SPIRITUAL CONSCIOUSNESS : THE ULTIMATE HEALING WAY

SPIRITUAL CONSCIOUSNESS : THE ULTIMATE HEALING WAY
INTRODUCTION

Ø Present senario of Mental Peace :-
Ø Need for Healing from within :-
Ø Need for Spiritual Education :-

Spiritual Wisdom :
“सा विद्या या विमुक्तये”

मन एव मनुष्याणाम कारणं बंध मोक्षयो:

DIVINE DESIGN

Self healing

What Is Healing Way ?
What is Spiritual Counseling ?

Spiritual Counseling is nothing but explaining the Spiritual causes for what has happened and preparing the patient to face and solve the problem by a visionary technique of a thinking process using a spiritual wisdom. Here the patient has to just use the thought process and deep feelings

Steps of Spiritual Counseling :
Ø Patient Listening to the Patient
Ø Explaining the necessary Truths of Spiritual wisdom
Positive & Negative
Upaasya Daiwat : a beloved form of God
Saadhanaa
Diet / Parhej / Prescreption
Self-Talk : Affirmations
Faith in God
Praying Earnestly Daily Till Good Result
Casting the Burden Upon the Lord
Ø Building the Confidence in the Patient
Ø Telling Him The Experiences of People
Ø Giving Directions to strictly stick to the Prescriptions

Damaru Siddhant

A = A SOUL ON THE 1ST
STAGE.
= 100% IMPURE

B = THE ENLIGHTED SOUL
i.e. THE LAST STAGE
= SAINT / SATGURU.
= 100% PURE

C = THE TURNING POINT
WHEN THE SOUL GETS
GOD’S GRACE IN THE
FORM OF SADGURU’S
ANUGRAHA / DEEKSHA
& STARTS INNER DEEP
JOURNEY.

In the above diagram the percentage of the Human Vision has been shown. Human Vision can see various kinds of meanings in this world depending upon the percentage of his clean mind. Human mind is like an Ice-berg, and ice which is seen on the water surface, is clean and as white as scarlet. Exactly like that our mind-berg which is clean can have a clear vision about the in & out world, but here also the percentage of the clean mind is counted.

These two sides of the Damaru are the symbols of the two entirely different worlds which dwell inside the human mind like an Ice-berg.
It is said that the soul takes many births and in each birth it becomes clean and pure than his last birth, depending upon the “Satkarmas” done by it. And in the end it takes the last birth in which it becomes 100% pure and merge in the Supreme One, which is 100% pure.

“All will in the end
be made perfect”
------Swami Vivekanand

Steps towards Complete Purity (paramshuddhi)
v Inner Quest for Purity
v Mental Craving / longing for becoming good
v Searching Ways & Means to reach God
v Anusandhan & Percentage of Purity
v Proper Guidance (Sadguru Bhet) Anaugah
Shaktipat / the descent of grace
v Antahshuddhi Starts, True Values
v Self-Talk
v Sat-Sangati & Sad-Vyavahar & Sat-Vichar
v Avoiding Negativity
v Power of Shabda
v Power of Faith
v Power of Prayer
v Spiritual Experiences
v VIVEKA AND VAIRAAGYA
v AATMANIRBHARTAA
v Swapna / Nataka – director – Sadguru
v AATMASAMARPAN
v GURUPRACHITI, AATMAPRACHITI, VIDNYANAPRACHITI
v SOHAMPRACHITI
v SOHAMBHAV
v MERGING INTO THE GOD

* SELF-REALIZATION / मोक्ष / PERFECTION / ENLIGHTENMENT / BLISS

CONCLUSION

10 Rules of Ikigai (The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life)

The Secret from “Ikigai” by Héctor García

Parker Klein

Your Ikigai is a Japanese concept that defines your reason for being.

       Your Ikigai sits at the center of:

What you love (your passion)

What the world needs (your mission)

What you’re good at (your vocation)

What you can be paid for (your profession).

These are the 10 rules to living a long and healthy life following your Ikigai:

1. Take it slow.

“My secret to a long life is always saying to myself, ‘Slow down’ and ‘Relax’. You life much longer if you’re not in a hurry.”

Live an unhurried life.

Being in a hurry is inversely proportional to quality of life.

2. Stay active; don’t retire.

“Walk slowly and you’ll go far.”

Only staying active will make you want to live a hundred years.

3. Don’t fill your stomach.

Less is more when it comes to eating for long life.

Fill your belly to 80 percent.

Rather than overeating and wearing down our bodies with long digestive processes that accelerate cellular oxidation, stop eating when you feel your stomach reach 80 percent of its capacity.

Extra food will give us pleasure in the short term, but not having it will make us happier in the long term.

4. Surround yourself with good friends.

The sense of community, and the fact that Japanese people make an effort to stay active until the very end, are key elements of their secret to long life.

Treat everyone like a brother, even if you’ve never met them before.

5. Get in shape for your next birthday.

Just as a lack of physical exercise has negative effects on our bodies and mood, a lack of mental exercise is bad for us because it causes our neurons and neural connections to deteriorate — and, as a result, reduces our ability to react to our surroundings.

Go on a walk for at least twenty minutes each day.

6. Smile.

We should never forget what a privilege it is to be in the here and now in a world so full of possibilities.

“The secret to a long life is not to worry. And to keep your heart young — don’t let it grow old. Open your heart to people with a nice smile on your face. If you smile and open your heart, your grandchildren and everyone else will want to see you.”

7. Reconnect with nature.

Modern life estranges us more and more from our true nature, making it very easy for us to lead lives lacking in meaning. Powerful forces and incentives (money, power, attention, success) distract us on a daily basis; don’t let them take over your life.

Don’t look at any kind of screen for the first hour you’re awake and the last hour before you go to sleep.

8. Give thanks.

We should never forget that everything we have and all the people we love will disappear at some point.

The objective of the virtuous person is to reach a state of tranquility: the absence of negative feelings such as anxiety, fear, shame, vanity, and anger, and the presence of positive feelings such as happiness, love, serenity, and gratitude.

