Tag Archive for meditation

Notes to Begin The Week: July 15, 2013

Well, if you were watching on Thursday you saw NO interview with Zen author Brad Warner. I wasn’t able to reach him, but I’ve asked his publicist to re-schedule us for another time.

Meanwhile, the Karuna Cayton interview on Buddhist Psychology is subbing for Brad Warner this week. I think of Karuna as my Buddhist ‘pinch-hitter’. Listen to that show here:


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Picture of Tony Burroughs

Tony Burroughs

 

We’re scheduled to hear from Tony Burroughs on July 25th. Tony is the author of Get What You Want:The Art of Making and Manifesting Your Intentions.

 

 

 

…and I’m expecting a definite August date for our interview with Cynthia Gill.

Picture of Cynthia Gill

Cynthia Gill

 

She and Pam Withers are the co-authors of Jump-Starting Boys: Help Your Reluctant Learner Find Success in School and Life. She talk about findings that boys are quickly falling behind girls in school, starting as early as the second grade.

 

 

 

Article

Today a look at finding peace..big job but somebody’s got to do it. That somebody can be you says guest blogger Connie Sears:

Some Tips About How To Find Peace

 

by Connie Sears

When one is not at peace with oneself, one will not be able to live life to the fullest. Consider what happens when you cannot concentrate on what you are doing or if you are always unhappy. This can have a profound effect on the quality of your life. It will be helpful to learn tips about how to find peace.

One of the simplest things you can do to promote such a feeling is to get rid of clutter. This can be pretty hard to do given the many tasks that have to be accomplished in a day. You must remember however that your home is your refuge from the outside world. Going to a clean and clutter free house will be a relief after a long day at work.

The surest way to achieve happiness and tranquility would be to figure out what you love and do it. Do not be afraid to go out there and explore. Be open to new experiences as this can give you valuable insights about yourself, other people, and the world. Hopefully, you can discover what you can do for the rest of your life.

One should be true to oneself. If you live to please all the people around you, then you will just be making yourself unhappy. Choose your own path but at the same time show some concern for social norms. Find that balance between making your own decisions and maintaining a healthy relationship with your friends and family.

The right attitude toward life in general is also a factor. When you think about it, you will have good and bad experiences. A lot of people take it very hard when something bad happens to them. It is important to remember that these things can happen. Accepting the duality of life will help you move forward.

It helps to look for ways to improve oneself. One way of doing so would be to identify your bad habits and to be willing enough to do something about it. You do not have to instantly change something. Take little steps. If you want to be more fit for example, start by taking a walk in the neighborhood instead of engaging yourself in an intense full body workout immediately.

Life can be very stressful so it is important to take breaks along the way. If you are at work, set aside some time for sipping on your beverage and relaxing. Time away from the computer should help refresh your mind. You can practice meditation or take up a new sport during your leisure time.

One must also remember to have positive thoughts. It is very easy to get stuck on the criticisms you have heard but mulling over this is useless. These will only serve to prolong the agony. When you find yourself remembering such experiences, start thinking about things that have made you happy.

The question of how to find peace is a question that has plagued many individuals. It is difficult to achieve a goal or feel happiness when you do not feel good about yourself. If you want tranquility, then you have to take steps to improve yourself and address all your needs.

About the Author:

 

 

JohnK  7/15/2013


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Notes to Start The Week June 24th, 2013

I’m planning to bring back an encore episode of Chi For Yourself this week, possibly the interview of several years ago with E Dee Conrad. The older shows tend to be shorter than the more recent programs. If you’ve followed CFY since the early days you know that interview lengths were sometimes as short as 7 minutes!

 

A new, Southern California-based start-up magazine on health and healing has approached Chi For Yourself about possibly doing print versions of the interviews heard on our show. I like the idea a lot and I’m going to do all I can to make this happen..

 

…been reading a new book on manifesting by Tony Burroughs. I’m going to see about getting Tony on the show. His approach to bringing abundance into our lives is worth hearing, as is his personal story.

