Tuesday, 30 October 2018

Lesson 1: The Mechanics of Vibration

Note: This course may be taken as a standalone course, with no prerequisites required. Additional modules referenced may be found in the starter course: Quiet The Mind in 30 Days.

In the last module we focused on the energy of joy, looking at how this energy can be viewed from a number of different perspectives. Now we’re going to turn to the mechanics of vibration so we can understand some of the scientific principles that underly this energy and learn how to apply them to our daily lives.

We’ve already talked about the fact that everything is energy, but I want to go into a little more detail about what, exactly that means. When we talk about the state of energy of an object, what we’re really talking about is that object’s frequency, it’s rate of vibration. Energy is vibration.

There is fundamentally no difference between what we call energy and what we call matter. Einstein proved this to us over a hundred years ago. It’s just that when something is outside of the realm that we can perceive with our five senses, we call it pure energy. You can think of UV light condensing down to visible light. Another good analogy is to think about water and steam. It’s the same basic “stuff,” it just vibrates at a different rate. You can then extend this analogy to include everything in the universe. Every physical object, even the densest objects, are nothing but this vibratory energy. They are particles bouncing around inside atoms. Within those atoms is immense space — you can compare it to the space between planets and stars in the universe. There’s more “nothingness” even in very dense objects than we often believe in day to day life.

The integration between matter and energy is even more closely linked than that, because these quantum particles are constantly bouncing in and out of existence, moving between a state of energy and matter. This is known as the wave-particle duality in quantum physics. The act of observing an object collapses the wave function, forcing this energy into a state of matter than can be observed by the physical senses. Without this observation, the particles would continue to dance back and forth between matter and energy. This dance happens with every single thing in the universe, every object you’ve ever seen or could ever imagine, constantly bounces back and forth between these states. The point here is simply that this dance always occurs within a specific range of vibration.

You Are Always Receiving Vibration

We spend our entire lives operating within this field of vibrations. The principles we just talked about apply as equally to the human body and mind as they do to a chair or a beam of light. You are constantly interacting with this field of energy, and as we saw in the last video with the collapse of the wave-function concept, you are constantly influencing this field, just by existing. Just by observing objects you are influencing the form that this vibration takes.

All vibration you experience exists within a certain range. In order to observe an object, that object has to exist within the range of vibration that your physical senses can perceive. This is a very simple concept, but it isn’t something that we’re usually used to thinking about.

Think about how sound works. We’re already used to thinking about sound as a vibration, and even though we don’t think about it in a day to day context, it makes sense that when we hear something — whether that’s music or someone speaking — we are really doing is interpreting a vibration that comes to us. There’s a vibration of sound in front of us, it comes towards us and we have a mechanism through our ears and our brain to understand and process the information that’s coming through that vibration.

The example of sound also helps us to realize that even though this vibrational field is constant, it is never static. When you listen to someone speaking or listen to a piece of music, there’s a flow that happens to the sound. Even though there’s constantly a push of vibration to you, that vibration is constantly fluxing, constantly moving in different forms and waves as it shifts among various frequencies. This happens all of the time, regardless of whether or not you are consciously aware of it.

You Are Always Emitting Vibration

This interaction works both ways. We’re not only receiving vibration, but we’re emitting it as well. This works on many different levels, only a few of which we can perceive with our physical senses. Think about how cell phones work or other wireless technology: there is obviously a signal out there that we can’t perceive with our physical bodies, so we developed tools to perceive and interpret the information for us.

One of the biggest categories of vibration with which we constantly interact is thought vibration. As we receive vibrations from the world around us, our brain processes them and interprets them as thought. Though we can’t perceive it with our physical senses, it is no less poignant. When you think something, you can then manipulate the range of vibration that that thought has.

Again, let’s use the example of sound to illustrate this. What happens when you speak something is that generally you’ve received some information from the world around you, you have thoughts about that information, all of which occurs as vibration, through different frequencies of thought.

