Awakening the Heart!

It’s easy for us to take our lives for granted when things are going well.  But if we return a Thank You to the Divine for our good fortune, we will make space for new blessings to arrive when we least expect them.

By saying Thank You for my food, shelter, job, family’s health everyday, you will also strengthen your connection to the Source and create more trust and faith that will inevitably sustain you during hard times.

When you are in a crisis or prolonged bad luck, try to have gratitude for what is going right in your life.  It’s easy to complain and see the negative in unfavorable situations you are encountering.  But if you can think of at least one thing that is positive about it, you may be able to shift your perception and change the outcome.

By looking at your glass of life as being half full instead of half empty you can bring more abundance to yourself and your family.

So make Gratitude a part of your daily routine today!

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When the seasons outside begin to shift and adjust, so do we. In addition to being an excellent time for detoxification and renewal, the transition into fall also allows time to check-in on our daily routine.

In Ayurveda the Sanskrit name for daily routine is Dinacharya. Din can be translated as ‘day’ and acharya means ‘to follow’ or ‘close to’. Some say that this simply means “to be close to/or follow the natural rhythms of the sun, moon and universe,” which also includes our own internal rhythms, cycles and desires.

Practicing Dinacharya is an excellent strategy for staying in balance and increasing immunity. Hearing the ayurvedic version of a healthy daily routine is daunting to most of us in the West, who have been so strongly conditioned to follow an external and somewhat arbitrary rhythm of life – motivated by anything but our true body’s and spirit’s needs.

Below are some of the key elements to following an ayurvedically balanced routine:

Waking Up

–Persons of all doshas are recommended to rise before the sun, but generally
Vata: needs plenty of rest – best to rise by 6am
Pitta: more moderate – best to rise by 5:30pm
Kapha: needs to get up and going well before the Kapha hours begin – best to rise by 4:30am

Cleaning and Preparing the Body

–Drinking a room temperature or warm glass of water rather than coffee first thing will serve to stimulate the kidneys, and cleanse the G.I. tract.

–Scraping the entire length of the tongue stimulates the internal organs, helps digestion, and removes dead bacteria. Stainless steel, gold or silver tongue scrapers can be purchased online or in some health food stores.

–Performing a brief self massage – whether with a dry brush or using oil – Abhyanga is a great way to stimulate both the skin and the nervous system prior to bathing in the morning.

Exercises – Mental and Physical

Yoga, and Meditation as part of your morning routine can greatly enhance your outlook all day.

–Yoga
for Vata – gentle and slow movements to ground and center the energy
for Pitta – cooling and calming exercise that focuses on a moderate pace
for Kapha – vigorous warming movements at a rapid pace that open the body and move stuck energy

–Meditation
a brief, but regular sitting practice complements individuals of all natures; try opening your practice by offering gratitude for everything you currently enjoy in life, or by setting a conscious intention for things you’d like to invite in.

We will discuss additional elements of the daily routine in coming months.

Rather than become overwhelmed by introducing massive changes to your already hectic morning routine, in the interest of promoting balance try one or two of these suggestions to begin cultivating your own personalized Dinacharya.

And always listen first to your own internal responses for the most balanced, healthy practice.

kariew, Ayurvedic http://www.ayubwc.com/newsletter/index.php?entry=entry100817-171159

Related posts:

1. Ayurveda Daily Routine for Rebalancing Vata Dosha
2. Increase in Kapha Qualities – Coughing/Sneezing/Sinus Congestion
3. Stress and Rebalancing from an Ayurvedic Perspective

“This study shows there is something real about Acupuncture and its effects on fibromyalgia,” said Dr. David Martin, the Mayo Clinic anesthesiologist who was the study’s lead investigator. “Our study was performed on patients with moderate to severe fibromyalgia. It’s my speculation that if Acupuncture works for these patients with recalcitrant (hard to treat) fibromyalgia – where previous treatments had not provided satisfactory relief – it would likely work for many of the millions of fibromyalgia patients.”

