How to Reduce Stress Through Meditation

Cactus
Courtesy of Fontplay.com

Our thoughts barely cease to give us the much needed rest or freedom from daily stress.  Even at night when we sleep, many of us don’t rest peacefully, but our minds continue the cycle of busying our thought process with more things we need to do for the days ahead.  This increases stress, but how can we stop the endless cycle and get proper rest?  

I have found that meditation is a powerful tool not only used for relaxation, but it liberates the mind with profound freedom.  Over the years it has helped to calm and release me from the build-up of negative and harmful stress.  In addition, it has aided me with peace during the most adverse periods in my life. 

No human is stress free, yet there are different types of stress that if left unchecked can wreak havoc on our minds and physical bodies.  This is when severe stress turns into disease.  Diet, exercise and being active is part of the process to keep stress down.  Another distinct way is through meditation.  By quieting the mind, one can see things more clearly and make rational decisions when confronted with adversity.  To get the best results, meditate daily for at least fifteen minutes. 

Meditation, a simple technique

Find a quiet place, light a candle if you prefer.  Close your eyes and concentrate on the spot between your eyebrows.  Don’t strain the eyes, but relax and gaze softly.

Relax your gaze and concentrate on your breath.  Breathe in to the count of eight (or any number), hold to the count of eight and exhale to the count of eight.  By doing this you are controlling the breath.  Now you are on your way to calming your body and mind. 

Many thoughts will come, but don’t get attached and just let them go.  Things will come up and make you feel as if you have to rush or leave from meditation—this is the ego.   Ignore all fearful and negative thoughts.

By doing this daily, liberation from the mind’s negative and busy thoughts will follow.   Soon you will start to go about your life in a more calm way and incredible awareness will flourish.   

All the Best, 

Bev

Mind, the Creator

Courtesy
of
We for Animals

Almost everyone I know is experiencing a difficult time presently.   It seems since 2011 arrived everything has become more challenging and many are struggling to find work and pay their bills.  On top of this stress is another issue—health.   No matter how testing life may become, we need to realize that we will eventually get through the challenging periods.

Apart from a good diet, exercise and keeping our physical bodies healthy, there is another technique we can do to alleviate mental strain and worry.  Whether with health, unemployment or other major stress in life, we can envision a positive outcome.  

Often, when I am struggling with adversity, I envision myself coming out of it.  I’ll sit in a quiet place, close my eyes, concentrate and then visualize.  First, I realize my present situation and then envision myself in the near future having come through the difficult time.   It’s important to do this daily and add a positive outcome when envisioning yourself through to the result.  By creating positive thoughts now, we are able to set into motion the positive events for our future.  Our mental state creates our emotional and physical state.  

Courtesy of
We for Animals

Bev

How to Recognize Symbols in Dreams

White Dove

Courtesy of White Doves

Signs, people and words that randomly show up in our lives are not without reason.  If we listen and pay attention they can lift us from our pain.  This requires believing that we are not alone in our suffering. 

Sometimes a sign can show up more than twice in a day such as the white dove that I saw sitting on the roof of my house yesterday.  Later that evening at dusk, I saw it fly into a nest in the tree outside my front window.  I was astonished that such a rare dove lived so nearby, yet grateful I was able to see it.  What am I to learn from the dove’s presence?  Is there a message for me?

When the same person, image or word shows up more than three times, be advised something greater is seriously trying to get our attention.  These are not accidental occurrences, but occasions for us to listen and gather information.  Each image, sign or person is especially designed for our own beliefs.

As for the white dove—it is a symbol and messenger of love and peace, which dates as far back as the early Egyptian period.   Believe that no matter how difficult the situations are in our lives—we will get through them.

Hypnosis

a brief overview of its origin

Sonoran Desert

Since hypnosis has more than likely been around before recorded history, I wanted to start my first blog with a brief history of its origins of when it first came into the scientific community.

Franz Mesmer is credited with the  discovery of hypnosis in France in the mid 1700’s.  His ideas lead to the concept of mezmerization and that pertaining to an altered state.  Although spiritualists from time immemorial have used altered states of consciousness to reach enlightenment,  Mesmer brought the concept of mesmerization into the scientific community.  Mesmer was not looked upon favorably by Scientists at the Royal Academy of France until after his death for his discovery.

James Braid evolved Mesmer’s concepts and began the phrase “hypnosis” in 1842.  Braid used hypnosis to treat psychological and physical conditions in his private practice.  Hypnosis as anesthesia was used in India for surgeries during the mid to late 1800’s.  Field doctors also used hypnosis as a form of anesthesia on the wounded from 1861-65 during the American Civil War.  The hypodermic needle eventually replaced hypnosis as a form of pain management.  Hypnosis has evolved over the centuries and is used more today as a natural therapy.