What is energy healing and what does an energy healer do. These are the two questions that this article will answer in the most basic terms. This is the first in a series of articles discussing this topic that will lead to an e-book and several instructional videos.

There are many ideas being held on what is energy healing. Ideas that portray healing as psychic surgery, falling down and speaking in tongues or laying on of hands to name but a few.

But energy healing is much more then the “side show” theater that we are generally used to seeing. It is a deep and fundamental change in how we view ourselves, the world and God. Spiritual healing lifts a person above themselves so that they are able to see everything from a new perspective. Do not be fooled by the theater of “psychic” types, spiritual growth is an intimate and very quiet pursuit.

Energy healing shows itself in the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual change in the individual. These changes can be profound and noticeable to everybody or they can be subtle and only felt by the person making the changes. Going from physical sickness to a state of recovery is a part of spiritual awakening. Finding peace in emotional calmness is another aspect of change that is seen as a person goes through the process of spiritual healing.

The most dramatic part of the process is when one is able to have a clearer vision of God and how we relate to God and to each other. This feeling of unity and brotherhood redefines a persons life and their direction in terms of career, interpersonal relationships and spiritual growth.

A healer is a facilitator of this process. A spiritual healer has the ability to “see” the person as a whole greater then the sum of their parts. The healers job is to help remove blocks to an individuals growth.

How a spiritual guide does their job varies from healer to healer. Most accomplished healers have the ability to see the blocks that are causing the problems in the lives of their clients. The blocks can be physical, emotional, mental or spiritual. Through a combination of talking to provide awareness and energy healing the client is brought from a state of dis-ease to one of more balance.

A spiritual healer may only see a client once or twice or like a trusted adviser play a part is an individuals life for many years. A healers job is to maintain the growth process for as long as a client want to implement change.

Energy Healing

In future articles I will discuss the many roles of a spiritual healer and the many aspects of the energy healing process.

What is Chakra Balancing Meditations?

Chakra balancing meditation is a healing approach that is carried out to align the seven major Chakras in the body. You cannot carry out a successful chakra meditation if you don’t understand where they are located and their various functions. A typical Chakras meditation starts at the root and gradually moves up to the crown at the top of the head.  This is considered a very powerful way of achieving self healing and balancing.

The meditation that follows is a method to use to tone and balance all of your chakras.

And with so many books written on this method of change you would think that everybody would have the relationships they want, the income they want and the level of health that they want.

But as we all know this is not the case.

Now of course there are many people who are not aware of this concept. But I am talking about the people who have bought the books, have listened to the CDs and watched the videos.

Why is it not working for so many of these people?

It seems to me that with so many books on the subject that there must be something happening that causes this law not to work. So I wrote a lot about the law of attraction and how our world view affects how well this law will work in our lives.

I want to continue that discussion this year because it seems to me that a fundamental yet simple shift in our world view will generate amazingly positive results.

What do Words have to do with it?

The law of attraction basically says that whatever we hold in our thoughts will become manifested.

Now that is a very straight forward concept. And I believe that all the books can be summed up in a single sentence – “You are what you think and your world is what you think it is”.

What is so frustrating to me is that for everyone that knows this “law” why aren’t they rich, vibrantly healthy and in great relationships. I know I am repeating myself about this frustration but I want everyone to have the life they want and deserve.

Since I am not a mind reader I have to listen to the words that people use to understand their thoughts and mental processes.

What I have found is that there are many words that we use that demonstrate to me that our thoughts are not always geared to self fulfillment.

So let’s use an example.

I speak with a client and they tell me how they are diligently applying the law of attraction to increase their business income. They describe how they make affirmation lists and how they meditate on seeing their business grow.

Here is how they might describe what they do.

“I wake in the morning and the first thing I do is try to visualize how I want the day to go. I try and set my intentions so that all of the good things I want will come to me. Several times during the day I take a few minutes and try to bring into focus the things that I want to happen. I even take some time out of the day and try and meditate so that I can make full use of the law of attraction.”

When I listen to my client describe what they do my mind is drawn to their use of the word “try”.

I believe that there are a number of “killer words” that show our underlying thought processes.