Fibromyalgia is a chronic disorder with symptoms that include widespread pain, tenderness and stiffness in the muscles. It is generally accompanied by fatigue, headache and sleep disturbances. Fifty patients for whom symptom-relief treatments had failed were selected for the study. Mayo Clinic physicians who specialize in pain management randomly assigned subjects to a group that would receive Acupuncture or a group that would receive simulated Acupuncture (treatment to a sham Acupuncture point). Subjects were not informed which group they were in.

Each person filled out a symptom-assessment questionnaire prior to the first treatment and then received six treatments over a period of two to three weeks. Follow-up data was collected from all patients immediately after treatment. Then, one month after care ended and then again seven months after treatment, they were re-interviewed to find out about their current levels of pain and other symptoms.

Following the initial treatments, symptoms of pain, fatigue and anxiety were most significantly improved in the patients given true Acupuncture. These patients experienced the largest improvements one month after their care ended. At the seventh-month follow-up interview, some patients reported that their discomfort had returned if no additional Acupuncture care had been administered.

Dr. Martin believed the study patients would have seen sustained improvement with ongoing Acupuncture. “It’s a reasonable expectation that if they received more Acupuncture after two to three months, they would have maintained their improvement,” he said. “Acupuncture usually works for about three months, and then patients need a less-intensive treatment session. These patients would need more acupuncture periodically for as long as they experience fibromyalgia symptoms.”

bannardcenter, Chiropractic http://www.thebannardcenter.com/594/acupuncture-relieves-fibromyalgia/

Related posts:

1. Acupuncture beats drug injection in survey on neck pain relief
2. Acupuncture Center of Cary provides gentle Japanese style acupuncture since 1996
3. Bannard Family Chiropractic and Wellness Center offers a total wellness solution in Cary

From Ayurvedic point of view Lavender is the perfect oil that is suitable for any person. And I truly believe that no medicine cabinet or pantry should go without it.

Lavender has been used continuously for centuries to enhance food and for health as dried flowers, herbed oils, and essential oils. People were using Lavender from washing linens to soothing teas, from hiding under the corset of beautiful ladies for a pleasant smell to healing wounds of a soldier.

It is important to say that among various species of Lavender only Lavandula officinalis (other names: Lavandula angustifora, Lavandula vera) can be used therapeutically. Therapeutic Lavender is not cheap and is the most often adulterated oil. There are more than 30 different types of Lavender oils for sale. Not all of them are of a therapeutic and organic grade. Some species of Lavender contain too much ketones and are too toxic to be used in aromatherapy. Buy your lavender only from the reputable sources.

Medicinal properties of Lavender:

• Analgetic (arthritis/rheumatism, muscle pain, bruises)
• Antibacterial (according to some research it is effective against: diphtheria, pneumonia, acute sinusitis, otitis media, meningitis, sepsis, septic arthritis, endocarditis, peritonitis, pericarditis, cellulitis, brain abscess, urinary tract infections, E. coli, septicemia, ankylosing spondylitis, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus, salmonella, staphylococcus, streptococcus, gastrointestinal illness to name a few)
• Antifungal (candida, nail infection, chlamydia, tinea capitis)
• Anti-inflammatory (eczema, insect bites, sinusitis, cystitis, bruises, spraines, acne, otitis)
• Antiseptic (acne, bronchial secretions, cystitis, otitis, skin infection, influenza, sinusitis, tuberculosis)
• Antispasmodic (cramps, coughing)
• Balancing (nervous system)
• Calming, sedative (headaches, migranes, anxiety, insomnia, sleep problems)
• Cardiotonic  (tachycardia)
• Carminative (flatulence, colic)
• Cicatrizant (burns, scars, varicose ulcers, wounds)
• Emmenagogic (scanty periods)
• Hypotensor (hypertension)

At this point you might feel completely overwhelmed.

Not to worry. Follow these simple rules to be on the safe side:

• Always consult doctor if you have any serious problems. Never self-diagnose or self-medicate.
• Never drink essential oils.
• Never put essential oils in your eyes, nose, or on private parts.
• Only use essential oils from the reputable sources

The following are a few suggestions on how safely use lavender for your family.

