Let me begin with a near-classic poem by one of Malayalam's Maha Kavis (great poets) Vallathol Narayana Menon, who was also part of the famous Triumvirate of modern Malayalam poetry, the other two being Kumaran Asan and Ulloor Parameswaran Iyer. The whole poem is based on an episode described in poet-saint Valmikis immortal classic Ramayana, and is called Oushadha Apaharanam (Oushadha means medicine in Sanskrit and apaharanam means theft). The reference was to Lord Hanuman's mission in search of a wonder drug to revive Lord Rams brother Lakshmana who was knocked out by Indrajit, the son of king Ravana, in the finale of the epic Ram-Ravana battle. Hanuman retrieves the rare Mruthasanjeevani (life-restoring herb) from the Himalayas by uprooting a whole mountain as he couldnt identify the single herb he was looking for. He returns to the battlefield to revive Lakshmana who had, by then, not only woken up but even killed Indrajit and his brother Athikaya, much to the grief of their father, Ravana. Unable to bear the loss of both his sons, Lankesh, the Lord of Lanka, returns to his palace to seek comfort in his wife Mandodaris arms. As it happened in classical times, when a great King returns from battle, so must his army and the whole war machine follow him.

In what could certainly be described as some of the most sublime lines in literature anywhere at any time, Sage Valmiki excels himself here while enunciating on the ephemerality of human life and the transient nature of mans relationship with his material world that includes his near and dear.

As the king moves away from the battlefield and towards his palace, he was followed by the whole humanity of his soldiers and the, as also the battle animals and weapons. As he goes further down the road, the massive fallback can be seen thinning bit by retinue bit, square by square and, finally, by the time he reaches the palace, the retreating procession is reduced to a few top generals and the royal bodyguards. Moving further to the interiors, Ravana had only his close relatives to accompany him into the inner chambers of the royal household. Thus, finally, he approaches the royal bedroom where he was expecting his wife to be waiting for him and in whose arms the mighty king was eager to fall asleep. Ravana opens the door only to find that even she is missing. Mandodari had killed herself upon her sons death. The moment of ultimate wisdom dawns on the great king who is also a great scholar and a favourite devotee of Lord Shiva. At that rare moment of realisation, Ravana could see life as a gradual journey towards the Supreme Being, the Brahma, in the course of which everyone, even the king, had to renounce all of his self both material and spiritual, his power and glory, his vices and virtues, and even his pride and self-respect until he is left with the only indestructible, the only permanent entity, the soul that which itself must merge in the very end with Brahma, the Universe.

This is the profundity of a Faith called Hinduism (in English) or Hindutva, as it is known in these times of divisive politics, or just Hindu which is what it ultimately is. A phenomenon that refuses to be encased in a few hymns and prayers, or tied around a few thousand gods and goddesses, or patronized by believers and vilified by non-believers alike, or interpreted by self-styled scholars and pundits, or swallowed lock, stock, and barrel by the un-critical and superstitious. And yet, this great source of universal wisdom and spiritual enlightenment, this superior literature, in fact, the best any civilization could ever offer to humanity, remains an enigma, a hypothesis that anyone and everyone is allowed to enter its ancient catacombs and explore according to his own vision or vicissitudes, his own caprice or confidence. Very much like our own blue planet that has endured nearly five billion years of galactic poundings, and yet remains the best in our known universe, so too has this unique belief system survived thousands of years of civilizational raids and invasions with its inner core, its teachings, its literature, and even its fables all staying intact. Not by resorting to violence and bloodshed, but by being inclusive and accommodative, all the while being supremely confident of its eternity through time and space.

True, Hinduism has been misrepresented and mystified by foreign scholars such as Friedrich Max Muller who wanted to super-impose Christianity over the ancient religion; it has been slandered and vilified by several secular scholars who misinterpreted and mistranslated the Vedas and Upanishads; it has been desecrated and nearly destroyed by foreign invaders. And yet, very much like the Earth itself, this belief system, Sanatana Dharma as some call it, has prevailed, and still does, like everything else that is rooted on the terra firma of this planet - the mountains, the oceans, the forests and the deserts. Not for nothing did Carl Sagan call its permanence elemental.

Of course, for the untrained mind and the un-evolved soul, this phenomenon is beyond their grasp, nothing more than mere illusion or Maya.

To an atheist like me, personally, the great epics of the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, and the Bhagavata, as also the great Vedas and the Upanishads, are all a divine celebration of this Dharma called Hinduism. The heroes, the heroines, the demons, and the characters from the animal world therein are all born out of the super-natural imagination of Man who wanted to create a world of perfection where truth eventually would prevail over falsehood, the good over the evil. Its only logical then that these human and non-human characters earned, over the millennia, their divinity worthy of worship.

(The author is a veteran journalist with over 40 years of experience. He has worked with The Hindustan Times, The Washington Post, Reuters, and Al Jazeera, and News X.)

Read more:

Hinduism Survived Years Of Raids Through Its Inclusiveness, Not Violence And Bloodshed - Outlook India

Please join Dave the Mystic on Monday, August 3, 2020 at 8PM MDT with guest Michael McAdams.

Michael McAdams has felt a sense of destiny and purpose his entire life. A life-long sincere seeker of truth, Michael has endeavored to reach out with an open mind to all sources available.

