ADAPTING TO CHANGE:

Adapting to change as I mention most weeks is about the fear of a ‘What If’ moment. As we know a WHAT IF is an ILLUSION, so what you are fearing is only an illusion. Most fear is about WHAT IF’s. If we could only see how peculiar that fear actually is, we may have a route to overcome it.

Another strong factor in amplifying fear is the tone in which we describe it. If you immediately respond to a situation and call it a problem, then sub-consciously you are dealing with a difficult situation. If you change that habit from calling something a problem to calling it a challenge, then life is sweeter as you can fire yourself up easier to deal with a challenge.

Today’s material is more of an excerpt from a book or a speech. The author is unknown, so it is difficult to attribute it to a particular occasion, but the words are strong enough to get the message across.

END YOUR DIFFICULTIES

Will today be a difficult day for you?

That depends on whether or not you decide to make it one. Just about anything can be difficult when you make the active decision to consider it so.

We often assume that things such as focused effort, discipline, commitment, and persistence are difficult, and as such are to be avoided if at all possible. Yet that is just an opinion. When you think about it, “difficult” and “easy” are very arbitrary terms. Thinking of something as difficult, just makes it that much more difficult.

So what’s the purpose of it?

Imagine what would happen if instead of thinking, “This is hard work and I can just barely tolerate it,” you thought “This is necessary work and I’m thankful that I’m able to do it.”

Making judgments about whether something is difficult or easy doesn’t contribute anything to the level of accomplishment. Stop categorizing tasks as difficult and you’ll no longer have to do anything difficult.

Just do what needs to be done and truly enjoy the fulfilling road to achievement.

(Unknown Author)

QUOTE: “Nothing is a waste of time if your experience wisely.” (Rodin)

Andy Bolton

Adapting to Change

Jim Rohn - an amazing speaker. He has so many attributes that words cannot easily explain, but one thing for sure is that his explanations of developing the SELF have astonishing results.

His uncanny approach is unlike other mentors, but the stories and beliefs he has ring true. Wisdom and Philosophy can have unwritten rules, but when a TRUTH is spoken you KNOW of its clarity. Jim Rohn tends to give many moments of KNOWING.

Please enjoy these few moments:

I hope you enjoyed Jim Rohn - please stay around and visit more stories and videos on this site.

Jim Rohn

Andy Bolton Wisdom and Philosophy

I have found that a GOOD PHILOSOPHY will reap more dividends than relying on any other eventuality.

Your PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY is paramount … you should police this yourself with a strong will. My early mentor JIM ROHN speaks in this video about Personal Development … Rather than describe further allow Jim to explain the process.

I hope you enjoyed the video, there will be more of Jim in the weeks to come.

Personal Philosophy

Andy Bolton

Phil Booker, Philosopher of Life

Five percent of people choose to reason when resolving a problem, twenty percent go into deep thought, twenty five percent think they think, forty percent try to think, ten percent would rather die than think. But it is the five percent that change the world.
- Phil Booker, Philosopher of Life

Courtesy: quotes-world.com

A quote of mine I found on a quotation site … Wow! Does than mean I am now a recognised philosopher?!

I think not … as a claim is not worthy. I will continue to leads by example

SELF DEVELOPMENT:

Practice Makes Perfect! If we were an artist or an athlete, we could not expect to reach the top of our profession without practicing.

To introduce good habits we need to practice them. As a consequence we become better with practice.

This suggestion is nothing new, but we don’t always apply these principles to our own life. We may apply it with reference to education from school, college or our workplace, but rarely will we practice to self develop the aspects of our mind related to the growth and development of wisdom.

photo courtesy of: martonhouse.files.wordpress.com

The very fact that you are reading this would suggest you are aiming to put that very observation and possible frailty correct. However we must not tap ourselves on the back just yet.

QUOTE: “Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”

(Dr. Martin Luther King Jnr).

An athlete would see the results of practice in the next race he ran. An artist would see the benefits in the next sale of his painting. A person who practices wisdom cannot see the results so readily. Yet be assured the value is enormous.