Then you condense that thought into speech. When you speak, you change the frequency, the rate of vibration, of a thought, into a rate of vibration that you can perceive with your physical body…into the range of sound, in this example. This process is constantly happening. You are constantly receiving and emitting these thought vibrations regardless of whether or not you perceive. It’s then only some of those vibrations that we receive and interpret through the senses.

Exercise: Noticing Subconscious Perceptions

These concepts can seem a little abstract, since we’re not used to thinking about our interactions with the day to day world in terms of vibration. It can be difficult to wrap your mind it. In this video I want to give you a thought exercise that will help to put this in perspective and help you to realize that you are already moving through the world in this way.

Example 1: Getting a Bad Vibe

All that you’re going to do is think about the last time you got a bad vibe from someone. This can be incredibly simple. Maybe you were walking down the street and — without really thinking about it — instinctively crossed to the other side of the street. Though you might not have realized it at the time you crossed, half a block or a block later you saw someone who was really off-putting. Maybe they were aggressively selling something or begging for money in a way you didn’t like. They would have been in your path, but your instinct told you to move to the other side of the street first. This is just one example of how you’re constantly receiving, processing, and even acting on information in ways that you don’t always perceive consciously.

Example 2: Trusting Your Instinct

Another example is a time when you trusted a gut instinct not to work with someone. Maybe you were in a business or an academic situation and planning to work on a project with someone. On paper, everything looked good, but there was some reason, maybe something that you couldn’t quite articulate, you felt it wasn’t right for you. There was something about the other person you’d be working with that stopped you from moving forward. On some level, even if you weren’t consciously aware of it, you received information (you received a vibration) telling you not to move forward with that person.

This actually happens all of the time. It’s only in somewhat extreme examples that we’re able to put it into context and realize that we are moving through this field of vibrations, we are constantly processing this field of vibrations, using that information to influence how we act and there influence how the world around us results.

Exercise: Noticing Energy Habits

For the last exercise of today’s lesson, I want you to start to notice your state of vibration as you move throughout the day. Simply notice the energy, the state of being, the emotion that you have at various points throughout the day.

For example, maybe when you get up you’re a little sluggish and lethargic. Then you take a shower, have some coffee and feel ready, raring to go. Then as the day moves on you might get tired, and your energy lowers a little. It’s a really simple flow of how the energy is moving, but the key is to start noticing that energy and to pay attention to how it shifts. Begin to think of it in terms of the vibration that you hold as you move throughout the day.

                    

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source http://thejoywithin.org/courses/the-world-you-attract/lesson-1-mechanics-vibration

The World You Attract

Friday, 26 October 2018

How Do You Meditate for The First Time?

I hear it over and over again:

New Person: “Wow, you teach meditation? That’s so cool! I’ve been meaning to try that…”

Me: “So why don’t you?”

New Person: “Well, I guess I just don’t know where to start.”

Does this sound like you? Have you been meaning to try out meditation but just don’t know where to begin?

Believe it or not, there’s no real secret to meditation. The key is simply to get started.  Once you do, you’ll start to see that it’s actually way easier than you probably think. So, here are a few tips for getting started when it’s your first time meditating.

If you want to get started, try our free course: Quiet The Mind in 30 Days.

How To Meditate for The First Time

Get Over Your Mental Blocks

I don’t know why we think meditation is so intimating, but I feel like one of the biggest obstacles to getting started involves our own mental blocks.

We tend to have this idea that meditation is hard. That it takes too much time, or is something you really have to practice in order to get results. I mean, after all, how can a normal person even sit in the lotus position?

Before you begin, try to get rid of any expectations you have about what should or should not happen when you meditate. Don’t try to “get it right” or force yourself into any specific state. You don’t even need to try to stop thinking. In fact, “stopping thought” is one of the most counter-productive ideas you can have when you’re just starting out.

Instead, just realize that meditation is really just about spending a few quiet moments to yourself. You get to relax, and take that much needed me-time to calm down and reset. It doesn’t need to look or feel a certain way. Sit anywhere you please, and you can even have a nice warm drink in your hand if you want to.

