From Karma Gaia:
Balancing The Third Eye
Your third eye chakra is known by the Sanskrit term Ajna. It is a spot on your brow between your eyes and is connected to intuition, insight, and inspiration. We have a profound grasp of both our inner and outside worlds when ajna is in harmony.
While our physical eyes are associated with the past and the present experience as it unfolds, it’s said that ajna looks to the future. We can envision our next moves with confidence and clarity when we are not distracted by uncertainty and confusion.
Most often, when our ajna is underactive, we lose touch with our own inner wisdom. The good news is that you can do a lot to help ajna grow, thrive, and be in balance.
1. Using a Bija Mantra
The ajna's bija mantra, or seed syllable, is "om" or "aum." The best technique to connect with your insight and intuition is to chant om while closing your eyes and concentrating on the brow point. Setting your purpose can be especially effective in the morning or at the beginning of an ajna-centered yoga practise.
2. Working with Hakini Mudra
The hakini mudra is connected to ajna and is believed to encourage awareness and focus, which improve insight and intuition. When reflecting intently, many people will naturally adopt this mudra; perhaps they sense its value in aiding in the connection with knowledge and insight.
3. Ajna Balancing Asanas
The stance most frequently connected with ajna is Asanas Balasana, also known as the child's pose. There are two basic causes for this. First, the forehead can touch the mat to physically ground and link the brow point to earth.
This area can benefit from additional massage provided by gently swaying the head from side to side. Secondly, child’s pose is a gentle and supported forward fold. Forward folds can aid in fostering self-reflection and research.
Uttanasana (standing forward fold) and prasarita padottanasana (wide-legged standing forward fold) are other front folds that can aid in balancing ajna. A block or bolster positioned beneath the forehead will increase stimulation.
4. Nadi Shodhana Pranayama
Nadi shodhana pranayama, or alternate nostril breathing, is already well-known for its balancing properties as a separate practise. This variation can improve its impact on ajna:
To keep your attention on ajna, place your right hand's index and middle fingers on the brow point.
Using your right thumb to cover your right nostril, take a four-count breath through your left nostril.
Exhale for four counts via the right nostril while closing the left nostril with the left ring finger.
For a count of four, inhale through your right nostril while keeping your left nostril shut.
Thumb-shut the right nostril, then open the left and exhale for four counts.
For several minutes, repeat steps 2 through 5, possibly extending the count to 6 or 8 to further relax and centre the mind.
After you've finished the breathing exercise, give yourself a minute to settle back into your regular breathing pattern and focus your awareness on the moment.
From Karma Gaia:
Emotional Calm In The NowTips For Being Present
Changing a lifetime’s mental habits is an ongoing process, not a one-time quick fix. Even when a habit makes us feel more uncomfortable or unsafe than it does good, our brains are wired to reward it. In my continuous effort to live in the now, I've found the following tips to be useful.
1. Look inward for reinforcement, not outward.
When you feel stress or anxiety, resist the urge to look for external reinforcement. The sugar high of emotions is external reinforcement; it hits hard and quickly wears off, leaving you craving more. Checking email and reading news articles are two examples of seemingly innocuous activities that take us out of the present. These are strategies for attempting to obtain outside validation that this time is acceptable.
There is no such thing as the present outside of us. Although we have no influence over the external environment, we do have power over our internal affairs. When you feel the need for reassurance, remind yourself that all the resources you need to be present and at peace are inside you. Remember that they have always been there, and they will always be there.
2. Control your information stream.
Cut back on the amount of news you consume. Shut down your phone. Control how you use outside information, particularly that found on social media, to assist you emotionally. You can connect with friends using social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and others. However, if you use them excessively, they start to make you feel distant instead.
3. Write down your goals—and then throw them away.
Goal setting is a great way to prioritize what’s important to you. Keep in mind that objectives are focused on the future. After you've recognized them, release them to go to their rightful place in the future. The true satisfaction comes from striving for your objectives rather than achieving them. And that is limited to the here and now.
4. Embrace gratitude.
Take a few minutes each day to write down five things for which you are thankful. Do this on a regular basis. Gratitude serves as a potent reminder of the strength and importance of the present moment and is an incredible tool in the fight against anxiety.
One excellent method to fully embrace thankfulness is to carry out deeds that benefit others. Volunteering and doing good deeds are incredibly powerful tools for living in the present. They help us put others before ourselves.
5. Practice mindfulness.
Create a straightforward, recurring mindfulness practice. If meditation is your thing, spend fifteen minutes each morning in quiet contemplation, simply being present. Running is at the center of my reflective approach. It's how I detach myself from the tension and noise of the past and future, which don't exist, and return my focus to the here and now. Try different things until you find what works best for you, and then develop the habit.
From Karma Gaia:
Questions To Find Inner Peace
These are some important questions to ask yourself in order to unearth your actual inner nature from deep within and see that all you require is already present.
1. What if there was nothing I needed to fix in me? What if there was nothing I needed to change? What if I was perfect just the way I am now?
It's true that inner work needs to be done. Healing, self-awareness, growth, and transformation are all crucial. Too many people shy away from the inward work required to develop and learn.
But the mechanism that drives us to fix, perfect, and change is, in its own way, an expression of a wound.
The idea that there is something fundamentally wrong with us, that we are unworthy, and that there is something we should be doing to improve ourselves can imprison us.
This defense mechanism pushes us to go outside of ourselves in order to escape having to acknowledge that we are good, worthy, and sufficient just the way we are right now.
2. What if I didn’t have to punish myself to get the lesson?
It has been ingrained in us to punish ourselves for actions that we deem "bad" or "wrong." After all, that’s what our parents did when we were scolded for pulling our sister’s hair or our teacher gave us a “time-out.”
So ask yourself: What if I learned the lesson with love and kindness instead? If I were to gently and self-compassionately confront a mistake I committed instead of taking out a stick and beating my head?
3. What if I didn’t have to apologize?
Sure, saying we are sorry to a person for causing harm is respectful and necessary. We acknowledge our shortcomings and temporarily relinquish our ego. We accept accountability for the things we do.
Nevertheless, when we constantly apologize for who we are, we are accepting the idea that there is something wrong with ourselves.
As humans we make mistakes. We learn in this way.
So what if we asked: Can I receive the lesson, embrace it, and not walk around ashamed, saying “I’m sorry” all of the time?