• Insect repellent:

o   Add few drops to a skin lotion, apply just before your daily walk in the park

o   Put a few drops on your hands, rub together, than rub your body just before going out

o   While traveling, put a drop on your bed and a drop on the pillow

Note: for outdoor use you will need to reapply essential oil every few hours.

• Insect bites – apply one drop and rub in.
• Burns – apply one drop immediately, do not rub if the blister appears. For the bigger burns: soak gauze and gently cover the injured place, and go to the hospital.
• Skin rushes – apply a few drops, gently rub. Contact the doctor if the rushes persist and no improvements show in the next day or two.
• Small cuts – apply 1-2 drops. It will disinfect, ease the pain and help with healing.
• Cough, cold, flu, sinus infection – diffuse the oil in the room for a couple of hours or as long as you want. 20 drops to 1 cup of water.
• Ear infection – 1 drop of Lavender massage around the ear. 1 drop of Lavender (can be mixed with 1 drop of Chamomile) on the cotton ball, place a cotton ball into the ear. Must be applied to both ears even when the pain affects only one.
• Insomnia – diffuse the oil in the room during the night. 20 drops to 1 cup of water. Puts restless babies to sleep like a charm.
• Headache – 1 drop of lavender (can be mixed with 1 drop of Peppermint) applied around the hairline.
• Muscle pain, arthritis, back pain – ease the pain by applying 1-2 drops of Lavender directly to the affected area.
• Depression, anxiety, mood swings – diffuse the oil in the room for a couple of hours or as long as you want. 20 drops to 1 cup of water.
• Ice-cream – yummy.  Only use therapeutic or food grade oil for it. Instead of vanilla flavoring add 1 drop of Lavender oil for 2 cups of ice-cream mixture before putting it in the ice-cream maker. It adds unforgettable flavor.

A word about diffusers: Only use cold diffusers (ionic diffusers) because heat destroys therapeutic properties of essential oils.

Suggested sources of good quality essential oils:

Young Living: https://www.youngliving.org/harmony66

Tisserand: http://www.tisserandusa.com/

admin, Reiki http://www.surchange.com/437/lavender-the-wonder-oil/

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1. Hemophilia and Essential Oils Safety
2. Essential oils for depression and anxiety
3. Tasty Water while Fighting Cancer

Instead of drinking sugary drinks or flavored water with man-made chemicals, give your essential oils a try.  You’ll be surprised how yummy they can make that boring old water and the citrus oils have naturally occuring molecules that have been shown to stop cancer growth!  Yup, I’m serious!

Citrus oils contain a molecule called d-Limonene, which has been proven in many studies to stop the growth of new cancer cells.  Simply by adding a few drops of citrus essential oils to your water, you are ingesting this healthy molecule and supporting your health – and they taste so good too!

• Grapefruit Essential Oil contains 68-92% d-Limonene
• Orange Essential Oil contains 85-90% d-Limonene
• Lemon Essential Oil contains 55-75% d-Limonene
• Tangerine Essential Oil Contains 65-80% d-Limonene

When you are adding oils to your water make sure you are using either a glass, ceramic or stainless steal container.  Don’t use plastic because the oils can break down the plastic, which you will then be drinking – yuck!

Add a drop or two of the oil first, then add your water.  It helps to mix up the oil in the water that way.  Enjoy!

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1. Hemophilia and Essential Oils Safety
2. CHIROPRACTIC HELPS CANCER PATIENTS IMPROVE LIFE, REDUCE NEED FOR DRUGS
3. Sunrise Massage: Benefits of massage for cancer patients

So, how can one be happy with life just 2 days in a week? Just 104 days in a year. Just 23 years of one’s life?

You read all the self-help books, took all the career development classes, but nothing changes. You are stuck. And your most popular mantra “I love my job” does not work anymore.

Probably it is time to put aside some new books (full of tantalizingly new ideas) and look at some old books. How about a really old book? Getting the wisdom from the system that is 5,000 years old and counting makes sense to me. I am talking about Ayurveda.

