Happiness

Basilica Notre-Dame

So this afternoon I took a walk after completing work for the day.

It was warmer today than yesterday and great for wandering around and "Going with the Flow."

I went past the Basilica with the throngs of tourist outside and the horses and carriages that were on hand for people wanting to see the sites of Vieux-Montreal this way as they do in cities throughout the world.

It was noisier today than usual with part of the road blocked by workmen investigating a large deep hole and traffic therefor being directed by a work-woman unlucky enough to have drawn the short straw on this particular task.  The area in front of the cathedral is currently dug up for renovations.

Traffic was bumper to bumper when all of a sudden one car decided to blow its horn and didn't stop blowing it.  The car was a VW Beetle driven by a woman with a Bischon Frisse dog on her lap.  (Poor little hound.)  She was clearly upset by not being able to progress as fast as normal on this street (rue Francis Xavier) nor did it bother her that her anger could probably be heard inside Notre-Dame, but everyone else could see the problem that lay ahead and was minding their time until they got past the road-works and could head to wherever they were going as per normal on a Friday afternoon.


Clearly this woman was someone who needed to practice meditation to help her to remain calm when the world around her was in crazy mode or not going according to expectations.

Meditation has other advantages though.

True, it reduces stress, lowers blood pressure, and helps fight infection.  But practitioners don't necessarily walk around in a Zen-like state, unless they want to.

The happiness that meditators feel can, and usually does, overflow when music plays, jokes are told, and there's enough space to get up and dance.
It's a happy and upbeat way to live, of seeing the best in life, the funny side of life, and making the most of every moment.

The happiness inside means that you live life to its fullest with energy and vitality.

There are appropriate moments to be quiet and introspective, but just as we have night and day, man and woman, we also have times when it's perfectly alright to laugh out loud for long moments, to get up and dance spontaneously, and share the wealth of your happiness with others.

I hope that all your days are noisy...
with laughter, not with horn-blowing.

Love and laugh often.

Inner Happiness

Vendor making dragon's breath

Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you too, can become great.

Mark Twain

Today I had some free time from work and took a walk into the Quartier Chinois which is situated off the rue Saint-Urbain and only a five minute walk from the Basilica Notre-Dame and the hotel that I always stay in.
It’s really only a few streets but has small shops filled with trinkets, shawls, and food that range from cakes and cookies to all day buffets; not the metropolis that San Francisco has.

The photograph above shows a local vendor making a special type of sugar and nut candy called Dragon’s Breath. It is whipped and spun by hand and folded many times to make this delicious treat. The spun sugar is on the inside and represents the breath of the dragon.

Dragons must be lovely creatures to have such sweet breath!

Walking and exploring places that are not my everyday stomping ground provides opportunities for gathering thoughts, a walking meditation, repeating affirmations, and meeting strangers. I love to explore and meet the world and have travelled to many wonderful places and learned a lot as I did this.

A common thread I have found is that people are fundamentally the same. Once cultural and religious differences are stripped away it becomes obvious that we are all seeking the same things: shelter, safety, and most of all love.

While fears of reality exist, they are an illusion that prevents many of us from exploring and seeing the potential that lies in places, other people, and ourselves.

This fear is a like a dragon that’s burning away your opinions and hopes, and destroying your potential through its fiery breath.

Yet dragons don’t exist except in our imaginations.

When you listen to other people and in turn listen to and make yourself heard, you will find that you are not alone in your thoughts and aspirations.

All too often, we take circumstances and people around us for granted and it’s not until we are left alone or without, that we discover, too late, what we’ve lost. We don’t appreciate the value of time and our experiences and interactions with people we see every day, nor the importance of making new connections, new experiences, and pursuing our dreams.

After all, you make an impact on other people just as they affect you, one way or another.

So what is your reality?
Is it made out of fear, or imposed upon you by small minds?

Self-discovery is an endeavor that continues throughout a lifetime. While our knowledge of ourselves and our world is limited, you can dampen the fiery dragon’s breath permanently and render it harmless through a regular meditation practice, repeating positive affirmations, and making decisions based on love, cooperation, and prosperity instead of anxiety, uncertainty, or even anger.

Let the only fire in your world lie beneath your ambitions and your hopes and dreams

Don’t let ANYONE keep you from being great.

Peace and many blessings.

MEDITATION ON LIGHT

Governor’s Garden of the Chateau Ramezey Museum

When life-throws you a curve-ball and you’re faced with challenges that you didn’t expect, are you able to remain totally present and calm?

When you don’t have all the facts, can you simultaneously integrate your intuitive knowledge to monitor all that is happening around you?

When faced with an important deadline, can you be in the present?

Light
Finding the right balance between your thoughts and actions enables you to pursue a more satisfied life through control of mental behavior patterns, and it’s no secret that meditation is the easiest way to acquire the ability to stay in the moment and relinquish attachment to unnecessary thoughts.

No matter who you are, being able to take a few moments to clear your head of clutter will bring balance to your thoughts. This also helps you with your creative ideas as well as keeping you stress-free and healthy.

There’s not a lot wrong with that.

Unfortunately, letting go of the conscious mind and those pesky thoughts that interfere with clear thinking and harmonious emotions is a challenge.

Meditation illuminates those areas in your personal life that need to examine in order to be in the present moment whenever you choose, regardless of what is happening around you.

Circumstances fluctuate. Nothing stays the same, but the one constant is your ability to be in the powerful state of peace.

Inner Light
The inner light that reveals itself during meditation happens for several reasons including connecting to the source of all peace and to reveal that which needs more deliberate attention. When you pay attention to what the light of meditation is showing you, you can heed what you are seeing and direct your responses accordingly.

People and events impact us and conversely when we bring our awareness to any situation quantum physics states that we change what is happening by the fact that we are paying attention to what is going on. It’s an interesting fact and fits in with what is known about the subtle energy of meditation.

