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Healing & Alternative Health: |
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Living in Harmony-Astrology, Yoga & Ayurveda |
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by Venkat and Christine Machiraju |
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Sleep
Often times people find it difficult to fall asleep. This is often due to tension and stress, which are held in the mind and not released at the need of the day. When the mind and body are engaged or filled with stress it is impossible to sleep. Sleep only occurs once the mind and body are fully relaxed. Deep breathing is one way to help the mind and body unwind enough to fall asleep.
Meditation on the Breath
Using the breath as an object of meditation is a very useful practice. This way helps us withdraw the sense from the outside world and helps us to focus on our inner self.
· Exhale and sit straight, try to maintain straight posture throughout meditation.
· Take regular, deep breaths through the nose.
· Count each inhalation and exhalation as one and do ten breaths, counting each breath.
· After ten breaths have been counted one can count down from ten to one again using slow, deep breaths.
· Do as many sets as are comfortable. .
· Try to allow all other thoughts to fall away and eventually become one with the breath.
Benefits
This form of breath is very relaxing and can also be done while lying down. It is particularly helpful for those who have trouble sleeping due to the inability to still the mind. By actually doing it in bed, it can be used as a tool to fall asleep.
This form of mediation will bring great peace of mind and clarity in thinking.
Sound Therapy
We all know that a soothing lullaby helps a baby to sleep but we do not think of using music or sound for ourselves. Sound can be used in a few ways to help us relax and fall asleep.
We can use music, chanting or the sound of water to help us sleep. Any sound that makes us feel relaxed can be introduced into the bedroom at night to help us ease into a pleasant slumber. In this day and age of technology we can download any sound from the Internet, burn it onto a disc or record it onto cassette and voila, we have our very own sound therapy equipment!
There are also many mantras that can be used to help one sleep.
Om Nama Sivaya is a mantra that is used to help cool the mind.
Om Shnati, which means peace, can be used to calm the mind to help one sleep or simply chanting any one syllable like om can help one fall asleep.
The repetition of sound helps to sooth the mind and thus enables one to sleep.
Journaling and Releasing
Many people carry all the problems of the day home with them and then carry them into bed. It is crucial to let go of all stresses from the day as soon as one returns home if not sooner. We can do this by writing them down on paper and then releasing them from our mind and heart. We can also write down all the things that were good in our day and focus on them rather than the negative.. Another good way to release negative thoughts is to go for a walk or engage in an enjoyable activity before bed so that our mind is in a pleasant place. Walking while chanting and enjoying the beauty of nature is very therapeutic. Taking up an art class or volunteering or engaging in a sport will also sooth the body and mind and fill the mind with something pleasant to focus on before bed.
It is very important that we realize that we control our own mind and thoughts and whenever a negative thought come we are the one who can chose to think it or let it go. It is this realization that will set us free from self-pity, sadness and stress. We can actually lie down and allow all thought to fill the head and then visualize physically releasing all the negative thoughts. Once the mind is clear we can fill it with positive thoughts or simply fill it with light or fill it with a soothing color and allow it to be calm. We are the one who is deciding which thought we are going to focus on. We can decide today to stop thinking negatively and be free from this day forward. This does not mean that we will not experience negative thoughts, but when we do we can chose to eliminate them from our minds and hearts.
Aromatherapy and Massage
Aroma can be used to help us relax. It works on a physiological, scientific and emotional level. Aroma triggers emotions and even memories and thus can be used to heal the mind. Essential oils also have healing properties that can help to release tension from the mind and body.
Some oils that enhance relaxation are sandalwood, rose, lavender, jasmine and honey suckle to name just a few. Fennel oils is also used to sooth the mind and body. The oils can be used by applying them to the cnetre of the forehead. This area is the seat of the pineal gland, when we apply oil here we help the mind relax. Oils can also be applied to any of the seven chakra points, the tailbone, navel, heart, throat, forehead or top of the head to help release emotions, improve health and induce relaxation or they can be applied the soles of the feet and palms to help one relax. Essential oils can also be applied to a hanky which can be kept under the pillow, the can be diffused into a room or scented candles, sachets or incense can also be used.
Massage is prescribed in ayurveda not only to help one relax, but to rejuvenate the body and mind and increase the health of all the body systems. Massage helps to increase circulation, strengthens the immune system, cleanses the organs and makes one stronger. Massage should be done at least once a week and can be done daily. It should be done with soothing massage oil. To perform self-massage one simply starts at the head and works down over the entire body massaging oil into each and every part. The arms and legs should be massaged with downward stokes with the visualization that all toxins are being removed from the body. The joints can be massaged in circular strokes with the visualization that they are becoming stronger. The abdomen can be massaged with circular strokes staring from the right side and moving toward the left. The neck and back are harder to reach but if there is concern in these areas one can go for a massage once a month to assist in their healing.
Massaging the palms and soles of the feet will engage reflex point that also help to strengthen, cleanse and relax the organs and muscles.
Color and Sleep
Color has a big impact on our ability to relax., In general the bedroom should be painted in a color that induces calm. Light blues, indigo, violet and soft pinks are all good choices for the bedroom. One should stay away from yellows, reds and oranges, as they are stimulating colors.
The bedroom should also be free from a lot of articles like knickknacks and pictures. Pictures of water, a soothing fountain or soft lights can be used to create a peaceful ambiance. Images of fire, war or anything unsettling should not be placed in the bedroom and over decoration should be avoided.
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Venkat and Christine,
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Venkat and Christine have dedicated much of their lives to the study of spiritual sciences. They offer classes and consultations in Astrology, Palmistry and Numerology (psychic readings) yoga, baby massage, vegetarian cooking and various forms of natural healing - aromatherapy, body type analysis, diet planning, color therapy and herbal facials to name a few.
They also create herbal products specific to individual body type. Some of the products include; massage oils, herbal cosmetics, teas, and East Indian spices mixtures for food, herbal lip balm and a line of herbal baby products.
Christine and Venkat offer unique consultations blending the sciences of Vedic astrology and Ayurveda consultations include not only predictions, but outline your spiritual path and suggest remedies such as gem therapy, mantra therapy and others to help you free yourself from negative karma and to increase joy, health and spiritual growth.
E-mail:
journeytothesoul
@accesscomm.ca
Web:
www.accesscomm.ca/
users/journeytothesoul
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