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Sun gazing

Sun gazing and pineal gland

Sun Gazing and Pineal Gland

Sun Gazing and Pineal Gland

Sun Gazing is an ancient method of healing that originated in India about 2600 years ago with the teaching of Lord Mahavir of Jain. It is a practice of deriving nutritional energy directly the sun simply by gazing intently at it within an hour of sunrise or sunset. Objectives vary from person to person but most sungazers seek better mental and physical health along with a higher level of spiritual awareness.

Simply put, light activates the pineal gland, the gland responsible for the body’s circadian rhythm.

The pineal gland secretes melatonin and works in harmony with the hypothalamus gland which directs the body’s thirst, hunger, sexual desire and the biological clock that determines our aging process.  It is also associated with the ‘third eye’ chakra whose awakening is linked to prophecy and and increased psychic awareness as consciousness ascends. When it awakens, one feels a pressure at the base of the brain.

While the physiological function of the pineal gland has been unknown until recent times, mystical traditions and esoteric schools have long known this area in the middle of the brain to be the connecting link between the physical and spiritual worlds. Considered the most powerful and highest source of ethereal energy available to humans, the pineal gland has always been important in initiating supernatural powers. Development of psychic talents has been closely associated with this organ of higher vision.

Holistic medicine recognises that light, sound, energy, vibration are all related mathematically and this can be use to treat a wide variety of conditions.

The brain needs lights to reset itself or to integrate various hormones by energizing the pineal gland where the eyes act as receptors.

[from earthclinic.com]

Seasonal Affective Disorders can be normalized by staring into a tungsten light bulb (good low wattage ones like 5 watts or 10 watts) for a couple of minutes to cure depression, etc, especially in countries where there is a light deficiency.

Whenever you are exposed to light, the body needs to reset its timing mechanism everyday, and at least for me the best times to set the the biological clock so that you will be at least energized throughout the day is to at least get the sunlight into the bedroom in early morning hours.

It is necessary even if the room does not have access to bright lights to at least install a good bright tungsten light bulb or at least buy several light fluorescent from a local aquarium shops to have full spectrum lights turned on especially during the morning hours before going to work.

 

Quick summary of the process

Stand barefoot on the ground (preferably not the grass). Some believe the method is to look for 1-2 minutes into white clouds, and not neccesarily directly at the sun. Others say you should stare directly into the sun (as it’s rising or setting) beginning with 10 seconds and slowly extended out to 45 mins. The idea is for your eyes to receive full light spectrum as the brain needs lights to reset itself or to integrate various hormones by energizing the pineal gland, where the eyes act as receptors.

Disclaimer

The following information is taken directly from sungazing.com

The Pineal Gland

The Pineal Gland

If you chose to embark upon the journey of sungazing, please heed the advice that slow and steady wins the race. I do not recommend this practice to anyone. If the sun seems or feels to bright, well then, don’t look at. If you chose to partake, be very careful, take your time, be cautious, be humble and document your progress.

To Begin

As the sun rises over the horizon simply gaze at the whole glowing ball of light for 10 seconds only. The key is to be relaxed, just like in mediation, let go of all thoughts and become immersed in the moment. Simply, look at it. No stress or strain on the face, facial muscles or eyes. Relax your jaw. Stand at peace, knees bent with your arms at your sides. Let go.

If you choose to get up with the chickens, and try gazing at the rising sun. Stay relaxed and receptive for greater assimilation of the beneficial aspects of the sun’s rays. Try to become aware of what your body is feeling, how is your mental, emotional and physical state as the sun fills every atom, every electron, and every cell in your body. Feel every tissue filled with the regenerative and healing properties that the sunlight imparts on your body. You may notice an amazing increase in your overall energy as well as your physical stamina and positivism. Be aware of how the sunlight actually cleanses and rebuilds the whole of your being, your mind and thoughts, your feelings and your physical body; total rejuvenation. By completely surrendering to the suns greater power, and as the minutes of sungazing increase, the awareness of your energetic being may heighten dramatically. 

There is no need to maintain an unblinking, stare. Blink as and when it naturally happens, sort of like watching television. For the first few moments you look into the sun it may be very bright, after about 3-7 seconds of continuous gazing all the brightness generally goes away and you are left staring into a soft ball of pure white light; a beautiful pulsing orb. 

