tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20341894249135861972024-03-13T08:43:58.577-07:00Reduce your stress with a snap of your fingersTrigger and activate your natural energies to reduce your stress levels, improve your creativity and feel calm, happy and relaxed using these "non-religious" meditation and mindfulness techniquesSudesh Kannan, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09326971668191131776noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2034189424913586197.post-3421036284346496102012-10-04T05:53:00.003-07:002012-10-04T08:31:55.720-07:00Mindfulness Exercise: The Who, Where and What of Your Happiness<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Start
by considering:<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 39pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The three people you feel happiest
around. How much time do you spend with them – by phone, personal visits or
emails/letters?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 39pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The three places where you feel the
most joy. How often do you visit these places?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 39pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The three activities that most
delight you. How do you integrate them into your daily life?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Becoming
aware of the people, places and activities that bring us the most joy—and
creating time for them--requires mindfulness. Much like your body responds to a
physical exercise routine, your mind responds and becomes increasingly aware,
peaceful and loving as you train it through meditation. And just like physical
exercise, the more you meditate, the more you use these calming circuits in
your mind, making it easier to experience happiness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Take
time to be mindful about the people you surround yourself with – make time for
people you love. Visit places that make you feel joyful – the local flea
market, your church or temple or a nearby forest preserve. Make time for the
activities that energize and delight you. Read, if that’s what you love to do.
Or listen to your favorite music . . . and of course meditate! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Consider,
how can you make time for these people, places and activities on a regular
basis?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br clear="all" />
<b><i>“Action may not always bring happiness;</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">but there is no happiness without action”</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: right;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">-Benjamin Disraeli (British Prime Minister and Novelist
1804-1881)</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Sudesh Kannan, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09326971668191131776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2034189424913586197.post-71922997568817293822012-09-01T17:04:00.001-07:002012-09-01T17:04:35.690-07:00Quantity over quality counts in Meditation!Many of my students fret about the quality of their meditation session. They feel their minds are not as focused as they want; they feel easily distracted with daily worries and, sometimes, give up their meditation practice.<br />
<br />
My response is very simple -Quantity over quality! It is more beneficial for you to make 10-15 mins for your meditation practice for at least 4-5 times a week. As you get better at meditating, your mind will start relaxing within a few seconds of starting your meditation practice. Your quality and depth of meditation will improve on its own accord. Accept that, sometimes, your mind will be distracted and just the act of sitting or lying down for 10-15 minutes will help calm you down.<br />
<br />
It is good to supplement your practice with a longer 30-45 minute session over the weekend. I often use the analogy of a runner training for a half-marathon race. Most runners will run short distances 3-5 miles during the weekday and a long run (6-8 miles) over Saturday and take rest on Sunday. A similar approach works for meditators too. Get your short sessions done over the weekdays and schedule a long session over Saturday or Sunday. Don't beat yourself up if you miss your scheduled session. Over time, you will enjoy the meditation experience so much that you will automatically find time for it.<br />
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Don’t
worry about finding perfection in your meditation practice; you will discover
practice is perfection!<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
Check out the guest blog - "Too Busy to Meditate?"<br />
<a href="http://stressreduction123.blogspot.com/2012/06/too-busy-to-meditate.html">http://stressreduction123.blogspot.com/2012/06/too-busy-to-meditate.html</a>Sudesh Kannan, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09326971668191131776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2034189424913586197.post-51978742824736671252012-08-08T15:11:00.000-07:002012-08-08T15:11:58.096-07:00Reflections of a Labyrinth Walker<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I asked one of my friends, Cathy M, a free-lance writer
to share her reflections about a recent labyrinth/walking meditation session.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love her metaphor of the curved labyrinth
(in this case – a Chartres Design Labyrinth for those who are interested in
technical details) to that of her life and mission. We all can relate to the
twists and turns of our lives – but I love her insight of embracing the flow of
life that takes us to what means most to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>While your experiences and insights may not be the same, I hope that you
will ponder on the meaning of life as you wander around your labyrinth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here is one of my favorite quotes on life and
our thoughts - <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“As
a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will
not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again and
again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of
thoughts we wish to dominate our lives.” <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">― Henry David Thoreau<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">=======================================================<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Is
this labyrinth broken? By Cathy M (July-August 2012)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">When a friend my own age
died unexpectedly and, of course, unfairly, I took stock of my life and
committed to finally writing that novel. Although I’d majored in English, made
my living as a corporate writer, and read a fair amount, I had no idea how to write
fiction, let alone a whole novel. Yet, I decided that between parenting two
toddlers, working part-time and running a household, I could squeeze in enough
writing time to finish by my fortieth birthday, in four years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Our plans are like that.
Linear. I’ll start here, work hard and finish at the goal. We plan and expect to
find the path is a direct one. But life, God, fate, the universe, higher power,
Spirit—whatever you choose to believe in—reminds us, or me at least, that it’s
about the journey. And it’s almost never linear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Of course I’ve seen the
posters: “Life is a journey, not a destination,” and all the rest. And at some
level, I knew that. Only I didn’t live that way. My to-do list said I was to
finish my novel by my fortieth birthday. I’d committed. And therefore, I would
do whatever it took to accomplish that goal. If I didn’t, then I would have failed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">And, I was cruising along,
cranking out pages every week. Reading books about writing books and educating
myself on the publishing industry. I subscribed to a couple of writing
magazines and even joined a weekly writer’s group. And then, two years in, my
father died. Unexpectedly. Unfairly. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I didn’t write for a year.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I blew my self-imposed
deadline. And yes, I berated myself. Over and over again. Until one sweltering
July morning when a friend invited me to walk a labyrinth, something I’d never
done but was open to trying, especially when I learned it only takes about 30
minutes and then I could get on with my to-do list. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">So I went. It was relatively
easy. Follow the path, walk slowly, concentrate on your steps and your
breathing and, if you’re so inclined, meditate. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">If you’ve seen a labyrinth
you know the path is anything but linear. And while it wasn’t obvious that the
stone walkway would eventually lead me to the center, the goal, I trusted it would.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I trusted until I’d been
walking for about 15 minutes and noticed that the path had taken me to an outer
ring almost as far from the center as when I started. “Hey, wait a second,” I
thought. “I should be closer to the center by now. Did I take a wrong turn? Is
this labyrinth broken? Am I ever going to get there?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I inhaled deeply and,
resigned, continued walking, slowly, wondering how this path, with all its
bends and turns, would ever take me to the center. As my friend had suggested,
I became aware of my thoughts, acknowledged them and then let them go as best I
could. And, as he had suggested, I focused on the sun warming my shoulders and
face. I became aware of the giant oak trees nearby, how their leaves wiggled in
the subtle breeze. I listened to the sound my steps made on the stones. And, I
noticed my breath.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Then, to my astonishment, I saw
how the path ended in the center.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just a
few minutes ago, I was at the edge of the labyrinth and now, here, it was
clear. I was steps away from the goal. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My excitement escaped as a giggle. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Such a simple thing, to
follow a path to a goal. But not so simple when the path is not linear, as we
expect and plan. That requires trust. Sometimes blind trust. As I wound my way
back out through the labyrinth, this time <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">knowing</i>
it would lead me back to the start, I was aware of times in my life when I’ve
felt so far from my goal. Far from clarity. From peace. From myself. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought about my novel. My dad. And the
missed deadline.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">My grief took me away from
writing for a long time. I wasn’t sure I’d ever return to it, let alone finish
the book. But eventually, I did. As I put one foot in front of the other,
making my way out of the labyrinth, I realized that my father’s death put me
more in touch with my own raw emotions, which, later, made it easier to imagine
those of my characters. As a result, the story came faster once I returned to
it, and the characters were deeper because my experience informed my work. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In the weeks since walking
the labyrinth, I try to remind myself that I am exactly where I am supposed to
be in my journey, even if that seems far from the goal. I remember the sun, the
trees, the sound of my feet and my breath, and that if I become aware, I’ll
find joy, love and happiness right where I am. Those experiences are accessible
to me even when I’m not standing in the center. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I remember, too, that the
labyrinth isn’t broken. As long as I continue to put one foot in front of the
other and trust, I’ll look up soon and see that, even with all its bends, this
path is leading me to the center. <o:p></o:p></span></div>Sudesh Kannan, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09326971668191131776noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2034189424913586197.post-51307573404120235852012-06-29T13:54:00.000-07:002012-06-29T13:54:25.157-07:00Too busy to meditate?<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Some of my meditation
students complain that while they love meditation, they can’t see to find time
for it in their busy schedule.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When is
the best time to meditate? How long should I meditate?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">My answers are – try different times for meditation and
find that suit you the best.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I prefer
early morning meditation sessions but I have used late night sessions (just
prior to going to bed). On weekends, I prefer afternoons. Try different time
slots and see what works best for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
aim for 15 minutes of meditation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also
use 5 or 10 min music pieces for shorter sessions (Check my website </span><a href="http://www.meditation-magic.com/"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">www.meditation-magic.com</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> for
free download of these mp3s).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I spent two years of my high school <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>in the coastal Indian town of Visakhapatnam.