9. Live in the moment.

Stop regretting the past and fearing the future. Today is all you have. Make the most of it. Make it worth remembering.

Combine physical exercise with an awareness of our breath to help us to bring our consciousness in line with our body, instead of allowing our mind to be carried away by the sea of daily worries. Most of the time, we are just not aware enough of our breathing.

10. Follow your ikigai.

Everyone with a clearly defined ikigai has in common that they pursue their passion no matter what. They never give up, even when the cards seem stacked against them or they face one hurdle after another.

There is a passion inside of you, a unique talent that gives meaning to your days and drives you to share the best of yourself until the very end.

When you have a clear purpose, no one can stop you.

“He who has a why to live for can bear with almost any how.” — Nietzsche

***********************************************************************************

Source: https://parkerklein.medium.com/10-rules-of-ikigai-the-japanese-secret-to-a-long-and-happy-life-b475f0d4820b 

Gita Jayanti on 23rd December

 

भगवद्गीतेचा प्रभाव

हिंदू धर्मातील धार्मिक महत्त्वाबरोबरच भगवद्गीतेने अनेक विचारवंत, संगीतकारांना प्रभावित केले आहे, जसे की अरविंद घोष, स्वामी विवेकानंद, महात्मा गांधी, आल्डस हक्सली, हेन्री थोरो, जे. रॉबर्ट ऑपनहाइमर, राल्फ वाल्डो इमर्सन, कार्ल गुस्टाफ युंग, ब्युलेंट एसेव्हिट हेर्मान हेस, हाइनरिश हिमलर, जॉर्ज हॅरिसन, निकोला टेस्ला आणि इतर. सध्याच्या स्वरूपातील कर्मयोगाच्या सिद्धांताचा मुख्य स्त्रोत भगवद्गीता ही आहे.

भगवद्गीतेवर काही प्रतिक्रिया

 

आद्य शंकराचार्य

भगवद्गीतेबद्दल शंकराचार्यांचे मत:

"भगवद्गीतेच्या स्पष्ट ज्ञानाने मानवी अस्तित्वाची सर्व उद्दिष्टे पूर्ण होतात. भगवद्गीता हे वैदिक धर्मग्रंथातील सर्व शिकवणींचे प्रकट रूप आहे."

रामानुजाचार्य

आचार्य रामानुज (1017-1137) हे आदि शंकराचार्यांसारखे होते, जे विशिष्ठद्वैत वेदांताचे महान प्रतिपादक होते.

"भगवान कृष्णाने सर्व आध्यात्मिक ज्ञानाचे सार असलेल्या ईश्वराच्या भक्तीचे विज्ञान प्रकट करण्यासाठी भगवद्गीतेचे ज्ञान अवतरित केले होते." अवतरण आणि अवतार घेण्यामागील परम भगवान श्रीकृष्णाचा मुख्य उद्देश अध्यात्मिक विकासाला विरोध करणार्‍या कोणत्याही राक्षसी आणि नकारात्मक, अनिष्ट प्रभावांपासून जगाला मुक्त करणे हा आहे, तरीही त्याच वेळी सर्व मानवजातीच्या आवाक्यात राहणे हा त्यांचा अतुलनीय हेतू आहे."

ए. सी. भक्तिवेदांत स्वामी प्रभुपाद

भगवद्गीता जशी आहे तशी चे लेखक: "आमचा एकमेव उद्देश, भगवद्गीता जशी आहे तशी मांडणे हा आहे, ज्या उद्देशाने कृष्ण ब्रह्मदेवाच्या दिवसातून एकदा किंवा दर ८,६०,००,००,००० वर्षांनी या ग्रहावर अवतरतात त्याच उद्देशासाठी कंडिशन केलेल्या विद्यार्थ्याला मार्गदर्शन करणे. हा उद्देश भगवद्गीतेमध्ये सांगितला आहे, आणि तो जसा आहे तसा स्वीकारावा लागेल. अन्यथा भगवद्गीता आणि त्याचे वक्ते भगवान कृष्ण, यांना समजून घेण्याचा प्रयत्न करण्यात काहीही अर्थ नाही. भगवान कृष्णाने काही शे कोटी वर्षांपूर्वी प्रथम भगवद्गीता सूर्यदेवाला सांगितली. आपण हे सत्य स्वीकारले पाहिजे आणि अशा प्रकारे भगवद्गीतेचे ऐतिहासिक महत्त्व चुकीचा अर्थ न लावता समजून घेतले पाहिजे. कृष्णाच्या इच्छेचा कोणताही संदर्भ न घेता भगवद्गीतेचा अर्थ लावणे हा सर्वात मोठा अपराध आहे. या अपराधापासून स्वतःला वाचवायचे असेल तर भगवंताला परमात्मस्वरूप समजले पाहिजे. जे की भगवान कृष्णाचे पहिले शिष्य अर्जुनाने प्रत्यक्षपणे समजून घेतले होते. भगवद्गीतेची अशी समज खरोखर फायदेशीर आहे आणि जीवनाचे ध्येय पूर्ण करण्यासाठी मानवी समाजाच्या कल्याणासाठी अधिकृत आहे."

स्वामी विवेकानंद

स्वामी विवेकानंदांना भगवद्गीतेमध्ये खूप रस होता. असे म्हटले जाते की, भगवद्गीता त्यांच्या दोन सर्वात आवडत्या पुस्तकांपैकी एक होती (दुसरा एक होता ख्रिस्ताचे अनुकरण). १८८८-१८९३ मध्ये जेव्हा विवेकानंद संन्यासी म्हणून संपूर्ण भारतभर भटकंती करत होते, तेव्हा त्यांनी फक्त दोनच पुस्तके आपल्याजवळ ठेवली - गीता आणि इमिटेशन ऑफ क्राइस्ट.