4. What if what I need is already here?
What if it already exists inside of me? What if it's already here, living in my heart, existing without needing to be expressed? What if I don't need an astrologer to tell me what my life's goals are, or to look to someone else for love and validation?
What happens if I've already reached enlightenment? Might it reveal itself to me if I let go of the want to search for it, locate it, and discover it?
The Buddha implied that the antidote to the unwholesome expressed inside us is our connection to heart. Irrespective of your awareness, your heart is vibrant, full, and radiant.
Thus, consider this: What if everything that exists and breathes within my heart is sufficient?
To find out what you need, go back to your heart. Place the pain, the anxiety, the doubt, as well as the love, compassion, and appreciative joy for others right in the center of your chest.
What you need is already beating loudly inside of you.
From Karma Gaia:
How To Take Care of Yourself During Tough Times
“Have respect for yourself, and patience and compassion. With these, you can handle anything.” ~Jack Kornfield
I won't go through the list's section on "yoga, getting enough sleep, and chocolate" because you can obtain those kinds of self-care advice elsewhere. They’re super important, and the fact is, I already knew about them, but on their own they weren’t cutting it at that time in my life.
Here are some lessons I learned that I hope we can all benefit from when we’re going through a tough time.
Stay out of other people’s business.
It is very simple to become absorbed in the circumstances and feelings of people we love.
We often experience our partner's dissatisfaction and disappointment when they are struggling at work. When a loved one is divorcing, we could become absorbed in their tales of unfair treatment by their spouse or feelings of mistreatment.
Even if engaging in these activities is widespread and seen as a necessary component of friendship, now is not the time. These actions may be exhausting for us personally. When we listen to others' emotions, we may experience similar feelings in ourselves, particularly if we can identify with the circumstances they are discussing.
Simply said, this is not the time to expend energy on reacting to the feelings of others. We need to harmonize with our own.
Accept ourselves.
Yes, we already know this one. In reality, though, how many of us are doing it?
The truth is, we may accept ourselves exactly as we are, even if we also have room to want for better, more compassionate things in life, like a better education, a more prosperous business, or a love relationship.
Accepting where we are at doesn’t mean we don’t have goals, or can’t visualize a different, presumably even more fulfilling life. It means that we recognize there are times in our life where we won’t be amazing (see above). That there are times when we’ll do the minimum to get by, because that’s all the energy we have.
That's just the way things are going to be sometimes.
It's important to accept where we are at all times, but especially during periods of extreme stress. No beating ourselves up allowed.
Recognize what helps us feel good when we’re stressed.
It seems obvious once more. But, I thought that getting beverages or coffee with a close buddy would make me feel better during these events.
Normally, I really enjoy this and find it relaxing.
Remarkably, I discovered that I was not looking forward to these gatherings. Not that those around me weren't understanding. It was only that I needed time, just me and myself, to absorb and become better. There was really nothing that the best friend in the world could give me that I could give myself at that moment.
We are all unique. Encircling oneself with friends will bring immense comfort to some of us, while devoting ourselves entirely to our work or interests will help others. There’s no right answer here. It’s a matter of paying attention to our own needs and what works for us, not what general opinion says that we need.
This is also not a time to cave to social or family obligations if we don’t find them to be nourishing. If the weekly family dinner is fun and supportive, go for it. If it seems more like a "dredging up the past" exercise, stop doing it until you feel more resilient.
When we are under stress, it is important to prioritize self-compassion in the way that feels most calming and satisfying to us. To be present in our lives, and for our loved ones, and yes, for ourselves, this self-care is imperative.
From Karma Gaia:
Improving Self-Esteem
Everyone has insecurities and experiences negative self-talk, even the most successful and happiest people. So, if it feels hard or scary to step away from a negative mindset, know you’re not alone. Self-esteem can be raised with the correct assistance.
Let's begin by learning how to give our negative ideas less weight and let them go. Using this approach, thoughts, negative self-talk, and even what others do or say begin to affect us way, way less.
Meditation is a really effective way to practice noticing thoughts without reacting to them. Whether it works with our schedules to pause and take a few deep breaths or meditate for five or 10 minutes, any amount of daily meditation can help us be less judgmental with ourselves. We are training ourselves to be gentle to our minds when we sit motionless, allow our thoughts to emerge, and then let them go. We will get more adept at observing without participating in self-critical thought as we practice more. We will feel more resilient, become more adept at distinguishing between our self-talk and our self-worth, and rediscover the confidence that has always been inside of us.
In addition to practicing meditation, the following mindful practices can help us support ourselves in our quest for higher self-esteem:
Try noting.
If we get distracted by negative self-talk (while we meditate or do anything else), the noting meditation technique helps us call it out. We stop to recognize, “Oh, I’m thinking. Oh, I’m not being so kind to myself.” This simple act gives us a sense of having dealt with it and makes it easier to let go of the distraction and return to whatever we’re doing. When we get distracted again, and we will, repeat the process of pausing, noting, and letting go.
Practice self-compassion.
Healthy self-esteem comes when we learn to be gentle toward ourselves and let go of the self-judgments and negativity that get in the way. Research shows that self-compassion is crucial for our well-being. And one study found that mindfulness can promote self-compassion. Meditating for self-compassion lets us notice the negative self-talk, acknowledge it, and let it go so we can find some ease toward ourselves. We can also engage in self-compassion in other ways — like leaving ourselves sticky-note reminders to treat ourselves with kindness, even when we make mistakes or have bad days.
Keep a journal.
While there are many different ways to journal, jotting down our thoughts can benefit our mood and self-esteem. One study showed that a 12-week “positive affect journaling” intervention (where participants wrote about a difficult experience for 15 to 20 minutes three times a week) led to reduced stress, the ability to manage anxiety and depression better, and even improved mood. When our anxiety decreases and our mood improves, we find it easier to see past our negative self-talk and treat ourselves compassionately. We can also journal by keeping daily or weekly gratitude lists. Or by making a note of our recent actions of goodwill, like supporting a family member through a difficult time or helping a coworker finish a big project.
Practice affirmation.
Especially when we’re stuck in a cycle of fault-finding, it’s helpful to practice noticing our positive qualities and all the things we’ve accomplished. Nothing is too small an achievement to make the list. “I made coffee to help me feel alert for the work day,” “I made my bed, and my room looks tidy,” or “I washed my face and put on skincare” are all wins. Try writing down a list of the things we know we’ve done. We can also write about how we’ve been good friends or used our talents. It’s a practical way to start believing our value by seeing it on paper.
