Getting Through A Divorce For Men - The Benefits Of Meditation

Meditation is defined as "to be in continuous contemplative thought" according to Webster's Dictionary. Records of its practice date back 5000 years ago, first referenced most notably through Buddha and the Hindu religion, but its practice seems to be evident in all major religions. Bear in mind, these records only document meditations existence when a written form of language was available.

Some experts believe meditation can have been present as long as 40-50,000 years ago. Their reasoning being, meditation is awareness, so in our evolutionary progression, when we first became aware, it was a form of meditation. This awareness is proposed to be present with the use of tools from that time period.

Regardless, meditation is here. There are 2 fundamental foundations of meditation leading the search for inner peace and both can be highly beneficial when going through a divorce. The two types, concentrative meditation and mindfulness meditation, can bring the practitioner to a calm, restful state and have healthy physical byproducts that can further enhance our well being.

Some of the health benefits of meditation include:
Lower blood pressureIncrease blood flowControl chronic painSome studies have shown meditation may reverse effects of heart disease

Not only are there physiological benefits of meditation, but psychological improvements are also reported:
Emotional controlReduced stress and anxietyImproved concentrationIncreased self esteem and confidence

Concentrative Meditation

Concentrative meditation incorporates the use of focus in its practice. With this technique, the individual focuses on a specific item such as breathing, counting, or a single word like FOCUS to narrow their attention. I find this to be best practiced in a quiet area, allowing me to focus my concentration on a specific thing. Many times this type of meditation can be indicated by the reverberate "ohm" chanting.

Mindfulness Meditation

Mindfulness meditation practice opens you to awareness, leading to enlightenment. With this form of meditation, the individual concentrates on everything around them; sound, the feel of the breeze on your skin, smell. Notice and allow random thought to pass through the mind without judgment or preconceptions. I have found this to be very refreshing when done out in nature, appreciating everything around you. You can find a strong awareness and sense of now with mindfulness meditation.

Both forms of meditation are highly useful, extremely so when getting through a divorce. For men, emotional displays or breakdowns are socially unacceptable and can embarrassing. This can make meditation a perfect opportunity to rediscover yourself and develop acceptance of the things around you. There isn't much help getting through divorce for men, so meditation can allow us to help ourselves.

The benefits of meditation don't end at helping us getting through a divorce. For men, women and children, the benefits of meditation can be woven into everyday moments. Through practice, the benefits of meditation can bring light to all parts of your life.

Getting through a divorce for men is a challenging and sometimes disparaging battle that can drain us emotionally and physically. Learn how to meditate and find other resources for self discovery and the enjoyment of life here. Remember, the best gift you can give yourself right now is time.

Original article

Finding Peace Through What Is Dearest To the Heart

For many years I co-led a yoga and meditation retreat, called Quiet Mind, Open Heart at Aryaloka Buddhist Center in Newmarket, New Hampshire with a friend. My friend taught the yoga and I led guided meditations on the metta bhavana, the meditation on the development of loving kindness.

The retreats initially were from Friday evening through Sunday afternoon. They were so popular the next retreat was fully booked at the end of each retreat. After sensing the rhythm of the retreats for several years, we decided to extend the timing of them and started on Thursday evenings and ending Sunday afternoon so that we would have an extra full day to meditate and practice yoga.

With the combination of yoga and meditation, participants relaxed and looked inward and a loving community was established. Throughout the retreat we considered an intention, something we wanted to consider during and after the retreat. The intentions came as a result of the yoga, meditation, silence, cooking together and having spaciousness from the "usual routine" of life.

We shared our intentions in a circle, with each person listening quietly as individuals read their intentions. The intentions spanned a range of topics from exercise, meditation, diet, communication, music practice to making amends with estranged friends and family members. Although each person's intention was different, the common thread was that they came from the heart.

Although we did not lead people to make intentions based on the ethical disciplines of yoga, most of them did fall into five "steps to freedom". So, eventually, when leading meditation at the yoga retreats, I spoke about these steps to freedom.

