Alkalinity and Acidity

Getting in Balance – Alkalinity and Acidity

Human blood pH should be slightly alkaline ( 7.35 – 7.45 ).  Below or above this range means symptoms and disease.

A pH of 7.0 is neutral.  A pH below 7.0 is acidic.  A pH above 7.0 is alkaline.

An acidic pH can occur from, an acid forming diet, emotional stress, toxic overload, and/or immune reactions or any process that deprives the cells of oxygen and other nutrients.  The body will try to compensate for acidic pH by using alkaline minerals.  If the diet does not contain enough minerals to compensate, a build up of acids in the cells will occur.

An acidic balance will:  decrease the body’s ability to absorb minerals and other nutrients, decrease the energy production in the cells, decrease it’s ability to repair damaged cells, decrease it’s ability to detoxify heavy metals, make tumor cells thrive, and make it more susceptible to fatigue and illness.  A blood pH of 6.9, which is only slightly acidic, can induce coma and death.

The reason acidosis is more common in our society is mostly due to the typical American diet, which is far too high in acid producing animal products like meat, eggs and dairy, and far too low in alkaline producing foods like fresh vegetables.  

Additionally, we eat acid producing processed foods like white flour and sugar and drink acid producing beverages like coffee and soft drinks.  We use too many drugs, which are acid forming; and we use artificial chemical sweetners like NutraSweet, Spoonful, Sweet ‘N Low, Equal, or Aspartame, which are poison and extremely acid forming.  One of the best things we can do to correct an overly acid body is to clean up the diet and lifestyle.

To maintain health, the diet should consist of 60% alkaline forming foods and 40% acid forming foods.  To restore health, the diet should consist of 80% alkaline forming foods and 20% acid forming foods.

Generally, alkaline forming foods include: most fruits, green vegetables, peas, beans, lentils, spices, herbs and seasonings, and seeds and nuts.

Generally, acid forming foods include: meat, fish, poultry, eggs, grains, and legumes.

In its natural state, the body is slightly alkaline. It must maintain this slightly alkaline state for your very survival, and has developed complex mechanisms to ensure that this balance is maintained.

Most of us are natural alkaline producers in our early years. This is why many children can get away with eating an imbalanced diet and still be healthy and slender right up until they are in their twenties.

But as we reach our thirties and forties, the majority of us have become overly acidic. That’s because nearly everything we are exposed to – foods, environmental toxins, even stress – contribute to an acidic condition in our bodies, and our natural buffer systems become less efficient over time at neutralizing that acid. We go from being in a more or less continuous alkaline state to having chronic acidosis, or chronic excess acidity.

An imbalanced pH affects all cellular activity in the body, leading to the progression of most degenerative diseases, including acid reflux or indigestion, gout, cardiovascular disease and heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholestorol levels, kidney stones, urinary incontinence, arthritis, osteoporosis, cancer, diabetes, systemic weight gain and obesity.

An imbalanced body pH can also be at the root of many common symptoms such as constipation, digestive problems, heartburn, headaches, frequent colds, fatigue, and sleeplessness, just to mention a few.

A list of Acid / Alkaline Forming Foods

Alkaline Forming Foods VEGETABLES Garlic Asparagus Fermented Veggies Watercress Beets Broccoli Brussel sprouts Cabbage Carrot Cauliflower Celery Chard Chlorella Collard Greens Cucumber Eggplant Kale Kohlrabi Lettuce Mushrooms Mustard Greens Dulce Dandelions Edible Flowers Onions Parsnips (high glycemic) Peas Peppers Pumpkin Rutabaga Sea Veggies Spirulina Sprouts Squashes Alfalfa Barley Grass Wheat Grass Wild Greens Nightshade Veggies FRUITS Apple Apricot Avocado Banana (high glycemic) Cantaloupe Cherries Currants Dates/Figs Grapes Grapefruit Lime Honeydew Melon Nectarine Orange Lemon Peach Pear Pineapple All Berries Tangerine Tomato Tropical Fruits Watermelon PROTEIN Eggs (poached) Whey Protein Powder Cottage Cheese Chicken Breast Yogurt Almonds Chestnuts Tofu (fermented) Flax Seeds Pumpkin Seeds Tempeh (fermented) Squash Seeds Sunflower Seeds Millet Sprouted Seeds Nuts OTHER Apple Cider Vinegar Bee Pollen Lecithin Granules Probiotic Cultures Green Juices Veggies Juices Fresh Fruit Juice Organic Milk (unpasteurized) Mineral Water Alkaline Antioxidant Water Green Tea Herbal Tea Dandelion Tea Ginseng Tea Banchi Tea Kombucha SWEETENERS Stevia Ki Sweet SPICES/SEASONINGS Cinnamon Curry Ginger Mustard Chili Pepper Sea Salt Miso Tamari All Herbs ORIENTAL VEGETABLES Maitake Daikon Dandelion Root Shitake Kombu Reishi Nori Umeboshi Wakame Sea Veggies

Acid Forming Foods FATS & OILS Avocado Oil Canola Oil Corn Oil Hemp Seed Oil Flax Oil Lard Olive Oil Safflower Oil Sesame Oil Sunflower Oil FRUITS Cranberries GRAINS Rice Cakes Wheat Cakes Amaranth Barley Buckwheat Corn Oats (rolled) Quinoa Rice (all) Rye Spelt Kamut Wheat Hemp Seed Flour DAIRY Cheese, Cow Cheese, Goat Cheese, Processed Cheese, Sheep Milk Butter NUTS & BUTTERS Cashews Brazil Nuts Peanuts Peanut Butter Pecans Tahini Walnuts ANIMAL PROTEIN Beef Carp Clams Fish Lamb Lobster Mussels Oyster Pork Rabbit Salmon Shrimp Scallops Tuna Turkey Venison PASTA (WHITE) Noodles Macaroni Spaghetti OTHER Distilled Vinegar Wheat Germ Potatoes DRUGS & CHEMICALS Aspartame Chemicals Drugs, Medicinal Drugs, Psychedelic Pesticides Herbicides ALCOHOL Beer Spirits Hard Liquor Wine BEANS & LEGUMES Black Beans Chick Peas Green Peas Kidney Beans Lentils Lima Beans Pinto Beans Red Beans Soy Beans Soy Milk White Beans Rice Milk Almond Milk