The lady in the next story had a belief, a faith and a determination that her perseverance would benefit her personally.

If you believe you will benefit from greater wisdom remember this story…

DEPEND ON MIRACLES

One Sunday morning I heard my minister say if you want result from prayer, pray for thirty days without ceasing. I didn’t know why it was thirty days, but I was willing to give it a try. The following became my daily prayer:

I am available, Lord, to be used by You each day. Guide me, precious Lord, and lead me in what I say and do. May my words and actions be a witness that You are living in me. To the one that is lonely, may I be a friend. To those with heavy burdens, help me to meet their needs. Lord, I do not want fame or fortune. My prayer is that You will use me to glorify your name. I know I don’t have much to offer, but I will give You my all. Guide me to be what You want me to be. Amen

On the twenty-first day of this prayer, CPR took on a new meaning for me. I was working an extremely busy twelve-hour night shift in Labour and Delivery. I had just sat down for my first break when a phone call came from my friend working in the Emergency Room. I barely recognized her urgent voice. An eighteen-year-old boy had been brought to the ER for alcohol and drug overdose. The young man was very close to death and they had done all they could do to help him. The father of this boy was requesting a priest or minister and they were having difficulty locating one that could come to the ER quickly. My friend stated, “We know you’re a Christian and we need you to come and try to comfort this father. Please help.”

Reluctantly, I said I would come down. As I waited for the elevator my thoughts became very judgmental and frustration welled up inside me. Then I remembered the prayer I’d been praying. I walked into the ER and approached the father. Taking his hand, I silently led him to the chapel. Before I could even say, “I am not a minister,” this six-foot, two-hundred-twenty-pound man sank into the chair and became a broken hearted child.

Through his non-stop sobbing he spoke, “Christian, pray for Raymond. I remember the first time I held my boy. I felt so proud and I just kept saying, ‘I have a son.’ As the years passed those tiny feet became bigger and walked away from his family’s love and entered a strange, hardened, and destructive world. Tonight, too much alcohol and an overdose of drugs are taking his life.

It’s as though he wants to rebel against everything his family stood for. He knew what he was doing was wrong. Sometimes he seemed so afraid, but he wouldn’t stop. Now it is too late. Christian, you have to pray for Raymond.”
Those large hands trembled in mine and as I looked into his eyes, I mourned with him. Silence fell between us, as I searched for the words that would comfort this crumbling tower of a man. I felt so inadequate. I wanted to scream,
“Lord it has only been twenty-one days since I began that prayer! I am not ready for this!”

Time was running out and I knew I couldn’t stall any longer. I clutched his hands, now wet with tears, and began to pray. The words came easy, much to my surprise.

I finished praying with him and went to Raymond’s bedside. I took his cold, lifeless hand and once again began to pray. “Lord I am asking for a miracle and I know You can do it.”

I stayed with them both until Raymond was taken to Intensive Care. I visited Raymond on a daily basis and continued to pray for him. Eight days passed with little improvement. On the ninth day I entered the ICU and a miracle had taken place. Raymond was awake and talking with his father. CPR had taken on a new meaning for me: “Christian Pray for Raymond”. As I left the ICU with tears falling down my face, I realized, today is the 30th day of my prayer.

Now I not only believe in miracles, I depend on them.

(Author Unknown).

QUOTE: “A strong positive mental attitude will create more miracles than any wonder drug.”

(Patricia Neal).

SOLVING PROBLEMS:

Part of the battle in life is to control our attitude, if we take the aspects of both Self-Esteem and Motivation we find that both are more readily improved by working amongst a team.

Poor self-esteem when shared amongst a team of friends will be eliminated and made brighter and stronger from all of the support within the team.

Motivation works on a similar thread; when you are part of a team your determination is doubled, when you may have given in working the job solo, the group enthusiasm encourages your dogged effort to continue.

Once you have experienced the benefits of being part of a team you will find an urge to do so more often.

This could become an answer for people who struggle with projects whereupon their pride prevents them from asking for help and the job takes five times as long. Your energy is sapped; if only you could encourage a few friends and work as a team on the same project.