Just as the practice of yoga releases tension in the body, these five steps will release blocks to the flow of the heart and will release love.

Here is a list of five of the ten ways to open the heart:

1. ahimsa - nonharm - the practice of compassion and unconditional love for ourselves, for all human beings and all sentient beings. We can practice ahimsa with each word we speak, each action we take and each thought we think. Ahimsa is the foundation for vegetarianism. Of course we don't always reach our ideals so an important aspect of this practice is to be gentle and accepting of ourselves when our practice falls short of the ideal.

As a way of practicing ahimsa we might ponder the following queries:

In what ways am I critical of myself and others?Recall a time when I blamed myself for an outcome of an action. What could I have done differently, if anything?In what ways have I allowed others to be critical, cruel, unloving to me? What will I do to become free from this situation?How can I be more loving and accepting of myself and others?

2. satya - truth - the practice of being true in our thoughts, words and actions. To practice satya, we are fearless in understanding the truth and this is reflected in what we think, how we communicate and how we behave. We are also fearless when listening to others, to understand their truth. We recognize that the foundation of truth is ahimsa.

As a way of practicing satya, we might ponder the following:
In what ways am I true to myself?When do my actions conflict with honoring the truth?With whom am I truthful and which people "not so much"?Reflect on relationships that are not based on truth and consider whether it is time to communicate with the person in an honest and kind way.How can I be more true to myself and to others?

3. asteya - not stealing - being free from desiring what belongs to others. Desire and craving what we do not have means that we feel insufficient, as though we lack something. This practice means that we respect the property of others, return what we borrow, act in a courteous way with others (respecting their energy and time) and to be at peace within ourselves.

We might practice asteya by reflecting on the following:

With whom do I feel "lesser than" or jealous? What is beneath this feeling and how can I change this sense of lack?What material things of others do I desire?When do I feel at ease and grateful for how things are? How can I develop this sense of ease?How does generosity fit with asteya?

4. aparigraha - letting go - freedom from collecting possessions. We desire to possess many things including material objects, thoughts and ideas, and even people. We cling to things - homes, cars, technological toys, books, adventures, partners, travel and pets. We feel secure when we have our "stuff".

To practice letting go:

Consider times when you released your attachment to something or someone.Consider what you cling to. In what, who and where is your sense of security based?Which possessions are you most tied to? Which can you easily let goMake a list of your possessions and consider a giving away 10%- 25% of them! What is your felt sense as you consider this idea?

5. santosha - contentment - being at peace no matter what our situation is. We may be in a partnership or single, live in an apartment or a home, drive a Subaru or a Lamborghini, work in a cubicle or the corner office with the view, we may be twenty or seventy, have a high school education or a Doctorate, healthy or ill, intellectual or not, artistic or not - whatever our circumstances, we are content and at peace. Being at peace means that when we work with, or know, or hear of someone who seems to "have it all" or "have it easy", we are centered and at peace with the understanding that we lack nothing.

Some ideas to ponder when working with santosha include:

When I find myself feeling jealous of someone's conditions, how do I feel in my body and what emotions arise?Consider a time you were filled with negativity, how did you react? How could you respond to move towards contentment?

Pratanjali (150 BCE) is the compiler of the Yoga SÅ«tras, an important collection of aphorisms on Yoga practice based in reflection, meditation and ethics. He wrote:

"Peace can be reached through meditation on the knowledge which dreams give. Peace can also be reached through concentration upon that which is dearest to the heart."

By practicing these precepts we can find peace and that which is dearest to the heart. May you find that peace.

Nancy Nicolazzo (Saddhamala) offers free information on meditation and mindfulness on her website http://mindfulworkshops.com/

She is a twenty-year veteran of teaching, consulting and coaching. Assisting individuals and corporate professionals to find new skills to improve their professional and personal lives with skillfulness, compassion and mindfulness is the focus of Nancy's coaching.