Therefore we need to be mindful of what we perceive and how we impact other people,
This depends upon being ever present in the here and now, and paying attention to what we are thinking, doing, and experiencing.

Unconsciously, there is uncertainty that what is occurring is for the best. Hesitation in making a smooth transition from your current way of living and shining a light on your hopes and dreams is normal.

Personal questions to consider:
What makes you react to situations and other people the way that you do?
What feelings do you hide within you?
What can you reveal more of?

Meditation helps you to clear away tension and stored up anxieties whenever you come across an obstacle that grinds you to a halt.

Practice carrying the light of meditation with you in all that you do. Walking in the light does not take the decision making process out of your hands.
Let it reveal what is possible in your life.

Ask yourself questions such as who is in your life? Why are they here? What do they have to teach you and what do you have to teach them?
What inspires you?

Light shines on the natural and artificial arrangements that mark each of our lives, just as it alters the images in the photographs that accompany today’s posting.

Be present in all that happens, whether it’s a relationship or a new experience and trust that what is discovered will be filled with opportunity and possibilities.

Mindfulness

Les Chuchoteuses

Rose-Aimee Belanger

Vieux-Montreal

Bonjour!

This week, all my postings will be sent from old Montreal, a city and culture that I adore.  Whether I visit for business or whatever, it's always a pleasure.

The sculpture that you see in the photograph is by a wonderful artist.  Here, Mme Belanger is poking fun at those who gossip but it is a humorous reminder to be mindful of the company that you keep and to guard your thoughts and actions.

I'm traveling today but look forward to sharing more (in depth) of the sights and flavors of this diverse city with you this week.

à bientôt

Margaret

PURPOSE

View from where I lived in Scotland of The Forth Road and Rail Bridges.

Journey of a Lifetime

No journey is possible if you don’t believe that you will ever reach your destination.

Even the most rugged vehicle equipped with a state of the art navigation system will keep on driving in circles and weaving its way around the wrong routes if not provided with a clear purpose or idea of which direction to head in. Eventually it will run out of fuel, forced to stay put.

This is where trusting the guidance that emerges through introspection and meditation becomes important. It’s like having your very own Spiritual Global Positioning System to guide you on your way.

ONE BIG QUESTION
Whenever I lead motivational workshops, one question is always asked; how can I find my true purpose?
The people who seek an answer have many reasons why they are unwilling to believe that they are special or have a purpose beyond what they are doing right now:

• They don’t think that they can ever be good enough
• They don’t know how to listen within
• Their life is too full to allow guidance to flow

All too often, they rely solely on the success of their own plans because of fear of the unknown and the disbelief that there is a perfect plan for them.

Don’t you think that you have a map to follow, an equipped vehicle to travel in, and a good set of lights to illuminate the way?

MEDITATION SHINES LIGHT ON THE WAY AHEAD.

On any journey, you can anticipate every twist and turn of the road using a map, but there are times when even the best map-reader gets a little lost. Eventually, you come to the point in the road when you realize that the only way forward is to move with the guidance that emerges from your inner place of Higher Knowledge.

You have infinite possibilities within you. If you continually face obstacles and people who tell you that there’s no point in persevering, you’ll eventually give up and turn back to the place you came from.

Meditation reveals your own pre-conceived ideas and self-imposed limits that obscure the truth of your potential and deny you the legitimacy of living fully. Recognize what holds you back based on other people’s expectations of you. The light of truth exposes these inconsistencies and illuminates the way forward.

INNER KNOWLEDGE
Knowledge emerges by maintaining a regular meditation practice whereby you experience revelations at any time of the day or night through a variety of instruments including prayer, meditation, and by your interactions with other people.
Silence centers the mind from distractions, honing the mind fully on the emerging space within. With practice and patience, an awareness of purpose emerges through the enfolding silence.

It’s not enough to gain sufficient knowledge if you don’t physically do anything different. Thinking appropriately is a start but it won’t move you along. Every journey has its delays and detours and staying true to your destination allows you to move under the guidance from within.

Your future potential lies inside you if you have the ears to hear. This revelation takes place deep within you and it is here that you receive divine insight.

FAITH
Faith requires you to say okay, the source of your knowledge knows best. You may not feel equipped or skilled, telling yourself that there’s always someone better for the task, but you are not being set up to fail.

Negativity through fear and a lack of faith in your purpose will prevent you from reaching your destiny. Disapproval comes from a variety of external sources and reinforces your doubts and uncertainties. Success is not about staying still. It is about learning and gaining freedom from what restrained you in the past.

“What you sow, you shall reap,” is applicable here. Endeavoring to create positive change also brings wonderful opportunities into your life. When you give freely and with kindness then your reward is one of love and abundance.

CHANGE YOUR ROUTINE AND HABITS

You have to be in the right place, physically and mentally to understand and carry out your purpose. If there is no conscious process guiding the resulting actions, the consequences are often disastrous. Changing your thinking clears away the debris that blocks the mind from leading a successful and productive life and transforms your life anew.

Altering your routine and habits sets you up for success, not repeated failure. Replace one bad habit at a time with a good habit. This is a simple premise that works.

Create space in your heart and mind by relinquishing those situations which detract you from your affirmative intentions. If your life is too full of unnecessary activities, how can you find time for what’s truly important?

With all forms of prayer and meditation, hearts are renewed and filled with gratitude for what we already have and for what we are about to receive, even for those things that we don’t even know are going to happen.

They teach us to think big, for all things are possible.

There is one direction that leads us to happiness.
We are all traveling in different vehicles, some of us stop from time to time, and others have a faster vehicle. Many of us take detours that lead to confusion and distress.

How far are you willing to go?

Release the preconceptions that hold you back, create space in your heart to hear answers, and remember that you are a chosen vehicle here on Earth.

Embrace all that life offers knowing that when you do not waver from the path you succeed at fulfilling your divine purpose in a bright and hopeful world.