From Karma Gaia:
Stop Overthinking and Start Living
“Thinking has, many a time, made me sad, darling; but doing never did in all my life….My precept is, do something, my sister, do good if you can; but at any rate, do something.” ~Elizabeth Gaskell
1. Remember that over-thinking does not lead to insight.
You want an understanding of which decision will be best. For this, you need a level of insight into what each decision will lead to. That being said, it is pointless to think about this.
For what reason? Because unless you experience something, you can never, ever know what it will be like.
School, college, moving home, getting married, ending a relationship, changing career paths. However much you imagine what these change will be like, you will be surprised by what you discover when you actually engage in these activities.
Knowing this, you can move forward with a true understanding of what would be best. Acting, therefore, leads to clarity. Thought doesn’t.
2. Know that your decision will never be final.
Over-thinking often comes from the notion that you will make a grand finale decision that will never change and must be correct.
It won’t happen. And that’s a good thing. Would you want to live through your entire future if you could forecast it with perfect accuracy?
It takes away all the flavor of life, in my opinion. You have to understand that no matter how much careful thinking you put into a decision, you can be mistaken.
True inner freedom and tranquility come from accepting that you might be mistaken and realizing that your understanding of a situation and your opinions about it will change over time.
3. Learn the reasons why over-thinking is harmful and let it motivate you.
Studies have shown rumination to be strongly linked to depression, anxiety, binge eating, binge drinking, and self-harm.
In one study, 32,827 people from 172 countries showed that life events were the largest predictors of stress, followed by family history, income and education, relationship status, and social inclusion.
The study did, however, also demonstrate that stress was only triggered by an individual's negative over-analysis of the events; those who refrained from doing so did not feel the same levels of stress or depression, "even if they'd experienced many negative events in their lives."
So, worry about your problems if you wish. So don't claim that nobody alerted you!
4. Keep active throughout the day and tire the body out.
Would you like to know one of the primary causes of your over-analysis?
You can do it because you have the time.
If one spends more time than is required thinking aimlessly, then no day will be productive. A peaceful night's sleep is ensured when one's day is spent working toward admirable objectives.
So consider daily exercise—any physical activity that raises heart rate and improves health.
Walking is exercise. Sports, Pilates, and playing with the dog are too. It need not involve preparation for the upcoming Olympics. Simply move and exhaust yourself.
From Karma Gaia:
Feel Happier Now
“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” ~Arthur Ashe
It’s frustrating, isn’t it?
You dream of a life where you have more freedom—your work nourishes your mind and soul, your home is organized, and you have ample time to exercise and eat right.
It’s not that your current situation is awful, but you long to do more of the things you love. Yet when you contemplate radical changes, your heart rate quickens, and you convince yourself it’s just not the right time.
So you keep waiting for the big moment when you can make that big change that will lead to happiness.
Well, you’re wasting your time …
Our ability to feel happier comes from inside ourselves, not from external circumstances. You don’t need to quit your job, move to an exotic location, or lose weight to be happy. You can embody happiness right now.
1. Breathe deeply.
Take a deep breath in and out ten times. Breathing deeply calms your mind, eases tension in your body, and helps you become more intuitive.
2. Use a mantra to change your mind-set.
Sha is a root word in Sanskrit that means "peace," as in "shanti." Say “sham” slowly ten to twenty times. Mantras soothe your mind and nervous system by utilizing sound, breath, and rhythm to move energy through the mind-body circuit.
3. Zone out.
Take a few moments to daydream. Your logical mind, the prefrontal cortex, is constantly planning, analyzing, and thinking about the future. Give it a rest and just be for a little while; you’ll feel refreshed.
4. Express your love.
Inform a loved one how much you value them by writing a note. Positive emotion communication boosts immunity and reduces blood pressure, bad cholesterol, and stress hormones.
5. Rejuvenate your mind.
Take a few moments to close your eyes. What do you see in the darkness of your mind’s eye? See what patterns emerge. This is a simple meditation that rejuvenates and refocuses your tired mind.
6. Explore healing aromas.
Sage, lavender, and rosemary are among the plants that can lift our spirits. Create your own natural spa. Put your favorite essential oils in a spray bottle with a little water.
7. Swap a thought.
Write down all of your good qualities and traits. When you criticize yourself, refer to this list. Keep this pattern up and you’ll transform your inner dialogue.
8. Allow yourself to be.
Regarding your current circumstance, accept all of your emotions. Whether you agree with them or not, they are real. Accepting your current situation is the first step to feeling happier.
9. Loving-kindness meditation.
Loving-kindness builds positive emotions, which increases mindfulness and purpose in life. Take a few minutes to allow yourself to be overwhelmed with love and kindness for someone.
10. Meditate.
When thoughts come, return to your breath without judging. By reducing tension and clearing your mind, deep breathing can make you feel happier.
From Karma Gaia:
FINDING INNER PEACE
The more at peace I have become, the more I want to share what I have learned, as I believe everyone deserves to feel this peace.
1. Start with your breath.
Concentrating on your breathing is an excellent method to bring yourself back to awareness when your thoughts stray.
A skilled instructor can help you perform yoga pranayama exercises, but even simpler than that, just take a moment to breathe! It has been demonstrated that taking deep, relaxing breaths can reduce anxiety and improve depression.
2. Observe your thoughts.
The mind is constantly full of thoughts. Attaching to negative thoughts creates suffering. Remember that just because you think something doesn’t mean that it’s true.
3. Remember that you are not your emotions.
Regardless if how high or low you feel, the roller-coaster of emotions you feel is not you. Beyond that, you are so much more.
Try to stop when you feel overwhelmed by emotion. Observe how your body feels. Do you have stiff shoulders? Is your breathing shallow? Return to your breathing. Breathe into the areas of your body where the emotion is expressing itself physically.
4. Stay in your present reality.
Your suffering will be lessened the more aware and in the moment you can be. A good practice for mindfulness is to do regular things differently. Using your other hand, hold your toothbrush. Drive a different route to work. Switch your knife with your fork. You get the idea!
Put an end to your worries about the past and the future! Take a breath and focus on the here and now. Always keep in mind that this too will pass.