When I hear someone use the word “try” it says to me that even though they are doing what the books say to do, their underlying belief is that it will not work.

Because in my mind the word “try” means an unsuccessful attempt. Or in other words, they believe that their work at change will really fail.

So their efforts are doomed from the start.

What to do?

As this year progresses I will write on each of the “killer words” that I find limits our progress. I have worked with many clients in identifying the limiting words used most often in their speech.

Once identified, simply becoming aware of this usage and then eliminating these words has produced amazing positive changes.

So to start I would encourage everyone to look at the words that they use and see how many times you use the word “try”.

If you find that you are simply not able to eliminate this word from your vocabulary there may be some underlying energetic bloc k that needs to be worked with.

If there is an energetic block feel free to contact me and we can discuss how best to proceed.

As we learn to expand our heart chakra we are able to release the feelings of love and gratitude that we all have within.

And what better present can we give to ourselves and to others then to be grateful for all that we have and to show our love to family and friends.

The following meditation can be done all year long but seems most appropriate for this season of giving.

As a general rule most people think of exercise in the conventional sense of running, jumping, lifting weights, swimming and different types of aerobics.

While these exercises do have physical benefits their stress relief benefits are limited. They do provide some stress relief in terms of pure exertion and pumping up your metabolism. But they don’t teach your body to shed stress nor do they teach your body to block stress before it has a chance to get get past your defenses.

So what exercises do work to keep you stress free.

Not to keep you in suspense, the exercises fall under the categories of yoga, breath work, internal martial arts and meditation.

If you are not familiar with these types of exercises I think you will be very surprised at how effective they are in relieving stress and in protecting your body from new stressors.

What I would like to do is recommend some websites that discuss these types of exercises and also show you examples of different basic exercises that you can practice at home.

Breathing Exercises for Stress Relief

The breathing exercise featured in this post is the basic approach to cyclic breathing. A very good method and certainly easy for beginners.

Stress Relief Breathing Exercise

healthycrush.com11/7/11

When Dr. Andrew Weil spoke to my class at Integrative Nutrition in 2010, my favorite part (besides learning about the magical powers of turmeric) was the breathing exercise he taught us. I meant to write about it immediately, …

Here are a number of simple exercises to help relieve stress.

6 Breathing Therapy Exercises for Depression, Anxiety, and Stress …

depressivedisorder.blogspot.com12/6/11

There are multiple researches and approaches on how to let your breathing to improve your mood, release your stress and anxiety, and allow functioning better in daily life. We will provide several examples of the exercises, …

And the last article of this section on basic breathing techniques for relieving stress is on alternate nostril breathing.

The Art Of Solar And Lunar Breathing | Ayurvedic Diet & Recipes

planetwell.com12/6/11

One way to get into this blissful, aware state is through solar and lunar breathing; otherwise known as alternate nostril breathing or Nadi Shodanna.

Yoga Exercises for Stress Relief

Yoga provides a unique method of stress relief. By linking the mind and the body you are able to relax both and therefore ward off the debilitating effects of stress.

The following websites offer a number of different basic poses to help with the process.

Best Yoga For Stress Relief – How To Relieve Stress With Yoga …

www.findhomeremedy.com12/13/11

We are living in a world where stress is an integral part of our daily lives. Being a silent killer, the dangers of constant stress cannot be ignored at all.

The Health Benefits of Yoga an Alternative Medicine | MTM Blog

www.mtmweb.biz12/11/11

Traditional yoga philosophy requires that students adhere to this mission through behavior, diet and meditation. But if you're just looking for better stress management — whether because of life's daily hassles or a health …

top 10 reasons to try yoga « keep it skinny

keepitskinny.wordpress.com11/29/11

I started doing yoga 3 years ago, and I am hooked. Yoga has completely changed my body. Right now, I am doing a personal 30-day yoga challenge… Check out the Top 10 Reasons to Try Yoga: 1. Stress Relief. The practice …

Meditation Exercises for Stress Relief

Overview of Meditation for Stress Management | Healthmeup.com

healthmeup.com12/6/11

Meditation is any form of a family of practices in which practitioners train their minds or self-induce a mode of consciousness to realize some benefits. It is generally an inwardly oriented, personal practice, which individuals can …

