I remember a young lady who went to work for a company immediately after graduating from college. She seemed extremely talented but unbelievably timid. She was assigned to a division-level marketing department where she assisted in the production of advertising and collateral material. Her supervisor associated her shyness with a lack of technical and conceptual skills. As a result, she was never included in brainstorming or planning sessions. The supervisor thought she was best suited to simple graphics layout and paste-up. Frustrated that her talents were squandered on simple tasks, she applied to the corporate marketing department. The vice-president reviewed her resume and transferred her without interviewing her at length. His concept of the young lady was positive and assigned her to a series of important, key projects. She performed magnificently. A few months later, the original supervisor was in the vice-president’s office admiring the new corporate ad campaign. The project consisted of television and radio commercials, full-page ads for national publications and complete press kits. The supervisor asked, "What kind of a Madison Avenue rain-maker worked this kind of magic?" The VP replied, "This was all completed by that young lady you sent me. That was the best move I ever made!" This is but one example of the dozens of cases I can document where individuals were literally hobbled by low or incorrect expectations. In many instances, the mind set of a co-worker or supervisor can restrict an employee’s ability to become an excellent performer. This cause-and-effect model applies to all aspects of our lives. The neighbor’s young son asked if he could mow my yard. I told him I would talk to his dad first. The father said, "I don’t think he can handle a mower. I never let him near mine. Go ahead if you like." I assured him I would watch his son closely and be certain he could handle the equipment safely. The boy not only knew how to handle the mower, but did such a good job, I asked him to help each week. His dad was amazed. "I never would have guessed," he said. "You should have given him a chance," I suggested. by : Bruce D. Zimmerman, Source Unknown

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You’ll Get Exactly What You Expect

Everybody needs a coach whether they know it or not. This video teaches this concept perfectly!

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Motivational…Period!

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Inspiration song Indian Air Force- Lakshaya

A wonderful video… Motivational, Inspirational… Keep watching…

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Lesson of the Seasons…

Inspirational and motivational video about how Douglas Goodey found the motivation to get out of $4.5 Million Debt and went on to make $20 million! One of the most inspiring stories ever told about one mans courage and bravery and how he went from broke to multi-millionaire back to broke and back to multi-millionaire again. Inspiring thousands around the world, Douglas’s story is the story of rags to riches that will give you the motivational kick you need to realise that anything is possible. Inspiring and inspirational for anyone at any age, young or old. Making money whether online or offline, getting out of debt, or just looking for the motivation to succeed? This video is a must watch.

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Most Inspirational & Motivational Video Ever - Be Inspired!

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

Apples have been on sale recently at Earthfare and Greenlife, so I bought a few pounds and made a easy applesauce, mmm, mmm. My grandmother used to make this and I still remember how much I loved eating it. We used to eat it with cinnamon graham crackers. It’s also tasty over ice cream. Though, as an acupuncturist, I avoid frozen, sugary concoctions, such as ice cream. I’ve been enjoying the applesauce over millet and walnuts in the morning for breakfast, or as an apres-dining snack. I used my version of my grandmother’s recipe. She used to can it in jars. I haven’t yet learned canning. 7lbs apples - I used a blend of macs and granny smith: they were both on sale. The granny smith added a tang, so I would continue with 50% green apples. Whole spices: cinnamon [1 stick], anise [maybe 1t], nutmeg [1/2 nut], cloves [maybe 7 or so] filtered water Core the apples and cut into 3″ chunks. (Quarter, then halve the quarters). I pressure cooked them on low pressure for about 5min with 1/4 pot of water and the spices [put these in a cloth teabag or a tea ball]. Alternatively, you could simmer them until they get soft. Then I pulled out the spices and pureed the apples with an immersion blender. You could use a food processor. My grandmother pushed them through a pureor with a wooden mallet. Using the modern appliances you get to use the skins, which have beneficial nutrients. If the sauce is too wet, simmer it down a little longer. No sugar necessary, and boy is it tasty. The cinnamon levels out the sugar spike, providing a slow release which is easier for the body to utilize. KB

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Homemade Applesauce: Healthy and Guilt-free Dessert

MISTWALKERS There are those who spend their day Living in a different way Apart from all the hectic noise Away from shows and ads and toys Away from stores and shops and such They have enough, they don’t need much They touch the soul of Mother Earth They live in peace and joy and mirth In their hearts no room for fear Theirs eyes are bright, their thoughts are clear Each step they take the ground is kissed These walkers in the sacred mist -Aaron Hoopes 2009