Chi For Yourself is a big proponent of meditation…no secret to be sure. We’ve had  the great pleasure hearing from some of today’s best voices on the practice on our show. My questioning to our guests often includes how much meditation time is enough time. This article from the White Hindu gives you one approach to a ‘compact contemplation’:

Meditation in Minutes: Does One Minute of Meditation Make a Difference?
Patheos (blog)
Last week I did my own meditation challenge. For me, I know I want to be meditating, but there’s always something else to be doing. Taking twenty to thirty minutes once or twice a day seems like such a small commitment, yet in practice it feels …

 

We’ll wrap up this post with a word about Yoga…actually about 450 words. Guest blogger Larry Cewtly has    some thoughts on Yoga’s body/mind benefits. And don’t forget to check out the Chi For Yourself Yoga page. You’ll find a video you can use for your own workout and some notes from the Yoga community..

 

Yoga Can Help Heal Your Body And Mind

 

by Larry Cewtly

Picture of yoga on beachIf you would like your body to be calm, you must consider yoga. This type of workout does not only exercise your body, but also relaxes your mind and soul. If you’d like to try this exercise, begin by looking for a local facility. Opt for a teacher with considerable experience so that you can execute the workout correctly and keep away from injuries.

You could find several types of yoga. It could take some time for you to identify which type is most suitable for you. Beginners are advised to participate in a few classes for different types of yoga. It can help you identify the type of yoga that’s ideal for you.

There are several other things that you need to look into when choosing a yoga teacher. They should not just have plenty of experience, but should also be trained properly so that they can do the same thing to you. A properly trained instructor keeps you far from injuries and prioritizes your safety before everything else. Yoga is something that will enhance your strength, flexibility and enable you to grow spiritually. Then again, it won’t happen when you’ve got injuries.

Locating the best yoga facility near you is easy, and you simply have to look at the years that it has been operating along with reviews that it has received. There’s a likelihood that you will have to take a look at a number of studios before you finally come to a decision. So make sure you spend time in checking out the studios in your area. You’ll be happy you spent the time to find the best yoga studio.

What is important about yoga is ensuring you do each and every stretch and exercise appropriately to avoid injury. You could harm your body if you do not hold poses and stretch properly. This is one of the main factors we suggest that you start with a trained yoga instructor, to allow them to explain to you the easiest method to do each and every stretch.

The most effective ways to get a yoga teacher near you is to go online and browse in Google. You’ll also see the various yoga studios in your area as well as studios that grant special discounts to new members. You don’t have to get stuck with a single studio. You can try several studios until you locate the one which is best for you.

As you check out different studios, be sure to identify which amongst these facilities make you feel comfy and provides the type of yoga that you like. As there are various types of yoga you will need to find the one is perfect for you.

About the Author:

 

 


 

Image for overheard

Overheard

 

“Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured and endure what cannot be cured.”

                                                                                                      ~B.K.S. Iyengar
 

 

JohnK 6/24/2013

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The Fathering Kind- A Look at Today’s Fathers and Their Effect on Human Development

Happy Father’s Day to all Dads!!

…the role of dad is undergoing a lot of change. With that in mind we offer this article from counselor Susan Leigh, who looks at a number of father figures. Chi For Yourself sends love and gratitude to them all.

Celebrate Fathers on Fathers Day

 

Expert Author Susan Leigh

Men often give themselves a hard time. They often expect themselves to be strong, masterful providers, to work long hours, be successful in their careers, whilst at the same time being loving, sensitive partners and fathers, keen and enthusiastic about sharing and spending time with their families. Let’s take some time this weekend to stop and celebrate fathers on Fathers Day.

For many of us there are different father figures in our lives apart from the father who gave us our genetic makeup; step fathers, grandfathers, fathers-in-law, as well as other key male role models can play a significant part in influencing our opinion of men and our expectations from male relationships in the future. School teachers, neighbours, the fathers of friends all have the potential to affect the way in which we develop and grow and influence our life choices.

Our biological father is for many of us, the most important man in our life, but in some cases he may be cynically regarded as a sperm donor and nothing more. There may be other, far more significant loving, caring and influential male role models in our lives.

A real father provides his family with a feeling of safety and security. He usually earns money with which to support the family, but is also increasingly involved with childcare and parenting duties. Many men are keen to care for their children, play with them and be involved in their lives. The days of the hardly present father, a somewhat stern, distant, disciplinarian figure are thankfully waning. Many men want to be hands on fathers, playing and being involved, getting to know their children and having a good relationship with them as they develop and grow.

