientific studies that verify meditation as a viable way to treat pressure connected conditions. Analysis scientific tests have shown that meditation has served to lower blood pressure, reduce blood sugar in diabetics, and reduced stress and anxiety levels. Dr. Oz, who appears often on Oprah, just lately recommended meditation as the amount a person technique for reducing worry. Dr. Dean Ornish, a heart specialist, prescribes day-to-day meditation for all of his heart individuals. Reports have also proven that people who practice meditation on a normal basis visit the physicians less typically than their non meditating counterparts. There are a lot of added benefits from meditation:one.Increases energy levels.two.Deep aware rest.three.Enhanced focus.four.Strengthens the immune system.5.Slows the getting older method.6.Will increase creativity.7.Awakens the instinct.8.Can help to release addictions.9.Decreases worry.10.Boosts intelligence.The positive aspects to starting a meditation apply go beyond the twenty minutes of time that you put into practicing. When you deeply rest into a state of calm and tranquility, it supplies your human body a mini-holiday. It is as if you peel off layers of pressure and tension and uncover the true you that exist outside this stress loaded battle zone. Meditation sessions reset your internal personal computer back to usual and balanced. Other than the feeling of peace and relaxation, your vitality and vitality increase, the brain fog clears and you are ready to focus superior.Guided meditation gives a deeper aware rest. When you rest you may perhaps not necessarily come to feel rested or energized. When you meditate your whole system and brain relaxes. You are not asleep. You are just not engaged in the outer world stimuli. The procedures that you are incorporating inform the physique to re! st and t he human body responds.The investment is minimal - the purchase of a guided meditation CD and your commitment to training when a day.When you start off your meditation practice, opt for a quiet position and inquire many others that reside with you not to interrupt your meditation. Pick a time of the day that is great for you to meditate. Put on loose and comfy apparel. Allow for a few moments at the finish of the meditations to just sit and reflect just before coming into again into your hectic day. This enables the deep relaxation feeling a opportunity to integrate into all ranges of your currently being.You have a alternative to continue to be stressed or to immediately reduce your stress levels with guided meditation or to use prescription medicine that worry the body in a amount of other tactics. Meditation can be practiced by any one at just about anywhere at any time. Put an end to that regular feeling of overwhelm get meditating nowadays!Today's swiftly-paced life-style encourages stress in all parts of our lives. At perform, home and perform we are pushed to do much more in shorter intervals of time. Stress impacts both our bodily and emotional well-being and properly getting. The frequent tension made by tension can age us additional quickly and put on down the immune system that protects our immunity to sickness.

About the Author

The writer is an professional is a well being care expert that specializes scientific tests about alternate medicine like meditation, and so forth.Meditation Recommendations and Simple Mastering, Meditation Guidelines and Uncomplicated Finding out, Meditation Guidelines and Quick Learning

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There is Only Awareness - Guided by Mooji

www.mooji.org

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Learn more around Guided Imagery Meditation

Posted: 09 Jun 2012 11:00 AM PDT

Article by Halina Kelii

Guided imagery meditation can be a potent form of meditation thats most generally utilized to advertise a feeling of wellness in these meditating also assist help from the healing method. By harnessing the power from the brain and forcing the physique to enter a calm calm state your system can start the healing method. Even though it is not a treatment for ailments by becoming capable to relaxation the body it might rejuvenate which assists in healing.

If you are taking into consideration guided imagery meditation there are many points that you simply ought to maintain in brain. To be able to be the best youll need to become able to loosen up and let yourself focus around the meditation. Before you start any meditation session you have to be from the correct mindset. In case you are angry or lack interest from the meditation itll not be successful for you personally. End up a peaceful comfy location to meditate in which you wont be disturbed. As many people use guided imagery meditation to reduce pressure levels and support their entire body in healing you need to become receptive towards the meditations.

There are several issues that you can do to generate oneself receptive to guided imagery meditation. 1st youll be able to use possibly a meditation bench chair or cushion to guarantee bodily comfort. Should you be only comfortable lying down whether or not it really is due to injury or other troubles lie down as easily as you can. As meditation is often mind more than body you will want to put oneself in a position exactly where you are able to ignore the pains and aches of the body and permit it to relax and relaxation.

In some cases guided imagery meditation is incredibly comparable to hypnosis. Many teachers of guided meditation will use several of the same techniques to induce a state of relaxed and receptiveness. Not like hypnosis even so the individual who does the function behind the meditation may be the listener not the teacher. Guided imagery meditation is only as powe! rful as the man or woman whos employing that method of meditation. Whilst the guides are there to assist you through the method it can be your mind and electricity that does the perform. In many forms of hypnosis the instructor or hypnotist implants the suggestion into the mind. On this situation its the individual meditating who decides precisely what it is which is required.

Choosing your manual for guided imagery meditation is nearly as important as taking the effort to complete the meditations every day. Choose a guidebook you might be at ease with. In the event the person talking annoys you or in any way causes you discomfort the meditations is not going to be powerful.

About the Author

Hi, Im an article writer whose mission is to help people how to improve quality life, teaching different topics but always without wasting their time and money on expensive daily tips.

In addition do you wish to study more about 5 mindfulness training ? Look at our basic tips for meditation web site.

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The meditation

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Plan Your Tour To Leh- Ladakh Tour Packages

Posted: 09 Jun 2012 10:00 AM PDT

Article by Sandeep Pandey

Leh Ladakh is one of the unexplored Himalayan wonderlands and is the largest province with in the North India state of Jammu & Kashmir. It is surrounded by one of the highest mountain ranges in the world. With Leh as the capital city of Ladakh it is set amidst of snow capped mountains and is the major center of Tibetan - Buddhist culture. The Leh Ladakh tour Ladakh is dotted with colorful Buddhist monasteries and is a popular destination for adventure buffs. Lah Ladakh packages are those who want an exotic and fascinating holidays to one of the most glorious and mesmerizing places where sky touching snow capped mountains , turbulent waterfalls, ancient Buddhist monasteries and serene valleys welcome you and the whole scenario is not less than a dream for the visitors. The majestic beauty of the Ladakh is like a soothing balm for the restless souls who want an escape in the lap of Mother Nature.

Dotted with colorful ancient monasteries a tour to Leh Ladakh helps you to explore the popular destinations of Ladakh. Among them the Zanskar Valley, Nubra Valley, Alchi are the famous hot spots. The Ladakh tour takes you to the most famous Buddhist monasteries situated on the isolated hillock in the vicinity of the villages. Hemis Gompa is one of the oldest Buddhist monasteries and is the major center of attraction among the visitors. It and provides rare glimpses of paintings and art forms depicting the life of Lord Buddha. A visit to Thiske and Shey Monasteries proves to be a soul stirring experience for the visitors. If you think that Leh Ladakh tour is for those who wants to enjoy the peace and spirituality then it is not true. On a holiday package to Ladakh visitors can enjoy different adventure sports like mountaineering, trekking and even the white water rafting. There is also the tradition of sports like archery and polo. The whole experience is so mesmerizing that thy can not forget for their whole life.

Ladakah is also famous for its exotic flora and fauna and is a! home to the rarest wildlife species. Changthand wildlife Sanctuary of Ladakh is a home to some of the endangered species in Himalayan regions and is a must visit destination for animal lovers on Leh Ladakh tours. Situated at the height of 9,000 ft above the sea level Ladakh is the perfect destination for adventure sports, sightseeing tour and photography. From the past few years Leh Ladakh has matured as a major tourist destination for the travelers all across the world.

India Holiday packages offer various Leh-Ladakh holiday packages. These packages provide splendid tours of mesmerizing hilly terrains and abode of Buddhism. Relive your life again and add little spice to it with exciting Leh Ladakh tour packages .We provide you various customized discounted tailor made holiday packages for Leh and Ladakh . Don't miss our best value vacations for Leh Ladakh and enjoy the moments of peace and tranquility in the lap of nature whether you are looking for a weekend getaway to relax or a special holidays in Ladakh with family and friends.

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So choose your dates of vacation, and fix your date forLeh- Ladakh Tour Packages ,All you experience will give you all that you ever needed in a perfect vacation byLeh Ladakh Tour !

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The Smiths - Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before

Released: November 1987 Album: Strangeways, Here We Come Stop me, oh, stop me Stop me if you think that you've heard this one before Stop me, oh, stop me Stop me if you think that you've heard this one before Nothing's changed I still love you, oh, I still love you Only slightly, only slightly less than I used to, my love I was delayed, I was way-laid, an emergency stop I smelt the last ten seconds of life I crashed down on the crossbar And the pain was enough to make A shy, bald, Buddhist reflect And plan a mass murder Who said I'd lied to her? Oh, who said I'd lied? Because I never, I never Who said I'd lied? Because I never I was detained, I was restrained And broke my spleen, and broke my knee (And then he really laced into me) Friday night in-out patients Who said I'd lie to her? Oh, who said I'd lied? Because I never, I never Who said I'd lied? Because I never Oh, so I drank one, it became four And when I fell on the floor, I drank more Stop me, oh, stop me Stop me if you think that you've heard this one before Stop me, oh, stop me Stop me if you think that you've heard this one before Nothing's changed I still love you, oh, I still love you Only slightly, only slightly less than I used to, my love

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Early Morning Zen Buddhism Inspiration - 6/9/2012

Posted: 09 Jun 2012 10:00 AM PDT

"The foot feels the foot when it feels the ground."
 
~The Buddha

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Meditation Helps At Work

Posted: 09 Jun 2012 09:00 AM PDT

Article by Kat Drew

Copyright (c) 2011 Kat Drew

Meditation is an amazing exercise that has a number of benefits for businesses.In the following article I want to have a look at some of the benefits that work places can reap by using meditation with their staff.

People that meditate, apparently, have better relations with co-workers, they are more productive and they are more self aware. There have been quite a few studies carried out to see the effectiveness of meditation.