5. Validate yourself.
Don’t look to others for validation. Everything you need is inside you. Forgive yourself for your wrongdoings. Take all the time to love yourself. If this is hard for you, take care of yourself the way you would your best friend.
I was my own worst critic and harshest judge until I began to practice self-validation and self-love.
6. Be patient and persistent.
Healing your heart won’t happen overnight. We are creatures of habit, and it takes time to break bad habits. It takes time for brain pathways to be rewritten. When you change, it takes time for your body and mind to adapt.
Take a deep breath and re-establish your connection with yourself if you feel like you've regressed. It is possible to transcend the dichotomy between the heart and the mind as long as you are awake and aware. Persistence will keep you on the right track.
I'm eager for the life that lies ahead, prepared for both highs and lows, and determined to face every circumstance head-on in the here and now.
I am opening my heart to the world, a heart that has come back together from the dust, void of past scars. Eager to breathe, eager to love, and eager to live!
From Karma Gaia:
Mindfulness For Busy People
1. Walk mindfully.
Walking is one of the most relaxing exercises in the world. However, it's all too simple to overthink a stroll and destroy it. When you stroll, take in your surroundings and use all five of your senses. As an alternative, try meditating on your leg sensations—a technique that's employed in Zen walking.
2. Eat mindfully.
Among the best things we can do for our bodies and minds is to eat with awareness. We become more conscious of the food we are consuming when we eat with awareness. This increases our likelihood of eating properly and increases our appreciation of food and the digestive process. When you eat, take your time and concentrate on the food.
3. In a queue? Meditate.
Here’s a great time-saving tip. When you’re in a queue, meditate. Why not take advantage of the fact that you could be there for several minutes while you're standing motionless and doing nothing else?
Shut your eyes, and concentrate on your breathing. If you find it uncomfortable to close your eyes in public, try staring at a wall or another unobtrusive object while paying attention to your breathing. This is an excellent method of truly utilizing time that would be lost otherwise.
4. Meditate on the bus.
My all-time favorite mindfulness exercise is this one. In an effort to reduce emissions, I take the bus frequently. My journeys take anywhere from 30 minutes to more than an hour. That’s time that would be utterly wasted. I do, however, get something out of my bus ride when I meditate.
I usually find it amusing to sit with my eyes closed and make a goofy face while doing so. However, if you would rather avoid attracting attention to yourself, merely drop your gaze to a 45-degree angle while keeping your eyes open. Go now to your breathing.
5. Exercise with body and mind.
Oftentimes when we’re exercising the body thoughts are still ruminating in the mind. Big error. Exercise has the potential to train the body as well as the intellect. When we workout, all we have to do is concentrate.
There are certain exercises that are better for this than others. Yoga, tai chi, and Qigong are all excellent mind and body exercises, and running can be another good choice. Other exercises such as weight-lifting and competitive team sports are less appropriate.
6. Actually watch the TV.
How frequently do we turn on the TV but not really watch it? When we're pondering what to make for supper or what we need to get done at work, some random show is on in the background. This causes a schism to develop between our mental experiences and reality. Furthermore, this is bad for mental health.
If you want to watch TV, give yourself at least an hour to devote to the show. Observe the show. And switch off the TV when it's finished.
7. Lie down in body and mind.
Naturally, lying down is a resting position. But all too frequently, when we lie down, our minds are still active while our bodies are rested. How many times have you worried about the following day before going to bed? These aren't true moments of relaxation, and they definitely don't help with restful sleep.
When lying down with the body, we should lie down with the mind too. To do this, focus the mind on the body. Attention to the body in rest.
Begin by focusing on the crown of your head. Notice what sensations are there. Does tension exist? If so, imagine breathing fresh air into that area. The clean air soothes. It carries away the tension.
Once the crown of your head is relaxed, move down to your forehead and repeat the process there.
Continue one step at a time, progressing through your eyes, nose, mouth, neck and so on, all the way to your feet.
Your entire body will now be utterly relaxed. Focus on it. Pay attention to your entire body. Particularly be aware of the sense of relaxation. Keep the mind there, your consciousness evenly spread across your whole body.
This is lying down in mind as well as in body. It is an immensely relaxing experience and one of the best ways of refreshing the mind.
From Karma Gaia:
Letting Go of Attachment
“Most of our troubles are due to our passionate desire for and attachment to things that we misapprehend as enduring entities.” ~Dalai Lama
If there’s one thing we all have in common, it’s that we want to feel happy; and on the other side of that coin, we want to avoid hurting. Yet we consistently put ourselves in situations that set us up for pain.
We pin our happiness to people, circumstances, and things and hold onto them for dear life. We stress about the possibility of losing them when something seems amiss. Then we often get stuck in grief when something changes—a lay off, a breakup, or a transfer.
It’s no simple undertaking to let go of attachment—not a one-time decision, like pulling off a band-aid. Instead, it’s a day-to-day, moment-to-moment commitment that involves changing the way you experience and interact with everything you instinctively want to grasp.
Accept the moment for what it is.
Don’t try to turn it into yesterday; that moment’s gone. Avoid making plans on how to prolong the situation. Simply soak up the moment and savor it, as it will soon come to an end. Nothing endures forever. Fighting that reality will only cause you pain.
Believe now is enough.
It’s true—tomorrow may not look the same as today, no matter how much you try to control it. Relationships can terminate. You may need to relocate. You'll handle those situations when they arise. All you need right now is to appreciate and enjoy what you have. It’s enough.
Friend yourself.
It will be harder to let people go when necessary if you depend on them for your sense of worth. Believe you’re worthy whether someone else tells you or not. By doing this, you are able to relate to others beyond simply how they make you feel about yourself.
Go it alone sometimes.
Invest some time in cultivating your own interests, which neither you nor anybody else can take away. Don’t let them hinge on anyone or anything other than your values and passion.
Hold lightly.
This one isn’t just about releasing attachments; it’s also about maintaining healthy relationships. You are not someone's other half, despite what romantic conceptions may suggest. You’re separate and whole. You can still hold someone to close to your heart; just remember, if you squeeze too tightly, you’ll both be suffocated.
Know you can’t change the past.
Even if you think about it over and over again. Even if you punish yourself. Even if you refuse to accept it. It’s done. Treating yourself to relief is the only way to ease your anguish over what transpired. You cannot find mental tranquility from anyone or anything else.
Love instead of fearing.
