Yoga4allBasic Meditation Instruction will be provided. You choose the healing focus: self, specific health challenge, another person and/or the Universe. Beginners welcome! Let’s bring our energies (light) together for HEALING!! Meditation and Breath Guides are Yoga4All instructors Lisa Recchione and Sandi Teresi.
Introduce you and your kids to yoga.. You will practice fun-filled yoga poses and breathing exercises to promote
Yoga is a discipline that can lead kids (young or old) on the path toward a calm and balanced mind, as well as help them build a strong and flexible body – tools they can use in their everyday lives. One of the hardest things for kids to learn is how to settle their minds to the task at hand. Our Yoga for Kids and Parents uses traditional Yogic techniques made easy and fun, yet starts you both on the path of self-discovery.
The pattern of creation
The word "mandala" is from the classical Indian language of Sanskrit. Loosely translated to mean "circle," a mandala is far more than a simple shape. It represents wholeness, and can be seen as a model for the organizational structure of life itself–a cosmic diagram that reminds us of our relation to the infinite, the world that extends both beyond and within our bodies and minds.
Describing both material and non-material realities, the mandala appears in all aspects of life: the celestial circles we call earth, sun, and moon, as well as conceptual circles of friends, family, and community.
"The integrated view of the world represented by the mandala, while long embraced by some Eastern religions, has now begun to emerge in Western religious and secular cultures. Awareness of the mandala may have the potential of changing how we see ourselves, our planet, and perhaps even our own life purpose."
(From Mandala: Journey to the Center, by Bailey Cunningham)
The above information comes from:
http://www.mandalaproject.org/What/Index.html
Mandala (Sanskrit "circle", "completion")[1] is a term used to refer to various objects. It is of Hindu origin, but is also used in other Dharmic religions, such as Buddhism. In the Tibetan branch of Vajrayana Buddhism, they have been developed into sandpainting. In practice, mandala has become a generic term for any plan, chart or geometric pattern that represents the cosmos metaphysically or symbolically, a microcosm of the Universe from the human perspective.
In various spiritual traditions, mandala may be employed for focusing attention of aspirants and adepts, a spiritual teaching tool, for establishing a sacred space and as an aid to meditation and trance induction. Its symbolic nature can help one "to access progressively deeper levels of the unconscious, ultimately assisting the meditator to experience a mystical sense of oneness with the ultimate unity from which the cosmos in all its manifold forms arises." [2] The psychoanalyst Carl Jung saw the mandala as "a representation of the unconscious self,"[3] and believed his paintings of mandalas enabled him to identify emotional disorders and work towards wholeness in personality. [4]
By Karrie Osborn
I used to sit at the edge of the ocean to find my rhythm. When planning my annual vacations, it was the water that called me–not so much to be in it, but to be by it. Maternal and soothing, the comings and goings of the tide was my "reset" button–you know, the one that allows you to deal calmly again with the world. Along came twins, and my exotic vacations were replaced with ventures closer to home. Being in a land-locked state, sitting by the ocean was no longer an option. How was I going to hit my reset button now? The answer was right in front of me–massage.
The Stillness
As a massage enthusiast, I have learned about and tried a great variety of techniques over the years, but some of my most profound and restorative experiences on the massage table have come in the "stillness" of the moment.
Massage therapist Bruce Hopkins calls this stillness “massage mind,” something understood by those who’ve experienced it, but difficult to explain to those who have not. The easiest analogy for massage mind might be the quiet state the mind enters into the moments before sleep, or the place of stillness one reaches during meditation. "Massage mind is immediately recognized by clients who are experienced meditators," says Hopkins, who works exclusively with cancer patients in his Portland, Maine, massage practice. "It is the same mind-state that is accessed in deep meditation. And, as in meditation, practice makes getting there easier."
For Hopkins, helping his clients reach massage mind is paramount to his work. "When I am working, I am coaxing the mind to go deeper and deeper," he says. "The music I choose reinforces the work: no melody, no loud passages, always changing, no repetition, interesting, but ultimately boring." The massage itself mimics the music criteria, all with the intent of lulling the mind. Any deep-tissue work or range-of-motion tests, for example, would interfere with that sedative space, he says. "I want it all to be seamless and mindless. I don’t want anything to cause the mind to stop and say, ‘What is that?’"
But what can reaching the quiet stillness of massage mind actually do for clients? Plenty. "When the brain is in this meditative state, it is able to sort through the clutter and focus on any areas that need it, allowing healing to occur at the cellular level," says Pat Crozier, a massage educator and therapist in Chandler, Arizona. "I honestly believe that in those quiet, restorative moments, the brain has ‘all power’ and can hugely impact the massage experience. The meditative mind is a wonderful place to hang out. It’s calming, strengthening, restorative, and clearing."