I have heard recently of a ‘Decorating Party’. The idea is based around a desperate need to re-decorate a house for the arrival of a new born. A deadline was looming, so a team of friends were invited around to decorate with a glorious meal and an abundance of wine to conclude the session.

Today’s story is about the beauty of working as a team and how more efficient the task can be if shared amongst the other members.

DO AS THE GEESE DO!

In the fall when you see geese heading south for the winter flying along in the “V” formation, you might be interested in knowing what science has discovered about why they fly that way. It has been learned that as each bird flaps its wings, it creates uplift for the bird immediately following. By flying in a “V” formation, the whole flock adds at least 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own.

People who are part of a team and share a common direction get where they are going quicker and easier because they are travelling on the trust of one another and lift each other up along the way. Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go through it alone and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the power of the flock.

If we have as much sense as a goose, we will stay in formation and share information with those who are headed the same way that we are going.

When the lead goose gets tired, he rotates back in the wing and another goose takes over. It pays to share leadership and take turns doing hard jobs. The geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep their speed.

Words of support and inspiration help energize those on the front line, helping them to keep pace in spite of the day-to-day pressures and fatigue. It is important that our honking be encouraging. Otherwise it’s just - well honking!

Finally, when a goose gets sick or is wounded by a gunshot and falls out, two geese fall out of the formation and follow the injured one down to help and protect him. They stay with him until he is either able to fly or until he is dead and then they launch out with another formation to catch up with their group.

When one of us is down, it’s up to the others to stand by us in our time of trouble. If we have the sense of a goose, we will stand by each other when things get rough. We will stay in formation with those headed where we want to go.

The next time you see a formation of geese, remember….

IT IS A REWARD, A CHALLENGE AND A PRIVILEGE to be a contributing member of a TEAM.

(Namrata V. Rao)

QUOTE: “Remember it isn’t how many times you fall, its how many times you stand up again that counts.”

(Unknown Author)

