tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56379764362469876942024-03-13T20:47:11.080-07:00Skydancer's Healing and Bliss Recovery StationWelcome to Yana's blog. Here you will find articles on topics including: meditation, hypnotherapy, personal growth, dreamwork, pilgrimage tours to Nepal, East / West healing methods, Buddhism, ancient mysteries, shamanism . . . and how to realign with serenity, rapture and bliss. Enjoy, Namaste and thank you for visiting!Yana Castle, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09771011296153351206noreply@blogger.comBlogger85125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5637976436246987694.post-12232080098506330232017-09-24T13:45:00.002-07:002017-09-24T14:22:41.379-07:00LuJong for Training the Subtle Body<i> Lu</i> means body and <i>Jong</i> means training or
transformation. Through the practice of Lu Jong we begin to train our
subtle body channels and cultivate awareness. This is the way to care
for the body and mind. This is Tibetan healing yoga.<br>
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Lu Jong works simultaneously with body, mind and energy. We balance
the elements and humors—the foundation of the physical body. We
transform our negative emotions, and we invigorate the subtle body
system of channels and wind-energy. The result is a beautiful, efficient
and systematic practice that improves our wellbeing in all dimensions.<br>
<br>
When we do Lu Jong we combine form, movement and breath. This
combination, along with mindfulness, brings body and mind fully
together. We use form and movement to repeatedly apply pressure to
particular points on the channels, massaging blockages open. We gently
work with the spine, creating space around the vertebrae and touching
secret points to release emotional blocks. We nurture the joints,
releasing the blockages that otherwise would manifest disease. And using
breath and awareness develops an inner calm, a true meditation in
movement.<br>
<a href="http://yanaskydancer.blogspot.com/2017/09/lujong-for-training-subtle-body.html#more">Read more »</a>Yana Castle, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09771011296153351206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5637976436246987694.post-24762374341894905272017-09-24T03:29:00.003-07:002017-09-24T03:29:44.105-07:00Are you Bored or Distracted? by Lyse Mai Lauren<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kqu0hqYE6fY/WceIyJ5PEhI/AAAAAAAABdY/9mR6hs6mH2QCYCAlRKx6AXMAYqc7Z6ybwCLcBGAs/s1600/bdaf90c51b145c2fe206a1a218348c7e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="645" data-original-width="470" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kqu0hqYE6fY/WceIyJ5PEhI/AAAAAAAABdY/9mR6hs6mH2QCYCAlRKx6AXMAYqc7Z6ybwCLcBGAs/s400/bdaf90c51b145c2fe206a1a218348c7e.jpg" width="291" /></a><br />
“As it is, we are merely bolting our lives—gulping down undigested
experiences as fast as we can stuff them in—because awareness of our own
existence is so superficial and so narrow that nothing seems to us more
boring than simple being. If I ask you what you did, saw, heard,
smelled, touched and tasted yesterday, I am likely to get nothing more
than the thin, sketchy outline of the few things that you noticed, and
of those only what you thought worth remembering. Is it surprising that
an existence so experienced seems so empty and bare that its hunger for
an infinite future is insatiable? But suppose you could answer, ‘It
would take me forever to tell you, and I am much too interested in
what’s happening now.’ How is it possible that a being with such
sensitive jewels as the eyes, such enchanted musical instruments as the
ears, and such a fabulous arabesque of nerves as the brain can
experience itself as anything less than a god? And, when you consider
that this incalculably subtle organism is inseparable from the still
more marvelous patterns of its environment—from the minutest electrical
designs to the whole company of the galaxies—how is it conceivable that
this incarnation of all eternity can be bored with being?”<br />
~ Alan Watts, <em>The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are.</em><br />
<br />
It’s quite likely that few who read these words really
understand what they mean. It’s not that this is hard to understand;
it’s incredibly easy, but the mind has a way of circumventing
simplicity. It has a way of by passing the present moment to seek out
and constantly engage in either a projected future or a remembered past.<br />
<br />
It is amazing just how much of our lives is held to ransom by
passing emotional infatuations. Life slips by, unnoticed, because we are
so continuously mentally and emotionally busy with the things that
