The practice of meditation is not something new. Research shows that the art of practicing meditation dates back more than 5000 years. Over time, various different groups have evolved the practice of meditation according to their own belief systems and preferences. Therefore, it is not surprising to find that today there are so many different meditation styles a person could choose from, to suit their own needs. Taking the time to learn a little more about the different types of meditation styles and its origins will allow an individual to make a more informed decision on which style or type would be most suitable. Initially thought to be a practiced art form that is heavily connected to some form of religious beliefs, meditation is now accepted as simply a practice of seeking to connect body and mind in a holistic manner to benefit the individual’s daily existence. Today a large segment of society turns to the use of meditation as a stress reduction tool, a relaxation tool or as a self-improvement tool. There have been many positive results documented due to the use of meditation for these purposes, but to date, scientific researchers are still unable to conclusively acknowledge just how the mechanisms of meditation works. Many people going through difficult phases in their lives turn to meditation for relief. […]

How many times have you had an inspiration, an idea or something you wanted to do, but never followed through and made it a reality? Maybe you told yourself I will do it tomorrow, or someday that would be great. Often what holds us back is our lack of confidence in what it may take to accomplish or be successful with this new adventure or direction in life. In psychology there is a phrase called the confidence-competence loop. If you do not ever take action you will never gain the confidence to achieve or develop high levels of competence with anything in life. Lets take a look at a task most of us do well. Like riding a bike. More often than not this is a simple task that involves no fear at all. So if I were to hand you a bicycle you would get on and take it for spin with out even thinking twice about it. But if I gave you a unicycle instead, fear would often set in and many of us would not even give it a try. The only way to over come this fear is to get on and practice. We may fail ten times, one hundred times, but eventually we learn to ride and confidence would set in. This displays how action […]

Are your days fulfilling? I do not mean did you run ten miles, meditate, put out fires at work and respond to all of your emails. If this sounds familiar it may be time to take another look at what is really important to you and your happiness. Of course we all need money to survive and work is often a necessity, but you are not identified by your job and your daily to-do’s. If those around you can only describe you by your work and what you have accomplished with your career you are never going to have deep fulfilling relationships. All to often we get caught up in our careers and neglect those around us thinking that we are doing what is best for ourselves and our loved ones but in reality we are slowly drifting apart.   So why is this so common? Why do so many of us neglect what we are truly passionate about? Do past failures haunt you? Does tomorrow’s uncertainty make you worry? Or do the problems of today overwhelm you?   If left unattended living this life style will eat you up and leave you with little to smile about. This is why it is so important to have actionable practices that keep us in check. If you do not have the […]

By having body awareness with meditation you will enable yourself to focus deeply and apply your energies towards growth rather than simply maintenance. Having a healthy body is a critical foundation for having a healthy mind, healthy emotions and a healthy spiritual life. The first stage of training the body is to develop correct posture and alignment. Without correct posture and alignment you will be in a constant state of instability. Instability can lead to distractions and injuries.

Meditation is important for attaining high levels of success among athletes. Candles were once a popular tool for developing Concentration, Jin (release of power) and Qi (energy) during martial arts training. This candle training is rarely seen today, but can add great value to your meditation practice. I will show you a few examples in this article of how candles can be used to deepen your meditation practice and fine tune your energetic coordination. 1 – Concentration Training The most popular use of the candle in a meditation practice is to visually focus on its flame in order to enhance mental concentration. To start, sit in a dark room and watch a lit candle as you meditate. Focus on the flame; try to notice every detail of how the flame moves. Do this for at least 20 minutes. When in a high-level competition, leading a team, or looking for creative inspiration it is essential to be in the moment and notice every single detail to deliver your best response. In the beginning you will notice that following the flame is not easy and even a few minutes can be quite challenging. Through consistent practice you will be able to develop and maintain focus and concentrate both visually and with your mind. Once you have reached this elevated level of practice […]