Two companies that introduced meditation found that the managers and employees who regularly practiced meditation improved significantly in their overall health, mental well being and vitality when compared to the control group of people with similar jobs in the same companies. It was also reported by the people meditating that they were experiencing fewer health problem like head aches and back aches. One of the things they found was that their sleep improved and they felt a noticeable reduction in their use of cigarettes and alcohol compared to the control groups.

In another study a group working, who had been practising meditation for a while, had improvements at work that the control group did not have. Their job performance and their job satisfaction increased while their desire to change jobs decreased. It appeared that people at every level of the organisation benefited from practising meditation.

A different study wanted to establish if people that meditated regularly had any changes in their work relationships. This study discovered that the relations between supervisors and co-workers improved greatly when they had been practising meditation for about eleven months, compared to the control group with no meditation experience. The group involved in meditating said that they were feeling less anxiety about their promotion, which could be seen by them having a more reduced climb orientation. Their colleagues actually noticed that the meditating group moved ahaed faster anyway. From this study it seems that pra! ctising meditation benefited at every level.

A fourth study investigated whether there could be an increased feeling of self concept. After meditating for a month it seemed that the meditating group experienced a higher self-concept or awareness which they did not feel they had before they learned to meditate. These meditation participants developed a more strongly defined self-concept and also came to perceive their "actual self" as significantly closer to their "ideal self". There was not observed any of these changes in the control groups.

For a business, having a more productive workforce because of improved health, better relationships between supervisors and employees, hight production, and improved self-concept, would make for a more attractive place to work that is successful. Giving employees time to spend meditating in the working day seems to be an advantage for all parties. Taking a few minutes to relax at work while taking a meditating break seems to be advantageous for any business and naturally for the staff too.

About the Author

Learning the Nine Minute Meditation Method is a great way to achieve some of these advantages. Get Kat's FREE and popular 7 day e-course and start learning what meditation can do for you. Go get it at => http://www.meditationforyou.co.uk

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Meditation is the purgation of the known

J. Krishnamurti/Commentaries On Living Series II Chapter 52 Evaluation

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Why Spiritual Consciousnesss should support marriage equality

Posted: 09 Jun 2012 09:00 AM PDT

Marriage equality is one of the key social and legal issues of our time. I'd like to offer a Spiritual Consciousness perspective.

As with so many ethical and social questions, especially those that involve sexuality, we find that religion wants to be at the core of things. The conservative Christian churches are leading the opposition to marriage equality. We can't generalise on the basis of religion, though. Many Christians believe that Christ's message of compassion and love, and the fact that he never made any statement on homosexuality, provide a basis for support of marriage equality.

In Australia there was an interesting exchange between the highly conservative Catholic leader Cardinal George Pell and the group Australian Marriage Equality. The AME asked to meet Cardinal Pell, and he consented to do so as long as the AME agreed that not all opposition to same-sex marriage was a result of homophobia or discrimination. The AME agreed, and came out with the following statement:

'Just as we acknowledge that it is possible to oppose marriage equality without hating homosexuals, so we ask those who differ with us on this important issue to acknowledge that it is possible to support marriage equality without seeking to undermine, marriage, family, or religion.'

That's a great starting point, and an all-too-rare example of dialogue as it should be.

But what of Buddhism? As with any issue, you'll find a variety of positions; and as with any issue – and I apologise if this sounds cynical – most of those positions have little to do with anything the Buddha himself said or did.

In some cases we find Spiritual Consciousness leaders who state the ethical case plainly. Ajahn Brahm has been very forward in supporting the gay community for many years, both in Australia and overseas. Master Hsin Yun, the leader of the international Fo Guang Shan order, said:

'People often ask me what I think about homosexuality. They wonder, is it right, is it wrong? The answer is, it is neither right nor wrong. It is just something that people do. If people are not harming each other, their private lives are their own business; we should be tolerant of them and not reject them.'

On the other hand, the Dalai Lama has repeatedly maintained that homosexual acts are a violation against the precepts. At the same time, he insists on compassion and full human rights for all. His stance is solely concerned with what is appropriate behaviour for a Spiritual Consciousness practitioner, not what should be made law.

His argument is that the sexual organs are designed for procreation and should be used solely for that purpose. So any form of sex that is not for procreation is out.

This is, to my mind, an extreme and unrealistic position. The Dalai Lama says it is based on certain medieval Indian scholars (Vasubandhu, Asanga – but I have never seen the passages myself). It certainly has no basis in the Suttas. On the contrary, the Suttas freely acknowledge that sex is for pleasure, and they never make a problem out of that. Buddhism is not a fertility religion, so why we should insist that sex be for procreation is beyond me.

The precept as found in the early Spiritual Consciousness texts mentions nothing about whether sex is for procreation or not. What it talks about, solely, is whether the sexual relation involves the betrayal of a social contract. Here's the text. It's a stock passage, found for example in Majjhima Nikaya 41, and Anguttara Nikaya 10.176 and 10.211:

'One is a person who misconducts himself in sexual pleasures. One has intercourse with a woman who is protected by mother, father, mother and father, brother, sister, family, clan, law (or custom, 'dhamma'), or one who has a husband, who is punishable, or even with one garlanded for betrothal.'

'Kāmesu micchācārī hoti, yā tā māturakkhitā piturakkhitā mātāpiturakkhitā bhāturakkhitā bhaginirakkhitā ñātirakkhitā gottarakkhitā dhammarakkhitā sasāmikā saparidaṇḍā antamaso mālāguḷaparikkhittāpi, tathārūpāsu cārittaṃ āpajjitā hoti.'

Most of these are straightforward. They refer to women who are not 'independent' women in our modern sense, but who live under the authority of others. Typically, of course, this would have been young girls living at home, then in a family with a husband. There are significant variations, though, so arrangements were flexible.

It's noteworthy that, while the Hindu texts say that a woman must always be under the authority of a man, here we find that living under the authority of a mother is next to father, and a sister is next to brother, with no implication that one of the other is preferable.

In some cases, it seems, women lived under the protection of the wider family. The one 'guarded by dhamma' is probably adopted, orphaned, or in some other way taken care of. The one who is 'punishable' is ambiguous: does it mean that the woman is to be punished (as a criminal)? Or does it mean that having intercourse with her is punishable? The text doesn't make it clear. The woman 'garlanded for betrothal' refers to a woman who is, in our modern sense, 'engaged' but not yet married.

Obviously, the passage as stated above only refers to the man as agent. That doesn't mean that women can't break this precept! Like so many of the Spiritual Consciousness texts, it is phrased from a male point of view (andocentric), and would apply equally to both genders. The assumption of the passage is that it is women who are under protection. This reflects the social reality of the Buddha's time; it doesn't endorse this situation, nor does it say that women can't or shouldn't live independently. It just says that if a woman (and presumably a man) is living in a committed relationship then one should not betray that.

This much is clear: the precept against sexual misconduct has nothing to do with homosexuality (or any other form of sexual activity as such.) It is concerned with breaking the bonds of trust with those that we love, and nothing else. While the specifics of the social relations in the Buddha's time are different than today, it is not problematic to work out how to apply this in our own context, at least in most cases.

So if the precept does not concern homosexuality, what did the Buddha say on the topic? We are very lucky in Buddhism to have thousands of discourses, with the Buddha making observations or criticisms regarding many kinds of ethical issues. Rape, paedophilia, adultery: these and many other problems are clearly mentioned in the early texts, and the Buddha made it clear that he didn't approve of them.

In the case of homosexuality, however, we have nothing in the Suttas. In all the thousands of discourses, not a single one regarded homosexuality as a significant issue.

There is one passage in the Cakkavattisihanada Sutta, which is sometimes cited by those who are trying to prove that the Buddha was anti-gay. The text discusses various examples of moral decay in society. One of the practices it mentions is, in the Pali, micchā-dhamma. This is about the most generic term for wrong doing that it's possible to make in Pali. You could translate it as 'wrong teachings', 'bad practices', 'misguided actions', and so on. The commentary, compiled nearly 1000 years later in Sri Lanka, however, says it means, 'Lustful desire of men for men, and women for women.' (Micchādhammoti purisānaṃ purisesu itthīnañca itthīsu chandarāgo.) Since this has no basis in the text, it stands as a record of the attitude of a medieval commentator. There's no evidence, so far as I am aware, that this attitude was representative of ancient Theravadin or Sri Lankan culture in general.

The Suttas essentially ignore any issues around homosexuality. Now, arguments from absence are always difficult. But the presence of thousands of discourses detailing lists of many kinds of ethical violations, strongly suggests that the Buddha tried to be reasonably comprehensive in addressing ethical concerns, and homosexuality was not one of them.

The picture in the Vinaya is a little different. The Vinaya is a legal code for monastics, and since it regulates the conduct of a celibate order, it deals with all kinds of possible sexual behaviours. It does so with a degree of frankness and candour that so shocked the early European translators that they simply omitted large chunks of text, or, with a quaint regard for the delicate sensibilities of young readers, translated them into Latin.

Homosexual acts, like just about any other imaginable sexual act, are depicted many times in the Vinaya, both among monks and nuns. In each case, the Buddha is shown as responding in his usual direct and common sense manner. Obviously, homosexual behaviour, like any sexual behaviour, is inappropriate among the celibate monastic community, so the Buddha prohibits it. However, this is done in a straight, matter-of-fact tone, and there is never a suggestion that there is anything wrong with gay sex per se.

In several cases the penalty is actually less in the case of homosexual behaviour. For example, for a monk to erotically touch another man is a less serious offence than the same act with a woman. Sex between women, likewise, is treated less seriously than between a woman and a man. There is one passage where the Buddha's chief disciple, Venerable Sariputta, is said to have had two novices as students. But they had sex with each other. The Buddha laid down a rule that one should not take two novices as students at the same time! (This rule, like many others, was later relaxed.)