appear to be happening to us and around us; to say nothing of our
private mental preoccupations. Eventually though, a moment is bound to
come in our day or night, when we look up and become aware, with a
sudden jolt, that much time passed. What were we doing? Where did the
time go?<br />
<br />
My master Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche had a graphic way of describing
this moment and I love to recount it whenever there is a chance. He
would liken people to children who are caught up in the playing of a
game. They are so swept along by what is happening in their game that
they fail to notice anything else, until suddenly they feel hungry or
tired and then they look up and see that it is already getting dark,
that the sun is about to disappear behind the horizon, that hours
have passed by unnoticed and that they are far from home.<br />
<br />
Being engrossed in the outer movements of life may not seem in any
way connected to the intransigent mood of boredom and yet on
closer scrutiny these two states are intimately intertwined. Boredom
and distraction, are part of the vicious cycle of samsara,
endlessly repeating itself. A cycle of almost constant superficial
engagement or dullness which eats up all our time and energy by
engrossing our attention in outer things which are neither essential nor
important.<br />
<br />
Our entire life can pass us by in this half conscious manner until
we come to face the moment of our death, or some other
life-shaking crisis which makes us suddenly realize that we do not know
who and what we really are. Throughout our lives and even more
particularly at the end of our life, this and this alone is the crucial
question; the one and only question. Investigating the state of who and
what we really are is the quickest and most direct path to truth.<br />
<br />
Boredom, like distraction, is a symptom of disconnection with our inner sense of <em>beingness</em>. Modern society does little to turn us inward and much to contribute to the rampant <em>dis-ease</em>
of inner alienation. Many of the psychoses of modern societies arise
from this very imbalance. However, we can turn this around without even
changing the situation in which we find ourselves placed.<br />
<br />
Self-inquiry is an inner attention. It requires nothing but
alertness and determination. Moments amid nature; moments of silence and
inner quietude can help us in the beginning. In the midst of nature we
can easily gain a sense of the aware presence which is fundamental to
our existence. However, as we become more sensitive and alert we will
begin realise that we are never separated from this.<br />
Learning how to notice this presence is the key to fulfilling
our purpose in life; it is also the sure and ultimate antidote to
the modern diseases of boredom and distraction.Yana Castle, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09771011296153351206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5637976436246987694.post-5804566120713428702017-08-09T07:54:00.000-07:002017-09-14T07:55:21.834-07:00Thoughts like Dreams by Ajahn Amara<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_xZ-3U9ybL0/WbqYIDbYnCI/AAAAAAAABco/oEZKnaSJWjQB_t-b92thAy_TnQCa2ZJmACLcBGAs/s1600/deergirl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1030" data-original-width="1100" height="299" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_xZ-3U9ybL0/WbqYIDbYnCI/AAAAAAAABco/oEZKnaSJWjQB_t-b92thAy_TnQCa2ZJmACLcBGAs/s320/deergirl.jpg" width="320" /></a><time></time>The best way to deal with excessive
thinking is to just listen to it, to listen to the mind. Listening is
much more effective than trying to stop thought or cut it off. When we
listen there is a different mode employed in the heart. Instead of
trying to cut it off, we receive thought without making anything out of
it.<br />
<br />
Most of our thoughts are like dreams. Occasionally, perhaps once or
twice a year, we may have a dream that is significant and we know it. We
may not know exactly what it is about, but it is pretty clear that
there’s a message in it. But the other 364 days a year it’s just the
leftovers of the day. There is nothing particularly significant or
important about any of our dream content at all. It’s just the residue,
the echoes of the day’s events and activities, the things that we have
rehashed a couple of times already.<br />
<br />
When we look at thought in this way, we aren’t being pulled into it.
We can just look at it. We don’t reject it or suppress it, but we don’t
buy into it either. We don’t make more out of it than is there. That
attitude of listening, of opening to and receiving thought, has a
liberating quality in and of itself.
