Are Your Thoughts Creating The Reality That You Want?

The meditative mind reflects peace and clarity.

A 1995 report to the National Institutes of Health on alternative medicine concluded that "More than 30 years of research, as well as the experience of a large and growing number of individuals and health care providers, suggests that meditation and similar forms of relaxation can lead to better health, higher quality of life, and lowered health care costs…"

Fifteen years after that report, multiple aspects of meditation are actively being studied with the results raising further ideas for research as well as finding answers to health and wellbeing problems through the many benefits of meditation. Many of these studies have been highlighted in our previous newsletters.

One of the latest areas of research focuses on gamma waves produced by regular deep meditation. These gamma waves cause the electromagnetic rhythm of neurons to fire very rapidly in synchrony with each other, changing the brain in positive ways.

The thought-process becomes clearer while the ability to be the observer of your thoughts becomes sharper and immediate. What this leads to is a rewiring of the circuitry of the brain, resulting in stress-reduction, calmness, and improved interactions.

Your Powerful Thoughts
A balance between rest and activity enhances productivity because you are able to focus, are more observant, and creativity can flourish. Your mind requires meditative time to stay inspired and alert. The difference between being tired or rested often translates into the difference between being overwhelmed with daily challenges or finding resourceful solutions to them.

No one has control over your thoughts except yourself. Your hope, wishes, even your imagination are all within your own power to direct their energy in one path or another.
Studies show that the mind cannot discern between what it has actually seen and what it is seeing via your imagination.

The mind can be “tricked” into believing a memory that is simply created as though it has actually been experienced.

Use your imagination to generate a reality that is positive, loving, and all that you desire. This is not a make-believe type of imagining, but a means of creating more positivity and constructive actions that in turn generates affirmative thoughts and actions. Gradually, you develop the habit of thinking positively, seeing opportunities rather than obstacles, and being the type of person that people want to be around because they feel good by being in your presence.

You always have a choice about how you are going to react to the world. For example, take a look around you at the room that you are sitting in. What do you notice? Do you pay attention to the fact that it is comfortable and are appreciative of having a home?
Or do you choose to think about the chores that need to be done?

Try to pay attention and catch yourself mid-thought whenever you find that a thought has appeared that does not promote the environment that you want.

Affirmation

Use affirmations either as part of your meditation practice or carry them with you and repeat them throughout the day whenever you catch yourself thinking a negative thought.
Over time, your affirmations will have a positive effect and transform not only your behavior but generate an assuredness of self-worth and contentment.

My thoughts are creating the reality that I want
My imagination creates what I believe
My affirmations are creating habits in keeping with my objectives
I am now achieving my goals

What The Geese Taught Me

“What The Geese Taught Me”

“Next fall, when you see Geese heading South for the Winter, flying along in V formation, you might consider what science has discovered as to why they fly that way:

As each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the bird immediately following.

By flying in V formation the whole flock adds at least 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own.

People who share a common direction and a sense of community can get where they are going, more quickly and easily, because they are traveling on the thrust of one another.

When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go it alone ... and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird in front.

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

When the Head Goose gets tired, it rotates back in the wing and another goose flies point.

It's sensible to take turns doing demanding jobs with people or with geese flying south.

Geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.

What do we say when we honk from behind?

Finally...and this is important...when a goose gets sick, or is wounded by gunshots, and falls out of formation, two other geese fall out with that goose and follow it down to lend help and protection. They stay with the fallen goose until it is able to fly, or until it dies; only then do they launch out on their own, or with another formation to catch up with their group.

If we have the sense of a goose, we will stand by each other like that.”
(Author Unknown)

How Much Effort Does It Actually Take To Live Mindfully?

The researcher Jon Kabat-Zinn writes the following about mindfulness; "The point is to pause in our experience long enough to let the present moment sink in; long enough to actually feel the present moment, to see it in its fullness, to hold it in awareness, and thereby come to know and understand it better."

How much effort does it actually take to live mindfully?
At what times during the day do you pause to think about someone or notice how you are feeling?
Noticing what you are experiencing and incorporating this awareness into all of your interactions begins when you become the observer of your life.

The hard way or the easy way?
It takes only a small amount of time to do something mindfully as it does to act without thinking. The consequences though can be very different as many people have regrettably found out the hard way.

We make conscious choices every day when it is related to an event that we deem to be important to us. Equally, not making a choice when you have the opportunity to make one is also a choice.

Learning to live in the moment begins with catching yourself in the moment. This instance of awareness includes observing what's occurring internally as well as physically.

Ask yourself the following questions:
What am I noticing right now? What's happening in my vicinity? What am I drawn to?
What am I feeling right now? What emotions and physical sensations are flowing through me?
What am I thinking right now? How do I want to react?

With practice, awareness increases and you quickly pick up what the body is feeling and what thoughts are flowing through the mind.

All this occurs in real time and gives you the ability to make appropriate choices that positively impact your present, your future, and the ability to sustain lasting change.

Affirmations

As always, choose affirmations that feel appropriate to you. Feel free to create an affirmation that's suitable to you by asking yourself the following question:
What do I want to ….?

This will help you to create affirmations that assert your purpose and therefore have special meaning to you.
It is important that the words you use are your own or that they feel comfortable to you.
Once you become familiar with using an affirmation, you can create your own ones, based on your specific needs on a day-to-day basis using language and content to better fit what is happening in your own life.

I have the freedom to find out who I am

I forgive who I was in the past

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

I know that I am a loving person and that I am loved