What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness, like Meditation is a word we are hearing a lot about lately. And like meditation, everyone is talking about it, but what is it really?

What are you thinking right now? 

Taking a moment to stop and notice what you are thinking is seriously profound and powerful.  Why? Because as soon as you become mindful about what you are thinking, you have to notice that ‘YOU’ is something other than your thoughts!

What does Mindfulness mean?

What does this mean?  Well, often, the way we FEEL is directly related to what we are thinking.When we get a bad grade in school, or take a loss in sports, our minds can start to run!  Saying things like ‘I am not good enough’, ‘I will never amount to anything.’  This kind of self talk can produce feelings of anxiety and if they go on long enough can lead to depression

When you learn to separate yourself from the thoughts in your head, you can take an active role in the words you say to yourself, and the feelings those words can produce. 

How does Mindfulness Meditation work?

Here is how it works.  First find a place to sit that is quiet and private where you are not likely to be disturbed.  Sit on a pillow so your butt is elevated a bit and cross your legs.  You know, like you were the Buddha ; )

Close your eyes and notice what you are thinking.  Then take a deep breath and really pay attention to the breath coming into your body.  How does it feel?  Exhale slowly and repeat.  Keep doing this until you notice that you are thinking something again!  Notice how the thought feels in your body.  Does it feel achy?  Is your stomach feeling upset?  Do you feel excited?  Happy? 

Do NOT judge your thoughts as good or bad!  This is incredibly important!  Thoughts are just thoughts, its only your judgment that makes them good or bad.  We are not sitting here practicing judgment, we are practicing mindfulness meditation!  What that means is we are simply here to learn to observe our thoughts, accept them for what they are and then take another breath. 

By practicing Mindfulness Meditation for a few minutes each morning and a few minutes in the evening we train our mind to notice itself.  Without this practice we can get caught up in what's going on around us, judging our selves and our life, and this often leads to unpleasant feelings. 

With mindfulness we can catch ourselves when our thoughts are slipping into negativity and we can tell ourselves a new story, alter our next actions to produce a result we are going to be more happy with, or accept things as they are and be happy and grateful for all the good in our lives! 

Have Your Say

How do you deal with stress in your life? Post in the comments below and Like My Facebook page - The Spiritual Way Of Life

What is Meditation?

Meditation is a big word that’s getting lots of attention these days!  So many people are talking about it but can anyone actually tell you what it is?!?

Meditation is not a religion; it is not a cult, its not scary or dangerous. 

Meditation is a way to gain a better understanding of what is going on inside your head and your body, and it can help you have a better life. 

There are almost endless different kinds of meditation but they all have one thing in common, the seated posture.  Sitting with your back straight and your legs crossed allows the body to become motionless for long enough to get in touch with the feelings you are having inside, and the effect those feelings are having on your state of mind.

All of the different forms of meditation have one purpose, to allow you to detach your ‘self’ from what’s going on in your head! 

Why does posture matter?

Why does this matter?  Because most of what is going on in our heads isn’t very nice! 

You see our brains have evolved over millions of years, to help us survive.  Back in the days of lions and tigers trying to eat us, we had to be VERY sensitive to dangers around us.  Now, millions of years later, the biggest threat we face in life is someone dissing us on Twitter, yet our minds are still programmed to seek out danger, so we tend to look at everything from a negative slant. 

Well, it doesn’t need to be that way!  It is only the primitive part of our brain that sees the world that way.  We are not cave people anymore!  The newest parts of our brain that have evolved are where our feelings of love and happiness and creativity function.

What does Meditation do?

Meditation helps us cool down the fear response that comes naturally to us, and helps us access the higher function areas of our brain. 

This allows us to live happier, healthier more productive lives.  By having access to this new awesome area of the brain we can do better at school, perform better in sports, have better relationships with our parents and friends, AND spot dangerous thoughts feelings and behaviors before they lead us into trouble!

Have Your Say

Do you meditate? How do you choose to relax? Comment below.

What Is Reiki ? And How It 's Benefits in Our Life

Reiki Meaning

Reiki is a word Japanese Language. Meaning of Reiki is- universal life force energy.

In the Japanese Language, “Rei” Means “Universal” and “ki” Means “Life force energy” We all people, (take birth) come into this world with this Universal force/power, this is the most supreme power in the world.

About Reiki : The Ancient Art of Healing

  The origin of Reiki can be traced long back in the annals of history. But in the late 1800 that Dr. Mikao Usui, revived one of these oldest sciences of healing. In order to give logical base to the science of healing he travelled to the far-corners of world from India to USA. However, after studying Buddhist literature in Sanskrit he was finally able to explain the holy methods used by Christ in order to heal the people.

