Midpen Insight

One of the big time blessings of aging is having time to think. Senior citizens indulging in thought is one of the luxuries that has too many enemies. We are bidden by the distractions and temptations which discourage genuine, quiet, and worthwhile contemplation. The patio at your home offers the silence and serenity necessary for productive or just meandering thought. The front porch allows the mind to wander and flit and the eye to gaze and the heart to be at peace. What more healthy enterprise can one find for engaging oneself than these? What more useful way to allow for the discovery of an idea or a thought, for the development of a series of pure fantasies that give one peace of spirit. Or...

One of the mistakes often made when starting a serious lifestyle change is not following a proven sequence of steps to ensure a more successful outcome. Psychologists have researched and discovered that when we identify and pursue eight sequential stages of personal change we can greatly increase our chances of bringing about the desired changes in our lives and improve the likelihood of maintaining those changes. People have different needs for considering a lifestyle change. What's yours? Is it to begin a weight loss or healthier eating program, give up an unhealthy habit or starting a healthy one or is it a change in the way you communicate with those you love and live with. Whatever your...

Meditation is one of the best things you can do to bring a little relief to your mind, your spirit and even your physical body. It is a practice which has been with us for thousands of years; the ancient civilization of India was one society well aware of the benefits provided by meditation. We in the West have come to an understanding of meditation as a tool for achieving better mental and spiritual health only recently. On of the most effective and simple methods of meditation (and for precisely this reason, the most popular) is Chakra meditation. The Basics of Chakra Meditation Chakra Meditation is a means of striking a balance between the seven energy centers of the body - these are known as...

The 'secret benefits' of Guided Meditation are the subtle effects that happen quietly in the background without your conscious awareness. The first term I will introduce is Homeostasis. (Just read it slowly and that is how it is meant to sound). Homeostasis is when the different systems of the body work together to regulate the optimal conditions for you internal function. And to put that more simply... it's the body striving for 'balance'. Now, the body is made up of 11 major organ systems. I will run through them here to give you a better idea of the complexities involved in this process. (1) integumentary - (skin), (2) skeletal, (3) muscular, (4) nervous, (5) endocrine - (hormones), (6...

Recently, it seems that more and more Americans are climbing higher and higher into debt, especially after last summer's subprime fallout. According to the AP, the value of credit cards 30 days late was $17.3 billion in October 2007, a 26 percent jump from what it had been earlier in the year. Debt has a way of mounting, and those caught in it start to feel like they have no way out. It can be almost like drowning to some. We're told to invest wisely, or consolidate our debt, or seek other outside help in order to get our financial affairs in order. But what if that's the wrong approach? What if it's not outside, but inside that we need to be looking? Could meditation help people solve their debt...

Psychologists tell us that it is not outward conditions of over-stimulation alone that threaten us; it is our perception of these conditions that has even greater impact. Psychoneuro-immunologist Dr. Myrin Borysenko gave the following definition of stress at the 1992 Mind/Body Fitness Conference held in Santa Fe, New Mexico: "Stress is the perception of a threat and the perception of one's inability to cope with that threat." The first thing we see in this definition is the importance of perception. Stress is not some force "out there" beyond our control. It is the result of the way we are looking at things. It is the product of past conditioning, which acts as a thick, uneven, colored lens...

Deep meditation techniques are method of self therapy that can change you life. If your life is full of stress and tension, you probably need to find a way to give your body a break form everything. Sometimes even taking a well earned vacation has some stress attached to it. Meditation does not cost anything and will give your body the break it needs at least several times a week. There is not a mandate about how often one should meditate. Many people make time to do it once a day. And if you can find that time, your body and mind will thank you for it. It is not a cat nap and it is not meant to be used with any spa treatment. You simply need to use deep meditation techniques to clear the mind of...

