Change Your Brain In 8 Weeks

~Going With The Flow~

Changing Your Brain In 8 Weeks
In a study that appeared in the January 30, 2011 issue of Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, a team led by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers report that participation in an 8-week mindfulness meditation program appears to make measurable changes in the regions of the brain that are associated with memory, sense of self, empathy and stress. This is the first study to document meditation-produced changes in the brain's grey matter.

Study participants took part in the program at the University of Massachusetts Center for Mindfulness, focusing on nonjudgmental awareness of sensations and feelings and state of mind.
A set of MR brain images were also taken of a control group of non-meditators over a similar time interval.

The meditation group participants practiced mindfulness exercises for an average of 27 minutes per daily and their responses to the mindfulness questionnaire showed significant progress compared with their pre-participation responses.

The MR images, which focused on areas where meditation-associated differences were seen in earlier studies, found increased grey-matter density in the hippocampus, known to be important for learning and memory, and in structures associated with self-awareness, compassion and introspection.
Reductions in stress also were correlated with decreased grey-matter density in the amygdala, which is known to play an important role in anxiety and stress.

No changes were seen in the control group.

The study team reported that the act of practicing meditation changed the brain, increasing well-being and quality of life.

Going With The Flow
Multi-Sensory Meditation involves training the mind and body to aware of the input from the senses and to remain detached from the emotions and experiences that arise.

When the 5 senses are involved, strong emotions can create a powerful attachment within the subconscious to past events and the fear associated with similar future experiences.

Multi-Sensory Meditation develops your natural ability to remain impervious to the variability of daily life. This acceptance of the “flow” literally creates new neural pathways within the brain, equipping you with the skills to shift from a downward cycle of negativity to one that is up-beat and filled with positive vitality.

It promotes an awareness of attachment leading to a successful release of negative thoughts and feelings. The mind is no longer flooded with overwhelming thoughts and feelings that determine reactive responses, but rather, there is intention and awareness in every moment creating a happier and healthier way to live.

By highlighting the connection between the senses, memory, consciousness, and awareness patterns of behavior change, resulting in a focused mind and a calm and energized body.

Contact me for more information about Multi-Sensory Meditation and how to learn it.

Affirmation
Your own internal dialogue can and will influence the way that you shape your own actions and ability to self-motivate. Positive self-talk directly impacts future actions with the power to produce healthier and more productive behavior.

I now surrender to the Universal Flow

I accept what is happening and trust that all will be well

I am at peace with all that surrounds me

Taking back your power: Positive affirmations list

A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances but rather a person with

a certain set of attitudes. Hugh Downs

The following affirmations and positive thoughts are my own and I'm happy to list them in today's post.

If you choose to use them, please remember to credit my name.

You have the wonderful ability to think positively. It is a conscious choice to ensure that your thoughts and subsequent action are doing their best for you and for others. Whether you call it positive thinking or an affirmation, as long as you believe that it is working then it will have the power to make a difference.
Use whichever words best meet your own needs and purpose each day.
Here are three to begin with:

I choose to be kind
I choose to give love
I choose to be happy

Thoughts have their own unique energy and work for you or against you, but if you don’t monitor them by paying attention, then it should not be a surprise when situations occur that you don’t really want.

If you knew the real power of your thoughts, you would never have a negative thought again.

I have the freedom to choose how I will act, even when my first thoughts are not ideal.


Use the power of your words to create only that which is positive for you and will not do harm to others around you.

I am in a constant state of fulfillment.
I love and accept myself.
I am filled with energy to do all the daily activities in my life.
I choose to be grateful.

There is always a way to choose the right path, be it in words or actions and you are defined by the choices that you make.

The happier I am with people around me, the happier I am as a person.

The illusion of the world is very powerful and plays easily with the mind, if you let it happen, or don’t pay attention to what is actually going on.


Your thoughts and words reveal your innermost values and what you hold up as important.

Distractions caused by focusing on feelings or emotions of the past, or anticipation of what is going to happen or might happen in the future, draw you away from what is actually taking place at this moment in time.

Each moment of every day my life is filled with wonder.

Be grateful for all that you have every day.
Say thank you, until you mean it.
And if you say it long enough, you will believe it.

