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Optimum Fitness for Middle Age - Part 2
With all exercise programs mentioned in this section, and part one, you should exercise smart, not hard, and you should never push any joint to lock out. By exercising for longevity you want to maintain your body, prevent injury, and take care of...
Scientific research on Transcendental Meditation (TM)
Scientific research has shown that the most beneficial meditation technique is Transcendental Meditation (TM). The striking reduction of stress and anxiety caused by TM are 3 times greater than the effect caused by most meditation and relaxation...
Two Keys to REDUCE STRESS
What symptoms do you exhibit when stressed? How do they show up
for you? Often stress shows up in a wide variety of ways...
physical, mental and emotional. * Pysical signs are headaches,
muscle tension, upset stomach, restless sleep,...
Why Balancing Your Polarity Can Make Life Better
Driven by cultural imperatives and inner promptings, we drive ourselves into a frenzy of action day after day. The urgency of what needs to be done and the limited time we have to do it excites us to become excessive in our activity. ...
Yoga Clothes for Comfort, Functionality – and Let’s Not Leave Out Fun!
Yoga clothes should be comfortable and functional. They should allow you to move freely and not distract you from your practice. They should feel good against your skin so they don’t cause any irritation. Ideally, the clothing should be absorbent...
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Mindfulness: You're Soaking In It!
Looking for a bit more mindfulness in your daily life? Relax. You're soaking in it!
Perhaps you remember Madge the Manicurist, a television commercial character who commiserates with her clients about their chapped hands. While she is filing the nails of one hand, she conspiratorially confides that her client is actually soaking her other hand in Palmolive dishwashing liquid. After all, "It softens hands while you do the dishes."
It was a memorable pitch--good visual, element of surprise, great what-it-will-do-for-you line. That commercial, in several variations, ran for nearly thirty years. Jan Miner, the actress who played Madge, died earlier this year at the age of 86, but her persona lives on.
Softening hands is nice, but here's a better idea. How about softening our hearts while we do the dishes?
Seriously. There's not a lot of multitasking you can do when you're elbow-deep in suds. Singing works, though your dance moves are a bit limited. You could talk on your hands-free wireless phone, but let's hope you can disconnect for the few minutes it takes to clean up after a meal.
Given free rein, our minds tend to go into worry mode. We're likely to spin our stories, get locked into our beliefs, or ponder our personal list of things to do.
What if we got intentional about that time spent at the sink? Take advantage of the task and use those soapy bubbles as a trigger to be mindful.
Here's how to do it: 1) Whenever you touch your bottle of Palmolive (or any other brand) dishwashing liquid, simply say to yourself, "Soften your heart." 2) Before you can soften your heart, you've got
to cleanse it of anger, frustration, or resistance. So, when you squirt that first blob of colorful liquid soap, say "Cleanse." 3) As you wipe your dishes, swab your glasses, and scrub your pans, focus on the act of each stroke, every circular caress, and the repetitive and rhythmic series of motions. Scrub, rinse, drain, repeat. 4) Visualize the scouring of your heart, scrubbing the crusty residue of your overcooked stew of negative emotions and thoughts. Watch as your heart becomes pure again, sparkling clean and ready for the world. We often get stuck in thinking that mindfulness is something we can develop only if we sit in meditation on a regular basis. Meditation is powerful, but so is the purposeful awareness cultivated in the most mundane moments throughout the day.
You won't miss the thoughts you would've had while doing dishes, but you will definitely benefit from the focused attention on your heart and this remarkably simple way to restore equilibrium.
Madge the Manicurist encouraged us to soak in order to soften. By taking it one step further, you can ease into your dishwashing task with intention and emerge with a sense of lightness--as well as gleaming dishes.
Think of it as mindful multitasking, and scrub your way to a more balanced day.
Pass the sponge.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Maya Talisman Frost is a mind masseuse offering specialized mindfulness training in Portland, Oregon. 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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