Grandfathers play an increasingly important part in many children’s lives. With the high incidence of divorce many single parents rely heavily on the support of friends and family to help with childcare. A loving grandfather can be an important male role model in a young child’s formative years, providing love, guidance and advice as well as a constant source of stability. Having a caring, wise male family member readily available can be a source of comfort for a child. They can trust their secrets, discuss problems and share their worries with a grandfather, things they may not wish to discuss with a parent.

Often a grandfather can provide time for his grandchildren, time that perhaps he was unable to provide for his own children when they were growing up. It is not uncommon for people to say that their father was a dreadful parent but is an amazing, sensitive and caring grandparent. Often a grandfather can see the mistakes he made with his own children and feel privileged at having the opportunity to do a better job and make amends with his grandchildren.

Step fathers form an increasingly important part of many family structures, some families featuring a few father figures over time. Losing the relationship with one’s father and then having to cope with the implications of his departure is devastating particularly if he had a close connection with the children. Tact and sensitivity is required during the transition from both parents, as children need consistency, routine and to feel safe and secure. If a new step father is then to be introduced, taking time to establish the new relationship is important.

Many other role models bring invaluable inspiration and support into a child’s life. An impressive school teacher, foster parent, neighbour can teach so much simply by their attitude, behaviour, demeanour. A simple word or gesture can provide a lasting impression on a developing child. Even role models from literature, film and television can influence how we as children define men and their role in our life and society.

And sometimes we learn from the bad examples too, how we don’t want to be, the negative patterns we are determined not to replicate in our later life with our own children. All these are thoughts we can bring to mind as we celebrate fathers on Fathers Day.

Susan Leigh is a Counsellor and Hypnotherapist who works with stressed individuals to promote confidence and self belief, with couples in crisis to improve communications and understanding and with business clients to support the health and motivation levels of individuals and teams.

For more information see http://www.lifestyletherapy.net

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susan_Leigh

 

JohnK 6/16/2013

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Brushes, Beads, and Blessings: Making Mindfulness by Hand

Wanted to remind you that we’ll be hearing from Maggie Oman Shannon on the next Chi For Yourself. She  joins us on Thursday June 13th at 1pm Pacific time. We plan to stream the interview on chiforyourself.com at that time. Maggie’s message goes beyond merely making things. She reminds us that we all have the ability to create, and in doing so we can bring serenity to our lives at a time when serenity is a scarce commodity.

Here’s a look at our guest:

Picture of Maggie Oman ShannonRev. Maggie Oman Shannon is at the forefront of a peaceful revolution: choosing to live a handmade life, and slow down and disconnect. In her book, Crafting Calm, Maggie offers clarity, calm, and insight to a path of peace of mind by “making mindfulness.”

It’s no secret that stopping to smell the roses is good for us; today, millions of people are finding physical and mental health benefits in handwork, framing it as a spiritual practice. Maggie Oman Shannon tells us that we can literally “craft the crazy away” through beading and crocheting, candle-making, and collaging. In Crafting Calm, Shannon explores crafts and creativity as a spiritual practice that provides enormous benefits. By knitting love and hope into every stitch, handicrafts help form new friendships and communities. From making a desktop shrine or mini-Zen garden, to stringing intention beads and painting personal prayer flags, her intention is to help us to make mindfulness.

See you here..

JohnK  6/12/2013

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A Life Transformed by Death: Luis Angel Diaz on Chi For Yourself

Well, another BlogTalkRadio snafu!! No reason you should be denied, though. I’m making the show available in this space. Click on the player at the bottom of this post to listen!

(Originally aired in October, 2010)

Picture of Luis Angel DiazOur Chi For Yourself guest Luis Angel Diaz endured a major shift in his practice and approach after the unexpected death of his 38 year old wife, with whom he was raising their 3 children. The shock and pain he experienced became a catalyst for a profound inner process in human discovery. He discovered that layers of negative emotional charge accumulate and are stored inside our bodies, causing many body-mind chemical imbalances and health/life challenges, and preventing us from experiencing peace and well-being. After several months of personal discovery, Luis began to apply this new approach with his clients. He observed his clients experience healing in a permanent way when they were able to transform these layers of emotional charge found in what he began to call “the cellular memory”. Luis named this new set of techniques “Cellular Memory Release” (CMR) and formulated it into a simple, easy to learn synthesis for training others. Operating from his Body-Mind Center in Nevada City, California, Luis has trained and educated hundreds of people in CMR since 1997. Luis Angel Diaz is the author of Memory in the Cells.