Vipassana Meditation – Chiselling the Walls of Illusion | The Stress …

www.thestressreliefplace.com8/19/08

Vipassana Meditation – Chiselling the Walls of Illusion. Article by Vijay Raisinghani. More than 2500 years ago, the Great Enlightened Master – Gautama Buddha gave the world a beautiful meditation technique. That wonderful technique of …

Kill stress with Mindfulness Meditation | Meditation Techniques and …

www.meditation-tips.org12/10/11

Stress is the trash of modern life – we all generate it but if you don't dispose of it properly, it will pile up and overtake your life – Danzae Pace Lets be.

Tai Chi for Stress Relief

Exploring Tai Chi | World News Gathered & Syndicated

dapssav.org12/13/11

Traditional Tai Chi consists of the long form and short form. The long form has nearly one hundred ten positions, while the short form consists of less than forty. Stretches are believed to be able to help relieve pain and stress …

Tai Chi for Relaxation and Stress Relief

meditationmaster.net10/23/11

Tai Chi is no exception. Tai Chi presents techniques that will promote relaxation and relieve stress, through the use of 'mind/body' therapy. Tai Chi techniques are perfect for people, who cannot stay in a seated position for long for …

Compact Tai Chi for Healing in Yang Style Taiji YouTube

I have started to write a number of posts on stress and the obvious harm that it can do to your physical, emotional and mental health.

My last post was on how herbs can act as a source of natural stress relief and featured a number of websites that listed many different herbs for stress relief.

In this post I want to discuss what may be one of the most controversial areas surrounding physical stress. And that area is the effects that cell phone radiation has on your physical body.

The type of radiation that I am talking about is called EMFs. I am calling EMFs “Electric and Magnetic Fields”.

EMFs have been shown to come from a large number of sources. icrowave appliances, electric towers, TV sets, computers and computer monitors are just a few of the sources that are mentioned in the literature.

To Remove Cell Phone Radiation

However, there is one source of EMFs that has caused the most controversy. And that source is cell phones. Cell phone radiation has been blamed for many different problems including brain cancer and brain tumors.

One of the biggest problems with cell phones is that they are used so close to your head and the hours we are spending on the phone is only increasing.

What I would like to do in this article is limit my discussion to physical stress that is caused by cell phone radiation.

What the Government is Saying About Cell Phone Radiation and Stress

You would expect alternative media to jump all over the dangers of cell phone radiation. But when the government starts weighing in on the issue then you know there must be trouble brewing somewhere.

The several articles excerpts that follow are all reported in medical terms. Meaning they are not light reading. However, they keep pointing out that there is a problem and we better take notice.

Pathophysiology of cell phone radiation: oxidative stress and carcinogenesis with focus on male reproductive system.

This review identifies the plasma membrane as a target of RF-EMW. In addition, the effects of RF-EMW on plasma membrane structures (i.e. NADH oxidase, phosphatidylserine, ornithine decarboxylase) and voltage-gated calcium channels are discussed. We explore the disturbance in reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism caused by RF-EMW and delineate NADH oxidase mediated ROS formation as playing a central role in oxidative stress (OS) due to cell phone radiation

Mobile phone radiation inhibits Vigna radiata (mung bean) root growth by inducing oxidative stress.

During the last couple of decades, there has been a tremendous increase in the use of cell phones. It has significantly added to the rapidly increasing EMF smog, an unprecedented type of pollution consisting of radiation in the environment, thereby prompting the scientists to study the effects on humans. However, not many studies have been conducted to explore the effects of cell phone EMFr on growth and biochemical changes in plants. We investigated whether EMFr from cell phones inhibit growth of Vigna radiata (mung bean) through induction of conventional stress responses.

Cell Phones and Cancer Risk

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a component of the World Health Organization, has recently classified radiofrequency fields as “possibly carcinogenic to humans,” based on limited evidence from human studies, limited evidence from studies of radiofrequency energy and cancer in rodents, and weak mechanistic evidence (from studies of genotoxicity, effects on immune system function, gene and protein expression, cell signaling, oxidative stress, and apoptosis, along with studies of the possible effects of radiofrequency energy on the blood-brain barrier).