My sister (Dr Suguna/ Editor of this blog) was a college professor of a women’s
college (gender only college are not uncommon in India). I feel privilege that
faculty members from this college continue to enrich my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of them, Dr. Vijayalakshmi (Retired Professor
of Languages – Hindi) shared this note with us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: accent1;">It is when our lives
are full and busy that we need our daily meditation to help center us for the
day. Ironically, when we get busy, the first thing that tends to get cut back
is our meditation practice. We have less time and a lot on our plates, so it
makes sense that this happens, but in the end it doesn’t really help us. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: accent1;">Most of us know from
experience that we perform much better when we give ourselves time each day to
sit in silence. And the more we have to do, the more we need that solitary,
quiet time for the day ahead. As a result, while it may sound counterintuitive,
it is during busy times that we most need to spend more time in meditation
rather than less. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: accent1;">Expanding our
morning meditation by just 10 minutes can make a big difference, as can the
addition of short meditations into our daily schedule. Unless we are in the
midst of a crisis we always have five or 10 minutes to spare. The key is, that
spending that time in meditation, is the most fruitful choice. We could be
getting our dishes done or heading into work earlier instead, so it’s important
that we come to value the importance of meditation in the context of all the
other things competing for attention in our lives. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: accent1;">We can create more
time in the morning, either by getting up earlier or to prepare breakfast the
night before and use the extra time for meditation. We can also add short
meditation breaks into our schedule, from five minutes before or after lunch to
a meditation session at night before we go to sleep. When we come from a place
of centered calm, we are more effective in handling our busy schedules and more
able to keep it all in perspective. If more time in meditation means less time
feeling anxious, panicky, and overwhelmed, then it’s certainly worth the extra
time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Need more ideas? Check out my blog article<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: text2;">No time for meditation? Here is what you
can do . . .<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<a href="http://stressreduction123.blogspot.com/search/label/time"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">http://stressreduction123.blogspot.com/search/label/time</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">" Everything good will happen in its own good time
if you let it, and don't worry yourself in the meanwhile."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>~
Lao Tse<o:p></o:p></span></div>Sudesh Kannan, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09326971668191131776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2034189424913586197.post-57210388837902094352012-06-29T13:32:00.003-07:002012-06-29T13:38:14.823-07:00Checklist for Walking Meditation ClassOK! Here is a good checklist for your walking meditation class<br />
<br />
<strong>Check the weather.</strong> As long there is no thunder or lightning; you can have a great walking meditation session. I have meditated and walked in the snow, light rainy, and windy conditions. Check your email for any last minute cancellations.<br />
<br />
<strong>Walking barefeet or with shoes</strong> - I suggest you try different combinations. I have walked barefeet, used flip-flops (can be noisy but rythmic :-) or good walking shoes. Some people prefer sandals. I suggest you keep an alternate pair in your car.<br />
<br />
<strong>Light, loose clothes are preferable.</strong> Avoid tight clothes. Jeans, shorts and t-shirt or your work-out clothes that fit comfortably are good choices<br />
<br />
<strong>Folding chair/mat for sitting</strong> - most walking meditation sessions are done in beautiful locations. I prefer to sit before and after my walking meditation session. I also like to lie in the grass and enjoy nature.<br />
<br />
<strong>Notebook/Pen</strong> - Walking meditation will trigger your creativity. If you want to capture your thoughts, bring a pen and a note book.<br />
<br />
<strong>Water/ snacks</strong> - Avoid caffiene or sugary drinks. Fruits, nuts and a bottle of cold water may be good to have in your car.<br />
<br />
<strong>Sunblock/ insect repellent</strong> - if you are sensitive to bugs or the sun, these are handy to have around.<br />
<br />
Leave your cell phone in your car or in the OFF position in your purse or pocket. Cell phone can be very distracting. Yes - I am a "CrackBerry Head" :-)<br />
<br />
Any questions or comments?Sudesh Kannan, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09326971668191131776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2034189424913586197.post-40284330292977714942012-04-13T08:59:00.004-07:002012-04-15T06:06:05.602-07:00Key to happiness - cultivate our capacity for kindness!<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I am a big fan of Krista Tippet and her National Public
Radio program Being (formerly called “Speaking of Faith”). Krista interviews a
wide range of experts on topics ranging from religion, spirituality, human
brain and learning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a recent interview, Krista talked with
Sylvia Boorstein – a professional psychotherapist (who combines her
professional knowledge with the compassion of a spiritual teacher and the
wisdom of a grandmother!).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Boorstein indicates
that the secret to happiness lies in cultivating our capacity to connect with kindness
with ourselves, family, friends . . . and even with people who may not like.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">If you would like to learn more, check out her book <strong>“Happiness
is an inside job”.</strong> I love that book for its simplicity and power of its
message.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I recently tried the following set of phrases in a
meditation group and many of the participants found it to be very effective to
relaxing them. You can try its effectiveness on you by reading these phrases
aloud or writing it in your journal multiple times:</span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">May I be happy and peaceful</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">May I be free from fear and suffering</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">May I live with love and compassion</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">May I fully awaken and be free<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">(You can repeat the phrases above with a blessing to
people around you – May <strong>you</strong> be happy and peaceful . . . )<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">(You can repeat the phrase above with a blessing to all
being – May <strong>all beings</strong> be happy and peaceful . . .)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
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</o:lock></v:path></v:stroke></span></v:shapetype><v:shape alt="Description: http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1320429267l/1252501.jpg" id="il_fi" o:spid="_x0000_s1026" style="height: 201.6pt; margin-left: 347.25pt; margin-top: 6.65pt; mso-height-percent: 0; mso-height-relative: margin; mso-position-horizontal-relative: text; mso-position-horizontal: absolute; mso-position-vertical-relative: text; mso-position-vertical: absolute; mso-width-percent: 0; mso-width-relative: margin; mso-wrap-distance-bottom: 0; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-top: 0; mso-wrap-style: square; position: absolute; visibility: visible; width: 133.9pt; z-index: 251658240;" type="#_x0000_t75"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
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</w:wrap></v:imagedata></span></v:shape><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">References:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Happiness Is an Inside Job: Practicing for a Joyful Life
(Hardcover) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Published December 4th 2007
by Ballantine Books <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">You can find the interview with Sylvia Boorstein here<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://being.publicradio.org/programs/2012/what-we-nurture/"><span style="color: blue;">http://being.publicradio.org/programs/2012/what-we-nurture/</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Check out the 7 min video on Loving Kindness Meditation
here<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://being.publicradio.org/programs/2012/what-we-nurture/video_lovingkindness-meditation.shtml"><span style="color: blue;">http://being.publicradio.org/programs/2012/what-we-nurture/video_lovingkindness-meditation.shtml</span></a>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>Sudesh Kannan, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09326971668191131776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2034189424913586197.post-65514941185020812212012-03-21T16:41:00.013-07:002012-03-24T09:17:20.085-07:00Checklist for Meditation Class<span style="font-family: times new roman; font-size: 130%;"> </span><span style="font-family: times new roman; font-size: 130%;">Have </span><span style="font-family: times new roman; font-size: 130%;">you signed up for your first meditation class? </span><span style="font-family: times new roman; font-size: 130%;">Great!</span><span style="font-family: times new roman; font-size: 130%;"> Here are few tips that will help you to enjoy the session and enhance the experience!</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: times new roman; font-size: 130%;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;">Arrive a few minutes early so that you have time to settle down to enjoy your meditation class.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="font-family: times new roman;">
<li style="font-family: times new roman;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 5pt 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">Avoid caffeine, nicotine or a heavy meal/ alcohol at least two hours before the session.</span> </span>Caffeine and nicotine can make it hard for you to calm down and focus.</span><span style="font-size: 100%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 100%;">A heavy meal or alcohol can make you drowsy and sleepy.</span></div>
</li>
<li style="font-family: times new roman;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 5pt 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;">Wear light and comfortable clothes.</span><span style="font-size: 130%;"> </span>If you are going to the session directly from work, take a change of clothes.</span><span style="font-size: 100%; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
</li>
<li style="font-family: times new roman;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 5pt 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;">Sitting on the floor versus straight back chairs:</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span>If you are comfortable sitting on the floor, it is better to do so. Many of the students seem to have a stronger experience sitting cross-legged.</span><span style="font-size: 100%; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 100%;">If you have your own exercise mat, bring it along. Of course, if you have issues with your knees or back, sit on a comfortable chair preferably straight backed.</span></div>
</li>
<li style="font-family: times new roman;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 5pt 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: bold;">Do not socialize with your neighbors</span><span style="font-family: arial;">. </span>It is good to center yourself by focusing on your breathing. Just being quiet and examining your thoughts will help you relax and prepare you more effectively for your meditation session.</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 5pt 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: times new roman; font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;">Bring a journal or note book/pen or pencil to track your insights</span><span style="font-family: times new roman; font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-family: times new roman; font-size: 100%;">.</span> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: times new roman; font-size: 130%;">I also keep a little post-it pad to jot reminders (I often remember that I have to pay a bill or call a friend, just when I am getting ready to meditate. I scribble a reminder so that I don’t feel distracted by that).</span><o:p style="font-family: times new roman;"></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 5pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 130%; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: times new roman;"><span style="color: #3366ff;">Do not be anxious about the outcome!</span><br /><span style="color: #000099;">Relax and Enjoy your class!</span></span></span><o:p></o:p></div>Sudesh Kannan, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09326971668191131776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2034189424913586197.post-61757524824288858802012-03-21T16:28:00.002-07:002012-03-23T21:43:36.085-07:00Common Misconceptions about Meditation and Mindfulness PracticesWhen I tell people that I teach meditation and mindfulness practices, very often I get these three reactions:<o:p></o:p><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">"Isn’t that a religious activity? Isn't it part of your Hindu tradition</b><span style="font-weight: bold;">?"</span> – Yes, most religions, including Hinduism, do advocate meditation practices as part of their spiritual tradition - some even believe that prayer is a form of meditation. I personally prefer to stay out of these. For me, meditation is to the mind; what weight/resistance training is to the body/muscle tone. Recent scientific research shows that regular meditation (whether it be religious or non-religious) based on visualization, deep-breathing and a relaxed focus help build mental resilience, reduce stress and anxiety.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I prefer to focus on these benefits.<o:p></o:p></div><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">"Meditation is deep stuff</b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">– I don’t have days and months to spend mastering the technique of meditation. Don’t I have to get a guru or something?