<br />
Yana Castle, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09771011296153351206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5637976436246987694.post-53082824297829154502017-07-13T05:36:00.000-07:002017-07-13T05:37:27.197-07:00Questioning Everything by Madisyn Taylor<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b7gHpgZQ910/WWdpT4vEJYI/AAAAAAAABbo/B6NQZWNyLn0y-K5UetvrJ4cAmDSI6KcEwCLcBGAs/s1600/hypno.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="257" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b7gHpgZQ910/WWdpT4vEJYI/AAAAAAAABbo/B6NQZWNyLn0y-K5UetvrJ4cAmDSI6KcEwCLcBGAs/s1600/hypno.jpg" /></a>Being open-minded means that we are willing to question everything, including those things we take for granted. <br /><br />A willingness to question everything, even things we are sure we are right about, can shake us out of complacency and reinvigorate our minds, opening us up to understanding people and perspectives that were alien to us before. This alone is good reason to remain inquisitive, no matter how much experience we have or how old we get. In the Zen tradition, this willingness to question is known as beginner's mind, and it has a way of generating possibilities we couldn't have seen from the point of view of knowing something with certainty. The willingness to question everything doesn't necessarily mean we don't believe in anything at all, and it doesn't mean we have to question every single thing in the world every minute of the day. It just means that we are humble enough to acknowledge how little we actually know about the mysterious universe we call home. <br /><br />Nearly every revolutionary change in the history of human progress came about because someone questioned some time-honored belief or tradition and in doing so revealed a new truth, a new way of doing things, or a new standard for ethical and moral behavior. Just so, a commitment to staying open and inquisitive in our own individual lives can lead us to new personal revolutions and truths, truths that we will hopefully, for the sake of our growth, remain open to questioning.<br />
A lot of people feel threatened if they feel they are being asked to question their cherished beliefs or their perception of reality. Yet questioning is what keeps our minds supple and strong. Simply settling on one way of seeing things and refusing to be open to other possibilities makes the mind rigid and generally creates a restrictive and uncomfortable atmosphere. We all know someone who refuses to budge on one or more issues, and we may have our own sacred cows that could use a little prodding. Being open-minded means that we are willing to question everything, including those things we take for granted. Yana Castle, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09771011296153351206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5637976436246987694.post-52753435156122536962017-06-09T10:00:00.000-07:002017-07-11T10:01:19.747-07:00Lojong: How to Awaken Your Heart by Pema ChodronPema Chödrön’s commentary on Atisha’s famed mind-training slogans
that utilize our difficulties and problems to awaken the heart.<br>
<br>
When I first read the <em>lojong</em> (“mind training”) teachings in <em>The Great Path of Awakening</em>
by the nineteenth-century Tibetan teacher Jamgön Kongtrül the Great, I
was struck by their unusual message that we can use our difficulties and
problems to awaken our hearts. Rather than seeing the unwanted aspects
of life as obstacles, Jamgön Kongtrül presented them as the raw material
necessary for awakening genuine uncontrived compassion. Whereas in
Kongtrül’s commentary the emphasis is primarily on taking on the
suffering of others, it is apparent that in this present age it is
necessary to also emphasize that the first step is to develop compassion
for our own wounds.<br>
<br>
<a href="https://www.lionsroar.com/wp-content/uploads/2003/09/Atisha_with_84_mahasiddha.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Atisha." border="0" class="size-full wp-image-79490" data-wp-pid="79490" height="320" src="https://www.lionsroar.com/wp-content/uploads/2003/09/Atisha_with_84_mahasiddha.jpg" width="207"></a>It is unconditional compassion for ourselves that leads naturally to
unconditional compassion for others. If we are willing to stand fully in
our own shoes and never give up on ourselves, then we will be able to
put ourselves in the shoes of others and never give up on them. True
compassion does not come from wanting to help out those less fortunate
than ourselves but from realizing our kinship with all beings.<br>
<br>
The lojong teachings are organized around seven points that contain
fifty-nine pithy slogans that remind us how to awaken our hearts.
Presented here are nineteen of those slogans:<br>
<h2>
First, train in the preliminaries.</h2>
The preliminaries are also known as the four reminders. In your daily life, try to:<br>
<ol>1. Maintain an awareness of the preciousness of human life.</ol>
<ol>2. Be aware of the reality that life ends; death comes for everyone.</ol>
<ol>3. Recall that whatever you do, whether virtuous or not, has a result; what goes around comes around.</ol>
<ol>4. Contemplate that as long as you are too focused on
self-importance and too caught up in thinking about how you are good or
bad, you will suffer. Obsessing about getting what you want and avoiding
what you don’t want does not result in happiness.</ol><a href="http://yanaskydancer.blogspot.com/2017/06/lojong-how-to-awaken-your-heart-by-pema.html#more">Read more »</a>Yana Castle, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09771011296153351206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5637976436246987694.post-52013836721313854302017-05-30T05:34:00.000-07:002017-07-11T05:34:39.838-07:00Six Kinds of Loneliness by Pema Chodron<h4>
To be without a reference point is the ultimate loneliness. It is also called enlightenment.</h4>
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VOFF3PPjrR8/WWTFXGjAXNI/AAAAAAAABaw/hlVWqqQmmwo8we_l9AissBHoGhXpYyTiQCLcBGAs/s1600/doi-20170627-1200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1200" height="167" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VOFF3PPjrR8/WWTFXGjAXNI/AAAAAAAABaw/hlVWqqQmmwo8we_l9AissBHoGhXpYyTiQCLcBGAs/s320/doi-20170627-1200.jpg" width="320"></a>In the middle way, there is no reference point. The mind with no
reference point does not resolve itself, does not fixate or grasp. How
could we possibly have no reference point? To have no reference point
would be to change a deep-seated habitual response to the world: wanting
to make it work out one way or the other. If I can’t go left or right, I
will die! When we don’t go left or right, we feel like we are in a
detox center. We’re alone, cold turkey with all the edginess that we’ve
been trying to avoid by going left or right. That edginess can feel
pretty heavy.<br>
<br>
However, years and years of going to the left or right, going to yes
or no, going to right or wrong has never really changed anything.