 Also Read Below:

12 Reasons to Avoid Acids and Stay Alkaline

Alkalining Lemon Water

More Ranked Foods: Alkaline (pH)  to  Acidic (pH)

Alkaline:  Meditation, Prayer, Peace, Kindness & Love	Acid:  Overwork, Anger, Fear, Jealousy & Stress
Extremely Alkaline Forming Foods – pH 8.5 to 9.0	Extremely Acid Forming Foods – pH 5.0 to 5.5
9.0  Lemons 1, Watermelon 2   8.5  Agar Agar 3, Cantaloupe, Cayenne (Capsicum) 4, Dried dates & figs, Kelp, Karengo, Kudzu root, Limes, Mango, Melons, Papaya, Parsley 5, Seedless grapes (sweet), Watercress, Seaweeds         Asparagus 6, Endive, Kiwifruit, Fruit juices 7, Grapes (sweet), Passion fruit, Pears (sweet), Pineapple, Raisins, Umeboshi plum, Vegetable juices 8	5.0  Artificial sweeteners   5.5  Beef, Carbonated soft drinks & fizzy drinks 38, Cigarettes (tailor made), Drugs, Flour (white, wheat) 39, Goat, Lamb, Pastries & cakes from white flour, Pork, Sugar (white) 40         Beer 34, Brown sugar 35, Chicken, Deer, Chocolate, Coffee 36, Custard with white sugar, Jams, Jellies, Liquor 37, Pasta (white), Rabbit, Semolina, Table salt refined and iodized, Tea black, Turkey, Wheat bread, White rice, White vinegar (processed).
Moderate Alkaline – pH 7.5 to 8.0	Moderate Acid – pH 6.0 to 6.5
8.0  Apples (sweet), Apricots, Alfalfa sprouts 9, Arrowroot, Flour 10, Avocados, Bananas (ripe), Berries, Carrots, Celery, Currants, Dates & figs (fresh), Garlic 11, Gooseberry, Grapes (less sweet), Grapefruit, Guavas, Herbs (leafy green), Lettuce (leafy green), Nectarine, Peaches (sweet), Pears (less sweet), Peas (fresh sweet), Persimmon, Pumpkin (sweet), Sea salt (vegetable) 12, Spinach   7.5  Apples (sour), Bamboo shoots, Beans (fresh green), Beets, Bell Pepper, Broccoli, Cabbage;Cauli, Carob 13, Daikon, Ginger (fresh), Grapes (sour), Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce (pale green), Oranges, Parsnip, Peaches (less sweet), Peas (less sweet), Potatoes & skin, Pumpkin (less sweet), Raspberry, Sapote, Strawberry, Squash 14, Sweet corn (fresh), Tamari 15, Turnip, Vinegar (apple cider) 16	6.0  Cigarette tobacco (roll your own), Cream of Wheat (unrefined), Fish, Fruit juices with sugar, Maple syrup (processed), Molasses (sulphured), Pickles (commercial), Breads (refined) of corn, oats, rice & rye, Cereals (refined) eg weetbix, corn flakes, Shellfish, Wheat germ, Whole Wheat foods 32, Wine 33, Yogurt (sweetened)   6.5  Bananas (green), Buckwheat, Cheeses (sharp), Corn & rice breads, Egg whole (cooked hard), Ketchup, Mayonnaise, Oats, Pasta (whole grain), Pastry (wholegrain & honey), Peanuts, Potatoes (with no skins), Popcorn (with salt & butter), Rice (basmati), Rice (brown), Soy sauce (commercial), Tapioca, Wheat bread (sprouted organic)
Slightly Alkaline to Neutral pH 7.0	Slightly Acid to Neutral pH 7.0
7.0  Almonds 17, Artichokes (Jerusalem), Barley-Malt (sweetener-Bronner), Brown Rice Syrup, Brussel Sprouts, Cherries, Coconut (fresh), Cucumbers, Egg plant, Honey (raw), Leeks, Miso, Mushrooms, Okra, Olives ripe 18, Onions, Pickles 19, (home made), Radish, Sea salt 20, Spices 21, Taro, Tomatoes (sweet), Vinegar (sweet brown rice), Water Chestnut         Amaranth, Artichoke (globe), Chestnuts (dry roasted), Egg yolks (soft cooked), Essene bread 22, Goat’s milk and whey (raw) 23, Horseradish, Mayonnaise (home made), Millet, Olive oil, Quinoa, Rhubarb, Sesame seeds (whole) 24, Soy beans (dry), Soy cheese, Soy milk, Sprouted grains 25, Tempeh, Tofu, Tomatoes (less sweet), Yeast (nutritional flakes)	7.0  Barley malt syrup, Barley, Bran, Cashews, Cereals (unrefined with honey-fruit-maple syrup), Cornmeal, Cranberries 30, Fructose, Honey (pasteurized), Lentils, Macadamias, Maple syrup (unprocessed), Milk (homogenized) and most processed dairy products, Molasses (unsulphered organic) 31, Nutmeg, Mustard, Pistachios, Popcorn & butter (plain), Rice or wheat crackers (unrefined), Rye (grain), Rye bread (organic sprouted), Seeds (pumpkin & sunflower), Walnuts         Blueberries, Brazil nuts, Butter (salted), Cheeses (mild & crumbly) 28, Crackers (unrefined rye), Dried beans (mung, adzuki, pinto, kidney, garbanzo) 29, Dry coconut, Egg whites, Goats milk (homogenized), Olives (pickled), Pecans, Plums 30, Prunes 30, Spelt

Foods for Healthy Hair

Top 9 Foods for Healthy Hair:

Forum.abfun.net

1. Salmon : It is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, this high-quality protein source is also filled with vitamin B-12 and iron. Vegetarian? Include one or two tablespoons of ground flaxseed in your daily diet for some plant-based omega-3 fats.