Nancy leverages what she has learned as a mother, teacher and Buddhist practitioner to offer a unique, relevant and valuable perspective to the people she coaches. Look for her soon-to-be-published ebook "Making Peace with Pine Pitch: How to Find Happiness Every Day"

For a free list of ways to practice mindfulness, and to learn more about meditation and mindfulness coaching, click here

http://mindfulworkshops.com/

Original article

Brainwave Entertainment Through Brainwave Stimulation

The brain is said to operate at different frequencies based on the kind of activity that a person is currently involved in. When people are wide awake and active, their brain is said to be in the beta state. People who practice meditation try to bring the brain to a relaxed state which is known as the alpha state. Further relaxation takes the brain to the theta and delta levels which almost all people experience when they are asleep or dreaming.

It has been found that the brain can be influenced by external sounds played at particular frequencies to enter into one of these relaxed states. Altering the frequency of the brain wave through external stimulation for the purpose of entering into altered states of consciousness is known as brain wave entertainment.

Binaural beats and isochronic tones are some of the sounds that are used to alter the frequency in which the brain operates. It is essential to use headphones while listening to binaural beats, as the sounds are played at two different frequencies, one for each year. Since each ear is not supposed to hear what the other ear is hearing, the use of headphones becomes necessary.

Binaural beats can help people reach a relaxed state of mind. The body would feel heavy and the person would be unable to move the body freely. The whole body would become relaxed from head to toe. Some people will be able to see vivid colors and patterns while listening to the sounds. Some would feel a separation of the conscious mind from the subconscious. Anxiety, stress and tension would seem to leave the body during this experience, even as the mind feels sedated.

Isochronic tones are also used for brain wave entertainment. This is a more powerful type of brain wave stimulation where equal intensity tones with gradually increasing pulse speeds are used to synchronize the person's brain frequency with the rhythm of the sound. The brain is harmonized more efficiently with Isochronic tones as they use a more distinct and clean waveform. Although headphones are recommended for these tones, they can also be heard through regular stereo speakers.

Some people use clairvoyant crystals while listening to these sounds in order to facilitate them in entering altered states of consciousness or develop ESP and psychic abilities. Some people even wear these crystals as part of their jewelry. Since each person's mind is different, the outcome of these experiences would be different for each person.

The website http://unexplainablestoreexposed.com/ explains more about brainwave stimulation and brainwave entertainment.

Original article

Three Quick Steps to Mind Healing Through Meditation

Mind healing is something that often gets ignored. This is a field that many people need to work on. In order to have a strong body, a person needs to have a strong mind. So many physical diseases are caused or enhanced by stress. Taking the time to heal the mind is not difficult, and can be achieved easily. The first step is finding some extra time. The second step is deciding on how to heal the mind. And the third step is to be persistent.

Modern day life keeps people busy for most of the day. This is part of the reason why mind healing is necessary. Finding some time to relieve emotional strains will provide a person with a healthier life. Half an hour during weekdays is more than enough to significantly reduce stress levels. Over the weekend, there is generally more time available for pleasant activities.

During the week a person needs to find up to thirty minutes a day for themselves. One of the best ways to relief stress and heal the spirit is through meditation. For beginners, a guided meditation may be necessary. Guided meditations can be purchased on CDs or Audiobooks. They are a good way for novices to become comfortable with the idea of meditating. If someone is not comfortable with meditation, he or she will not be able to benefit from it. Relaxing and replenishing the mind is the second step to mental healing.

The most important step is the third one. Without discipline, a person will not be able to improve their mental status and benefit from meditation. There will be days when he or she will not feel like spending time to meditate. Not giving up is the key to success. A person will benefit most from meditation when he or she doesn't feel like doing it.

Meditation is a powerful stress relief tool. Busy daily schedules, worries at home, work, or school, and hundreds of other unexpected problems are the cause of stress. Unfortunately, stress affects the human body in a negative way, both in the long term and in the short term. Frequent stress is linked to a wide variety of metal disorders and other illnesses. This is why everybody can benefit from mind healing. One of the most popular practices is meditation. A person does not need a lot of time for it. Usually fifteen to thirty minutes a day is more than enough.

Original article