Scrambling for security has never brought anything but momentary joy.
It’s like changing the position of our legs in meditation. Our legs hurt
from sitting cross-legged, so we move them. And then we feel, “Phew!
What a relief!” But two and a half minutes later, we want to move them
again. We keep moving around seeking pleasure, seeking comfort, and the
satisfaction that we get is very short-lived.<br>
<a href="http://yanaskydancer.blogspot.com/2017/05/six-kinds-of-loneliness-by-pema-chodron.html#more">Read more »</a>Yana Castle, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09771011296153351206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5637976436246987694.post-12771927374440339722017-04-20T10:34:00.000-07:002017-07-10T10:35:17.150-07:00Tree House by Madisyn Taylor<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5TNYx-oDGfc/WWO6XR0PO7I/AAAAAAAABaE/_YG6VDDSSQ0-EqYenrUqd3C4wUor60jHACLcBGAs/s1600/ATLTreehouse_092315.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1200" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5TNYx-oDGfc/WWO6XR0PO7I/AAAAAAAABaE/_YG6VDDSSQ0-EqYenrUqd3C4wUor60jHACLcBGAs/s320/ATLTreehouse_092315.jpg" width="320" /></a>A new view of a situation is just what we need to answer a difficult question or see something we've been missing. <br /><br />We may choose to be alone or we may invite a special friend to join us. Either way, this is our private world in which we get to decide who comes and goes. It is our haven where we can fully be who we are, shed the masks required by the world below, and reveal our most hidden secrets, dreams, and desires. It is also an ideal vantage point on the life that continues below the branches. Often, a new view of a situation is just what we need to answer a difficult question, solve a challenging problem, or see something we've been missing. It is as if we have ascended into the heavens and are able to tap into a higher awareness. We can draw on this airy energy to revitalize us, relax us, and feed us new ideas. When we descend, we are ready to enter the world again, cleaner, clearer, and often more inspired. <br /><br />If you haven't been in a tree house for a while, now may be the time to make one for yourself or find one you can borrow. If you can't find or create an actual tree house, think of other venues that could provide the same experience--a rooftop perch, a quiet spot in a grove of trees on a hilltop, a light-filled attic. Or just close your eyes and visualize yourself ensconced in your perfect home in the branches of your favorite tree.<br />
<br />
There is no greater way to escape the troubles of daily life than to ascend into the welcoming embrace of a tree house. Like a bird in its nest, we feel held and safe in the branches, cloaked within a curtain of green leaves. Here we can breathe more freely and think more clearly, our hearts and brains fed by the oxygen released by the leaves. We float above the everyday world of the ground, enjoying a bird's-eye view of all that remains below. Yana Castle, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09771011296153351206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5637976436246987694.post-49155726522413163902017-03-14T09:29:00.000-07:002017-07-11T10:02:51.548-07:00Why Silence Is So Good For Your Brain by Carolyn Gregoire<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In a loud and distracting world, finding pockets of stillness can benefit your brain and body. Here are four science-backed reasons why.<br>
<br>
We live in a loud and distracting world, where silence is increasingly difficult to come by ― and that may be negatively affecting our health. In fact, a 2011 World Health Organization report called noise pollution a “modern plague,” concluding that “there is overwhelming evidence that exposure to environmental noise has adverse effects on the health of the population.”<br>
<br>
We’re constantly filling our ears with music, TV and radio news, podcasts and, of course, the multitude of sounds that we create nonstop in our own heads. Think about it: How many moments each day do you spend in total silence? The answer is probably very few.<br>
<br>
As our internal and external environments become louder and louder, more people are beginning to seek out silence, whether through a practice of sitting quietly for 10 minutes every morning or heading off to a 10-day silent retreat.<br>
<br>
Inspired to go find some peace and quiet? Here are four science-backed ways that silence is good for your brain ― and how making time for it can make you feel less stressed, more focused and more creative.<br>