</b><span style="font-weight: bold;">"</span> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- Actually, a good instructor can help you master the basics of meditation and mindfulness practice within a few hours. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of my students spend 10-15 minutes 5 days a week to recharge and re-energize themselves. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You don’t need hours of meditations to acquire these simple and powerful benefits of meditation.<o:p></o:p></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">"You know I worry a lot and I don’t think I can focus</b><span style="font-weight: bold;">"</span> – Surprisingly, my experience has been that people who worry constantly tend to be good meditators!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think it has to do with the fact that such people tend to have active imagination. These people can also visualize very well – an ability that can be very powerful to create vivid and positive images in the mind to relax and energize.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, meditation is not about “stopping” your thoughts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is about bringing back self-awareness and focus to your mind, when it is distracted. <o:p></o:p></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Yes – there are several forms of meditation and mindfulness practices and I encourage you to explore many of them before selecting the one that suits you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you feel restless sitting down for meditation, I recommend that you try Tai-Chi or Walking meditation. (Check out my blog article – “You Do What with a Tennis Ball” - <a href="http://stressreduction123.blogspot.com/2010/03/you-do-what-with-tennis-ball.html"><span style="color:blue;">http://stressreduction123.blogspot.com/2010/03/you-do-what-with-tennis-ball.html</span></a>)<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Meditate on Meditation to find your answer to what is best for you!</span><o:p></o:p></div></div>Sudesh Kannan, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09326971668191131776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2034189424913586197.post-28260337483011433382012-03-21T15:44:00.001-07:002012-03-23T08:43:39.139-07:00Mindfulness Meditation may help MS patients cope with fatigue, depression and anxietyMultiple Sclerosis is a chronic disease, where nerves (brain, spinal cord and optic nerves) are attacked and the patient may often be disabled. I have close friends who suffer from this disease and I raise money for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society through Illinois MS Bike ride. <a href="http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/sudesh2012.">http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/sudesh2012.</a><br /><br />I came across two interesting research projects – in Cleveland Clinic and in Switzerland. Researchers in University Hospital Basel (Switzerland) studied about 150 people with mild to moderate multiple sclerosis. They assessed two groups – one control and one study group who additionally took part in eight-weeks mindfulness meditation training course (2.5 hours/week + all day retreat + 40 minutes daily – homework assignments). At the start of the study - about 65% of participants in the meditation group had serious levels of depression, fatigue, or anxiety. The patients in the meditation group reported reduced fatigue, depression, and anxiety as also improvements in overall quality of life, compared to the control group, who received the usual routine medical regimen. The positive effects of the training, lasted for at least six months, as reported by the Researchers.<br /><br />Check out this fascinating blog article about the work being done at Cleveland Clinic by Dr. Jinny Tavee and her team (assisted by mother – a Buddhist monk Venerable Kong Dow). The work at Cleveland Clinic also appears to show that meditation practice appears to reduce pain and improve quality of life measures among MS patients.<a href="http://blog.cleveland.com/health/2009/03/medical_community_explores_med.html">http://blog.cleveland.com/health/2009/03/medical_community_explores_med.html</a><br /> - Videos and article about Jinny Tavee, her mother and other details of meditation for MS patients.<br /><br />Do you know anyone who suffers from Multiple Sclerosis? Ask them to check with your physician/ hospital and see if meditation/mindfulness practices are an option for them.<br />References<br />Effects of meditation on pain and quality of life in multiple sclerosis and polyneuropathy: a controlled study J Tavee, M Rensel, S Pope Planchon… - Neurology, 2010<br />MS quality of life, depression, and fatigue improve after mindfulness trainingP Grossman, L Kappos, H Gensicke, M D'Souza… - Neurology, 2010<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mscare.org/cmsc/images/journal/pdf/IJMSC_Winter_11_final_effects-of-meditation.pdf">http://www.mscare.org/cmsc/images/journal/pdf/IJMSC_Winter_11_final_effects-of-meditation.pdf</a><br /><br />Keep checking this blog. I will keep posting any research updates I get on this fascinating topic.Sudesh Kannan, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09326971668191131776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2034189424913586197.post-311300617114012062010-05-09T17:24:00.001-07:002010-05-10T10:20:17.668-07:005 Common Challenges to Meditation<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"></meta><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 11" name="Generator"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 11" name="Originator"></meta><link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CSUDESH%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><style>
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<br /><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">One of my favorite websites is “Zen Stories to Tell Your Neighbors”</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www-usr.rider.edu/%7Esuler/zenstory/zenstory.html">http://www-usr.rider.edu/~suler/zenstory/zenstory.html</a></div><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Here is one of my favorite stories from that site.</div><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>A martial arts student went to his teacher and said earnestly, "I am devoted to studying your martial system. How long will it take me to master it." The teacher's reply was casual, "Ten years." Impatiently, the student answered, "But I want to master it faster than that. I will work very hard. I will practice everyday, ten or more hours a day if I have to. How long will it take then?" The teacher thought for a moment, "20 years."<o:p></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Many of my meditation workshop participants ask for help with the following problems in their meditation practice. I think about the story above because many of the students have come up with creative ways to deal with these challenges. It is not about working hard on meditation but going with the flow with your challenges. </div><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div><ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal"><b>Wandering mind and focus</b> – many meditation beginners are frustrated with how difficult it is to focus one’s mind on a specific image or their own breathing. Thoughts such as “Am I doing this right?” or “Oh! I remember that I have to finish an errand”. Such distracting thoughts are very common as the “Left” or logical part of the brain is often uncomfortable with the meditation process. You can use your imagination to observe and let these thoughts drift away. You can then bring back your focus on to your “mantra” or your breathing. Just be tolerant of the incessant chatter in your mind. Some people often describe meditation as the gap between the thoughts but remember that even if the gap is for a few seconds, your body and mind benefits from that relaxation. You can change your focus from breathing to images or listen to relaxing music - pick the most effective focusing method that works for you. One of my participants meditates by focusing her attention on the flame of a candle. Just understand that relaxation comes from your focus and “inward” looking. It is not necessarily a continuous process – and it may come in waves and spells.</li>
<br /></ol><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in;">
<br /></div><ol start="2" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal"><b>Physical itch and discomfort</b> – As you focus on meditation; you become aware of new tensions, itches and physical discomforts. You may also become aware of pain in your neck or back. Feel free to adjust your position. If you are sitting cross-legged on the floor, consider moving to a comfortable chair. There is nothing wrong in scratching an itch or applying soothing lotion on any dry part of the skin that itches. The important thing is to return to your mindfulness or meditation session after dealing with your source of discomfort.</li>
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<br /></div><ol start="3" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal"><b>Falling asleep</b> – When I listen to a new piece of meditation music, I often fall asleep. When you are tired or exhausted, your physical body can relax immediately by falling asleep. Do you lie down to meditate? Consider sitting on a comfortable chair. If you continue to fall asleep even in the sitting position, try meditating at different times of the day – say early in the morning or middle of the day. Be patient with yourself when this happens. In some cases, you may so physically tired that the body responds by sleeping.</li>
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<br /></div><ol start="4" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal"><b>Feeling bored</b> – some participants find meditating to be a very boring activity. Their mind feels restless and they do not get a relaxation response. They grow fidgety and uncomfortable. Try different techniques – focus on your breathing, try different types of music or use your imagination to transport yourself to a beach, forest or garden. If sitting still is a challenge, I strongly recommend walking meditation – see article below:</li>
<br /></ol><h3><a href="http://stressreduction123.blogspot.com/2010/03/you-do-what-with-tennis-ball.html">You do what with a tennis ball?!!</a></h3><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in;">
<br /></div><ol start="5" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal"><b>Lack of results</b> – do not expect to become a meditation expert in a few sittings but you should be able to relax within 1-2 meditation session. I teach three techniques – focus on breathing, happy place meditation and loving kindness meditation. There are number of other meditation techniques. Check out books, CDs and DVDs from your public library. If you are open, you will definitely find a technique that works best for you.</li>
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<br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Are you challenged to find time to meditate? Check out this article</div><h3><a href="http://stressreduction123.blogspot.com/2010/03/no-time-for-meditation-here-is-what-you.html">No time for meditation? Here is what you can do . . .</a></h3><div class="MsoNormal">In spite of my years of meditation practice, there are some days when I can’t relax and enjoy my meditation sessions. To paraphrase a famous saying about fishing <b><i>“A bad day at meditation is better than a good day with stress”! <o:p></o:p></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"> I look forward to hearing about your challenges in meditation and how you overcame them.</div>Sudesh Kannan, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09326971668191131776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2034189424913586197.post-23450147861129924692010-05-07T14:53:00.000-07:002010-05-10T10:10:42.282-07:00Three Steps to Use Your Inner Critic Effectively<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" equiv="Content-Type"><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"><meta content="Microsoft Word 11" name="Generator"><meta content="Microsoft Word 11" name="Originator"><link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CSUDESH%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"><style><br /><!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"MS Mincho"; panose-1:2 2 6 9 4 2 5 8 3 4; mso-font-alt:"Arial Unicode MS"; mso-font-charset:128; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-format:other; mso-font-pitch:fixed; mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;} @font-face {font-family:"\@MS Mincho"; panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-charset:128; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-format:other; mso-font-pitch:fixed; mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"MS Mincho";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} /* List Definitions */ @list l0 {mso-list-id:280384434; mso-list-type:hybrid; mso-list-template-ids:1083195036 67698703 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715;} @list l0:level1 {mso-level-tab-stop:.5in; mso-level-number-position:left; text-indent:-.25in;} ol {margin-bottom:0in;} ul {margin-bottom:0in;} --><br /></style>
<br /><div class="MsoNormal">All of us have a little voice that keeps evaluating and judging us. This voice may endorse or condemn our actions by saying, “Wow! You did a great job today” or “You are worthless” . At times, is critic can be belittling and even humiliating. Sometimes, the inner critic will flash images from our past or show possible scenarios from the future – some good and some bad.</div><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">The inner critic plays a very important role. It often protects us from danger by acting as a moral compass and guiding us in doing the right thing. It can be a very powerful friend in our lives though some books in psychology give strategies to silence the critic, Some serial murderers have been able to completely silence their “conscience” and moral compass and so have not been able to tell right from wrong
<br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Here are the three steps you can use to harness your Inner Critic to your advantage</div><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div><ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal"><b>Observe and record your thoughts as well as images</b> – take time to write out the thoughts that come to your mind when you are happy, sad or relaxed. If you prefer, you can record them with an inexpensive digital audio recorder. Do not judge them - though you are likely to get insights when you review these thoughts at a different place or time.