Om Shanti Peace

SELF-INQUIRY

Obstacles smolder within and will erupt with the right wind to fan the flames.

OBSTACLES
Your perceptions of the world are based upon beliefs that are reinforced over many years by the repetition of experiences, thoughts, or comments.

The illusion of the world is powerful and plays easily with the mind.
People are affected by what they see, hear, and what their imagination leads them to. One of the biggest obstacles to a peaceful life is fear.

It’s easily recognizable and to a degree understandable. The mind can and will continue to replay powerful emotions as long as we allow the input from memories to influence our experiences and over-power our resolve, our hopes, and our potential.

IGNITING FEARS
Most of us have fears, such as fear of water, insects, or snakes. But there are others; fear of disappointment, fear of change, and these and others keep us in a state of anxiety when faced with them or we avoid them in the first place, missing out on opportunities because we don’t try. They sit there in the cavern of your heart and mind, smoldering like embers waiting for a wind to fan them into an all-consuming bonfire.

Self-inquiry helps you identify barriers to peace and see that they are dependant upon the senses for their fuel. You can release all obstructions by permanently taking away the energy source and putting a permanent damper on the obstacles that threaten to ignite when the environment is right. So, what lies buried beneath the ashes in your life?

FINDING YOUR SELF
While setting aside a specific amount of time to sit in contemplation is a formal and effective way of training the mind to create the new habit of meditation, by being vigilant and alert you can learn from all situations and all people that you come into contact with.

Meditation will help you learn to challenge your thoughts through introspection, reinforcing a new way of thinking and being. When you dare to look within, you discern what you are thinking first and respond accordingly to sweep away the residue that clogs your life.

Don’t believe every thought that you have and you will remove unhelpful judgment and actions. There is no more thinking before you speak.

Meditation is a personal experience which allows deep feelings of peace and well-being to flourish and glow. No matter what the circumstances of your life are or what you witness occurring in the world around you, meditation gives you the skills to stay connected to the peace that resides within you, rather than becoming overwhelmed by life.

Om Shanti Peace

BLISS

Enter into the Light within and find your state of true Bliss.

In his epic book The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck writes, “Carbon is not a man, nor salt, nor water, nor calcium. He is all these, but he is much more, much more;”²

During your meditation practice, you come to see beyond the physical realm and enter a deeper state of awareness where you become a witness of your mind. As you immerse yourself into the whole experience, you become aware of the fact that it is your soul that is doing the observing, or witnessing.

Bliss
Sustaining the witness state allows for realization of “I Am Bliss,” expansion of your consciousness, and awareness of a higher knowledge.

These are often challenging concepts to understand with the thinking mind, but with a regular meditation practice you personally experience these for yourself. Over time, you enter into meditation with grace and ease and dissolve into the state of bliss that is ever-present within you. This bliss stays with you during your everyday life as you realize that the soul is not separate from you but with you always.

Inner Knowledge
The soul expresses itself in the world as “I” and during inward reflection as the “Soul.”
Yoga philosophy describes the soul reflecting the witness state in the same way that the moon reflects the light of the sun. What you know in the world is often expressed as the “lower mind” with all of the material mind-stuff that accompanies it, while what you experience when you move beyond the pull of the external world is a “Higher Knowledge” and it is this knowledge that is accessed and revealed during meditation.

Surrendering Control
Recognizing what you need comes not from what you perceive outwardly, but what comes to you inwardly when you reside in bliss and listen to your innermost guidance. In quieting your mind you receive knowledge, guidance, and love.

Through a regular practice of meditation, gifts of higher knowledge and intuition develop, transforming you anew and enabling you to generate a new and positive life, not one that takes your existing situation and reshapes it into more of the same.


Meditation allows the essence of unity with the source of pure love to lead you to a state of harmony and bliss through specific examples in stilling the mind, surrendering to change, and reaching the highest level of awareness that enriches and nourishes you.

Life is not about one thinks may happen in the future. Life is about enjoying the daily journey of creative and loving experiences.
Then when you least expect it, something great comes along to change your life making it even more purposeful, with an aliveness, vitality and a higher sense of spiritual purpose in life. Something even greater will happen for you that you never even planned.

POSITIVE THOUGHTS

It is estimated that an average person thinks about 12,000 thoughts per day, while a deep thinker can think up to 50,000 thoughts.

While 95% of what we think ARE the same thoughts as we had yesterday, 75% of the average person’s thoughts are negative.

That’s between 9,000 and almost 38,000 negative thoughts every single day.

Thoughts and the spoken word impact ourselves and others and help to mold and shape the life that we ultimately live. Living your life unaware of the thoughts that you are thinking, or their consequences, means that you are unfortunately setting yourself up to failure before you even embark upon a particular endeavor.

Deep seated feelings and emotions that you may not even have quantified into actual words, permeate through your mind and your life as a self-defeating cycle. Language such as “you’re not good enough, not smart enough, not worthy of love,” may have been uttered a long time ago but they still hold true because you repeat them every day, reinforcing them as a truth.

It's a vicious cycle that has the ability to trap you unless you make the conscious decision to BREAK FREE ONE THOUGHT AT A TIME.

The converse is also true; “you are so clever, you are wonderful, I love you.”

YOUR MIND IS CAPABLE OF BELIEVING THESE THOUGHTS TOO.

AFFIRMATIONS
Words and thoughts enter both the conscious and subconscious where they impact you with either positive or detrimental effects.
The mind and the body will believe what you tell it and in turn will help you to create a life based on the premise of what you affirm to be true, whether it is a beneficial or critical thought.

Speak and think your chosen positive affirmations.
If it helps, you should write your affirmations down until you become practiced at making them.
Repeat them as often as you need to until you know that you believe them.