However, it would be a mistake to read this as implying that the Buddha regarded same-sex sexuality as somehow more permissible in the Sangha. The Vinaya, as a legal code, frequently makes judgements for various technical reasons, and there is no strong correlation between the moral weight of an act and the severity with which it is treated in the Vinaya. For example, building an overly-large hut is a serious offence, while bashing someone within an inch of their life is a minor offence.

So we shouldn't read too much into the relative leniency of how some homosexual acts are treated in the Vinaya. The main point is simply that homosexuality is treated in pretty much the same way as any other expression of sexuality.

In these accounts there is nothing that really corresponds with our modern notion of sexual orientation. For the most part, same-sex acts are just that, acts. There's no idea of a person who solely or primarily is attracted to people of the same sex.

The texts do speak of a certain kind of person, called a paṇḍaka. These are typically male, but there were females too (itthīpaṇḍikā). A paṇḍaka is forbidden to ordain, and is regularly associated with unbridled sexuality. It is, however, unclear exactly what paṇḍaka means. The descriptions of the paṇḍaka are few, and not always consistent, but there seems to have been some physical attribute involved, as well as a set of cultural behaviours. Perhaps they were some form of eunuchs who performed sexual services. In any case, the paṇḍaka is clearly not a homosexual in the modern sense of the word. They may be connected with the modern classes of Hijras and the like, who are considered a 'third sex' in India, including transsexuals, hermaphrodites, and eunuchs.

To sum up, early Buddhism is well aware of homosexual acts, and never treats them as an ethical problem. Homosexuality as a sexual orientation is not found.

This is completely in line with the Buddha's take on ethics. The Buddha did not ethically judge persons, he judged deeds. People are simply people, who do various kinds of things, some good, some bad. If a person does a deed that causes harm, this is what the Buddha considered 'unskilful'. If the deed causes no harm, it is not unskilful.

The basic problem in sexual ethics, addressed in the third precept, is betrayal. 'Sexual misconduct' is sexual behaviour that causes harm by breaking the trust that a loved one has placed in us. The Buddha was compassionate, and he never laid down ethical rules that caused harm or distress. Making a moral proscription against homosexuality marginalises and harms people who have done no wrong, and it is against the basic principles of Spiritual Consciousness ethics.

It's so important to keep this essential ethical question in mind. In discussions on homosexuality, as with just about any other controversial ethical issue, there is a pervasive tendency to confuse the issue. Why do we find it so difficult to look at an ethical question rationally? It is true, there are some issues that are complex and the details can be difficult to work out. But this is not one of them.

Countless times we are told, for example, that homosexuality is 'unnatural'. Surely a moment's reflection should show us this is not true, because there's plenty of homosexuality in the animal world. And anyway, how is gay sex more unnatural than, say, typing on a keyboard, or wrapping food in plastic? But this is all beside the point. Being 'unnatural' is not an ethical issue. The issue is whether it causes harm, not whether it is natural or not. That is no more an ethical issue than is the choice, say, to eat organic or non-organic vegetables.

Homosexuality is also regularly linked with sexual 'decadence' in general. Homosexuals are said to be paedophiles, or promiscuous, or to cause diseases such as AIDS. Allowing homosexual relations is to licence all manner of debaucheries. This objection, too, is not valid: gays behave in all sorts of ways, just as do straight people.

Blaming gays for AIDS is one of the most cruel arguments possible. We feel compelled to look for examples that show the absurdity of these views. What of babies born with AIDS? What of those who get AIDS via blood transfusion? Incidence of malaria is much greater among poor people – are we to blame them, too? And why is incidence of AIDS among lesbians so very low – is lesbianism kammically preferable?

But we shouldn't have to look for such examples. Like the arguments mentioned above, the whole thing is missing the point. Take the 'worst case' scenario, the cliché of the promiscuous, irresponsible, drug-taking, careless gay man. We might not think his behaviour is praiseworthy or wise, but does it deserve a slow, lingering, and painful death? Are we really comfortable to righteously proclaim the justice of destroying a human life, because we think that the way they have sought pleasure is irresponsible? This whole argument is inhuman and unworthy.

If there are behaviours that gay people do that increase transmission of HIV, for example, then we can try to change those behaviours, just as we would try to help any people who were inadvertently causing harm. What the marriage equality movement wants is to enable people of various sexual orientations to live in an accepted, recognised, and legal framework which supports the development of loving, committed relationships. Banning gay marriage is the very best way to ensure gays remain marginalised.

Another red herring, in my view, is the 'born this way' argument, which is often used by those who support marriage equality. Homosexuality, so the argument goes, is not a choice, some people are just like that and can't change. While this is an important, if contested, fact, it misses the ethical issue. What if some gay people don't feel like they were 'born this way'? What if they feel like they have made a conscious choice? Whether this is the case or not, or whether there are in fact hidden biological factors involved, so what? Having sex with someone of the same gender is not a harmful deed, nor is marrying someone of the same gender. Whether it's by biological determinism or free will, nothing harmful is done, so there's no ethical problem.

Perhaps the single most fallacious argument against gay marriage is simply that it upsets the customs of society. Marriage has always been between a man and a woman, therefore it will damage society to do it any other way.

This argument, favoured by conservatives, once again completely misses the point. The damage is already here. Violence, trauma, and abuse is a part of the living reality of millions of perfectly good people all over the world, simply because the have, or want to have, sex with persons of their own gender. Part of society is broken, and it needs fixing.

This is the same argument that was used to oppose abolishing slavery, votes for women, property rights for all, and so on. In each case, those in the position of privilege strive to keep others from getting the same rights. And since the cost of inequality is borne by the 'others', it does not exist for the privileged.

When we introduce compassion into the equation, however, we recognise that society has always been imperfect. Just because something was done in the past does not make it right. Perhaps it was the case that in certain times and places our marriage customs made more sense than they do now. But that's not the point. The point is, what is the right thing to do now? To continue to exclude, marginalise, and discriminate? Or to broaden our moral horizons, to fully accept and include all people?

If homosexuality as such is not a problem, what then of same-sex marriages? In this area we find that the Buddha had even less to say. In fact, there is no such thing as a Spiritual Consciousness marriage. Spiritual Consciousnesss have simply adopted the marriage customs of the culture they find themselves in. The most basic model, therefore, was the customs of ancient India. These have been the basis for Spiritual Consciousness family customs, adapted in each society that Buddhism has gone to.

In ancient India, there were several forms of marriage. As with all things Indian, there is no insistence on one true, correct way of doing things. Some Hindu texts list a whole range of marriage possibilities, which are correlated with the levels of Indian cosmology. The highest form of marriage is the 'Brahma wedding', where the bride and groom, each pure in lineage and caste, is united in the most perfect of ceremonies. If the marriage is lacking in some perfections of detail, it is reckoned as pertaining to the lower classes of deities. The lowest of the auspicious weddings is the gandharva wedding, where the bride and groom simply elope. Then there are the various inauspicious unions, those of the yakkhas or rakkhasas, where, for example, the woman is abducted by force.

Along with this diversity in wedding style, there were different marital arrangements. Monogamy seems to have been common, and of course these were often arranged marriages – but ancient Spiritual Consciousness texts also record a strong struggle by women for autonomy in the marriage choices. Polygamy is also common, and was the norm for kings. Polyandry is less common, but is central to the most famous of all Hindu texts, the Mahabharata. Apparently polyandry is common in Tibet.

I'm not trying to uphold the Indian marriage system as superior to that in the West. It has its own problems with inter-caste marriages, arranged marriages, domestic violence, and so on. I'm merely making the point that there has traditionally been an adaptive diversity of living arrangements that were considered to be valid forms of marriage, and that this can be seen in some ways as a precedent for the modern idea of same-sex marriages.

So there has always been a flexibility and diversity in marriage customs in the Indian sphere that stands in clear contrast with the 'one and only' correct form of marriage that is, in the main, endorsed by the contemporary monotheistic religions. Same-sex marriages were not, so far as I'm aware, historically acknowledged within the Indian cultural sphere. Nor am I aware of any laws against them, such as we find in the modern day. Given the wide variations in marriage customs, including many forms of marriage that would not be considered valid in modern times, it would seem that the typical Indian approach was that of tolerance and inclusion. Accordingly, when the British law that made gay sex a crime was repealed in India in 2009, some Hindu authorities applauded the move, saying homosexuality was part of the divine order.

Unfortunately, this tolerant attitude is not always the case today. One sometimes finds Hindutva polemics against homosexuality. Such discourse, sadly enough, often rails against the supposed debauched influence of 'Western' morals, oblivious to the fact that anti-gay attitudes were themselves imported into India by the monotheistic religions. This ambiguity has been expressed by the highest authorities in India. Goolam Vahanvati, then solicitor-general and current attorney-general, stated to the UN Human Rights Council:

'Around the early 19th Century, you probably know that in England they frowned on homosexuality, and therefore there are historical reports that various people came to India to take advantage of its more liberal atmosphere with regard to different kinds of sexual conduct.

'As a result, in 1860 when we got the Indian Penal Code, which was drafted by Lord Macaulay, they inserted Section 377 which brought in the concept of "sexual offences against the order of nature".

'Now in India we didn't have this concept of something being "against the order of nature". It was essentially a Western concept, which has remained over the years. Now homosexuality as such is not defined in the IPC, and it will be a matter of great argument whether it is "against the order of nature".'

A similar situation prevails in other Spiritual Consciousness countries, too. In Japan, China, and elsewhere, the early generations of Christian missionaries were shocked at the casual acceptance of homosexual behaviour among the Spiritual Consciousnesss. They immediately set about trying to persuade the world that their own version of sexual propriety was the right one for everyone.