Don’t squint. If you feel yourself squinting, relax the muscles in your face and eyes. Let the light in. The more open and relaxed the muscles are in your body the more oxygen and energy is able to flow within your cells, and then more light will be allowed in.

You have at your disposal an incredible amount of electricity to make things happen in your world. With the aid of sunlight, you can recharge each cell and atom to its full potential. 

Increase the time you gaze at the sun by a few seconds each day – say by 5 seconds or so per day, until you are comfortable and relaxed with the entire concept of staring into the sun. 

Once you are comfortable with the concept of sungazing feel free to increase gazing time at a constant rate of 10 seconds per day. You may find it helpful to get a watch or employ a friend to keep tabs on your staring time. Subtle slow increments of time are important for allowing for the rods and cones within the anatomical structure of the eye to adapt to the intense levels light.

Increase the sungazing time by 10 seconds each day until you have reached 44 minutes, at which point you should be fully charged. At 44 minutes you are finished with the HRM’s method of sungazing. Depending on weather this may only take nine or ten months.

What to Expect

Sungazing can be used as a tool for tapping into your human potential. Some change will occur to reach these peaks; your perceptions may alter circumstances, you may begin to change from the inside out. Change can be uncomfortable. Nonetheless, when we release our physical and emotional energetic blockages these changes will become trivial relative to the incredible expansiveness of the universe. If at least three months are committed to the sungazing practice (reaching 15 minutes of staring time) some sort of change of your perception of your world will occur. 

We are all energetic beings, vibrating at different frequencies, so we should be comfortable with the concept that all of us are different. There may be many different reactions, sensations and experiences. Remember, whatever happens to you is perfect. It is yours and yours only. At every turn there are lessons to be learned. It may be helpful to become objective in your approach to life, awareness may prove to be an essential ingredient. Be positive and open-minded; feel all there is to feel. 

Sungazing causes hungers to diminish? There are many theories, all of which include understanding the power of light, and the more subtle mechanisms of the pineal gland, not to mention quantum physics. How is it possible? 

If you wish to read more about my experiences with the practice of sungazing feel free to check out ‘the earth was flat’.

 

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Disidentification exercise

Simply repeat the following statement slowly and thoughtfully

I have a body, and I am not my body. I have emotions, and I am not my emotions. I have a mind, and I am not my mind. I have many roles that I play, and I am not my roles. I am a centre of pure self-consciousness and will.

This exercise is most effective if you practice it daily, ideally shortly after waking up in the morning.; think of it as a symbolic second awakening.

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‘Heaven and Earth meet in the Heart’ meditation

  1. Sit comfortably. Close your eyes and take a few deep relaxing breaths. Let go of your everyday thoughts and put your attention on your breath.
  2. Picture a glowing liquid flame, like lava, in the centre of the earth. This is the life-force energy of Mother Earth.
    Imagine the loving energy of this flame flowing up from the centre of the earth to the ground below you. See it entering your body through the soles of your feet. Feel the nergy move up through your legs, your pelvis, your stomach and into your heart. Let the life-force energy of the earth rest in and nurture your heart.
  3. Take a few deep breaths and feel your heart for another moment, experiencing your energy filling and expanding it.
  4. Now picture high above you a golden luminous light, light the sun. The is the life-force energy of the heavens above, Father Sky.
  5. Imagine this loving grace-filled light flowing down from above, entering your body through the top of your head. Feel the life-force energy of the usn move down through your head, neck, shoulders and arms and into your heart. Let this luminous energy of the heavens restin and nurture your heart.
  6. Take a few deep breaths and feel your heart for another moment, experiencing your energy filling and expanding it.
  7. Picture these two energies that are both resting in your heart, merging together into oneness, creating a sphere of radiant golden love. Feel the merged energy of the earth and the sky relaxing and melting your heart open.
  8. Let the sphere of golden love expand throughout your body.
  9. Now imagine that your heart is a golden bowl, open to receiving all the love and blessings that are coming to you today. Sit for a few minutes experiencing this openness and love.
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Self-empowerment exercise

 

Ask yourself the following questions and write down your answers

  • What is a difficult or troubling situation in my life?
  • What payoffs or benefit do I get from keeping it like it is?
  • What costs do I pay for keeping it like it is?
  • How am I creating or allowing it to be like it is?
  • What am I pretending not to know?
  • What do I want?
  • WHat actions could I take and what requests could I make to get it?
  • When will I do that?
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Releasing negative emotions

Part of what makes negative emotions so painful is our tightening against them. Try this simple practice to help maintian openness.