The main focus of Ayurveda, a wellness system from India, is to create a balance, a flow, on all levels: physical, emotional and spiritual – because without the balance one cannot achieve his or her highest potentials. So how can it help you?

Ayurveda recognizes energy point in human body that reflect our physical and emotional state. They are divided in two groups: Chakras and Marma points. There are 7 Chakras and about 200 (depending on the school) Marma points. By evaluating and balancing Chakras trained practitioner affects not just emotional and physical state of the patient, but also the success of their career advances and family life.

Sounds too good to be true? Let’s take a closer look at the Chakra system.

Chakra 1

Chakra 1 – Base Chakra, is the foundation of our emotional and physical wellbeing. According to ancient texts this Chakra is responsible for our sense of security and grounding. The imbalance manifests itself in high stress level, feeling of insecurity, and high levels of anxiety. Would you do a business with the person who is nervous, jittery and does not meet your eyes? I thought so, neither would I.

The person with balanced Base Chakra manifests confidence, integrity and thrustworthiness.

Chakra 2

Chakra 2 – Sacral Chakra, reflect our creativity. Nothing happens in our lives without creativity. Apparently simple acts of everyday life like cooking, conversation and writing an e-mail require imagination not mentioning projects at work that demand out-of-the-box thinking.

Without creativity there is no career advantage, there is also no job satisfaction or business development.

You can learn to fake confidence, but it is impossible to fake creativity.

Chakra 3

Chakra 3 – Power Chakra represents Will. You might be very creative person but without will, the desire and ability to implement ideas, ideas become fantasies. Malfunction of this Chakra manifests itself in the inability to organize the day, follow the plan or finish the task.

Everything is so hard to do, your day seams busy. But in reality nothing productive is achieved. Even one simple ten minut task seams so huge, that it “occupies” your whole day.

People with balanced Third Chakra achieve the impossible, squeezing 48 productive hours in a single day with ease.

Chakra 4

Chakra 4 – Heart Chakra, the Chakra of love. This is the Chakra with which we give and receive unconditional love to family, friends, co-workers, clients. And how love can affect our carrier or business success?

Malfunction of this chakra shows itself in inability to manifest love and to feel appreciation and love of others. Constant irritation, stress and disappointment with lost clients, deals and opportunities – sounds familiar?

We do not like going to people who do not like us. So if you do not like your clients or cannot manifest your love – don’t be surprised that the retention level is low.

We do not like to perform jobs that are not valued in community. And it is hard to do any job that you do not like or feel unappreciated.

Yes, love can be faked, but people feel the difference.

Chakra 5

Chakra 5 – Throat Chakra: self-expression. This Chakra helps to express our feelings and ideas, and manage tasks and people. Without manifesting our ideas in words (written or spoken) they are nothing. You might have a magnificent world hidden inside you, but without descriptions – it is a corpse of a fantasy and nothing more.

In the beginning it was the Word. People with malfunctioning 5th Chakra might have communication problems and speak so quietly that it is hard to hear them even by standing close.

Without your own voice even faking confidence and love become problematic.

Chakra 6

Chakra 6 – Third Eye Chakra is the Chakra of intuition, the eye into the world of unknown.

None of us can predict the future, but nevertheless…

When this chakra functions properly we can understand the consequences of our actions, we can predict the outcome of our projects, and accept even the worst situations (and by accepting we can use our 2^nd creative Chakra to find the solution).

Without it we are lost: we are uncertain of the outcome of even the simplest actions, we are scared, we do not want to see the truth, we cannot change the situation, we are out of control, we live in the fantasy and it hurts.

When it is open we plan with confidence, we can find the solution to the pressing issues, we stay calm, we are in command and are ready to maneuver in the ever-changing stream of life.

Chakra 7

Chakra 7 – The Crown Chakra is our connection to the spirituality. It brings us peace and tranquility and helps to make moral decisions. It is our guide to what is right and wrong.

When closed it makes us confused, depressed and unbalanced. When open it shines with honesty, trustworthiness and reliability, beaming into the world our true self.