Just Breathe

When you meditate, all you’re doing is focusing on your internal energy, rather than the external world.

The easiest and most common way to do this is to focus on the breath. Breath is one of the key aspects of meditation. When you draw your attention to your breath, your body naturally relaxes. Just noticing your breath often causes you to slow down the air as moves throughout your body, and you’ll probably begin to take longer, deeper, and more centered breaths.

For beginners, I don’t recommend trying to do any complicated breath techniques. One of my favorite first-meditations to recommend for people is simply sitting and noticing, repeating: Now I am breathing in. Now I am breathing out, as your breath flows through your body.

It really is that simple. Of course, there are dozens of other breath techniques you could use, and I encourage you to experiment with them over time. Another of my favorite beginning meditations is simply to add a slight pause after your breath.

Inhale.

Pause.

Exhale.

Pause.

Breathe comfortably, allowing as much time as you feel is appropriate for you.

Use a Guided Recording

The last suggestion I have for first time meditators is to use a guided recording. Listening to a guided narration (with or without background music) will give your mind something to focus on, which will distract it from the constant stream of thoughts that usually runs through your head.

Additionally, if you work with an established guide, the recording will help lull you into and out of a deeper state of consciousness. From this relaxed state, you will be more detached from your physical environment, and more able to step back and observe your own natural energy.

We offer a number of free guided meditations here. Or, follow our proven introduction to meditation to kickstart your practice, and begin the process of transforming your life.

 

The post How Do You Meditate for The First Time? appeared first on The Joy Within.



source http://thejoywithin.org/meditate-first-time

ACIM Daily Lessons

 

How To Use The ACIM Workbook

The Course in Miracles Workbook is designed as a practical guide to implementing the teachings of the course. The point of these exercises is two-fold:

  1. They help you engage with a new perspective of the world. These lessons help you to release your past judgments and beliefs in order to see the world in a new light. Many of these ideas will be new, and some of them sound quite radical the first time you read them. Have patience, relax the tendency to discard ideas you do not believe, and let the flow of the exercises increase your energy.
  2. They are designed to help pace your spiritual progress. It is easy to become overwhelmed with this material. The exercises in the workbook are intended to be read 1 per day, giving yourself time to think about each idea and meditate on it as you move throughout your day.

Remember: The point of the entire course is to increase your ability to feel love, and to see that love reflected to you through the events of your day to day life. As you progress through the workbook, it’s best to read slowly, taking your time to process and think about each sentence or paragraph in turn. It helps if you engage with the practice of insight reading in order to understand more fully the concepts that each exercise presents.

A Course in Miracles Lesson List

Currently, the insight pages offer written explanations and tips for how to put each lesson into practice.

We plan to release additional insights and commentary to help you through these daily exercises. We are currently in production of a new podcast and video series, which we hope to offer here in the next few months. Thanks for your patience as we continue to upgrade the site.

Lesson Number Idea and Concept Details and Insights
1 Nothing I see in this room means anything. View Lesson 1.
2 I have given everything I see in this room all the meaning that it has for me. View Lesson 2.
3 I do not understand anything I see in this room. View Lesson 3.
4 These thoughts do not mean anything. They are like the things I see in this room. View Lesson 4.
5 I am never upset for the reason I think. View Lesson 5.
6 I am upset because I see something that is not there. View Lesson 6.
7 I see only the past. View Lesson 7.
8 My mind is preoccupied with past thoughts. View Lesson 8.
9 I see nothing as it is now. View Lesson 9.
10 My thoughts do not mean anything. View Lesson 10.
11 My meaningless thoughts are showing me a meaningless world. View Lesson 11.
12 I am upset because I see a meaningless world. View Lesson 12.
13 A meaningless world engenders fear. View Lesson 13.
14 God did not create a meaningless world. View Lesson 14.
 15 My thoughts are images that I have made. View Lesson 15.
 16 I have no neutral thoughts. View Lesson 16.
 17  I see no neutral things. View Lesson 17.
 18  I am not alone in experiencing the effects of my seeing. View Lesson 18.
 19  I am not alone in experiencing the effects of my thoughts. View Lesson 19.
 20  I am determined to see. View Lesson 20.
 21  I am determined to see things differently. View Lesson 21.
 22  What I see is a form of vengeance. View Lesson 22.
 23  I can escape from the world I see by giving up attack thoughts. View Lesson 23.
 24  I do not perceive my own best interests. View Lesson 24.
 25  I do not know what anything is for. View Lesson 25.
 26  My attack thoughts are attacking my invulnerability. View Lesson 26.
 27  Above all else I want to see. View Lesson 27.
 28 Above all else I want to see things differently. View Lesson 28.
 29 God is in everything I see. View Lesson 29.
 30 God is in everything I see because God is in my mind. View Lesson 30.