His mother, Wilma Jean Jones, was a devout Christian and a daily reader of her Bible. Jones was spoken to and advised throughout her life regarding spiritual matters. In 1977, she was led to sit down and receive messages and teachings dictated directly from spirit teachers/angels in dedicated sessionsand did so for the next 22 years. Working with her son Michael McAdams, this collection of messages and teachings are recorded in three volumes of the book An Angel Told Me So.

Brought up in the Pentecostal church, Michaels uncle was a fiery Pentecostal preacher by the name of John W. Sullivan. Although Michael has always felt more spiritual than religious, communication from the highest possible source has been his goal as he enables his mind to receive information and direction that allows him to help the greatest number of people. When the student

is ready a teacher will appear has been very appropriate for Michael as his path has consistently brought him together with individuals, books, and sources of learning that have allowed continued growth and spiritual enlightenment.

Thanks for listening!

Blessings

Dave the Mystic

Go here to read the rest:

#482 Author and Intuitive Michael McAdams and His Book, An Angel Told Me So - BlogTalkRadio

Mid-length propaganda

Heres the thing: youre riding the wrong surfboard.

The wrong surfboard, that is, if you have no surf contest trophies in your well-stocked boardroom, no sponsorship deals, less than six stickers top and bottom and only family and friends subscribing to your vlog.

Forget what all the promo clips on various websites try to get you to believe, because you perform like none of the super-hot surfers featured in those test rides, with their tail slides, vertical backside hacks and aerial antics.

As recently as last month a New York Times feature covering our sports Covid-truncated entry into the Olympics, asserted that surfings three fundamentals were airs, turns and barrels.

Yeah, right, and you get your boards for free, too.

Whole quivers, like little Jackson Dorian, whose grasp of those fundamentals is on display every time he hits the water, fresh or otherwise. But hes not you, so while Baby D might actually tick each of those boxes on every Waco pulse he rides, let me tell you how you surf, if youre old enough to have read this far and still insist on riding any surfboard that even remotely resembles a pros.

You thrash your way into most waves, paddling furiously, occasionally kicking.

Most of your drops are late, because you have to take off under the lip.

After getting to your feet you immediately start back-foot pushing against your fin cluster, rather than applying pressure to the inside rail, in an effort to get the board moving down the line.

You rarely do an actual bottom turn, but for the most part just push the board ahead of you across the middle of the wave face, seldom, if ever, achieving enough planing speed to apply the rhythmic weighting/unweighting that defines true rail-to-rail surfing.

After running ahead of the curl, and if youre lucky enough to find an accommodating shoulder, with the board flat on the wave face you lean, not carve, into a cutback, not engaging the rail but simply re-directing the nose of the board toward the curl or advancing whitewater.

Slowing down considerably, you then step on the tail, lift the nose, swing the board back around and begin the fin-pushing process all over again.

And thats if youre lucky.

A more typical ride sees you pushing your board flat across the wave face, trying desperately to generate and maintain speed until the wave inevitably closes out and you crank the nose of your board up above the lip and then swing it back down in the whitewater in a classic roller-coaster maneuver that Mike Purpus wouldve been proud ofin 1969.

Is all this to say that youre a bad surfer?

No, simply that youre riding the wrong surfboard.

Just like fundamentals for the vast majority of surfers today do not include airs or barrels (well give you the turns, however feeble), an equally vast majority take advantage of absolutely none of the design/performance qualities built into boards ridden by professional grade surfers.

These boards, primarily thrusters with various, subtle variations, are designed to do exactly what all thrusters have been designed to do since Simons first incarnation in 1981: go vertical and then back down, with alternating pressure on the side fins, carving turns on-rail.

Now be honest: is that how you surf?

Ever?

So heres your problem and the solution, all in two sentences.

Problem: youre riding a pro model thruster like youre on a mid-size.

Solution: Ride a mid-size.

Seriously.

Have you seen that video of Torren Martyn in Iceland?

Or Rob Machado on his Stretched Seaside?

Go ahead, scrounge up any of the latest CI-Mid clips and ask yourself this: who do you surf more like, Italo Ferreira or Devon Howard?

Of course, and why do you think thats so?

Because mid-masters like Howard, Martyn and Machado ride boards that are designed to accommodate the needs of, Id say, 99% of all of the worlds competent surfers you included.

Unlike the pro model boards, with their anorexic volume, wide-point-back, narrow-nosed templates and demanding fin-clusters each designed to be ridden in a manner you never have and most probably never will todays new mids, with their continuous curve templates, generous width and foil and sensible fin setups let you do all the things youre trying to do now, only better.

Not sticking trampoline aerials or GoPro-ing fifty-eight-second barrels, but getting into the waves that you regularly surf early and with authority. Immediately achieving trim, then flowing, not fighting, from top to bottom and back again. Generating speed with the rail, not scrubbing it off with the fins. Carrying that speed through a legitimate figure-eight, not rectangular, cutback. Catching more waves, making more waves, riding faster, cleaner, stronger.

Your own surfing experience reflecting those additional core values that in the same NYT story they assign as if solely applicable to professional competitive performance: speed, power and flow.

Forget the New York Times that could be you.

Tomorrow.