Instead of saying language such as “I want to…”
Use language such as “I am…”

The mind will believe what you tell it and soon you will be living these affirmations.
Allow positive changes to occur and replace the negative emotions that have occurred in your life.
Replace the bad with good and one by one you will grow stronger in your confidence, your outlook, and your zest for life.

ALTRUISM
In addition to helping you create the reality that you want, you will find that you become more grateful for what you have in your life, and are able to reach out to others and help them too.

RECEIVE
Continue to be open to receiving the subject of your affirmations. Trust that as you ask it, it has happened, and that you have received it. Receiving is important. It’s like having a parcel delivered on your birthday but you choose not to open it so you can’t use it in your life.

Affirmations are powerful statements that are under-utilized. The phrase Use it or Lose it, applies to affirmations too. Let every part of your body, mind, and spirit tap into the energy of your own positive messages, and you will change your life in ways that you DO want.

Om Shanti Peace

Inner Peace

Entrance to Edinburgh Castle, Scotland

When I was a child growing up in Scotland, there were times during the summer when my family would go on a ‘Mystery Tour.” This was a bus trip organized by a local tour company and as a child I eagerly anticipated the unknown destination while playing I-Spy and other travel games on the journey. It was exciting to see different towns go by as you tried to guess where you were going to end up; sometimes the Mystery Tour headed into the countryside and sometimes we ended up at the seaside on either the east or west coast of Scotland.

This type of mini-vacation is different from a typical day trip where you know where you are going and can plan accordingly. However, an unknown destination generates a lot of fun along the way as you note each landmark for a clue to where you are going to end up.

As an adult, facing challenges with unknown outcomes can be daunting and not pleasant, yet life’s journey is as much about your state of mind as it is about the scenery around you.

Meditation and the Breath
The breath and the mind are intertwined; when the breath is controlled the mind is also controlled. When you pay attention to the breath, you can read its signs and know whether your emotions are out of control and then adjust the flow of the breath in order to draw peace and harmony to the Self.

The old adage of counting to ten in order to stop an explosive outburst of anger or hurtful words that you can’t take back, probably stems from the wise knowledge accrued from meditation.

Troubled thoughts release adrenaline and stress hormones that increase outbursts of anger and undesirable consequences.
Rather that being tossed about by the chaos of life, with the mind filled with hurtful and punishing thoughts, you can observe your thoughts, your reactions, and choose to hold onto the peace that resides within.

Awareness of your reactions to what you experience enables you to release anxiety and block out the cause of your distress.
Breath control always brings you back to your source of inner peace and with awareness, it enables you to cultivate peace through controlling your state of mind and become calmer, more loving, and in full control of your emotions.

Affirmations
I have the freedom to choose how I will act, even when my first thoughts are not ideal.
Stillness spreads through me and surrounds me with each breath that I take.
I remain calm in a turbulent world.
I am in a state of serenity, joy, and love.

Om Shanti Peace

Meditation of Love

Swans are a Symbol of Love

Over the centuries there have been tales of the fountain of youth; a fountain whose waters impart healing or prolong life. Today’s scientists are looking for cures into many diseases and have uncovered cells and receptors within the body that promote feelings of well-being while increasing the protective factors that prevent diseases from occurring in the first place.  Much is also known about optimism and its subsequent benefits to the body.

For thousands of years, meditation has been known by practitioners to promote happiness, peace, and love.
This brings with it numerous advantages to not only spiritual health and happiness, but improves overall health and well-being too.


More benefits of meditation are being discovered every year and cover numerous areas from psychology, stress-reduction, and reduction of medication, to name a few.  One aspect is the ability of meditation to increase the thickness of the frontal lobe of the brain (it thins as we age) that is responsible for attention, sensory input, and emotional processing and well-being. This means that with repeated practice, the adult brain can alter its structure. The brain is more able to concentrate on what is truly important and not be drawn astray by thoughts that keep leaping about from one topic to another, it feels happier more often, and with practice it experiences deep and true Love.

When people experience profound happiness, like the kind they experience through love, they not only feel happy and exhilarated but exhibit increased levels of the hormone DHEA, which is known to prevent aging.

When you meditate, you gain similar benefits.

When you are in love, or feel love, your body produces hormones and receptors that increase your ability to fight infection and reduce the spread of diseases, while at the same time lowering the damaging process caused by stress, anxiety, and unhappiness.

Meditation helps you to improve your health, manifest a conscious shift in your relationships, and even how you feel about yourself.

How?

By increasing the depth of your Love.

Love is often described as an ocean, with unfathomable depths and breadths. We may think that we are able to love fully, but as our frequency of meditation increases, the depth of our experience intensifies as Love flows freely through an expanded heart and mind.

Everyone wants to love and receive love, and this is made possible through meditation as it unites you to the source of all that is Light and Love.  Open the subtle energy that surrounds and exists within your heart and let it flow freely.  During your meditation, you will know when your heart is open because the surge of Love through your body is like a dam being opened.
We are all capable of Loving and we may say that we are in love, but it is not until you experience the overwhelming flow of Love through you that you can experience your relationships in a different light.

How is it done?
Through preparation and regular meditation practice.

Preparation means awareness of thoughts.  Removing critical and disapproving thoughts on a regular basis until you see only the goodness in life, rather than focusing on what is broken or diseased.
This does not mean that you should view the world through rose-colored glasses. It means that you endeavor to see the beauty and potential of life.

In your relationships with others, focus on the love that united you, think of them often through the day with love, rather than on petty differences.
Monitor your thoughts and if you find that a less than loving thought has arisen, stop it in its tracks from going any further and replace it with thoughts of kindness and affection.
Practice thinking of others with love; extend kind thoughts to strangers rather than critical thoughts.

When you say that you love someone, love them without restrictions. Learn to swim in the ocean of love. As soon as you risk taking the plunge into the ocean of bliss you envelop yourself in it and recognize your true Self.