When you hold onto the past, it often has to do with fear—fear you messed up your chance at happiness, or fear you’ll never know such happiness again. Focus on what you love and you’ll create happiness instead of worrying about it.
From Karma Gaia:
Reiki Self-Healing: 7 Easy Steps For Everyone To Use
The practice of Reiki is an original method of healing developed by Mikao Usui in Japan early in the 20th century. Reiki is a natural healing energy that works on every level, not just the physical, and is understood to promote the body’s regenerative self-healing ability.
Reiki is a safe, gentle, and relaxing healing method that can be learned and used easily by anyone.
Although you can't technically practice Reiki on yourself until after completing Reiki level 1 training, you can use this seven-step Reiki self-healing practice to your benefit at home. As with any tool for transformation, growth happens in consistently showing up for the practice, so I encourage you to commit to a regular practice.
1. Support the body in a sturdy, sustainable posture
I choose a comfortable posture that supports both my body and mind in relaxation before starting my daily self-practice. I usually practice lying down or sitting cross-legged on a meditation cushion. For maximum comfort when sitting cross-legged, make sure your hips are higher than your knees. Use bolsters to support your neck and knees if you're lying down. Another option is to sit on a chair with your feet flat on the floor. Try several postures until you find one that is both stimulating and relaxing.
2. Honor your intentions
Now is a great time to salute your choice to show up and practice. Already, you've set up time, remember your routine, and gathered the courage to practice. Though sitting with your racing mind, uncomfortable physical sensations, and loud emotions can be intimidating, know that every day you show up with compassion is a day to celebrate.
3. Meditate
Next, I focus inward on my breath and pay attention to any tense or aching parts of my body. I send my awareness and breath to release. I deliberately lower my shoulders from my ears in order to reveal the core of my heart. I loosen my teeth and relax my face muscles. I keep breathing and mindfully examining my body until I feel fully present.
4. Reiki precepts
When Mikao Usui taught his pupils reiki in 1922, he developed the five reiki precepts, or principles, as a way to provide a framework for dealing with everyday situations.
I like repeating the precepts aloud multiple times in both Japanese and English as part of my ritual to maintain mental and emotional wellness. These principles typically serve as a guide for my relationships, spiritual development, health journey, and entrepreneurial endeavors:
Kyo dake wa: Today only
Ikaru na: Do not anger
Shinpai suna: Do not worry
Kansha shite: Be grateful
Gyo o hageme: Practice diligently
Hito ni shinsetsu ni: Show compassion to yourself and others
5. Call upon your guides
While this step is optional, I welcome the guidance of spirit. I usually recite a short invocation like, "I welcome the presence of my Reiki masters, teachers, healers, and guides," with my hands in the prayer posture. I am open to receiving your positive energy and advice for everyone's best interests. We are grateful for your kindness and light. Permit their intuitive presence to be perceived, sensed, or heard, regardless of how subtle or dramatic it may be.
6. Use hands-on healing
Although one must receive attunements by a Reiki master teacher in order to channel reiki, anyone can channel love and light with the power of their intentions, awareness, breath, and spiritual guides. “We all possess reiki and use it daily without knowing," says Jalpa Dhaduk Reiki master. For instance, a parent will instinctively put their hands on the child's knee and rub it when the child falls and stubs it. The parent is using the Ki (life force) energy unconsciously. The infant is absorbing and drawing in energy, while the parent is unknowingly sending and channeling it.
In the same way, you can start doing hands-on healing without an attunement. However, if you’re interested in intuitively sensing and channeling the reiki energy, I recommend taking a reiki training with attunement.
7. Give thanks
I take a moment here in my practice to give thanks to my guides, the reiki energy, and myself for co-creating in the process of reiki self-healing. I'm grateful for the path that led me to learn reiki. I gently release the practice, trusting that the life energy has been balanced for the highest alignment of my mind, body, and soul.
It is possible to practice self-healing even if you are not attuned to reiki energy, as it is constantly present within and accessible to us. Your reiki self-healing journey can start with a comfortable posture, meditation, reciting the reiki precepts, and hands-on healing. All it takes is some courage and the willingness to show up for your evolution.
From Karma Gaia:
The Stress Of PerfectionismThe moment of truth. How do you know you’re a perfectionist?
You often feel weighed down by fear of your goals not succeeding
You’re constantly looking for the ‘right’ moment to do something
You have a persistent sense of dissatisfaction with what you’ve achieved
You obsess over small mistakes that have little impact on the big picture
You neglect self-care in favor of achievements
Here are three psychological strategies to overcome perfectionism. This will allow you to take steps toward accepting the average parts of yourself, and it will help you let go of a shocking amount of hidden stress.
1.Rethink what it means to be average.
In our culture, failure is frequently defined as anything that falls short of brilliance. That’s not an exaggeration; it’s just the reality of our skewed notions of achievement that have failed to account for larger and more interconnected societies in which it’s increasingly difficult to stand out.
Despite the fact that the adjectives "average" and "mediocre" are meant to indicate the middle of the pack, we tend to associate them with negativity. Your self-worth shouldn't be correlated in the slightest if you are ordinary at something. For the most of their life, most people are average at most things. Does that mean that most people should feel bad about themselves?
You should still aim for greatness in some aspects of your life even if you accept the aspects of yourself that make you mediocre. All it means is that the desire to excel doesn’t need to be driven by the feeling that you are incomplete. It could be driven by the desire to better the community, the passion of competing with your former self, or even just the task itself in the here and now.
2. Challenge the all-or-nothing fallacy.
The black-and-white mentality, or the all-or-nothing fallacy, is directly responsible for perfectionism. For instance, when we feel that our entire worth is dependent on our accomplishments, we are compelled to make every effort to do things perfectly since any error would compromise our sense of self-worth.
We can also see this when we look for the one perfect moment to get started on something, when we put all our efforts into one project and neglect our health, and most toxically, when we try to evaluate our life against the over-generalized boxes of success or failure.
When you see this type of thinking emerge in your psyche, challenge it, and replace it with more nuanced explanations.
3.Become friends with what you don’t know.
A strong drive to control results is another essential component of perfectionism that I observed. We tend to do this in part because we are more afraid of things not turning out the way we want or expect.
In part, this is because perfectionism creates stress, and when we are stressed we start to become more susceptible to cognitive biases. For example, we may believe that if things don’t go the way we anticipate, everything will fall apart, we will lose out on opportunities, or we will be criticized by others.