<br /></li>
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<br /></div><ol start="2" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal"><b>Ask yourself – are these thought empowering</b>? Do the images, voices or feelings guide me in the right direction? Do they put me down or help me grow? </li>
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<br /></div><ol start="3" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal"><b>Replace the dis-empowering thought or image and encourage the empowering thoughts /images</b> – if it is a negative voice – pretend that you are replacing a CD or audio tape or Mp3 in your head. Pretend to turn down the volume of the negative voice and replace with a positive voice or message. If it is a negative image, pretend that you are changing a DVD or VHS tape. Your imagination is a powerful ally because it can help you cope with your inner thoughts and images in an emotional and logical way. If you hear a positive message or image – encourage that message and be grateful for the support you get from your mind.</li>
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<br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">For example, if you are driving down to meet some one and you are late. Your inner voice may say – “As always, you are so late – why don’t you drive over the speed limit so you can reach in time”. Take the time to listen to your self-talk as you would listen to your best friend. As you listen, you can talk gently to yourself and counsel yourself in the best way you can. </div><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">As you perform these steps, you will find it easier to become aware of your thoughts and control them. Again, this is not about positive self-talk – this is about becoming aware of the thoughts in your mind and how they influence your moods, emotions and attitudes.</div><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0671708821?tag=reducyourstre-20&camp=213761&creative=393545&linkCode=bpl&creativeASIN=0671708821&adid=0Q3EBTVRNE66KKK1ZJMS&" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51U-eXxsZaL._SL110_.jpg" /></a>A classic book, if you want read more on this topic, is “What to Say When You Talk to Yourself” by Shad Helmstetter. The book suggests many powerful ways to cope with negative chatter in our minds and use empowering self-talk.</div>Sudesh Kannan, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09326971668191131776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2034189424913586197.post-58088333895929236302010-04-27T03:58:00.000-07:002010-04-27T04:12:37.379-07:00A surefire way to reduce your stress!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBVO8rUCe8u6QcnPpqGtmuGd0jiZDx6NeK4fEC44XiK2WPSW9EvZ2ILBvbZ4QGM18hVAjR7JEoMhp1QbuiQbYqBECdL72wtQUHQ6l_x8q0Kht1obBLRI00zZ_A6R7aercZ09yobVR4uBmu/s1600/orchid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBVO8rUCe8u6QcnPpqGtmuGd0jiZDx6NeK4fEC44XiK2WPSW9EvZ2ILBvbZ4QGM18hVAjR7JEoMhp1QbuiQbYqBECdL72wtQUHQ6l_x8q0Kht1obBLRI00zZ_A6R7aercZ09yobVR4uBmu/s320/orchid.jpg" /></a></div><span style="color: #006600;">One of my favorite radio programs is "<span style="font-weight: bold;">Speaking of Faith</span>" hosted by Krista Tippet. On the show last week, </span><span style="color: #006600;">Krista interviewed experts on Alzheimer's disease - the dreadful disease that slowly unravels and destroys the memory of the patient. There was a particularly touching story of a lady who was very upset that her husband could not recognize her any more. Every time, she went to see him, she kept asking him who she was and he kept repeating he did not know her. However, one fine day, her husband said " I don't know who you are . . . but I know that I love you very much"!</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #006600;">That answer took my breath away. It appears that love is an emotion that is buried deep inside our subconscious- way below the physical brain. Our memories may go away but love remains for a long time. Love and other emotions are often below the 'rational' thinking part of our mind - like stress, anxiety and worry.</span><br />
<br />
<b style="color: #006600;">Love, therefore, is a very powerful stress reduction tool for us</b><span style="color: #006600;">. One Buddhist meditation techniques is referred to as the "Loving Kindness" Meditation. It involves relaxing the body and focusing on sending and receiving love to the people around us and by expansion to all the life in the world and universe. I find it a very powerful meditation technique . . . and so do many of my program participants.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #006600;">In your daily life, you can use love to relax and find peace in many ways -</span><br />
<br />
<b style="color: #006600;">1. Spend time with your loved ones</b><span style="color: #006600;"> -. This may seem like common sense but often we are so busy meeting our work and other life deadlines, we miss out on the opportunity to spend time with our loved ones. I am, sometimes, guilty of brushing off my five year old's request to play games when I am busy with work or other activities.</span><br />
<br />
<b style="color: #006600;">2. Images and Memories</b><span style="color: #006600;"> - Take the time to think of your loved ones - are your grand parents deceased? Do you have beautiful and loving memories of them - relax and enjoy those memories. Take the time to replay your child's first words or walk, look through your wedding videos and look through your friends' letters. I love old photo albums.</span><br />
<br />
<b style="color: #006600;">3. Call and write to your loved ones faraway </b><span style="color: #006600;">- In the 1980s the phone company AT&T had a series of TV commercials - </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpLVavdPQE8" style="color: #006600;">"Reach Out and Touch Someone"</a><span style="color: #006600;"> {See Youtube clip}- about calling your mother or grandmother. In those days of letter writing, people complained about the lack of personal touch of a phone call. But today we see the short messages in texting and emails - I wonder if quantity is as important as quality in communication.</span><br />
<br />
<b style="color: #006600;">3. Volunteer your time</b><span style="color: #006600;"> - work in a local soup kitchen, help with food delivery (</span><a href="http://www.mowaa.org/Page.aspx?pid=480" style="color: #006600;">Meals-On-Wheels Program</a><span style="color: #006600;">). The very act of helping other people often brings down our levels of stress.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #006600;">How do you feel love? Does it help you cope with the challenges of your life? Let me know.</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/index.shtml" style="color: #006600;">http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/index.shtml</a><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #006600;">April 22, 2010</span><br />
<span style="color: #006600;">Alzheimer's disease has been described as "the great unlearning," a "disease of memory," a "demise of consciousness." But what does it reveal about the nature of human identity? What remains when memory unravels? And how might such insights help Alzheimer's sufferers themselves?</span><br />
<br />
Photo by Ajay Royyuru - <a href="http://tinyurl.com/WorksByAjay" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://tinyurl.com/WorksByAjay</a><span style="color: #006600;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: #006600;"><br />
</span>Sudesh Kannan, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09326971668191131776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2034189424913586197.post-9854623907540300892010-04-23T04:00:00.000-07:002010-04-23T04:00:53.472-07:00Why don't you discuss stress analyses?<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"></meta><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 11" name="Generator"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 11" name="Originator"></meta><link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CSUDESH%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><style>
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</style> Sometimes, my meditation workshop participants ask me why I don't discuss stress analysis or try to find the root cause of their stress. “Would that not be a logical way to eliminate or reduce the stress?” they want to know.<br />
<br />
My answer is two fold<br />
<br />
<b>1. Stress occurs at very low (primitive) level of our brain</b>. In many cases, we respond almost instinctively (one of my friends calls it a "knee-jerk" reaction) to unique triggers. We realize we are stressed-out or angry almost after the fact. Irrespective of our triggers, challenges or problems, our body almost runs the same script for stress. It may be tightening of the stomach muscles or shoulders or any other physical pattern that we have "trained" ourselves to.<br />
<br />
<b>2. Stress often depends on our own unique perspective and values</b>. Another person (unless he or she is very close to you - like a spouse, parent, sibling or a close friend) cannot really empathize or feel the pain with you. As an instructor in meditation and mindfulness, I definitely cannot be in a position of judgment about your values and problems.<br />
<br />
So what is the solution to stress? The important and immediate response to stress is becoming aware of the stress, anxiety and pain in your body. You can then, use a variety of stress reduction techniques to manage your stress by physical and mental relaxation. As you get more relaxed, your mind reaches a more empowered state.<br />
<br />
Don't you feel that you can solve problems better when you are in a more relaxed and energized state? The key goal of any good stress management system is to bring your mind to such a state where you can rationally work through your problems and challenges. When you reach a very relaxed state, you can actually trigger your "Right" or the creative side of the brain to bring forth effective solutions that even your logical or "left” side of the brain cannot think of!!<br />
<br />
Stress analysis is an important part of stress management and you can enhance that by logically studying your challenges and following a disciplined problem solving plan. But all that comes later, after you have managed your stress to levels at which you are comfortable.<br />
<br />
Here are two articles you may find of interest<br />
<h3><a href="http://stressreduction123.blogspot.com/2010/03/here-is-effective-way-to-determine-your.html">Here is an effective way to determine your stress levels</a></h3><h3><a href="http://stressreduction123.blogspot.com/2010/03/how-to-reduce-your-stress-levels-in.html">How to reduce your stress levels in an instant!</a></h3><br />
Happy Meditation!Sudesh Kannan, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09326971668191131776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2034189424913586197.post-23343377467970404692010-04-21T04:23:00.000-07:002010-04-21T04:23:23.772-07:00Five foods that help you beat stress!<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"></meta><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 11" name="Generator"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 11" name="Originator"></meta><link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CSUDESH%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CSUDESH%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_editdata.mso" rel="Edit-Time-Data"></link><o:smarttagtype name="place" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="country-region" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="City" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><style>
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</style> There is something about eating that soothes and relaxes us. We can enhance our relaxation by our choice of foods. Instead of munching on cookies or potato chips, we can enjoy healthy foods to calm our mind. Stock these foods in your home or office and you can be sure of feeding your mind and soul while nurturing your body!<br />
<br />