But only if youd stop riding the wrong surfboard, and get yourself a mid.

(Oh, and for those particular BeachGrit readers out there who, after reading this, are no doubt feverishly working up some predictably caustic responsesome variation of Fuck that guy, I dont need a mid-size. I have only one word: bullshit.)

Follow this link:

A rebuttal to Sam George's mid-length propaganda: "The path to enlightenment ain't easy. We get it through trial, struggle, self-flagellation....

Question: Did Krishna do any sadhana before his enlightenment? What brought him to such a state in this life?

Sadhguru: For a human being to live in joy and love, every day is a tremendous sadhana. Most people smile when someone is around, but if you look at them when they are alone, the depressed face they wear says everything. If you cannot be alone, it obviously means you are in bad company.

Mixing with people is like a festival, but being is always in aloneness. To be loving every moment of your lifenot only if a certain situation occurs, or if you see a certain personif you are simply loving, indiscriminately, your intelligence blossoms in a completely different way.

To be loving is not a gift to someone else. It is the pleasantness of your systemyour emotion, mind, and body naturally become pleasant. And there is substantial scientific evidence to prove today that only when your system is pleasant, your intelligence functions at its best.

You will see, if your heart beats 60 times per minute when you are restful, you are in tune with the planet. If you do some simple yogic practices like Surya Namaskar and Shambhavi Mahamudra for about 18 months, it will be 60you will be in tune. When you are in tune, being joyful is natural because that is how the being is made. It is made to flourish.

This was Krishnas sadhanahe was in perfect tune with life around him. The fact that everyone still loved him though he stole butter and pulled all kinds of pranks means that somehow he got them in tune with himself.

Until the age of 16, Krishnas sadhana was just to be in perfect tune with life around him. Then his Guru, Sandipani, reminded him that there was a bigger purpose to his life. Krishna said, "I just like to be in this village. I like the cows, the cowherds, the gopis. I want to dance and sing with them. But Sandipani said, You have to stand up because this is the purpose for which you were born. This needs to happen."

Krishna went and stood on a small hill that is known as Govardhan Hill. When Krishna came back down, he was not the boy he used to be. He came down with a different gravity about himself. People knew something phenomenal had happened, and they also knew they were going to lose him. When they looked at him, he still smiled back at them, but there was no love in his eyesthere was vision. He saw things that they could not even imagine.

After the reminder, his first exploit was to kill his uncle Kamsa and end his tyranny over the Yadavas. Then he withdrew into the ashram of his Guru Sandipani along with his brother Balarama and lived the life of a brahmachari for the next seven years. Until he was 22, he did intense spiritual sadhana.

Krishnas sadhana was of a different dimension. Sandipani designed it in such a way that it was largely internal. Since Krishna lived and acted like he belonged to Satya Yuga, everything happened on a mental level for him. Sandipani did not need to open his mouth to give an instruction. All was conveyed mentally; all was grasped mentally; all was attained mentally. And he displayed that in a million different ways in his life.

(Sadhguru is a yogi, mystic, visionary and a bestselling author. He was conferred the Padma Vibhushan in 2017 and can be contacted atIsha.sadhguru.org)

Continue reading here:

Dimension of Krishna Sadhana - The New Indian Express

India is the birthplace of Buddhism and as one of the oldest faiths followed, there are many wonderous Buddhist sites. There is also a growing recognition of the countrys Buddhist heritage. One of the most holy Buddhist sites is Bodh Gaya, where the spiritual life of the Buddha is commemorated and revered by devotees from all over the world. Additionally, Bodh Gayas temple is one of the wonders of ancient Indian architecture.

According to Buddhist teaching, young prince Siddhartha Gautama was greatly moved by the suffering of the world and sought to end it. He retreated from the world, lived as an ascetic and spent his time searching for answers. When this failed, he chose a more moderate path and meditated under a fig tree, later known as the Bodhi Tree. Here he attained enlightenment and that moment was the start of Buddhism.

The Bodhi Tree was held sacred by the followers of the Gautama Buddha and when it died, its saplings were used to propagate others. As a result, the Bodhi tree that still stands in Bodh Gaya is a direct descendant of the fig tree under which Siddhartha Gautama became enlightened.

The followers of Buddha made pilgrimages from all over Asia to the holy site and it became known by its current name, great enlightenment. According to legend, the first temple was built by Ashoka the Great , emperor of the Mauryan Dynasty. It was later expanded during the Gupta Dynasty and flourished until the 8 th century AD. The site began to decline after the Muslim invasion of the Indian subcontinent and Buddhism went into rapid decline. The complex, however, was not completely abandoned as Burmese rulers supported the site financially.

Indian Buddhist monk in meditation near the Bodhi Tree and Diamond Throne ( artitwpd / Adobe Stock)

Under British rule in the 19 th century, the site was restored. The Bodh Gaya is still popular with Buddhist pilgrims across the world and is regarded as their most holy site, the navel of the earth. Bodh Gaya was awarded the UNESCO World Heritage status in 2002.

The most striking structure at the Bodh Gaya site is the Mahabodhi Temple, which is a pyramidal temple topped with a large stupa. This truncated pyramid is made of stone coated with stucco. It has been restored many times and the majority of the original structure dates to the Gupta period.