Shoboshobo I noticed this piece (pasted below) on the cause of anxiety in the opinion page of the NY Times this morning. In it, Gilbert shows that people are happier with certainty and that uncertainty is the cause unhappiness. To make his point, Gilbert cites studies showing that faced with the certainty verses the uncertainty of an unfortunate circumstance, such as a chronic disease condition, those with certainty of the unfortunate event were less nervous than those for whom the predictability of the event is uncertain. In other words, it is the the ‘not knowing’ that causes mental unrest, not the actual event. Gilbert relates this information to the uncertain economic times we live in. People have a lot of fear about their economic future, their job security and so forth, which is causing an upswing in the incidence of depression, anxiety and insomnia. According to Gilbert, it is the uncertainty about the future that is causing the mental angst, not the actual outcome. If people were certain about the outcome, even a negative one, such as job loss, they would have more mental stability. Certainty gives one a course to chart, rather than aimless drifting which is difficult for the mind to deal with. This is where one’s spiritual convictions come to play. Knowing that one is in this (physical) world, but not of it (of the spiritual realm) helps one to avoid the pitfall of getting tossed around by the drama of the day. Knowing that we are mere players on this stage, but that our real place is in another dimension allows us to step out of the set, and gain perspective on the scene being played out. I will cop to a panic weekend last November, when the markets had crashed and the economy had plummeted. I credit my meditation practice with getting me through the emotional crisis. In meditation one connects to our true nature (spirit, soul . . .) and gets out of the ego-driven mind. Our true nature is our connection to the divine (tao, universal consciousness . . .). Operating from this place we are able to navigate the trouble waters, whatever they may be. Maintaining this soul-connection we have the knowledge and strength to weather the storms of life. The real challenge is in maintaining this connection to our core being. If we are able to do that the rest falls away, allowing the underlying peace and stillness of our true nature to emerge. For this reason, I advocate developing and maintaining a daily meditation practice to calm the mind, to foster this connection, and to stay plugged in. One of the keys to getting through this recession intact is to take care of oneself. Due to the increased stress of economic uncertainty, now more than ever it is of vital importance to maintain one’s physical and mental health. In doing so, you send a firm message to yourself that you are taking care of yourself. Knowing that you are able to take care and provide for your needs, and are doing so, works to develop peace of mind and eliminate the uncertainty of the future. It is certain that you will take are of your needs because you are doing just that. Taking care of yourself means developing and maintaining a regular exercise program, eating regular nutritious, satisfying meals in a relaxed space, incorporating stress reduction activities, such as meditation, yoga, tai chi, qi gong, walking in nature . . . , and treating any health conditions as they arise. By taking care of yourself you reinforce that regardless of the external circumstances you are providing for your well being. In doing so you gain peace of mind in knowing that you are providing for your physical, mental and spiritual needs and maintaining inner harmony. KB May 20, 2009, 9:30 pm What You Don’t Know Makes You Nervous By Daniel Gilbert CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Seventy-six years ago, Franklin Delano Roosevelt took to the inaugural dais and reminded a nation that its recent troubles “concern, thank God, only material things.” In the midst of the Depression, he urged Americans to remember that “happiness lies not in the mere possession of money” and to recognize “the falsity of material wealth as the standard of success.” “The only thing we have to fear,” he claimed, “is fear itself.” As it turned out, Americans had a great deal more to fear than that, and their innocent belief that money buys happiness was entirely correct. Psychologists and economists now know that although the very rich are no happier than the merely rich, for the other 99 percent of us, happiness is greatly enhanced by a few quaint assets, like shelter, sustenance and security. Those who think the material is immaterial have probably never stood in a breadline. Money matters and today most of us have less of it, so no one will be surprised by new survey results from the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index showing that Americans are smiling less and worrying more than they were a year ago, that happiness is down and sadness is up, that we are getting less sleep and smoking more cigarettes, that depression is on the rise. An uncertain future leaves us stranded in an unhappy present with nothing to do but wait. But light wallets are not the cause of our heavy hearts. After all, most of us still have more inflation-adjusted dollars than our grandparents had, and they didn’t live in an unremitting funk. Middle-class Americans still enjoy more luxury than upper-class Americans enjoyed a century earlier, and the fin de siècle was not an especially gloomy time. Clearly, people can be perfectly happy with less than we had last year and less than we have now. So if a dearth of dollars isn’t making us miserable, then what is? No one knows. I don’t mean that no one knows the answer to this question. I mean that the answer to this question is that no one knows — and not knowing is making us sick. Consider an experiment by researchers at Maastricht University in the Netherlands who gave subjects a series of 20 electric shocks. Some subjects knew they would receive an intense shock on every trial. Others knew they would receive 17 mild shocks and 3 intense shocks, but they didn’t know on which of the 20 trials the intense shocks would come. The results showed that subjects who thought there was a small chance of receiving an intense shock were more afraid — they sweated more profusely, their hearts beat faster — than subjects who knew for sure that they’d receive an intense shock. That’s because people feel worse when something bad might occur than when something bad will occur. Most of us aren’t losing sleep and sucking down Marlboros because the Dow is going to fall another thousand points, but because we don’t know whether it will fall or not — and human beings find uncertainty more painful than the things they’re uncertain about. But why? A colostomy reroutes the colon so that waste products leave the body through a hole in the abdomen, and it isn’t anyone’s idea of a picnic. A University of Michigan-led research team studied patients whose colostomies were permanent and patients who had a chance of someday having their colostomies reversed. Six months after their operations, patients who knew they would be permanently disabled were happier than those who thought they might someday be returned to normal. Similarly, researchers at the University of British Columbia studied people who had undergone genetic testing to determine their risk for developing the neurodegenerative disorder known as Huntington’s disease. Those who learned that they had a very high likelihood of developing the condition were happier a year after testing than those who did not learn what their risk was. Why would we prefer to know the worst than to suspect it? Because when we get bad news we weep for a while, and then get busy making the best of it. We change our behavior, we change our attitudes. We raise our consciousness and lower our standards. We find our bootstraps and tug. But we can’t come to terms with circumstances whose terms we don’t yet know. An uncertain future leaves us stranded in an unhappy present with nothing to do but wait. Our national gloom is real enough, but it isn’t a matter of insufficient funds. It’s a matter of insufficient certainty. Americans have been perfectly happy with far less wealth than most of us have now, and we could quickly become those Americans again — if only we knew we had to. Daniel Gilbert is professor of psychology at Harvard University and author of “Stumbling on Happiness.” More of his writing and videos of his appearances can be found at his Web site .