Chakras can be balanced with Reiki, meditation, Yoga, and other holistic modalities.

admin, Reiki http://www.surchange.com/416/chakra-career-reiki/

Related posts:

1. Essential Oils for Chakra Balancing
2. Chakra System – Basic Intoduction
3. Reiki – beyond mambojambo

a)     Physical

b)    Mental

c)     Behavioral
2.     Sleep Apnea – serious condition where there is intermittent cessation of breathing during sleep, which forces the individual to repeatedly wake.  Sleep apnea can be linked to irregular heartbeat, heart attack, high blood pressure, stroke and SIDS.  These folks are usually under conventional medical care.
3.     Narcolepsy – a chronic sleep disorder in which people experience daytime sleepiness so excessive that they fall asleep at inappropriate times for a few seconds to 30 minutes.  Attacks occur in the course of normal daily activities like talking, eating, working and walking – even after a full nights sleep.
4.     Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome (DSPS) is a condition in which people chronically stay up quite late, usually until 3-4 am and then sleep all morning arising about 10 or 11 am.  If DSPS sufferers have to wake earlier in the morning, they do so with great difficulty and experience daytime drowsiness and impaired performance, but still cannot go to sleep until the early morning hours.  Advanced Sleep Phase Syndrome is the direct opposite of DSPS.
5.     Hypersomnia – sleep disorder in which people sleep too much – either for prolonged periods at night or during the day.  Some people normally sleep longer than others – ten or more hours a day – but this does not necessarily indicate a disorder.

cyndiwins, Naturopathic Medicine http://balityinc.com/43/types-of-sleep-disorders/

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How Pitta dominant your individual nature is (see our webpage, “What is Ayurveda,” if you are still not sure) and also how you cope with the extreme temperature might affect how oppressive the recent heat wave has been to both your bodily comfort and also your mood.

Things that may exacerbate or indicate rising Pitta levels in the body/mind:

+ Eating too much spicy or acidic food, or drinking dehydrating alcoholic beverages.

Remedy: Choose light crisp vegetables and salads, juicy fruits, and cooling, rehydrating drinks instead

+ Burning, drying or irritating skin.

Remedy: Enjoy an Ayurvedic massage, for relaxation but also to soothe the skin – we can use a pitta-friendly oil to rehydrate and protect tender skin this summer.
If you are Pitta dominant and prone to sensitive skin, wearing appropriate cover-up clothing/hats is always wise when enjoying the beach or the pool or your own garden.

+ Getting caught up in projects (personal or work-related) or being sucked in to “road rage” mentality while traveling.

Remedy: Take breaks often to calm potentially escalating intensity. A two to three minute breath-centered meditation can be used throughout the day. Spend time in the water (be it a pool, the ocean or a bath at home) Aromatherapy is often very effective in cooling the mind/temper. Try Rose Oil or Lavender in a bath, lotion or misting spray.

Whether this is your favorite time of year or your least, take some time to enjoy the activities you cherish with the ones you love this summer. Stay Cool and Be Well.

Related posts:

1. Stress and Rebalancing from an Ayurvedic Perspective
2. Importance of Daily Routine according to Ayurveda
3. Increase in Kapha Qualities – Coughing/Sneezing/Sinus Congestion

a.       Caffeine

b.      Sugar (hypoglycemia = uneven blood sugar levels = insulin rebound

c.       Drugs, alcohol and nicotine

d.      Food Intolerance – most common: dairy, wheat, corn and chocolate (histamine release)

2.      Environmental Factors – electromagnetic fields: from electric blankets to power lines.

3.      Mental/Emotional Factors

a.       grief,

b.      depression,

c.       anxiety,

d.      fear,

e.       excitement

Example:  Your digestive system is stressed and unable to digest protein, the amino acids that affect neurotransmission will not be available to your brain and you can become ill emotionally without having anything emotionally stressful going on in your life.