Mahabodhi Temple's central tower rises to a height of 160 feet (55 meters) and there are a number of statues of Buddha in niches along the structure. The upper part of the temple is plated with gold - a gift of the Thai King. The temple was once decorated with sculpted reliefs, masterpieces of Indian art, depicting scenes from Buddhist mythology , but these have now been moved to a nearby museum.

A number of smaller towers and stupas were built in the vicinity. The temple is surrounded on four sides by 6-foot-high railing that dates to the Shunga Empire . The 60-foot-high statue of the Buddha that dates back many centuries has been restored and plated with gold in parts.

Statue of Great Buddha in Bodh Gaya, India ( rpbmedia / Adobe Stock)

Beneath the holy Bodhi tree where Buddha meditated and attained enlightenment is the Vajrasana or diamond throne made of thick slab of granite. It was built on the orders of Ashoka the Great not long after 250 BC and the designs, as well as the decorative friezes, are similar to those found on the Pillars of Ashoka . A public space for worshippers is located in front the tree.

Bodh Gaya is approximately 60 miles (80km) from Patna, in the state of Bihar, situated in north-east India. Public transport to the site is readily available and a fee is charged to enter. Visitors are subject to security checks and in some parts of the site required to take off their shoes.

The atmosphere in Bodh Gaya is remarkable as the air is filled by the chants of monks . As this site is sacred to both Buddhists and many Hindus, visitors are reminded to behave in a respectful and appropriate manner.

Top image: Mahabodhi Temple, Bodh Gaya, India. The site where Buddha attained enlightenment.

Source: tinnaporn / Adobe Stock

By Ed Whelan

Here is the original post:

Why Bodh Gaya is Considered the Navel of the Earth - Ancient Origins

Bob Stefko These majestic water-dwellers have colorful flowers and pretty leaves, but there's so much more to them that you might not know.

The quiet beauty of a pond or lake is instantly enhanced by a water lily's rounded leaves and starry flowers floating placidly on the surface. These unique aquatic plants can bloom in a range of colors anytime from late spring through fall in most regions of the country. Their leaves can be cup-shaped, star-shaped, and smooth or jagged. And while water lilies may be most visible on the surface of still freshwater, they are rooted in the mud below, where they overwinter and regrow the following year. Here are a few more interesting facts about these amazing flowers that will likely surprise you.

When you imagine a water lily, you probably think of the classic white bloom bursting from a deep green lily pad. But water lilies actually grow in a rainbow of colors, including pink, red, orange, yellow, purple, and blue. Tropical varieties take on jewel tones (purple, orange, bright blue, and yellow), whereas hardier varieties boast a pastel palette. Sometimes hardy varieties change shades as their blooms age. Even the leaf colors vary from deep green to rich burgundy. Water lilies aren't just a one-trick pretty pony; they have lots of tricks up their sleeves.

Although they're known for their stunning appearance, water lilies are actually important players in the aquatic ecosystem. These plants are found in shallow and still freshwater such as ponds, lakes, and the edges of slow-moving streams. Because they rest on top of the water's surface, the flowers and pads provide shade above the water, keeping it cooler and preventing algae that thrives in heat from growing in excess. Water lilies also help shelter fish swimming beneath them from the heat of the sun and predatory birds.

Attention July birthdays: Water lily is your flower! (Along with larkspur.) It's no wonder that these bright blooms are linked to July, because they're mainly a summer flower. Water lilies bloom from May through September, putting July smack in the middle of prime water lily season. In frost-free regions, water lilies bloom year-round. But you have to be lucky to catch a water lily blooming; each individual flower lasts for about four days before sinking under the water to rot. Water lilies' beauty is short-lived, but that makes it even more special.

Each variety of these stunners (there are over 50 species) is unique, whether it's the shape, size, color, fragrance, or blooming pattern. Water lilies are native to tropical South America, particularly Brazil, but now inhabit ponds, lakes, and streams all over the world. The largest variety of the water lily is fittingly called the giant water lily. Other names for this huge flower are the Amazon water lily and the royal water lily. This massive, magnificent flower can grow to have a diameter of three to six feet wide and can support 66 pounds of weight; that's means a young child could perch on a giant water lily pad, no problem.

Water lilies mean many things in different areas of the world, but they have special significance in Buddhism and Hinduism. For these religions, the water lily symbolizes resurrection, because these flowers close up at night and reopen in the morning, similar to a spiritual rebirth. Buddhists also believe that the water lily represents enlightenment because a beautiful bloom emerges from the dark, dirty mud.

The impressionist painter Claude Monet often used water lilies as the subject of his work. In fact, he painted more than 250 pieces that featured this aquatic plant, and several of them are among his most famous works of art.

Gallery: 10 of the Best Annuals to Grow in Your Cutting Garden (Better Homes and Gardens)

Read the original:

6 Facts About Water Lilies That Will Make You Love Them Even More - MSN Money

Satans existence is suggested by human experience and the Bible and is confirmed by reading the Times. The Times is almost surely not a particularly diabolical organ, but it does report the news and the news often shows signs of the demonic.

The bad news about the world is evidence for evil that goes beyond the merely human.

