Monday, August 29, 2005
Thursday, August 25, 2005
an easy breathing exercise
source: Dr. Weil's weekly bulletin
Want To Reduce Stress? Do What Comes Naturally!
Busy schedules, too many errands, and high expectations we place on ourselves (and on others) can create internal stress and anxiety. If you are looking for a useful, always-available and free tool for achieving a relaxed and clear state of mind, try breathing exercises. Practicing regular, mindful breathing can be calming and energizing and can even help with stress-related health problems ranging from panic attacks to digestive disorders.
Breath counting is one way to get in tune with your breathing. A simple technique much used in Zen practice, breath counting can help to lower stress and promote relaxation. Start by doing this in a quiet room - sit in a comfortable position with the spine straight and head inclined slightly forward. Gently close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Then let the breath come naturally without trying to influence it. Ideally it will be quiet and slow, but depth and rhythm may vary. To begin the exercise, count "one" to yourself as you exhale. The next time you exhale, count "two," and so on up to "five." Then begin a new cycle, counting "one" on the next exhalation. Never count higher than "five," and count only when you exhale. You will know your attention has wandered when you find yourself up to "eight," "12," even "19."
Try to do 10 minutes of this breathing form of meditation every day. You will see and feel the results in many aspects of your life!
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
the image in the mirror
A body is standing in front of a mirror. It's impossible for the image on the mirror to understand, comprehend, experience or have any idea of what the body is.
We the image of God with our mind and intellect are incapable of understanding or experiencing God. We have to transcend our mind and intellect, let go our "I'ness", let go our likes and dislikes, beliefs, assumptions, conclusions, and concepts to reach the state of equinimity where we are empty of our attachments and fears, only then Grace will fill us.
Paraphrased from a lecture by Shibendu Lahiri
http://www.kriyayogalahiri.com
Monday, August 22, 2005
Darshan
dictionary meaning of Darshan:
- Darshan or Drshn means Seeing, derived from drush, to see.
- Darshan is a Sanskrit term meaning sight or a glimpse of the divine.
- To have a glimpse of something divine and sacred, eg God, Guru. To see, to have the manifestation of God.
Guru Darshan:
Mere seeing of Guru or a sant (saint) does not help seeker's quest. Guru's Darshan's is Guru's Wisdom (Gyan). To hear and understand the teachings of Guru is the real Darshan. The only way to benefit from Darshan is to follow the teachings. God resides in saint's heart, we can connect with God by listening and following sant's Shabad or Bani (teachings). His Shabad is the manifestation of God in the form of Wisdom (Gyan Roop).
- Paraphrased from lectures of Prof. Darshan Singh on Gurbani
http://www.ggsacademy.com
God's Darshan:
God is invisible and limitless, He cannot be seen with our eyes. When we have the Wisdom and Blessing of seeing God in everyone and in everything - that's God's Darshan.
On Darshan:
Article on Divine Darshan on Gurbani.org
Sunday, August 14, 2005
His gifts
Nothing belongs to us, whatever we have is His. Everything is a gift from Him, He can take it back anytime. The only way we can pay back to Him for all these gifts is to live according to His Will.
From a lecture by Prof. Darshan Singh on Sukhmani Sahib (a section of Sri Guru Granth Sahib).
http://www.ggsacademy.com
Saturday, August 13, 2005
the nature of water
There was a school of fish who wanted to find out what water was.
So they went to a wise fish.
"You're in it!" he said.
"It is above you and beneath you.
To the left and to the right.
It is within you and without.
You live, and move and have your being in it."
They thanked him, and swam away.
Then they all got together and decided that they still didn't know what water was!
Yogacharya often told this Fish Story explaining how the nature of water is like nature of God.
-- Clear Light Commmunity News
http://www.goldenlotus.org
Monday, August 01, 2005
Monthly Intention - August 2005
August Inspiration: Jacob M. Braude once said, "Consider how hard it is to change yourself, and you'll understand what little chance you have of changing others." In many ways this humorous yet sobering statement leads us into the next point which is, a person or group cannot change all the while staying the same. In other words, if different actions are not being taken, if things are not consistently occurring differently, if the same old problems crop right back up, change has not taken place. Talk doesn't cook rice.
August Question for Reflection: If you were given $500,000 to advance your favorite charity (as many or as few as you decide), what would you do with money? Be creative. You could pay your living expenses while volunteering full-time for a cause you believe in; you could put on a fundraising event in your neighborhood; maybe you would put together a nonprofit organization for your favorite cause. There are so many options! Now that you're thinking big, what can you with the resources you have?
This month we have an intention from Betty Kay: Be aware of the subtle messages and "feelings" that have no verbal or concrete meaning attached, and follow the leads by acting on them. I intend to trust the greater connections of consciousness and be less attached to "knowing exactly what everything means" before I decide to respond.
-- The institute of Noetic Sciences
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