Loving Affirmations

The breath has power not only on a physical level, but on a subtle level too. As you meditate every day, develop loving awareness in rhythm with your deep and steady breath. This will become your normal state of being. Cultivate a state of Love in all your thoughts by drawing this understanding to all your activities.

I choose to be grateful
I choose to be kind
I choose to feel joy
I choose to see the good within
I choose to be happy
I choose to give love
I choose to be loved
I am Loved
I am Love

Awareness

View of the glacier water of the Holy River Ganges

Blog Action Day is an annual event held every October 15 that unites the world’s bloggers in posting about the same issue on the same day with the aim of sparking discussion around an issue of global importance. This year the topic is Climate Change.

My blog is about meditation so how does that fit in with climate change? As a TriYoga teacher and practitioner of meditation, there are global truths and knowledge that reveal themselves through the combination of the two practices.

Meditation brings awareness of inner peace and the connection between your Self and your surroundings. Non-violence, non-greed, and non-stealing are three observances on the yoga path and applied to both the body and your connection to and existence within in the world.

Climate change affects all of us and while it is a global problem it highlights the role that we have in making a difference. We all contributed to the problem in some shape or form and now we have an opportunity to make a contribution to be a part of the solution.

Before you enter into your meditation, ask yourself questions such as:

• How can I generate more inner peace and what can I do to maintain a peaceful environment.
• Are there moments when I consume more than I personally need and are there actions I can take to regenerate the planet and its resources?
• Are there areas within my life where I permit something to sap me of my strength, energy, and time such as a needy person constantly draining me or moments when I do not take time for sufficient rest or relaxation?

Scientists are advising cutting back on emissions and bringing awareness to the products that we use in our every day lives in order to reduce pollution of our earth, air, and water.

Following your meditation, look for ways in your own home, community, and workplace where you can make a difference.

What you think is who you are.

Ideas include:
Supporting organic farming
Recycling
Driving at an optimal speed
Using energy-efficient light bulbs

Making a difference now will ensure that the future will be healthier for everyone.

Meditation helps raise your intentions, your thoughts, and your actions to a level whereby you have a conscious shift in what you do because of the impact of your actions on the world.

Elevated conscious awareness changes your thinking by clearing away the debris that blocks your mind from seeing the impact that each of us plays in affecting our climate with either negative or positive consequences.

Positive Thoughts

Meditation helps stop the endless stream of thoughts.

One of the biggest problems that people who are new to meditation struggle with is intruding thoughts.
When the mind tries to release attachment to the outside world by focusing inward, thoughts, emotions, and conversations creep in and leap around, refusing to go away and leave you in peace.

What happens in the brain when thinking takes place? First, we have to go back to the mid 50’s, where the Nobel prize winners for Neuroscientific Research, David Hubel and Torsten Wiesel of Harvard Medical School explained how the brain cortex receives and interprets impulse messages via the eye.

Roger Sperry, who also received a Nobel Prize, showed that the left hemisphere of the brain is responsible for logical thinking and the right side of the body, while the right hemisphere is responsible for creativity and imagination and controlling the left side of the body, for example writing with a dominant left hand.

Neurobiologist Walter Freeman of University of California at Berkeley conducted research on the olfactory sense and using EEG, he was able to identify the specific area of the brain that identified with smell and taste. In addition, he discovered that the area of the brain that identified with a smell was different than the first time the brain perceived a smell.  The memory of a particular smell is located within a specific part of the brain, but we now have to ask ourselves about the role of emotions and feelings associated with a scent.

We use different language to express our feelings of preference, likes and dislikes, even happiness associated with what the smell represents.  Our thoughts are influenced by so many things that we are often unaware of their impact upon us until we attempt to quieten the mind during meditation.

Brain mapping has helped us understand what happens to the brain when we participate in or experience a particular event. It broadens our comprehension of physical and mental disorders as we recognize that there are a variety of factors that influence our consciousness at any given moment and on many different levels.

Meditation is clinically proven to balance both hemispheres of the brain, bringing stability to your emotions, thoughts, and actions. This means that creativity is enhanced, thoughts are clearer, and logical reasoning is focused and attentive.

Your personal life and your interactions with other people improve as you become more contented and at ease with the calmness that exists within you.

The thoughts that intrude and demand your attention are successful. Replacing them with positive thoughts that you want to focus on, such as an affirmation, is a step forward in bringing relaxation and peace to your life.

Meditation helps you to monitor your thoughts and how they make you feel. You learn to replace unwanted emotions with ones that you DO want and with practice you find that you can eliminate unnecessary thoughts as they arise and before they are able to take up permanent residence in your mind.

Think about how wonderful you will feel when all your thoughts are happy ones. No more self-doubt, no more self-criticizing; only confidence and contentment.

Om Shanti Peace

Silence, Prayer, Love

When I am liberated by silence,

when I am no longer involved in the measurement of life,

but in the living of it,

I can discover a form of prayer in which there is effectively, no distraction.

My whole life becomes a prayer.

My whole silence is full of prayer.

The world of silence in which I am immersed contributes to my prayer.

Thomas Merton

1915-1968

In the silence we tap into the source of all peace, light, and love.
Love is unconditional and is like an abundant feast that you can feed from at any time. No other food can satisfy you like the table spread before you. With such a feast available, why would you ever want to eat elsewhere? When you no longer thirst or hunger after any other forms of desire because you have found Love, you have reached the zenith of understanding.

We love whether the people that we know are present in our lives, far away, or sadly are no longer present here on Earth.

Whether today marks a happy anniversary or is a day to remember a person who has passed away, may you find love always in all that you do and in everyone that you know,

Today, as every day, I remember with love Margaret Barr Waters who passed on October 13, 2006, in Scotland.

Inner Peace

 Patanjali

(Photo by Margaret Stockley)

The Hindu sage Vyasa defines non-violence (ahimsa) as "the absence of injuriousness toward all living beings in all respects and for all times." He noted that a person who draws near one engaged in the true practice of ahimsa would be freed from all enmity.