<b>1. </b><st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><b>Oranges</b></st1:place></st1:city><b> </b>are loaded with Vitamin C – an important stress-busting vitamin. Eating oranges may also help fight your sugar craving because they are sweet. They are also loaded with magnesium, calcium and fiber – all good for your body. Not fond of oranges - try other fruits? Consider berries - blackberries, cherries, strawberries - they are loaded with antioxidants, fiber, natural sugars and other powerful nutrients. One of my friends Madhu always buys boxes of berries during our business trips and I have found that it is very relaxing and revitalizing, munching on them at the hotel or in-between customer visits. Try fruits that you have never tried before - Have you ever eaten persimmons, mangoes, pomegranates or papaya?<br />
<br />
<b>2. Spinach</b> - Did you know spinach came to us from <st1:country-region w:st="on">Persia</st1:country-region> (modern day) <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Iran</st1:country-region></st1:place>? Nearly half of your daily needs of magnesium are provided by one cup of spinach. Addition of spinach prevents magnesium deficiency, associated with migraine headaches and a feeling of fatigue. Leafy vegetables like spinach, lettuce and collard greens are super-packed with iron, vitamins and healthy fiber. Salad or lightly cooked/ stir fried vegetables are filling, delicious and make you feel more energized and revitalized. Consider adding different color vegetables - egg plants, red/green orange peppers, avocados and mushrooms to your diet and see the difference!<br />
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<b>3. Salmon</b> – Do you feel sluggish in the afternoons after a large beef sandwich and soda? Try a grilled salmon dish with salad and skip dessert. As you may be aware salmon is a good source of Omega-3 – an essential fatty acid and a delicious source of protein. <br />
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<b>4. Beans</b> - OK - let us get done with the "gas" jokes. Food containing beans do tend to make us gassy at times. Often, the condition improves as your body adjusts to the new diet. Two easy ways to get rid of the gas in beans - wash the beans after you cook them or you can add a drop of Beano - a food ingredient that contains a natural food enzyme that helps breakdown the fiber and prevent gas. Beano is available in most grocery stories and pharmacies - check out the link below.<br />
<a href="http://www.beanogas.com/FAQ.aspx">http://www.beanogas.com/FAQ.aspx</a><br />
<br />
Beans are a great source of fiber, vegetable protein and micro-nutrients. Try a variety of beans - kidney beans, garbanzo beans, lima beans and soy beans. Try them from cans (easy to use - rinse and add to your salad) or buy dry beans, soak them overnight and cook them in a slow cooker. Fresh green beans are perfect when you sauté them with onions, garlic, ginger and a touch of paprika/chili powder. Check out Indian recipes if you like them spicy. <br />
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<b>5. Nuts</b> - Cashew nuts, almonds, peanuts, walnuts and pecans make a great snack by themselves. You can add them to your salads or top your entree. Nuts are a great source of protein, fiber, vitamin E and essential fatty acids. <br />
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Hydration – drink plenty of water. Green tea is a good choice – you know that soda (even diet cola) is not a good choice! Coffee is okay in moderation (1-2 cups daily).<o:p></o:p><br />
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<b>For more information: </b><br />
Many so-called health experts tend to bash government sources on health nutrition. I often heard people complain that FDA recommendations cater to the Beef, Pork or Agriculture lobbies. However, the NIH, CDC and other government agencies provide scientific and authentic recommendations (often better than literature passed out by food supplement industry!). Check out this website below and download free a great report from the CDC website - see link below:<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/downloads/Stretch_FV_Budget.pdf" target="_blank">30 ways in 30 days to Stretch Your Fruit & Vegetable Budget</a></b><a href="http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/publications/index.html#PDF"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><img alt="PDF file" border="0" height="16" src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/SUDESH%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/msohtml1/01/clip_image001.gif" v:shapes="_x0000_i1025" width="15" /></span></a> (PDF-408k) <br />
Check out the website <a href="http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/index.html">http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/index.html</a>Sudesh Kannan, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09326971668191131776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2034189424913586197.post-73540671119703687872010-04-20T05:54:00.000-07:002010-04-20T05:54:02.625-07:00Fifteen ways to reduce your stress in 15 mins or less<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"></meta><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 11" name="Generator"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 11" name="Originator"></meta><link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CSUDESH%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><o:smarttagtype name="country-region" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="place" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><style>
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<div align="center" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>"You teach best what you most need to learn"</i></b></div><div align="center" style="text-align: center;"><b><i> - Richard Bach</i></b></div><br />
I am no "guru" or "master" - I deal with anxieties, stresses and fear on a daily basis like same as any of you About 15-20 years ago, I got frustrated with these issues and ever since have always been looking for and exploring different strategies to cope with stress. Also, I realized that stress often comes in short spurts and if it is not controlled, it keeps increasing until it gets out of proportion and causes anxiety. If you can work on your stress in the first five-ten minutes of its appearance - in most cases - your anxiety levels will come down. <br />
The goal is to reduce your stress to "manageable" levels since stress like fear and pain has an important role to play in our lives. If we did not have any fear, pain or stress - we would not survive long. Fear prevents us from doing things that are dangerous. Pain is often a signal that there is something wrong. Stress at work ensures that we meet our deadlines. The key is stress "management".<br />
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Meditation (the skill of focusing your mind internally) and mindfulness practice (the skill of focusing on the "NOW" or the present moment) are the basis of these effective stress management tools. Use one or more of them the next time you are stressed out. <br />
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<b>1. Listen to music</b> - If you are one of the fortunate who can play a musical instrument or you are trained in music, you know the power of stress reduction that comes to you as you play your instrument or sing a favorite song. Most of us have our favorite pieces of music to relax with. I am particularly fond of listening to the flute<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpdA4Wpv2Fo">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpdA4Wpv2Fo</a> - Check this link out for a haunting flute recital by one of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region></st1:place>'s greatest flautist - Hari Prasad Chaurasia.<br />
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<b>2. Write a letter</b> - not an email but a snail mail one with pen and paper to a loved one. Is there a family member or friend who will appreciate a long letter from you? Take the time to compose your thoughts and write a letter. The very act of writing triggers your right brain and will help you relax. <br />
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<b>3. Sketch or color with your children/grand children</b> - Do you have young children around your house? If not, borrow them :-) Get a set of crayons and print our some pages from websites below. Make sure that you use crazy colors - purple for leaves - green for people's face etc. <br />
<o:p></o:p><br />
<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.colormegood.com/">www.colormegood.com</a><br />
<a href="http://www.kidscolorpages.com/coloringpages.htm">http://www.kidscolorpages.com/coloringpages.htm</a><br />
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For that matter any work with your hands (be it knitting, sewing, clay modeling, flower arrangements – list is endless) calms your mind and serves as a stress buster.<br />
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<b>4. Take a shower or a long bath</b> There is something super-relaxing about water. May be it is the massaging action or just the feel of water or the primordial memory of our time in the secure womb before birth! Showers and baths sure have a powerful way of removing stress from our bodies. Add a handful of rock salt to the water to experience a greater sense of relaxation.<br />
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<b>5. Play with a ball </b>- In one of my previous blog articles, I discussed about the use a tennis ball to focus on my walking meditation. Just the act of throwing and catching a ball can have a therapeutic effect on your stress levels. In the Movie <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057115/">"The Great Escape"</a> - Hilts - a character played by Steve McQueen - uses a baseball glove and ball to relieve the tedium of solitary confinement.<br />
<a href="http://stressreduction123.blogspot.com/2010/03/you-do-what-with-tennis-ball.html">http://stressreduction123.blogspot.com/2010/03/you-do-what-with-tennis-ball.html</a><br />
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<b>6. The power of gardens</b> - I have the brown finger as far as gardening goes - I nearly killed a potted plant, which was sold as an "indestructible" plant but gardens and flowers have a magical effect on me. If you are fortunate to live close to a garden (indoor or outdoor) - do recharge yourself among plants and flowers<br />
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<b>7. Pets</b> - The companionship and stress reduction ability of pets - especially dogs and cats is well-known. If you are fortunate to have pets in your house, you know the power of these animals in providing a presence and healing effect. Nothing symbolizes unconditional love and joy as a puppy dog!<br />
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<b>8. Read or write a poem </b>- one of my favorite poem is by American Poet Walt Whitman<br />
<a href="http://www.poetryfoundation.org/archive/poem.html?id=178711">http://www.poetryfoundation.org/archive/poem.html?id=178711</a> - see this link for the whole poem<br />
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</style> Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road, <br />
Healthy, free, the world before me, <br />
The long brown path before me leading wherever I choose. <br />
Henceforth I ask not good-fortune, I myself am good-fortune, <br />
Henceforth I whimper no more, postpone no more, need nothing, <br />
Done with indoor complaints, libraries, querulous criticisms, <br />
Strong and content I travel the open road.<br />
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<b> 9. Help your friend</b> - Take the time to help friends or your loved ones with their problems. It is amazing when you look at other people's problems and consciously work to help or support them; you get a unique perspective on your stress.<br />
<br />
<b>10. Cooking</b> - grab a recipe book or a recipe from the internet. There are 100s of recipes for healthy foods that can be prepared in 15 minutes or less. Cooking is a very relaxing activity - especially when you immerse yourself in multiple senses - observing the colors of ingredients, smelling the spices and hearing the rhythmic chopping of vegetables on the cutting board. <br />
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<b>11. Maintain a Journal</b> - an effective stress observing and reducing technique is to put your thoughts in paper. While you can use your laptop, pen and paper have a special impact on my creativity. Many of the outlines of these articles are sketched out in pen and paper. Examining your thoughts in this way gives you a unique and powerful perspective on your life.<br />