The Devil is a spiritual being gone wrong who could not be satisfied with goodness, truth, and beauty. This proud tyrant seizes power and authority that he is not fit to wield. The Creator grants the Devil his free choice and allows the natural consequences of his folly to come to full fruition.

God, in his justice, allows the case against truth, goodness, and beauty to be made by Satan to humankind. Sensible humans will take this into account when living life.

The existence of the devil is a good reminder that just because a being is spiritual does not mean he is benevolent. Religious experiences can be diverse partly because we misunderstand them, but partly because some spiritual beings are deceptive and malevolent.

Theology, the science of knowing God, helps protect humankind from these beings. People who try to be spiritual without theology are doing the spiritual equivalent of walking into Los Angeles and asking anyone they meet to be their best friend and boss. It might work out well, but it probably will not.

God speaks to humanity and the Devil has chosen to try to confuse our reception of His loving words. As a good Father, God tries to warn us of bad behavior and theology and the Bible gives us those warnings in writing. One hears the voice of Satan when this sensible morality is attacked in the name of a new theology which is always as old as the Garden of Eden.

Satan tells every generation of Christians that something big has happened and that the Church must change or die. The Internet, the pill, the bomb, World War II, flappers, the steam engine, the Enlightenment, the Fall of Rome all have been given as reasons that goodness, truth, and beauty had to change to fit the times. Ignoring this demonic folly has proven good policy.

Humans are quite capable of imagining and performing evil acts without help, of course. In our broken condition we act badly even when we wish we wouldnt. Nobody needs a devil for that kind of thing, but with a little aid and encouragement we can go further and become positively inhuman. Knowing this puts us on our guard and makes our prayers an even more pressing priority.

Because he is not a god, Satan cannot do everything. His resources are great, but limited. He is often happy to be ignored, because the ignorant cannot expose his limitations. The skeptic will overlook what he does do and the fanatic will give him credit for evils he could not do. Like any insecure and tyrannical soul, Satan cannot simply hide, but must sometimes demand either fear or love.

His limitations suggest a mixed policy of encouraging atheists to ignore him, Satanists to worship him, pagans to misidentify him, and Christians to be obsessively fearful of him. This maximizes his influence and minimizes his defeats.

Nobody save a prophet can look at the Times and be sure what God or the Devil is doing at any given moment or in any given news story. Gods providence is inscrutable in its complexity, but rational, while the Devils work is manifestly irrational and thus difficult to discern.Over time, in the hideous works of Stalin, Hitler, or Mao, humankind can begin to discern a touch of the diabolical. Meanwhile, we trust in God, attempt to do the good He gives us to do with the means he gives us, and keep an exorcist or pastor handy.

It is sensible to suspect the diabolical when an evil is sustained, irrational, and obviously and spectacularly destructive to the very parties practicing it. We should enter such situations reasonably and prayerfully. Let me suggest two types of front page wickedness that might give a Christian special concern.

The irrational, wicked, continuous, and destructive hatred of the Jewish people has a bloody and sordid history. Anti-Semitism has sponsored so much wickedness that it is reasonable to suspect diabolical forces behind it.

The tyrant in any cult of personality in a nation or in a small group behaves much like Satan. The weird, wicked, and ultimately self-destructive actions of the leader of North Korea make our special prayers for the deliverance of that nation especially appropriate.

Jesus believed He was God and died for our sins, Kim Jong-Il acts like he is god and kills others for his sins. If Dear Leader is not possessed of devils, he gives a fair imitation.

Of course, the pages of the Times only record the public actions of humankind. They rarely venture to tell the private struggles of the men and women that form most of the actual history of our sad race. It is there that most of us come face to face with devils.

Each of us faces temptations and some of these come with special force and are particularly hard to resist. No man can blame devils for bad choices or pass off his personal moral responsibility, but many men are aware of the persuasive power of Satans pleading for evil.

The devil did not make us do it, but he surely is not helpful.

Plunging into wickedness is bad for the human soul in itself, but also because it allies the bad man with the devils. Demons are not helpful or trustworthy allies.

Satan exists with his demons and he is intent on destroying as much that is beautiful as he can. We need not fear him, but cannot ignore him. And so the wise man prays for deliverance from human and diabolical temptation while longing for mercy from Jesus Christ, Gods Son, for our failures.

Thank God such mercy is available.

See the original post here:

Satan in the Times | John Mark N. Reynolds - Patheos

Meditation might be an ancient practice but its benefits for reducing stress, improving mood, sleep and focus transcend centuries.

For millennia, people have been meditating to connect and reflect on their life to find deeper meaning. Its an intensely personal and spiritual experience that requires dedication and is practised by everyone from Oprah Winfrey and Jennifer Lopez, to Angelina Jolie and Eva Mendes.

By practicing meditation with regularity, you will be able to downshift into the bodys natural relaxation response, helping to lower blood pressure, and improve heart rate and breathing,' Sara Auster, one of New Yorks top sound therapists and meditation teachers, tells ELLE UK.

But just how straightforward is practising meditation on a daily, if not weekly, basis? After all, if it was so simple to calm and refocus the mind, wouldnt we all be doing it?

Motoyuki KobayashiGetty Images

We spoke to several experts to find out everything you need to know about meditation, from what it is and its techniques, to breathing and body scanning.