2. Dark Green Vegetables : Spinach, like broccoli and Swiss chard, is an excellent source of vitamins A and C, which your body needs to produce sebum. The oily substance, secreted by your hair follicles, is the body’s natural hair conditioner. Dark green vegetables also provide iron and calcium.

3. Beans : Yes, it’s true. Legumes like kidney beans and lentils should be an important part of your hair-care diet. Not only do they provide plentiful protein to promote hair growth, but ample iron, zinc, and biotin. While rare, biotin deficiencies can result in brittle hair.

4. Nuts : Brazil nuts are one of nature’s best sources of selenium, an important mineral for the health of your scalp. Walnuts contain alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid that may help condition your hair. They are also a terrific source of zinc, as are cashews, pecans, and almonds. A zinc deficiency can lead to hair shedding, so make sure nuts are a regular on your healthy hair menu.

5. Poultry : Without adequate protein or with low-quality protein, one can experience weak brittle hair, while a profound protein deficiency can result in loss of hair color. Poultry also provides iron with a high degree of bioavailability, meaning your body can easily reap its benefits.

6. Eggs : Eggs are one of the best protein sources you can find. They contain biotin and vitamin B-12, which are important beauty nutrients.

7. Whole Grains : Sink your teeth into hearty whole grains, including whole-wheat bread and fortified whole-grain breakfast cereals, for a hair-healthy dose of zinc, iron, and B vitamins.

8. Low-Fat Dairy Products : Low-fat dairy products like skim milk and yogurt are great sources of calcium, an important mineral for hair growth. They also contain whey and casein, two high-quality protein sources. Try yogurt or cottage cheese cup in your bag when you head out in the morning to snack on later in the day. You can even boost their hair benefits by stirring in a couple of tablespoons of ground flaxseeds or walnuts for omega-3 fatty acids and zinc.

9. Carrots : Carrots are an excellent source of vitamin A, which promotes a healthy scalp along with good vision. Since a healthy scalp is essential for a shiny, well-conditioned head of hair, you’d be wise to include carrots in your diet as snacks or toppings on your salad.

Uses & Benefits of Spices

The uses and benefits of spices

IndiaParenting.Com

Imagine your food without any spices. Unimaginable, is it? We can easily put it this way; wherever you find an Indian you will find spices. No wonder, when food giants from across the world come to India, they have to add an Indian twist to their menu.

Right from the kitchen and medicinal uses in homes spices have an important role to play in different places. As India is blessed with a varied climate each of its state produces some spice or the other. No wonder why spices are used so extensively for cooking in India. Not only in Indiabut also in some other countries spices are considered to be of great use.

Apart from adding colour, flavour and taste, consumption of spices provide infinite health benefits. You can be more creative in use of spices if you know its uses better. Some may be a substitute for your costly beautyproducts and even medicines. Have a quick overview of Indian spices, their uses and benefits

Spices	Uses	Benefits
Asafoetida (Hing)	It is used for seasoning food especially snacks and has medicinal uses.	A good remedy for whooping cough and stomach ache caused due to gas.
Bay leaf (Tez Patta)	It is used in cooking to add a specific flavour to food. It also has some medicinal properties.	Bay leaf oil possesses antifungal and anti bacterial
Cardamom (Elaichi)	It is used in most of the Indian and other sweet dishes to give a good flavour and smell. It is also used widely in pharmaceutical sector.	Helps to control bad breathand digestive disorder. A whole cardamom chewed is good for coping with diabetes.
Chilli (Lal Mirch)	It is a main ingredient used for adding hot flavour to the food.	The antioxidants present in chilli help to cope with cholesterol. It also helps burning calories
Cinnamon (Dalchini)	It is used for mainly for seasoning food and preparing masalas It has medicinal uses too.	It supports natural production of insulin and reduces blood cholesterol
Clove (Laung)	It is used as a cooking ingredient mainly for seasoning or preparing Masalas.	Clove oil is beneficial for coping with tooth ache and sore gums. It is also beneficial remedy for chest pains, fever, digestive problems, cough and cold.
Coriander (Dhaniya)	Coriander leaves as well as coriander seeds are used in cooking. It also has some medicinal uses.	It can be used externally on aching joints and rheumatism. It is also good for coping with soar throat, allergies, digestion problems, hay fever etc.
Cumin (Zeera)	It is used for cooking and it also possesses medicinal properties.	It is a good source or iron and keeps immune system healthy. Water boiled with cumin seeds is good for coping with dysentery.
Curry leaves(Curry Patta)	It is used as a main ingredient for seasoning in some countries. It has many medicinal uses.	These leaves are beneficial for reducing blood sugar. Each part of the plant provides some benefit or the other. The dried leaves are extensively used in herbal medicines.
Fenugreek (Methi)	It is mainly used as a green leafy vegetable and seeds are used for seasoning and preparingMasalas. It also has medicinal uses.	Fenugreek seed tea or sweet fudge is good for increasing breast milk. It also helpful for treating diabetes and lowering cholesterol
Garlic (Lassan)	It is used for cooking as well as for the medicinal purpose.	It is useful for coping withcough and cold. It also has antibiotic properties.
Ginger (Adrak)	It is used for giving a specific flavour to food and has many medicinal uses.	Helps to avoid digestive problems. It is beneficial for coping with cough and cold.
Mustard (Rye)	It is used for seasoning as well as green leafy vegetable. The use of mustard oil is extensive in India but it is banned in some countries.	Mustard oil is good for body massage and even for getting good hair. It consists of omega-3 fatty acids. It is an excellent source of iron, zinc, manganese, calcium, protein etc.
Nutmeg (Jaiphal)	It is used in powdered form for garnishing and also for masala preparation. It is used in soaps, perfumes and shampoos. It can also be used for medicinal purpose.	It is beneficial for the treatments of asthma, heart disorder and bad breath.
Pepper (Kaali Mirch)	It is extensively used in cooking, especially for garnishing. It is has many medicinal uses too.	It helps coping with cold,cough, infections etc. It helps to deal with muscle pains and digestive problems
Saffron (Zaffran/Kesar)	It is used for cooking as well as in beauty products. It is mainly used in sweet dishes. It has good medicinal properties.	It helps to cope with skin diseases. It is a good remedy for cough, cold and asthma.
Star anise (Chakra Phool)	It is used in cooking and for medicinal purpose	Star anise oil is beneficial for rheumatism. It is helpful for digestion and avoiding bad breath
Turmeric (Haldi)	It is used in cooking and skin care products. It has wide range medicinal uses.	It helps deal with skin problems. Turmeric powder can be used for healing cuts and wounds. It also makes coping with diabeteseasier.