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Mistwalkers - new poetry

Pentagon researches alternative treatments By Gregg Zoroya, USA TODAY Posted 10/7/2008 11:45 PM WASHINGTON — The Pentagon is seeking new ways to treat troops suffering from combat stress or brain damage by researching such alternative methods as acupuncture, meditation, yoga and the use of animals as therapy, military officials said. “This new theme is a big departure for our cautious culture,” Dr. S. Ward Casscells, the Pentagon’s assistant secretary for health affairs, told USA TODAY. Casscells said he pushed hard for the new research, because “we are struggling with” post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) “as we are with suicide and we are increasingly willing to take a hard look at even soft therapies.” So far this year, the Pentagon is spending $5 million to study the therapies. In the previous two years, the Pentagon had not spent any money on similar research, records show. About 300,000 Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans suffer from PTSD or major depression, and about 320,000 may have experienced at least a mild concussion or brain injury in combat, according to a RAND Corp. study released this year. The Army reported a record 115 suicides last year, and suicides this year are at a rate that may exceed that, said Col. Eddie Stephens, the Army’s deputy director for human resources policy. The Department of Veterans Affairs reported last month that suicides among Iraq- and Afghanistan-era veterans from all services reached a record high of 113 in 2006, the latest year for which there were figures. Some military hospitals and installations already use alternative therapies, such as acupuncture as stress relievers for patients. The research will see whether the alternatives work so the Pentagon can use them more, said Army Brig. Gen. Loree Sutton, head of the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury. Many of the treatments have been used for centuries, Sutton said, “so it just makes sense to bring all potential therapies to bear.” Her office issued a request for research proposals this year on therapies ranging from art and dance, to the ancient Chinese healing art of qigong or a therapy of hands-on touching known as Reiki. Sutton’s office narrowed a list of 82 proposals to about 10 projects this year, and research should begin, with servicemembers as subjects in some cases, in the next few months, said Col. Karl Friedl, head of the Army’s Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center, which oversees the work. Friedl said research will include how meditation can improve emotional resilience; how holding and petting an animal can treat PTSD and how acupuncture pain relief can relieve headaches created by mild brain damage from blasts. “We want to add everything we can to our tool kit” for these injuries, said Col. Elspeth Ritchie, an Army psychiatrist. Some soldiers who suffer from PTSD are reluctant to share their experiences in traditional psychiatric therapy, said Col. Charles Engel, an Army psychiatric epidemiologist. He said those soldiers may be more willing to use acupuncture and other alternatives if they are effective. Initial research this summer with combat veterans showed that acupuncture relieved PTSD symptoms and eased pain and depression, Engel said. “Improvements were relatively rapid and clinically significant,” he said. About one third of sailors and Marines use some types of alternative therapies, mostly herbal remedies, according to a survey conducted last year. A recent Army study shows that one in four soldiers with combat-caused PTSD turned to herbs, chiropractors, acupuncture or megavitamins for relief. Although the Pentagon’s study of alternative medicine for combat diseases is unique, research into such therapies for broad public use is not new, said Richard Nahin, a senior adviser for the National Institutes of Health’s National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. The NIH spends about $300 million a year on similar research. Find this article at: http://www.usatoday.com/news/military/2008-10-07-holistic_N.htm?POE=click-refer

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Pentagon researches alternative treatments