Mobile phone radiation induces reactive oxygen species production and DNA damage in human spermatozoa in vitro.

In recent times there has been some controversy over the impact of electromagnetic radiation on human health. The significance of mobile phone radiation on male reproduction is a key element of this debate since several studies have suggested a relationship between mobile phone use and semen quality. The potential mechanisms involved have not been established, however, human spermatozoa are known to be particularly vulnerable to oxidative stress by virtue of the abundant availability of substrates for free radical attack and the lack of cytoplasmic space to accommodate antioxidant enzymes. Moreover, the induction of oxidative stress in these cells not only perturbs their capacity for fertilization but also contributes to sperm DNA damage. The latter has, in turn, been linked with poor fertility, an increased incidence of miscarriage and morbidity in the offspring, including childhood cancer. In light of these associations, we have analyzed the influence of RF-EMR on the cell biology of human spermatozoa in vitro.

To Remove Cell Phone Radiation

Well, that’s it for the government. As I said, when the government starts talking about a problem you know it is past time to be concerned. There is no way that the government will go against the vast army of lobbyist unless they cannot help it.

Now let’s take a look what the general blogging population has to say about stress and cell phone radiation.

What Other Blogs are Saying About Stress and Cell Phone Radiation

There are 100s and 100s of blogs talking about the dangers of cell phone radiation. Since this article is about stress and EMFs I will limit the blog references to that one area. But if you are interested, the search is easy and you will find multiple references that outline the problem.

Mobile Phones & Radiation… | Transform Fitness

www.transformfitness.com.au12/6/11

Frighteningly, long term exposure to electromagnetic radiation has however been linked to leukaemia, Alzheimer’s, brain tumours, infertility, cancer, headaches, depression, sleep problems, reduced libido, irritability and stress.…

Cell Phone Dangerous Radiation Facts

dangeroustime.com12/1/11

Since knowledge about the enemy is the best and first weapon we have against it, let's take a look at some serious facts of radiation from cell phones and learn more about the effects of cell phone radiation. Signals emitted … These modulated radio waves cause the neurons of the brain to leak, inducing unnecessary and harmful nerve impulses that can lead to sleep disturbances, loss of concentration, mental fogginess, migraine and stress headaches and seizures. …

Let Me Go On and On!: The Dangers Behind WiFi

www.debrapasquella.com11/30/11

We all know stress is a contributor – who doesn't have stress? … With the low frequency radiation and the long hours of having a cell phone attached to your right or left hip, I feel even women should be concerned. In fact …

WeeksMD » Second hand cell phone radiation?

weeksmd.com1/2/08

Exposure to this radiation adds stress to your life. Medical research shows us that cell phones cause physiologic stress and can be dangerous to our health. Look at this: “I have no doubt at the present time that the greatest …

To Remove Cell Phone Radiation

As you can see from the government reports and those of independent bloggers there is a big problem with stress and cell phone radiation.

I know that I take it very seriously. I equip my cell phone and those of all the members of my family with smog buster cell phone protectors.

If you follow the link in the picture you will find out how you can benefit from this device.

If you have any question about protecting yourself from cell phone EMFs feel free to contact me.

The article centered around the following cause of stress and a method of removing the root causes.

What happens is that past stresses or traumas get embedded into your energy field and cause the energy flow in that area to become stagnated.

Now what usually happens is that since these blockages are generally so long term they have been incorporated into your reaction patterns and feel “normal”.

My preferred method is to see a qualified and trained energy healer and have them simply remove the blocked energy. When the energy is released the stress from the trauma is also released.

In this article and ones that follow I would like to look at a number of websites that feature alternative methods of stress relief that include over the counter herbs, different types of meditation, exercises and breath work.

And in this article I want to feature sites that discuss herbal remedies.

Herbs for Natural Stress Relief

Before “modern” medicine, herbal remedies have been used for 1000s of years in every culture. Herbs are a tried and true source of relief from many of today’s medical problems.