Spices are used and imported from India since ages. Many of these spices like cardamom, clove, nutmeg, ginger etc., are inseparable ingredients of the Indian ‘Masala Chai‘. This shows that spices form the basis of not only food in India but also for making a good cup of tea.

Though these spices provide innumerable benefits they should be used sparingly. The excessive use of spices in food can cause harm to the health. Try to make specific use of these spices. This will help you to make optimal use of the resources provided by nature. Strike the right balance and add some spice to your life.

Hand Reflexology Points

Hand Reflexology Points

Reflexology is a touch science.  The reflex is stimulated by direct pressure to the particular point. On the palm and wrist there are some 45 reflex points, and on the back of the hand 28 reflex points, that represent a particular organ, region, or function of the body. Combinations of reflex points are used in Reflex therapies.

Since hand reflexology is performed by applying pressure from fingers and thumbs on reflex points on the hands, the practice can provide an easy, cost-effective and safe way to treat ailments. While reflexology hand mapping feels best (and may be more effective) when done by someone else, it is possible to work on oneself.

Points For Upper Body

Side of head (inside of upper thumb)
Sinuses (fingertips)
Nose (pads of fingers)
Eustachian tubes (Base between the ring and middle finger at the palm)
Ears (base of pinkie and ring finger)
Eyes (base of the first and middle fingers)
Brain (tips of the thumbs)
Neck/Throat (above the base knuckle of the thumb and around)
Thyroid  (below the neck/throat)
Parathyroid (within the thyroid band toward the center)

Middle Body

Heart (below the pointing finger half way on the left hand)
Throat/neck (around the thumb below the first knuckle)
Shoulders (Under the pinkie knuckle at the edge of the palm)
Solar plexus (below the heart area on the left palm and near the space at the base of the thumb)
Spleen (left side halfway down below the ring and pinkie fingers)
Liver (right halfway down below the ring and pinkie fingers)
Gall bladder (right halfway down below the space between the middle and ring fingers)
Pancreas/stomach (around the base knuckle of the thumb)

Lower Body

Ascending, transverse and descending colon (along the lower mid-palm to the rectum point just above the left wrist)
Bladder
Uterus and prostate (the lower outboard area of the palm below the thumb)
Ovaries and testes (where the wrist and the hand meet below the pinkie finger)

Combinations

The empirical evidence of reflex therapy is contained in work performed by the International Institute of Reflexology in Saint Petersburg, Florida. Below are some of the conditions and combinations of reflexes used.

Addiction and craving: (lymph, solar plexus/stomach, pituitary, spine and adrenals; plus full hand massage)
Cold and flu: (lungs, sinus, lymph, solar plexus, adrenals, and pituitary points. Plus the tips of the fingers and thumbs, two areas below the knuckle under the pointer finger, one area under the middle finger knuckle, and one mid way down from the pinkie knuckle)
Sexual energy: reflexes in men (testes, prostate and bladder). Reflexes in women (ovaries, uterus, fallopian tubes and bladder)
Back Pain: (the spine area along the edges of the thumbs; points below the thumbnail. Points along the heel of the palm; these points are not exact, tenderness in an area communicates the location of these floating points)
Mental Energy: (all points of the head, the neck, thyroid, sinuses, stomach, and intestines)
Immune System: (all lymph points at the base of each finger on the back of the hand, spleen, liver, adrenals pituitary)

Video on HOW-TO

Breathing : Pranayam

Breathing : Pranayam

The Upanishads, the Hindu sacred scriptures, likewise equate prana, in the form of breath, with the universal soul. When it is done properly and when a yoga practitioner is ready, pranayama, the yogic practice of regulating and channeling one’s breath, can provide a bridge between the individual self and the universal soul.

The philosophy of Yoga is centred around achieving complete harmony between our body and mind through special exercise (posturing), breathing and meditation. The aim of Yoga is to live a healthy living and attain self-enlightenment. Yoga means to yoke (to unite) with the source of our Being. In Yoga through practices of holding a variety of body positions or asanas, and the centering of the mind and breath in a meditative way, the practitioner increases body awareness, posture, flexibility of body and mind and calmness of spirit.