Success has never been as hungrily sought after as it is nowadays. It appears everyone wants to be successful at something and the fact that others are achieving their dreams makes them want success even more. But it doesn't help to want success if you don't know how to achieve it. Hard work and focus can only do little, but with manifestation meditation so much more can be attained. Manifestation meditation is the mental process of focusing ones thoughts extensively and intensely on what one desires. It is a way of creating your own vision of success and ensuring that your mind is aware of it. When you're in a meditative state you step back from the hustle and bustle and enter a quiet meditative...

p>More than four years ago Time magazine reported over ten million Americans meditate and since then the number has constantly grown. Once thought of as a ritual performed by men who shaved their heads, wore long robes and lived in a mountain cave, this mind quieting, stress relieving natural self-healing practice is becoming so commonplace that corporations such as Deutsche Bank, Google and Hughes Aircraft recognize the intuitive powers of it and offer meditation classes to their employees. In addition, the scientific community has stepped up to the plate and is offering factual data to support many of the proclaimed benefits of meditation. Studies on the effects meditation has on the brain and...

Meditation is almost always associated with spiritual self mastery and connecting with your highest self. This can also lead the way to spiritual awakening. What leads many people to practice meditation is that they want to find inner happiness. Meditation can give satisfaction to those people who develop the art. There are many influences around us that contribute to our lives. These things may affect our moods and attitudes. Especially when we are under a lot of stress, we may not be able to control our actions. However, we can have power over the things that affect us spiritually. We can control the things that affect our lives through meditation and master our desires. Guide your minds to a...

people who have insomnia realize there are often medical reasons that cause people to have insomnia. Many people do not realize that your own thoughts can be playing a big part in your sleepless nights. While researching little known insomnia facts, I ran across a story of a man who couldn't sleep, he tossed and turned but he just couldn't fall asleep with his window closed. He was exhausted and ended up tossing something across the room. He heard the window shatter and soon afterward, knowing the window was now open, he fell asleep. In the morning he woke to find the window closed and a pile of glass in his room where he had broken some other object during the night. His own thoughts played a trick...

We all have enjoyed much pleasures and joys in our lives, but they have all passed and vanished away with the source through which we achieved them. They can be defined as the Material Pleasures where the source of happiness is somewhere outside. But the problem with such pleasure is that it is as perishable as are all material objects in the Outer World. How many times have we wondered and questioned ourselves when is the day of pure Bliss and Ecstasy going to come in my life which will not go? The mind answers maybe sometime in the near future that much awaited day is finally going to come. Its just a sheer hope and we have no idea in our mind how true Bliss is finally going to come. For achieving...

There are three Universal Laws: The Law of Attraction; The Law of Deliberate Creation (sometimes referred to as The Science of Deliberate Creation), and; The Law of Allowing (also referred to as The Art of Allowing). The Law of Attraction is very simple…that which is like unto itself is drawn.  This is the most powerful, all-encompassing of the Universal Laws.  It is the Law to which everything that happens can be attributed.  We have no influence over the operation of the Law of Attraction.  Like gravity, this law is always at work.  Just as “what goes up much come down” is a persistent, ubiquitous consequence of gravity, the manifestation of those things upon which we focus is always...

Divorce is widely regarded as being one of the most stressful events one can go through in their life. The process of divorce can be long and drawn out, and can cause anxiety, depression and tension for all - especially if children are involved. While many people may turn to drugs such as antidepressants to help combat the stress of divorce, there are many unwanted side-effects that can go along with a treatment such as this. Meditation is a safe, natural way to combat stress, and is considered to be highly effective when practiced regularly. Meditation comes with many stigmas in the western world. While it has been a common practice in the East for thousands of years, it has just recently started...

Many people have a low opinion of themselves as they progress through life, affecting their ability to interact socially, enjoy life and be decisive about the things they want. In normal everyday life, we are constantly identified with the mind and the positive or negative things it feeds us; in cases of low self-esteem, the mind is constantly returning to the same circles of denigration and despair which might have been there as far back as childhood. Developing a practice of meditation can be of some help in combating these feelings. By stilling the mind through meditation, one is introduced to a deeper part of one's being which lies beyond the mind's judgments of acceptance or rejection. We have...

Meditation awakens us. During meditation we understand the whole movement of thought and feelings. The 5 meditation secrets all relates to freedom from thought and a movement in the ecstasy of Truth. Awareness is the first secret of meditation that shows us the reality of life and gives us power of patience, correct action and silence. Meditation deals with the human mind and heart. Regular mediation shifts the focus into the centre of the chest. This centre has most powerful spiritual qualities. It creates a hunger to be free of everything. The spiritual heart that leads to self-discovery and a movement in the ecstasy of Truth is the second secret of meditation. The third secret key to meditation...