But just because something is labelled as an herb does not mean you should take it blindly and without question. Like anything you do you should make sure what you are taking is safe.

Any suggestions from the sites noted below should be researched on your own and you should consult with your personal health care provider.

17 Natural herbs For Stress And Anxiety

www.clickremedies.com11/24/11

17 Natural Herbs For Stress and its Symptoms. herbs-for-stress-relief. Stress is the body's reactions to the demands of everyday life. While stress is a normal response, too much stress can be damaging and cause long-term physical ailments, …

Natural Stress Relief from Food | Natural Stress Remedies

naturalstressremedies.com11/23/11

natural stress relief foods In times of stress, food becomes the automatic go-to source for natural stress relief for many. Indeed, certain foods induce a calm and relaxed state as well as a greater sense of personal control during stressful situations. It seems that when stress levels rise, the willpower to … for effective stress management. Do your best to go decaf. Herbal teas are a good option and decaffeinated coffee (after a brief transitional period) works for me too! …

The 5 Best Herbs for Depression : Natural Remedies for Depression

www.gethelpfordepression.info11/25/11

Find the best natural herbs for your depression. Studies have shown … Find the Best Natural Treatments for Your Type of Depression … Holy Basil. Holy Basil is an Ayurvedic herb used for stress relief and elevating the spirit. …

Herbal Remedies that are Helpful for Stress | Natural Anxiety …

anxiety-remedy.net10/16/11

Herbal remedies have been around for a long time and are used for many different purposes. One of the most common among them is stress relief. When stress becomes a more serious factor in your life then you'll want to …

4 Best Herbal Stress Remedies To Combat Stress | Best Stress …

www.beststressreliefactivities.com10/17/11

Herbal stress remedies taken as tea. A mild natural stress and anxiety relief is Lemon Balm. It can be made as a tea or probably combined with other mints. It is taken 3 to 4 times daily. Passion flower has a soothing effect and …

Are Herbal Stress Remedies A Quick Way to Relax? – Hive Health Media (blog)

news.google.com

Are Herbal Stress Remedies A Quick Way to Relax?Hive Health Media (blog)Fortunately, there are many easy herbal stress remedies which have been discovered that can help us obtain a natural stress and anxiety relief. Natural remedies for stress relief …

As you can see there are a number of herbal combinations for natural stress relief.

You want to pick and choose carefully so that the herbal combination you choose is the one best suited for your needs.

Each of us has a different physical makeup and what may work for one person may be to strong or to weak for the next person.

As a rule, herbal remedies are safe as long as you follow the directions for usage and the dosage.

If you have any questions about natural stress relief feel free to contact me.

When I work with my clients, one topic that always comes up is what to do with stress.

Now this is not the good stress that motivates us to higher goals and achievements – this is the stress that tears you down, day in and day out.

All stressors are not created equal and in fact stress comes in two distinct forms.

Types of Stress

There is the stress of daily life. You know the everyday things that pull us in one direction and then the other.

Worry about jobs, financial matters, how are the kids doing, what is up with my partner, what will that doctors visit tell me. And on and on and on.

Everybody has this kind of stress and there are many techniques to learn to deal with it.

We hear about doing relaxation exercises, yoga, drinking herbal teas, taking “me” time and of course stopping in at the doctor’s office for a prescription.

And all of these methods have different degrees of success. Especially when coupled with modest life style changes that help reduce some of the incoming stress.

Then there is the stress on the body that comes from past events.

This is a type of stress that is much more difficult to deal with using conventional self help techniques.

This type of stress comes from events where something or some things have happened to you or from areas in your life where you feel you have failed.

You may have been raised in an abusive environment. You may be married in an abusive environment. You may have felt that you made many mistakes in raising your children or in making career and financial choices.

When added together, the list of stressors that my clients tell me about is quite extensive.

But the one thing these stressors all have in common is that they cause havoc on your physical and emotional well being.

The fastest way to remove these stressors is to see a qualified energy healer and simply have the stressors removed. I do it all the time for my clients.