Its unknown when exactly meditation came about, but the earliest documented mention involved Vedantism, a Hindu tradition in India, around 1500 BCE. The verb to meditate originated in the 12th Century and comes from the Latin word meditatum meaning to ponder.

The five major religions Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all practice forms of meditation but its widely practiced by non-believers, too.

Contrary to popular belief, meditation is more than just sitting with your legs crossed and closing your eyes in order to find yourself.

According to the meditation app Headspace, meditation is has nothing to do with someone trying to become a different, new or better person. Its about training in awareness and getting a healthy sense of perspective, it explains. Meditation isnt about preventing your thoughts from wandering or 'disappearing', rather observing them without judgment.

This content is imported from YouTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

Sarah Romotsky, Director of Healthcare Partnerships at Headspace, tells us: You can practice meditation anywhere; there is no set location, or any equipment needed, and you dont need to necessarily be lying down or sitting on the floor.'

Theres often confusion about mindfulness - the ability to be present, free from distraction, with an open mind and a kind heart - and meditation.

Living more mindfully, by focusing your attention on the present moment without judgement, is a wonderful way to ease stress and anxiety, while creating a sense of peace and ease, explains Romotsky. And then meditation is the more formalised practice of training in mindfulness.

To better understand this, Auster advises experimenting with a sound bath whereby participants 'bathe' in sound waves for a deeply-immersive, full-body listening experience that nurtures both mind and body.

Meditation is more than just sitting with your legs crossed and closing your eyes

A sound bath can be helpful for anyone who wants to access the benefits of meditation but may be intimidated by the so-called rules of meditation. Instead of a meditative practice that requires you to sit up straight or have a point of focus, recite a mantra or count your breaths, to fully participate in a sound bath you simply need to show up and listen.'

Sara Auster running a Sound Bath session

The meditation expert knows that finding space to listen in a world thats over-stimulated and noisy can be a challenge and notes that even the best listeners can struggle to quiet the mind and be fully present.

But when we tune out from constant status updates, non-stop news cycles and instantaneous access to every song/movie/show ever made, we can clear mental space to listen deeply and truly rest, she adds.

Theres no prescriptive way to meditate. As with many practises, the way you meditate might be different to the way a friend, teacher or celebrity goes about it.

This content is imported from YouTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

We know that finding time to read a book is often hard enough, let alone carving out a moment in the diary for 15 minutes of meditation. But in order to be truly present in life and reap its benefits in a calm and fulfilled way we need to take time to be recognise our thoughts, feelings and environment.

There is a Zen proverb that goes something like this: You should sit in meditation for 20 minutes each day, unless you are too busy; then you should sit for an hour, Auster notes. If there are so many crazy things going on in your life, then all the more reason to stop for a few minutes.

Many people say they actually get more done and feel more productive after meditation. Thats because meditation helps improve focus and lowers stress. If 20 minutes a day feel challenging, start with two or three minutes and build up so you dont get discouraged and skip it altogether. Something is always better than nothing.

So, how do you go about meditating while balance a hectic social and work life?

Romotsky suggests starting small, noting: Setting aside just three to 10 minutes each day to meditate is all you really need to feel the benefits and to help keep you in a calm and present mindset.

We find that people who meditate in the morning or integrate it into a consistent routine, same time, same place, are most likely to maintain their practice over time.'

Auster believes in thinking about the 3 Es when beginning a meditation practice.

Being able to access a moment of stillness internally when everything is rapidly swirling around outside of you (or perhaps also inside) is like a superpower, she adds.

There are hundreds of types of meditation practice, which can depend on traditions, cultures, spiritual disciplines, and religions.

Fortunately, as there are many definitions and methods of meditation, there is no right or wrong way to meditate. The main types include: mindfulness, spiritual, focused, movement, mantra and transcendental. Find out more about which meditation technique suits you here.

Most calming meditation practices involve focusing on a particular object your breath, a mantra, a visualisation, a physical object, even physical sensations within your body and returning to that object whenever you get distracted or notice your mind starting to wander, explains the Headpsace app.

You can mediate on your own in silence, with a meditation app like Headsapce or Calm on the move, with music or with friends. As long as youre focusing on your surroundings, feelings, sensations and thoughts then youre good to go.

Setting aside just three to 10 minutes each day to meditate is all you really need

I find meditation in sitting on the floor with the kids colouring for an hour, or going on the trampoline, Angelina Jolie previously told Stylist magazine. You do what you love, that makes you happy, and that gives you your meditation.

Its totally fine for your mind to wander slightly during meditation. In fact, thats part and parcel of the practice and helps you notice other sensations in the body, your surroundings and thoughts you hadnt paid much attention to previously.

Most first-time meditators find it strange and sometimes unnatural to sit in silence for a couple of minutes and be with their innermost thoughts and feelings, says Romotsky. To sit and do nothing are the very things that the mind tends to resist.

However, many people who attempt meditation panic that a wandering mind or feeling fidgety suggests theyve somehow failing which couldnt be further from the truth.

Meditation is about setting time aside to guide your mind. Its a peaceful yet active process, adds Auster. Youre not sitting back with a blank mind; instead youre softly moving your mind toward more awareness, consciousness, and choice.

