 Sound Healing is an effective and proven modality that uses vibrational sound to help reduce stress, alter consciousness and create a deep sense of peace, well being and better health. During our waking state, the normal frequency of our brain waves is that of Beta. Sound tools entrain the brain to move into the deeper Alpha and Theta brain wave frequencies. These are the frequencies that induce deep meditative and peaceful states, clarity of mind and intuition. Modern medicine can now measure and thus confirm the practice of sound as a means to promote healing. Thus, sound is a type of energy medicine that creates the sacred space in which people can heal from stress disorders, pain, depression, the emotional roller coaster and more. Ancient instruments, including Tibetan singing bowls are 'struck and sung' in specific rhythmic patterns to create vibrational sound harmonics at the frequency of "AUM" or "OM". This sound frequency known as that of Perfection impacts the sympathetic nervous system as your brain waves synchronize to the vibrations of the bowls. The harmonic vibrations engage the relaxation reflex and slow down the respiratory, brain and heart rate and disrupt the pain reflex creating a deep sense of well being. Some work with gongs, toning, color and visualizations may be integrated into your session to help move energy. The role of 'intention' in healing is a strong one. When combined with sound, intention, in the form of mantras, prayer or affirmation can greatly increase the vibrations and thus effect the healing. Among the many benefits are relief from pain, stress- related conditions and the ability to alter ones consciousness. It is an integral part of healing the effects of chemotherapy, reduces pain and discomfort from fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and depression, After sessions people experience improved memory, clarity, vitality and the ability to take action. Many report out of body experiences, a deep sense of tranquility, sleep soundly and feel the effects of the treatment for several days. What does the sound from the bowls actually do? It puts your physical, emotional, and spiritual energies back into alignment. When these energies are aligned, the needed energy balancing or chakra balancing creates the perfect container for healing. Ancient singing bowls come from different areas in the Himalayan mountain range, such as Tibet, Bhutan and Nepal. Although their exact age is not known, many of them have been dated back hundreds of years. Made out of a consecrated 7 metal alloy prayers and mantras were chanted to them during the process of their creation. So, these bowls have the sacred energy of the prayers imbued in them. Additionally, the old bowls were made with the intention of healing or transforming consciousness. Another important aspect of the Himalayan bowls is that they work on a fundamental level. That is, their vibrations work on all levels (spiritual, physical and emotional) so they treat the whole being rather than just one energy center or part of the body. Many people report that in additon to pain relief and they come off of the emotial roller coaster and feel a deeper sense of happiness and wellbeing. The crystal bowls are made by pulverizing crystals found in the earth. Each bowl is fashioned to be in sync with one specific area of the body. In this way they can be useful when addressing a particular area or condition in the body and can work well when combined with Tibetan bowls. How do the vibrations from the singing bowls help in the healing process? It is my belief that all disease is, at its core, a mis-alignment of energies. I also believe that our cells, muscles and organs store blocked energy from past and present mis-alignment and this manifests as dis-ease or disease. There is only so much one can do by thinking and talking. Energetic work such as vibrational sound that directly accesses the cellular memory is needed to release blocked energy and bring the body back into alignment. In a sense it creates the conditions in which healing can take place and in doing so speeds up the process. Sessions last approximately an hour and take place fully clothed on a mat on the floor. Bowls can be placed and played all around your body, head and on your charkras(energy centers). When taking place in a group the bowls will be at the front of the room. Please wear comfortable clothing without buttons, zippers or jewelry. Our next meditation will be Thursday May 15th 5:30-7 pm. Doors open at 5pm. Namaste
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 Definition Ayurvedic medicine is a system of healing that originated in ancient India. In Sanskrit, ayur means life or living, and veda means knowledge, so Ayurveda has been defined as the "knowledge of living" or the "science of longevity." Ayurvedic medicine utilizes diet, detoxification and purification techniques, herbal and mineral remedies, yoga, breathing exercises, meditation, and massage therapy as holistic healing methods. Ayurvedic medicine is widely practiced in modern India and has been steadily gaining followers in the West. Purpose According to the original texts, the goal of Ayurveda is prevention as well as promotion of the body's own capacity for maintenance and balance. Ayurvedic treatment is non-invasive and non-toxic, so it can be used safely as an alternative therapy or along-side conventional therapies. Ayurvedic physicians claim that their methods can also help stress-related, metabolic, and chronic conditions. Ayurveda has been used to treat acne, allergies, asthma, anxiety, arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, colds, colitis, constipation, depression, diabetes, flu, heart disease, hypertension, immune