Embedded Stress

What happens is that past stresses or traumas get embedded into your energy field and cause the energy flow in that area to become stagnated.

Now what usually happens is that since these blockages are generally so long term they have been incorporated into your reaction patterns and feel “normal”.

But they are anything but normal. They may be usual. They may be familiar. They may be comfortable, but normal – no.

When you have energy that is stagnated in a certain area of your energy field it like having knots in a muscle.

If you have a knot in your back muscle it may be hard or impossible to turn or bend in a certain direction. You become limited in the way your body responds. And you are forced to move in a way that may not be the best for the situation.

The same is true for blocks in your energy field. You may be in an emotional situation that would have you react with kindness and compassion but your energetic blocks force you to move in the direction of suspicion and fear. Not good.

Anything that causes you to react in a forced manner is stressful. And long term stress shows itself in your physical body, in your emotional well being and in your spiritual openness.

What Does This Mean

The conventional method of relieving stress induced by trauma is to either use medication or to embark on a course of talk therapy with a qualified psychologist or psychiatrist.

And these methods work over a period of time.

My preferred method is to see a qualified and trained energy healer and have them simply remove the blocked energy. When the energy is released the stress from the trauma is also released.

And you are free to live your life.

If you would like to talk about your options for this type of release feel free to contact me or sign up for a no cost no obligation evaluation.

Now I know that is a bold statement to make. But nevertheless, it is very true.

I have written a number of articles on the law of attraction. I have added meditations to help facilitate manifesting through the law of attraction.

I have written articles about the power of positive thought and the power of negative thoughts.

And I have even written an article about the sheer number of thoughts that careen through our minds on a daily basis.

But what I have not written about is the day to day practicality of visualization and the law of attraction.

So that is what I will be doing in this article.

But instead of using the usual “new agey” examples of gaining abundance or health or the love of your life I will use very concrete and measurable examples.

And where will I get these examples from, you might ask.

Well from the world of sports.

In high level sports competition everything is measured down to the last millisecond.

And the difference between winning and appearing on a box of Wheaties and going home in 10th place may be less then a second.

Imagine training for the Olympics for 4 years and not even coming close to getting a medal because your time was off by a second.

That is tough. Possibly even crushing.

So how do athletes prepare to compete at these high levels. Where every tenth of a second counts.

Well, they use the power of creative visualization. They rehearse their event over and over in their head until they have it down cold.

One sports psychologist said that mental preparation is 60% of the event.

Here are What Some Sports Blogs are Saying about Visualization

After focus, the world’s greatest athletes list visualization as the next most important aspect of their mental training. The importance of this is definitely a must! You have to see yourself being great. I can only speak from my experience, but visualization was huge for me in swimming and other sports that I participated in.

Read full post here.

It’s become so popular as to almost be a cliche, but ask a sports psychologist, and you’ll discover it’s nothing to be dismissed so lightly. The practice of imagery refers to ‘imagined’ sensations, and you may be more familiar with the term ‘visualization’ which refers to the visual aspect. It has long been theorized and accepted that successfully imagining a series of physical movements before performing them can boost the body’s effectiveness at performing the tasks, and many top athletes in a range of sports such as basketball, golf, boxing, and even football swear by its results.

Read the full post here.

Sports psychologists talk about visualization a lot. It is THE most popular mindset tool used by athletes. It needs to be used correctly for it to be most effective. Unfortunately, athletes are not always given all the instructions to use visualization successfully.

Used correctly visualization has the ability to change your outcome.

In your mind’s eye see yourself successfully reaching your goal. Winning a race, reaching a new ranking, going pro or whatever it is you desire. See this event occurring as if it is in the present and is happening right now. The more detail you bring into this mental image, the better. Once again remember you want to really focus on your goal as if it is happening to you right now.

Read the full post here.

I believe the answer is focus and the amount of time spent.

An elite athlete is intense in the pursuit of their goals in training and in their visualization training.

They are intense in the amount of time spent in visualization and in the immersion that they accomplish.

Thoughts on Immersion in Visualization

To really get results, you want to use all of your senses. So once again envision the event occurring. Now let’s bring all of your senses into play.