Periodically I get asked about diets and acupuncture for weight-loss. My standard answer includes something about the basic fact that weight loss is difficult and there is no magic pill. Eating a healthy, balanced diet is critical and developing a regular exercise program is a must. Still many people tell be that they are eating well and exercising, but for some reason cannot lose the weight. In this case, with acupuncture and herbs we work on improving the metabolism. Others have difficulty developing a healthy lifestyle, that includes a balanced diet (no, the 4 food groups are not fast food, junk food, chocolate and coffee) coupled with regular exercise. In this case the practitioner works with the patient to help them get through the roadblocks in developing a healthy lifestyle. This can be an ongoing process. The topic of Diets opens up a large can of worms. Their are so many Diets out there, and everyone seems to be The Expert on what to eat. Here’s my take: focus on a balanced diet that emphasizes fresh whole foods, including organic produce, grains and protein sources. Obviously avoid ‘empty calories’: ‘foods’ that taste great (even are addictive) with low nutritional content and high calories. Read labels and avoid chemicals and words you don’t understand. Whole foods are the entire food, unprocessed (lots of nutrients get lost when foods are canned and frozen). This means avoiding even processed grains, such as flour and baked goods. Instead eat whole grains: rice, quinoa, amaranth, millet and so on. (You’ll find all of these in the bulk section of the natural food store, such as Whole Foods, Earthfare, Greenlife, and food co-ops). Anna Maria Colbin discusses this concept at length and has authored many books on the subject. I studied with her at the Natural Gourmet Cooking School (http://www.naturalgourmetschool.com/) when I lived in NYC, and am heavily influence by her ideas and approach because it just makes sense. Anna Marie talks about how to tell if something is a fad diet. Here’s a few tests: How long has The Diet been around? Less than 5y, 1y? FAD Are your food options severely restricted to a few odd items: grapefruit, pancakes, etc? FAD Do you just follow the diet for a specified time period: say a few weeks or until you lose the weight, and then go onto another way of eating? FAD Does the diet prescribe a way of eating the is healthy to continue for the long term, or are there food groups, vitamins and minerals and so on that are missing from the diet so that it would be unhealthy to eat that way as a life practice? FAD Did the Diet come from a book that sold so many copies that the author (usually a doctor) made a lot of money and became a celebrity? FAD So what you are looking for in terms of diet is a way of eating that will sustain you in an optimal level of health for the long term; hence, eating a balanced diet based upon whole foods . The New England Journal of Medicine just published the largest-ever study of weight loss methods which concluded that it doesn’t matter whether one follows low carbs, low fats, Atkins, Dean Ornish, Mediterranean diet, the main thing is to control calories. All of these various approaches yield the same percentage results of weight-loss and maintenance. I’ve included a New York Times article discussing the study results, below. This copy is for your personal, noncommercial use only. You can order presentation-ready copies for distribution to your colleagues, clients or customers here or use the “Reprints” tool that appears next to any article. Visit www.nytreprints.com for samples and additional information. Order a reprint of this article now. February 26, 2009 Study Zeroes In on Calories, Not Diet, for Loss By TARA PARKER-POPE For people who are trying to lose weight, it does not matter if they are counting carbohydrates , protein or fat. All that matters is that they are counting something. That is the finding of the largest-ever controlled study of weight-loss methods published on Wednesday in The New England Journal of Medicine . More than 800 overweight adults in Boston and Baton Rouge, La., were assigned to one of four diets that reduced calories through different combinations of fat, carbohydrates and protein. Each plan cut about 750 calories from a participant’s normal diet , but no one ate fewer than 1,200 calories a day. While the diets were not named, the eating plans were all loosely based on the principles of popular diets like Atkins, which emphasizes low carbohydrates; Dean Ornish , which is low-fat; or the Mediterranean diet, with less animal protein. All participants also received group or individual counseling. After two years, every diet group had lost — and regained — about the same amount of weight regardless of what diet had been assigned. Participants lost an average of 13 pounds at six months and had maintained about 9 pounds of weight loss and a two-inch drop in waist size after two years. While the average weight loss was modest, about 15 percent of dieters lost more than 10 percent of their weight by the end of the study. Still, after about a year many returned to at least some of their usual eating habits. The lesson, researchers say, is that people lose weight if they lower calories, but it does not matter how. “It really does cut through the hype,” said Dr. Frank M. Sacks, the study’s lead author and professor of cardiovascular disease prevention at the Harvard School of Public Health. “It gives people lots of flexibility to pick a diet that they can stick with.” Dr. Sacks said that to reduce bias the researchers avoided associating any of the diets with well-known commercial eating plans. While attendance at counseling sessions was linked with better weight loss, that was not true for every dieter. In some groups, people lost large amounts of weight even though they attended only a few counseling sessions. The real question for researchers, Dr. Sacks said, is what are the biological, psychological or social factors that influence whether a person can stick to any diet. “The effect of any particular diet group is minuscule, but the effect of individual behavior is humongous,” Dr. Sacks said. “We had some people losing 50 pounds and some people gaining five pounds. That’s what we don’t have a clue about. I think in the future, researchers should focus less on the actual diet but on finding what is really the biggest governor of success in these individuals.” Home Health Copyright 2009 The New York Times Company

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Study Finds No Difference in Low Fat, Carb or Protien Diets for Weight-loss.