Visualization Technique – Focusing On Your Goals

This is a very simple but highly effective visualization technique that involves your full imagination and all five of your senses.

Think of what you would most like to achieve — your primary goals or desires. As you think of what you would like to achieve, picture in your mind what it would be like to have already achieved that goal. Picture yourself wherever you would be, doing whatever you would be doing as you reached that goal.

Imagine every aspect of it, physical and emotional. View every moment of it in your mind. The goal is to immerse yourself in this process as completely and totally as possible.

Runner at the Finish LineFor example, if you were a runner hoping to win the Olympic Gold Medal in the 100-yard run, you would begin by imagining yourself at the starting line before the race. You would see the other runners line up beside you. You would feel the texture of the ground beneath your feet and hands as you moved into the starting position. You would go on to imagine yourself …Click here to read more about using visualization to help you achieve your goals

Using a Mandala or Image to Focus Your Mind During Meditation

mandalaThe word mandala translates to “circle”. A mandala is an image that represents, to you personally, a symbol of balance, wholeness, centeredness, and harmony. A mandala can be an excellent focusing tool for meditation.

Though we recommend keeping your eyes closed while listening to the Insight CD or MP3, you may also use a mandala for a few minutes prior to beginning your listening session in order to calm the mind and focus yourself.

Begin by finding a mandala that appeals to you. Your mandala can be any image the represents balance, wholeness, and harmony to you, but we recommend finding a mandala that incorporates visually balanced elements as well. Many beautiful mandalas may be found at the Mandala Project web site. You may also draw your own mandala on paper, in the sand, or using any other medium. The act of creating your own mandala can be a meditative experience in and of itself.

Place your mandala in a location where you will …Click here to learn more about using a mandala during meditation

Book Review: Total Relaxation

Total RelaxationTotal Relaxation by John R. Harvey, PhD, is one of the most comprehensive yet concise texts on the subject of tension and relaxation. Harvey takes the reader on a journey through every system of the body in which tension can occur. He goes into great detail about the possible causes of tension in each system, and helps the readers assess for themselves where and why their own tension resides. Most importantly, Harvey then provides detailed instructions for how to release that tension.

The layout of the book is brilliant. Each system of the body — or “level” of tension, as Harvey describes it — has its own chapter, and the following chapter contains the relaxation techniques associated with that system, or “level.” This format makes the book highly accessible for a variety of readers. A reader who is interested in learning about all the possible causes and places of tension can read the book from start to finish, gain a wealth of knowledge about how the body works with regard to producing tension, and learn how to achieve the deepest states of relaxation. Conversely, someone who already knows where his or her tension lies can go directly to the chapter containing techniques that apply to that type of tension and start relaxing. …Click here to read more about Total Relaxation

Breathing Technique: Following the Breath

The breathing technique called following the breath has been used for many years as a traditional meditation technique. It is one of the easiest breathing techniques but also one of the most effective.

Inhale, counting to four until you feel filled with breath. Hold this breath while counting to four. Be sure to keep your throat and chest relaxed.

Exhale, counting to four until the lungs are empty. Hold the exhalation while counting to four.

The pace you use to count from one to four will vary from … Click here to learn more about the Following The Breath technique

Review: Zen Alarm Clock

Zen Alarm ClockThe Zen Alarm Clock from Now & Zen makes waking up a pleasure. The clock’s progressive chime strikes gradually, slowly easing you from sleep into a waking state. This leaves you feeling more refreshed and alert, and also helps significantly with dream recall.

The Zen Alarm Clock uses a resonating chime reminiscent of Tibetan bells. The alarm is progressive, beginning with only a single chime. A few minutes later, the chime strikes again. The interval between chimes gradually decreases. As the minutes pass, the chimes become more frequent, until they ultimately begin to sound every five seconds.

The benefits of waking up gradually are numerous. Rather than being jolted awake, as is common with a more traditional alarm clock, you are …Click here to read more about how a Zen Alarm Clock can help you wake up feeling more refreshed

Using a Mantra for Meditation

Using a mantra is a quick and simple way to calm the mind while meditating. The mantra may be a phrase or word with personal or spiritual significance, or may be a word, sound, or syllable that has no meaning and therefore provides no mental associations. The choice is entirely up to you.

Begin by selecting a word, phrase, or sound to use as your mantra. It can be helpful to use the same mantra for a period of time, such as a month or longer. If you do not have a word or sound that holds special meaning for you, a simple mantra such as “Peace” or “Om” (or “Aum”) can be very effective.

You may speak your mantra out loud, or you may say it to yourself mentally instead. Keep your mind calm and relaxed, and say your mantra slowly as you exhale. You may also chant the mantra if you prefer.

Continue speaking, thinking, or chanting your mantra for five to ten minutes to calm and focus your mind while meditating.

Breathing Technique: Flowing Breath

This breathing technique is a very relaxing method and can be used as a quick stress reliever or for deepening your meditative state.

Sit comfortably in a chair or on the floor. Place your right hand over your heart, and place your left hand over your abdomen, just below your belly button. Rest your hands lightly, not firmly. You may reverse the position of your hands if you prefer.

Take a slow deep breath and concentrating on feeling the breath entering and filling you as you inhale. First, feel your right hand over your heart, rising as your …Click here to learn more about the Flowing Breath relaxation technique

Review: Luminous Dimensions DVD

Luminous DimensionsLuminous Dimensions is a unique presentation combining stunning visuals with beautifully relaxing music. The animation by Michael DuBois is deeply meditative and is light-years beyond other animation videos we’ve encountered in the past. Combine wonderfully hypnotizing visuals with the soothing sounds of ambient music composed by Jeff Pearce and you have the perfect mix.

We encountered the Luminous Dimensions DVD more than a year ago. It immediately made it onto our Recommended Books & Videos list, and rightfully so. Luminous Dimensions is a blissful journey we feel you’ll thoroughly enjoy. The DVD is a fantastic tool for relaxation, meditation, pain management, or shamanic journeying.

The music is delightful and has a very peaceful, calming effect. You may even want to leave the music playing in the background as you read, work, or do yoga, though we find the animation equally hard to resist! If you play the DVD for background music and happen to walk by the television, you may very likely find yourself entranced by the amazing eye candy this DVD offers.

The Luminous Dimensions DVD is available through Amazon.com and through the Numinations web site.

Affirmations for Personal Growth

Affirmations can have a significant impact on personal devleopment and improvement. Best of all, they’re easy to use and easy to tailor to your own needs and goals.

Make a list of five to ten phrases or short sentences related to areas of your life you wish to improve. Keep each phrase positive and in the present tense. For example, try to word your affirmations using phrases that begin with “I am”, such as “I am overflowing with creativity” or “I am healthy and full of energy.”

Avoid using phrases that contain the negative words “not” or “won’t”. Instead of phrasing an affirmation using negative wording like “I won’t eat foods that are bad for me”, try using positive present-tense phrases like “I eat healthy foods and feel energized.”

Write down your affirmations and try to …Click here to learn more about creating affirmations for personal growth

Breathing Technique: Alternate Nostril Breathing

Alternate nostril breathing has a very balancing effect, and also has been shown to increase whole brain synchronization. The technique has been used by meditators around the world for centuries.

Seat yourself in a comfortable position. The alternate nostril breathing technique works best when performed while sitting upright rather than lying down.

Using the thumb of your right hand, put pressure on the outside of your nose to close the right nostril. Inhale through the left nostril, counting to four.

Release the pressure on the right nostril and, at the same time, use your …Click here to read more about the alternate nostril breathing technique

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