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<b>12. Take a Power walk</b> - Take a ten or fifteen minute walk around the block. Focus only on the act of walking and the present moment. Not only will you feel more relaxed, you will find that you get significant energy<br />
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13. <b>Get a healthy snack</b> - Tomes have been written on the negative impact of junk food that people eat when they are stressed. Keep apples, oranges in your office or home - take the time to enjoy a healthy snack. For me, even the act of peeling an orange and smelling the fruit helps me relax<br />
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14.<b> Focus on routine tasks around the house/ office</b> - cleaning the bathroom or vacuuming the living room tidying up wardrobes and other routine housekeeping chores often act as metaphors for ridding the mind of negative thoughts and stresses. As you focus on the routine activity, see how your mind relaxes and copes with your challenges. <br />
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<b>15. Focus on your breathing</b> - most of you who attended my meditation classes know the power of focusing on breathing. Just put your palms over your belly and observe your breathing. This will reduce your stress levels.<br />
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While lovemaking and sex may be one of the most powerful stress reducing technique, I have kept this out of the list because it often goes over the limit of 15 minutes :-). Sex and love making produces unique stress reducing chemicals and mood enhancing hormones . . . you already know that!<br />
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Do email me or comment on this blog - your favorite stress busting technique.<br />
<div style="padding-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em;"></div><div style="padding-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em;"></div>Sudesh Kannan, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09326971668191131776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2034189424913586197.post-3413804734060557782010-04-15T09:52:00.000-07:002010-04-15T09:54:24.459-07:00Can music enhance your meditation experience?For most of us, the term “Meditation” conjures up images of people, sitting cross-legged and listening to Indian “Sitar music”.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd8s_78185eBxIvR5WUhUx8B-PCy6BD3la0Mhaii0ImeUft3oVb3KuQIpspfwHIz-qXiixkgW2n9AD3MGmFulUqqGycH8dkS-9jf3ZET5NVHfrQ2TPCQzOnE9t43SIcUF8YPjW7DyKGC4n/s1600/Purples+by+Ajay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd8s_78185eBxIvR5WUhUx8B-PCy6BD3la0Mhaii0ImeUft3oVb3KuQIpspfwHIz-qXiixkgW2n9AD3MGmFulUqqGycH8dkS-9jf3ZET5NVHfrQ2TPCQzOnE9t43SIcUF8YPjW7DyKGC4n/s320/Purples+by+Ajay.jpg" /></a>As per the “Brain Wave Theory” - there are five categories of brain frequencies: beta, alpha, theta, gamma, and delta, which influence the state of mind differently. Listening to the right kind of frequency helps the brain harmonize with that frequency thus enabling it to reach the desired state. Alpha frequency music is believed to be the ideal frequency for meditation. I am still skeptical about some of the claims made by some of the companies who market music utilizing this technology. They often claim to “balance” your brain, increase your creativity and bring peace to your mind. <br />
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I rarely used music, when I first started practicing meditation about 15 years ago. I tried using Indian classical instrumental music – flute and violin (Yes! Violin was introduced to Indian Classical music in early 1800s – British fiddle – that is a future blog story) as a background and found it to be beneficial. Baroque music pieces with slow movements were also favored by me. About 5 years ago, I was amazed at the levels of the relaxation I could achieve when I used a combination of electronic music, sounds of nature (ocean waves) and chanting. <br />
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<b>You need to experiment with different pieces of music and choose the ones you can relax most easily with. </b><br />
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Quite accidentally, I discovered the music of JS Epperson. I tried two of his pieces (See below for free download) and I am impressed by the musician’s creativity and ability to produce hauntingly relaxing and beautiful music. I reached him by phone in Seattle a few weeks ago and interviewed him for this blog. <br />
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<b>Jay – tell me a little about yourself</b><br />
<br />
From the age of two years, I always enjoyed playing music– I was obsessed with drones and I would sing harmonics over the hum of car engines. I started experimenting with electronic music when I was in University of Southern California (Thornton School of Music). I made the connection between music and the brain in a communication class when the lecturer told us “<b>What goes IN with music - comes OUT with music</b>”! {Sudesh’s note – I agree – when I listen to the song hits of the 80s – it triggers beautiful and detailed memories of my life associated with those songs}. In early 1990s, I started providing music to institutes and individuals, who wanted to use it as background for meditation and relaxation tapes.<br />
<br />
<b>What is your mission?</b><br />
<br />
Though some people may feel that here is a spiritual component to my work, my primary interest is in the physical responses to musical stimuli. For the most part, I am deeply interested in interpreting "artistically" and applying these research findings to my music. I am now in the process of updating my website to sell some of the music tracks for a dollar each. I am also experimenting with donations from my listeners.<br />
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<b>What advice do you have for my blog readers?</b><br />
<ul><li>Start with the intention </li>
<li>Block time for meditation regularly. </li>
<li>Create the right environment.</li>
<li>Let your family members know that you would not like to be disturbed (except for emergencies).</li>
<li>Pick the right music. </li>
<li>And let yourself GO </li>
</ul>(Sometimes I relax by listening to music created by others. The very act of creating music is very relaxing for me. I often go on “meditation” binges 2-3 hours in a DAY! Of course, don’t listen to this music while you are driving or operating heavy machinery!)<br />
<br />
Check out JS Epperson’s music and let us know what you like about his music.<br />
<br />
DELTADREAM<br />
<a href="http://higher-music.com/discography/deltadream-binaural-sleep-beats/">http://higher-music.com/discography/deltadream-binaural-sleep-beats/</a><br />
<br />
INSIGHT - A THETA MEDITATION<br />
<a href="http://higher-music.com/discography/insight-theta-meditation/">http://higher-music.com/discography/insight-theta-meditation/</a><br />
<br />
Photo credit: <span class="caption">Ajay Royyuru - <a href="http://tinyurl.com/WorksByAjay">http://tinyurl.com/WorksByAjay</a></span>Sudesh Kannan, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09326971668191131776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2034189424913586197.post-71937788403473205262010-04-13T19:33:00.000-07:002010-04-15T04:50:57.839-07:00Three lies your mind tells you about happiness and peace<link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CSUDESH%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><style>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><b>Lie 1: When your circumstances change, you will become happier</b><br />
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Our mind tells us that we will be happy when we get the perfect job, perfect spouse or when we get our first million dollars. There seem to be complex rules for us to be happy - not only do we have to worry about our peace of mind, we include others in our "get happy" mode. If only our spouse/ friend/ {insert favorite relative} did exactly what we tell them to do - and then all of us will be happy.<br />
<b>The truth</b> - Focus on yourself! Focus on the present moment! Identify those aspects of your life that are going well for you and recognize what you can be grateful for. If you can do it now, you can do it in the future too!<br />
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<b>Lie 2. You are born with or without the "Happy" gene - there is nothing you can do.</b><br />
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Have you met people who seem to be happy whatever their circumstances in their life? Do you wonder if they were born with a special gene? Scientifically the existence of such a gene has not been proven.<br />
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<b>The truth:</b> We pick up negative "rules" for happiness from our family, environment and friends but we can make changes in our behavior and beliefs in order to become happy. I have enjoyed reading and applying the techniques described by Martin E.P. Seligman in his book "Learned Optimism". Learning to be optimistic is one path to happiness and peace.<b><br />
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Lie 3. You can distract yourself into happiness</b><br />
We often feel that the use of alcohol, drugs or other distractions can prevent us from being depressed or stressed out. The use of alcohol, drugs or other distractions is only an indication that we are unwilling to face life’s challenges – it is an escapist’s road and does not lead to peace or happiness.<br />
<b>The truth</b> - We have to face our life directly and accept that, at times, it is not a bed of roses. Focus and objectivity can help us find new solutions and methods of coping with challenges. Mindfulness practice can be used both during the happy and stressful periods of our lives.<br />
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See Jill Bolte Taylor's famous TED video link below on the left versus right brain. Her explanation gives us a unique perspective on how the two parts of our brain work - often in very different ways.</div><br />
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=reducyourstre-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1400078393&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe> <br />
<div class="AMZNtitle"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Learned-Optimism-Change-Your-Mind/dp/1400078393" target="_blank">Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life</a></div><div class="AMZNauthpub">Martin E. P. Seligman (Paperback - Jan 3, 2006)</div><div class="AMZNprice">$10.20</div><br />
<br />
<a href="http://blog.ted.com/2008/03/jill_bolte_tayl.php">http://blog.ted.com/2008/03/jill_bolte_tayl.php</a> <br />
Neuroanatomist <b><a href="http://www.ted.com/speakers/view/id/203">Jill Bolte Taylor</a></b> had an opportunity few brain scientists would wish for: One morning, she realized she was having a massive stroke. As it happened -- as she felt her brain functions slip away one by one, speech, movement, understanding -- she studied and remembered every moment. <a href="http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/229">This is a powerful story of recovery and awareness</a> -- of how our brains define us and connect us to the world and to one another. <i>(Recorded February 2008 in Monterey, California. Duration: 18:44.)</i>Sudesh Kannan, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09326971668191131776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2034189424913586197.post-82758435471843096132010-03-31T19:46:00.000-07:002010-03-31T19:46:44.165-07:00You do what with a tennis ball?!!Thanks to my friend Barry for this idea! <br />
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Next time you go for a walk around the park, take a tennis ball with you. Use the tennis ball to focus your mind to the present. If you are like me, I end up brooding about problems or life-challenges when I go on walks. In some cases, I actually find solutions to some of my problems. In other cases, I just increase my anxiety levels.<br />
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When you have a tennis ball in your hand, you can bounce it off your path and watch its path as it goes down. Listen to the thump as the ball hits the ground and catch it as it comes up. Feel the texture of the ball as you prepare to bounce it again. This very simple process grounds you to the present moment. The activity is similar to that of monks and saints who use prayer beads and a mantra to focus in the present.<br />