1. Music for Meditation. If music is soulful and peaceful it brings our soul to the fore. When we hear soulful meditative music our inner being begins to aspire for a deeper and more meaningful reality. This aspiration to reach a more fulfilling, expansive consciousness is the real secret of meditation. When we have a burning inner flame then our meditation technique becomes of little importance. When we are inwardly aspiring for peace, light and joy our soul meditates spontaneously on our behalf. Music can definitely awaken our slumbering inner spirit. "Each time we hear soulful music, we get inspiration and delight. In the twinkling of an eye, music can elevate our consciousness." (1) Music for...

How to Learn the Transcendental Meditation Technique     Sitting in a field of flowers, legs crossed, wrapped in white cloth, the sweet smell of incense wafting through the air. That's what most people think of when they hear the word 'meditation'. But what we see and hear in the media is not always an accurate picture of reality. The Transcendental Meditation® technique is a simple mental procedure that is practiced for twenty minutes twice per day. It has been learned by millions of people and has been the subject of hundreds of research studies. But just what is the Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique and how does one learn it? Well here are some of the details.   Environment—While it...

There are some people who just naturally have an excellent sense of concentration and focus. They are can simply calm their mind regardless of where they or what is going on. However, many people are not like this, and seem to always be disturbed by even small things. They find it difficult to concentrate and their judgment and work quality suffer for it. However, all is not lost for these people, as meditation can create mental space, and help people achieve a sense of inner calm. While "basic" meditating while seated is considered the most efficient method, there are ways that you can modify the meditation process to suit different environments. However, you can only do this once you are well...

Meditation has long been an integral part of Eastern mysticism with the discipline enjoying growing popularity in the West as more people discover its benefits on both mind and body. Meditation can take a variety of forms but essentially involves withdrawing attention from the physical senses while trying to quieten the chattering noise of consciousness. There has been much interest of late in the subject of abundance, indeed the self-help shelves are chock full of titles on the topic. The principle of abundance says the universe consists of plentiful supply just waiting to be claimed by those who ask. This meditation combines the mental and physical benefits of an altered state with a training of...

Meditation and relaxation before and after martial arts training sessions are important for a number of reasons. First, meditation teaches proper breathing techniques. Students are taught during meditation, to become aware of their breathing. Long, deep relaxed breaths taken in through the nose and out through the mouth are the preferred method. Students are instructed to force the air into the hara or tanden (the abdomen) and hold it there for a short period of time before exhaling. All mental and physical energies are focused on a single thought. Concentration of the energies relaxes the mind. A relaxed mind abandons all unnecessary thought. Thoughts of stress and fatigue no longer occupy the...

Meditation is a practice of mind. During meditation process practitioners learns to transcend the mind with the help of mind. The more advanced is the practitioner, the more calm and happier he become. There are different techniques of meditation and normally all starts with withdrawing the attention from outside world and leads towards concentration before entering the meditative state. Meditation according to a noble teacher Shri S.N. Goenka Ji, "From the gross external apparent truth, one penetrates to the ultimate truth of mind and matter. Then one transcends that and experiences a truth which is beyond mind and matter, beyond time and space, the truth of total liberation from all suffering. It...

What is meditation? It is a process of thought and concentration, which reduces stress, worries and obesity. People, who are conscious about their weight, do meditation to the fat of their body. Meditation is safe, healthy and affordable. Meditation is a component of yoga from past 50000 years. Meditation increases the energy level present in the human body. There are many people who meditate in the morning to reduce their anxieties, stress and like to remain strong and fit. It is both complex and simple. Meditation is about looking at an object and then describing about it. Some of the steps one should follow while meditating:o Kneel or sit comfortably.o The hands to be kept loose and opened with...