Sadly enough, modern generations of Spiritual Consciousnesss and Hindus are now doing this work for them, oblivious to their own more accepting and compassionate past. When a Thai monk like Thattajiwo, one of the leaders of Dhammakaya, rails against the 'sexual perverts', who have called down the kammic justice of AIDS ('the executioner of the sex-mad') upon them, oblivious of the pit of sin they have fallen into, and the even greater sufferings that await them in future disease-ridden hells of torment, he is merely parroting the frothing excesses of Christian and Islamic fundamentalists. (Phra Thattajiwo Bhikku. Waksiin Porng-kan Rook Eet (A Vaccine to Protect Against AIDS). Pathumthani: Thammakay Foundation.) Such apocalyptic and condemnatory 'ethics' have no basis in the Buddha's teaching.

So in today's climate, what are we to do? For the Buddha, homosexuality was clearly not an issue. Nor was making laws proscribing valid forms of marriage. What was an issue, on the other hand, was compassion. The very essence of compassion is to reach out to those who are suffering, those who are marginalised. and persecuted. People whose sexual orientation varies from the majority suffer discrimination, bullying at school, violence, and emotional trauma. As Spiritual Consciousnesss we should recognise a clear moral imperative to help wherever we can.

One might object that since the Buddha made no statement on the legalities of gay marriage, we should do the same. But the problem is a little more subtle than that. We are living in a culture where, based on certain religious and cultural ideas, certain ways of living one's life have been made illegal. This is an artefact of the conditioned and always arbitrary course of history, not a timeless feature of the human landscape. In Australia, for example, there was no clear Federal law that prohibited same-sex marriage until 2004.

Supporting marriage equality is not to introduce something new, but simply to abolish laws that discriminate. The injustice is already in place. The harm is being done. The change is merely to remove the harmful influence of discriminatory laws, which should never have been there in the first place.

People are people, regardless of their gender, colour, nationality, or sexual orientation. The Buddha taught 'for one who feels'. That's the only requirement for Spiritual Consciousness practice: one who feels. In the past our society decreed that marriage should not be between people of a different race, or a different colour, or a different religion, or a different nationality. Over time, we decided that these rules were harmful, and we abolished them.

Catastrophes were predicted: they didn't come true.

What has happened, rather, is that we have become a little more open minded, and a little more aware of the suffering of others. The test of our generation is whether we can continue this move towards a more accepting and loving way of living, or whether we are to regress to a meaner, hard-hearted place.

My society, my culture, the one that I'm proud of and want to belong to, is this one. The society that is kind, questioning, accepting. Let us take up the best aspects of our own cultures, whether they be Spiritual Consciousness or modern cultures, and discard all that is unjust, discriminatory, and harmful. Let us give our full support for marriage equality, for if we do not we are betraying the best part of our humanity.

This article was originally published on Bhikkhu Sujato's blog.

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New Age Spirituality - Morning Has Been All Night Coming ( Part 42 )

Posted: 09 Jun 2012 08:00 AM PDT

Article by John Harricharan

We had been driving for almost an hour on a trip that normally takes about three hours. The traffic flow had returned to normal. The low hum of the motor and the sound of the wind through the half-open window combined to create an atmosphere of peace.

"Here's a little trick you can use, John." Gideon's voice broke into my thoughts. I glanced at him and was reassured by the half smile on his face. There was a confidence and a selfassuredness about him that always seemed to generate a large degree of comfort whenever he was near. Gideon continued. "Those who drive cars have a quick way of measuring their awareness level. In fact, by monitoring their driving habits, they can tell whether they are close to center or far out on the circumference of life."

"How so, great teacher?" I asked with tongue in cheek. "Well, it's really very simple, you see. Not always easy but, nevertheless, very simple. The way you drive is an indication of your level of consciousness. Whenever you find yourself becoming very disturbed by the actions of other drivers around you, look to yourself, for there is an imbalance. You can't do even one little thing to affect the other drivers. You can only be the best driver you possibly can. Don't fret or fume about how others drive. Don't call them idiots or morons. You'll cause a rise in your blood pressure and you will be on edge, so that you yourself could precipitate an accident. Don't try to teach people on the highway how to drive. "Take that driver of half an hour ago. You were disturbed by him. You were angry and rightly so. But don't dwell upon it. It's necessary to let yourself feel. But don't let the feelings of anger,frustration, helplessness, loneliness, despair and others persist for a long time. Natural anger, if handled properly, actually lasts less than a minute. All else that follows is really a reaction to a memory of the event that triggered your anger in the first place.

To read the rest of the story visit http://www.spiritual-simplicity.com&#! 13;

About the Author

Lecturer, entrepreneur and MBA business consultant, John Harricharan is the author of the award-winning book, "When You Can Walk on Water, Take the Boat." Spiritual Simplicity The Real Secret

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Dannion Brinkley - There is no Death 1/4

www.dannion.com Dannion Brinkley talks with Lance White about NDE's and consciousness after physical death. (Sorry about audio quality..)

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Spiritual Practice: “What’s My Next Thought Going to Be?”

Posted: 09 Jun 2012 08:00 AM PDT

Living with Tolle's Greg Larsen guides participants in a spiritual practice offered by Eckhart Tolle in his book The Power of Now.

The first video provides a guided experience of this powerful practice. The second video offers a lively Question and Answer section with the audience that immediately followed the exercise.

The exercise is quite simple, but very effective in allowing the participant to experience a "gap" in their thinking. That gap, the cessation of incessant, ego dominated thinking, can offer a powerful doorway into the Now. Try it out and see what doorways open for you!

A guided spiritual practice facilitated at Sufi Books, New York City, 2005

Q & A after exercise at Sufi Books, New York City, 2005

We would love to hear your feedback on your experience of this spiritual practice. Please share in the comments section below.

Peace,

Greg and Leo

Tags: A New Earth, eckhart tolle, exercise, Featured, spiritual practice, The Power of Now

Category: VIDEOS

About the Author (Author Profile)

Greg Larsen is the co-host of Living with Tolle and is an author, life coach, and spiritual teacher. He "stumbled upon" The Power of Now in 2000 and gave his first public presentation on the teachings of Eckhart Tolle to a Noetic Sciences community group in Nashville back in 2003.
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Spiritual Weight Lifting

Posted: 09 Jun 2012 07:00 AM PDT

Article by Robert Najemy

When we want to strengthen our muscles we lift weights. During this process our muscles become stronger in response to the need to cope with the strain, which is put on them.

However, if we increase the weight or the number of repetitions abruptly, we not only will not strengthen our muscles but we might seriously damage them.

One the other hand, if we do not lift any objects at all, our muscles will atrophy. If we lift the same weight everyday, they will remain at their present strength without any improvement.

The same holds true for our emotional, mental and spiritual muscles. If we continually avoid facing problems by hiding from them, or ignoring them, or by seeking external and superficial solutions such as tranquilizers, drugs or other external "security blankets", then our emotional, mental and spiritual muscles will atrophy daily.

We will become weak, fearful and dependent with a poor self-image. This leads to an ever-accelerating vicious circle of weakness, fear and dependency.

On the other hand, if we suddenly try to throw away every external support, we may fail so painfully that we shall fear trying again. This may then support our basic belief that we cannot make it on our own, that we are not strong enough. Of course this is not true. That would be like saying that, because we fell the first time we tried to walk, we would never be able to walk.

The solution, then, is to choose our weights correctly. We must continuously choose new goals of greater self-sufficiency, developing our inner strength gradually.

Life itself offers us from moment to moment the opportunities, which we need in order to grow. We need only to respond to these opportunities. We do not need to look for problems or difficulties. We can, however, examine our lives to check for problems which we have been hiding or avoiding. We can start working on these.

Also very important for weight lifting is regular practice. In our case this means daily exercise of the body, ! breath a nd mind.

So you might want to choose a challenge that you want do deal with more consciously and create a plan for meeting it.

Answering the following Questions will help:

1. Make a list of your present life challenges - such as problems, goals etc. (Consider health, family, profession, economics and social and spiritual life)2. Chose the one you want to work with this week.3. What will be the first step you need to make?4. Are there any inner obstacles (fears, procrastination) which have obstructed your progress in the past? 5. If yes, what are they?6. If yes, What will you do to overcome these obstacles?7. What will be your first step this week towards that growth and change which you desire?

Daily positive projection, prayer, meditation, self analysis, and other mind strengthening techniques, are an absolute for those who would like to eventually lift the heavier weights on our evolutionary path.Practice, Patience and Perseverance

(Adapted from the forthcoming "Contemporary Parables" by Robert Elias Najemy. His book "The Psychology of Happiness"

About the Author

Robert Elias Najemy, a life coach with 30 years of experience, is the author of over 20 books, 600 articles and 400 lectures on Human Harmony. Download wonderful ebooks, 100's of free articles, courses, and mp3 audio lectures at http://www.HolisticHarmony.com. Find 8 of his books at http://www.Amazon.com.

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Dr David Hawkins - the Esoteric/Occult etc.

"Don't go there". (Dr. Hawkins)

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Leo’s “Living With Tolle Meetup” in Montclair, NJ

Posted: 09 Jun 2012 07:00 AM PDT

I'm proud to share with you my Living With Tolle "Powerful Presence Now" Meetup Group in my hometown of Montclair, NJ.

In August 2011, after Greg and I held a live workshop in New York City, I was so inspired by the warmth of our guests, by the impact that our conversations, and the transformational power of Eckhart's teachings, that I decided to continue to offer meetings by forming a Meetup group.

Since I formed the group in September of 2011, we have held bi-weekly meetings where we meditate, listen to Eckhart's teachings, and then casually reflect from the heart about our own spiritual and personal journeys.

As of June, 2012, the group has aver 250 members and our meetings continue to be as dynamic, inspiring, and life-affirming as our very first gathering.