To achieve this an individual has to gain complete control over ‘prana’ . Prana is the subtle force , the essence which pervades all life . The objective of Pranayama is to attain complete control of the Prana .It is the breathing process or the control of the motion of inhalation, exhalation and the retention of vital energy.

Bhasrika  @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMoqzvUAb5o&feature=related

Kapalbhati @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAzzv5ytXZQ&feature=related

Anulom-vilom @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rgs4YosrVe4&feature=related

1)  http://knowyoga.org/tiki-read_article.php?articleId=4

2)  http://knowyoga.org/tiki-index.php?page=Pranayama

3)  http://atmabodh.net/anapana_sati_yoga

Tips For Meditation

http://www.meditationbuzz.com/Tips_for_Better_Meditation.php

Tips For Better Meditation

Dada Vedaprajinananda

Meditation students often come to me and ask what they can do to improve their meditation. Success in meditation is not the result of any one single factor but depends on sustained and systematic effort over a period of time. However, there are a few tips for meditation, that will help you to improve your performance, regardless of the meditation method that you follow.

1. Prepare your body for meditation

Your physical condition has a tremendous influence on your mind. This is true for your day to day activity, but even more so when it comes to meditation. You can prepare your body for meditation by eating the right food, and by coming to meditation with an empty stomach. Eating the right food, means food which strengthens the body but doesn’t have any adverse affect on the mind. If you consume products that make the mind dull or over-stimulated then it will be much harder to meditate. And whatever your diet is, when you sit down to meditate, it should be on an empty stomach. That is why one of the best times to meditate is in the morning, before you have had your breakfast. Another good time is in the evening, before the evening meal.

2. Prepare Your Mind for Meditation

Just as your body must be prepared, so must your mind. Before you start meditation you must convince yourself, that this period of meditation is your time for personal growth, and that it is important, as important as anything else in your life. When you close your eyes to meditate, you should not jump up to answer the phone, or get ready to leave your meditation due to some slight disturbance. If you convince yourself of the importance of meditation, then your example will also convince others around you and they won’t disturb you during meditation. So, remember your periods of meditation are one of the most important parts of your daily routine, and treat them as such.

3. Sing Before Meditation

The Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore once said, “God respects me when I work, but He loves me when I sing.” That explains the place of song and music in all the great spiritual traditions. Before you begin meditation you can sing spiritual songs, whose meaning elevates your mind. It doesn’t matter if you have “good” voice or a “bad” voice, sing from the heart, and your mind will go to a point that will be the ideal starting point for your meditation.

4. Sit in a Proper Position

Remember when you were in school and the teacher looked around and saw someone slumping in his or her seat, and she said “sit up straight!” She had a good point; when the back is straight the mind is alert. Sit in a position that will keep the back straight. Sit with cross legs in a simple position, or a half-lotus or a full lotus. In addition to making the mind more alert, these positions help you to rest the various motor organs, and provide a peaceful physical base for your meditation.

In the beginning these positions may seem difficult or uncomfortable, but if you can get used to them, they will help you to deepen your meditation.

5. Follow the Meditation Instructions Exactly

Remember carefully what your meditation instructor taught you and do your best to carry it out, exactly according to the instructions. Don’t experiment and make up your own method. The various systems of meditation are based on thousands of years of experience, so you don’t have to try to figure out what to do. Take advantage of the age-old knowledge of the past, and you will make rapid strides towards a bright future. If you have forgotten any part of your meditation method, go and see your instructor and get a review of your lesson.

6. Be Regular in Your Meditation Practice

This is one of the key factors to success. Meditation works, if you work. If you only do meditation once a month or on whim, when you feel like it, then it will be impossible to be successful and realize the benefits of meditation: mental clarity, inner peace, love for others and spiritual awareness. Make meditation a part of your daily routine. Just as surely as the sun comes up each day, do your meditation without fail. Fix a time for it in the morning and evening and do it on a regular basis If you get into the habit of doing your practice regularly, then you have taken one of the single most important steps towards success in meditation, and indeed, in your life.

7. Be Patient

“Rome wasn’t built in a day,” and similarly you cannot make miraculous changes in your personality or in your spiritual life in just one sitting of meditation. Don’t be discouraged if you feel that nothing is happening. Meditation is a subtle art, the changes come slowly but surely. Keep on practicing and your meditation is sure to deepen and you will indeed be successful.

Dada Vedaprajinananda has been practicing and teaching meditation for the past 33 years. He is a senior teacher with the Ananda Marga spiritual movement and also the webmaster of the Ananda Marga website (www.anandamarga.org). Dada is also a writer, singer and songwriter and his work can be found on his website, www.dadaveda.com. dada@dadaveda.com

MEDITATION  Techniques @ http://www.sedonameditation.com/meditation-techniques.html

RELAXATION  Techniques @ http://www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_relief_meditation_yoga_relaxation.htm

BREATHING Techniques @ http://healing.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ/Ya&zTi=1&sdn=healing&cdn=religion&tm=33&f=10&tt=14&bt=1&bts=1&zu=http%3A//abel.hive.no/oj/musikk/trompet/exercise/yoga.html

Sparkling Diamonds

GOD IS NOT KIND TO THOSE,
WHO ARE NOT KIND TO OTHERS
 
You can’t change the past,
but you can ruin the present
By worrying over the future !  
 
Love…and you shall be loved.

God always gives His best to those  who leave the choice with Him.

All people smile in the same language.

Everyone needs to be loved…
especially when they do not deserve it.

The real measure of a man’s wealth
is what he has invested in eternity.

Laughter is God’s sunshine.

Everyone has beauty  but not everyone sees it.

It’s important for parents to live  the same things they teach.