Enhancing our comfort level in unfamiliar situations is one way we can combat this mindset. As with many aspects of life, there is only so much you can control—whether it's your career, finances, or relationships.
From Karma Gaia:
Building A Positive Self-Image
A positive self-image is important for mental and emotional well-being, as it can lead to greater self-confidence, self-esteem, and resilience. On the other hand, a negative self-image can contribute to feelings of inadequacy, low self-worth, and self-doubt.
As with most changes in the way we think and feel, there is no quick fix to improving self-image; however, the good news is that there are things you can do! Try the exercises below to give yourself a boost in self-image.
List 10 Things You Love About Yourself
This is a simple exercise, but one that can be very powerful.
All you need to do is list 10 things you love about yourself! Yes, this can be harder than it seems, but actively seeking out the positive in yourself will make it much easier to see yourself in a positive light.
If you reach 10 and have more to list, keep writing them down! It won’t hurt to have extra things to love about yourself, after all.
List 5 Achievements of Which You Are Proud
Writing down at least five things you're proud of may help as well. Achievement can be enormous, like winning a national tournament, or little, like passing a test.
Reminding yourself of your abilities and challenging yourself to overcome obstacles is more important than the achievement itself.
Write lengthy accounts of each accomplishment to build self-esteem.
List 3 Occasions Where You Overcame Adversity
Adversity can range from institutional and structural, like gender or racial inequality, to personal, like anxiety or despair.
Record each of these three events to remind yourself of your power, perseverance, and potential.
Repeat if you can think of more than 3 times till you run out of things to write about.
List 50 Things You Appreciate About Your Life
This is the biggest and possibly the most time- and effort-intensive, but it can change your self-esteem, perspective, and self-image.
Although gratitude is a great thing to work on experiencing more often, this list goes beyond gratitude to appreciation. Appreciating how you've benefited from wonderful things in your life makes it easy and natural to feel grateful and optimistic about yourself and your life.
Sharing appreciation is vital. Feel free to share that appreciation with those on your list, and commit to sharing your appreciation more often as you go forward. Remembering how lucky you are and how many excellent things you have in your life will help you establish and maintain a positive self-image.
If you have more than 50 ideas, keep listing until you run out!
From Karma Gaia:
Mental Habits For More Happiness, Peace & Joy
Whatever you’re going through, may these three thoughts bring you peace and help you find strength.
1. This will pass.
"You will not always feel this way," my mother used to tell me. She was correct, too. Sadness, rage, and happiness all pass.
Everything is temporary. It will pass, just like every challenging work week, grueling project, or uncomfortable visit to the in-laws. You are resilient, and you can ride this wave knowing it will wash on shore to the sandy beach eventually.
2. Expect good things.
This idea has transformed my mornings. I wake up and tell myself to expect good things for the day. Maybe this seems like a no-brainer, but it’s a far stretch from how I formerly approached life—expecting the worst and battling with anxiety and fear about going to work or accomplishing everything.
Self-talk like "Expect good things" has made it easier for me to recognize the positive aspects of my life.
I believe awareness has great power. We are more likely to intentionally search for positive things (such as the sunshine, blooming flowers, or the stranger who held the door open) if we tell ourselves to "expect good things."
Beyond noticing good things, we’re more likely to create them when we expect them to happen. Anticipation instills courage, compassion, and love in us.
Every day is a choice. Expect good things.
3. Find something to be excited about every day.
Sometimes, when I’ve been told to focus on gratitude, I feel guilty. I have a wonderful partner, family, and career, wow. However, I feel so unappreciative or ungrateful. But when I pay attention to what excites me, I feel less guilty and generally happier.
I can pay more attention to what I value and less attention to my negatives when I concentrate on what makes me happy. Again, learning, teaching, experiencing the community I’m in, spending time with the people I love.
Perhaps you're looking forward to taking a vacation. Maybe you know you can go home and walk your dog. Maybe your children bring you joy. Maybe it's a lovely day and the flowers are in bloom. There’s something that excites you in life. Your troubles will probably seem less overwhelming if you concentrate on these things.
From Karma Gaia:
Free Your Emotions: Use Writing as an outlet for letting go.
Letting go is the hardest aspect of dealing with anxiety. Even when we consciously realize that our hurt and concerns are a heavy load to bear, it can be difficult to let go. These are the things that make us feel heavy and weaken our vitality both physically and emotionally.
The enormous energy needed to protect ourselves from pain and anxiety is depleting, and so we must learn to release the fears and unburden our soul.
We must, in the words of Della Hicks-Wilson, "let the truth exist somewhere other than inside your body."
In order to create space in our bodies for joy, peace, and vitality, we must release the pain, worry, fear, trauma, shock, and shame that have been stored there.
Writing is among the best ways to let go of emotions. We give voice to our inner selves when we write. We progressively gain a deeper awareness of ourselves when we take our time, clear our minds, and slow down. We are then able to process and makes sense of what’s happening with us and around us. We get fresh insight, learn about new options, and cultivate a different mindset.
It takes bravery to write. You take a stand for yourself, own your weaknesses, and examine the dark aspects of yourself in greater detail. But the act of writing is liberating. It gives us permission to release.
By putting our fears and hurts down on paper, we can let them go without judgment or worry. We find that our journals provide a secure haven where we may release ourselves, get unstuck, and proceed. Writing allows us to let go, and letting go allows us to heal.
Here is a great video that will help you learn further how to use writing to process your emotions:
From Karma Gaia:
Stress Relief Guide
Stress is a very common experience, particularly in this fast-paced society we live in. In actuality, stress can be beneficial to some extent; without it, we probably wouldn't care about anything, be less motivated, and possibly find it difficult to get out of bed.
However, high stress is related to depression, sleep difficulties, fatigue, headaches, chronic pain, digestive problems, cardiovascular illness, and a range of other health complaints.
You can use a range of techniques depending on the circumstance to help you de-stress, improve your mood, or relieve some mental strain.
Press Pause: Our minds are often cluttered with thoughts. Towards the end of the day, this may cause us to feel mentally exhausted. Throughout the day, setting aside a few minutes to deliberately attempt to declutter your thoughts can be beneficial. It might help to focus on something you can see or hear, rather than focusing on your inner thoughts. You can attempt this as often as you'd like, and these moments can last as little as thirty seconds. You could, for example, make it your rule to do this every hour on the hour.