महात्मा गांधी

'भगवद्गीतेचा निःस्वार्थ सेवेवर भर' हा महात्मा गांधी यांच्यासाठी प्रमुख प्रेरणास्त्रोत होता. गांधीजीनी म्हटले होते की- "जेव्हा मला काही शंका सतावतात, निराशा माझ्या चेहऱ्यावर डोकावते आणि मला आशेचा एकही किरण क्षितिजावर दिसत नाही, तेव्हा मी भगवद्गीतेकडे वळतो आणि मला दिलासा देणारा श्लोक शोधतो; आणि प्रचंड दुःखाच्या सगरात मी लगेच हसायला लागतो. जे गीतेचे चिंतन करतात त्यांना दररोज नवनवीन आनंद आणि नवीन अर्थ प्राप्त होतील."

अरविंद घोष

श्री अरबिंदो यांच्या म्हणण्यानुसार, " भगवद्गीता हा मानवजातीचा खरा धर्मग्रंथ आहे, ज्यामध्ये प्रत्येक युगासाठी नवीन संदेश आणि प्रत्येक सभ्यतेसाठी नवीन अर्थ आहे."

जवाहरलाल नेहरू

भारताचे पहिले पंतप्रधान जवाहरलाल नेहरू यांनी असे म्हटले आहे की " भगवद्गीता मूलत: मानवी अस्तित्वाच्या आध्यात्मिक पायाशी संबंधित आहे. ती जीवनातील जबाबदाऱ्या आणि कर्तव्ये पूर्ण करण्यासाठीच्या कृतीची साद आहे."

अ‍ॅनी बेझंट

"अध्यात्मिक माणसाला एकांतवासात राहण्याची गरज नाही, दैवी जीवनाशी एकरूप होणे आणि सांसारिक घडामोडींमध्ये टिकून राहणे शक्य आहे. त्या मिलनाचे अडथळे आपल्या बाहेर नसून आपल्या आत आहेत - हा भगवद्गीतेचा मुख्य धडा आहे." - अ‍ॅनी बेझंट

ई. श्रीधरन

"हे लक्षात घ्या, अध्यात्माला कोणतेही धार्मिक अभिव्यक्ती नसतात. अध्यात्माचे सार हे माणसाला त्याचे मन आणि त्याचे विचार शुद्ध करणे असे आहे. जेव्हा मी "भगवद्गीता" सारखे जुने धर्मग्रंथ वाचायला सुरुवात केली तेव्हा मला ते दैनंदिन जीवना करिता उपयुक्त वाटले. आणि म्हणून मग मी त्याचा सराव करू लागलो. मी याला प्रशासकीय अंतिम सत्य मानतो, जे तुम्हाला संस्था चालवण्यासारख्या गोष्टी करण्यात मदत करेल."

एपीजे अब्दुल कलाम

एपीजे अब्दुल कलाम, भारताचे ११वे राष्ट्रपती, हे मुस्लिम असूनही भगवद्गीता वाचायचे आणि मंत्रांचे नियमित पठण करायचे.

नरेंद्र मोदी

भारताचे पंतप्रधान नरेंद्र मोदी यांनी भगवद्गीता "जगाला भारताची सर्वात मोठी देणगी" असे ठामपणे मांडले आहे.[१५] मोदींनी २०१४ मध्ये अमेरिकेचे तत्कालीन राष्ट्राध्यक्ष बराक ओबामा यांना 'भगवद्गीता ॲक्कॉर्डींग टू गांधी' ची एक प्रत भेट म्हणून दिली होती.

सुनीता विल्यम्स

सुनीता विल्यम्स, अनिवासी भारतीय अमेरिकन अंतराळवीर जिने एक महिला म्हणून सर्वात जास्त काळ अंतराळात उड्डाण करण्याचा विक्रम केला आहे, तिने तिच्यासोबत भगवद्गीता आणि उपनिषदांची प्रत अंतराळात नेली होती. ती म्हणते, "स्वतःवर, जीवनावर, आपल्या सभोवतालच्या जगावर चिंतन करण्‍यासाठी आणि इतर मार्गाने पाहण्‍याच्‍या या अध्‍यात्मिक गोष्टी आहेत, मला वाटले की ते अगदी योग्य आहे." तिच्या अंतराळातील कलावधीवर बद्दल बोलताना असे तिने प्रतीपादित केले

काही अभारतीय प्रतिक्रिया

जे. रॉबर्ट ऑपनहाइमर

मॅनहॅटन प्रकल्प, ट्रिनिटी अण्वस्त्र चाचणी

मॅनहॅटन प्रकल्पाची ट्रिनिटी चाचणी ही अण्वस्त्राचा पहिला स्फोट होता, ज्याने ओपेनहाइमरला भगवद्गीतेतील श्लोक आठवण्यास प्रवृत्त केले.
जे. रॉबर्ट ऑपनहाइमर, अमेरिकन भौतिकशास्त्रज्ञ आणि मॅनहॅटन प्रकल्पाचे संचालक, यांनी १९३३ मध्ये संस्कृत भाषा शिकली आणि मूळ संस्कृत भगवद्गीता वाचली. तत्पश्चात त्यांच्या जीवनाच्या तत्त्वज्ञाला वळण देणारे सर्वात प्रभावशाली पुस्तक म्हणजे भगवद्गीता होय असे त्यांनी उद्धृत केले. ओपेनहायमरने असे सांगितले की, ट्रिनिटी अणुचाचणीचा स्फोट पाहत असताना, त्यांना भगवद्गीतेतील एक श्लोक उत्स्फूर्तपणे उच्चारला (XI,12):
“ दिवि सूर्यसहस्रस्य भवेद्युगपदुत्थिता। यदि भाः सदृशी सा स्याद्भासस्तस्य महात्मनः।।११-१२।। अर्थात- जर हजार सूर्याचे तेज एकाच वेळी आकाशात फुटले तर ते पराक्रमी तेजाचे अद्भुत दिलखेचक दृष्य असेल...”