Similarly, Patanjali (circa 100 ce) regards ahimsa as the great vow and foremost spiritual discipline which those seeking Truth must follow strictly and without fail. This was not meant merely to condemn killing, but extended to harm caused by one's thoughts, words and deeds of all kinds--including injury to the natural environment. Even the intent to injure, even violence committed in a dream, is a violation of the principle of ahimsa.

Take a moment to identify harmful behavior:
i. to others
ii. to you
iii. to the environment

Non-violence has a more encompassing meaning than not killing or physically striking out against another. It asks you to follow the stem of violence to its deeper root and understand the reasons why you respond the way you do in certain circumstances.

Every day, there are media reports of violence, anger, hatred, verbal abuse, and deaths. In your own life, you hear harsh words uttered in the spur of the moment, callous remarks spoken about someone who is not in your present company, unsympathetic words spat out in impatience.

Living a life free from violence promotes love. You love your neighbor as you love yourself, you feel compassion for all living things, and you honor and respect the challenges that you face without judgment, knowing that you and everyone that you come in contact with are all at different stages on the journey of life and are doing the best that you either know how to do, or choose to do.

Meditation is the easiest method to develop inner peace and calm and is available to everyone.  Meditation develops heightened awareness of your Self and your surroundings.  Through meditation you grow in your understanding, knowledge, and ability to know Bliss.

Surroundings affect your well-being through your awareness and your sub-consciousness. Pollution, harsh noise, and foul smells are all violence directed at the environment. You co-exist with nature and it is your responsibility to be aware of what is occurring around you. This is a moral obligation and you may wonder why you need to bother. As you explore the causal effects of right and wrong, what is sometimes referred to as the karma effect, you begin to understand where this responsibility comes from and why it is your duty to uphold this moral code, even when other people appear to be doing the opposite. Every time you make a choice, you verify or nullify the Creator.

Seeds of Fruit
One example of this is the act of eating a piece of fruit and randomly spitting out the seeds with no thought to where the seeds will fall and whether or not they will take root. This is the same as permitting your emotions to motivate you and rule your life without thinking how your actions will affect the world. With a little forethought, there would be less pain and misery.

Accepting your own traits and personality as a wonderful part of what makes every person a unique individual enables you to make the best use of the opportunities that confront you. Seek to monitor your thoughts and your actions and how they impact yourself and others.  Meditation helps you maintain single pointed focus and complete attention on what exists within you.  From here you are able to explore the inward journey and the source from which all peace flows from.

Goals
Ask yourself what your motive is for your actions. Do your actions serve your real purpose? Do they move you closer to achieving your goals?

Set yourself goals about what really matters and counts to putting you on the real path. Know that it is not material growth that you seek. You are seeking ways to enrich yourself, your friends and family, and the world at large. Catching yourself in a violent thought or action is the start of a process of achieving positive actions rather than repeating destructive behavior.

Be ever mindful, ever present, and ever conscious of all that you think, say, and do. If you are not in charge of your intentions, you will not be able to control what comes out of your mouth, or what you do physically.
In turn, your heart and mind becomes pure and free of petty egos and negativity and you develop divine qualities such as tolerance, humility, kindness, and love.

Peace

TriYoga

Kaliji with Margaret

Mysore, India December 2008

Today I thought you might be interested in learning a little about a wonderful practice that helps me maintain harmony in all that I do.  By incorporating TriYoga into my daily life, I have a deeper appreciation of the inner strength that develops through balancing the mind, body, and spirit.  Transformation occurs from within and once this is recognized, the surrounding world changes too, as every individual becomes a living example of what is best for themselves and others.


TriYoga is the system of yoga developed by Kali Ray, known as Kaliji. In January 1980, TriYoga Flows came intuitively to her as a result of kriyavati when she was leading a group meditation. Since then, Kaliji has established a comprehensive yoga method that incorporates the triple principle present in creation.

The beauty of TriYoga lies in its completeness as a method that allows the body to develop physically, emotionally, and spiritually. It is a complete experience encompassing asanas, pranayama, and mudra that blends body movements with breath. Meditation is taught in each class with sound and light visualization used to promote concentration leading into meditation.

Kaliji has established flows that work in accord with the whole person, enabling the student to focus fully on their practice while transferring a tranquility that stays with them throughout the day. Using a procedure of precise alignment, intuitive flows, and prana the student moves in a series of flows that improves strength and circulation, enhances inner peace, and promotes a deeper awareness of knowledge that arises from within.

Releasing Energy
When the body is supported correctly, it releases tension and negative energy and permits prana to move freely, making this style suitable for all ages and levels.

The classes are one and a half hours long and structured in precise sequences that awaken the intimate flow of prana and bring about a raised level of expansive awareness. The pace is fluid, and clear instruction throughout ensures that students are guided to maintain an even and rhythmical breath synchronized at a steady pace with a fusion of asanas, pranayama, and mudras.

Pranayama is an integral part of each class and even beginners learn techniques such as Shining Breath and Sun Moon Breath which aid in calming the nervous system and creating alpha brain waves. Exquisite mudras like Flowing Lotus work in combination with prana and asanas by securing energy within the body and eye mudras aid in drawing energy upward. It is a living process that moves beyond the physical through the dynamics of a method that represents the balance of life as the student learns to move and feel intuitively.

Each class ends with a period of meditation which centers on concentration of inner light enabling the mind to gain self-inquiry and allowing prana to be absorbed into the body. The result is a systematic practice that develops strength of mind and body, expands conscious awareness, and sustains the harmonious principles of the trinity.

All energy, such as light and sound, moves in waves and TriYoga incorporates this wavelike motion into a distinctive series. For example, when transitioning from cat pose to cat tuck the spine extends vertebra by vertebra in a spinal wave that flows from the base of the spine to the crown of the head with each inhalation and exhalation while maintaining a rhythmic flow of breath.