Our meetings have been transformational for many of the wonderful people who attend and contribute their presence and energy so generously.

meetup logoIf you are in the NJ-NYC area, I invite you to join the Living With Tolle "Powerful Presence" Meetup Group in Montclair. Visit our page, see what our members say about our group, learn more about our events, and join the wonderful new community of friends that makes this group so exciting, dynamic, and transformational.

Kids Touching Energy of Sun

As I follow my heart's calling towards helping people realize their full potential, presence, and inner peace, I have begun offering meditation classes and one-on-one meditation coaching inspired by the teachings of Eckhart Tolle, Zen Buddhism, Dhyaan Yog, and other traditions of non-duality.

Learn how to reclaim your inner peace, grow in presence power, and embrace the power of now. Unleash the power of meditation in your everyday life. Visit innerpeaceteachings.com

For more information and to learn about all my events, classes, and meditation media, follow this link to InnerPeaceTeachings.com

With Love, Peace, and Gratitude

~Leo

Category: ARTICLES

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Mapping Your Mind For Better Learning, Teaching and Thinking.

Posted: 09 Jun 2012 06:00 AM PDT

Article by Muralics

Several of my baffled pupils can't recall a recently listened lecture? Or to address with confidence what they've planned out late night?! They all have a basic question on how to study and remember? Effectively!! It's a very difficult question to respond, as there are sorts of learning strategies followed by them, applying appropriate method gets difficult. But I administer them "mind mapping".

Effectiveness of this method lies in its flexibility to be applicable to all-embracing range of its users, thanks for people like Tony Buzan, Almighty of such an amazing tool, which bears a potency to alter lives. Mind Map is the elemental organizational intelligent tool, it's the easiest way to put data into your brain and retrieve it back when needed. Mind Mapping is of value to provide you the knowledge that you are able to 1. Accept: to Free Your Mental obstruct, 2. Apply: Use as frequently as possible, and 3. Adapt: With practice you are able to be more creative and precise.This technique makes you more creative and effectual while making notes and literally 'maps out' your thoughts while recalling it back. A long list of tedious selective information can be transmuted into colorful, memorable, extremely organized diagrams with Mind Mapping that reflect your brain's lifelike way of thinking and boost synergistic thinking. Creating mind maps is very interesting, let's discuss the technique later on; let's know what it can do for you? Your mind already contains the knowledge or data; it's extremely disorganized, and can have difficulty recalling the stored information when required. Mind Maps assist you acquire, organize and store information in a sense that gives you access to your brain wherever you need it. Mind Mapping reflects your brain's innate, thinking processes filled with images and helps reinforce the 'maps of thought' in your brain. Once you've made your Mind Map you'll discover that besides having pages and pages of boring analog notes you've an exclusive page that carries all the k! ey point s that you need to recall. You'll at once discover the associations and connections between different ideas and thinking's and can assist you quickly acquire insight into the big image as it gets laid out on the sheet before you.To construct your Mind Map you've applied both sides of your brainpower. People bear a far-reaching range of intellect and creative skills that they partially use. Nevertheless, Mind Mapping makes the best use of the potential in both the right (originative) and left (analytic) sides of the brain. Moreover, if both right and left hemispheres of the brain are employed, both sides turn stronger, occupying with one another to reinforce their creative output. Finally, this technique leads in a noticeably bettered memory which you are able to recall at any time, in any way and the finest part is it's pleasurable to retrieve and recall the information.

About the Author

Uncover the Scientifically, Proven Methods of improving Minds-power, Hypnosis, persuasion and smart-study can really bring revolution in your life, to know more click on the link

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Changemakers - Soren Gordhamer

Soren Gordhamer in conversation with Gopi Kallayil on the Public Access TV show Change Makers. Soren works with individuals and groups on living with greater mindfulness and purpose in our technology-rich age. He is founder and host of the Wisdom 2.0 Conference, and the author of Wisdom 2.0: Ancient Secrets for the Creative and Constantly Connected (HarperOne, 2009), one of the first books to explore living with mindfulness and wisdom within the context of our modern technology age.

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Intuition and Finding Your Flow: Our Next Teleseminar with Amir Zoghi

Posted: 09 Jun 2012 06:00 AM PDT

Are you wondering how to bring more presence into your life so you can simply live the Truth?  Are you looking to live more in the natural flow of your life and tap into the full depth of your intuitive guidance?  Do you want to experience Truth for yourself through a process of discovering your own flow and authenticity?

Amir ZoghiOn our next teleseminar we will be joined by Amir Zoghi, an international leader and speaker in the area of Self Awareness and human potential. He is a natural intuitive, sharing his wisdom through his writings, teachings and in speaking his voice on the stages of the world.

The work he shares is unlike anything else; it is not spirituality.  It is not self-development.   It aligns with self-awareness, and is just quite simply Truth.

Intuition is the key to effortless living and Amir will show you how to move beyond the egoic tricks of distraction and avoidance and live from the heart.

This live call-in teleseminar is scheduled for Tuesday, June 5th, at 5:30pm PT/8:30pm ET.

Please join us live for a conscious conversation and to have an opportunity to ask Amir, Greg, and Leo your questions about presence, intuition and finding your flow.

Click here to learn more about the Teleseminar series and to register for the call.

Now for more on our guest:

Amir Zoghi is the "Intuitive Warrior" and a master in the area of self-awareness and human potential.  Amir is known for being one of the largest promoters and leaders in the personal growth industry directly promoting names such as Tony Robbins, Deepak Chopra, and Dr. John Demartini.  He left it to pursue his own personal Quest for Truth to live all that which these teachers taught, but from a space of authenticity, effortlessness, and flow through Intuition. He comes to Living with Tolle full of enthusiasm because his work is not about knowing the Truth, its about living & being the Truth.

Amir Zoghi is one of the key contributors in the film, the Leap! Movie, which explores the meaning and purpose of life by questioning reality. Other well-known key contributors to the Leap! Movie include Dan Millman, Joe Vitale and Robert Scheinfeld.

You can also learn more about Amir and his live events on his website http://www.myintuitivewarrior.com/.

Join Amir Zoghi during the month of June at an inspirational and unconventional workshop the 'Intuitive Warrior'.

The Intuitive Warrior workshop will support you in living in deeper presence, and from your heart with grace and flow.

His special offer of only $ 1 is extended to the Living with Tolle community for upcoming events in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and also Melbourne and Sydney, Australia.

We look forward to hearing from you on the live teleseminar!

Peace,

Leo & Greg

Tags: A New Earth, eckhart tolle, intuition, presence, The Power of Now

Category: TELESEMINARS

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: Discovering the Lost Horizon of Shangri-La

Posted: 09 Jun 2012 05:00 AM PDT

Article by Minds Abroad

Eminent Russian writer and globetrotter Ferdinand Ossendowski has called Shambhala or Shangri-La by many names: an earthly paradise and an abode of peace and enlightenment, covering the stretches of Tibet, China and Mongolia. During his China tour, Ossendowski claimed to have noticed times when men and beasts on the walk across Eurasian valleys paused, silent and immobile, as though listening. Herds of horses, sheep and cattle stood transfixed and Mongol guides prostrated themselves on the ground praying. Speaking with Buddhist monks and lamas about the traditions associated with the lands and religious beliefs of the Buddhist monasteries, there was one story he said he encountered everywhere in Eurasia: he called it the "Kingdom of Agharti". According to the legend of Shambhala (Sanskrit) or Shangri La in the Chinese language, Agharti is said to be a mysterious underground kingdom situated somewhere underneath the Asiatic landmass and linked to other continents by a lattice of tunnels. Partly natural and partly constructed by warriors of this subterranean kingdom, these passageways have been the thread of contact with foreign lands outside China since time immemorial. Guarding the doorways of this vast storehouse of secret knowledge are cryptic maps and sacred Buddhist texts. The exact location and the means of entry are said to be known though only to a handful number of high leaders of the cult. James Hilton, in his 1933 classic Lost Horizons, is believed to have modeled his fictional trans-Tibetan utopia on this legendary place between the Kunlun mountain ranges. While there are engaging fables and differences in opinion about the actual location of this ethereal land, Western explorers and Sinologists have constantly sought to discover the golden city of Shambhala over the past centuries, eventually ending in heartbreaking failures. However, the culmination of the attempts of these explorers is today's "Shangri-La," which, like El Dorado, signifies an unattainable goal.Hilton is believed to h! ave read the journals of Évariste Régis Huc, a Catholic missionary who had toured China, Tibet and Mongolia in the nineteenth century. Before commencing his China tour, he trained to become a missionary at a Lazarist seminary and study Chinese <http://www.mindsabroad.com/StudyAbroad/why-study-chinese.htm>languages. The Abbé, a close similar to the character of the ageless High Lama in the fictional work Lost Horizons, was also a missionary who had trained at Luxembourg before his China travels.Central to the idea of Shangri-La is a mountain that is often represented in sacred diagrams of Tibetan Buddhist religious wisdom. Many Hindu temples, including Angkor Wat, the principal temple of Angkor in Cambodia, have been built in symbolic representation of the mountainThe quest for this exotic paradise has given rise to an idea that the mythical land does exist in the realm of physical reality. Following travelers' and enthusiasts' claim that Zhongdian County in the Deqing prefecture of Southwest China's Yunnan Province has striking similarities to the idyllic paradise of James Hilton's Shangri La, the Chinese government approved Zhongdian's request for a name change to Shangri-La in the summer of 2002. Surrounded by icy mountains, lakes and gorges, this region has evolved into a popular tourist destination even among the Chinese in China <http://www.mindsabroad.com/StudyAbroad/why-study-chinese.htm>. The Meili Xue Shan or Meili Snow Mountain to the Northwest is one of its major attractions. Kawagebo the highest point of the mountain is one of the most sacred mountains for Tibetan Buddhists as the spiritual home of a warrior god which pre-existed Buddhism's arrival in Tibet.