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Maintaining Inner Peace to Provide Certainty During Uncertain Times

I found the recipe a while back on the WHO website & have recently run across it in my files. The recipe is for an electrolyte replacement beverage that could be used instead of Gatorade. This one is not neon & thus is safer. Electrolyte replacement is necessary after extreme fluid loss, such as after a bout of diarrhea or vomiting. Athletes drink Gatorade due to the electrolyte loss through perspiration. 3/4 t sea salt 1/2 t backing soda 4 t cream of tarter (or eat 2 bananas for potassium) 1T sugar 1 liter of water optional: 1T orange juice or 2t lemon juice

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Natural Gatorade (Electrolyte Replacement Drink)

I’ve recently been researching Castor oil packs. Many holistic practitioners recommend them, and they have some intriguing uses. Castor oil comes from the Castor bean. It’s use was popularized by early new-ager, psychic and medical intuitive, Edgar Cayce. You might find wikipedia’s entry on him of interest: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Cayce . From the point of view of Chinese Medicine, Castor oil seems to have the ability to move Qi, Blood and Phelgm (congealed fluids). This is seen by the claims to dissolve tumors and nodules and to improve Liver function, including treating cirrhosis. Uses include bursitis/arthritis/joint pain, improving digestion/constipation, treating the liver/gallbladder, including cirrhosis and hepatitis, reducing menstrual cramping and dissolving tumours and nodules. I’ve seen claims of improving sleep/insomnia and relaxing facial wrinkles. You can find Castor oil in the health and body section of a natural food store. You might try a drug store, some may carry it. Do not ingest Castor oil as it is toxic. Do not use over open sores/wounds. Do not use with heavy bleeding (including menstrual). For insomnia, put a drop on each eyelid before retiring, and then do my insomnia meditation described in an earlier post, 4/09. For the face, put a few drops of Castor oil on the face at night to soften skin, relax wrinkles and reduce swelling and blemishes. Pay particular attention to problematic areas. The following link gives a long list of personal testimonials of people’s experiences with using Castor oil packs. There’s a wide variety of intriguing uses presented here: http://www.earthclinic.com/Remedies/castor_oil.html Usually Castor oil is administered as a Castor oil pack. I’ve include the instructions for making a Castor oil pack below (taken from earthclinic.com). For most conditions, do Castor oil packs 4x/week for one hour duration. Materials * Three layers of undyed wool or cotton flannel large enough to cover the affected area * Castor oil * Plastic wrap cut 1-2″ larger than the flannel (can be cut from a plastic bag) * Hot water bottle * Container with lid * Old clothes and sheets. Castor oil will stain clothing and bedding. Place the flannel in the container. Soak it in Castor oil so that it is saturated, but not dripping. Place the pack over the affected body part. Cover with plastic. Place the hot water bottle over the pack. Leave it on for 45-60 minutes. Rest while the pack is in place. After removing the pack, cleanse the area with a dilute solution of water and baking soda. Store the pack in the covered container in the refrigerator. Each pack may be reused up to 25-30 times. I am interested in learning about your experience with Castor oil, positive or negative. Please send me your feedback about this. KB