Relieve Muscle Tension: When we’re stressed, we often hold tension in our muscles without even realizing. Start at your feet and strain and relax your muscles for a few seconds to assist alleviate this tension. Observe the distinction between the tense and relaxed states. Exercise your legs, buttocks, stomach, back, arms, shoulders, neck, and face in a progressive manner, and take pleasure in the sensation of your muscles becoming more relaxed. You may learn how to do this with the guided muscle relaxation practice offered by Mind Ease.
Conversation: Talking to trusted others about the things you are struggling with can be a helpful way to relieve some of the pressure. Talk to a friend, lover, or member of your family as often as you can. Social engagement and support are critical for mental health. Pleasant talks with loved ones on any subject can assist to reduce anxiety, even if you're not discussing your worry.
Moments of Bliss: When we’re stressed, we often forget to enjoy the simple things in life. Try to focus on something that makes you feel happy at least once a day. It may be as easy as taking a hot shower or having your coffee in the morning. Whatever it is, make an effort to concentrate on it and savor the present.
Music: Research shows that music can be a fast and effective way to relieve stress. The study also revealed that there isn't always a single optimal kind of music for everyone, and that your personal preferences will determine what kind of music would benefit you the most. Well, even heavy metal music has its uses for those that enjoy it!
Comedy: Laughter is often a great way to shift your mood. Like music, everyone’s tastes are different. Look for anything to chuckle about, such as a nice podcast, TV show, YouTube channel, book, etc. Throughout the week, set aside some time to appreciate some humor.
Gratitude: It’s easy to focus on all the stressful and negative things in life and not notice all the nice things that happen. Try to think of something for which you are thankful every day.
Animals: Spending time with animals can be an instant stress reliever. If you own pets, make time to play, snuggle, or go on walks with them as frequently as you can; they'll love it too! If you're pet-free, consider going to a friend's house or your neighborhood dog park or cat cafe to get your fix!
From Karma Gaia:
Push Through Discomfort to Make Positive Change
“Don’t let today’s disappointments cast a shadow on tomorrow’s dreams.” ~Unknown
One of the most difficult parts of reaching your goals or making positive change is pushing through discomfort.
This is where a lot of people give up—when the process inspires all kinds of challenging feelings.
1. Identify potential challenges and decide that you can meet them.
List all the factors that could encourage you to quit. Be precise. Which compromises will be the hardest? What adjustments could put you well beyond your comfort zone?
Then pose this question to yourself: What will you gain by continuing?
2. Observe your emotions without resisting them.
Unless you have a lobotomy, you will experience rushes of emotion all throughout your life. It's critical to understand that you are not your thoughts or feelings. Beyond the apparatus that is your mind, you are real.
You can experience life as it truly is in this place, free from judgment, analysis, opinion formation, nostalgia for the past, and fear about the future.
Observe your emotions. Feel them. Recognize that these feelings are fleeting; you won't always be afraid, nervous, or suspicious.
When you stop resisting something, it’s a lot easier to let it go.
3. When your emotions get louder, challenge them with more emotions.
In The Power of Now Eckhart Tolle explores how we can quiet our persistent inner monologue and step fully into the present moment, accepting it for all it is.
The majority of enlightened individuals still alternate between viewing the mind and surrendering to it. This tells me we need a few tricks up our sleeve to get past the louder mental moments.
Change can be uncomfortable, but I understand that my actions today determine how I feel tomorrow. And I am aware that overcoming fear is worthwhile.
4. Celebrate all your minor victories.
It's easy to feel unsatisfied with big goals until we've accomplished them entirely. If you want to produce a feature film, securing the first location might seem like little more than an item on your to-do list.
However, it goes much beyond that. It's the first of many victories you will have as you pursue your dream. It serves as a testament to your incredible talent, capability, determination, and inner strength.
You'll probably keep building them up if you give yourself a lot of credit for every little accomplishment—and that's what takes you where you want to be.
5. Call yourself a liar.
Oftentimes people give up because they’ve stopped believing in the possibility of the life they want to create. They begin to reason, telling themselves that it's probably unrealistic. Alternatively, they might even deceive themselves into thinking they don't truly desire it.
“I don’t want that promotion anyway. Traveling would be excessively extensive.
There’s a small chance this is actually true, but most likely you’re bargaining with yourself so you feel have permission to quit. Declare with pride and volume, "That is untrue." Of course I can. Yes, it is what I want. I will not give up.
You have the opportunity to live the life you desire right now. The chance you've been waiting for is now here. You are the connection you’ve been hoping to make. You are the light you’ve been seeking.
So shine on. Plow ahead. Be bold. Be present.
From Karma Gaia:
7 Quick and Easy Meditation Techniques to Calm Your Anxious Mind
1. Alternate Nostril Breathing
Using your left thumb, hold your left nostril closed while taking a breath through your right nostril. Next, seal both of your right and left nostrils with your index fingers, and hold your breath. Breathe out using your left nostril only.
Breathe in via your left nostril while keeping your right nostril closed. Now close your thumb to close your left nostril, closing both of your noses, and hold your breath. Take your index finger out of your right nostril and let go of the breath.
This is one set. Complete a minimum of five sets to harmonize the left and right hemispheres of your brain, calm your nervous system, and create a sense of relaxation and ease.
2. The 100-Breaths Technique
Close your eyes. Gently pull yourself into the present moment while keeping your feet firmly planted on the floor and your back against your chair. Now start breathing through your nostrils and counting as you go, thinking “and” for every inhale, and the number for each exhale—inhale “and,” exhale “one”; inhale “and,” exhale “two.”
With every breath, feel your belly expand, and as you count yourself into a deeper state of relaxation, let your breathing begin to slow. Open your eyes, wiggle your fingers and toes, and bow your head in appreciation for the mental space you just made once you reach 100.
3. Full Body Breath Scan
First, open your tummy, take a few deep breaths through your nose, and count to five. envision a calming warm light entering your feet as you inhale, and as you exhale, envision yourself releasing any stress you may have been carrying there. Repeat this breathing exercise five times through your lips.
Continue doing this until you reach your head, then move on to your knees, shins, ankles, and so on. After you've finished scanning every part of your body, you probably feel lighter, more at ease, and calmer.
4. Lip-Touching Breathing
When aroused, your sympathetic nervous system puts you in a state of high alert—that sense of “fight-or-flight” panic that tells you there’s some sort of threat. When your parasympathetic nervous system is activated, you experience the opposite emotion: ease and relaxation.