काही वर्षांनंतर त्यांनी असे देखील म्हटले की त्या वेळी त्यांच्या डोक्यात आणखी एक श्लोक आला होता:

आपल्याला माहित आहे की हे जग एकसारखे राहणार नाही. काही लोक हसले, काही लोक रडले आणि बहुतेक लोक गप्प होते. मला भगवद्गीता या हिंदू धर्मग्रंथातील एक श्लोक आठवला; विष्णू राजपुत्राला त्याचे कर्तव्य पार पाडण्यासाठी पटवून देण्याचा प्रयत्न करत आहे आणि त्याला प्रभावित करण्यासाठी, त्याचे विराटरूप धारण करतो आणि म्हणतो, 'आता मी मृत्यू; जगाचा नाश करणारा आहे.' मला असे वाटते की आम्ही सर्वांनी येनकेन प्रकारे हाच विचार केला.

विल स्मिथ

हॉलिवूड अभिनेता, विल स्मिथ: मी येथे (भारतात) अनेक वेळा आलेलो आहे. मला इतिहासाची आवड आहे. माझे ९० टक्के व्यक्तिमत्व 'भगवत गीता'द्वारे आहे... आणि ती वाचण्यासाठी आणि येथे येण्यासाठी, माझ्या अंतरंगातील अर्जुनाला दिग्दर्शित केले जात आहे. पुढच्या वेळी मी ऋषिकेशला जाणार आहे. मी नक्कीच इथे अधिक काळ घालवणार आहे.

हेन्री डेव्हिड थोरो

हेन्री थोरो यांनी असे लिहिले की,

"सकाळी मी माझ्या बुद्धीला भगवद्गीतेच्या अद्भूत आणि वैश्विक तत्त्वज्ञानाने स्नान घालतो ज्याच्या तुलनेत आपले आधुनिक जग आणि त्याचे साहित्य तुच्छ आणि क्षुल्लक वाटते."

हर्मन ग्राफ कीसरलिंग

हर्मन ग्राफ कीसरलिंग, जर्मन तत्ववेत्ता भगवद्गीता "कदाचित जगातील साहित्यातील सर्वात सुंदर कार्य" असे मानतात.

हेर्मान हेस

हेर्मान हेस यांना असे वाटले की," भगवद्गीतेचे चमत्कार हे जीवनातील ज्ञानाचे खरोखर सुंदर प्रकटीकरण आहे जे तत्वज्ञानाला धर्मात फुलण्यास सक्षम करते."

राल्फ वाल्डो एमर्सन

राल्फ वाल्डो एमर्सन यांनी भगवद्गीतेबद्दल असे म्हटले: "मला भगवद्गीतेचा एक भव्य दिवस लाभला आहे. जणू काही एक साम्राज्य आपल्याशी बोलले, लहान किंवा अयोग्य असे काहीही नसते, परंतु विशाल, शांत, सुसंगत प्राचीन बुद्धिमत्तेची अशी साद आहे ज्याने दुसर्‍या युगात आणि वातावरणात विचार केला होता आणि अशा प्रकारे त्याच प्रश्नांचे निराकरण केले आणि आपल्याला एक धडा शिकवला."

विल्हेल्म फॉन हम्बोल्ट

विल्हेल्म फॉन हम्बोल्ट यांनी गीता असे उच्चारले: "सर्वात सुंदर, कदाचित कोणत्याही ज्ञात भाषेत अस्तित्वात असलेले एकमेव खरे तात्विक गाणे... कदाचित जगाला दाखविण्याची सर्वात खोल आणि उदात्त गोष्ट आहे."

ब्युलेंट एसेव्हिट

तुर्कीचे माजी पंतप्रधान मुस्तफा ब्युलेंट एसेव्हिट यांना विचारले असता त्यांना तुर्कीचे सैन्य सायप्रसला पाठवण्याचे धैर्य कशामुळे मिळाले. त्यावर त्याचे उत्तर असे होते की,"त्यांना भगवद्गीतेने बळ दिले होते, जी शिकवते की जर कोणी नैतिकदृष्ट्या योग्य असेल तर, अन्यायाविरुद्ध लढण्यास संकोच करू नये".

लॉर्ड वॉरन हेस्टिंग्ज

ब्रिटीश भारताचे पहिले गव्हर्नर जनरल वॉरन हेस्टिंग्स यांनी लिहिले: "मी गीतेचा उच्चार करण्यास संकोच करत नाही, ही उत्कृष्ट मौलिकता, संकल्पनेची उदात्तता, तर्क आणि शब्दलेखन जवळजवळ अतुलनीय आहे; आणि मानवजातीच्या सर्व ज्ञात धर्मांमध्ये एक अपवाद आहे..."

रुडॉल्फ स्टेनर

"आम्हाला भगवद्गीतेसारख्या उदात्त सृष्टीकडे पूर्ण समज देऊन जायचे असेल तर आपल्या आत्म्याला त्याच्याशी जुळवून घेणे आवश्यक आहे." - रुडॉल्फ स्टेनर

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सौजन्य: Wikipedia

FROZEN THOUGHTS ..... POSTER

 

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Take care: power of positive thinking

Optimism is important to our physical and mental health, but what if it doesn’t come naturally? Dr. Robin Witmer-Kline, PhD, LPC at Keystone Behavioral Health and keynote speaker at the upcoming "Eat Sleep Run Grow" event, shares what to do to be more optimistic.
Optimism
Some people are born with personality traits that lean more toward happiness and optimism, but the good news is, if it doesn’t come naturally, it can be learned.  Optimism also must be practiced. When someone practices anything over and over again, they become an expert at it. It’s important to try, since pessimism actually can lower the immune system which then makes a person vulnerable to disease.
Learn to change
We all experience negative thoughts from time to time based on the effects of reality; however, focusing on what you can change and taking steps toward creating a better tomorrow are important for a feeling of self-control.  However, there are some things that we cannot change, so we learn that we must change our attitude by trying to see it as an opportunity to grow. We ourselves become our own barriers or our own heroes.
Self-defeat
When we have trouble adjusting to our situation or start thinking self-defeating thoughts, this is a sign of trouble and we may want to seek help.  We must ask ourselves “Is this way of thinking productive or unproductive?” If it is unproductive than you are exerting energy into a void—this is a signal to start making changes.
Reframe Your Thoughts
When you catch yourself saying something negative, reframe it. Instead think—I may not be where I want to be, but at least I’m not where I used to be and every day is a chance to do something to make it better.  So do a realistic inventory and then take steps to change something that is bothering you and then keep practicing it in your behaviors, and this changes your thoughts and then finally your emotions will catch up and come into alignment with the rest.
Practice
Practice, practice, practice. Optimism is on a large part a skill that must be practiced. Research has shown that anything that is practiced over and over again, will actually change brain pathways and create changes in the way we act, think and feel.  This can be both negative or positive. So practice the positive and become addicted to that!