Thank God for what you have,  TRUST GOD for what you need.

If you fill your heart with the regrets of yesterday and the
worries of tomorrow, you have no today to be thankful for.

Man looks at outward appearance  but the God looks within.

The choice you make today  will usually affect tomorrow.

Take time to laugh, for it is  the music of the soul.

Patience is the ability to idle your motor  when you feel like stripping your gears.

Love is strengthened by working  through conflicts together.

Harsh words break no bones  but they do break hearts.

To get out of a difficulty,  one usually must go through it.

We take for granted the things  that we should be giving thanks for.

Love is the only thing that can be  divided without being diminished.

Happiness is enhanced by others  but does not depend upon others.

Do what you can, for who you can,  with what you have, and where you are.

                                   *******************************
The Winner is always a part of the answer;
The Loser is always a part of the problem
 
The winner always has a plan  The loser always has an excuse
 
The Winner says “Let me do it for you”  The loser says “That’s not my Job”
 
The winner sees an answer in every problem  The loser sees a problem in every answer
 
The winner sees a Green near every sand trap  The loser sees a sand trap near every green
 
The winner says “It may be difficult but its possible.”
The loser says “It may be possible but its difficult”.

Prevent mold and dust

Prevent mold and dust

Tom Kraeutler, AOL

Has it ever occurred to you that the very home you regard as a sanctuary could also be harboring stealthy toxic threats? As long as mold and dust exist in the world, it really should, as these irritants can wreak havoc with your family’s health and ultimately do damage to the structure of a home.

Air quality expert Jeff May has performed scores of indoor investigations over the years and solved many a mold mystery along the way. His crusade against misinformation and health threats to homeowners has led to four informative books including My House Is Killing Me, My Office is Killing Me, Mold Survival Guide, and, due out this June, Jeff May’s Healthy Home Tips.   

“We often hear that mold is everywhere, and that gives people the impression that it’s okay to have mold and you can’t prevent it, and nothing could be further from the truth,” says May. “There may be areas so humid that it’s more difficult to control growth, but in most of the country, mold is not growing everywhere. There are definitely spores in the air, but that’s not the same thing as mold growth─a very, very important distinction to make. The same can be said about dust mites. Mold growth and dust mites can be controlled…it’s pretty straightforward.” 

Don’t let mold take hold 

Indoors and out, mold spores’ ideal landing pad is one with moisture, air and organic matter to serve as food. This combination of conditions can be found everywhere from furnishings stored in damp conditions to cardboard boxes that come in contact with subterranean concrete floors or wood shelves. However, according to May, one of the biggest and most often overlooked havens for mold is the air conditioner, whether a humble portable or mighty central air setup. 

“The irony is that you’re told to put in air conditioning for asthma and allergy problems, and in one way it’s helpful, but in another way it can be detrimental,” says May. “An air conditioning coil and everything around it is damp while the machine is running, so unless the surfaces are absolutely 100 percent clean, mold is going to grow. It’s almost inevitable that if somebody has an air conditioning system or a portable air conditioner and they don’t use adequate filtration, they’re going to get mold. So the single most important thing for all air conditioning is to use a decent filter.” 

That means a pleated filter with a MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) rating of at least 8, or 11 if your family is prone to allergies. May also notes that in the case of a window AC unit, the filter it’s shipped with usually has a MERV rating far lower than 8, so an immediate filter upgrade is in order. 

Basements are the other major household mold zones, and call for careful humidity control. Keep the humidity level below 50 percent, and to further combat mold attraction, keep finished below-grade spaces heated to at least 60 degrees around the clock. Also make sure that the grading and drainage patterns outside your home aren’t ushering in potential moisture and mold problems, and that ventilation is vigorous and properly directed outside. 

Bust the dust 

Serving as an irritant on its own and an enthusiastic host for mold spores, dust is also a toxic force to be reckoned with. Where pet dander and dust bunnies go, dust mites have already followed, and they especially love to dwell in carpeting, furnishings, bedding, radiators, air conditioners and─as many of us easily forget─behind and under refrigerators. 

“Dust is the devil ─ you’ve got to get rid of all the dust!” warns May. For those tight, tricky, dust-attracting spaces around refrigerators and elsewhere, May recommends adding a specially designed 36-inch crevice tool to your vacuum attachment arsenal. And speaking of your vacuum, you’ll get closest to a dust-free existence if it employs a HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filter and debris collection via a disposable bag.  

“People with allergies or asthma should not use a vacuum that doesn’t have a bag, because when you dump that accumulated dust out, you just create clouds of it all over again. It’s basically negating the whole job,” notes May. 

Conscientious, consistent cleaning is basic to banning dust, but also take a turn around your home to track down and block other entrances for this irritant. Air leaks around and through doors and windows, unsealed ducts, and dirty air filters are all likely sources. Finally, ensure that any indoor DIY projects do more good than harm by sealing off work areas, rolling carpet protection film out over fiber-based surfaces, and cleaning up thoroughly after every work session. 

More Toxic Troublemakers 

Besides mold and dust, there are other toxic troblemakers that can cause problems in your home. Here’s a short list and what to do about them: 

Lead Paint – If your house was built before 1978, there is a 75% chance that it contains lead paint. Undisturbed lead paint is harmless, but dust or paint chips created during paint prep or other remodeling projects post health hazards, especially to young children. For more information on lead-paint safety, log on to National Safety Council’s web site at www.nsc.org. 

Water Woes – If your tap water smells like rotten eggs and tastes a little funny, is it unhealthy? Probably not. You can’t really tell about water quality from its look, smell or even taste. It’s the “silent” contaminants, the ones that don’t trigger your senses, that you need to worry about: lead from pipes in old houses; arsenic that naturally occurs in the earth; or microorganisms, pesticides and fertilizers that wash away from farms and lawns into storm drains and wind up in our drinking water supplies. All of these have been linked to serious illnesses. 