problems, inflammation, insomnia, nervous disorders, obesity, skin problems, and ulcers. Ayurvedic physicians seek to discover the roots of a disease before it gets so advanced that more radical treatments are necessary. Thus, Ayurveda seems to be limited in treating severely advanced conditions, traumatic injuries, acute pain, and conditions and injuries requiring invasive surgery. Ayurvedic techniques have also been used alongside chemotherapy and surgery to assist patients in recovery and healing. Description Origins Ayurvedic medicine originated in the early civilizations of India some 3,000-5,000 years ago. It is mentioned in the Vedas, the ancient religious and philosophical texts that are the oldest surviving literature in the world, which makes Ayurvedic medicine the oldest surviving healing system. According to the texts, Ayurveda was conceived by enlightened wise men as a system of living harmoniously and maintaining the body so that mental and spiritual awareness could be possible. Medical historians believe that Ayurvedic ideas were transported from ancient India to China and were instrumental in the development of Chinese medicine. Today, Ayurvedic medicine is used by 80% of the population in India. Aided by the efforts of Deepak Chopra and the Maharishi, it has become an increasingly accepted alternative medical treatment in America during the last two decades. Chopra is an M.D. who has written several bestsellers based on Ayurvedic ideas. He also helped develop the Center for Mind/Body Medicine in La Jolla, California, a major Ayurvedic center that trains physicians in Ayurvedic principles, produces herbal remedies, and conducts research and documentation of its healing techniques. Key ideas To understand Ayurvedic treatment, it is necessary to have an idea how the Ayurvedic system views the body. The basic life force in the body is prana, which is also found in the elements and is similar to the Chinese notion of chi. As Swami Vishnudevananda, a yogi and expert, put it, "Prana is in the air, but is not the oxygen, nor any of its chemical constituents. It is in food, water, and in the sunlight, yet it is not vitamin, heat, or light-rays. Food, water, air, etc., are only the media through which the prana is carried." In Ayurveda, there are five basic elements that contain prana: earth, water, fire, air, and ether. These elements interact and are further organized in the human body as three main categories or basic physiological principles in the body that govern all bodily functions known as the doshas. The three doshas are vata, pitta, and kapha. Each person has a unique blend of the three doshas, known as the person's prakriti, which is why Ayurvedic treatment is always individualized. In Ayurveda, disease is viewed as a state of imbalance in one or more of a person's doshas, and an Ayurvedic physician strives to adjust and balance them, using a variety of techniques. The vata dosha is associated with air and ether, and in the body promotes movement and lightness. Vata people are generally thin and light physically, dry-skinned, and very energetic and mentally restless. When vata is out of balance, there are often nervous problems, hyperactivity, sleeplessness, lower back pains, and headaches. Ayurvedic Body Types Vata Pitta Kapha Pitta is associated with fire and water. In the body, it is responsible for metabolism and digestion. Pitta characteristics are medium-built bodies, fair skin, strong digestion, and good mental concentration. Pitta imbalances show up as anger and aggression and stress-related conditions like gastritis, ulcers, liver problems, and hypertension. The kapha dosha is associated with water and earth. People characterized as kapha are generally large or heavy with more oily complexions. They tend to be slow, calm, and peaceful. Kapha disorders manifest emotionally as greed and possessiveness, and physically as obesity, fatigue, bronchitis, and sinus problems. Diagnosis In Ayurvedic medicine, disease is always seen as an imbalance in the dosha system, so the diagnostic process strives to determine which doshas are underactive or overactive in a body. Diagnosis is often taken over a course of days in order for the Ayurvedic physician to most accurately determine what parts of the body are being affected. To diagnose problems, Ayurvedic physicians often use long questionnaires and interviews to determine a person's dosha patterns and physical and psychological histories. Ayurvedic physicians also intricately observe the pulse, tongue, face, lips, eyes, and fingernails for abnormalities or patterns that they believe can indicate deeper problems in the internal systems. Some Ayurvedic physicians also use laboratory tests to assist in diagnosis. Treatment Ayurvedic treatment seeks to re-establish balance and harmony in the body's systems. Usually the first method of treatment involves some sort of detoxification and cleansing of the body, in the belief that accumulated toxins must be removed before any other methods of treatment will be effective. Methods of detoxification include therapeutic vomiting, laxatives, medicated enemas, fasting, and cleansing of the sinuses. Many Ayurvedic clinics combine all of these cleansing methods into intensive sessions known as panchakarma. Panchakarma can take several days or even weeks and they are more than elimination therapies. They also include herbalized oil massage and herbalized heat treatments. After purification, Ayurvedic physicians use herbal and mineral remedies to balance the body as well. Ayurvedic medicine contains a vast knowledge of the use of herbs for specific health problems. Ayurvedic medicine also emphasizes how people live their lives from day to day, believing that