She advises guiding your attention is a way to calm the mind, not silence it. Each time you try, you will get better at it. There is a reason we call it a practice. It only works if you do it (again and again and again).

If you feel uncomfortable practising meditation, Romotsky advises asking yourself where feelings of discomfort are coming from; does it reflect feelings in the mind or external influences?

A lot of the time, these feelings may be caused by resistance and fighting against these might cause more agitation. By allowing these emotions to escape the body during meditation, both the mind and the body can settle down quite quickly, she says.

When it comes to Sound Baths, in particular, Auster notes that being comfortable is important as chances are if youre in pain or distressed you wont want to practise again.

Guiding your attention is a way to calm the mind, not silence it.

It is not necessary to sit cross legged and perfectly straight, she notes. Try sitting in a chair or on the couch or even lying down.

When youre lying down, try supporting the body in different ways. Use pillows, blankets or towels to support your lower back, knees, head, neck and arms. You may even want to weight the body with a blanket across the midsection, to cultivate a grounding sensation.

JULY PROKOPIVGetty Images

She also suggests creating a peaceful corner of a room where you live and decorating it with beautiful or meaningful objects there to make the space feel special.

If youre someone who cant sit still, Romotsky suggests mindfulness on the move, taking in all the sights, sounds and smells particularly those you would not normally notice.

She says: Mindful walking can help you to step away, reset, refresh, and be present in the moment, preventing your mind becoming distracted from stressful and unwanted thoughts. Check out Headspaces Mindful Walking exercises here.

Sun.Day of London Midnight (Somewhere) Candle - 26

SHOP NOW

Proving you don't have to compromise on cool, this Hackney-based brand makes essential oil filled candles (this one combines lavender, rose, lemon, lime and orange for an uplifting scent) handcrafted using cocobut and gmo-free plant waxes. The oils are aromatherapy-grade, so expect some serious soothing when lit.

Neom Real Luxury Scented Candle (3 Wicks) - 46

SHOP NOW

For such a well-known brand, it's a surprising fact that Neom's candles are all non-toxic: made of natural vegetable wax. Also, for a reasonable price, they burn down better than some pricier options, with scents that really hang in the air. This one smells luxurious and comforting, heady with jasmine.

Eym Home Candle - 39

SHOP NOW

With a soy-wax base, this 100% natural candle has a grounding yet fresh geranium and chamomile scent that will fill your space with calm instead of chemicals.

Helm London Eucalyptus Luxury Candle - 29

SHOP NOW

This hand-poured, vegan-friendly range from London-based brand Helm gives us serious Le Labo vibes but at a snip of the price. This eucalyptus scented one is as green and fresh smelling as it gets.

Inhaling and exhaling is a pretty essential component for survival, but it's also key in helping calm and prepare the body and mind for meditation.

Auster quotes Paula Watkins, PhD, a clinical psychologist and meditation expert, who says that 'the process of breathing sits directly at the interface of our voluntary nervous system (aspects of our physiology under our conscious control) and our autonomic nervous system (aspects generally not under conscious control)'.

Ol'ga Efimova / EyeEmGetty Images

Its a direct path for us to communicate quickly to the brain via what we do with our body. It also offers a direct link for balancing the sympathetic (fight-or-flight) and parasympathetic (rest-and-relax) branches of the nervous system,' she adds.

Auster notes that some breathing exercises are thought to bring balance emotionally, mentally, and physically. Science is only beginning to explore how and why this is happening.

To mindfully breathe, Romotsky suggests finding a comfortable upright position.

Mindful walking can help you to step away, reset, refresh, and be present in the moment

'As you inhale, your diaphragm muscle contracts downwards and as you exhale, the muscle relaxes upward; having the space in your physical body to expand is helpful in order to reap the benefits,' she says.

'If you find yourself becoming stressed, a couple of deep diaphragm breaths breathing shallowly (also known as chest breathing) can help to reset your breath and help aid relaxation.'

This content is imported from Instagram. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

There is no dress code to get into the meditation club, no bouncer outside the door to enlightenment turning people away because of their wardrobe, jokes Auster, who says that many people she works with wear suits, ties and jeans for the practice.

If you happen to love flowy pants, colourful leggings, mala beads, patchouli oil, and crystals thats great, but these items arent a required entry point to starting a meditation practice, she adds.

This content is imported from Instagram. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

If you've ever noticed your mind doing one thing and your body reacting in a completely different manner, you're unconsciously body scanning.

'A body scan is when you mentally scan yourself from head to toe, being aware of every part of your body as you go down and flagging any areas of aches, pain, tension, or general discomfort,' explains Romotsky.

There is no dress code to get into the meditation club

Scanning helps us increase out awareness to the patterns and make them one.

She adds: 'The Headspace Body Scan meditation recommends sitting down in a comfortable position, taking a deep breath to begin and then closing your eyes before scanning down from the top of your head to the tips of your toes, noticing any particular areas of tension or perhaps calm.'

There are several A-list celebrities who have advocated for the benefits of meditation over the years.

Celebrities who meditate include Hugh Jackman, Paul McCartney, Tina Turner, Sheryl Crow and Halle Berry.

In 1999, J-Lo opened up to Winfrey about using meditation to stay grounded while living in hotels in New York. Meditation helped me connect to who I am, she said. The way I do that is by centring myself and taking time for myself to connect to me.