Courtesy: Public Opinion

Managing Stress: A Guide for College Students

 

 Stress Management: A Wellness Lifestyle Approach

Stress is a part of life, but the healthier you are, the better able you are to manage stress when it happens. Chronic stress can impact your immune system, which lowers your resistance to getting sick. Approaching stress management from a wellness lifestyle approach can give you "money in the bank" when it comes to preventing stress, and can give you the energy you need to handle stress when it happens. The following components are part of a wellness lifestyle approach.
Attitude:
"Attitude is everything." What does that mean? The way you think about things can make all the difference in how you react to events. In this section, we explore how you can change the way you think in order to reduce stress.
Healthy Eating:
Good nutrition and healthy eating habits can help you through your stressful times now, not just prevent a heart attack 30 years down the road. Eating well will increase your physical, mental, and emotional stamina. Fueling yourself with nutrient dense foods can boost your immune system, help you maintain a healthy weight and help you feel better about yourself. Check out the Healthy Eating section for a quick diet assessment and ideas on how to fuel yourself better.
Physical Activity:
Physical activity provides immediate stress relief as well as long-term stress management. Just 20-30 minutes of walking a day, for example, can give you more energy, help you put things in perspective, improve your sleep, sharpen your mental productivity, and boost your self-confidence. Our bodies are made to move and everyone can find some type of activity that is enjoyable.
Relaxing Your Mind and Body:
There are a number of relaxation techniques that can help you manage stress and also improve your concentration, productivity and overall well-being.
Sleep:
Consistent sleep is critical for a healthy life. Although we all need varying amounts of sleep, if we do not get enough sleep, everything from our immune system to our ability to learn and remember information will be negatively affected. Sleep is as important as nutrition and exercise when preparing for peak performance.
Healthy Relationships:
Changes in relationships can be a source of stress for many students, as can feeling socially isolated. At the same time, talking with a supportive friend or family member can be helpful in coping with stress. This section emphasizes conflict resolution for stress management.
Time Management:
Sometimes all the things we have to do can seem overwhelming and impossible to accomplish. Learning how to be a good time manager is a skill that you can use throughout your life, which can make work, play and studying more manageable, more productive and less stressful. Learn about the ABCs of time management.
Alcohol and Other Drugs:
Alcohol and other drug use can lead to many problems that can add stress to our lives. High-risk use can lead to poor decision-making, impaired abstract thinking, injury and legal problems. By understanding your overall risks, you can make healthier choices.
Tobacco:
Tobacco can impact your sleep, ability to fight infection and overall health. These issues can create stressful situations. Tobacco use by some, however, is seen as a stress reducer. In order to achieve a healthy lifestyle, it is important to learn strategies to deal with stressors and to understand that quitting tobacco use takes time and practice.
Money Management:
When you consider that the average credit card debt of an undergrad is $2,748, it's no wonder why finances are a common stressor for college students. This section offers tips on money management and credit card use.
Spirituality:
Spirituality means finding personal meaning in your life; it doesn't mean just following a particular religious dogma. This section describes how exploring spirituality may be helpful in managing stress.

Courtesy: University Health Center at the University of Georgia

Stress Awareness Day: Tips to get rid of stress

Every year on 4th of November, Stress Awareness Day is celebrated all over the world to increase awareness among the people about stress and how to lead a stress free life.

Stress has become very common nowadays and everyone of us experience it at some or other point in life. Things that lead us to stress is because of our tiring jobs, faulty eating habits, pollution and most of all our lethargy. Everyone reacts differently to stress.

Here are some things which can help you get rid of stress:

Walking: Walking is the best and easiest form of exercise accessible to us. One should walk daily to stay fit and healthy. Moreover, walking significantly contributes to enhanced mental health and helps you get rid of stress.

Also Read: How to de-stress after a hectic day at work!

Meditation: One of the best things that can keep stress at bay is meditation. 30 minutes of focused meditation daily helps people to be resilient under stress.

Sleep well: Having adequate amount of sleep is very essential to lead a stress free life. A sleep for 7-8 hours is a must to relax your mind and reduce stress levels.

Also Read: Believe it! Washing dishes reduces stress

Positive thinking: Positive thinking also plays a major role in getting rid of stress. Thinking positive helps your mind ease anxiety and helps you remain calm and happy.

Eating healthy: Eating healthy food also plays an important role in maintaining good health. Eating blueberries, salmon and almonds is believed to help in combating stress. Drinking a cup of green tea or masala tea also helps to reduce stress levels.

Courtesy : ZEENEWS

There is a better solution to obesity than so-called fat taxes

Dear Students,

Are you or your family member facing problem with OBESITY??? Read this article for solution.......


A wake-up call is needed to address obesity, but it appears it is time to look for alternative solutions to a fat tax. Instead of punishing bad behavior as our health formula, we can work to incorporate how good thinking promotes health.
I'm talking about more than the general recognition that positive thinking is better than negative thinking for our well being. From my own experience, I advocate a diviner kind of thinking.
I find Jesus' advice to "take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink," and his question, "Is not the life more than meat?" very helpful in finding balance in food consumption and weight gain.
It's pretty radical advice when you consider that a significant portion of a person's life revolves around food in one way or another — from the first thought of what to eat for breakfast, to what to eat during work breaks, to planning for dinner, to scheduling grocery shopping, to deciding what to indulge in along with entertainment. Food reminders are everywhere!
It's interesting to note that these biblical admonitions are sometimes matched by secular advice not to make food the focus in mind-body workings. But doing this isn't as easy as saying it.
What's helped me most in this direction is learning that what we truly crave is divine substance — the sweet awareness of our deep relationship to the divine. That perspective, renewed regularly, isn't as easily thrown off balance during day-to-day stressful decision-making situations that might otherwise encourage poor food choices. Our true sustenance and satisfaction is from God, and holding to this idea is a potent deterrent to thoughtless or unnecessary eating.
A deeper understanding and respect of our spiritual individuality can free us from an unbalanced emphasis on food, and give us a basis for self-control. And an added benefit is that we can naturally avoid food taxes even where they are being applied!