When you are exposed to a specific event, it is how your mind reacts that determines the response, rather than the actual event itself. When you are aware of the power of your intention and how it shapes yourself and the world around you, you recognize how uncontrolled emotions can keep you tied down in the very place you are struggling to get away from.

I am responsible for my life and have the power I need to have joy.

The past has no hold over me

I am in control of my thoughts and emotions

I make conscious decisions to follow one path or another

My life is brimming with bright choices and overflowing with joy and happiness.

Remember:
You are a wonderful amazing individual with no limits except those that you place in front of you.
Have confidence in your abilities.
Believe in yourself and what you are capable of and soar as high as you can imagine.

Become a driver rather than a passenger in your own life.

3 baby robins have hatched

only 2 weeks later, see what they've become.....

"If you know what you could become, it would leave you breathless." Ben Herbster

Think back to how your parents dressed when you were a child.

Those fashions were appropriate then, but if you were to see someone sporting the same outfits today, that person would probably receive quite a few stares.

Styles change; skirt lengths rise and fall, men’s ties become wider or thinner as designers shape the current fashion trends.

Positive Change
Change has always happened and while most people are wearing more recent clothing styles, you have to ask yourself if you are still wearing the same memories and attitudes of things that went wrong, or memories of things people told you like “You’re not smart enough.”

Holding on to other people’s opinions only holds you back. Life does change and by being ever vigilant you can observe what is arising internally in response to specific events or comments.

Change challenges us to look at what we are doing, where we have been, and what we want to do with our lives. Change is positive when you can take a fresh look at all the old expectations that you still carry around with you and do something about it, rather than riding along with what life tosses your way or what other people think is best.

Become a driver rather than a passenger in your own life.

You have the ability to persevere, be resilient, and successfully create the life you want through the thoughts that you keep.

So, tear off the labels that other people apply/have applied to you. Do it now! The more you tolerate phrases like "You're not clever enough, or You can't do that" the more you believe them.

Show who you really are and begin living your ideal life.

 

Affirmations

I choose my path

I am clear on my goals

I am taking action to reach my purpose.

Every day I am closer to my ideal life

I am grateful for my opportunities

I know that as I help others along the way I also receive guidance

Choose Your Thoughts

Check out today's NEW video posting as well the brand new layout of the blog.

Let me know what you think!

A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances

but rather a person

with a certain set of attitudes - Hugh Downs

The illusion of the world is very powerful and plays easily with the mind, if you let it happen, or don’t pay attention to what is actually going on.

Distractions caused by focusing on feelings or emotions of the past, or anticipation of what is going to happen or might happen in the future, draw you away from what is actually taking place at this moment in time.

If you knew the real power of your thoughts, you would never have a negative thought again.

Thoughts have their own unique energy and work for you or against you, but if you don’t monitor them by paying attention, then it should not be a surprise when situations occur that you don’t really want.

Use the power of your words to create only that which is positive for you and will not do harm to others around you.

There is always a way to choose the right path, be it in words or actions and you are defined by the choices that you make.

They reveal your innermost values and what you hold up as important.

Be grateful for all that you have every day.
Say thank you, until you mean it.
And if you say it long enough, you will believe it.

You are a wonderful amazing individual with no limits except those that you place in front of you.
Have confidence in your abilities.
Believe in yourself and what you are capable of and soar as high as you can imagine.

Affirmations and Meditation

Much has been written about affirmations and their powerful effect upon yourself and the world around you.
People who dismiss the impact of affirmations are usually people who do not use positive affirmations. Instead, they use negative reinforcement without even realizing it with comments such as "That will never work," or "Why bother. You're too old/young/not qualified enough."

You may have heard phrases like that and unfortunately if you are exposed to these types of comments on a regular basis then they have an insidious way of sticking.

Conversely, statements that reaffirm who you are and your perspective of the world around you, will also stay with you, spurring you upward and onward to greater success professionally and in your relationships.

This is more than seeing the world through rose-colored glasses. Sad events do happen. However, it is how we view the world and ourselves that enables us to recover from unhappy occasions, to seek ways to comfort others, and to ultimately be a force for change and goodness.

What you believe about yourself and your life does eventually become true, and depending on which train of thought you follow and adhere to, will ultimately impact your life with either a positive or negative outcome.