This content is imported from YouTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

Years later, Winfrey wrote about her own love of meditation, writing on her website: I'm a big proponent of formal meditationfor the discipline, joy, and calm it bringsI'm moving into an even greater phase of being fully present all the time.

It's a heightened state of being that lets whatever you're doing be your best life, from moment to astonishing moment.

In 2016, Katy Perry opened up about her love of transcendental meditation which she began to practise five years prior.

This content is imported from YouTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

Describing it the technique as a great workout for your mind without working out, she said: Im on a plane more than I am on ground. This tool helps me find moments of peace because I dont have a whole lot of time that extend my day so I can live my fullest capacity. It gives me two days in one day!

Smythson Panama Make It Happen textured-leather notebook

Smythson - 50

SHOP NOW

Moleskine classic collection plain hardcover notebook

Moleskine - 18

SHOP NOW

Seletti Toilet Paper Count-Delays notebook

Seletti - 13

SHOP NOW

John Lewis Portico B5 Flexible Flowers Notebook

Read the rest here:

How To Meditate, Body Scan, Breathe Mindfully And Become More Present - elle.com

PANIC disorder is a debilitating mental health condition that you would not wish on your worst enemy.

I know this because I suffered through it for seven long years from 2006. I was lucky enough to come out of it through much reflection and study, changing my lifestyle and focusing on others.

Recently, when I thought about my experience, I found myself reflecting that this country, this nation of diverse people, seems to be suffering through the same thing. And I think how I came out of the condition could throw some light on how we could progress as a nation in the near and far future.

What is panic disorder? In one sense, it is a condition of being deathly afraid of... nothing! Suddenly, the mind sends signals of fear, anxiety and stress over pending destruction and catastrophe that are simply non-existent.

How can I describe it simply? Imagine thinking that you are suffering from a serious illness such as a heart attack or a stroke and those feelings pop up 20 times a day for the next one year of your life.

A simple headache that can be cured with paracetamol becomes fear of an impending stroke. Gastric heartburn sends signals that you might be having an early heart attack.

People who have panic disorder cannot go to work or even leave the house for fear that they might suffer an attack. I could not even drive to the nearest petrol station and I could only go in to work at the university if my wife came along. She eventually asked for early retirement just to accompany me to my lectures and everywhere, basically.

I usually had one public speaking engagement a month but from 2006 to 2008, I refused all invitations to talks, forums and public lectures. Panic disorder almost ended my career.

After working with a psychiatrist, much Internet surfing and reading about the condition, I came to understand it better and how I might break the vicious cycle of anxiety-fear-anxiety.

There are three things that feed the cycle of fear and anxiety leading to total panic.

The first is a fear of the unknown future that the mind fills with scenarios of disasters, be it economic, health or career disasters, you name it, the mind conjures it up.

Second is living with a perpetual what if state of mind so you can plan for every eventuality no matter how extreme. Third is totally focusing on yourself and all these worries.

How did I eventually get out of this condition? First, I had to recognise my number one and number two enemies: my own mind and my daily habits.

The mind must be refocused into thinking of something other than disaster scenarios and the body or actions must fall into rhythms and rituals that are different.

I had to refocus to listen more to my wifes talk of friends, family, how to redecorate the house, anything. I had to stop focusing only on completing my next book, my next piece of writing, my next argument in a forum, about uniting the nation and furthering my career as I did before.

I also had to learn to waste time more. I had to learn to wash my car, do gardening, walk or jog and go shopping with my wife. All these things I used to detest because they had no market value or political mileage. I had to learn to do the little things and dial back the big stuff. Only in this way can the brain be rewired differently and the anxious thoughts recede into the background. Physically, the new habits sent different signals to my muscles, also helping me to get out of that vicious cycle.

In the same way, politics and misunderstanding between our cultures and races create a panic disorder condition among us.

Each ethnic group fears an invisible enemy of the other religion, culture and way of life. This is reinforced by unscrupulous politicians and racist academics fuelling the fears. The thought of what if this or that happens plagues our minds to the point that this concern for our normal way of life takes precedence over everything else. These fears make each group resolve in only self-centred behaviours and further narrow its friendship circle into a small one indeed.

To become a more trusting and harmonious nation, each ethnic group must refocus its thinking on other things. There is no enemy trying to destroy us. Just our active imaginations, a few bad politicians and misguided academics. Why listen to these people who cari makan by playing on our fears for their own self-promotion?

Learn new things about other religions and cultures in our country. Dont just focus on your own group in complete self-interest. Help children, people from other communities instead of focusing on just ourselves. The single most important spiritual lesson of enlightenment is always about helping others because in doing that, your own self-centred ego will be kept on a tight leash.

If people can rewire their thinking by learning more about other ethnic groups in Malaysia and retrain their habits into helping the others then we will live a more spiritual life that will see this nation dump two of our worst enemies: bad opportunistic leaders and our own self-centred thinking.

It is really not that difficult to change this country just change ourselves and our thinking first lah.

Prof Dr Mohd Tajuddin Mohd Rasdi is Professor of Architecture at UCSI University. The views expressed here are entirely the writers own.

Go here to read the rest:

When panic disorder hits a nation - The Star Online