Experts agree that the U.S. has one of the safest drinking waters supplies in the world, but that is no guarantee. For the best assurance of safety, you should periodically test your water through an independent, certified lab. Labs offer a variety of testing packages (lead, minerals, volatile organic chemicals, radon, bacteria, pesticides) at a range of prices ($30-$250). There are also home test kits for various contaminants. To find a lab, check your local yellow pages, get suggestions from your health department, call EPA’s Drinking Water Hotline (1-800-426-4791), or visit www.epa.gov/safewater/. 

Asbestos – In one form or another, asbestos has been used in home construction for almost 100 years. If your home is more than 30 years old or so, you could be at risk. The two most common forms are cement asbestos, used in siding, and asbestos insulation, used to insulate heating pipes. 

The risk of asbestos exposure is based on how friable it is (how easily it gets deteriorated). If the asbestos can be easily released to the air, then there is a substantial risk of exposure. This would be the case, for example, with heating pipe insulation made of asbestos. On the other hand, the risk of exposure from cement asbestos (such as siding), in which the asbestos is contained with in a cemet binder, is very low. If you suspet you have asbestos in your home, it is best to get it tested by an independent lab to confirm it’s asbestos content. If presence of asbestos is confirmed and the material is friable, then removal by a trained professional is recommended. Under no circumstances should you try and remove asbestos yourself. Doing so could easily contaminate the entire home. 

+ Radon Gas – Radon is a colorless, odorless gas that occurs naturally when uranium in the soil breaks down. If inhaled, radon can cause damage to your lung tissues and can lead to lung cancer. It typically moves up through the ground to the air above and into your home through cracks and other holes in the foundation. The radon then becomes trapped inside your home, where it could build up to dangerous levels. Radon has been found in every state, in brand new homes and old homes, as well as homes with and without a basement. There are ways to test for radon in your home and, if necessary, reduce radon levels. The best source for radon information and remediation is www.epa.gov/radon.

http://realestate.aol.com/article/improve/_a/your-toxic-home-prevent-mold-and-dust/20080313161109990001?ncid=AOLCOMMre00DYNLprim0001

Dispelling The Fear

Dispelling The Fear of Death

by Stephen Knapp

It is natural to feel fear of the unknown. In regard to death, this fear may be of what might happen during the process of dying, such as the pain of a terminal illness, nausea, vomiting, or even fearing abandonment by those around you.

The fear of death may also be perpetuated by the sadness of the family around the dying person, or the hopelessness of the doctor, or the nurses who feel they may have failed to keep the person alive. However, it is through death that the dying person can be released from the great burden of the diseased body.

Death is not an enemy, it is a natural fact of life, a stage of our existence, and a transition or doorway between planes of reality. Death has its own harmony with nature just as a tree loses its leaves every fall. We don’t feel that it is unjust or that the tree failed to stay fully alive when it goes dormant through the winter. It is natural. Neither should doctors and nurses feel they have failed if after every endeavor a patient dies. Actually, it may be better to let a person take the opportunity to die peacefully rather than trying to force him or her to remain alive in a suffering body. In other words, it can be better to make peace with death than try to conquer it.

The process of dying can be rough, but it is temporary. The best thing to do is to focus our consciousness as much as we can in a way that will help us reach the highest realm possible after death. Of course, it always may be a little sad to leave our home and loved ones, but if we are going to a bigger and more beautiful home, then what is there to be sorry about? It is joyful to be going to a better place. This sort of joy will also help divert our attention from any pain we may be feeling.

The primary fear of death is, of course, not knowing what we will be or where we will go in the afterlife. If you are afraid of where you might go after death, be surrendered and know that fate, or God, will put you where you will best learn whatever you need to learn. The universe is based on compassion.

It is not a punishment that we are here, but it is because of our desires for the experience of material existence and bodily sense pleasure. Each life is meant for us to learn more about ourselves, and about who we are. Death is not simply a matter of getting old or sick and then dying.

Natural death happens when you have finished doing what you were meant to do in this life. You may have wanted to do more or not, but when you have done what you were meant to do, you will move on. Nature will arrange it that you will leave this realm. Each life is like a classroom wherein you learn a certain amount, and go through a certain number of lessons or tests. Then you graduate to the next class. We can learn willingly or unwillingly. We can cooperate or be uncooperative. We can repeatedly keep going through it until we learn all of the necessary lessons to go on to the next level. That is our choice.

And if you have failed any of the tests, don’t worry. You’ll have the chance to try it again. Therefore, let go of any fear and let God put you where you will make the most progress.

Trust that God will take care of you. He will allow you to accomplish what you need to learn and attain. It may not be what you have in mind or expect, but it will be for your ultimate good, which means that it is always better and more than you expect, and maybe more than you can presently understand.

Be open to discover what it is. Furthermore, as we get closer to leaving our bodies, many realizations will come. They can help guide you and give you a glimpse of your real spiritual purpose that you have accomplished in this life and will have in your next life. As you think about it, pray and ask for guidance. Let go of your expectations and let God show you the way.

Actually, to fear death reveals one’s misunderstanding of life. It is a fear of knowing one’s real self, which is beyond the bodily identification. It is that with which some people hesitate to acquaint themselves.

Thus, if a person has known nothing else but one’s bodily identity, losing the body can put one into fear. Yet, how can one ever think he was the body when it is plain to see that he came into this temporary world through birth and must leave it through death?

All of our possessions, relationships, even our talents and skills are all temporary. So how can our body be anything more? Being afraid of death is like being afraid to give up an old and worn-out garment.