To begin, think of a negative feeling that you resist (such as anger, jealousy, sadness or fear). Next recall you you feel standing in a hot shower – the stream of hot water cascading over your body. Use your felt memoray to actually recreate the expansion, relaxation and openness of that experience in your body.

Now bring this same sense of bodily relaxation to feeling that negative feeling you resist. Notice how your body relaxes and expands, and in that bigger space, the stuck feeling can now start to move. It wiggles around and starts to flow through you – and out. When you remove the interference to the flow of emotions, like leaves on a river, they stay with your briefly and soon move around the bend.

- From “Love for No Reason” by Marci Shimoff

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“Awareness” iPhone application

'Awareness' application for iPhone

'Awareness' application for iPhone. Happy to discover I am logging happiness 59% of the time.

I recently downloaded this pretty cool application for iPhone called “Awareness“. It says

The AWARENESS application is the first tool to use mobile technology to randomly intercept your daily routine, and prompt you to get in touch with what you are feeling; taking you out of your worries and bringing you to the present moment.

I’ve been using it for about 3 weeks now and it really does help me get in touch with the present moment and bring me back to “now” when I’m caught up in something negative. It gives you a pie-chart of your results over the last day/week/month so at a glance you can see how happy/sad etc you generally are. For $5 it’s a pretty cool tool.

Their list of features:

  • A gentle reminder sound will intercept your routine, habitual thoughts and feelings throughout the day
  • Avoids interrupting your iCal meetings
  • Brief video clips guide you back to the present moment
  • 400 inspirational quotes tied to what you are feeling
  • Daily, Weekly, Monthly, and Yearly reports give you insight into which activities lead to specific feelings
  • Reveals how you distract yourself from unpleasant feelings and how you can constructively free yourself from them
  • Works with or without a network connection
  • No advertisements
  • All data is kept private and stored only on your iPhone
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200 ways to love the body you have

Excerpts from 200 ways to love the body you have by Marcia Hutchinson…

5 – You are what you eat

Today, make a point of going shopping fro food in an enlightened way. As you move down the aisle deciding what to put in your shopping cart, try this exercise:

Contemplate each food you are considering following this example:

  • These oranges are going to become me!
  • This dead chicken is gong to become me!
  • This bread is going to become me!
  • This fried dough is going to become me!
  • This box of chemicals and additives are going to become me!
  • These fruits and vegetables are going to nourish my heart, bones and organs.
  • These foods that I put in my body will influence my body chemistry, my moods, and my health – and by extension my whole life.

6 – Confronting your inner critic

Bring to mind a part of your body experience that you have difficulty accepting. It could be a body part, and area of your body, or a global aspect of your embodiment (e.g. your fleshiness, your gender, your height, your sexuality, your symptom, etc.)

Bring it to mind right now. As you focus on it become aware of the inner chatter that’s going on. listen for the voice of your Inner Critic as it judges or reprimands you for your flaws and inadequacies. Give your Critic two mintes of uncensored time to do its thing to you.

Now write down everything you remember hearing. Read the list back to yourself and, as you do, see if you get an image of this Inner Critic. Draw a picture of it. Give it a name that fits its character.

Just the act on concretising your Critic makes it easier to deal with. As you go through the day, continue to listen for your Critic’s voice. Keep a running list of the kinds of things your Critic says to you and the life situations that propel it into action. Your task for now is to become very intimate with the behaviour of this part of yourself.

18 – What does Happy feel like?

Think of a situation from your recent or distant past that made you feel happy. Recall it in detail as if it were happening to your right now. What is happening? What about it makes you feel happy?