Originally posted here:
Castor Oil Packs

Lately I have been listening to Deepak Chopak’s Life After Death: The Burden of Proof on audio. It’s a fascinating read (listen?) and intellectual journey. Chopak describes alternate realities as detailed by the Hindu risha’s and vedics, using modern theories of quantum mechanics and cutting edge physics to back-up the ancient claims. It it, he briefly discusses karmic law. Early on he talks about the near death experience (NDE: about which he seems to have done quite a bit of research) and the common experience NDE’s describe about the life review. Karmically, the life review goes backward beginning with the most recent event and working back to birth. He mentions an exercise that he preforms as part of his nightly routine whereas one reviews the past days activities and events, working backward from the most recent to waking in the morning. Apparently this exercises helps to release karmas that have been aquired while participating in the day’s events. I’ve implemented this practice, and have found an added benefit: that it induces a quick and deep slumber. I combine it with a qi gong breathing technique as follows: [I do the qi gong breathing morning and evening upon waking and retiring]. Qi Gong 3 Jiao Breathing Technique I learned this qi gong breathing technique in 1997 from a qi gong master, FaXiang Huo, with whom my qi gong instructor in acupuncture college (PCOM) apprenticed. All Qi Gong methods include a version of this simple exercise. Presented here is Mst. Huo’s take on it, passed down in his family. I do this lying down in bed, morning and evening; however, it was taught to me preformed in a standing position (horse stance). That may have been for demonstration purposes, and for abeiting beginner efforts at the practice. Mts. Huo directs that the excercise may be preformed standing, sitting or lying down. In Chinese medicine (and Qi gong/Tai Qi/martial arts) the torso/abdomen is dividing into 3 regions or jiaos (in Chinese), referred to as upper, middle and lower. The upper jiao is the area above the diaphram, which includes the organs of the lungs and heart. The middle jiao is the area between the diaphram and the navel, which includes all of the digestive organs. The lower jiao is the area from the navel to the public, which incudes the kidneys, reproductive organs and organs of elimination of waste. In Taoist thought, the Dantian, or Cinnabar Field (so named because of Cinnabar’s red color to denote something precious) is located in the lower jiao, 1.3″ below the navel, or midway btwn the navel and the pubis, approximately 1 1/2″ deep. The dantian is where the precious essence of life, one’s vital jing is store. Jing is a type of Qi (energy), decribed as being thicker and more rarified than qi. It is the primordial energy of life itself. Actually each of the jiao’s house the dantian: upper, middle and lower dantian, but the lower dantian is emphasized for preserving and cultivating jing qi. The middle dantian is located at the solar plexus, and is important for developing nutritive qi, the vital essence extracted from food. The upper dantian is said to be located in the brain’s pineal gland, located on the intersection of lines drawn inward from the between the eyebrows and traveling deep to between the ears. The upper dantian is the center of spiritual and mental energy. Mst. Huo describes the middle dantian as the area around the navel and says that it is the main energy storage area. He locates the upper dantian at the spiritual third eye, at the ctr of the forehead, above and btwn the eyes. He further identifies a ‘Shanzhoung’, located in the chest, btwn the nipples/breasts. He advises that when you concentrate on the shanzhoung, to focus on the chest in general, as if it were large and expansive, as the universe. [For more about taoist cultivation activities, reference "Scholar Warrior: An Introduction to the Tao in Everyday Life" by Deng Ming-Dao]. When I do this exercise, I have been beginning in the middle jiao, progressing upward to the upper jiao, and finishing in the lower dantian. I sometimes take a few final breathes into the the middle jiao to complete the circle. However, Mst. Huo teaches the exercise begining in the upper jiao, progressing to the lower jiao, and finishing in the center, or middle jiao. This may be because expanding the upper jiao is the easiest: the lower and middle jiao’s are more challenging to isolate and expand without affecting the other areas. I will give the directions here as i have been doing the exercise of late, beginning in the middle jiao. Initially, when I began doing the exercise, I liked to visualize the organs in the respective region i directed the breath to, visualizing their functions and bringing zhong qi (chest qi, as the qi of the air mixes with the qi of the body in the region of the lungs) to each of the vital organs. I eventually dropped that visualization practice, and currently focus on the breathing. With eyes closed, begin by becoming quiet and noticing the body and breath. Relax the body, and begin noticing the breath coming