Relaxation occurs through correct alignment and economy of breath and movement. With regular sadhana (yoga practice), a heightened awareness arises to the universal truth that exists when balanced prana passes through the body. Additional classes include instruction on flows, prana vidya, Sanskrit, and jnana (philosophy).

Releasing Obstacles
As a TriYoga teacher, the discipline of daily practice centers and feeds my mind, body, and spirit. It is a rewarding experience, one where my existence is probed and challenged to overcome obstacles, many of which I place in my own way, either consciously or unconsciously. TriYoga is a constant process enabling me to be energized and enthusiastic, while asking me to be conscientious and thoughtful; demonstrating fairness and respect.

Ultimately, TriYoga is a wonderful teacher, profound, promoting the discovery of my innermost being. Its simplicity creates the opportunity for me to continue learning in love and enriching life.

I have a deeper appreciation of the inner strength that develops through balancing the mind, body, and spirit. Exploring the depth of each pose has taught me to reach beyond my own fears and gain confidence, by continuing to develop mentally, physically, and spiritually. Working to meet the challenges of practice is reflected in my interaction with others and I have grown through striving to maintain harmony in my daily life.

January 5th, 2010 marks the 30th anniversary of TriYoga which is now an international organization with over 600 teachers in 30 countries and hundreds more in the teacher internship program. Kaliji teaches classes and has been a keynote speaker at many seminars throughout the world. TriYoga is an organization that participates in aiding individuals and families with medical and financial help throughout the world. Other charitable activities include prison outreach and educating and raising awareness of caring for the environment and animal rights.

For much more in-depth information on Kaliji, classes, or training, the national website is TriYoga

Kaliji is my teacher and mentor and is a constant source of inspiration and guidance. 

My TriYoga studio in Massachusetts is Studio

POSITIVE MEDITATION

Embrace life.

The practice of meditation is transformative on many levels. The beginning of a changed life pathway is by living THIS moment in the present to your maximum potential. Then the next moment will ALSO be lived to fullest potential, and then the remainder of your life!
Life is not about what you think may happen in the future. Life is about enjoying the journey of daily creativity and loving experiences.
Then when you least expect it, something great comes along to change your life making it even more purposeful, with an aliveness, vitality and a higher sense of spiritual purpose in life. Something even greater will happen for you that you never even planned.

Will you be able to say in a few months time that this moment TODAY changed your life, because you changed to THINKING POSTIVELY by using your mind and soul to your maximum potential ?

Can a mere thought block energy? Can a mere thought cause disease? A study at Duke University in 1997 found that thoughts leading to negative emotions like anger or sadness actually constrict the blood vessels of the heart, a condition known as ischemia. Ischemia starves the flow of energy to the muscle and is a precursor to heart attack. Researcher Elizabeth Gullette said "What surprised me was the power of the association and the fact that negative emotions can actually trigger ischemia." The findings summarized that "negative emotions double the risk of ischemic attacks for an hour after the emotional trigger but positive emotions reduce the risk of such events."

So, holding on to a negative thought about someone or something blocks energy flow while a positive thought reduces risk.

In this way, the nature and quality of the thoughts we think, the feelings we experience, and the meaning we attach to events, either consciously or unconsciously, both influence and are influenced by our sense of awareness and level of consciousness long after the experience has passed.

Recognizing what you need comes not from what you perceive outwardly, but what comes to you inwardly through prayer, meditation, and listening to your innermost feelings. In quieting your mind, you hear what you need and begin to recognize the areas of your life that require healing, sustenance, and love. Determining the difference between wanting and truly needing is self-liberating.

Be serious in your choice to follow the right path and all that it requires. It takes effort, but pursuing the wrong path is destructive and painful and demands more effort in the long run.

Change your routine and habits to set yourself up for success. Replace bad habits with good habits. Begin one at a time and don’t be afraid to bring people into your life you who will support you and not try to detract you from your intentions.

We live in a world full of temptation and by maintaining a regular meditation practice you equip yourself with a unique tool to cope with pressures and desires. You will feel the joy that flows through each one of us, instilling you with the capacity to face up to daily challenges.

Meditation infuses you with a powerful energy. While you are in a relaxed state of body and mind, realize that you are master of your body. The mind is yours to control, and when it is controlled it will care for you and follow your directions.

Only when your mind becomes still through meditation can you attain clarity of thought and purpose in your actions. Ultimately, life is about maintaining a balance. In other words, when you practice moderation, your mind, body, and Spirit are healthy.

A positive mindset leads to positive actions and meditation allows the essence of unity with the source of pure love to lead you to a state of harmony and bliss.

Om Shanti Peace

Affirmations

Newsletter
Every Wednesday, I co-publish a meditation newsletter that highlights the latest medical research related to meditation.  It also has affirmations and feedback from readers.
Check this week's newsletter at the link below.  You can also subscribe to receive it in your in-box.

We've often been told that it's a great mid-week picker-upper!


see this week's free meditation newsletter here


Decades of psychoneuroimmunology research proves that optimistic people live longer, healthier lives. By default, they are also happier.  Affirmations are a great method of training the mind to focus on the positive rather than on matters which are not really important, yet sap your time and energy.

Affirmations are statements of belief that you repeat either consciously or unconsciously. They can be either negative - “I can’t do that” or “I’m not …. enough”
or positive - “I know that I am helping people.”

Used affirmatively, they represent the experiences that you desire however they can also be used as tools of creation, helping you to manifest great changes within your life and circumstances.

Thoughts and words require energy and they in turn have their own unique energy. Make the best use of your energy by understanding the power behind your thoughts and using their power to create a wonderful new reality.  As always, use an affirmation that best fits your needs.

Affirmations
I trust in my wisdom
I am moving in the right direction one thought at a time
I focus on my desires instead of my fears

PRANAYAMA

Feel the calmness that accompanies freedom from obstacles.

