Mantras - Ram Dass The following is an excerpt from Ram Dass’ new book, “Polishing the Mirror” – which is out now. Inside of me there’s a mantra going on that reminds me of who I am. It’s that place inside – that niche in the wall where the candle flame never flickers. Always bringing me right to my heart where we dwell eternally. Mantra is the repetition of the names of God. In Buddhism, the word mantra means “mind protecting”. Mahatma Gandhi said, “The mantra becomes one’s staff of life, and carries one through every ordeal. Keep repeating your mantra consciously until it has become a strong habit. Maharajji said, “The best form in which to worship God is all forms.” The Divine is present in the soul of all living beings and in the Universe. In different ages, countries and religions, God has been called by different names. Once you choose a mantra and establish a practice, it is a good idea not to change mantras so the practice will become deeper. From the Hindu tradition: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna,
Krishna Das - About Chanting Chanting (Kirtan) is a part of the path of Devotional Yoga. When we see the beauty of our own being we are seeing the beauty of the Being that is the One of which we are all a part. And when we turn towards that One, love is the natural reaction of the heart. God or Guru is an endless ocean of love truth and presence. Those that have returned have given us these Names of God. The following is an excerpt from 'Pilgrim of the Heart' audio series by Krishna Das: "The words of these chants are called the divine names and they come from a place that's deeper than our hearts and our thoughts, deeper than the mind. Satsang is where people gather together to remember, to turn within and find their own inner path to the One. Programs with Krishna Das are usually done in three different ways:
Yoga and Meditation Protect Cancer Survivors at Cellular Level | Spirituality & Health Magazine| Page 1 Meditation and yoga are renowned for their ability to help cancer survivors alleviate mental and emotional distress. But now a significant new study has revealed that their benefits go even further into the cellular level: the findings show that yoga, meditation and social support protect the health of breast cancer survivors by helping to maintain telomere length. Telomeres are protective caps of DNA found at the ends of a chromosome. Since they keep the ends of the chromosome from fraying and deteriorating, they are often compared to a plastic tip on a shoelace. As far as health is concerned, the longer the telomere, the better. When a telomere becomes too short, the cell can no longer divide and either becomes inactive or dies. For the study, published in the journal Cancer, Alberta researchers discovered that telomere length was strongly preserved in breast cancer survivors who practice meditation and yoga or who participated in social support groups. The results are startling.
Three Pranayamas and their Ayurvedic / Psychological Effects - Ayurveda | Everyday Ayurveda Pranayamas or yogic breathing techniques have effects upon the doshas (viz. Vata – Wind, Pitta – Bile and Kapha – Phlegm) in the body. But, they also have specific effects on the mind as per the four levels of the mind: Chitta or unconscious mind / mind-stuffBuddhi or the intellect, which governs our mental metabolism or (manasikagni).Manas or the emotional sphere of the mindAhamkara or the ego, which is a rajasic (agitating and motive) force These are mentioned as there are several levels of each of the above layers of the mind, divided into sattvic (pure, clear), rajasic (agitated, passionate) and tamasic (dark, delusional or ignorant) levels, which we shall discuss, relative to pranayamas or breathing techniques. Understanding how various mantras work and in relation to the energetics behind the days of the week when performing them also give more potency to their effects on the doshas or biological humours. I. These mantras can be used as one inhales from the left nostril itself. II.
Getting to Know the Language of Yoga Originating in ancient India and considered to be one of the oldest languages on Earth, Sanskrit is still relevant to yoga practice today. Sanskrit is, quite literally, the language of yoga. Many of the chants you sing in kirtan, the mantras you silently repeat in meditation, and the terms you hear in yoga class are ancient Sanskrit words. This Sanskrit glossary will help you comprehend and communicate philosophical concepts and subtle yoga practices that can be difficult to describe as concisely in English. Abhyâsa: practice; cf. vairagya Âcârya (sometimes spelled acharya in English): a preceptor, instructor; cf. guru Advaita ("nonduality"): the truth and teaching that there is only One Reality (âtman, brahman), especially as found in the Upanishads; see also Vedânta Ahamkâra ("I-maker"): the individuation principle, or ego, which must be transcended; cf. asmitâ; see also buddhi, manas Ahimsâ ("nonharming"): the single most important moral discipline (yama)
Timeline of historic inventions The timeline of historic inventions is a chronological list of particularly important or significant technological inventions. Note: Dates for inventions are often controversial. Inventions are often invented by several inventors around the same time, or may be invented in an impractical form many years before another inventor improves the invention into a more practical form. Where there is ambiguity, the date of the first known working version of the invention is used here. Prehistoric[edit] Note that the dates in the Paleolithic era are approximate and refer to the earliest discovered use of an invention, and are likely to change as more research is done and older sites are found. 1st millennium BC[edit] 7th century BC[edit] 6th century BC[edit] With the Greco-Roman trispastos ("three-pulley-crane"), the simplest ancient crane, a single man tripled the weight he could lift than with his muscular strength alone.[30] 5th century BC[edit] 3rd century BC[edit] 2nd century BC[edit]
stop being a slave to your emotions Emotions have a lot to do with our interpretation of an event. Emotional reasoning takes place when we assume something is true because of the way we feel, when in reality, the truth could be very different. While there is nothing wrong with noticing and recognizing your emotions, they also take us away from objective and neutral interpretations of life and can take us off on a tangent clouded with feeling. It can be difficult to learn how to control emotions and not let yourself be affected by others that are emotional around you. 1) Think of your emotions as part of your “map” not as part of the “territory” Our thoughts lead us to feeling emotions. 2) Stop and think before acting Stop and wait for the emotional part of your brain to subside before taking action. 3) Know where your weaknesses lie Are there specific people or situations that tend to get an emotional reaction from you? 4) Own your emotions Take responsibility for your actions. 5) Learn to practice emotional detachment
10 Mini Productivity Hacks To Ease Your Life We probably live in the busiest and most distracting time in history, and all the tasks we have to accomplish each day can be really difficult to complete when it’s hard to focus. Everyone wants to be more productive, but many people don’t know where to start. Or worse, they think the key to productivity involves doing things that look like a major lifestyle shift. The good news, however, is that there are many small things you can do to make your life easier and more productive. 1. One of the key things to realize about productivity is that not every task we have on our plates is equally important. If you want to boost your productivity and get more done, a simple trick to start out with is making a list of the day’s tasks and determine the top three tasks that you simply must complete before the day is up. 2. The Pomodoro Technique is a simple productivity strategy in which you pick one task you’re going to focus on without distraction and without stopping for 25 minutes straight. 3.