<a href="http://yanaskydancer.blogspot.com/2017/03/why-silence-is-so-good-for-your-brain.html#more">Read more »</a>Yana Castle, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09771011296153351206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5637976436246987694.post-4638099836154821282017-02-07T08:56:00.004-08:002017-07-10T09:17:57.957-07:00Hypnotherapy Information Meetings in Berkeley<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dxqOvpIYA3M/WJn4z3rzWkI/AAAAAAAABGg/sP_TK2fd4mAxNzx1Mwjgd5MAEM14LtF_wCEw/s1600/7508956.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="159" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dxqOvpIYA3M/WJn4z3rzWkI/AAAAAAAABGg/sP_TK2fd4mAxNzx1Mwjgd5MAEM14LtF_wCEw/s320/7508956.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
For many of you who are curious about hypnosis, I am offering free information meetings on the second and fourth Mondays of each month. I hope you will come by so we can meet, address your questions and so you can learn about what hypnotherapy is and if it is right for you.<br />
<br />
Repatterning Hypnosis™ is a method of hypnotherapy that is used to create subconscious
changes in the form of new responses, thoughts, attitudes, behaviors or
feelings. It also draws on East/West
healing methods such as: EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) and Buddhist meditation practices. In my practice, I am able to provide a safe confidential environment. For more information, please visit <a href="http://repatterninghypnosis.com/">my hypnotherapy website</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>February meetings: Mondays, February 13th and 27th, 2017, 7 to 7:45 pm<br />Address: Elmwood Wellness Center, 2811A College Ave., Berkeley, (near Ashby Avenue, cross street Russell Street).</b> <br />
<br />
—<b>Please RSVP</b> by phone, text or email if you plan to attend as there is limited seating (open to 6 individuals each meeting). berkeleyhypnotherapy@gmail.com, <b>510 990-1711.</b><br />
<br />
DOES THIS SOUND LIKE YOU?<br />
<br />
CLARIFY<br />
• I want to understand more about my relationship with others.<br />
• I am not sure how to cope with grief and loss.<br />
• I feel anxious and scared a lot of the time.<br />
• I am not sure how to relax.<br />
• I question if I can be more happy.<br />
• Something’s not right and I can’t put my finger on it.<br />
<br />
GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT<br />
• I want to improve my level of confidence and self-esteem.<br />
• I want to gain greater self awareness.<br />
• I want to improve communication with my family, friends and co-workers.<br />
• I feel ready to move on to something new.<br />
<br />
EXPLORE<br />
• There’s something specific I want to explore.<br />
• I am feeling really stuck and down.<br />
• I feel unclear as if my mind is in a fog.<br />
• I would like to have some support and someone to listen to me.<br />
• I feel overwhelmed.<br />
<br />
BEHAVIORAL CHANGE<br />
• I want to stop smoking.<br />
• I want to lose weight.<br />
• I want to feel less anxious.<br />
• I want to stop sabotaging myself.<br />
• I want to deal with my phobia.<br />
<br />
About Dr. Yana Castle<br />
I am a Board Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist and earned my PhD from CIIS (California Institute of Integral Studies, San Francisco) concentrating on Transformation and Consciousness studies. I hold an Master's degree in Women's Spirituality and B.A. in Archaeomythology. My book <a href="https://goo.gl/">"Guardians of the Gate"</a> was published in 2009. For the past two decades, I have led private <a href="http://www.pilgrimagesnepal.com/">pilgrimage tours to Nepal</a>. I work with clients in my Berkeley office and by phone appointments.Yana Castle, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09771011296153351206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5637976436246987694.post-62135337106044344042017-02-07T08:30:00.002-08:002017-02-07T08:30:56.039-08:00Boredom by Madisyn Taylor<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IcFMA95P9iY/WJn18L_CZuI/AAAAAAAABGA/q3vSw2qcOgYo7lemuVi2kHfSYTOvapREACLcB/s1600/bored-kitty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IcFMA95P9iY/WJn18L_CZuI/AAAAAAAABGA/q3vSw2qcOgYo7lemuVi2kHfSYTOvapREACLcB/s320/bored-kitty.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span id="goog_316654258"></span><span id="goog_316654259"></span>The sense of feeling bored in life can be an indicator that we need to be proactive in creating change.<br />
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Sometimes we feel that things aren't moving along fast enough for us and that the world is passing us by. It may be that time seems to stand still and that we are simply bystanders in our own lives. Other times it might appear that there is nothing new left for us to experience and that we are locked into a never-ending cycle of stasis.<br />