The post ACIM Daily Lessons appeared first on The Joy Within.



source http://thejoywithin.org/a-course-in-miracles/acim-daily-lessons

A Course In Miracles

Thursday, 25 October 2018

How To Find The Right Meditation Pose For You: 5 Easy Postures Anyone Can Do

Are you interested in meditation, but the thought of sitting cramped into a lotus position scare you off? Are you worried that you’ll never be able to sit cross-legged for an hour straight?

We’ve all been there. For most people, the thought of meditating immediately brings up ideas of toned yogic masters that can contort their bodies into all sorts of positions that – let’s face it – just aren’t natural for the rest of us.

Fortunately, your meditation posture is only one part of your practice, and is arguably the point about which you should be least concern. In this post I’m going to lay out a few guidelines and suggestions for how to sit while meditating, even if you’re not flexible, not experienced, or…you know: just a normal human being.

What Is the Best Posture for Meditation?

First of all, I want to make it clear that there are no hard and fast rules about how to meditate properly, or how you “must” sit in order to have the best experience.

Yes, it is true that certain schools of meditation, including some traditions that have been around for thousands of years, encourage you to sit cross-legged on the floor or in a lotus position, but these are by no means the only meditation poses around.

Whether you’re a complete beginner or have been practicing meditation for years, the most important meditation pose is always the one that balances your personal comfort with your ability to relax.

Above all else, sitting comfortably is the name of the game.

  • When you’re comfortable will you be able to relax and have a deep meditation practice.
  • When you’re comfortable will you actually be able to stay put for the duration of your practice, and remain focused on your breath.
  • When you’re comfortable, your body will begin to align naturally over time, meaning that your best meditation posture may change the more you practice.

That said, once you’re comfortable, you can start to think about some other considerations. Some common rules of thumb include:

  • Sit up with a straight spine.
  • Align your spine over your hips, neither leaning forward nor back,
  • Rest your shoulders back and down slightly, opening your chest,
  • Keep your feet firmly planted on the floor,
  • Place your palms open on your legs, or bind your fingers in a mudra, and
  • Lift your head slightly by raising your chin.

These common practices can help to ease the flow of energy through your body, but you should only think about them after your basic seated position is comfortable. You should be able to remain in your seat without any major movements – and without undue pain or discomfort – for the entire duration of your practice.

Easy Meditation Positions for Beginners

When you’re just starting out, sitting in any one position for a long time can feel overwhelming. For many newbies, it’s easy to become fidgety during your first few (or few dozen) meditations. Suddenly, it seems, you just have to scratch your face, stretch out your neck, or move your foot to keep it from falling asleep.

When you are distracted by these movements, it is very difficult to enter into a deep meditation. If this is the case for you, practice for shorter periods of time at first, trying to sit still for just 5 minutes, and then gradually increase the amount of time you spend in that pose.

Alternatively, you might want to experiment with a few different variations. Here are 5 common meditation poses for beginners.

