Havanna Travel

If you have been put off meditation by all the mumbo jumbo
and strange rituals, let me show you how to get all the
benefits with none of the complication.

I developed this system because I was totally stressed out
and knew meditation was the answer, but didn’t want to do
all the weird stuff that seemed to be involved.

Of course if you want to shave your head, wear robes, tie
your legs in a knot and say ‘ommmm’… that’s cool! I’m
just saying it’s not necessary to do all that for my system
to work for you too.

By combining modern technology with ancient wisdom, it no
longer takes weeks, or even years, to master. You can
experience deep meditation literally at the touch of a
button.

You will feel relaxed and calm as you release the stress
of everyday life and reach a higher level of inner peace.

De-stress with mental tranquilizers

Use meditation instead of medication to help reduce your
suffering from stress related problems like:

* anxiety
* depression
* sleeplessness
* irrational fears or panic attacks
* feelings of worthlessness, insecurity and pointlessness
* substance abuse
* irrational anger, impatience and irritation
* worry

Don’t make the mistake of saying “But I don’t have time to
relax and meditate”. It only takes 30 minutes to relax your
body, calm your mind and meditate. You will start to see
results from the very first time you use my system.

Your sense of well-being will improve and you will get
better quality, more restful sleep.

You will notice a decrease in your irritability and mood
swings.

Take a break from the rat-race to recharge your energy and
boost your creativity and ability to think clearly.

You can dramatically enhance your focus, concentration and
memmory as well.

Give your self-confidence a boost by stopping negativity
affecting you as much as you become aware of how much
control you really have in your life.

Get the full story at http://www.teachyourselfmeditation.com/tym.html

Qi (”chee”: life energy) circulates through a network of meridians or channels in the human body. Qigong means “working with life energy.” Through qigong training we can facilitate the movement of qi through the body. The movement of qi leads the circulation of the blood and other bodily fluids. The effects of qigong practice include: stress reduction, improved health and energy, emotional balance, mental calmness and clarity, and an awareness of the wholeness of life.

Qigong is a truly holistic philosophy and system of health care and self development. The primary principle of qigong practice is this: Where qi flows smoothly there is health, happiness, and well-being. Where qi flow is impeded, there is disease, distress, and conflict.

Smooth qi flow is regarded as a natural state of being. This natural state is affected by our responses to the demands of life. When we become sick or have dis-ease on any level of our being the questions in this system are: 1) Where is qi flow impeded? 2) What is impeding smooth qi flow? and 3) How do we facilitate smooth qi flow?

Qi flow is interrupted by the way that we handle internal and external stressors. Qi can be impeded by physical tension, emotional holding patterns, rigid thought patterns, and patterns of spiritual resignation. The more general pattern of impeded qi flow is experiencing yourself as a passive victim of circumstances that cause the conditions of your life. By contrast, in qigong we learn to experience ourselves as empowered participants in our health and self development.

This leads us to a second qigong principle: The mind leads the qi and the qi follows the mind. The term mind here means mental powers and spiritual intent. In qigong meditation, we learn to use powers of mind and spirit to feel, gather, store, cultivate, refine, and circulate universal qi. The circulation of qi leads the circulation of blood, lymphatic fluid, and nerve impulses along their respective pathways.

We lead qi in qigong meditation by following these cues: 1) Relaxing and aligning posture, 2) Smiling and breathing consciously, 3)Visualizing qi pathways, and 4) Imagining and feeling universal qi flowing smoothly along these pathways.

One further note on this principle: It may be more accurate to say we “allow” qi to flow smoothly rather than we “lead” it, because smooth qi flow is natural. We allow this natural process to occur when we stop restricting it. When we live in stress mode we restrict qi flow. When we center our awareness in universal qi, we allow a greater wisdom to work through us. We let go of ego control and allow higher powers of mind and spirit to come forth. Letting go leads us to the next qigong principle.