Every emotional state is expressed as a body pattern. Without a body you would not be able to feel emotions at all. Where in your body are you experiencing happiness? What does “happy” feel like? Notice how this emotion transforms your body. Pay attention to your posture, your facial expression, the quality of your breathing, the way the world looks to you. Walk around and experience how your move. memorise the “happy” body pattern. Let it go for now, but later on today “try on” this pattern and experience how it transforms your mood of the moment.

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Daily gratitude affirmation

I am grateful…

that my immune system detoxes me so easily every night while I sleep
that my body knows how to keep me healthy and happy
that I’m full of energy and confidence
that I find challenges easy and enjoyable
that I’m in control and I love feeling abundant in every way
that I love and accept myself just the way I am
that I’m loved and supported by all around me
that I’m a good person and I deserve my health, happiness and wealth
that my body is feeling stronger and healthier every day
that my back is stronger and more flexible every day
that every day I can east what I want, when I want and digest it with ease
that every day my throat is healthy and it helps me communicate clearly
that I’m perfectly healthy in body, mind and spirit
that I have all the energy i need to accomplish my daily goals
that I’m always able to maintain my ideal bodyweight
that my mind is at peace and I love who I am
that I love and care for my body and it return it to me 100 times
that I have a healthy heart and a strong set of lungs
that I believe in myself because I’m good at what I do
that I’m always in the right place at the right time
that money flows easily to me and I love the joy and freedom it brings into my life
that I trust my intuition that guides me effortlessly every day to make the right decision
that my sleep is relaxed and refreshing every night
that I wake in the morning feeling energised, happy and I love it
that I easily forgive and let go
that my mind and spirit are growing so much
that I love myself unconditionally and I’m grateful for my strength, courage and determination

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Conscious sunrise questions

Asking conscious sunrise questions awakens wondrous possibilities.

  • What are the blessings of the moment?
  • What are my ideals and how can I live them today
  • How can I greet the day in a healthy way
  • How can I enhance calmness and deepen peace
  • What would creativity explore
  • What is the focus of my enthusiasm
  • What are my highest happiest truths? How can I manifest them today?
  • How can today be absolutely dreamy, and how can I create this?
  • What would the Universe like me to do today?

From Bliss Conscious Communication, published by Books for Earthlings

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Us vs Them

[P104] Exercise: Us vs Them

Look for a moment at someone in your life who bothers you. Describe three things about this person that you do not like, thinking that you want them to change.

Now look deeply inside of you and ask yourself “When am I like that, and when do I do the same things?”

Close your eyes and give yourself the time to do this. Then ask yourself if you ARE WILLING TO CHANGE. When you remove these patterns, habits and beliefs from your thinking and behaviour, either they will change or leave your life.

From ‘You Can Heal Your Life’ by Louise L. Hay

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How are you feeling?

When you just don’t know how you feel, here’s a list to help you:

Positive

  • Absorbed
  • Adventurous
  • Affectionate
  • Alert
  • Alive
  • Amazed
  • Amused
  • Animated
  • Appreciative
  • Ardent
  • Aroused
  • Astonished
  • Blissful
  • Breathless
  • Buoyant
  • Calm
  • Carefree
  • Comfortable
  • Complacent
  • Composed
  • Concerned
  • Confident
  • Contented
  • Cool
  • Curious
  • Dazzled
  • Delighted
  • Eager
  • Ebullient
  • Ecstatic
  • Effervescent
  • Elated
  • Enchanted
  • Encouraged
  • Energetic
  • Engrossed
  • Enlivened
  • Enthusiastic
  • Excited
  • Exhilarated
  • Expansive
  • Expectant
  • Exultant
  • Fascinated
  • Free
  • Friendly
  • Fulfilled
  • Glad
  • Gleeful
  • Glorious
  • Glowing
  • Good-humoured
  • Grateful
  • Gratified
  • Happy
  • Helpful
  • Hopeful
  • Inquisitive
  • Inspired
  • Intense
  • Interested
  • Intrigued
  • Invigorated
  • Involved
  • Joyous
  • Joyful
  • Jubilant
  • Keyed-up
  • Loving
  • Mellow
  • Merry
  • Mirthful
  • Moved
  • Optimistic
  • Overjoyed
  • Overwhelmed
  • Peaceful
  • Perky
  • Pleasant
  • Pleased
  • Proud
  • Quiet
  • Radiant
  • Rapturous
  • Refreshed
  • Relaxed
  • Relieved
  • Satisfied
  • Secure
  • Sensitive
  • Serene
  • Spellbound
  • Splendid
  • Stimulated
  • Surprised
  • Tender
  • Thankful
  • Thrilled
  • Touched
  • Tranquil
  • Trusting
  • Upbeat
  • Warm
  • Wide-awake
  • Wonderful
  • Zestful