  1. Sit In a Chair. The first, and probably the easiest position for most people, is to sit upright in a chair. This is a great posture to use for two reasons. Firstly, it is fairly comfortable for most people, and you are already used to sitting in this way. Secondly, you are unlikely to fall asleep in this position, or to fidget unnecessarily. When you sit to meditate in a chair, make sure you sit with an erect spine, moving forward so your butt is only halfway into the seat. Plant your feet firmly on the ground, and use the counter-force of your feet pushing into the floor to help you lift your chest and head. Relax your shoulders, and breathe easily.
  2. Sit Cross-legged on a Couch. If you want to sit cross-legged, but find that it doesn’t quite work for you, experiment with sitting up off the floor. I like to sit with my legs crossed on a couch, using a pillow between my back and the back of the couch. This helps to support my back and keep it from hunching over. Sitting up on the couch (or perhaps even sitting on a pillow on the couch) will raise your tailbone, allowing your knees to drop more easily to the side. Between the extra back support and hip-relief, this is a great option for anyone with back or knee issues, or for anyone practicing to sit cross-legged for longer periods of time.
  3. Use a Meditation Cushion. If you’re ready to take the next step with your seated posture, but still aren’t ready to sit on the floor, try using a meditation cushion. Many people don’t realize that cushions designed for meditation are different than most pillows. They help to raise your bum, making it easier for your hips and knees to open. Additionally, they help you to keep your tailbone tucked in slightly. This, in turn, causes your spine to lengthen, and makes it less likely you’ll hunch over halfway through your practice.
  4. Kneel With a Meditation Stool. Another great option for many people is to kneel on the floor, using a meditation stool to support you. The kneeling position will naturally align the spine, but for many people, sitting back onto their hind is uncomfortable, and this is where the stool comes in. Place the stool between your legs and lower yourself onto it. Most meditation stools are angled forward slightly, to help support your spine and keep your back aligned over your hips. This position may feel awkward the first time you try it, but after one or two attempts, many people find it natural, light, and easy.
  5. Lie Down. Lastly, if none of the above postures feel right for you, you can always lie down while you meditate. Be advised, however, that many schools of meditation advise against this position. When you are lying down, you’re more likely to fall asleep, which, while relaxing, certainly defeats the purpose of sitting down to meditate in the first place.If you do decide to lie down, consider lying on the floor on a yoga mat, rather than on your bed. I encourage you to lie down in your meditation only if you are confident you’ll remain awake throughout the practice.

Finding The Right Pose For Your Body

Of course, there are as many different meditations positions as there are people meditating. No one position is the be all and end all seated postures, and no single tradition or school of meditation has “the one right way” that things “should” be done.

I encourage you to take a playful approach to your practice, including how you sit while meditating. Experiment with different postures. You may find that some days you’ll find some postures more appealing than others, and, as I mentioned earlier, it’s very common to change your posture gradually over time. Your body is immensely versatile, and with practice will open into any natural-feeling posture, allowing you to go deeper. Don’t be surprised if a pose that seemed impossible when you start becomes accessible and comfortable a few months or a year later.

The post How To Find The Right Meditation Pose For You: 5 Easy Postures Anyone Can Do appeared first on The Joy Within.



source http://thejoywithin.org/find-right-meditation-pose-5-easy-postures-anyone-can

Friday, 5 October 2018

So Hum

The So Hum mantra (also called the Soham or So Ham Mantra) is one of the most popular mantras. The phrase has been used for thousands of years in many Eastern religions and meditation practices, but has recently gained popularity in the Western world as well, thanks to its simple structure and easy pronunciation.

Om So Hum: How To Use The Mantra

This mantra is used in two basic forms. The first is simply to use the ‘So hum’ words repeated many times in a cyclical structure throughout your meditation practice.

The second style is to incorporate an ‘Om’ sound in between the ‘So hum’ cycles. Either approach can be a very powerful practice.

The word Om refers to the sound of the universe. It is the most basic sound that, according to Sanskrit traditions, represents the entire universe in a single world. Using this word in a meditation or mantra can invoke the feeling of unity and oneness with All That Is.

So Hum literally translates to “I am that.” Thus, repeating the phrase in your practice helps to center you into the feeling of interconnectedness even further. This is why the two phrases are often used together, and create a unifying effect.

