Herbal Teas
If you want to get hold of a particular tea and can't find it, then it is fine to use a combination tea, which contains the ingredient you want along with a few others. Some Health Benefits from Particular Herbal Teas: Heart and Circulation: Hawthorn berry. Stomach and Intestines: Meadowsweet, Chamomile, Peppermint, Aniseed, Caraway, Slippery Elm, Licorice, Ginger. Nerves: Motherwort, Clover Blossoms. General: Clover Blossoms, Motherwort, Green Tea, Chickweed, Nettle. Women: Raspberry Leaf, Motherwort, Clover Blossoms. Immune System: Pau d'Arco. Kidneys: Parsley, Buchu. SOME TEAS EFFECT: Hawthorn Berry or flowers - Hawthorn has a very strong reputation as a safe remedy for the heart. It also tends to normalise blood pressure. It is ironic that when scientists made a heart drug based on a plant, they chose the poisonous Foxglove (digitalis) as a starting point, rather than the benign Hawthorn. However, if you do have heart problems for which you are taking drugs, before taking Hawthorn, I would advise you to consult a practitioner who understand the actions of both drugs and herbs. Chamomile - Chamomile has a reputation for soothing the digestion. This is through its action as a muscle relaxant - it lessens tension in the gastro-intestinal tract. Chamomile tea is a good one if it is used after a meal. Peppermint - Peppermint can be a stronger muscle relaxant than Chamomile, so again it is useful to drink after a meal. It is also 'anti-emetic', which means that if you have nausea for any reason, it tends to calm this. If you find the taste too strong, then make it very, very weak - and you may then find it pleasant. Meadowsweet - Meadowsweet is great for helping the stomach to digest food. Drink it half an hour before or after a meal. It has the reputation of balancing stomach acid. The feeling we interpret as 'too much acid' may, in fact, be caused by 'not enough acid - at the right time'. So Meadowsweet is a good tea to help here, as it is 'amphoteric' - it increases where there is too little, and decreases where there is too much. Licorice - Licorice is soothing and healing for the lining of the stomach and intestines. It is a good tea if you have a tendency to get ulcers in these places; it is not a complete treatment, though - see a natural healthcare practitioner for this. Slippery Elm - Another great soothing herb for the gut (gastro-intestinal tract). If you have wounds (ulcers), spasm or inflammation anywhere in the gut, drink lots of Slippery Elm Tea (actually - it's more of a 'gruel' - like thin porridge). Slippery Elm is very benign - that is, very safe. You can even make your 'porridge' thick - and use it externally to help healing. Slippery Elm has a reputation for being nourishing and easy to digest - hence its use to assist recovery from a long illness, and for the elderly. Clover Blossom - This is known for its 'blood purifying' effects - in other words, it is good for general health. It also contains some 'phytoestrogens' - which make it beneficial for women - take it to help periods or menopause. Nettle - Nettles have a reputation of being nutritious and also detoxifying. Nettle Tea is thus a good general tea to use every day. Ginger - Ginger Tea is usually made by simmering a few slices of fresh ginger for a couple of minutes in water. Ginger, again, relaxes spasms, with the added property that it has an affinity for the abdominal area. So use it if you want to influence the abdomen. Parsley - A great general aid for the kidneys. If you have kidney problems - consult a practitioner; but if you just want to give the kidneys a helping hand to keep them working well, regular Parsley Tea is a great idea. Use fresh Parsley if you have it; or dried is easily available. Tastes great! Buchu - Has antiseptic properties - and it smells like it too! Women with cystitis know they need to drink lots of water; they know they have to wait and suffer until the problem goes. Buchu offers an antiseptic tea which can be drunk, and which makes its way through the kidneys and bladder. A safe remedy which your doctor would probably approve of. If in doubt - check with him. www.ucheepines.org/cystitis.htm Raspberry leaf - Has a long-standing reputation of assisting childbirth if taken frequently during pregnancy. I don't know of any proof... but it certainly won't do any harm. It will often assist periods, so take it if you have pre menstrual tension or other menstrual symptoms; or during menopause. Also used to make a tea to gargle with for sore throat (Thyme is useful for a sore throat gargle too. Or mix the two. Store the excess in the fridge and it will keep for a couple of days. Probably best to warm to room temperature before use.) Motherwort - Motherwort used to be used much more widely than it is today. It's common name suggests its use for women - for whom it is beneficial. Its Latin name suggests its use for the heart - Leonurus cardiaca - a valuable tonic for the heart and circulation. But I remember its reputed benefit for the whole body and a long life; one ancient herbal says; "Drink Motherwort Tea and live to be a source of grief to waiting heirs". 'Nuff said! Chickweed - This 'weed' may be growing wild just outside your house; here is a good web page to aid identification - Chickweed Tea is found to be good externally for many skin complaints. It will often reduce itching, and promote healing. It is often mentioned as helping weight loss - I am not sure of the mechanism here - but, again, if it replaces tea and coffee it's all to the good. It has a general benefit for the body, helping with rheumatism and arthritis. For more information visit http://www.starherb.com
http://www.starherb.com/sp/artindex.asp
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Meditation: Time to Stop & Listen
As a co-active coach, one of the underlying principles that I subscribe to is that everyone has their own answers within. Most of what I do as a coach is to give people the time, space and permission to find these answers (and sometimes I provide a question or two to get things going).