Quieting The Mind
In Buddhist tradition, the phrase "monkey mind" refers to the chatter that often goes on in the personal dialog we undertake with ourselves every day, every moment. Like a monkey jumping from limb to limb, monkey mind is the process of jumping from thought to thought without a singular focus. When our busy mind can do nothing but be chaotic, stressed, and scattered, it is in the throes of monkey mind. Calming the monkey mind, and realizing instead the massage mind, can have profound effects.
Many massage therapists say that some of the most therapeutic work that happens on the massage table is when the mind "gets out of the way." Hopkins says that’s exactly his goal when working with the cancer patients who come to him for massage. "The mind has a profound effect on all physiological processes," he says. In fact, when you can get the mind to quiet itself, Hopkins says the body will heal faster on its own. His clients affirm that notion every day. "I have cancer patients coming from extreme stress who have broken down in tears of joy after the massage is done. They may remember it for a long time as the day life changed dramatically."
Hopkins has had many of his clients report the life-changing effects they found after an hour on his table: "Because of massage, I’ve come to be at peace with my mastectomy," "I’m not quite sure where I was, but I didn’t want to come back," "It’s a vacation from cancer," "I felt an overwhelming sense of peace," "The euphoria of the mind during my sessions transcended the quiet horror of cancer."
Now, after seven years working with cancer patients, Hopkins says to heal the body, ideally you want the mind going in the same direction that the body goes, if that’s not working, then it’s time to turn the mind off. He offers this bit of advice for clients who have a hard time getting there: "If the client is not letting go, I encourage them to focus on my hands. My hands become their mantra. I tell them that when their mind grabs something and tries to run with it, focus instead on my hands, where they are, and what they are doing at the moment."
This "between-the-ears" massage, as Hopkins calls it, is simply a traditional Swedish massage sequence of strokes that offers non-intrusive, gentle therapy. "It’s a vehicle to lull the mind to go where I want it to go," he says, adding that most types of relaxation massage provide a framework within which clients can reach this quiet state. "Unwind the mind and the body unwinds on its own."
Emotional Release
Sometimes, by reaching the stillness of massage mind during your session, you might venture to a place you’ve never been before. If you’ve long ago buried emotional issues or traumatic experiences (whether it’s the physiological impact of a car crash or the psychological turmoil of a parent’s dying days), they might decide to rear up in these quiet moments. It’s OK, and it’s normal. Don’t be afraid to venture along the path and address these challenges head-on.
During the process, if you find yourself unexplainably in tears while on the massage table, don’t fret. Tears have been spilled there before and certainly will be spilled there again. Even if you don’t feel like you’re carrying emotional baggage, massage can sometimes unleash buried obstacles and ask you to address them if you’re ready. "It is [the massage therapist’s] job to get the body into a parasympathetic state to allow calm and clarity of mind," Crozier says. This is where massage mind lives. Once there, the healing begins on so many other levels. "Some clients will experience emotional release–being able to let go of baggage that is cluttering the mind and that they are sometimes not even aware of–and feel ‘many pounds lighter’ after the experience." Crozier says it’s important to note that an emotional release will never happen without permission from the mind first. As the obstacles/traumas relinquish their hold, the body finds a clearer path toward wholeness and health.
It’s Good For You
If you have already found your path to massage mind, then I’m preaching to the choir, but if not, ask your therapist to help you get there next time. Even if you see it as nothing more than giving your mind a one-hour vacation from the chaos of your day, or putting your worries aside for a few moments, accessing this place of therapeutic stillness is good for you.
Massage can be a journey in many ways and it can take you along a restorative path, both physically and mentally. That hour, when the sounds of the world surrender to the breath of client and therapist and the music lulls you into a meditative state, see if you can access your massage mind. In finding that place of therapeutic stillness, you too can reclaim your own rhythm, and hit "reset" without needing to find an ocean to do so.
Karrie Osborn is contributing editor for Body Sense magazine and Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals. Contact her at [email protected]
Originally published in Body Sense magazine, Spring 2011. Copyright © 2011. Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals. All rights reserved.
Discover 15 tips to Holiday Eating without weight gain or dieting
By Judy Kovatch, eRYT, Certified Hypnotist
What is convenient, cost-effective, has no side effects and helps prevent heart disease? Many physicians now prescribe a daily dose of meditation. A growing body of scientific evidence confirms this ancient practice is good for the heart as well as the mind. Mainstream American medical journals have even published articles stating meditation can reduce the risk factors of heart disease.
Some people think meditation is an exotic, eccentric activity. In fact, meditation is completely normal. It is the mindful quality present in everything we do. Meditation is looking inward, looking at what we really have and discovering the richness that already exists.