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This simple activity - it engages your sense of sight, sound and feeling - has a tremendous relaxing effect in your mind and body. Every time, your mind is diverted to your pressing problems and challenges, this ball draws your attention to the present. In addition to the feeling of relaxation this active play provides, you may also find creative solutions to your life's challenges.<br />
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Try it and let me know how it works for you!<br />
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Standard Disclaimer - Always be of mindful of others and traffic around. This exercise is done best in relatively empty streets or in a park. Sudesh Kannan, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09326971668191131776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2034189424913586197.post-70656336887006792332010-03-29T16:26:00.000-07:002010-03-29T16:26:48.832-07:00How to reduce your stress levels in an instant!I always meet a certain amount of skepticism when I tell my students that they can relax almost instantaneously!<br />
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I, then ask them to think of a person they hate. As they think of that person, their mind runs through an image of that person, their body tenses up and, in many cases, there is a visible increase in their stress levels. In some cases, they confide, all they have to hear the voice or see that person's car - and they feel angry.<br />
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The mind is very powerful - it can take just a negative image or voice of a person, event or even an imagined action and trigger stress in your body. As you have "negative" experiences with this person, your mind records all the details of this "heightened emotional" state", your breathing, your posture and other physical and mental parts of the event. As you encounter this person or negative event again, the mind "remembers" the past experiences and builds upon it. Suddenly, all you need is a little cue, like the person's face or voice and trigger the stress in your body.<br />
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In my meditation classes, I teach the opposite process - the art of "anchoring" the relaxation response. As you reach a state of complete relaxation, you can use multiple anchors (such as snapping your finger and whispering the word "peace") or you can use a photo of a loved one in your key chain. As you repeat this anchor, your mind records all the details of your breathing, posture and your mental state. If you do this often, all you need is to use the anchor in a situation where you are stressed out and your body will relax instantaneously. <br />
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This technique is well-know and illustrated well by Steven G. Jones - a clinical hypnotherapist. In this video he teaches how you can "trigger" self-confidence using anchors.<br />
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzHyjubejwQ<br />
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<a href="http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DmzHyjubejwQ&ei=wjGxS5GSOYa6NtPJnPEP&sa=X&oi=video_result&resnum=11&ct=thumbnail&cad=11182986045310275332&ved=0CDgQuAIwCg&usg=AFQjCNERmtqB1yG4cBM6SVxp6vV4S_mIcA"><img align="middle" alt="" border="1" height="60" id="vidthumb11" src="data:image/jpeg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wBDAAoHBwgHBgoICAgLCgoLDhgQDg0NDh0VFhEYIx8lJCIfIiEmKzcvJik0KSEiMEExNDk7Pj4+JS5ESUM8SDc9Pjv/2wBDAQoLCw4NDhwQEBw7KCIoOzs7Ozs7Ozs7Ozs7Ozs7Ozs7Ozs7Ozs7Ozs7Ozs7Ozs7Ozs7Ozs7Ozs7Ozs7Ozs7Ozv/wAARCABaAHgDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAGwAAAgIDAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAABQYDBAABBwL/xAA7EAABAwMCAwUGBAQGAwAAAAABAgMEAAUREiEGEzEiQVFhcQcUIzKBsRWhwdEzQlKRFiVDZIKSouHx/8QAGQEAAwEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDAAQF/8QAIhEAAwEAAgEEAwEAAAAAAAAAAAECEQMhEjEyQVETImHw/9oADAMBAAIRAxEAPwAownQgJ64FWBUKBUwG1Ex6A2reK2BXvTWDgv8AEIfcm2qIzJcYEqTy1qbODgiiB4G1Z/zu6EDbZYFV7sjVf+H0/wC9/anotK5agE5Oo9+KFaMhLPAbWCVXi64HX4ooQzblWfjVUBuZJkMmHzPjuatyf7V0nkaWFaiArHQHrSNc049o6vK3ppZ37C/QI6dq8lJoMrjGzpUUhyQog47LCjWv8X25XyR5yz5RjTYAMlNeSKo2+/RrlLVFbYkNOJRr+MjTtRIpBrAICK8HpU6k4qJYxRFIFdaytr61lYxcQKnSNqibFWEDyrDHtCfKpAmsQKkSnNAKQFvcC4vyIEq2cjnw3i6A+SE5xt0G9bcuvHiuv4N/0V+1HQnSnelq7XUs3MobmLabbKeYMgDz6+VCqxDpaelT+Oz/AK1nHo2r9qrw4F7dvy7reHojiyxyhyAR4Y2xR3noUrCTnPStkURSh7PkgcMrVgA+9ujOPSmdDrmfmUBXP7FebtYoC4CeG5ckc9aw5nSDk/8AqijfGnEDZVyuFHk6hpOp4dKzRuyO4dr2jSCepgo/SieigcE3S48UuXSda1QUqjBoAuBQyMY86NSZcSGAZMllnP8AWsCsvQDNKT3VA4KjYvtpmPCPHnMuOnogKwT6VO4KICqusraqysAlfkiJEcfVuEJzjxpHnzZs1xS3JroPcErKQn0Apj4lkci1pSeji/tvSUlZlyW2kuaA4oDPgKVstMrBq4Rn3cT/AHV59UmGANSnd1IJ6AH9KfEdKWbdbItobbaWS66taTrJx2s5Bo/z8UIryGuPHCCVfrXFdUw/cI7biThSFrwRSDxBIEue/wC6z2FsuqyFFwbZ61T4ktCLxxHcH1ygxy3AnBZK87Z6ihrfCvNfajx3kyXFqxs2pGkeO/cKz7Auh8YvVvaKQZzOE4GdfhV48SWUdbnH/wC9IL3A8mNNdiOlpBbzhwk6XAASSP7YqsjhV5TMhxSQ2WEaiggkq9MetB0l22FQ38DjeOM48Mti3CNN1A61F4J0HwqC18dtPyFJuaYsRrTlKkPayT4Uv27gSVcoxeS60zhekIcSSSMZzkfahquGn0uOpeSWeWBk6NQOTg4PQ4zWVy3iYrlpadbZlMyogfZWS24glKx4eNAH+FLTMDshT7rkhXa7TmrHlUlke5VnjI3UEt4x0zV2PMivsF9mI204QArywMCk5qcpYdHBCrdOWT2fdJilMakBC9lDIKCK6rDcW7bYzjuda2kqVnrkgUDu0Fuc2zDYjj48lHOIwBpByT60xLASNKRgAYA8BT8d+UkeeFFYQLO9ZWl1lUOcWeMrtbXoAjNSg5ISvKQ32kjx1Go7bwPcEhDz7jTjC0goU0rUFA7giknPbNdS9mV7RKty7S+4OdHOWQo7lB8PQ/el5V4rUdHDnljBZvg4fvxh3aVIcicoFlISFBJ8T391MkG92+6BZgy0PFPzAbEfQ71z/wBoMlMnjGYhJBDGloY8hv8AmTQS0T5EK6MPRc8wLCdIGdQJwRjvppnJ0W62sOhRbvDhz7i3IYila5JUHH2wvIwBt2T6V4kX2KblEU0zCbaC+2thhIUM7AkhI2699Cp7bK1yHlNpK+crcjf+IkV5cDSHIpShCVKeWScddzXPmtvf9hVrEGLrdosm/SFNOgoSpY1/yq22IPeKist1jC4LfW7ygQn+JhONx/8AaERmobIU97ogkocKjknPZoizAX7m1psUxGEDCeao4/ep8mNeOF53pv8AoUtN+gtuSC7IQyDKUTzFBOrY7jxFBpt9iSLOy2lRDodX2VDBAyMZqpbo7Me4OpdgGKsuYUl7K1JGUHv+p+tEJFu4ddlLU+0y85k5GXEkHJ7htTrjmF5ffZzpu+vrovWi03uU1FTBUwllpsl5TuSkk9AMbn6Uab4emMNcwuc0lXaRggJSdhj61Jw5dY8NTTLKQiKhOjSFEkDu604hcOYhIDgUQQoJCsHr3jw/Kubk5Lp/wtn4+0CrbYYzLiHpISVD5UYyEnx9aFXL2fh1xci03ORCdUsqCFqK2x9OoFOmUtpIGAAO7urArLIVg7jpUlbl9MSqdPs5MW7xB4h9xuTzagG8jlDsrGOvrmspm4kQHZbUjQErb1Jz1Jzj9qyvT4G6jWcvL1XRx+/2xm0Xl2HHeW6hAHacAzv6VUhzpNtmNTIzpbeaVqSpNFOLos1F/kvPRnWm1EaVrQQlW3celDINquNycU1BjuSFoTqUltGcDxq8+3sL6roryJLsmS7IeUVOOrK1KPeT1rpHs+hwXeHXXkRmve9Sgp3TlZ8s0Ch+za6yHSJEqKy2NipCis58AAN6crNZk8J21xIL7wJJLhbwD54qXK9n9SnEsv8AY5xd7s7Huchnk6kpdJ+Yjoc/eq5v0hTqHDFJU0cjJJAzTIzHdVxK1JajMF554rQFrUAc6vmH0+1R86Uh6ZJMd3klR5qm0akJIPcf0oqVPTQKqn7RaavTjRXlDiwpJThS9hnw2q+1xpcGmW2kFQDaAkHXvgePiaJvQ5V1W1FLb0dmSlXxnGtsBJUMeuPGomoEB1+ekxwlPJTp2HY3GSNutbJWtE07ppUAmb461JXIPMcWsknmOZG+P2FOHs+iHiTiVdxlIKGYo5gGrsOOdwx34yT/AGqO08PM3C4QXYi47aYjA56VI1F0nO5Axk0yvK9wzHhsqcyOwhhG5OPKufk5tnJOjj4W3rGZm0WyYor5CUKWVFLjWx6n6VTmMyLUolRD7HctJwR6juq1wxzlcPQxLQqPJCPioeGlSTqPX8qvPW9SU/Ee1j+pWAetcKbnpllWAdq9lSCluUtORuDvV1nicABqQUpJ2DvTHrQa+2ZTCPeI3YVjJCdiaCSUXAxmzJSotqODo+YU6UsL8Whlv/ZaZJVqK1FWfHaspdYfVyXIvOW4iM6UJ19xHXHlWV6PBOR2cHK15G+EJEiREfQ6yuUJC+0hYCkIA9fWmGNbxBkn8PtDbKn8BamEAZ8PTG9AuHSUwUAHALq84p2sqlF1OSTsepp1Ca01c1S8wuxoDMIc5ztOY3J3x6UKvLmtoupSU7kgeVGZvy4pfvhIinf+RX2qkpJEXTp6zld/ur9p4p96bDjoADiUk5QMgjHj3nvobEvbspZi/GDT7mVjPZo3fwDz8jPw0fZVAbGT+DTfJIP/AJVHk+2XhtehcHFb8J8R1l11uOSlLaidPQpH5Gm6w2WCuAmZI1OOym0qUhRwEg7gbfSuap7Ut/Vv8NR39K6bbyfw+Puf4KPsKhzbMLPkrL2+/gutxIUVSzFjoYUsYK2hpUfrXq2qXa5AeacLxTq7Lp6g9xNRRiTFVnfC1fevBJ09a422X3EXl32Q/cEu3NLRig6S0ynGB456k+u1M8ufbrcwiW6sureGWEleor9PLxNI7g7X/E1UiKKpB1Eq0p0pz3DwrJJiDGu4yJjpcVpBPcnoKjfltssrLyNgM6x+oqOD/NW7oMwHc79g/anxC+TEexSRImKUhalqWpTjxPnmsqDhgATpGBj4f61lepx+05eRbR//2Q==" style="display: inline-block; height: 60px; width: 80px;" width="80" /><div style="margin-right: 4px; margin-top: -23px; text-align: right;"><img alt="" border="0" height="20" src="http://www.google.com/images/icons/sectionized_ui/play_c.gif" style="opacity: 0.88;" width="20" /></div></a><a class="l" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzHyjubejwQ" onmousedown="return rwt(this,'video_result','11182986045310275332','res','11','AFQjCNECwk6Y_SWoKnx_sGEmLB41xhsDKw','','0CDcQtwIwCg')">Uses of <em>NLP Anchors</em> by Steve G. Jones, M.Ed.</a><br />
<span style="color: #666666;">8 min - Jun 6, 2007</span><br />
<span id="vudu"><cite>http://www.stevegjones.com/index.htm</cite></span>Sudesh Kannan, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09326971668191131776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2034189424913586197.post-76986922260699756212010-03-24T19:24:00.000-07:002010-03-24T19:24:48.959-07:00Another 5 ways to soothe yourself without food!<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=reducyourstre-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1572246766&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>It appears that many of us use food as a way to relax ourselves - not an effective long term strategy! I checked for additional ideas and found this book by Susan Albers "50 ways to soothe yourself without food"<br />
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The author starts out with a short introduction to reasons why we find eating as a very soothing activity. Common reasons include bio-chemical changes in the body, boredom and habit. Donuts & chocolate - do I need to say more? Donuts are loaded with sugar and fat - they give you a boost of energy. Chocolate increases some mood enhancing chemicals in our brain.<br />
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Her five major categories of relaxation are<br />
(<b>1) Meditation and mindfulness</b> - using breathing and other self-focus techniques to relax without the need for food.<br />
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<b> (2) Focus on your thoughts and change them</b> - Writing your journal can help you examine your thoughts and focus on positive and self-affirming thoughts. Day-dreaming and focusing and focusing on your worries may also guide your mind and thoughts from food.<br />
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<b>(3) Relax your body with exercise, yoga or a massage</b>. While a massage from a professional can be expensive, consider bribing your spouse or significant other to give you a neck or shoulder rub.<br />
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<b>(4) Use distractions</b> - watching a funny movie, work on your favorite crafts or listening to relaxing music - all help you distract from eating.<br />
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<b>(5) Connect with your family and friends</b> - a great way to relax is to go for a walk with your spouse or best friend. A phone call or chat with someone by facebook or skype also can help you de-stress rapidly.<br />
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What are some of your favorite methods to destress??Sudesh Kannan, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09326971668191131776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2034189424913586197.post-34439354418796642362010-03-21T14:54:00.000-07:002010-03-21T14:55:55.317-07:00Non-religious meditation - What is the big deal?When I started out in the meditation journey about 15 years ago, I was an atheist/agnostic. Similar to today, many of the meditation practices were sponsored by religious organizations. While these organizations claim to focus on the spiritual aspects of the practice, many of the traditions and rituals are associated with that of organized religion (my opinion). I focus (no pun intended) on non-religious techniques that rely on breath awareness, visualization and feelings of love. These techniques are very easy for beginners to understand and learn. Also, the "religious" baggage that come with some of the "spiritual" meditation techniques are avoided.<br />
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My brother calls me a "Born Again" Hindu as I re-embraced religion of my birth after many years of being an atheist/agnostic. Since then, I had many spiritual experiences (some people say that it is related to my meditation practice). I do go to Indian temples regularly but my spiritual experiences have manifested themselves during nature walks, visits to churches and jewish temples also. I am driven to keep these spiritual experiences out of my meditation classes - because I believe that each person has a unique experience with meditation and I want them to respect that.<br />
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At the same time, I respect people who use meditation primarily as an extension of their religious or spiritual practice to know more about themselves and connect to a higher source of power - God, Allah or whatever they may choose to call it.<br />