Establishing A Daily Meditation Practice
It's important to establish a daily practice and then stick to it. This doesn't mean dedicating 12 hours a day to meditation, it just means creating a space in your home where you can take a few minutes and meditate and do the exercises. I advise people to start with some of the basic exercises and devote 10 -20 minutes a day as they develop their physical and mental abilities. Many people quite simply overload themselves and expect too much too soon, then get discouraged when they don't see the results they thought they should see.
Fitness Workout - Exercising the Present Moment!
The following exercise program has been designed to get the mind firmly in the present, not yesterday or tomorrow but right here, right now.
It's a particularly great exercise to become familiar with because it helps during times when you need to totally concentrate on an important task.
There have been many times in the past when I've been overwhelmed by the many different tasks on my 'to do list'. Learning to become present has helped me to focus totally on one thing at a time and makes me far more effective in my work output.
Meditation Is A Dinner Party
Try Not To Force Things Too Much
Meditation also Gave Me Something else
Some of the greatest benefits for me have been my ability to tap into 'my well of inner peace' whenever I need to, my connection with, and to, spirit, achievement of greater clarity and balance at the end of each session, and overall wellbeing. Meditation also gave me something else.
How to Use White Noise
White noise is: A sound containing a blend of all the audible frequencies distributed equally over the range of the frequency band. White noise is analogous to white light which contains all the colors of the rainbow together. The term "white noise" as used in this article will be applied a little looser to include a host of sounds (waterfall, rain and brook as examples) used for blocking out unwanted sounds.
Meditation and the Monkey Mind?
Some find the term, "monkey mind", upsetting, derogatory, and insulting. This is a shame, as the point is lost, the ego is involved, and a natural human defense goes up. After all, we are supposed to be the "king of the primates," aren't we?
Meditation: A Path To Inner Peace
Throughout history, meditation has been an integral part of many cultures. Records indicate that meditation was practiced in ancient Greece and India more than 5,000 years ago. In the Buddhist religion, meditation is an important part of their spiritual practice. Different forms of meditation are practiced in China and Japan, and Christianity, Judaism, and Islam have traditions similar to meditation. The word meditation comes from the Latin 'meditari' which means: exercise, turn something over in one's mind, think, consider. It is defined as "consciously directing your attention to alter your state of mind."
A Hypnosis Cd - Getting the Most from Them
You should treat the use of a hypnosis cd just like you use a tool. In other words, any tool has the potential to do a great job as long as it is used for its intended purpose. The message here is that a tool is only useful if it is used.
Can Cognitive Fitness Be a Workout for Your Brain?
There is growing interest to exercise your brain using something called "cognitive fitness."
Enlightenment through Meditation
Helping the broadest range of people attain enlightenment through meditation is my lifelong preoccupation. I have more than 20 years of daily interaction with people helping them meditate and encouraging them to set high goals and use meditation as a tool for attaining inspiration, precious insights, enlightenment and other benefits that come along with it.
In order to practice meditation, you need a pleasant quiet place where nobody is going to disturb you. Once you are comfortably seated, you can start with pranayama (rhythmic breathing exercise), followed by pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses from the outer world), thorough relaxation of the mind and senses, and finally relaxation of the physical body. By breathing rhythmically ? inhaling, holding the breath, and exhaling while following a simple pattern (4-16-8, for instance) ? you will accumulate prana, revitalize your life force, and new spiritual strength will come to you. During the pratyahara you will play the role of a neutral observer of your thoughts, with the ultimate aim of achieving a state of consciousness without any thoughts.
In this way, the objective possibility of reaching the most inner part of your Being ? God in you ? is realized. This means that you can now start feeling the warmth in your heart, see the light which is present there, and experience the subtle energy of Divine love. Furthermore, you can become aware of the harmony of mind, heart, and will. Your devotion and relaxation can lead you into deeper levels of consciousness, into deeper meditation. You can turn your senses inward to further increase you awareness. Your meditation will start realizing its goals. This is the level of devotion where you can actually contact the source of inspiration, gain countless insights, and approach the possibility of enlightening your Being.
It is the harmony of your mind, heart, and will, that brings you into Unity with the One. When you learn to be quiescent, when there are no thoughts and aspirations of any kind, you will find yourself out of your mental body, out of limitations, free in the consciousness of Unity. Only when your intentions diminish, when your mind becomes unoccupied, the enlightenment will start to show its magnificence. The sustained flow of attention will connect you to the endless reservoir of power, the source of knowledge and inspiration. When meditation occurs, love is its flavor. This love is your true nature. When the consciousness starts perceiving itself, it becomes pure consciousness. What resides is only the voiceless spirit of awareness whose meaning is I AM, I EXIST, I ENDURE.