Later he returned to Japan and visited various Buddhist sects and gained knowledge about healing the body and mind at the same time. It was in the Zen Monastery in Kyoto where he stayed for a long time and studied Indian Buddhist Sutras written in Sanskrit. It helped him explain various unexplained sutras of healing.

Reiki, over the years has proved its utility in healing complications related to mind and body. It has a long history of healing people suffering from various types of illness and disorders which was difficult to cure in modern sciences.

It is very interesting to know that the traditional healing art from Japan comfortably and readily got recognition and worldwide acceptance around the world.

History of Reiki

Reiki was established By Dr. Mikao Ushue at the end of the 19th century he was the principal of a Christian university in Japan some student ask him if he believed in the Bible. Dr. M.U. said yes, I believe in Bible. The students referred than to the Bible quoting text of Jesus when he made the sick well just through a touch. The students asked the doctor, How can we too treat people in this way? The doctor says I don’t know how it’s possible, but I believe it is it. They knew the possibility of Reiki without yet knowing the concrete theory.

Dr. Ushue ended up resigning from the university to dedicate his career to finding this “Life force”. He left Japan for Chicago University (U.S.A) for its religious studies department .His practice in the U.S. was intense and frequent, but often without success. While in Chicago, however, he noticed that Buddhist monks practiced something like this sought, after treatment. For this reason, Dr. Ushue left Chicago University to return to Japan.

Back in Japan, the doctor studied with Buddhist monasteries, but without success. The then turned to Jain ideology and treatment, but his studies there were unsuccessful also. When his studies in Japan were exhausted, he moved he moved on to China. There he learned the language, practice and customs. But no “Life force”.

He left china for India, where again he immersed himself in the culture by learning the language and Sanskrit Mantra Finally, he once again returned to Japan, where, with his new worldly knowledge, he knew much, but still he did know Reiki. However, after his study with Sanskrit Mantra, he was able to properly prepare himself for the twenty-One Day Practice. Finally, true Knowledge!

For the Twenty-One Day Practice, he chose the Kuriyama Mountain in Kyoto to ascend by himself with just twenty one stones. Atop the Mountain, the doctor prayed for twenty days without result. But on his final day, the twenty first, he found that upon opening his wyes to the surprise a single ray penetrated deeply into his presence. The doctor felt scared, unnerved as if perhaps he were dying. He fainted while the doctor lay still, he saw many colors pas before his eyes. These were like sparks, and the Doctor felt the life force of Reiki sparking inside of him.

            

Several hours later, he awoke feeling supreme, elated and powerful-he was successful!

Joyously, the doctor ran down the mountain, but not without trial. As the doctor ran, the doctor tripped on a loose stone, which split his toe. Blood pushed forth, and the doctor touched his wound channeling his new found power. After mere moments, the blood had not only stopped but the wound was healed entirely.

Back in town, the doctor was very hungry. An older man recognized the unshaven doctor as a holy man, so when advised the doctor to only eat soup or juice – after such a long fast, as is common with Holy Men, One should restart a diet. But the doctor said, “no, I’m famished” The doctor ate heavily. Yet remarkably was fine.

In the restaurant, the restaurateur’s daughter was experiencing bad tooth pain. Approaching her pain as a test for his success, the doctor applied Reiki treatment to the girl’s cheek, and her pain ceased. The doctor was ecstatic! After searching for fifteen years and twenty one days, finally the doctor had found, or earned, the understanding behind Reiki.

Elsewhere, an elderly man that Dr. Ushue once turned to back in the Jain monastery was experiencing the aches and pains of old age, especially of the knees. The doctor treated the elderly man, and he was healed.

Then at the beginning of the Twentieth century, the doctor took under wing a shining student named Chujiro Hayashi, an ex-Navy serviceman. Hayashi received full training of the Reiki practice. Dr, Ushue trained him with the idea of handing over the responsibility of his new founded Reiki school and study to Hayashi. Hayashi now a doctor himself, furthered Ushue’s theory by conspiring the idea that Reiki is able to go to the roots of disease. Hayashi theorized that Reiki is not only a treatment, but also a protectorate – it can word off disease and ailment, too.

In 1935, a Japanese – American woman name Takata Hawayo was experiencing severe ailments and disorders after the passing on her husband. The disorders were so bad, that doctors advised him to return to her homeland of Japan for surgery. Hawayo, in compliance, returned to Japan, but while she was in the hospital preparing for her operation, Hawayo came across a pamphlet advertising Dr. Hayashi’s Reiki clinic. She opted to leave the hospital and pending surgery to instead pursue treatment with Dr. Hayashi. After extensive treatments with Dr. Hayashi, Hawayo felt well again. Doctor could not find even truces of her previous aliments, and the medical community dismissed her need for surgery.

After her full recovery, Hawayo took it upon herself to learn this practice, Reiki, and to treat and teach others around the world.

Thanks For Reading this Blog ........