 |
|
 |
| |
| Departments |
Home
Columns, Special
Topics & Features:
The Columns:
Angels, Guides, &
Loving Spirits:
Angel Blessings:
with Dr. Doreen Virtue
Ask Valerie Morrison,
Internationally
Acclaimed Psychic
Astrologer's Notes:
Ask Carrin Martin,
Astrologer
Basil Fearrington,
Astrologer
Diana Stone,
Astrologer &
Huna Shaman
Jeff Jawer
Astrologer
Martin Lass,
Astrologer
Glenn Perry,
Astrologer
Ray Merriman,
Financial Astrology:
MMA Market Week
Noel Tyl,
Astrologer
Daily Aspect Calendar
by Care
The Weekly Horoscope
By Care
Creating Bridges:
The Spiritual &
Philosophical
Act of Power
Discovering the Key to Living Your Sacred Dream
by Lynn Andrews
The BUT Doctor
Healing America's Real Crack Problem One Person at a Time
by Eddie Conner
Avant-Gardening:
Insights by Frank &
Vicky Giannangelo
Breaking Free:
Anne Brewer
From The Heart:
Alan Cohen
Teachings from the Western Mystery Traditions: The Esoteric "Paths of Return"
by Jacquelyn Small, Eupsychia
"Letters from Heaven:" Spiritual Guidance from
the Hebrew Alphabet
by Avigayil Landsman
Memos From The
First Tabugian
Art Rosengarten, Ph.D.
The Path of Wisdom and Love
Dr. John Demartini,
Spirituality in Daily Life: by Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron
The Conscious Column
by David Ault
Spiritual Mastery
for the 21st Century
Dr. Gwen MacGregor
Pearls of Wisdom:
with Care & Aeon
Feng Shui & Chinese Metaphysics:
Inside Chinese Metaphysics
by Barbara Finch,
Feng Shui &
Chinese Astrology
Wind & Water:
Carole J. Hyder
In Practice:
How to Create a Successful Holistic Practice- from Start to Success
by Shaun Brown,
CMT, BA BeWell Publications
Spirit in Work
by John Livesay,
Author
The Business of Tarot
by Bonnie Cehovet,
Tarot Master
Pet Care:
Dr. Carson's Holistic Animal Care
by Dr. Kathleen Carson, D.V.M.
Tarot:
Soulforest:
Tarot and Spirituality
Rachel Pollack,
Tarot Grand Master
Gateway to Tarot:
by Bonnie Cehovet,
Tarot Master
Reviews:
Tarot, Cartomancy,
Oracle Decks,
Books, & Software.
by Bonnie Cehovet,
Tarot Master
Humor:
Wake Up Laughing.Com:
Swami Beyondananda
Features:
Blessings & Messages
Crystals, Gemstones & Minerals
Event Calendar
Historical Notes & Data
The MetaPersonals
Opinion-Editorial
Symbols, Seals,
Amulets & Talismans
The What in the
World Department
Trivia & Other
Novel Moments
Interviews:
Rachel Pollack
The Kabbalah Tree
Healing & Alternative
Health:
"The Ancient Way of Chinese Medicine"
by Kevin O'Neil
Flower Essences
by Donna Cunningham
Living in Harmony-Astrology, Yoga & Ayurveda:
Venkat & Christine Machiraju
"Spirit and Practice
of the Wise Woman
Tradition"
By Susun Weed
Tai Chi & Qigong
by Bill Douglas
The Holistic Mystic,
by Lonny Brown
Medical Intuition: Tune
in to Your Body and Improve Your Health
by Caroline Sutherland, Sutherland Communications
Conscious Breathing
for Health and Self Transformation
by Dennis Lewis
Homeopathy:
by Senbita Carter,
Lecturer & Practitioner
The Directory
The Book Nook
Archives:
Past Issues
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Holistic Mystic: |
|
|
Balance: In Yoga As In Life
by Lonny Brown, Ph.D. |
|
|
How would you like a bit more equanimity and poise in the face of life's vicissitudes? One natural way to reduce stress and increase coping skills is to practice yoga balance poses. That's because developing one's sense of balance in the yoga studio has surprising implications to our lives in the "real world." It builds not only strength and flexibility, but composure and personal power.
Balance is an innate faculty that can be enlisted to great advantage in relaxation and wellness. Like breathing, it operates at the interface between mind and body, and reveals their intimate relationship. If you seek peace of mind, one good strategy is to develop balance of body.
Get Balanced
Balance yoga is a kind of dynamic meditation. Practicing balance poses immediately brings you into the present moment, internalizes your attention, integrates neuro-motor functions, and enervates nerve pathways from the brain to the soles of your feet.
Try this:
Take a deep breath, hold it and tighten up all your muscles, then release the tension and the breath simultaneously. Feel your tension fall out of you and your circulation increase. (This phase of the yoga balance routine is called "grounding."
While standing, find your sense of balance by momentarily losing it: lean forward putting more weight on the balls of your feet, and feel the increased tension. (This posture is "top heavy," makes you get "ahead of yourself" and creates a tendency to get tripped up.) Come back past center until the weight is on your heals. (This stance makes you a "pushover," unassertive and easily intimidated.) Come back to center, where the least effort is exerted. (This natural balance point is your most effortless position.)
Tune in to your three axis of position: front-to-back, side-to-side, and up and down. Bring your awareness to the midpoints of each of these dimensions within you, and to the center where they all intersect, i.e., your center of gravity. This point - well known in the oriental martial arts as the "Hara" center - lies at the level of the solar plexus and coincides with the origin of the breath. This step is called "centering."
Next, fix your gaze on a visual focal point about 3 yards in front of you. Imagine a plumb line suspended from between your legs to the center of the earth. Mentally begin with the line directly between your feet, and then slowly shift your weight to the right (bring the "plumb line" down the right leg) so you can lift the left foot and place it against your upright knee. Hold the balance pose for two minutes - relaxed yet strong - then switch and repeat on the other leg.
Stay Tuned
You can progressively improve your balance by holding it longer, raising your arms in the air, and eventually by closing your eyes. Additionally, the bent leg can be folded across the opposite thigh, up to the chest, or back behind you. For best results, practice daily. After a few weeks, you may be pleasantly surprised to discover that you feel more focussed, and you're handling your daily challenges more easily. Your sense of balance has become a working metaphor for your active life.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lonny Brown,
Ph.D.
|
 |
Lonny J. Brown, Ph.D. is the author of "Self-Actuated Healing" (Naturegraph, Publ.), and "Enlightenment In Our Time," (BookLocker.com/
LonnyBrown).
His writings on holistic health have appeared on AOL's Alternative Medicine Forum and in Alternative Health Practitioner, Yoga Journal, and many other progressive publications.
Dr. Brown teaches holistic health, mind/body healing, and stress reduction courses at hospitals, schools and businesses throughout the US. His Web site also features essays, tapes, books, and links to a variety of integrative health sources.
Lonny J. Brown, Ph.D. is also the author of " ENLIGHTENMENT ONLINE - The Newsletter for Spiritual Cyberspace.
holistic.com/lonny
lonny@holistic.com
lonnybrown@aol.com
|
Send your questions to:
The Holistic Mystic
|
 |
You'll find it in
The
Directory! |
|
|
|
|