In this regard, the mind is the root cause of fear and suffering. However, this fear and anguish can be a gift because it shows where the mind gets caught in the desired model of thinking how things should be. It projects its own level of reality out on the world and its perception of things.

When things are not the way we want them to be, or think they should be, the mind has difficulty accepting it and we suffer. We then often get angry, anxious, confused, or fall into fear. To enjoy freedom from suffering, we have to grow beyond our attachments, ego, and desires.

Thus, the awareness of our approaching death plays an important role in helping us transcend our temporary worldly attachments, and to increase our development and qualities that are offered through our existence in different bodies or different planes of consciousness.

So an important point is that we do not have to be afraid of death, for we are all immortal. When we look around us, this is plain to see. Every winter the trees, plants and grass go dormant and practically die, yet they return to life and display their blooms in the spring.

Even if a tree dies and becomes soil, we can see that out of it new life rises from the remnants of its decay. Even if the water of a pond disappears, it forms the steam from which clouds are created, which rain down the potential for new life. We witness many forms of transition of the same energy. It is an endless cycle in which we all participate. In the same way, our physical body is shed at death, but our life persists on another level. Thus, through death we also find renewal.

As it is stated in the ancient Bhagavad-gita, “Never was there a time when I (the Supreme Being) did not exist, nor you. . . nor in the future shall any of us cease to be.” (Bg.2.12)

Furthermore, “The soul can never be cut into pieces by any weapon, nor can he be burned by fire, nor moistened by the wind. This individual soul is unbreakable and insoluble, and can be neither burned nor dried. He is everlasting, all-pervading, unchangeable, immovable and eternally the same. It is said the soul is invisible, inconceivable, immutable, and unchangeable. Knowing this, you should not grieve for the body.” (Bg.2.23-25) Thus, we can understand the soul accepts forms for its experience in the material worlds, but can never be killed nor does it die, but it goes on after such bodies are no longer useful.

While we live in this material world, death helps alleviate and release us from our accumulated attachments, positions, and superficial desires. Death shows us what is not important, and makes us give up those things which can no longer help, or which keeps us from understanding who we really are. Even though we are here to experience the innumerable aspects of material existence, if we are too caught up in it, we will never understand our spiritual identity.

Thus, death is an assistant which forces us to come to grips with what is temporary, and to give it up. It is another step in the learning process, to come closer to what we really are.

Unfortunately, if one is overly attached to his or her body, position, belongings and relations, death can seem like a severe punishment. Yet, it can be a gift or even a blessing.

When we realize that we are all spiritual and immortal beings, we will understand that even if the body perishes, we live on. Then our fear will leave us and we can move toward death in peace. We will see that there is no death, only an onward progression in which we become more and more perfect beings, continually engaged in preparation for a higher purpose.

So in this way, death is only the end of one classroom so we can go on to the next. The only thing that slows us down in this progress is our hesitation to trust and depend on the Supreme Being.

For the materialist who is afraid of losing everything, death is like the grip that crushes, a form of the Supreme who forces our surrender. But for the spiritually advanced person, death is like the loving grasp of God who has come to take you home. Our love of God alleviates any fear of death, because death is the vehicle by which you become more united with the Supreme Friend again. With such spiritual understanding, one can find meaning in dying.

The following is a good prayer to help alleviate any fear of death and to willingly place ourselves in the hands of God. “The Supreme Personality is certainly not known to everyone, but He is very powerful and influential. Therefore, although the serpent of eternal time, which is fearful in force, endlessly chases everyone, ready to swallow him, if one who fears this serpent of time seeks shelter of the Lord, the Lord gives him protection, for even death runs away in fear of the Lord. I therefore surrender unto Him, the great and powerful supreme authority who is the actual shelter of everyone.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 8.2.33)
 
In the end, there comes a time when we need to let ourselves, or the person dear to us, leave the body, just as when a person needs to rest. It can be wrong to resist the process of death, whether it be yours or that of another. So we should not begrudge another of his death. We should not be unwilling to let him or her go.

It is his opportunity to become free of his present restraints and limitations. It is his chance to enter a better realm to continue with his progress. He is not leaving us, he is simply going on before us.

Death is not an enemy, it can be like the friend who cuts the chain that holds the anchor which prevents one from sailing to greater horizons. This is the way we become closer to attaining freedom from this earthly plane, and from the dictates of the senses, the service of the body, and the impressions in the mind.

As it is explained, “The spirit soul, the living entity, has no death, for he is eternal and inexhaustible. Being free from material contamination, he can go anywhere in the material or spiritual worlds. He is fully aware and completely different from the material body, but because of being misled by misuse of his slight independence, he is obliged to accept subtle and gross bodies created by the material energy and thus be subjected to so-called material happiness and distress. Therefore, no one should lament for the passing of the spirit soul from the body.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.2.22)

http://www.stephen-knapp.com/dispelling_the_fear_of_death.htm

Pearls of Wisdom

Pearls of Wisdom

We are so addicted to looking outside that we have lost access to our “inner being”.

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It is only those who understand how fragile life is – who know how precious it is!

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We all are part of “ONE”. When we hurt others, we hurt ourselves.

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Karma is natural law of cause and effect. Every action is pregnant with its consequences.

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Because law of karma is infallible, whenever we harm others, we are harming ourselves.

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You don’t have to be saddled for life with the mental attitudes you adopted in childhood. All of us are free to change our minds, and our experiences will change too.

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We need to notice what’s right with our lives, instead of what’s wrong. Feelings of gratitude release positive endorphins throughout the body. Positive emotions strengthen the immune system.

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While there are plenty of things in life to be justifiably annoyed, angry or hurt at-that does not mean that we should completely ignore all that is beautiful, good and touching.

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