Negative

  • Afraid
  • Aggravated
  • Agigtated
  • Alarmed
  • Aloof
  • Angry
  • Anguished
  • Annoyed
  • Anxious
  • Apathetic
  • Apprehensive
  • Aroused
  • Ashamed
  • Beat
  • Bewildered
  • Bitter
  • Blah
  • Blue
  • Bored
  • Broken-hearted
  • Chagrined
  • Cold
  • Concerned
  • Cool
  • Cross
  • Dejected
  • Depressed
  • Despairing
  • Despondant
  • Detached
  • Disaffected
  • Disenchanted
  • Disappointed
  • Discouraged
  • Disgruntled
  • Disgusted
  • Disheartened
  • Dismayed
  • Displeased
  • Disquieted
  • Distressed
  • Disturbed
  • Downcast
  • Downhearted
  • Dull
  • Edgy
  • Embarrassed
  • Embittered
  • Exasperated
  • Exhausted
  • Fatigued
  • Fearful
  • Fidgety
  • Forlorn
  • Frightened
  • Frustrated
  • Furious
  • Gloomy
  • Guilty
  • Harried
  • Heavy
  • Helpless
  • Hesitant
  • Horrified
  • Horrible
  • Hostile
  • Hot
  • Humdrum
  • Hurt
  • Impatient
  • Indifferent
  • Intense
  • Irate
  • Irked
  • Irritated
  • Jealous
  • Jittery
  • Keyed-up
  • Lazy
  • Leery
  • Lethargic
  • listless
  • Lonely
  • Mad
  • Mean
  • Miserable
  • Mopey
  • Morose
  • Mournful
  • Nervous
  • Nettled
  • Numb
  • Overwhelmed
  • Panicky
  • Passive
  • Perplexed
  • Pessimistic
  • Puzzled
  • Rancorous
  • Reluctant
  • Repelled
  • Resentful
  • Restless
  • Sad
  • Scared
  • Sensitive
  • Shaky
  • Shocked
  • Skeptical
  • Sleepy
  • Sorrowful
  • Sorry
  • Spiritless
  • Startled
  • Surprsied
  • Suspicious
  • Tepid
  • Terrified
  • Tired
  • Troubled
  • Uncomfortable
  • Unconcerned
  • Uneasy
  • Unglued
  • Unhappy
  • Unnerved
  • Unsteady
  • Upset
  • Uptight
  • Vexed
  • Weary
  • Wistful
  • Withdrawn
  • Woeful
  • Worried
  • Wretched
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Healing Visualisation

[P78] Exercise: Visualisation

Begin to visualise yourself as a little child or five or six. Look deeply into this little child’s eyes. See the longing that is there are realise that there is only one thing this little child wants from you, and that is love. So reach out your arms and embrace this child. Hold it with love and tenderness. Tell it how much you love it, how much you care. Admire everything about this child and say that it’s okay to make mistakes while learning. Promise that you will always be there no matter what. Now let this little child get very small, until it is the just the size to fit into your heart. Put it there so whenever you look down you can see this little face looking up at you and you can give it lots of love.

Now visualise your mother as little girl or four or five, frightened and looking for love and not knowing where to find it. Reach out your arms and hold this little girl and let her know how much you love her, how much you c are. Let her know she can rely on you to always be there, no matter what. When she quiets down and begin to feel safe, let her get very small, just the size to fit into your heart. Put her there with your own little child. Let them give each other lots of love.

Now image your father as a little boy of three or four, frightened, crying and looking for love. See the tears rolling down his little face as he doesn’t know where to turn. You have become good at comforting frightened little children, so reach out your arms and hold his trembling little body. Comfort him. Let him feel how much you love him. Let him feel that you will always be there for him.