You should meditate every single day, if necessary two times a day. If some day you find yourself distressed, a simple exercise can help you. Light a candle and put it some 30 cm away, at the level of your eyes. Simply by gazing at the blue part of the candle's flame for 5 minutes, you can relax yourself. Your positive attitude, faith, calmness, and serenity can help. You should consciously develop love toward your meditation and meditativeness. The results will be in accord with your efforts, persistence and fortitude. There is not a single individual who can not succeed. There are only different kinds of obstacles with different people. Don't forget to consult your spiritual teacher, who is there to help you overcome your obstacles.
Meditation - Easy Tools for Success
Do you want to learn how to meditate?
Have you tried to meditate but you keep falling asleep?
Or you're not sure you are doing it right?
Do you keep thinking about other things while you are trying to "clear your mind"?
Full Body Awareness
Now that you're comfortable working with your breath it's time to bring the rest of the body in. Continue breathing as I've outlined in my article on Breathing. Now in addition to feeling your breath flow and your stomach and ribs expand, I want you to feel the energy that flows into your body with each breath. For me it feels like a lightness, or a very light feeling. It may feel different for you so take some time here and just open up and feel the energy.
Meditation, Self-Acceptance & the Muse
Meditation presents an interesting paradox. It requires humility and acceptance, and yet it results in self-empowerment and increased confidence.
Meditation - What is It Good for Anyway?
Meditation is an age old healing and stress relieving modality practiced throughout the world, in virtually all cultures and all religions, although it may go by different names - prayer, visualization, relaxation techniques, and hypnosis; they are all forms of the same practice.
Holosync Meditation - Does It Really Work?
Chances are, if you are on a quest for self-improvement, you've already heard of the Holosync Meditation CD's.
What It Is:
Developed by Bill Harris in the late 1980s, the Holosync Solution is an audio program designed to bring your brain waves to the alpha (and lower)levels automatically just by listening to the cds. According to Bill: "Holosync is a way to create deep meditation easily, precisely and consistently."
Beyond The Hype:
I thought it was about time someone talked about what it's REALLY like to use the Holosync cds. I've been using the program for 2 years fairly consistently. That means sitting down almost every day, putting on my headphones and doing nothing else for an hour. It's a huge time commitment and there were times I wondered if it was worth it.
In The Beginning:
Unlike the other testimonials you may have read, I did not experience profound changes after listening to the first cd. In fact, for the most part, I fell asleep! But that's okay, because the more I listened, the less sleeping I did. Truth be told, I still doze off when I'm starting a new level. Each new level takes you into deeper meditative states and requires an adjustment.
As Time Goes By:
Here I am, two years later, still making the time and financial commitment to stick with it. Why? Because I'm amazed at the person I've become. Over the course of the two years:
I'm calmer
I rarely get angry.
I have a more positive attitude.
I've become more spiritual.
I'm happier - negative thoughts creep in, but they don't stay.
Would I have experienced this growth without Holosync? Maybe, but I believe it would have taken much longer.
Have I reached the "nirvana" state while meditating? A couple of times I have experienced that deep all-encompassing sense of peace, but for the most part, my thoughts tend to drift. I try to start each session with an affirmation or goal statement, but often I'll end up working out a problem or thinking about other things. It seems to work anyway and I always feel refreshed and calm at the end of a session.
What About Using Other Programs?
Absolutely! I've used and still incorporate other programs into my Holosync meditation. I mentioned affirmations, but other types of releasing programs work well, even different meditation techniques can work with Holosync.
Self improvement should be a never-ending quest. You can usually gain some new insights by listening to a different point of view.
If you are interested in learning more about Holosync meditation, click on the link at the end of this article. You'll be directed to a products review site.
Yoga Meditation For Pain Relief
The purpose of this article is to provide information on methods and techniques on how to cope with pain, or in some instances, possibly even overcoming pain with the use of techniques derived from Yoga meditation.
Muraqaba- The Sufi Meditation By Sufi-Master Khwaja Shamsuddin Azeemi
When we try to learn a new skill or try to gain knowledge about a specific subject, we follow a guideline or a system, which demands that we pay attention to the subject to fully understand it. Our mind becomes curious to know the where, how and what of it. When we pay attention to the minor details, that minor point itself gains value. However, when we ignore the most important part and do not pay any cognitive attention to it then even that major point loses its value and importance. Through contemplation we gain knowledge about any object and the deeper that knowledge, the more we learn about that object and its qualities.
Relaxation Techniques to Revitalize Body and Mind
We all get to a stage where we've just had it. We need a break. Well if a holiday is out of the question, try these relaxation techniques to revitalize your body and mind.
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