 

 

 

JohnK 6/7/2013

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Hearts and Crafts: Chi For Yourself Guests Will Look at Genuine Living Through Creative Energy

 

Wanted to update you on a couple of guest bookings on upcoming editions of Chi For Yourself:

Picture of Eric MaiselEric Maisel is the author of:  Making Your Creative Mark: Nine Keys to Achieving Your Artistic Goal.  Eric has worked with best-selling authors, and Academy Award winners; teenagers who are just starting out; unrecognized painters, writers, and musicians who bring love and commitment to each new project, despite their lack of marketplace success; and creators in every conceivable set of circumstances. He says  “The human beings who come to me not only want to create or perform, but they also hope to do good work that is desired and respected. So much stands in the way of their realizing their dreams, goals, and ambitions!”

If you’ve been less than confident in bringing out your own artistic urge be with us for this interview. The recorded version will air on Friday, May 17th on Blog Talk Radio and our other audio hosts. But, visitors to chiforyourself.com and blog subscribers who’ve opted in via email can be with us on Thursday, May 16th at 1pm Pacific time. The interview will stream on Google+ Hangouts and you can watch on the home page.

 

Then, in June we’ll hear from Maggie Oman Shannon. 

Picture of Maggie Oman Shannon

 

 

 

 

 

Maggie Oman Shannon says stopping to smell the roses is good for us, and that you can literally “craft the crazy away” through beading and crocheting, candle-making, and collaging. In her book Crafting Calm: Projects and Practices for Creativity and Contemplation, Maggie Shannon explores crafts and creativity as a spiritual practice that provides enormous benefits. We’ll look at making mindfulness through such projects as making a desktop shrine or mini-Zen garden, to stringing intention beads and painting personal prayer flags, 

The recorded show will air on Blog Talk Radio Friday June 14th..but you can be with us on Thursday June 13th at 1pm Pacific time for the live session. Again we’ll stream the interview on chiforyourself.com.

That’s it for now..be well!

 

JohnK  5/7/2013

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Out With the Clutter and In With the Good Chi- Post Script

A quick note about the problems with our recent Chi For Yourself postings on Blog Talk Radio. We received this note from BTR and it further explains an earlier mention on this site about the “glitches”:..

 

Dear Valued BlogTalkRadio Host, 

In recent days, your BlogTalkRadio show may have been adversely affected by technical difficulties with the BlogTalkRadio website. It appears that during prime time hours (our busiest on the network), BTR suffered a series of “Distributed Denial of Service” attacks. Unfortunately, DDOS attacks on prominent websites, banks, and government institutions have become quite common. In recent weeks and months, sites such as Amazon, Facebook, and the Washington Post, among others, were hit by DDOS attacks, resulting in temporary outages.

We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience these attacks may have caused you and your listeners. Rest assured that our technical, security and operations teams are working around the clock to ensure that our network, and your shows, remain safe from unwanted hackers and intruders.

Yours Truly,

Alan Levy
CEO, BlogTalkRadio

   

Article: Out With the Clutter and In With the Good Chi- Post Script

 

Just wanted to add a little encouragement for you on this final day of declutter posting. Once you have gained the upper hand on your ‘stuff’ you have to be aware of clutter creeping back into your life. Like so many things it’s easier to do if done on a regular basis.

 

Have a regular system. Look at how you do things and how the junk stacks up. In fact, think about individual systems for most everything,  email, laundry and more. Write down the system in steps and follow as best you can. Don’t fall into the do-it-tomorrow mindset. You’ll keep the hassle to a manageable level if you deal with things right away. Remember: ditch it, donate it, or designate an area for it.

   

John K 4/19/2013
  

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Overheard

Simplicity is making the journey of this life with just baggage enough.”
                                                       – Charles Warner

 

 

Slacks, Ties, and Video Tapes: Out with Your Clutter and In With the Good Chi!

Problems with our BlogTalkRadio post caused the Tammy Strobel interview to be pushed back to Saturday April 13th. We saw a similar snafu with the previous week’s Polly Campbell interview. It’s rare when we have these types of snags, but we’re caught up now. If you didn’t get to hear the shows you can catch them here:

 

Polly Campbell is the author of Imperfect Spirituality: Extraordinary Enlightenment for Ordinary People

Picture of Polly Campbell

Polly Campbell

 

Tammy Strobel is the author of You Can Buy Happiness (and it’s Cheap): How One Woman Radically Simplified Her Life and How You Can Too.