When his tears are dry, and you feel the love and peace in his little body, let him get very small, just the size to fit into your heart. Put him there so those three little children can give each other lots of love and you can love them all.

There is so much love in your heart that you could heal the entire planet. But just for now let us use this love to heal you. Feel a warmth beginning to glow in your heart centre, a softness a gentleness. let this feeling begin to chnage the way you think and talk about yourself.

From ‘You Can Heal Your Life’ by Louise L. Hay

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Work affirmation

[P112] In the infinity of life where I am, all is perfect, whole and complete. My unique creative talents and abilities flow through me and are expressed in deeply satisfying ways. There are people out there who are always looking for my services. I am always in demand and can pick and choose what I want to do. I earn good money doing what satisfies me. My work is a joy and a pleasure. All is well in my world.

  • Divine Intelligence gives me all the ideas I can use
  • Everything I touch is a success
  • There is plenty for everyone, including me
  • There are plenty of customers for my services
  • I establish a new awareness of success
  • I am a magnet for Divine Prosperity
  • I am blessed beyond my fondest dreams
  • Riches of every sort are drawn to me
  • Golden opportunities are everywhere for me

[P110] If you want to leave your job, then begin to affirm that  you release your current job with love to the nest person who will be delighted to have it. Know that there are people out there looking for exactly what you have to offer, and that you are being brought together on the checkerboard of life even now.

From ‘You Can Heal Your Life’ by Louise L. Hay

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Exercise: Letting Go

As you read this, take a deep breath and, as you exhale, allow all the tension to leave your body. Let your scalp and your forehead and your face relax. Your head does not need to be tense in order for you to read. Let your tongue and your throat and your shoulders relax. Do that now. Let your back and your abdomen and your pelvis relax. Let your breathing be at peace as you relax your legs and feet.

Is there a big change in your body since you began? Notice how much you hold on. If you are doing it with your body, you are doing it with your mind.

In this relaxed comfortable position, say to yourself ” I am willing to let go. I release. I let go. I release all tension. I release all fear. I release all anger. I release all guilt. I release all sadness. I let go of old limitations. I let go, and I am at peace. I am at peace with myself. I am at peace with the process of life. I am safe”

From ‘You Can Heal Your Life’ by Louise L. Hay

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Detachment from painful emotions (exercise)

[P109] Detachment: On the bridge

Use this practice when you are feeling any painful emotion, such as anger, jealousy, sadness, depression, vengefulness or greed. Imagine that you are in a river of these emotions. Now imagine yourself getting out of the water and walking out onto a bridge. You look down at the river and watch it rushing below you. The water in the river represents your emotions. Let this water flow below you while you watch. At the same time feel the river of energy flowing through your body. Allow yourself to feel these emotions with detachment, like watching the river flow below you while you are on the bridge.

Practice this each time you are caught in a river of emotions.

from The Heart of the Soul – Gary Zukav

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Earth meditation

[P67] Processing Energy: Earth connections

Every day take a few minutes to appreciate the Earth. Stand, sit or lie on the Earth, the grass, the ground, or the floor. Allow yourself to be held, to be nurtured, by the Earth. Even if you are lying on a carpet on a floor, you are being held by the Earth. The floor and carpet are holding you, but what is holding them? Spend at least five minutes. Entrust yourself completely to the Earth for a few minutes each day.

This is sacred time.

from The Heart of the Soul – Gary Zukav

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Your source of power

[P77] For now, here is one quite effective but simple exercise. Close your eyes after having read this chapter to this point, and try to sense within yourself the source of power from which your own breathing and life forces come. Some of you will do this successfully at your first try. Others my take longer. When you feel within yourself this source, then try to sense this power flow outward through your entire physical being, through the fingertips and toes, through the pores of your body, all directions, with yourself as centre. Imagine the rays undiminished, reaching then through the foliage and clouds above, through the centre of the earth below, extending even to the farthest reaches of the universe.