proper lifestyles and routines accentuate balance, rest, diet, and prevention. Ayurveda recommends yoga as a form of exercise to build strength and health, and also advises massage therapy and self-massage as ways of increasing circulation and reducing stress. Yogic breathing techniques and meditation are also part of a healthy Ayurvedic regimen, to reduce stress and improve mental energy. Of all treatments, though, diet is one of the most basic and widely used therapy in the Ayurvedic system. An Ayurvedic diet can be a very well planned and individualized regimen. According to Ayurveda, there are six basic tastes: sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. Certain tastes and foods can either calm or aggravate a particular dosha. For instance, sweet, sour, and salty decrease vata problems and increase kapha. Sour, salty, and pungent can increase pitta. After an Ayurvedic physician determines a person's dosha profile, they will recommend a specific diet to correct imbalances and increase health. The Ayurvedic diet emphasizes primarily vegetarian foods of high quality and freshness, tailored to the season and time of day. Cooling foods are eaten in the summer and heating ones in the winter, always within a person's dosha requirements. In daily routine, the heaviest meal of the day should be lunch, and dinner should eaten well before bedtime, to allow for complete digestion. Also, eating meals in a calm manner with proper chewing and state of mind is important, as is combining foods properly and avoiding overeating. Cost Costs of Ayurvedic treatments can vary, with initial consultations running anywhere from $40 to over $100, with follow-up visits costing less. Herbal treatments may cost from $10 to $50 per month, and are often available from health food or bulk herb stores. Some clinics offer panchakarma, the intensive Ayurvedic detoxification treatment, which can include overnight stays for up to several weeks. The prices for these programs can vary significantly, depending on the services and length of stay. Insurance reimbursement may depend on whether the primary physician is a licensed M.D. Preparations Ayurveda is a mind/body system of health that contains some ideas foreign to the Western scientific model. Those people considering Ayurveda should approach it with an open mind and willingness to experiment. Also, because Ayurveda is a whole-body system of healing and health, patience and discipline are helpful, as some conditions and diseases are believed to be brought on by years of bad health habits and require time and effort to correct. Finally, the Ayurvedic philosophy believes that each person has the ability to heal themselves, so those considering Ayurveda should be prepared to bring responsibility and participation into the treatment. Precautions An Ayurvedic practitioner should always be consulted. Side effects During Ayurvedic detoxification programs, some people report fatigue, muscle soreness, and general sickness. Also, as Ayurveda seeks to release mental stresses and psychological problems from the patient, some people can experience mental disturbances and depression during treatment, and psychological counseling may be part of a sound program. Research and general acceptance Because Ayurveda had been outside the Western scientific system for years, research in the United States is new. Another difficulty in documentation arises because Ayurvedic treatment is very individualized; two people with the same disease but different dosha patterns might be treated differently. Much more scientific research has been conducted over the past several decades in India. Much research in the United States is being supported by the Maharishi Ayur-Ved organization, which studies the Ayurvedic products it sells and its clinical practices. Some Ayurvedic herbal mixtures have been proven to have high antioxidant properties, much stronger than vitamins A, C, and E, and some have also been shown in laboratory tests to reduce or eliminate tumors in mice and to inhibit cancer growth in human lung tumor cells. In a 1987 study at MIT, an Ayurvedic herbal remedy was shown to significantly reduce colon cancer in rats. Another study was performed in the Netherlands with Maharishi Ayur-Ved products. A group of patients with chronic illnesses, including asthma, chronic bronchitis, hypertension, eczema, psoriasis, constipation, rheumatoid arthritis, headaches, and non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, were given Ayurvedic treatment. Strong results were observed, with nearly 80% of the patients improving and some chronic conditions being completely cured. Other studies have shown that Ayurvedic therapies can significantly lower cholesterol and blood pressure in stress-related problems. Diabetes, acne, and allergies have also been successfully treated with Ayurvedic remedies. Ayurvedic products have been shown to increase short-term memory and reduce headaches. Also, Ayurvedic remedies have been used successfully to support the healing process of patients undergoing chemotherapy, as these remedies have been demonstrated to increase immune system activity. If you would like to learn more about Ayurveda you can check out this fun site http://www.joyfulbelly.com Here are some simple ways to simplify your spirituality by Caroline Myss... When your yoga teacher invites you to "set and intention" for