DON INGWERSON, a Christian Science practitioner, lives in Laguna Beach.

Courtesy:  Daily Pilot

Turning points by A.P.J Abdul Kalam

Turning points by A.P.J Abdul Kalam is definitely a inspiring sequel to wings of fire, where the journey of wings of ends with the life journey another begins with turning points . Mr kalam talks about his journey after 1992 and the challenges he has faced as the President of India and certain points of controversy for the first time. It is a must read for the lovers of this author who now has written close to 21 books in his career.

It offers extraordinary insight into the personality of the author and also the dream of making India a country with great accomplishment, skills, through perseverance, heritage and confidence beyond a developed nation by 2020 .He says this journey is a continuing saga of a individual and collective that will make us achieve this dream.

Mr Kalam spoke about the Seven turning points in life where he became the captain of the problems and defeated them to succeed.

In the opening chapter When Can I sing a Song about India ? Mr kalam speaks beautifully about the journey as the president, starting off with his last day in office like a flashback to the kind of people he met in this journey from a farmer, postman to officers and administrators. In the words of the author “ Here are a few events that lightened my horizon ,bought a smile to my lips, taught me lessons and engaged me with the love of my countrymen,
The belief of his is that the ignited mind of the youth is the most powerful resource of the earth, above the earth and under the earth. In the preluding chapters he talks about his journey of how much he loves teaching and when he was in Chennai at the Anna University and the turn of his life when he was nominated for the post of the president of India and his journey and turns from there of how he thought of blending his dream about India by 2020 and the political dais he was standing on as a platform in his mind’s eye.
In his own words beautifully phrased his dream “The innocence filled with wisdom of the simple people of my land always gave me the confidence that my country will lead the world to peace and prosperity.”
The 7 turning points have been explained first one as a scientific assistant at the Aeronautical Development Establishment to Rocket Scientist at Now ISRO. The Second turning point with entry into Indian Missile Programme, third one came as he became the scientific advisor to the defence minister; the fourth point was nuclear tests well the rest I guess it’s best to find out as your journey in the books begins.
The books speaks about the journey as a visionary of India and with how responsibility comes with great powers. Well it’s a worth a read to find out more about our former President of India Mr Abdul Kalam his work and vision.

Courtesy :  Chhatrarth

Positive Thinkers Are Protected From Heart Disease by Adhering To Healthy Habits

Humans are directly affected by the quality of their thoughts. More and more scientific studies are, thus, focusing on the effects of positive thinking. Researchers from Penn State University have recently studied positivity in relation to heart disease: does it really impact positively on the heart’s health? Find more in the paper published in Psychosomatic Medicine.

Previous research has shown that the recovery and survival rates of patients having gone through heart bypass surgery seem to be better in those who adhere to positive thinking. Conversely, breeding negative thoughts affects the health adversely. The new research deals with a similar topic: how do patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) benefit from positive emotions?

A team led by researcher Nancy Sin followed over a thousand patients with CHD to analyse the benefits of positive feelings. The psychological health of the patients was evaluated twice (at the beginning of the study and after 5 years). The participants had to rate the extent of 10 positive emotions, such as “interested”, “proud”, “enthusiastic” and “inspired”. Other variables were recorded, like physical activity, medication, alcohol, cigarette, depressive symptoms, and their heart conditions.

The results show that participants with higher positive psychological states are more likely to indulge in physical activities, and they sleep better.
They also adhere to their heart medications, and are less likely to smoke.
No link was identified between positive emotions and alcohol consumption.

The researchers explain that positive emotions thus appear to be linked with various long-term healthy habits that are associated with lower risk of future heart problems and death.

Furthermore, increases in positive emotions during the 5 years following the start of the study are correlated with improvements in physical activity, sleep quality and medication adherence.

According to the researchers, positive people might be more motivated to stick to healthy behaviours and to persevere over time. They could also be better at managing stress and obstacles.

Nancy Sin hopes their findings will lead to more research on interventions to improve health habits.

Thanks to the Source: http://news.islandcrisis.net/2015/10/positive-thinkers-are-protected-from-heart-disease-by-adhering-to-healthy-habits/

The Simpler Things: Tips for the midterm mental breakdown

Dear Students,

Just read the following article written by Emily Moore, a  sophomore in journalism and electronic media. She has guided you fantastically on how to cope the College Stress and live the Real Life happily. Thanks to Emily Moore!

 