Now I do not mean this to be a merely symbolic exercise, for though it may begin with imagination, it is based upon fact and emanations from your consciousness and the creativity of your soul do indeed reach outward in that manner. The exercise will give you some idea of the true nature, creativity and vitality of the soul from which you can draw your own energy and of which you are an individual and unique portion.

from Seth Speaks

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Living Consciously (exercise)

This sentence completion exercise is taken from “The Art of Living Consciously” by Nathaniel Branden

The idea is that you sit down and write the stem, then, as rapidly as possible, without pausing for reflection, write as many endings as you can, never less than six and ten is sufficient.

This is a general life exercise. There is also a work-related exercise here

The Basics

WEEK ONE

  • I am a person who…
  • One of the things I wish people understood about me is…
  • If I allowed myself to really see people…
  • If I allowed people to really see me
  • I am becoming aware that…

WEEK TWO

  • If I bring five percent more awareness to my activities today…
  • If I bring five percent more awareness to my important relationships today…
  • If I bring five percent more awareness to my emotional reactions today…
  • If I bring five percent more awareness to my communications today…
  • I am becoming aware…

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Living Consciously at work (exercise)

This sentence completion exercise is taken from “The Art of Living Consciously” by Nathaniel Branden

The idea is that you sit down and write the stem, then, as rapidly as possible, without pausing for reflection, write as many endings as you can, never less than six and ten is sufficient.

This is a work-related exercise. There is also a more general exercise here

[P114] WEEK ONE

  • If I take full responsibility for my standard of living…
  • If I take full responsibility for my choices and actions…
  • If I bring a high level of awareness to my work life…
  • If I look at my work life realistically
  • If I think of the customer as my partner
  • When I reflect on what I’ve noticed today…

WEEK TWO

  • If I look at how I spend my time…
  • When I reflect on the level of awareness I bring to my work life…
  • If I think about how I set my priorities
  • If I think about how I invest my time…
  • If I want to keep a customer for life…
  • If I want to be perceived as an effective team member
  • When I reflect on what I’ve noticed today…

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Perceiving inner reality (exercise)

From ‘Seth Speaks’:

[P56] The inner sense will allow you to perceive the reality that is independent of physical form. I will ask you all to momentarily forsake you roles therefore, and to try this simple exercise…

Now, pretend you are on a lighted stage, the stage being the room in which you now sit. Close your eyes and pretend that the lights have gone out, the setting has disappeared and you are alone.

Everything is dark. Be quiet. Imagine as vividly as you can the existence of inner senses. For now pretend that they correspond to your physical ones. Clear from your mind all thoughts and worries. Be receptive. Very gently listen, not to physical sounds but to sounds that come through the inner senses. Image may begin to appear. Accept them as sights quite as valid as those you see physically. Pretend that there is an inner world, and that it will be revealed to you as you learn to perceive it with these inner senses.

Pretend that you have been blind to this world all your life, and are now slowly gaining sight within it. Do not judge the whole inner world by the disjointed images that you may at first perceive, or by the sounds that you may at first hear, for you will still be using your inner senses quite imperfectly.

Do this simple exercise for a few moments before sleep or in the resting state. It may also be done even in the midst of an ordinary task that does not take all of your attention.

You will simply be learning to focus in a new dimension of awareness, taking quick snapshots, as it were, in a strange environment. Remember that you will only be perceiving snatches. Simple accept them, but do not attempt to make any overall judgments or interpretation at this stage.

Ten minutes a day to begin with is quite sufficient.

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Your role in a relationship (exercise)

Here’s a cool exercise in “How One of you can bring the two of your together”

Complete this sentence in as many ways as seem appropriate.

In our relationship, I (use either expect, want,  or hope for, whichever seems more appropriate for your sentence)

Here are some examples

  • In our relationship, I want John to be as affectionate and attentive and thoughtful as he was when we were courting
  • In our relationship, I want us to agree much more on how to treat the children
  • In our relationship, I want Sam to spend more time at home and take more interest  in running the household and taking care of the kids

Now go back to each sentence and add to the end of it. “…and I feel _____ about it. “Or if you feel like taking a little bit of a leap, say instead , “..and I choose to feel ____ about it”. For example

  • In our relationship, I want John to be as affectionate and attentive and thoughtful as he was when we were courting, and I choose to feel disappointed about it.
  • In our relationship, I expect Sally to bring in her share of the income and I choose to feel angry about it

To complete the process of identifying your half of the script in your relationship, all you have to do is add the words “My role in the relationship is to” to the beginning of each of your sentences. Also in the second half, change “I” to “to”, so the sentences will now read:

  • My role in our relationship is to want John to be as affectionate and attentive and thoughtful as he was when we were courting and to feel disappointed about it.
  • My role in our relationship is to want John to take more interest in me and my business and to feel sad about it

Quite an awesome wee exercise to potentially open your eyes to things you may not have realised.