Fear Of Rejection: 2 Ways To Beat It, Backed By Research We all deal with fear of rejection. Jia Jiang did too. But he overcame it… thanks to a box of donuts. He explains how this happened in his wonderful book, Rejection Proof: How I Beat Fear and Became Invincible Through 100 Days of Rejection. His dream was to be an entrepreneur — and that means a lot of rejection. By turning it into a game. And get rejected he did. Knocking on a stranger’s door, ball in hand, he asked “Can I play soccer in your backyard?” Here’s his TEDx talk. Pretty cool story, huh? But by studying Jia’s experiment and the science behind rejection, what can we learn to help us overcome our fears, cope with the inevitable “NO” responses and get what we want in life? A lot, actually. (Please don’t stop reading now. Yes, Rejection Is *Very* Powerful So let’s say you tried to join the KKK. Actually, the research says you might still feel bad: …ostracism by despised outgroup members was no less aversive than ostracism by rival outgroup or ingroup members. Crazy, huh? Make It A Game
10 Things To Remember If You Want To Do What You Love For A Living According to the latest Gallup polls, only 32% of Americans actually love what they do for a living. That leaves a whopping 68% of people feeling unfulfilled with the work they do on a daily basis. In my mind, this is unacceptable. And if you’re reading this article, then it’s likely you think so, too. So, if you want to do what you love for a living—or want to help someone who doesn’t—then scroll down for my 10 must-read tips to help you on your path to success and long-term fulfillment both personally and professionally. 1. When I first started trying to figure out how to find and do what I love for a living, I was confused just like everyone else. The overlapping of the three (GPS) is your sweet spot for making a living doing what you love. 2. What are you great it? So how do you figure it out for yourself? 3. People get way too caught up in trying to “find their passion”. We need to inject passion into the things we do. 4. 5. You should do the same. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
10 Inspiring Things Entrepreneurs With Grit Do Typically, when an entrepreneur has a good idea, there are at least five other people trying to do the same thing. What sets successful entrepreneurs apart from the unsuccessful ones is grit—the ability to continue working toward a goal no matter how hard it gets or how long it takes. Talent, intelligence, and even education does not guarantee success. Of course, talent, perfect skills and qualifications can help your entrepreneurial efforts, but experience tells us that entrepreneurs (and people in general) succeed because they demonstrate extraordinary grit to reach their dreams. Calvin Coolidge, the 30th President of the United States, summed it up pretty well when he said: “Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Here are inspiring things entrepreneurs with grit do day in and day out that propel them to success. 1. Let’s face it, entrepreneurs enter a world where there are vastly more failures than successes. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
42 Practical Ways To Improve Yourself Are you someone who likes to grow? Do you constantly seek to improve yourself and become better? If you do, then we have something in common. I’m very passionate about personal growth. It was just 4 years ago when I discovered my passion for growing and helping others grow. At that time, I was 22 and in my final year of university. SEE ALSO: How to Better Yourself One Day at a Time After 1.5 years of actively pursuing growth and helping others to grow through my personal development blog, I realize there is never an end to the journey of self improvement. As a passionate advocate of growth, I’m continuously looking for ways to self-improve. Read a book every day. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this article or anything about personal growth. Image © kevindooley
5 Ways to Control Anger and Improve Your Life Our hearts and minds are filled with a lifetime of memories – both good and bad. But, for some reason, instead of savoring the good memories, many of us just dwell on the bad ones. Well, that needs to stop. Accepting the hurt from your past, and then moving on, is a healthy way to sort out your feelings of unrest. I have first-hand knowledge of what it’s like to dwell on the negative memories that haunt your daily life. I grew up in a relatively large family – I was the youngest of four kids. He was a police officer, who had difficulty handling stress. Those memories of being hit very hard, and being insulted in a nasty manner, have always haunted me. Not everyone who suffers from anger issues has had the same experiences I did. Anger is a disease that eats away at your soul and spreads to those whose lives you touch. Stop pretending you’re OK. If you are constantly agitated, and it only takes the slightest thing to propel into you a tailspin of anger. Find a “peaceful” role model. 1.