Louise Hay is one of the best known writers of affirmations and a good resource should you wish to seek out further information. However, like most things in life, developing the art of positive thinking comes through practice, awareness, and catching yourself mid-thought and replacing a negative thought with a positive one.

Here are 12 Affirmations by Louise Hay to get you started:

• My thoughts flow freely and easily.
• I move through ideas with ease.
• I decide to be me. I approve of myself as I am.
• I am at home in the Universe. I am safe and secure and understood.
• I love and approve of myself I am at peace. I am calm. All is well.
• I create a joyful, peaceful world to live in.
• I increase my consciousness of good and good is what I now attract.
• I am the very center of Life and I am totally connected in Love.
• I love every part of my body; I am healthy, happy and whole.
• My loving thoughts connect with like-minded and together we bless the world.
• I relax completely for I now know I am safe.
• I trust Life and I trust myself. 

Yoga, pranayama, and meditation are three powerful tools that help you take control of your mind and actions, helps you monitor your thoughts, and become aware enough to actually choose what you think and actively replace negative thinking with positive affirmations.

Through meditation you gain introspection without the guilt. You can identify areas where you may have unconsciously harbored feelings of separation and the belief that the world was not a good and wonderful place but rather one that was troubled and dangerous.
Seeing the world as a dark place is further reinforced when you repeatedly see or hear information that fits the landscape that you have painted for yourself.

Sad events do occur. They are real. But good things occur daily too and by maintaining a positive frame of mind and outlook on the world YOU can be the change that the world needs. You can shine YOUR light upon those you are suffering. YOU can make a difference.

Whatever you focus on, your mind forms thoughts, emotions, and actions around a particular stream of thinking. Meditation is the simplest method I know that helps to break the old mold and create a healthier, more beneficial way of living.

Meditation is a free and easy tool that we each have access to.
With regular practice it will help you release obstacles to peace and restore balance and harmony to your world.

While affirmations are different from mantras (see previous articles on the blog site related to mantras) they are a useful addition to helping you create the life that you desire for yourself.

You have the ability to learn the gift (which is how I view it) of meditation and receive the wonderful benefits which are your birthright.

Begin today. It's never too late to start.

Use affirmations to help create the correct mind-set.
Practice meditation, and there are plenty of guided meditations on this blog site for you to use.

Continue to affirm, love, and help those who need you by practicing compassion.  Reach out to those in need. Be the Light that they need.

Changing any habit is fraught with challenge, and thought patterns are also a habit and YOU have the ability to change your thoughts.

If everyone thought in terms of doom and gloom there would be no hope, no recovery.

Be the person you would like to help you, when you are in need.
Inspire, support, and most of all Love


You CAN do it.

Peace, Love, Light.

Positive Thinking

Fruits and vegetables are a source of energy.

Do mind-body techniques such as yoga, meditation or repetitive prayer affect the way your body deals with stress?

Numerous studies, including one by Boston’s MGH MBI and the Genomics Center at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center shows that after an 8 week period of meditation, the people who were participating in the research were positively affected even at the level of their genes, demonstrating that thoughts can and do affect the body at a cellular level.

Meditation was able to actively suppress the activation or repression of genes which can result in cellular damage and consequently disease.

While food and drink contain energy that can work with or against your body, optimum health does not only come from what you consume or apply topically, as you can see from the above study. It also arises from the internal, in what you think and do, and who you surround yourself with.

What habits do you keep repeating?
What feelings and fears keep intruding?

Your mind makes mental movies of both actual and imagined situations as though the brain is witnessing it for real: laughter, arguments, sad life events.
These images affect the whole self, thereby creating a reality that you choose, whether you are conscious of it or not.

However, a diet of positive thoughts detoxifies the mind and improves your quality of life.
In other words, you are what you think.

Make a movie within your mind. See yourself surrounded by the things that make you happy. See yourself helping other people as you shine your positive light on them.

Affirmations
Affirmations are powerful statements about what you want to create in your life.
Balance your actions with awareness of thoughts and clarity of vision.
Envisage a clear and positive outline for your future by retaining only that which is positive and beneficial to you.

With each inhalation I breathe in ….. (what you need)
With each exhalation I release …..(what you don’t need)
I am filling each cell with light and creating a new body
I envisage only that which is for my highest good
I shine my light on the world

Every day I make a loving environment for everyone around me, including myself.