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Meditation

I had tried meditating in the past but never really gotten anywhere or managed to stick with it for long. However since I have started meditating this year, it’s different.

Firstly I have managed to truly clear my mind, which I have never managed before. Of course, my mind does wander and thoughts come in, but not nearly as much and I can go for much longer periods with real stillness. Sometimes if my mind wanders I come back to my breathing, but generally I don’t like to focus on my breathing as I feel as though my mind is then busy concentrating on the breathing and not truly quietening.

When thoughts do come in I also sometimes visualise my breath coming into my head and I imagine it like an empty room without thoughts. Obviously my head has actually got a brain and cranium etc but for this visualisation it is empty and the breath just drifts and dances around in the empty thoughtless space.

Another visualisation I do is to imagine my empty head again, but this time it is about one-sixth filled with water. When the thoughts arise, the water swells up filling almost to the top of my head and gently washes the thoughts away, then eventually returns to it’s calm space at the bottom of my head.

Lastly if thoughts do come, I imagine myself putting them by the door and say to myself that I can pick them up on the way out.

I found an awesome collection of videos that explain how to meditate and what to expect. Check them out:

Part 1 of 5

Part 2 of 5

Part 3 of 5

Part 4 of 5

Part 5 of 5

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Sedona Method “releasing habits” exercise


Another cool exercise from “The Sedona Method” [P 307] about releasing your habits

Begin by making yourself comfortable. Then think of a specific habit from which you would like to be free. It could be an addiction to alcohol, cigarettes, drugs , sex, overeating, watching TV or anything else that makes you stuck. Once you have a habit in mind, focus inwardly and get in touch with your NOW feeling about it.

Could you welcome that feeling and allow it to be present?

Notice what it feels like to have this particular addiction. Also notice how you disapprove of yourself for this recurring behaviour. And again focus on your NOW feeling about the addiction.

Would you allow yourself to dig a little deeper and see whether that feeling comes from a sense of wanting approval, control or security?

Could you let go of whichever want it is?

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Sedona Method “disagreements” exercise

I haven’t tried this exercise from “The Sedona Method” [P 338] yet but it sounds like a great way of getting your partners perspective in a disagreement.

Step 1: Both partners argue full out for their own points of view. Do this with as much feeling and import as possible, however, there is one important qualifier: you may only use the word “blah”. Do not use any other words. Simply argue the way you usually do – even exaggerate a little – yet avoid actual language.

Keep arguing until you both feel you have gotten your point across to the best of your abilities. Then, take a few moments to release whatever this activity has stirred up before going to step 2.

Step 2. Now, both partners argue each others points of view. This time use words and allow yourself to step into your partner’s shoes as much as possible. Argue as thoroughly for your partners point of view as you argued for you own. As best you can, feel and express your partner’s emotions – even use your partner’s mannerisms.

Keep arguing like this until you have both run out of things to say. Then take a few moment to release whatever this activity has stirred up.

Step 3. Share what you’ve discovered with your partner. Take as much time as you need to talk through and release toegther on any feelings, thoughts, insights and beliefs that arose during this exerise.

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Sedona Method “releasing about a person” exercise

Another cool exercise from “The Sedona Method” [P 236] The Cleanup Procedure

1. Begin by visualising the face of the person you have chosen to release about.

2. Then ask yourself the following questions one at a time allowing your underlying wants to surface. Start with the set of questions about control and stay with that question until you feel that you can “grant that person the right to be”the way he or she is. Most times, completely letting go is just a decision. If you’re open to it, it’s possible to reach this point very quickly, but take all the time you need.

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