in and out. Notice the breath becoming slower, more even and rhythmic. Keep the inhalations and the exhalations even as you preform this exercise, inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth. [ This is Mst. Huo's instruction. When I practice the exercise, I inhale and exhale through the nose ]. Mst. Huo cautions not to take big, loud or deep breaths while doing the exercise, and advises to push out the stale energy on the exhalation. Direct the attention to the middle jiao, drawing the breath to this region. Working with the inhalations and exhalations, allow this area to expand as fully as possible, without affecting the other areas of the torso (keeping the upper and lower jiao’s flat). Mst. Huo instructs during the exhalation to pull or suck in the middle jiao region as you push out the stale energy with the breath. Direct the breathing to the upper jiao/chest region. Begin to fill this area fully and completely with clean, fresh qi, isolating the chest from the other areas of the torso. Expand the chest fully, the stomach may contract and become a bit concave while you do this. Exhale quietly, slowly and steadily, drawing out the stale energy as you contract the chest and lungs fully. Now progress to the lower dantian, directing the breathing into the lower jiao. Expand the lower jiao as fully as possible, keeping the middle and upper jiao’s flat. As you exhale fully and completely, the middle jiao may contract slightly as well. Mst. Huo discussed the difference btwn formal and informal practice. In formal practice, one practices with eyes closed with deep concentration focused on one’s location btwn heaven and earth. [This is a position rooted deep in chinese philosophy, with human's position lying in the middle with heaven, or sky above and the earth below one's feet]. Men practice 36 cycles of breathing, and women practice 24 (these are Taoist numbers). I practice somewhat informally, meaning one can practice for any length of time. I work with each jiao until it feels that it is time to move to the next region. In this deep field of concentration i am aware of my body’s inner dialogue and signals. Informally, this exercise can be practiced at any time, while in line in the supermarket or bank, during a television commercial, while waiting at a traffic light, or during a work break: whenever you find a moment to do it. So, at night i have found that the following meditation promotes a quick, deep and relaxing slumber. This is my own eclectic combination of yoga & qi gong relaxation and breathing with a karmic review finish: Kath’s Karmic An Mian Tang or Meditation to Calm the Mind & Promote a Peaceful Slumber Lie on your back, relax your body and begin to notice the rhythm of your breath. Allow your body to relax , letting go of any tension. Focus your attention to the rhythmic nature of the breath. Watch the breath without attempting to adjust or change it in any way. Relax your eyes, allowing the eyes to drop back into the eye sockets. Relax the teeth, gums and jaw, releasing any stored tension here. Allow the tip of the tongue to rest on the upper palette (This is a mudra, or yogic seal). Relax the muscles of the faces, allowing the flesh to release and drop off the cheek bones. Relax the neck and throat, releasing any tension stored here. Allow all of the tension to leave the body. Let your arms and legs be like rivers, the tension through them out of the body. The body becomes limp, sinking into the floor (mattress). Bring your attention to the brain, allowing it to fall back against the pillow, as the mind relaxs fully. Turn the attention back to the breath, noticing the even, rhythic nature. Direct the breath into the middle jiao, and begin the 3 Jiao Breathing Excercise. After completing the 3 Jiao breathing cycle, let your attention remain on the breath for a few moments. Then begin the karmic review of the past days activities and events, beginning with the 3 Jiao breathing exercise, and working backward to the moment of awakening in the morning. Copyright 2009 Kath Bartlett I find that i often fall asleep before completing the karmic review. I sleep deeply and soundly. When I wake in the morning and come to consciousness, I begin the 3 Jiao Breathing Exercise before rising. Upon completion, I try to remember where I left off in the karmic review before falling asleep, and then I complete the review before rising. This practice, in combination with regular yoga and meditation allows me to remain in a rather calm and peaceful place. I especially notice the calm and peaceful nature of my mind in the morning, before the activities of the day take me into the physical realm. If you find that you wake during the night and have difficulting falling back to sleep, do the relaxation exercise and the 3 Jiao Breathing Exercise. If your mind is busy, complete the karmic review, and then meditate on your breath. I would appreciated hearing your comments about your experience with this exercise, and whether the practice aids your slumber and calms your mind. KB

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Insomnia Trick