Chakra balancing Meditation has been practised throughout the ages by yogis and meditation masters who recognised the peace, serenity and considerable health benefits of tuning and balancing the 7 energy centres within the body. If you can get into the practise of meditation for at least 30 minutes per day you will soon begin to reap the benefits. With regular chakra focussed meditation you will feel the difference emotionally, physically and indeed spiritually as blockages and impediments from past upset and trauma are removed and your mind and spirit are cleansed. You will notice that your concentration, perception, intuition are all improved, and your ability to deal with and manage your...

Thirty two years ago I officially stepped on "the path," the sacred path. It is a journey that one takes perhaps in many lifetimes. Within three months I started my work with massage, I began my weekly metaphysics classes, and my beautiful sister Donna was diagnosed with terminal cancer. I started my study of the physical body as I entered the world of Spirit. It has been quite a journey...always something new to learn and experience. My sister left this planet after suffering for one and one half years. I learned that there was a reason for her suffering. I didn't understand what it was, but I knew there was a divine purpose. Christmas of 1977 was the first year I observed the twelve holy days. It...

Meditation is not just the closing of your eyes and folding your legs, it's a lot more. And so are the results of practicing it. People who meditate regularly vouch by it to regain your lost peace and to calm yourself. It can be considered as a very smart and powerful way of controlling your mind. The best thing is to wake up after a meditation session and feel all refreshed and rejuvenated. Some of us leading very busy schedules may find it hard to concentrate. So there are aides to help such as music and videos. Focus and concentration is the key to derive benefits from meditation. You may be inspired to meditate, but meditation takes motivation. The more you practice it, the more you improve and...

In this traumatic world where each moment is speeding up by, one excellent method to get entertainment is music. Yoga is excellent and mediation is yet superior, however meditation music is the finest. You can be on the go, until now listen to some calming tunes that touch your heart and encourage your senses. Yoga and meditation need time and space, but music can take pleasure in at anytime, anyplace, even while doing work. And if it’s Gulan music, your complete time can get changed into a spiritual odyssey. Gulan is a famous musician of electronic music, which is too recognized as ambient music, space music, or new age music. This is combination music, which go through the senses of the listener...

One common form of meditation involves you in visualizing a location, perhaps from your childhood, in which you have been particularly happy and at peace. You are in effect going to take a "trip" in your mind that will leave you feeling peaceful and stress-free. As you become more practiced, you will find that you can use this exercise during moments of your day when you need to handle high-stress situations. Choose a comfortable pose and begin with a series of deep, relaxing breaths. For the first few moments simply observe your breathing and feel your concentration moving inward, detaching you from the sensations and thoughts that enter your mind. Now picture yourself in the same position in your...

What does meditation have to do with hamster wheels? Quite a bit. Have you ever noticed that you keep solving problems? And you keep winding up with new ones? Somehow you don't quite get what you expected. You study for years to get a new career. Then that new career doesn't turn out as you had expected. Welcome to the hamster wheel of Life. This is the endless struggle that is part of the duality in which we live. (I'm right, they're wrong. I'm good, they're bad.) We seem to spend our lives in endless struggles doing things we don't like doing. Supposedly, once we accomplish some project, we'll finally really get to do what we like. Or we'll finally have enough money to do something worthwhile...

One of my main passions in life is acting. There is something very magical about it, which is probably why it has such a wide appeal on many people. A lot of the magic in acting comes from the fact that acting allows you to create your own reality. For a few moments, minutes or hours this reality becomes alive and tangible. It is like playing God, isn't it? On stage we become the creators of our own miniature world. A world as real as lighting, stage props, costumes, sound, the skill of the actor and the imagination of the spectator allow it to be. We can be a prince, a king, a saint or - sometimes even more desirable - a villain of the deepest dye. In the three years I spent studying acting at the...

Object meditation is an extremely popular form of meditation, but it is also the one type of meditation that causes more trouble than any of the others and this trouble stems from the selection of the object used as the focus of your meditation. Each meditation exercise that you perform will have a goal. You may, for example, be having trouble sleeping and decide to meditate before going to bed with the objective of falling asleep shortly after your head hits the pillow. Alternatively, you may decide to meditate before leaving home and heading off to work for a meeting with your boss who frightens the life out of you. In this case the object of your meditation might be to give you the strength and...