In a recent study published in Current Biology, researchers have once again proven they can directly influence behavior by altering a subject's brain waves.
An oscillating electrical current was used to stimulate a specific range of beta activity in test subjects while they manipulated the cursor into a designated spot on a computer screen. Researchers recorded the difference in the amount of time it took to manipulate the cursor with and without the brain wave stimulation and observed a significant difference.
"At last we have some direct experimental proof that brain waves influence behavior in humans, in this case how fast a movement is performed," said Peter Brown of University College London. "The implication is that it is not just how active brain cells are that is important, but also …Read more
In this powerfully moving video, brain researcher Jill Bolte Taylor recounts what it felt like to have massive stroke. She describes with intense passion the experience of watching her brain functions shut down one by one, losing speech and motor functions, and ultimately losing self-awareness, culminating in a feeling of oneness with everything.
The state of your physical body can have a significant effect on the level of mental relaxation you are able to achieve. If you're experiencing pain in your body, it can be difficult to focus on anything else and can truly hamper the personal growth process.
Fortunately, the mind can be used as a tool to create a feeling of relaxation in the physical body. In turn, relaxing your body frees you to use your mind more efficiently to affect positive changes in your life.
Sometimes it is helpful to check in with your physical self and take note of how you are feeling. You may not even realize certain areas are tense until you bring your attention there. This technique is designed to help you pinpoint areas of tension and release the stress from those areas until your whole body feels deeply relaxed.
The Sand Bag Technique
Find a comfortable resting position in a place where you are not likely to be disturbed. Feel free to lie on the bed or floor, or to sit upright or recline in a chair.
We're always on the lookout for practical methods to help people get a night of deep, restful sleep. When an easy technique accomplishes that much and also improves mental and emotional health at the same time, it's definitely worth sharing.
This technique takes very little time, can be done while lying in bed before falling asleep, and will work for just about everyone.
This easy visualization technique can be quite helpful and refreshing when you are having trouble sleeping, feeling overly stressed, or feeling ill or fatigued. You can use this technique indoors or outdoors.
1. Get into a comfortable position. You can do this technique while lying in bed or on the floor or while reclined in a comfortable chair, wherever you are most comfortable.
2. Close your eyes.
3. As you lie there, visualize your body, wherever it is that you are at this moment. See yourself lying there on the bed or sitting in your chair.
When most people think about meditation, they think of sitting cross-legged on the floor and trying to empty all the thoughts from their mind. Or they think of Tibetan monks chanting mantras in temples far away. While it's true those are forms of meditation, they aren't the only ways to meditate.
Unfortunately, many people never realize meditation doesn't have to be quite so complicated. They give up because sitting in the lotus position is too uncomfortable or because they can't stop the constant stream of thoughts going through their mind or for any number of other very legitimate reasons. They miss out on all the rewards of meditation — better sleep, reduced stress, improved health, deeper self-awareness, and a whole host of other benefits.
That's why we've decided to begin a new series of articles devoted to everyday meditation. We'll offer simple techniques you can incorporate into your day with very little effort, along with suggestions for how to turn daily tasks into a form of meditation.
Meditation, once considered a spiritual practice reserved for monks and yogis, is gradually achieving mainstream popularity as more people discover its many benefits.
Meditation doesn't have to be complicated, doesn't require you to subscribe to any particular spiritual belief, and doesn't necessitate sitting cross-legged on the floor and chanting mantras. It can be as simple as sitting in a quiet room and focusing on your breath, or counting your steps while walking around your neighborhood. You can also turn everyday activities like washing the dishes or vacuuming the carpet into a meditation.
There are many different forms of meditation, making it easy for everyone to find a style that best suits their lifestyle. At the end of this article, we'll provide a few simple meditation techniques, including one method that will allow you to meditate deeply without even trying.
Here is an easy exercise to help you develop present-moment awareness. We call this technique "practicing opposite behavior."
This exercise also has the added benefit of stimulating activity in both hemispheres of the brain. By reversing your actions and by maintaining an awareness of each action as you perform it, you'll trigger synchronized activity in the left and right hemispheres. Whole-brain synchronization is often seen in EEG readings of the brain activity of people who have practiced meditation for many years.
For one week, try performing all your everyday tasks in reverse. If you always put on your right shoe before your left, force yourself to stop and think, to become aware of what you are doing, and to put on the left shoe first instead. If you always step into your pants with the left leg first, try it in reverse instead. If you always take the milk out of the refrigerator before you get the cereal out of the cabinet, force yourself to stop and deliberately do it in the reverse order.
In today's world, it seems like there are never enough hours in the day to do what we need or want to do. This can cause you to feel stressed from the moment you wake up, and those little stresses throughout the day can add up quickly. Yet, there are some folks who seem to have it all together. They accomplish whatever they set their mind to and all the while appear completely calm…but how? How do some people manage to fit everything in without experiencing the stress of such a busy schedule?
A large part of it is time management. We all have the same 24 hours to work with. It's truly a matter of using every moment to its fullest. When you manage your time effectively, the unavoidable daily stressors become much easier to handle because you've removed so many of the smaller ones that can make the day so hectic.
Time management takes commitment and a bit of effort but there are many small and easy things you can do to get started. Each one may only add a few minutes to your day, but soon the minutes add up to hours, you find you have more time than you once thought you did, and everything seems to flow much more smoothly.
We created the Conscious Web Site Award to recognize outstanding web sites related to personal growth, consciousness, meditation, and other similar topics. We encourage you to visit the winners' web sites and to support their ongoing efforts to make the world a better place.
The tagline at the top of Debra Moorhead's terrific web site states "Empowerment for those who are ready." If it's possible to sum up the contents of a web site with a single powerful statement, Debra has succeeded. She has created an incredible resource for anyone seeking helpful and practical advice for personal development.
Her site contains a wealth of fantastic tips, techniques, and suggestions contained in thought-provoking articles, but the value doesn't end there. Each article is …Continue reading
The state of your physical body can have a significant effect on the level of mental relaxation you are able to achieve. If you're experiencing pain in your body, it can be difficult to focus on anything else and can truly hamper the personal growth process.
We're always on the lookout for practical methods to help people get a night of deep, restful sleep. When an easy technique accomplishes that much and also improves mental and emotional health at the same time, it's definitely worth sharing.
1. Get into a comfortable position. You can do this technique while lying in bed or on the floor or while reclined in a comfortable chair, wherever you are most comfortable.
Unfortunately, many people never realize meditation doesn't have to be quite so complicated. They give up because sitting in the lotus position is too uncomfortable or because they can't stop the constant stream of thoughts going through their mind or for any number of other very legitimate reasons. They miss out on all the rewards of meditation — better sleep, reduced stress, improved health, deeper self-awareness, and a whole host of other benefits.
Meditation, once considered a spiritual practice reserved for monks and yogis, is gradually achieving mainstream popularity as more people discover its many benefits.
A large part of it is time management. We all have the same 24 hours to work with. It's truly a matter of using every moment to its fullest. When you manage your time effectively, the unavoidable daily stressors become much easier to handle because you've removed so many of the smaller ones that can make the day so hectic.
The tagline at the top of Debra Moorhead's terrific web site states "Empowerment for those who are ready." If it's possible to sum up the contents of a web site with a single powerful statement, Debra has succeeded. She has created an incredible resource for anyone seeking helpful and practical advice for personal development.