About the Author

Minds Abroad is your informed counselor for study abroad language programs in India and China. Learn Mandarin in China and enrich your cross-cultural experience. For more posts and information on places of cultural and historical interest that we take our students to, please visit http://www.mindsabroad.com

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Tibetan Singing Bowl Meditation: Session 3

Sit Down, Lay Back, Listen & Relax. www.seeyouinsleep.com

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LWT 43 | Get A Good Night’s Sleep: An Interview with Brendon Lumgair

Posted: 09 Jun 2012 05:00 AM PDT

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:09:10 — 63.3MB)

Are you wondering how to get a good night's sleep tonight by turning off your "mind switch?"  How can  the teachings of Eckhart Tolle help you get a deep, consistent sleep so that you have the energy and focus to fulfill your work and family responsibilities?

Brendon Lumgair

In this episode of the Living With Tolle Podcast, we were joined by Brendon Lumgair, "The Sleep Guru," who has helped over 25,000 people to de-stress, sleep better, and find themselves again.

In our interview, Brendon shares that 1 in 5 Americans have seen a medical doctor about their sleep problems. Millions more suffer alone, even spiritual folks like us. People often lay awake at night, tormented by their To-Do's lists, financial worries, planning and preparing for the endless "what if" situations that could derail their lives and make their unspeakable fears come true. Just as disconcerting is how guilty they feel while replaying past conversations and the regretful lists of would'a, should'a, could'as.

Here are some highlights of the conversation:

  • The real reason why people have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep
  • How to flip the "OFF" switch in your head
  • Why good sleep is the foundation of being more Present during the day
  • The spiritual nature of deep sleep, and why lack of sleep leads to insanity
  • How sleep deprivation fuels the Vicious Cycle of ego and pain-body caused suffering, and how to break free
  • Why you need to take a body, mind, spirit approach to your sleep problems, in order to get a lasting solution.

Meditation and spiritual awakening is a luxury that seems elusive to the sleep deprived. If this is you, then Brendon invites you to address first things first, by learning how to get handle the sleep challange in your life. This will allow you to be more present, energized and focused to fulfill your work and family responsibilities.

About our guest:

Brendon Lumgair, "The Sleep Guru," has helped over 25,000 people to de-stress, sleep better and find themselves again.

Brendon had a profound Awakening experience while attending a live talk with Eckhart Tolle in 2001. When he sat with Eckhart in Presence he came to know his True Self. He knew himself, life, and the world, in a whole new way.

He has degrees in engineering and philosophy and went on to work as an engineer in the corporate world for several years where he practiced presence in the work place.

Brendon's outer purpose was revealed to him while attending a retreat with Eckhart Tolle in Costa Rica in 2004. His outer purpose is to help awaken consciousness on the planet. A key tool is utilizing the power of the internet and technology. Since then he has taught yoga, meditation, sleep workshops and given satsang online and offline.

After hearing his student's repeated requests for yoga poses and meditations to help them sleep better he decided to focus on providing sleep classes to address this all-to-common problem. He is excited to study sleep research and apply a unique body, mind, spirit approach to sleep problems that are often only addressed on the level of the body.

Announcement:

Brendon has just launched a new website to provide advice and education on how to overcome your sleep problems. You will learn techniques based on his experience of working with Eckhart and his teachings. This will help you get a good night's sleep tonight and every night. Go to SleepGuru.com to get free videos now.

Enjoy & Share!

Greg & Leo

Tags: A New Earth, Brendon Lumgair, eckhart tolle, Featured, meditation, sleep, The Power of Now

Category: TELESEMINARS

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Must visit of the Ajanta caves

Posted: 09 Jun 2012 04:00 AM PDT

Article by Harry Carlin

The Ajanta caves are located about 99 Kms away from Aurangabad area in the state of Maharashtra. The caves comprise of lots of paintings, statues of Lord Buddha, sculptures and so on. All these attractions are the best masterpieces of Buddhist creativity. Moreover, the caves were built in two stages like- first in around 200 BCE and second in around 600 BCE. Since 1983, the Ajanta caves have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. If you are keen to know about more Ajanta caves then you can go for the Ajanta caves tour. Buddhist tour to Ajanta caves is renowned journey for all the visitors around the globe. This trip facilitates you to easily explore a number of Buddhist charms in every corner of India. At this site, you can conveniently search out around 30 caves and the destinations depict the life of Buddha. Besides it, the 30 spots have their own significance in history. If anyone wants to explore the caves of Buddha then he/she should avail the benefit of Ajanta Caves Tour packages and look out the charms of caves with ease. In this article, we will focus your attention about the Ajanta place and the charm of caves which are must to visit:

• The incredible caves of Ajanta are curved out of large rocks. In the spots, there are a number of carvings, paintings, sculptures which are dotted everywhere and depict the life and teachings of Lord Buddha.• Mainly, the scholars and students of Lord Buddha used to reside here to get the knowledge about the Buddhism.

• The architecture designs of all the 30 caves are truly elegant and marvelous.

• At the sites, you can also find out several kinds of animals and human icons which are cut out from the rocks.

• At the Buddhist sites, you will be able to know about your inner soul. Mainly, the locations are highly acclaimed by the Buddha lovers. Furthermore, the natural beauty of the areas attracts the monks i.e. is the main reason they chose the Buddhist spots for their spiritual avocations.

• The superb 30 caves of Ajan! ta are d ivided into 'Chaitya-Grihas' (stupa halls) and 'Viharas' (dwelling halls). Around 5 of these caves (9, 10, 19, 26 and 29) are 'Chaitya-Grihas' and the rest other caves are 'Sangharamas' or Viharas (monasteries). Moreover, the caves 1, 2, 16 and 17 are significant from the art and creativity point of view. Visitors will delight to search and to see these enormous historical pieces of art.

How to reach Ajanta:

• Nearest airport: Aurangabad domestic airport (99 Kms) and Aurangabad is directly connected to Delhi, Jaipur, Udaipur and Mumbai.

• Nearest railway stations: Two trains Tapovan Express and Devgiri Express depart daily from Mumbai to Aurangabad. The Aurangabad is linked to Mumbai and Pune by rail and Jalgaon is a railhead on the Central Railways line which is 59 kilometres from Ajanta.

• By road: Ajanta caves are linked with the great roadways like- Pune, Mumbai, Jalgaon, Ahmednagar, Dhule, Hyderabad, Nasik, Ahmedabad, Shirdi, Bijapur, Indore etc.

About the Author

Harry Carlin is a professional writer of web content. For more information on Buddhist Circuit Special Train and Buddhist Pilgrimage Tours .

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John E. Welshons Visits Living With Tolle Montclair

Posted: 09 Jun 2012 04:00 AM PDT

Leo Aristimuno and Living With Tolle in Montclair welcome special guest "Ramananda" John E. Welshons!

On June 30th, 2012, John will share his inspiring reflections on Eckhart Tolle's teachings, the art of presence, and being fully alive!

Leo Aristimuno and John Welshons at Living With Tolle In Montclair

Leo Aristimuno and Ramananda John E. Welshons at Living With Tolle, Montclair, NJ, April 2012

Drawing from his many years of experience as a spiritual teacher, John will explore how to experience inner peace, live life in the moment, and embrace the power of now.

John visited Living With Tolle Meetup in Montclair group in April, 2012. The feedback for that event was profoundly positive, as we thoroughly enjoyed John's deep wisdom, generosity of spirit, and loving presence.

John is a wonderful teacher. His gentle and wise words will guide you into a very special understanding – and direct experience – of present moment awareness.

We are delighted to welcome Ramananda to our group once again!

Register to attend this live event in Montclair, NJ.

Living With Tolle in Montclair, is a Meetup group organized by Leo Aristimuno, producer of the popular Living With Tolle Podcast. We meet bi-weekly in Montclair, NJ, to explore how present moment awareness help us find inner peace, cultivate self-knowledge, practice acceptance, and have more FUN … even through the challenges of everyday life.

Ramananda John E. Welshons

Ramananda John E. Welshons

JOHN E. WELSHONS ("Ramananda") is a highly respected contemporary spiritual teacher who lectures and leads meditation courses throughout North America.

He has been a practitioner of vipassana (mindfulness) meditation and various forms of yoga for more than forty years.

John's latest book is One Soul, One Love, One Heart: The Sacred Path to Healing All Relationships.

He is also the author of Awakening from Grief: Finding the Way Back to Joy and When Prayers Aren't Answered, two books that emerged from nearly forty years of experience helping people deal with dramatic life change and loss.

Meditation CDs and autographed copies of John's books will be available for sale.

Register to attend this live event in Montclair, NJ.

"John Welshons is INCREDIBLE! He sees the spiritual path as I do. He is a wonderful teacher!"
Ram Dass, author of BE HERE NOW and BE LOVE NOW

"John is a man who walks his talk and lives his passion. I am honored to be able to assist him in his work."
Wayne W. Dyer, Ph.D., author of CHANGE YOUR THOUGHTS, CHANGE YOUR LIFE

"John is a major mover in the forces of Light. He has aided many, many people with great care. There is no one we would trust more than John, We just LOVE him!"
- Stephen & Ondrea Levine, authors of WHO DIES? and A YEAR TO LIVE

Visit John's web site: http://onesoulonelove.com/

Event Details

Date: Saturday, June 30, 2012
Location: Unity of Montclair, 84 Orange Road, Montclair, NJ 07042
Love offering for this special event is $ 10.00

Click here to register for this live event in Montclair, NJ.