Picture of Tammy Strobel

Tammy Strobel

 


Article:

I’m really getting into this de-clutter “thing”. This week I’ve managed to unload what seems like a lifetime worth of stuff, though there’s still a long way to go.

Excessive clutter can creep into every area of your life, like waiting to do your taxes until the final day (which just happens to be today!) It spills over into your total enjoyment of life. Clutter can steal your attention, be a physical and mental burden, and ratchet up the chaos in your life. Moving out your stuff can seem to be  mission impossible if you don’t have some sort of plan for getting it done. This week I’m “chunking it”- concentrating on small steps each day.

Today I’m starting with the office. There are papers everywhere (research, you know!) Then the computer area. I gotta get to work. I’ll have a report on the office cleanup, and in fact I’ll update ya with posts this week. If I get any brainstorms on how to make this project go a little easier I’ll send them along.

Later

JohnK 4/15/2013

 

Image for overheard

Overheard: “Eliminate physical clutter. More importantly, eliminate spiritual clutter.

                                                        ~Terri Guillemets

 

 

Stalled on the Inspiration Superhighway? Get Your Bearings and Get Back on The Road to Fulfillment.

Our lives wind along a sometimes tricky web of avenues that take us from one segment of life to the next. For some the route includes clearly marked road signs and few hills. For others it’s not so easy to see where to go next. The destination is fulfillment- defined as ‘satisfaction or happiness as a result of fully developing one’s abilities or character.’ But figuring out which turn will put you on the direct road to fulfillment and the living of a genuine life may not be as obvious.

There are a lot of ways to uncover what the next road on your life path should be. If you are looking to follow that “faint inner voice” then it’s vital that you start asking questions. Often that inner voice will suggest that it’s time for change. At this point it is important that you go inside for answers since only you know what’s best for you. When you push past the limits of your comfort zone you gain more confidence and you are able to guage your personal growth.

It’s also a good time to take a look at where you’ve been so far. Those things that made up your list of needs and wants may not be serving  you any more. Knowing this could shine a light on what you no longer want and more importantly what you might need to do next. This little rest stop is a good point to get a clear picture of your perfect future. Start listing ways to bring that future into form and in line with your intentions. Meditation is a favorite of mine. You may want to keep a vision board, or a journal. These can give you the courage and the insight to move toward the next segment of the life road that will be most satisfying.

Pull back the curtain of fear and inertia that keeps you from knowing which step to take next. With trust your path will make itself known. When you move past the fear and listen to yourself getting to that next step will become easier.

JohnK 3/25/2013

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Notes to Start The Week March 17th, 2013

Meditation practitionerVery much enjoyed our Chi For Yourself interview with Ajayan Borys. I hope it dispelled some notions about meditative practice and gave you some ideas to help in your own meditation..

 

 

 

If you didn’t catch Ajayan on the show you can listen here:


..and on a related note, here’s something from Business2community that can give you more encouragement:

Meditation: Making it a Daily Habit For a More Fulfilling Life

Meditation is an excellent habit to add to your daily routine. Not only does it help you relax, but it also helps with almost every other part of your life as well. Read more..

 

We’re enjoying a spell of the kind of weather that Southern California is famous for, and it’s the kind of weather that moves me to start cleaning out the house. Items are making their way out of my house most every week- shirts, pants, shoes, books, even an old computer that dates back to the Reagan administration. Gotta say I’m inspired by the writing of Tammy Strobel. Tammy has written a book called You Can Buy Happiness (and it’s cheap): How One Woman Radically Simplified Her Life and How You Can Too.

Tammy is scheduled to be a guest on Chi For Yourself on April 11th.

Also working to get Polly Campbell on the show. Polly is the author of Imperfect Spirituality: Extraordinary Enlightenment for Ordinary People.

 

Image for overheard

Overheard: “Times change. For the usual person this is very discouraging. You cannot rely on anything. You cannot have anything. And you will see what you don’t want to see. So you [have to] change the foundation of your life. ‘That things change’ is the reason why you suffer in this world and become discouraged. [But] when you change your understanding and your way of living, then you can completely enjoy your life in each moment.”

– Shunryu Suzuki
 

Peace

JohnK  3-18-2013

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