• Vision – What do you see? Notice the details. Light, darkness, indoors or outdoors.
• Smell – Where you are, how does it smell? Any familiar odors or scents? Fresh cut grass, sweat, oil on your equipment.
• Hearing – Do you hear any noises? Is there cheering, clapping, talking?
• Taste – Is there any taste or flavor involved? Feeling quenched or thirst?
• Touch – How does your skin feel? Hot, clammy, wet. Any textures against your skin from your clothing.
• The feel of your equipment in your hand. Head gear you might have on?
• Sixth sense – Any feeling in your gut? Maybe a sense of knowing.

Read the full post here.

The definition of visualization in relation to sports can be defined as using multiple senses to create or recreate experiences in one’s mind. (1) Similarly, the more vivid the images and situations that your brain creates, the more likely your brain will interpret them as actual events, which increases effectiveness. (2) The better you are at re-creating the situation including sights, smells, timing, opponents and actual scenarios then the better you will perform when that situation becomes reality. There are 6 specific autonomic nervous system (ANS) responses that correlated with mental rehearsal & visualization that improves performance. Basically this means that visualization actually teaches the body how to perform better at rehearsed tasks. This trains your brain and body how to react without having to think.

To read the full post just click here.

He then concentrated on the feel of the breeze on his face and the edges of the skis on the snow. When his mind would wander off into the potential negative story of how he might fail, he’d pull himself back into the current sensations that were immediately around him. By doing this, he’d made a choice to detach, effectively saying, “I am not going to be controlled by these thoughts and emotions.” Next he visualized the first few turns and was then able to just ski his run.

To read the full article just click here.

As I said there is amazing power in creative visualization. It is not a new age feel good exercise.

Visualization has real world benefits if you use it properly.

Fell free to contact me if you need any help in clearing away negative thoughts so that you are able to use visualization to obtain your goals.

Obviously I think it is an important topic.

I have written numerous articles on the topic and in the podcast section I have meditations designed to help in that area.

I thought I would take this post and explore a number of websites that offer exercises to help with spiritual growth.

What Other Blogs are Saying

One approach to spiritual growth is through the age old tradition of Yoga. There are many styles of Yoga and each claim to be the way.

As with all paths there are many ways and the reason there are many different schools is because the world is filled with many different personalities. We chose a path based in large part on whether it fits our personality or not.

That being said, Yoga schools generally follow the broad outline of the Eight Fold Path.

The following website offers a good summary of the basic principals behind the Yogic exercises for spiritual growth.

Lifestyle: Exercises – “Sivananda” « YOGI LONDON

yogilondon.com11/9/11

Swami Vishnudevananda condensed the essence of the yoga teachings into five principles for physical and mental health as well as spiritual growth. These are the core teachings of the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres and …

In terms of a very simple breathing exercise the following article covers all the bases. The exercise is very easy to do and can form the basis of an advanced breathing routine. Besides the explanation in the article there is a nice question and answer section at the end.

The Importance Of Breathing Exercises

www.mazzastick.com8/22/11

Don't forget, breathing air is free and doesn't cost a dime. I even taught my son to use breathing exercises when he get's frazzled. Justin | Spiritual Growth recently posted..Some Spiritual Aspects Of Being Human My Profile …

Another exercise for spiritual growth is a retreat. Retreats can take on many forms and are based on spiritual practices whether religious or sectarian.

One form of retreat that is popular is a retreat into silence and meditation and prayer. The following article has a religious foundation but is a nice introduction to a retreat into silence.

Spiritual Exercises (1) | Schola Affectus

sjsa.wordpress.com10/19/11

“The Exercises are the fountain of your spirituality….. but they are also a gift that the Spirit of the Lord has made to the entire Church: it is for you to continue to make it a precious and efficacious instrument for spiritual growth …

The above sites are just a small sampling of what can be found. You do not have to join a cult or follow a guru or join a religious order to move along the path of spiritual growth.

The exercises are simple to do. But difficult to do consistently over time.

The goal of all of these exercises is to be able to look for “the kingdom of heaven within”. And then to be able to bring that knowledge back out into your life in the world.