Tags: Aristimuno, event, Featured, guest, John E. Welshons, living with tolle montclair

Category: ARTICLES, Featured

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Enhance Your Meditation Ritual With A Spiritual Singing Bowl From Tibet Arts

Posted: 09 Jun 2012 03:00 AM PDT

Article by Seo5 Consulting

Many of us have stressful lives; between work, family and earning a living, it's all we can do to manage to stay calm. In today's stressful environment, people are looking for ways to find peace and tranquility. What better way than to practice meditation? The Buddhists know that inner peace can be found by spending some quality time with your own thoughts. provides an extensive selection of singing bowls to enhance your meditation routine, allowing you to find the peace you crave that will give you a much-needed break from your hectic lifestyle.

Tibet Arts supplies Tibetan gift items and traditional artefacts in Cambridge, MA. They stock everything from incense, clothing, crafts, and an amazing assortment of authentic gift items everyone is sure to love. The Buddhist culture is one of nurturing and peaceful rituals, and the items sold by Tibet Arts reflect the commitment to these practices.

The singing bowl is an integral part of the meditation ritual; They have been used by Buddhists throughout Asia for over 3,000 years to carry out spiritual traditions such as meditation, relaxation and various religious practices. In addition, they are used by medical professionals such as psychotherapists to help treat individuals who suffer from stress and anxiety. Traditionally, Buddhists will use a singing bowl to begin and end a session of meditation.

You don't have to be a practicing Buddhist to appreciate the beauty of Tibetan artisan products. They are popular items for many reasons and are proudly sold by ; the products are the perfect accoutrements to a daily meditative ritual, regardless of spiritual affiliation.

The selection of singing bowls at Tibet Arts includes small and large varieties made of hammered metal and in various colors. There are also carved bowls along with cushions to place them on. You can also find specific bowls that are meant to evoke certain feelings and emotions such as health and healing, wisdom and learning, long life and protection and love and pas! sion. Yo u can even call Tibet Arts to hear the sounds each bowl makes before you purchase one.

Tibet Art's extensive selection of Tibetan specialty items aims to enable everybody, whatever your physical condition or level of experience, to enjoy the benefits of meditation. Tibet Arts ensures that all their meditation products, are of the finest quality. Rigorous standards are in place from strict quality control to ethical sourcing of all products. The quality of the materials used are second to none, so customers can have complete confidence in all the products they can conveniently order online any time.

For more information about Tibetan artifacts and singing bowls, visit Tibet Arts online at TibetArts. There, you'll find a comprehensive selection of the finest gift and personal items made with pride by Tibetan artisans. ' Web site brings everything to you, so you can shop online with confidence.

About the Author

Tibet Arts supply a fine range of Tibetan jewelry and Tibetan singing bowls. They are located in Cambridge. Our Store also sells meditation shawl, supplies and manadala earrings. For more information, please visit www.tibetarts.com.

Use and distribution of this article is subject to our Publisher Guidelines whereby the original author's information and copyright must be included.

10 Questions For The Dalai Lama (2006)

Learn more about this film at www.10questionsforthedalailama.com. This is one man's journey to meet one of the most revered spiritual leaders on earth. This is my film and my story. The 85 minute feature version is an official entry in the Amnesty International Film Festival, Moondance, Globians (Berlin), the Australian International Film Festival and The Tahoe Reno Film Festival and is seeking distribution. This is a biography of the Dalai Lama and his life, featuring interviews with many associates, friends and relatives of the Dalai Lama as well as the Dalai Lama's press secretary. Shot at the Dalai Lama's residence in Dharamsala India.

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Meditation as a Health and Spiritual Exercise

Posted: 09 Jun 2012 02:00 AM PDT

Article by alexis

According to Buddhism, a person can reach "Nirvana" or the highest state of enlightenment through continuous meditation and by participating in the Buddha's daily service, among other things. Through time, many people have benefited from the practice of meditation.

Meditation, as practiced by Buddhist monks and practitioners, has become a spiritual tool and health enhancer in one. More than just the chants and meditative posture, meditation is about proper breathing and concentration of one's thoughts. As a health and spiritual practice, meditation came into prominence centuries ago in the East where people's lives and culture demanded a way to "escape" the realities of life.

How do we know if we are already in a state of meditation or just wasting away time with our eyes closed? Meditation is a state of mind that leads to inner peace, self-fulfillment, self- improvement, and the development of a positive outlook in life. There are two types of meditation; the concentrative and the mindfulness type. Concentrative is more on the person's concentration, sitting quietly and calmly with good breathing patterns. It is said that the one's mind is somewhat connected to one's breath of air. Continuous rhythm of inhales and exhales of the breath will make the person feel more calm and relaxed, focusing on their steady flow of air in and out of their bodies. This will result in the mind being more aware and tranquil at the same time. Mindfulness, on the other hand, involves attention and awareness on passing wave of sensations, images, feelings, thoughts, sounds, smell, anything that your body can interact with. This in turn will give the person a more non-reactive mind state, much like looking at a television, without any feeling or thoughts that can bother you away.

Meditation and relaxation often go hand in hand. In scientific studies, it has been proven that there are health benefits in practicing this kind of activity. By being in a relaxed state of mind, the person is also regar! ded to a s in alpha state, of which is a level of consciousness that promotes good healing. Relaxation in a person is highly recommended, since people always move and think, and by being relaxed it can also give relaxation to the body and mind that will eventually enhance our well-being as well. Knowing all this, one can see the connection of both scientific and religious factors, all because of meditation. Indeed, this activity shows a unique philosophy that can really help oneself. In practicing such kind of relaxation process, the person sees the innermost self at its fullest. This helps the person in dealing with external difficulties, seeing past all this and in a way becomes humble and calm in dealing with situations. This relaxed state of meditating allows the person in helping oneself health-wise, since this to can take away simple headaches, stress, or even mild anxiety. It began way before, and it will never go away. This kind of activity brings out the person in you. By meditating, this will give you a sense of calmness in a positive state. There are no known facts that this can be harmful to you, so why don't you give it a try?

About the Author

BuySoma.CaDid you find this article very informative? Want to know more? Then learn more of other medicinal health information at Buy Soma Online

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How To Receive Discounts On Meditation Supplies From Tibet Arts

Posted: 09 Jun 2012 01:00 AM PDT

Article by Seo5 Consulting

Any religious practice typically does not have a large budget and when meditation supplies are required for Buddhist students, the temple needs to discover ways to supply students with their meditation needs at a discounted rate. It's possible to receive meditation supplies at a reduced cost while still receiving a great product. The best way to achieve this result is to locate an online store that supplies these products, provides wholesale prices and quality items. When these components are combined any temple can have high quality supplies quickly and affordably.

Finding an Online Supplier

It may be challenging to find a shop that supplies Buddhist essentials. Shopping online is the best way to go, for a wide selection of supplies. From robes, prayer flags and singing bowls, the temple will not have to look in multiple locations to gather what they need for their devotees.

Online shopping provides the convenience of purchasing products without having to leave the temple. This allows comparison shopping, and being able to take the time necessary to make the right decisions.

Wholesale Orders of Buddhist Supplies

Buying wholesale is the best way to receive savings. Many companies that sell prayer supplies can offer a bulk order at a reduced rate. This will save a significant amount of cost for the temple. The best way to see if an online store will provide this service is to contact them directly and ask. Many companies will be happy to negotiate deals and even recommend products that will complement the order.

The company that sells supplies should be friendly and helpful. This will ensure a pleasant shopping experience and the assurance that the store has the buyer's best interest at heart.

A Variety of Supplies for Meditation

Finding a variety of quality supplies is the last step toward completing an order. By purchasing a bulk order, everything will arrive within the same shipment. This is an easy way to track supplies, and ensure that nothing ha! s been m isplaced or forgotten. To find out if the products are high quality, it is always encouraged to ask what material the products are made from. A meditation shawl for example, should be crafted from wool or a poly cotton blend, depending on the season that they are being purchased for.

Oftentimes, handmade products are the best quality. Ask the company if they supply any items that have been handcrafted.

It is very helpful if the online store has more than one type of item. It's great to have a selection between two or more models of a product, to see what suits the temple best, whether it's color-wise, seasonal or based on budget.

Establishing a relationship with an online store that provides wholesale prices, a variety of products and a helpful and friendly approach to shopping for Buddhist supplies will make the shopping experience very enjoyable and beneficial for any temple.

Tibet Arts sells meditation supplies to Buddhist temples around the world. For more information about their products visit, TibetArts.

About the Author

Tibet Arts supply a fine range of Tibetan jewelry and Tibetan singing bowls. They are located in Cambridge. Our Store also sells meditation shawl, supplies and manadala earrings. For more information please visit www.TibetArts.com.

Use and distribution of this article is subject to our Publisher Guidelines whereby the original author's information and copyright must be included.




Gay Marriage - Karma, Past Lives, Spirituality, Numerology, and Astrology

Posted: 09 Jun 2012 12:00 AM PDT

Article by Scott Petullo & Stephen Petullo

UG Krishnamurti: Mind as a Myth (excerpt) - A Thinking Allowed DVD w/ Jeffrey Mishlove

NOTE: This is an excerpt from a 30-minute DVD. www.thinkingallowed.com Does the mind exist as a distinct entity apart from our thoughts about it? UG Krishnamurti was a disquieting skeptic and author. As "mind" is a myth, he says, so is the notion of "self." The human being is like a dog chewing a dry bone. When its gums bleed, the dog may believe the bone is rich with blood. Just so, we believe the mind is real.

Video Rating: 4 / 5


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Fat Reduction through Belly Fat Exercises

Posted: 08 Jun 2012 11:00 PM PDT

Article by Paige Anne Carter

For a person's way of life has grown to be less active in current time, a single common concern in individuals thoughts is how you can cut down unwanted belly fat . There is a simple however costly method of surgical treatment. On the other hand, few people can afford such a task or think that having surgery to get rid of these unpleasant fats is simply too radical. Thankfully, there are lots of stomach fat exercises a particular person could try to cut down unwanted Stomach fat.