Emily Moore

We all have a breaking point in college. Sometimes it involves an obscene amount of alcohol, a heaping plate full of bad decisions and a nice side of lifelong regret. And sometimes, it involves some kind of psychotic meltdown. One day, everything seems normal, then your roommate comes home to find you hysterically laughing at something most people would find only slightly amusing, like a dog wearing a funny hat — but you’ve been in tears laughing and rolling around on the floor for 30 minutes now. You know what I’m talking about, and if you don’t it's because you are new to college and will find out extremely quickly how true this is. If you are lucky, you haven’t had a complete mental breakdown yet, where you question everything you’ve ever done, what you’re doing with your life and contemplate pursuing your true calling as a beach hobo who sells balloon animals but decide against it because you haven’t fully mastered the art of balloon animal making yet, but one day. Yes, one day…
I do have three helpful tips to help you delay this inevitable break down, though. If I am too late getting to you, then maybe I can help you avoid the second round for as long as possible (Yes, there are multiple rounds. Welcome to the real world; it sucks).
1. Guilty Pleasure: If you can feel yourself on the verge of a breakdown (I’m talking something small, like the line at Starbucks being too long, someone looking at you funny or even pulling a push door that is going to send you over the edge), I encourage you to indulge in one of your favorite guilty pleasures. Whether it’s reading People magazine, eating a weird combination of junk food or people watching, do it, and do it as soon as possible. If you can avoid a meltdown by simply consuming an unknown amount of calories (do not EVER read the label if you are eating purely for comfort) or watching corny movies, then put everything else on hold and do so.
2.(Un)positive thinking: Sometimes we don’t have the luxury of ignoring the world for the day to stay sane. That means it’s time for some good old fashioned (un)positive thinking. What is (un)positive thinking, you ask? Let me enlighten you. It’s when you try your best to look at the bright side of things, end up looking at the negative side of things and yet still feel better. For example: Sure my roommate ate the last Pop-Tart, my boyfriend dumped me and my cat died, but my favorite cheap wine is on sale, and now I have a good excuse to drink. Or maybe your problems start to seem not as bad, because you see someone struggle-bussing really hard in Hodges. It’s not bad to laugh at other people’s pain if you do it in your head, right?
3.Power through: As tempting as the first two options are, to be blunt, life happens; and most of the time we have no other option but to power through. This is the most mature option of all three and is only recommended for those with zero self-hatred and a high level of self-control. That’s not to say it is impossible though. As Vols, we put the Power T in Power Through.
All three of these methods have high success rates, as long as you catch the meltdown before it begins. So just remember, as tempting as it is to drop out and chase fame through your mad vlogging skills (give up now), find something that keeps you sane and keep your head up. Even though things are hard now, and college seems like a form of torture at times, enjoy every second of it. Eventually the stress from finals and essay deadlines comes to an end when you graduate and something far worse ensues: real life.

Emily Moore is a sophomore in journalism and electronic media. She can be reached at emoore52@vols.utk.edu.

Change your attitude, change the world

Dear Students,

Here is a formula for you to Positive Life by Chris A. Quilpa....

Do you want to make a positive difference in the world? Have a positive attitude.

An attitude is the state of mind with which you approach a situation. Here are a couple of examples: Maybe you tell yourself, “I’m going to get things done today.” (That’s a positive attitude.) Or does this sound more like you? “Today will be lousy, like yesterday. (That’s a negative attitude.)

The day might be out of your control, but the only you can control your attitude.

Attitude is so important because it affects how you look, what you say and what you do; it affects how you feel both physically and mentally; and it affects how successful you are in achieving your goals.

Do you take a positive attitude toward yourself? Do you try to learn to recognize that no one has all the answers? Do you try to do a better job and suggest better ways of doing your work? Do you demonstrate enthusiasm in whatever you say and do?

Are you willing to grow to prepare yourself for a better job? Are you willing to welcome change — to experiment, try new ideas and stay loose? Do you cultivate a sense of humor — not taking yourself too seriously — getting some fun out of your work?

Likewise, do you have a positive attitude toward others? Are you sincerely interested in them and their purposes and problems? Do you try to understand others’ point of view — how they feel and why they feel, think, look and act as they do?

Are you a good listener who tries to learn something from others? Are you able to work with them to achieve common goals, and not to criticize them?

Developing positive attitudes takes time and effort. Here are a few simple positive attitudes that will make your life fulfilling and your family happier:

• Keep each other informed. Good communication is the key to a good relationship.
• Try to be punctual. It’s the Golden Rule of time for everybody.
• Try to be cheerful, even if you don’t feel like it. Nobody likes a sourpuss.
• Use polite words like “Please,” “Thank you,” “May I?” and “Do you mind?”
• Try to be helpful. You’ll build friends fast.
• And try to be patient. Some things just necessarily take time to do right. Patience is a virtue.

While negative attitudes make life difficult for everyone, positive attitudes help everyone get the most out of life. Negative attitudes get you nowhere, whereas positive attitudes make every day better.

With positive attitudes, your life is more meaningful, problems easier to handle, goals more attainable, mistakes less disastrous, and the future more exciting.

Talent is important, and knowledge is essential. But, I believe the most important key element to success is your state of mind. Whatever your situation or disposition in life is, success is your attitude!

A positive attitude at work can make your daily routine more rewarding and enjoyable. You can say, “I’ll do my job as well as I can so that others can depend on me.”

Why not begin practicing positive thinking to create a positive attitude right now?

Chris A. Quilpa, a retired U.S. Navy veteran, lives in Suffolk. Email him at chris.a.quilpa@gmail.com.

The Ultimate Happiness Variable

Dear Students,

Here is an outstanding article on "Ultimate Happiness" for you, written by Michael.....
Don't just read, Digest it....

 

The other day, I woke up feeling incredibly sad. In times past, when it still seemed to me like having a "negative emotion" was problematic, that feeling would have launched me into a search for what was wrong in my life and an even more enthusiastic search into my collection of self-help and psychology books for a solution that would eliminate the feeling of sadness and then eventually help me to upgrade my life to a point where I wouldn't ever have to feel that sad feeling again.

However, the world doesn't look that way to me anymore, and "sad" now just seems like one of the many things I might feel during a typical day, no more or less significant than "upbeat", "fearful", "curious" or "amused." So instead of trying to "fix" it, it occurred to me to look deeper into what feeling sad in that moment might be telling me about my overall state of mind. When I did, two things quickly became apparent to me:

1. I was feeling the content of my thinking

One thing feeling sad was clearly a reliable indicator of was that I was thinking "sad thoughts." Since we live in the moment by moment feeling of our thinking, a sad feeling is as closely related to "sad" thinking as "tails" is related to "heads" on a coin.

If I was looking to change my feeling state, this thought/feeling connection would suggest that the obvious thing to change was the content of my thoughts. As there are many wonderful people and thing in my life and in the world, it would seem easy enough to simply will my thoughts towards the positive and then I'd get to feel good.