One of the easiest ways to activate the parasympathetic nervous system is to touch your lip with two fingers, as suggested by Rick Hanson in his book Buddha's Brain.
Because parasympathetic nerve fibers are found in the lips, this is an easy way to induce calm that you can employ at any time or place. All you have to do to get the benefits is to brush your lips, take calm, deep breaths, and tell yourself, "I am safe."
5. Walking Meditation
Though you can practice this any time you’re walking, you may want to find a peaceful place to stroll, in nature. You'll feel closer to the ground if you can stroll barefoot if it's safe to do so.
Take a few deep breaths to bring in calming energy and release tension while maintaining a straight spine, relaxed shoulders, and relaxed arms.
Start walking forward gently now, and breathe in rhythm with your steps (right foot inhale, left foot exhale). Use all of your senses to fully experience where you are—the warm feeling of sun on your face, the soft sound of wind rustling leaves on trees. Being present in the walking experience is the aim, not reaching a specific location.
6. Meditative Shower
It’s easy to let go of all other thoughts when you’re standing under a stream of water, set to the perfect temperature for you.
Now is the time to become aware of your senses. Pick a soap that you adore so that the aroma is captivating. Savor the feeling of the water sliding down your back, calves, and heels as it hits your skin.
When you start thinking about the day ahead (or behind you), pay attention to it. No one is judging you or the ideas you are having. Rather, picture them disappearing, and then return your attention to the feeling of mind and body purification.
7. Chore Meditation
Whether you’re vacuuming, dusting, or washing dishes, it can be your meditation if you immerse yourself completely in the activity.
For example, doing the dishes can be gratifying and calming. As you feel the warm water on your hands, relish the feeling of cleaning something that was before unclean. Don't focus on finishing or what you're going to do after. Focus solely on the doing and see if you can find a sense of acceptance and presence in doing it slowly and well.
From Karma Gaia:
Top 6 Excuses Standing In The Way Of Your Dream…
Excuse #1: I’m not ___ enough
Not intelligent enough, not good enough, or young enough? These are not facts; they are merely limiting thoughts. When these doubts begin to creep in, catch yourself and replace them with something uplifting and reassuring about yourself.
“All I can tell you really is if you get to the point where someone is telling you that you are not great or not good enough, just follow your heart and don’t let anybody crush your dream.” ~ Patti LaBelle
Excuse #2: I don’t have the money
Determine the precise amount of money you require and devise inventive methods to acquire it. It's likely that you haven't even started writing down how much money you'll need to realize your dream. Never give up on your dream before you've given it some thought. There is always a way if there is a will.
“Don’t ever let the lack of money stop you from realizing your dreams.” ~ Wayne Dyer
Excuse #3: I don’t have time
You have the power to make time for the stuff that matters to you. It's up to you to decide if you give your dreams priority. Are you engaged in any time-wasting activities? What are you able to do more effectively? What may you delegate to a third party? Create and carve out the time—you have it.
“I intend to take time for myself to live the life that I came here to live, and to do it without ignoring my responsibilities as a parent, spouse, or employee.” ~ Wayne Dyer
Excuse #4: I’ve already started down one path, I can’t change direction
Every day you make decisions about how you live your life. Give yourself permission to change direction—no matter how much time, energy, or money you’ve already invested in another endeavor, relationship, or job. Life is all about twists and turns—be open to a new direction.
Excuse #5: I’m too scared
It's normal to be afraid of the things that most excite you. Follow your fear instead of fighting it to help you advance. Acknowledge your fear and confront it head-on. In order to feel proud of yourself, push yourself.
Excuse #6: I’m not ready yet
If you’re waiting to be perfectly ready to pursue your dream, you’ll never go for it. Everyone begins with a single, unsteady stride; don't wait for flawless execution to proceed; simply take action.
From Karma Gaia:
5 Powerful Ways to Practice Self-Love
1. Focus on being someone who loves.
It can be challenging to make the big change and go from someone who doesn't love themselves to someone who does. Just like when you’re building muscles, self-love takes consistent practice.
Put more effort into being someone who loves than loving yourself. In other words, make as much space as you can for love to pass through you. Consider the positive aspects of the people you encounter. Whether you're at the grocery store, in a meeting, or conversing with someone, concentrate on the things that you value. Find as many things to love and be grateful for as you can, and then just let your body acclimate to happy feelings.
2. Tap into what it looks and feels like to be loved.
It’s easy to be loving toward ourselves when things go as planned, when we succeed and people like us. Not so much when things go wrong, we make mistakes, or we're turned down. We also tend to be harshest on ourselves when we are struggling the most.
Consider how someone who truly loves you might behave in those circumstances. How would they respond? What would they do? What manner would they act? They probably wouldn't condemn, berate, or criticize you. They would extend acceptance, kindness, and compassion to you. If you can’t think about a specific person or memory, imagine how the most loving human on this planet would be toward you. Then try treating yourself that way.
3. Stop comparing yourself.
The love of oneself is killed by comparison. And we aren’t usually very nice when it comes to comparisons, right? Instead, we contrast our biggest shortcomings with the greatest accomplishments of others. Put simply, you're destined to fail.
Realize that you are the author of your own story instead. Understand that no matter how well you know someone, you can never truly know how they feel or view the world. As a result, you should never compare your life to theirs. Instead, spend your time and energy to nourish and build your path.
4. Take baby steps to create the life you long for.
Desires have great power. Therefore, it is an act of self-honor and self-care to take action and make those aspirations come true. You demonstrate that you are deserving of enjoying the life you want by acting on a daily basis.
It merely needs to be little, steady moves in the direction of happiness, concern, and enthusiasm. Big actions are not necessary. This shows that you value and respect yourself as well as your dreams. Has there ever been a better time to do that than now?
5. Ask your guidance system for help.
Assume that you are being guided by your emotions. When you feel good about yourself, it means that what you’re thinking is aligned with how your soul/higher self sees you. Feeling low about yourself is a warning sign that you need to shift your viewpoint.
If you think a thought such as “I am [something you don’t like about yourself],” how does that feel? Probably not the best, am I right? Then it's a cue to change your perspective. Try to swap that out for something more considerate. "I'm just so lost and confused," for instance, can be changed to "I'm doing the best I can to move forward."