The third basic principle of qigong is active relaxation. The ability to actively relax is the first step toward a Core Energy State. When practicing, Qigong Master Tianyou Hao says “Don’t forget, don’t pursue.” In qigong one is present and aware while being relaxed and calm. We learn to detach from our patterns of stress so we can recover the original joy and vitality which resides steadfastly ever-available at the core of our being.

What does smooth qi flow feel like? The classic signs of qi activity in the body are called the eight sensations. These are: heat, cold, pain, numbness, soreness, swelling, itching, and twitching. The less pleasant qi sensations occur when qi is blocked or when it is beginning to move in an area that has been stagnant. Most commonly the positive feelings of smooth qi flow are warmth, fullness, tingling, and a sense of overall happiness and well-being.

Now that you know some qigong basics, it’s time to get to the most important part–practicing. Daily practice is the key to realizing the amazing positive effects of qigong meditation.

If you are interested in more articles in this series or my Learn Qigong Meditation Program visit: http://www.learnqigongmeditation.com

Copyright 2006 by Kevin Schoeninger

Kevin Schoeninger: M.A. in Philosophy, Certified Qigong Instructor, Personal Trainer, and Reiki Master.
http://www.learnqigongmeditation.com

The goal of human life, according to yogis and sages, is to unite one’s individual consciousness with the Supreme Consciousness. This union of one’s small “I” with the Cosmic “I” is also known as yoga. Anyone who has ever tried to meditate knows that achieving the final goal of yoga is not as easy as it sounds. Many people, in fact, give up the pursuit before they reach the goal. Despite this seeming difficulty there is a simple technique that can put the achievement of ultimate bliss within the reach of everyone.

Before I reveal the “greatest secret of the universe” it is useful to understand how the process of meditation actually works. “As you think, so you become” is the principle upon which meditation is based. If you think about something that is limited or small, then your mind becomes small.

On the other hand, if you forget about the physical world around you, turn your attention within and begin concentrated thinking on an infinite object your mind begins to expand. If you continue the process in a systematic way, regularly every day, then your individual consciousness will one day merge with the Supreme Consciousness.

The greatest obstacle on this path is your own ego. Of course you need an ego to even begin meditation. After all it only when you say “I will practice meditation today” that you can get started. However, during the process of meditation it becomes bothersome if instead of thinking about the Supreme Consciousness you begin to think about “my job”, “my house, “my car” and other things connected with your everyday life.

With constant practice you can overcome your attachment to mundane objects and one day arrive at a state when there will only be one thought in your mind, “I am the Supreme Consciousness.” This is a great achievement but even in this state your “I” feeling still exists. As long as your feeling of individual consciousness exists, you will remain separate from ultimate union with the Supreme Consciousness.

Here is where the “greatest secret of the universe” can help you out. Normally when you meditate, you are the subject and the Supreme Consciousness is the object of your thoughts. If you turn it all around and think that the Supreme Consciousness is the subject and you are his object then your meditation will change dramatically.

It will become much easier to remain in a meditative state when you think that the Supreme Consciousness is all around you, witnessing you, meditating on you. Instead of trying to meditate on the Supreme Consciousness, let him meditate on you! What could be simpler?

As simple as this technique is, it is the key to reaching a state where there is no feeling of your individual “I” and only the oneness of blissful union with the infinite.

There is an old story that illustrates this process. A seeker came to a door and knocked. A voice asked, “Who’s there?” The seeker responded, “I am here.” The door remained locked and there was no reply from within. The seeker returned another day and tried once more. Again when asked “Who’s there?” he replied “I am here.” And again he failed to enter.

Finally one day he knocked at the door and when the voice asked, “Who’s there?” he replied, “Thou” and the door opened for him.

Dada Vedaprajinananda has been practicing and teaching yoga and meditation for the past 35 years. He is the webmaster of the Ananda Marga meditation society’s website, and is the author of Start Meditation, Stop Smoking and Yoga Weight Loss Secrets