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Two books that have influenced my meditation practice and classes are: <br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0743223985?ie=UTF8&tag=reducyourstre-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0743223985">Breakout Principle by Dr. Herbert Benson </a>(famous for his <a href="http://www.relaxationresponse.org/">Relaxation Response</a> theory) develops the scientific basis for meditation and relaxation techniques and its impact on the quality of our lives.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1590306120?ie=UTF8&tag=reducyourstre-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=1590306120">Open Focus Brain by Dr Les Fehmi</a> is another work that has impressed me in its scientific and effective approach in dealing with stress and focus in our lives.Sudesh Kannan, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09326971668191131776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2034189424913586197.post-80010704000238546362010-03-20T11:06:00.000-07:002010-03-20T11:06:21.251-07:00No time for meditation? Here is what you can do . . .Most of my students complain that they enjoy meditation but they cannot find the time for it. You do not need 30- 45 minutes to one hour for a good meditation session. The secret is quality not quantity! It is good to schedule a long meditation session about once in a week and it will add to your relaxation to find 5-10 minutes daily for a mini-meditation session shown below.<br />
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Many years ago, I recall reading about a unique technique for short power naps. You lie down in bed with a spoon in your hand. The spoon is poised over a plate next to your bed. As you sleep, your body relaxes completely and the spoon slips and the resulting clatter wakes you up completely refreshed. I have tried various combinations of these power naps and found them very refreshing.<br />
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To extend this idea, I suggest that you use a kitchen timer ($5-$15 at your local store). I prefer a mechanical one as it has a ticking noise. Set it for 5 minutes and focus on your breathing. Visualize, in your mind's eye, air coming through your nostrils and going into your lungs and belly. Follow your breath out. Listen the sounds of breathing and feel as your chest moves up and down against your shirt or dress. I often imagine that my stress dissolves in the air I breathe in and the stress goes out with my exhalation. I also imagine that I breathe in peace and love along with air and spread the feeling of relaxation all over my body. When my thoughts and focus wanders away, I gentle bring my focus back to my breathing. Before I know it, the timer rings and it is time for my next task.<br />
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Try this out and let me know your comments. Please share your favorite "mini-meditation" with this group.Sudesh Kannan, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09326971668191131776noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2034189424913586197.post-61967175838153009492010-03-18T19:01:00.000-07:002010-03-18T19:01:52.004-07:00Does stress really cause heart disease?You often see reports about stress "causing" heart disease in the popular media. There are two separate issues - heart attack versus heart disease. Heart disease occurs over a period of time - heart attack is a specific event - often the last stage of heart disease as a person succumbs to this disease. <br />
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<span class="content" xmlns:fo="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Format"><b>What is a <a href="http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4578">heart attack</a>?</b><br />
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Heart attack is a specific event! A heart attack occurs when the blood supply to part of the heart muscle itself is severely reduced or stopped. The reduction or stoppage happens when one or more of the coronary arteries supplying blood to the heart muscle is blocked. This is usually caused by the buildup of plaque (deposits of fat-like substances), a process called <a href="http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4440">atherosclerosis</a>. The plaque can eventually burst, tear or rupture, creating a "snag" where a blood clot forms and blocks the artery. This leads to a heart attack.<br />
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If the blood supply is cut off for more than a few minutes, muscle cells suffer permanent injury and die. This can kill or disable someone, depending on how much heart muscle is damaged.<br />
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The medical term for heart attack is myocardial infarction. A heart attack is also sometimes called a coronary thrombosis or coronary occlusion.<br />
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<a href="http://www.americanheart.org/"><b>What is Heart Disease?</b></a><br />
Heart disease refers to conditions in your arteries and other blood vessels related to your heart. <a href="http://www.womenshealth.gov/faq/heart-disease.cfm#a"> Coronary Artery Diseas</a>e (CAD) refers to the build of plaque in your arteries (see <span class="content" xmlns:fo="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Format"><a href="http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4440">atherosclerosis</a></span> above). In some individuals this "process" starts as early as 2 years of age. CAD can result in angina (chest pain) or heart attack or other health complications.<br />
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Several factors play an important role in heart disease including your family history, cholesterol levels, level of physical activity and smoking. Many studies suggest that anger and negative handling of stress can have a powerful effect on a person's immunity and risk of heart disease. People who hate their jobs have double the risk of dying from heart disease as compared to people who enjoy their jobs. It must be understood that the "garden variety" of stress is common for most people. It is not the "stress" that kills but how we handle it.<br />
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The bottom line - if you have anger issues or you have "unhealthy" ways of dealing with your stress levels - consider meditation and other relaxation methods.<br />
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Reference:<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Heart-Disease-Epidemic-Among-Asians/dp/0976995301" target="_blank">How to Beat the Heart Disease Epidemic Among South Asians: A Prevent…</a><br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=reducyourstre-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0976995301&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Sudesh Kannan, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09326971668191131776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2034189424913586197.post-91208051130653955792010-03-17T19:17:00.000-07:002010-03-20T14:47:52.778-07:00Your short guide to relaxing and rejuvenating sleep!Have you enjoyed a good night's sleep and seen the difference it makes? You feel relaxed, more energetic and happy. Healthy sleep can help you with better moods and creativity too! Here are some actions you can take to ensure healthy sleep.<br />
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<b>1. </b><b>Appropriate food/ beverage choices</b> - Eat a light and healthy dinner before 8 pm. Avoid caffeine, sugar drinks and alcohol at night.<br />
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<b>2. Moderate exercise during the day</b> - Regular walks 30-45 mins during the day helps you sleep better. Avoid intense exercises after 5 pm<br />
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<b>3. Follow a regular routine each night</b> - have a meditation session to relax your body, listen to gentle music or take a warm bath or shower<br />
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<b>4. Have the right environment in your bedroom</b> - make sure you have a comfortable mattress and pillows, proper low lights and a quiet place will facilitate a good relaxed sleep.<br />
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How much sleep do you need? It varies from person to person and based on the level of your physical activity, stress levels and age - typically from 7-8 hours is common for most adults. If you wake up feeling tired and have less energy in the mornings, it is possible that you are not sleeping well. Check with your doctor or a sleep professional.<br />
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The link below connects you a free 70 page booklet released by NIH (National Institute of Health) with more details on this subject.<br />
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<a href="http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/sleep/healthy_sleep.pdf">http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/sleep/healthy_sleep.pdf</a>Sudesh Kannan, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09326971668191131776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2034189424913586197.post-55250039200027168782010-03-16T14:11:00.000-07:002010-03-16T14:11:26.832-07:00Here is an effective way to determine your stress levelsMost online stress measurement tools use an "life-event" method to determine your stress levels. If you have a divorce, a job loss or major illness; you are considered to have high stress levels. However, the problem with this approach is that it does not measure our daily activities and how we react to this. We may have a boss that we do not like or our stress related to specific relationships may be increasing in small but significant measures.<br />
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The best analogy I found for stress assessment is that of RPE - (Rating of Perceived Exertion by Borg) to measure the intensity of your daily exercise routine. Instead of using a heart-monitor or trying to measure your pulse, you can estimate the intensity of your exercise by how hard you feel you are working out. You give yourself a rating of 6-20 - 6 being no exertion at all and 20 being very intense exercise. Typical walking can have RPE levels of 9-12 while intense aerobics may cause you to give a rating 16-19. While this may seem subjective, your mind is pretty good at assessing your exercise intensity. These measures are often as sensitive as heart monitors or pulse counter techniques.<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1268771971372"><br />
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<a href="http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/measuring/exertion.html">http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/measuring/exertion.html</a><br />
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A similar method is used to assess your stress levels. Dr. Sheldon Cohen of Carnegie Mellon University pioneered in a unique self-assessment technique for stress called PSS (Perceived Stress Scale). Similar to RPE above, you are asked to estimate your own level of stress based on the uncertainty, lack of control and overload that exists in various areas of your life. Here are two websites that give help you self-assess your stress levels based on Dr. Cohen's technique.<br />
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<a href="http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stress-assessment/sr00029">http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stress-assessment/sr00029</a> - the famous Mayo Clinic has this online tool<br />
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You may also have a hard copy printed out from the MindGarden.com website and use it to assess your stress levels during the week.<br />
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<a href="http://www.mindgarden.com/docs/PerceivedStressScale.pdf">http://www.mindgarden.com/docs/PerceivedStressScale.pdf</a><br />
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The bottom line - the few minutes you take to become aware of your stress levels and the causes for it - actually will help you lower your stress levels.<br />
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Do you have your own method of assessing your stress levels? I would love to hear about it.Sudesh Kannan, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09326971668191131776noreply@blogger.com0