When using the sohum mantra in meditation, play with the idea of connecting the two halves of the phrase to your breath. For example, I like to inhale to the thought of so, and exhale to the thought of hum. I find this allows me to engage with the words in a nice, even rhythm. After a few breaths of this, my mind relaxes, and I allow my breath to flow evenly, regardless of the word I am repeating.

You can also use this mantra outside of the context of your meditation. As you go about your day, take the time to center yourself in your breath, step back from your circumstances, and remind yourself that regardless of what appears to be going on around you, on a very real level, you ARE the thing that is happening.

You are one with the universe. You ARE the person in front of you in traffic, the angry boss and the screaming baby. By repeating this mantra during the day, you remind yourself that you are connected to everyone, and you can more easily remain in a state of peace, joy, and bliss, despite the challenges you may be confronted with throughout the day.

Why Use This Mantra?

So Hum and Om So Hum are great beginner’s mantras for anyone new to working with repeated phrases. It is short, easy to remember, and easy to pronounce, which makes it a great phrase for people of any language. There’s no need to work through complex Sanskrit spellings or pronunciations.

That said, no mantra is a “beginner’s only” idea. Ancient yogic and Buddhsit traditions assert that any single idea, when repeated, has the power to unlock the secrets of the universe. Since this mantra translates to repeating that you are One with All That Is, it’s a great phrase to help you towards your enlightenment.

Like any mantra, the power of this mantra comes through repetition. Using it in one meditation and then never coming back to it is a sure sign of failure, or distraction. At first, using the mantra may feel awkward or perhaps even uncomfortable, but when you repeat it over time you can allow yourself to receive the full benefits.

Since this phrase has such an ancient history, there is a lot of energy connected to it. That’s why I often recommend that people invoke the original Sanskrit, rather than the English translation (I am that.) The literal sound of the word includes a specific energy with it, and that’s the energy you want to access through the Om So Ham mantra.

Video and Audio Recordings

There are many great recordings of this mantra that you can access for free. Finding the right meditation audio is about finding the sound that works for you. I’ve included two of my favorite recordings here to get you started. The first is a beautiful, elongated chant sung by a full choir and set over a lush string background sound.

The second is a guided meditation that walks you through using this mantra in a seated meditation practice. They’re both great backgrounds for meditation, so I hope you enjoy them!

Choir Sings a Beautiful So Hum Chant

Guided Soham Meditation by the Deepak Chopra Center

So Hum Meaning: Hindi and English

As mentioned earlier, the translation of So Hum comes to “I am that.” So translates to “I am,” while Hum translates to “that.”

There are several variations of this phrase, including: So Hum, Sohum, Soham, So Ham, Saham, and is sometimes inverted as Hamsah. When the phrase is altered slightly, it can also translate to: “I am the Swan,” as is the case in so ‘ham hamsah. In this variation, the Swan refers to Atman.

The phrase is originally found in the Upanishads, such as Verse 16 of the Isha Upanishad, which reads:

(…) तेजो यत्ते रूपं कल्याणतमं तत्ते पश्यामि योऽसावसौ पुरुषः सोऽहमस्मि ॥१६॥

tejo yat te rūpaṃ kalyāṇatamaṃ tat te paśyāmi yo ‘sāv [asau puruṣaḥ] so’ham asmi

“The light which is thy fairest form, I see it. I am what He is“

Soham Mantra Benefits

There are many so hum meditation benefits. In a single session, practicing this mantra can cause you to feel centered and in touch with the world around you. It can be used to clear negative health problems, or to help you to focus on your aims and make important decisions.

The real benefits of soham meditation, however, come over time. When you practice this mantra consistently, you empower yourself to begin to notice the intricate connections that exist in the world around us. You will start to see yourself as a part of all those you come into contact with, and, as a result, can become more compassionate, more understanding, and more loving.

Furthermore, you can use this mantra outside of your meditation in order to cultivate a renewed sense of peace and oneness anytime a stress trigger arises in your environment.

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source http://thejoywithin.org/meditation/mantras/so-hum