your practice at the beginning of class, it is for a good reason that extends beyond your yoga mat. Intentions can play an important role in your life, often when you are faced with difficulty. Whether you are struggling to find ease in a pose or dealing with emotional turmoil in daily life. Intentions are a force in nature; intentions are what create our reality. Intentions are what create the fulfillment of our dreams. Intentions are essentially the capacity to stay in touch with the core values that you wish to live by as you pursue your life's goals and engage with others. Being grounded in your intention literally changes what you perceive in a situation and how your mind interprets what you perceive: it also affects how you act on what you perceive. Knowing what is essential to you allows you to respond to life's ups and downs with a clear mind and an open heart. Your intentions also support you in making choices and decisions, help you endure anxiety, stress, and enable you to bear disappointment and difficulty with equanimity. Of course when difficulties arise, it's easy to get swept up in strong emotions and lose awareness of your intentions. So just like learning a new yoga pose it takes practice to develop awareness of your intentions. Below is an exercise that you can practice straight away, with very little effort or investment of time, that can immediately enhance your life. In order to get the most out of this exercise you must clearly visualize your intended outcome. It can be for energy, vitality, a clearer connection with a higher power, health, joy, love. Whatever the intention it does not matter, it can be for financial stability, abundance, creative expression. Pick an intention and bring it into your heart, let it grow thru meditation. And soon you will be inspired to make choices that will allow you to step out of dependency and helplessness and into a place of inner strength and power. Now, find a quiet place to sit or lay down where you will not be disturbed for the next few minutes... Take a moment to get comfortable and tune into your breath. Relax. When you have chosen the intention then put your intention in your heart and listen with your soul. Repeat quietly to yourself, what do I want? What do I want? What do I want? What do I want? Do not seek the answers to this question at this time, just ask the question. Ask and you shall receive. Live with this question. Move with this question, what do I want? And soon you will be moving into the answers, the answers will come to you as situations, as circumstances, events, relationships, insights, and imagination. Reflection... ~Now, ask yourself if you truly will make this a regular practice, a core attitude in your daily life and, if so, what it means to you. ~Engage in this practice each day. ~Throughout the day practice being mindful of your intention as you go about your various activities. ~Remind yourself throughout the day that you intend for all of your words and actions to arise from this intention. ~Notice when your attitude is one of judging yourself and consciously remind yourself of your intention. ~Be mindful of those times when you actually speak or act from this intention, and acknowledge to yourself that you have lived out your commitment. ~When others demand that you meet their expectations, respond from a place of inner strength and power that has been created by your intention. Tap into your most intuitive, intentional self. Love and Light, Namaste It doesn't interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for, and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing. It doesn't interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dream, for the adventure of being alive. It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon. I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow, if you have been opened by life's betrayals, or have become shriveled and closed from fear of further pain. I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own,without moving to hide it or fade it or fix it. I want to know if you can be with joy ,mine or your own, If you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, be realistic, to remember the limitations of being human. It doesn’t interest me if the story you are telling me is true. I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself, if you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul. I want to know if you can be faithless and therefore be trustworthy. I want to know if you can see beauty even when it is not pretty every day, and if you can source your own life from its presence. I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine, And still stand on the edge of a lake and shout to the silver of the full moon, "Yes!" It doesn't interest me to know where you live or how much money you have. I want to know if you can get up after the night of grief and despair, weary and bruised to the bone, and do what needs to be done. It doesn't interest me who you are, how you came to be here. I want to know if you will stand in the center of the fire with me and not shrink back. It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom you have studied. I want to know what sustains you from the inside when all else falls away. I want to know if you can be alone with yourself, and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments. By Oriah Mountain Dreamer Hi Friends,