This is the logic behind the positive thinking movement -- that since thought creates feeling, learning to control or master our thoughts would make us masters of our feelings. Whether or not controlling our feelings is a good thing (and whether or not anyone really successfully controls the content of their thinking over time) are the often overlooked questions that to me hint at the problems that come with our attempts to control our experience (and sometimes even the world) by controlling our thoughts.

2. My thinking was looking at least somewhat real to me

One of the interesting things I've noticed about my thinking is that there are times where it doesn't seem like thinking to me at all. In those moments, people just "are" untrustworthy, life "is" hard, and I "am" at the mercy of my thoughts, feelings and experiences.

Yet there are other times where all the same crazy thinking is going through my head and it doesn't seem to get to me at all. I craft a revenge fantasy in my head and it makes me laugh out loud instead of striking me as a sensible or viable plan of action. In the language of the Three Principles, this variability in my experience of my thinking in the face of nearly identical content is explained by the principle of Consciousness.

While at a universal level, consciousness is simply the power that allows us to be aware of and experience life, our individual consciousness expands and contracts throughout the day like an aperture. When our aperture is contracted (i.e. a "lower" level of consciousness), life looks frighteningly real to us and the world is filled with problems that we'd better get to before they get to us. When our aperture expands, we begin to once again see the variable nature of our own thinking and its utter impotence in making us do anything our deeper wisdom guides us not to do.

This points to why I recently described the impact of a deeper understanding of the Principles like this:

"After you learn the Principles, you still might write a 'Dear F@#%face' letter, but you're increasingly unlikely to send it."

As we see more about not only the infinite potential variety of thought content but also the simple, binary variable of consciousness expanding or contracting through the day, it makes less and less sense to try to "do" anything about our feelings and more and more sense to use them as a barometer of our current level of consciousness.

The more real the world is looking to us, the less equipped we are to deal with it; the more we recognize the variable and arbitrary nature of our own thinking, the more likely we are to hear and follow the gentle feeling of our wisdom as it guides us forward.

This is why to me the "ultimate" happiness variable is not in changing the content of our thoughts but rather in increasing the level of our understanding. To tweak an old proverb, it's the difference between changing our feeling in the moment and changing our relationship to our feelings for a lifetime.

With all my love,

Guide To Healthier & Happier Way of Life

Dear Students, 

Here is a Guide for you to Healthier & Happier Way of Life...

No matter what our age or obstacles that life throws ahead of us, we are the only ones who can take charge and make a difference in our lives. Discover just how a little positive thinking and a new way of eating can help lead you to a happier, healthier and more vibrant way of life with help from SanaView.

When it comes to healthy living, even making the smallest changes to your diet or your attitude can make a big difference in your overall wellbeing. Rather than sulking in our failures, focus on the positives and take a proactive approach to changing your life.

One of the best things you can do for your body is to make the switch from processed to whole fresh, plant-based foods. Following a diet that is high in fresh, raw fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds will help keep you looking and feeling younger, taking your body to its peak and managing stress and fighting off disease in ways you never thought possible.

Clean eating aside, being positive can make a world of difference for your welfare and health. While at times it may not seem easy, collecting the courage to look at any obstacle life throws at you in a productive manner will help you battle stress and depression. Turn your negative self-talk around with some positive spin, and you'll be well on your way towards a healthier and happier lifestyle.

One of the biggest obstacles we all face on a daily basis is stress management. However, a positive approach coupled alongside a plant-based diet may just be the secret to minimizing all the stresses in your life. SanaView suggests taking some time to cut back on your calendar, and even unplug from the world around us once in a while by enjoying the little things that make our lives so special.

When you're less stressed, you can take the time to plan better meals and eat healthily. When you unplug from your job or your electronics, you can build those valuable relationships that add pleasure to your everyday life. Being positive and eating right is the key to living healthier and happier, and all it takes to get there is some determination on your part.

Start on your own path towards a healthier way of life by signing up for a premium membership from SanaView. Featuring plant-based recipes and other healthy living advice, SanaView is your guide towards embracing a better way of living. Attend the upcoming Rejuvenation Retreat at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, held on Saturday, September 26th and discover for yourself just how effective a positive state of mind and a clean diet can be for your health and happiness. For more information on all that SanaView has to offer, visit http://sanaview.com today. 

Janet McKee
SanaView

Yoga and meditation workshop to help students deal with exam stress

Dear Students,

Just read the ideas on how to deal with exam stress through Yoga and meditation through this case study / example ....

 

STRESSED-OUT teens can learn yoga and meditation techniques to help them deal with exam pressures at a special workshop in Terrey­ ­Hills on Sunday.

Yoga and meditation teacher Heidi Horne has designed the 1½- hour long class for HSC and university students.

Mrs Horne said she got the idea from some of her clients who had children going through their final years at secondary school and who were doing their HSC trial exams.

“They mentioned to me that (their children) are under a lot of stress and pressure,” she said.

“I knew that yoga, meditation, breath-work and positive thinking and affirmations would help them through this time.”

Mrs Horne said the workshop will include yoga poses for releasing stress in the mind and body and helping people improve their concentration while studying.

She said yoga could help people deal with things they could not control in life. “I’m doing some poses that will not only help with anxiety, but also with relaxation and getting to sleep,” she said.

“And some breathing techniques to use if you wake up in the night feeling anxious.”

She said she would also help students­ develop positive thinking through using affirmations and visualizations.

She hopes doing the workshop will help people take care of themselves better when stressed and avoid fast food and energy drinks.

“Often when they are tired, people reach for food that makes them feel more comfortable and gives them an instant energy boost,” she said.

“This is a natural way to relax.”

Participants don’t need any yoga or meditation experience and they will be given notes to take home.

“They will have time to ask questions at the end,” Mrs Horne said.

Mrs Horne who has been teaching yoga for more than eight years said as well as reducing stress, yoga “enhances your mood and sense of wellbeing and happiness”.

Teenager Samantha Horton has already had a few yoga classes with Mrs Horne and said she could feel the benefits.

“My mind and body feel re-energised,” she said.

Mrs Horne is hoping to hold more workshops for students in the future.