Preparing the body for meditation through an activity such as yoga is an ideal process in which to acquire skills to control unconscious thoughts and physical movements. Yoga creates a training ground in which to bring awareness to the joints, muscles, and the thoughts, in order to create single-pointed focus to sit still in meditation. An integral part of yoga is the practice of pranayama and the key to successful meditation through the all-important control of the breath.

When the mind is calm, the breath is also calm, and vice versa.

Incorporating breathing techniques and meditation in your daily activities is easy to do and helps you to live harmoniously with your surroundings while experiencing the transforming benefits of meditation.

For many people, the breath is erratic, uneven, noisy, and fails to maximize the life-force energy of prana. This is especially so when faced with a challenging situation.

The next time you encounter heavy traffic, pay attention to how you are breathing.
Then notice how you are feeling.
What thoughts and emotions are coursing through you?

Slowing the breath down and breathing deeply into the base of the lungs releases toxic emotions from your body. Notice how a deeper, more relaxed breathing pattern helps you slow down not only the rate of the breath, but your thoughts as well.

You can consciously practice pranayama everywhere; walking, waiting in line, waiting for a pot to boil.

Method
Observe the breath. Begin by monitoring the flow, rhythm, and speed of the breath. All three should be slow, smooth, and steady. When you focus your mind on something repetitive you automatically begin to quieten the thoughts and emotions. Purposely drawing your attention to one thought process prevents negativity and limitations from taking root. With each exhalation you can release what you do not need or want, and with each inhale, full your body and mind with the peace, joy, and love that will uplift you every day.

Once you teach your Self to breathe properly, you will use correct breathing techniques at every waking moment. In the beginning, you may catch yourself during moments of stress and detect that the pace of your breath is not effortless and calm.
Simply bring awareness back to the rhythmic flow of the breath and notice how it returns with ease to a composed and steady rate.

With practice, you will notice an improvement in clarity of thought, happiness, and peace of mind. Other people will notice the changes in you too and that means that you are making a positive difference not only in your own life, but in the lives of others too.

Your life becomes calmer, your meditation practice effortless, and the mind becomes limitless.

Peace

Gratitude

What are YOU grateful for?

Today is Info Friday where I highlight anything that is relevant to meditation. I’m not involved in any of these products or areas. They are simply something that I thought was interesting and thought you might enjoy too.

I came across Joy Bing Fleming’s gratitude blog several months ago and was immediately delighted to see that someone else was sharing their positive feelings and attitude with the universe. Every day, Joy and her partner Keith post several statements and affirmations about why they are grateful. It’s a simple expression of love, hope, and thankfulness for the smallest moments and the largest events that occur daily in an individual’s life.

While acknowledging that life does not flow as smoothly as you had planned when curve balls head your way, there is always something that you can be grateful for. Joy and Keith’s blog is a quick pick-me-up and will provide you with inspiration if you have encountered a tough day.

Joy says that “When you think about what you’re grateful for, that re-directs your thoughts to something positive. This will make you feel better, and it will bring more wonderful things into your life.”

You can check out their Gratitude Blog at the following link and post comments too. -
power of gratitude

Joy and Keith are also active on FaceBook and have started a Life Passion Group:
“Making you aware of the power to create your life as you desire.”
Life Passion


This is a global community to help like-minded people come together to be positive, exchange ideas, be a source of inspiration and many, many more motivational topics.
They have a weekly newsletter packed with tips to help you to create the life that you want through positive steps and affirmations.
They are constantly adding content and it is worth checking out to see if it is something that speaks to you, and if you can use some of the tools in your life.

I hope that you will find Joy and Keith’s blog inspirational and uplifting and look at your own life and discover something to be grateful for today and every day.

Write to me on my blog and let me know what you or someone you know is doing to create positive change, whether it’s through art, writing books, blogging, or any other manner that helps other people live a happy and rewarding life.

Om Shanti Peace

SPIRITUAL MEDITATION

Meditation helps you find the tranquil spiritual place that lies within you.

Over 2500 years ago, yoga originated as a means of teaching people to control their bodies and minds, in order to sit in meditation.
Meditation was considered extremely important because of the limitless possibilities that it unveiled. It was viewed as so much more than a medium of relaxation, emotional healing, and relieving stress as is often seen today.
This is like being offered a blank check that has your name written on it and only asking for a dollar of the true worth.

At its heart, meditation is the foundation of spiritual growth. It is a unique pathway that enables you to explore your soul and draw awareness to your actual self that lies deep within.
With meditation, you learn to rise above the perceived restrictions and prejudices that keep you in a habitual pattern of emotional and physical limitations and reveal instead the doorway to the spiritual realm.

In the spiritual realm you can tap into great wisdom, tranquility, and deep healing as you take time to explore your emotions and feelings, while maintaining an open connection to God.

It is here, in your meditation, that you discover your potential, and know the profound love that exists for you. As you bathe in this love, you feel the bliss. There is no place for fear or anxiety to reside. Instead, there is only love, peace, and happiness. This love emerges from the source of Light and this Light fills you and emanates from you. In turn, your light shines on others and they delight in being around you because you help them to feel the love and Light.

This spiritual consciousness brings a shift whereby spiritual gifts will emerge for you to put to good use to help others. The more that you practice meditation, the easier it becomes to enter into meditation, making your meditation deeper and more blissful. Eventually you reach a state of enlightenment where consciousness expands in all directions and becomes limitless. You lose awareness of having a body or breath and realize instead your very soul and its connection to God.

Persist with your practice of meditation and know that its ultimate goal is to help you to grow in your love for your Self, your love for others, your love for the world, and especially in your love for God.

No matter where you are on your own spiritual journey, meditation transcends religious dogma by enabling you to grow closer to and maintain an authentic relationship with God.

Om Shanti Peace