Stress and pent-up emotional issues can wreak havoc on the brain, deregulating brain chemicals and organs that are instrumental in procuring a good night’s rest.  Unmanaged daily stress can deplete your hormonal and nutrient reserves and create a vicious cycle of less sleep and more stress.

Unresolved psychological issues, such as deep-seated internal fears or relationship conflicts, can disturb brain chemistry and hinder deep sleep.

4.      Physiological Factors

1.      High nighttime levels of cortisone.  (hormone secreted by adrenal glands during periods of wakefulness activity)

2.      Stomach or bladder ailments, rheumatic disorder or nervous system illness, sleep apnea may be linked to obesity says Dr. John Hibbs, ND of Bastyr University.  Particularily if the patient also has heart disease or lung problems from chronic smoking

3.      Colon and Liver health – these organs remove externally acquired toxins and metabolic waste from the body.  If not working properly, the toxic body can produce food allergies, bacterial overgrowth and depletion of vitamins and minerals essential to inducing a good night’s sleep.

4.      Hormonal Imbalances – menopause andropause as estrogen and progesterone in women and testosterone in men shift and decline ~ psych, emotional and physical transitions = sleep disruptions.

5.      Lack of regular exercise – stress buildup – structural imbalances (esp. spinal)

cyndiwins, Naturopathic Medicine http://balityinc.com/46/causes-of-sleep-disorders/

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1. Types of Sleep Disorders
2. Menopause – take care of yourself
3. HeartMath: Power of Dialogue, Inc helps to reduce stress and re-learn the happiness.

Chakra is derived from the Sanskrit word for wheel, and is used as a model for the collection of vibrations found in the body that rotate at varying velocities, and are generally found in uniform locations along the spinal column. Each chakra corresponds to an area of the body, as well as organ systems in that region.

How is this related to Marma Points in Ayurveda?

Both Ayurveda and Yoga view the body as a collection of channels along which all that makes us alive, healthy and aware flow. Along these channels appear marma points, or ‘control points’ where the internal and external channels meet. Each marma point oversees various chakras, channels and organ systems. By mapping out and targeting the major marma points, therapeutic work can affect larger areas of the system by increasing flow and unblocking congested channels.

The Heart Chakra

The ‘Heart’ Chakra is the 4th energy center from the bottom of the spine, and is considered by many to be the central chakra. Located at the mid-point of the sternum (breastbone) it connects the lower region to the upper region.

Physical Connections: Heart, Lungs, Circulatory System; Chest, Shoulders, Breasts, Arms

Element: Air

Balanced Characteristics: Love, Compassion, Empathy, Peace, Healthy Immunity, Altruism

A healthy balance of the 4th Chakra allows for self-acceptance and acceptance of all others.

Mantra: “I am loving to myself and others.”

Recipe

Lassi (pronounced “LAH-see”) is simply fresh yogurt blended with room temperature water. Whereas yogurt by itself can clog the channels of the digestive and elimination systems, once it is transformed into lassi it actually aids digestion. Thinning yogurt with water and blending it changes the molecular structure so it is more easily assimilated. Drink it before or with lunch.

Sweet Lassi – Blend to taste
* 1 part cold yogurt
* 3 parts water
* Pinches of cardamon, sugar and rosewater

Digestive Lassi – Blend to taste
* 1 part cold yogurt
* 3 parts water
* Pinches of ginger, cumin, salt and black pepper

Recipe taken from:
http://www.mapi.com/ayurveda_health_car … rages.html

Resources:

“Marmas and Pratyahara: Marmas as Control Points”
Ayurveda and Marma Therapy (Lotus Press)
by Dr. David Frawley

Yoga and Ayurveda: Self-Healing and Self-Realization (Lotus Press)
by Dr. David Frawley

Eastern Body Western Mind (Celestial Arts/Ten Speed Press)
by Anodea Judith

kariew, Ayurvedic http://www.ayubwc.com/newsletter/index.php?entry=entry100209-112608

Related posts:

1. Essential Oils for Chakra Balancing
2. Chakra System – Basic Intoduction
3. Stress and Rebalancing from an Ayurvedic Perspective