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GOD IS MY GUIDE
'Dear God, thank you for healing my life. I open myself up to receive the love and the guidance that you give me, so that I might be an example of peace, truth and unconditional love for my family and the world around me.' I said variations of...
Journey into the Self - Chakra's
As you are sitting here reading this allow your awareness to turn inwards into yourself. Become aware of the subtle energy centres in the body and your connection to Mother Earth beneath your feet. Reach up to the stars with your feelings and...
Mastering Mindfulness: A Thinker's Ode to Meditation
I'm lucky.
When I was fifteen, I was the sole survivor in one of those horrific car accidents involving a bunch of teens, lots of alcohol, and late-night fast driving. While the driver and other passengers were killed instantly when our car...
Meditation: A Beginner's Guide
Meditation: A Beginner's Guide by Christin Snyder *The material presented in this article is provided for information purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or prevent any illness. In my article “Self-Healing Basics” I briefly discussed...
The Stress Test
Stress happens. It’s a normal part of our daily lives. But it is how we react to and manage stress that affects the toll that stress will take on our lives. Overwhelming amounts of stress can lead to back pain, headaches, raised blood pressure,...
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Mindfulness and Depression: Things Are Looking Up
From yoga studios to cancer clinics, from preschools to college campuses, mindfulness is quite the buzz. Law schools are offering courses in mindfulness as a tool to help in mediation, and business consultants are pouncing on mindfulness as the latest surefire path to better client relationships and higher sales figures.
I find all this interest in mindfulness quite thrilling. It's fun to see people looking at ways to pay attention at work as well as at play. Of course, most of the approaches focus squarely on meditation and its role in providing clarity in a variety of settings. The higher the stakes, the more it seems that meditation is considered the only right path to mindfulness, and the most dire circumstances seem to encourage the most brow-furrowing effort. It would appear that serious problems require serious solutions.
I beg to differ.
Sometimes the lightest approach is the one that lifts those who are in the deepest pit of despair. Those suffering from severe depression have the most to gain from mindfulness, and there is no reason to believe that meditation is the only way to get there.
There's tremendous power in levity, and because I'm an evangelist (evangelista?) when it comes to playing with mindfulness, it's not too surprising that people assume I shy away from anything too deep.
Au contraire. Mindfulness saves lives. I've seen it happen again and again. I offer it, lovingly and lightly, on a silver platter to those who are facing the toughest fight of their lives--finding a reason to live.
Mindfulness is a tool for living that provides what I affectionately refer to as the "p-word"--perspective. Without meditating, without once mentioning the Buddha, without ever coming across as a counselor or coach (I'm neither),
it's possible to encourage those who are suffering to step back and see even the most desperate plight as a temporary, useful period prior to enormous growth.
There's something freeing about staring death in the face. Our natural tendency is to tiptoe around those who are suffering, but when you can't even imagine ever smiling again, there's nothing more welcome than a nearly-pee-your-pants belly laugh.
If you're sitting at the bottom of a well, another weight around your neck isn't going to help. You need to look up, to feel light, to rise up and climb out of your dark hole. When you've lost all hope, laughter lifts you up and mindfulness helps you see your way to the top.
Seems like a perfect combination to me.
I love the fact that mindfulness-based techniques have been developed to help those suffering from anxiety and depression. I only wish they incorporated a healthy dollop of humor at a time when it is sorely needed and remarkably healing.
Finding hilarity in your failed suicide attempt? Now that's a sure sign of climbing out of that well. I've held hands and laughed with others during their "I'm such a loser I can't even kill myself right!" talks. With humor, warmth, and gentle guidance, we can use mindfulness to plant the seed of gratitude that grows into joy.
In the face of despair, mindfulness and laughter are a breath of fresh air.
Breathe deeply.
About the Author
Maya Talisman Frost is a mind masseuse offering specialized mindfulness training in Portland, Oregon. She lost two brothers to suicide and transformed her own severe depression into joy and wisdom. Her work has inspired thinkers in over 100 countries. To subscribe to her free weekly ezine, the Friday Mind Massage, please visit http://www.massageyourmind.com.
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Learning Meditation Home Page |
Introduction to the basics of meditation and the reduction of stress. |
www.learningmeditation.com |
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Meditation Room |
Choose freely and feel free to perform more than one meditation. ... Allow some time for your meditation. These meditations last from 3 - 10 minutes. ... |
www.learningmeditation.com |
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Meditation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
An introduction to different traditions, forms, techniques, and benefits. Includes links to other resources. |
en.wikipedia.org |
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World Wide Online Meditation Center |
Contains colorful, clear, concise meditation instruction on a variety of meditation methods from various spiritual teachings, plus tranquil meditation tapes ... |
www.meditationcenter.com |
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The Transcendental Meditation (TM) Program - Official website. How ... |
Meditation validated by over 600 scientific studies. The best meditation against stress. Online video! Personal instruction and lifetime follow-up. |
www.tm.org |
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Vipassana Meditation Website |
Homepage of the organization which offers Vipassana Meditation courses as taught by SN Goenka. |
www.dhamma.org |
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Welcome to Meditation Mount |
Meditation training programs and group meditation as a service to humanity. Worldwide organization based in Ojai, California. |
www.meditation.com |
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Guided meditations on mindfulness, peace, the 23rd Psalm, the way ... |
Come into the present moment with this 10-minute mindfulness meditation narrated by ... Experience a flow of positive energy with this meditation on peace ... |
www.beliefnet.com |
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Meditation Station Presented By The Meditation Society Of America |
Meditation Society of America's web site. Dedicated to sharing meditation techniques and concepts from all traditions. |
www.meditationsociety.com |
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Wildmind | Learn Meditation Online |
Wildmind provides a complete guide to simple meditation techniques. |
www.wildmind.org |
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Meditation |
An article By Dr Tom J. Chalko explaining the process and stressing the need for a spiritual teacher. |
www.thiaoouba.com |
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Free Learn to Meditate, online meditation - Meditation Australia. |
Details of activities, events, and classes in Wollongong University, Australia. Also offer a free online Meditation course. |
meditation.org.au |
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Meditation, Home, what is meditation, types of meditation ... |
Meditation Meditation is an alternative therapy. It can be broadly classified under the mind-body medicine. More and more doctors are prescribing meditation ... |
1stholistic.com |
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Sivananda Yoga - Meditation |
Introduction to the Official Web site of the Internationa Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers. Lots of information on Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga, ... |
www.sivananda.org |
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Stress Reducers: Articles index |
yellow arrow button, Choose a Virtual Meditation Slide Show for Your ... yellow arrow button, Meditation and Relaxation: 20 Minutes A Day Can Make A ... |
www.selfhelpmagazine.com |
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Zen Mountain Monastery: Zen Meditation Instructions |
Detailed instructions from Zen Mountain Monastery on how to practice Zen meditation. |
www.mro.org |
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Meditation and concentration |
meditation concentration ability. ... Online fire meditation use it and develop concentration ability; Online flash meditation look at the screen and ajust ... |
www.ababasoft.com |
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Siddha Yoga path - Gurumayi - Swami Muktananda founder |
Under the guidance and teachings of Gurumayi Chidvilasananda, Siddha Yoga meditation students embrace the spiritual practices of yoga. |
www.siddhayoga.org |
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Meditation Handbook |
Survey of seven meditation techniques for beginners. |
home.att.net |
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Healing Music|Meditation Music|Self Help products |
Healing Products offers healing music for your Mind, Body & Soul at low prices. Use sound and music to heal and relax. |
www.healingproducts.com |
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