The Beatles popularized a style of meditation, Transcendental Meditation, in the 1970’s. In the past 30 years, over 500 studies worldwide have investigated the effect of Transcendental Meditation (TM) on human beings. Conducted by 210 different universities and research institutions in 27 countries the articles have appeared in over 100 scientific journals.
These studies reveal meditation can help increase intelligence, improve memory, reduce chronic pain and promote cardiovascular health.
A study supported by a grant of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute shows that the stress reduction achieved through Transcendental Meditation may reduce atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and the risk of heart attack and stroke. The findings were published in the March 2000 issue of the American Heart Association journal Stroke.
According to the research team from UCLA and Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in Los Angeles, this is the first controlled study to suggest that stress reduction by itself can reduce the amount of fatty deposits in the arteries without changes in diet and exercise.
"The finding that the disease process in the arteries can be reduced though the TM program may have vast implications for the current management of cardio-vascular disease and health care costs" says Amparo Castillo-Richmond, M.D., lead author of the study.
In 1996 the American Heart Association journal Hypertension published the results of another study, which showed TM was effective in reducing blood pressure in people with high levels of stress and multiple risk factors for high blood pressure.
At the time the article was published, the AHA press release recommended, "People with high blood pressure may want to medicate and meditate." AHA spokesman, cardiologist Dr. Richard Stein adds that people whose blood pressure is just beginning to rise into the danger zone might be able to avoid going on medication by practicing TM. "That’s good news for people who can’t tolerate side effects, like drowsiness that come with some medications. There’s no downside to relaxation techniques."
The National Institute of Health thinks the TM findings are interesting enough to merit a grant of 7.5 million dollars.
What exactly is Meditation?
Based in the desire of discovering who and what we are, meditation practice falls into two basic categories:
1. Transcendental Meditation (TM) is also known as "One-pointed" meditation
In the TM method, attention is focused on one thing. Anything else that comes into the mind is seen as a distraction to be ignored. This practice gives rise to deep states of calmness and control of awareness. The practice of TM requires no adherence to any religious philosophy. It’s simple, requires no special equipment and doesn’t consume a lot of time.
Twice a day TM practitioners find a quiet place, sit comfortably and focus their minds on a single word or mantra (a special sound or phrase repeated silently to yourself). For 15 to 20 minutes, they enter a state of conscious relaxation often described as "restful alertness". An example of a mantra would be repeating the words "I am peace….I am peace….I have always been peace… Peace is all that exists."
Details about the scientific studies and the TM practice can be found at the official TM website www.tm.org.
2. Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness meditation, known as contemplation or insight meditation is the other major classification of meditation. Mindfulness begins by using the "one-pointed" approach to cultivate inner calmness and strength. It then moves on to a wider scope of self-examination. When thoughts or feelings come up they’re not ignored or suppressed, nor are they judged or analyzed. You simply note and observe them moment-by-moment.
You sit quietly with eyes fully open, half open or slightly open. Some variations call for a special attention to the breathing process, which helps deepen the concentration.
For more information about this type of meditation, you can read How to Meditate an article by Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche available online at www.shambhala.org.
All meditation training will be variations of the two basic categories. Meditation may be taught alone or in conjunction with yoga or martial arts programs. There are many meditation methods and classes available, so it’s best to shop around and seek out the one that’s right for you. For a free online meditation course check out Natural Meditation Initiatives. They present meditation in a culturally neutral format and offer a free self-paced Internet course in meditation. http://natural-meditation.org/
Some points to consider:
The author, Judy Kovatch, RYT has 25 years experience with yoga and meditation. Educated in yoga at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in Lenox MA, Judy is a certified teacher of Integrative Yoga Therapy, a program that views yoga as means to achieve total wellness of body, mind and spirit.
Sources:
American Heart Association
Maharishi University of Management Press Release March 3, 2000 regarding the article in the AHA journal Stroke
Official TM website
Stress Reduction Clinic UMMC
PLEASE HELP feed Seminole children during the winter holiday break. Many of these children receive all of their meals through the school program, but during the holiday vacation, there is often little or no food available. To assure the status of these families, the GFWC Seminole Jr. Woman’s Club works through the counselors and principals within the Pinellas County School System. Their goal this year is to feed 43 families from local Elementary Schools: Seminole Elementary, Bauder elementary, Oakhurst Elementary, Starkey Elementary, Orange Grove Elementary & Fugitt Elementary.
Suggested items, but all donations are appreciated:
LUNCH
Peanut Butter/Jelly
Tuna/Chicken
Spaghetti O’s/Mac N Cheese
Rice/Mashed Potatoes
Canned Vegetables
Pasta/Spaghetti Sauce
Hamburger Helper
SNACKS
Fruit Cups/applesauce
Granola Bars/Crackers/Popcorn
Or
Make a Donation
GFWC Seminole Jr. Woman’s Club
P O Box 4524
Seminole, FL 33775