Stomach fat exercises are the most apparent means regarding how to get rid of belly fat in one week. It might be abs crunches, sit-ups or perhaps a identical exercise. The thing is, these belly fat exercises are efficient fat loss exercises simply because they instantly focus on and focus on the involved parts. As being an individual squeezes these abdominal fats, he helps make the body cells on the stated muscle tissues to execute chemical functions quicker.

It is strongly recommended to complete various belly fat exercises that target the various stomach regions. For example, lower-leg raises can be completed to concentrate on the lower abdominal; stomach twists to sort out these oblique muscles or horizontal abdominal muscle tissue. There are plenty of publications internet-based articles or blog posts that provide directions and images regarding how to carry out the variety of belly fat exercises.

If people think that the pointed out exercises to cut back abdominal fat are extremely stressful, they are able to on the other hand carry out all purpose workouts. Types of these kinds of are jogging and going swimming. These fat loss exercises don't immediately concentrate on the stomach parts.

An essential factor, regardless of whether an individual chooses to complete abdominal fat exercises would be to imagine how the body fat are losing. Furthermore, this enable a person get inspired to carry on with anything method he's performing. It will likewise make elements less complicated because the bra! in helps with to concentrate a person throughout the stomach fat exercises.

There really isn't any quick way regarding how to cut down unwanted belly fat in one week. It takes effort and time to execute specific exercises. The truth is, becoming energetic instead of constantly relaxing each day is the ideal solution if individuals desire to be healthy and fit. But, while you are privy to actual physical and belly fat exercises, you can start your trip with a sexier and healthier you.

About the Author

Standing Abdominal Exercises

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Allow cosmic mystery to live, not killing it with religion

Posted: 08 Jun 2012 11:00 PM PDT

"Uh-oh." This is a common feeling for me these churchless days, as I'm reading along in a book that's been enjoyably non-religious, yet suddenly manifests a scent of unjustified dogmatism.

An "uh-oh" followed by a string of highlighted question marks in the margins... this is a sign that even stronger Religiosity alert! Religiosity alert! warning bells are going off in my brain.

Such happened today, when I got to the "Where is Awareness?" chapter in Tim Freke's The Mystery Experience (blogged about previously here and here). I was flowing along just fine with Freke's seemingly unarguable assertion that everything arises in awareness -- including the experience of "external" objective reality.

But this...???

As a person I am a form in the flow of time. But the deep self is outside of time. It is timeless being... I think most of us have this sense that our deep self is the same now as when we were much younger. I know I do... What I am is timeless awareness witnessing TIm's journey through time.

When I live lucidly I see that I am both mortal and immortal. The person I appear to be in time had a beginning and will come to an end. But the deep self isn't in time, just like a dreamer isn't in a dream. 

As a person, I'm a body that is born to die. But the deep self can't die because it was never born. My essential being is immortal, because being by it's very nature must always be

...This intuition of immortality raises many profound philosophical questions, which I'm not going to address here. I certainly don't believe that becoming conscious of the timeless presence of being proves that we survive death as a conscious individual. However, understanding that essentially we don't exist in time makes this possibility credible.

...I suggest you become conscious of the deep self and examine your own intuitions.

Well, TIm, I'd say "that's the problem: people believing in their own intutitions when it comes to mysteries that aren't intuitable, nor thinkable, nor researchable, nor seemingly solvable in any way."

As I blogged about a few months ago, it is impossible for us to envision our own existence, because we've always been alive. This is why religions have such a ready audience for their claims of an afterlife.

It just feels right to people, since they have no experience of ever not existing, or of ever not being aware, except during deep sleep and other periods of unconsciousness. And that's a big except, as Stephen Cave says in his book "Immortality." 

There is one big problem with the idea that your consciousness or "awareness" can in some form survive the death of your body. It is something with which we are all in fact very familiar, not least from countless Hollywood films: simply that if you get hit on the head with sufficient force, you will be knocked unconscious. Your awareness of the world ceases; your lights go out.

...Similarly, if you are injected with general anesthetic -- a syringe full of chemicals -- your awareness will be extinguished. For anyone who thinks consciousness can survive bodily death, this is an embarassment. 

l really like the idea of me being an integral aspect of, well, being.

Timeless being. Eternal being. Universally conscious being. I understand why TIm Frege also is attracted to this possibility, as are, I assume most of the people who attend his WOW workshops about embracing the mystery of life.

I just find Frege's intuitions about how his deep self could be an aspect of timeless being to be at odds with a central premise of his book. Namely, that nobody knows what the mystery of life consists of, or how it could be solved. Frege writes:

When I become embroiled with my story I find myself living in a kind of trance. I'm certain I know what's going on, even though I really don't. I exist in a state of numbness that I call 'normality' and I feel only half alive.

But when I wake up I can see that my story is just a story. If I look deeper I discover that hidden behind my story is the pristine, virgin, untouchable mystery. And that's when the mystery experience spontaneously arises.

So even though I look forward to reading the rest of Frege's book, at the moment (154 pages in) I have an impression that Frege doesn't really embrace the pristine, virgin, untouchable mystery that he says he does.

What's up with all of these "intuitions" about the nature of cosmic mystery? What's wrong with simply leaving mystery mysterious? 

Like Frege, I also feel a deep sense of awe at the stark fact of existence. Yes, WOW! (his favorite word) There's at least a hundred billion stars in our Milky Way galaxy, which is one of at least a hundred billion galaxies in the universe, which increasingly is being viewed as one of a potentially infinite number of universes in the multiverse.

And here I am, standing at our kitchen counter, typing away on my MacBook in south Salem, Oregon, a 63 year old man trying to grasp my place in a 14 billion year old universe whose mysteries are boundless in every direction of time and space.

I don't know where everything came from or where it is going. Likewise, I don't know where I came from or where I am going.

For many years I wasn't OK with that. I wanted to know! Damn it, I had a right to know! And I believed that someone, in my case a guru, had the key to this cosmic knowledge. Billions of other humans believe that a holy book, a holy practice, or some other holy person is privy to this knowledge.

Now, I'm fine with mystery.

In fact, I love mystery. I'd much rather leave mystery mysterious, then dress it up in some sort of imaginary costume of my own making. That seems disrespectful to mystery.

Some things can be known, if not by us modern humans, than by someone, somewhere, sometime in the cosmos. But it seems to me that some things can't. Like, existence. Maybe I'm wrong, but I'd rather leave existence, life, and The Meaning, Or Lack Thereof, Of It All as a mystery.

TIm Frege feels this way also. We just seem to disagree on how much mystery we're willing to leave mysterious. 

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meditation-ebooks18

Posted: 08 Jun 2012 10:00 PM PDT

Article by Charley Gordon

anne karpiak's Second Chakra Meditation February 1

anne karpiak's meditation grounding the second chakra

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Stress Alters Kids' Brains, Study Suggests

Posted: 08 Jun 2012 10:00 PM PDT

Stressed girl sits in the forest.
Some stress is normal, but chronic strain may be linked to brain changes, scientists find.
CREDIT: altanaka | Shutterstock

Intense and lasting stress may deliver a blow to a kid's noggin, say researchers who found that a brain area linked to memory was smaller in children who had experienced chronic stress compared with their less-strained counterparts.

The brain differences also bore out in cognitive ability, with those children with highly stressful lives performing poorer than other kids on spatial memory tests. The highly stressed children also had more trouble with tests of short-term memory, including tasks such as finding a token in a series of boxes, the researchers said.

"All families experience some stress, so it is important to note that effects were found for high levels of stress," study researcher Jamie Hanson, a psychology graduate student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, told LiveScience, adding that some extreme examples would include family members falling victim to violent crimes or the chronic illness of a child or other family member.

The research, detailed in the June 6 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience, adds to other evidence of the impacts of stress, with one recent study showing that children exposed to multiple instances of violence age faster on a cellular level. Another past study suggested childhood stress could actually take years off an individual's life. [5 Ways Your Cells Deal With Stress]

Sizing up stress

The team was inspired by work in animals that has found a link between stress and brain changes, particularly in the prefrontal cortex, which is involved in working memory, or the part of your memory that's available for quick recall.

So with funding from the National Institutes of Health, the researchers conducted interviews with 61 children ages 9 to 14, asking about stressful events throughout their lives.

They also used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to scan each participant's brain, finding the anterior cingulate, which resides in the prefrontal cortex, took up less space in the highly stressed children. The anterior cingulated cortex is thought to play a role in a range of emotional and cognitive tasks, including so-called spatial working memory, or the workstation of sorts, where spatial information can be processed and accessed quickly.

"These are subtle differences, but differences related to important cognitive abilities," Hanson said.

The researchers also looked at differences in the amounts of gray matter and white matter in the brain, finding both types of tissue showed smaller volumes in the overly stressed group compared with the not-so-stressed. (White matter comprises the long, spindly appendages on some neurons that transmit electrical signals used by brain cells to communicate; gray matter is made up of the cell bodies that essentially use the information shared by the white matter to "do the math.")

Permanent scars?

Hanson and his colleagues aren't sure of the mechanism behind the links between stress and brain changes, though they have some ideas.

"Exposure to very high levels of stress could change important chemicals in the brain and body," Hanson said, noting two chemicals of particular interest, cortisol and dopamine. The hormone cortisol tends to increase with stress and can affect brain cells, Hanson said.

There's also a chance the seemingly stunted brain development is just temporary.

"We're not trying to argue that stress permanently scars your brain. We don't know if and how it is that stress affects the brain," Hanson said. "We only have a snapshot, one MRI scan of each subject, and at this point, we don't understand whether this is just a delay in development or a lasting difference. It could be that, because the brains is very plastic, very able to change, that children who have experienced a great deal of stress catch up in these areas."

This story was provided by LiveScience, a sister site to MyHealthNewsDaily. Follow LiveScience on Twitter @livescience. We're also on Facebook & Google+.

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