I wanted to share this writing by Branden Cohen of True Nature Healing Arts in Carbondale, because it really touched where i am these days. I thought of trying to change it to make it my own but then i realized that that would just be my ego and i would rather just share the love. I hope that it touches your heart and inspires you like it did me. Lots of love, Misty As I sit and watch the spring snowflakes fall from the sky, I feel their surrender. Each one falling in its own free way, coming to rest on sacred mother earth. For a time, their position and shape will remain the same. Eventually they will melt and merge into the ground. What are the roots of control? How does our control of the external (people, places and things) affect others? Could it be anger, fear and the deep desire for inner peace and love? If I exercise, do yoga, eat the right foods, have a clean house and car, keep very busy and everyone behaves as I deem they should, then I will feel safe. All I can say, is I am sorry for the many ways I have controlled myself, people (especially my children), and the things in my life. I can see clearly, now in this moment, that what I truly want is to love and be loved. My intention going forward is to hit the pause button in moments when I feel the need to control. Giving myself a "time in," to close my eyes, breathe deeply and feel what's on the inside. So much of our need to control in the present moment, is a reaction to what happened long ago. When my son spills a full bottle of soda in the new van, it's a dharma (teaching) bell ringing. The many triggers we feel each day are sacred opportunities to bring consciousness to that which is unresolved from childhood. We can spend our whole lives, trying to control and minimize the triggers, or we can surrender like the snowflake and merge into the oneness, peace and love that is our divine essence. May our need to control be a beautiful reminder to feel our fear and anger and bring love and compassion to the imperfect perfection that we are. Branden Cohen has been exploring the path of healing for twenty-five years. His passions include yoga, meditation, earth based ceremony, sacred music and Gracie Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Family continues to be his greatest love and teacher. He co-directs True Nature Healing Arts with his soul partner Deva. Send comments to: [email protected] Death is the one common fact of human existence, and yet we choose to ignore it, to avoid thinking about it. We fear it and for most it is the end of life; it may be the end of physicality, but it definitely is not the end of consciousness. Death does not exist. Your being is beyond the experience of birth or “death”- you are eternal. But most of us see existence as identification with the body, this is falsehood. We are playing a role: we are changing a costume-that’s what our body is. It’s a play of consciousness. All fear vanishes when you live in the knowingness of who you are your true identity. There is within you a free consciousness waiting to be discovered. Introspection, silence, meditation, sadhana (spiritual practice) helps you to understand that you live in a world of falsehood. Only by coming out of the ignorance of falsehood and duality do you experience the true knowledge. When you know who you are, you realize the body can be destroyed, can be killed, but never the Eternal in you, which is pure consciousness and indestructible, with no birth or death. This is your soul. Introspection will free you from the most deep fear-based expression of this falsehood and take you to the non-death experience of life. Remember, your being is beyond the experience of birth or death- you are eternal. All disease is falsehood. All illness is falsehood. Remember, for the body the highest victory is perfect health, your natural state is perfect health.
Before you can feel or see any disorders in your physical body, they are in the subtle bodies. As you sit in your meditation, receive strength from your “I AM” Presence. This means full divine power in all of your subtle bodies. Then these subtle bodies will be strong and will refuse sickness, will refuse the force of disease. Healing is created by working with your cells with faith in the Light, returning truth and supreme harmony to those cells. Do you take time for quiet moments or are you always “busy”? Are you willing to fully experience the Divine with in you? There is such power within you. Trust this power. It is God Himself. It is your true Self. How can I talk to the Self? The nature of Self is so mysterious, so subtle, the subtlest of the whole universe. The Self is form and the Self is formless; nameless, yet it is given names. Self is pure consciousness, is life force and bliss, omnipotent and omnipresent. Self is truth, wisdom, and knowledge, boundless and free, beyond space and time. The Self illuminates everything. It’s strange to speak of the unspeakable. The Self is to be experienced as the most powerful message of God. The Self is beyond anything you experience with words. This bliss of the Higher Self is always new. The laughter of the Self is completely different from the pleasure of the senses. You know, those of us who depend on the senses for our everyday happiness, how we search for this happiness from one object or place to another, new things, new this, new that, just for the sake of satisfaction. But with the Self, you have “new” by itself. The Self is in you, in its highest, in its fullness. The Self is the foundation of your life experience. It is peace, joy, Love, and truth. It reveals itself by Grace. When you are being “purified,” the Self appears. It can be anywhere, anytime, in any situation, even when you are tired or in a crisis. The Self is Light. The Self is Silence. The Self is the All. The Self is the Witness. The Self is the observer. The Self supports all but does not become involved, is unattached. The Self experiences all and is still unattached. The Self is victory. The Self is glory. There is “no thing” greater than the Self …and you are the Self! When you understand that you are only consciousness, there is “no thing” to do, no liberation to seek, no ignorance to come out of, no karma, no personal or individual responsibility, “no thing” to become. Just be and it unfolds by itself. Your true Self waits to be discovered… |
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