<br />
If we take the time to listen to these feelings we will notice that there is probably more going on beneath the surface, like our apprehension to venture out into the unknown. By taking a new look at how we live our lives, however, it will be easier to break through our sense of boredom and enter into a more positive state of being. <br />
<br />
When life seems monotonous, it is usually an indication that there is something we need to change. Boredom can easily lead us down the path to despondency. Acknowledging our feelings and then setting the intention to alter just one small thing in our life can give us a much more affirmative outlook. This act of change allows us to step outside of ourselves and discover new and exciting things that are often already present in our everyday lives. Simple things such as eating a healthier diet, taking a new class, or joining a club are all ways in which we can go beyond our comfort zone and explore the wonders that exist all around us. Keep in mind that the moment we do something different from our usual routine, the more fresh energy, hope, and blessings we will manifest in our life. What this means is that we'll no longer see things as being tedious but will instead realize the preciousness of everything. <br />
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Being able to integrate these subtle changes on a daily basis allows us to recognize the miracles that are our lives. Even though we may think of change as doing something life-altering or drastic, gentle transitions from our habitual ways of doing things and an appreciation of all life offers us will truly bring about positive and lasting transformation.Yana Castle, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09771011296153351206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5637976436246987694.post-72718148490577639522017-01-04T08:57:00.001-08:002017-01-04T08:57:03.797-08:00Bird Meditation by Madisyn Taylor<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NPx0y04ojYs/WG0o_XFv1MI/AAAAAAAABFs/f2cAqBMdjOUGjXhaQD-M7XUiZ-Zx8pIwQCK4B/s1600/bird.watching.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NPx0y04ojYs/WG0o_XFv1MI/AAAAAAAABFs/f2cAqBMdjOUGjXhaQD-M7XUiZ-Zx8pIwQCK4B/s320/bird.watching.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>When it becomes too cold to be outside with nature, bring her inside through your meditation</i>.</span><br /><br />When the weather gets colder it can be more difficult to get in touch with the marvel of nature as it exists around us. Finding innovative ways to really connect with nature brings us closer to the wonders that envelop our lives. One way to do this is to perform a meditation with our feathered friends, the bird kingdom. <br /><br />Just by taking a few moments each day to watch the bird activity that goes on in our backyards through our windows can bring a sense of calm and well-being to our lives. Watching and being with the birds that we share our garden space with us allows us to experience greater feelings of relaxation and gratitude for the diversity that is always present around us. Simply watching, without judgment or expectations, heightens our awareness of the beauty of nature. If you watch the birds for a long enough period of time you will begin to feel a great sense of deep joy within you knowing we are all truly divine. Doing this with our family members will in turn introduce a meditative practice that can easily be shared and appreciated by all, as well as create deeper bonds with each other through the joy of experiencing the healing power of nature. <br /><br />Looking through our windows and placing a feeder and bird bath in our gardens to attract the birds is a way to call forth beauty into our lives. As we consciously connect with our outer world--even when the weather inhibits us from physically being in it--we see that the splendor we view outside of our windows is simply a reflection of what lies within us.Yana Castle, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09771011296153351206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5637976436246987694.post-77206566313164893262016-12-14T20:25:00.000-08:002017-01-04T09:01:18.227-08:00 How to Heal Yourself by Talking to your Body by Therese Wade<br>
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iDD3yhcviTE/WD5T0AuD17I/AAAAAAAABE8/-pmEJgU8-CEi4E4XW546u4xl7X6PEHdygCK4B/s1600/HealYourselfFeature.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iDD3yhcviTE/WD5T0AuD17I/AAAAAAAABE8/-pmEJgU8-CEi4E4XW546u4xl7X6PEHdygCK4B/s400/HealYourselfFeature.jpg" width="400"></a><b>Your Cells are Listening</b><br>
Every part of your body has its own consciousness or its own soul. These transformative words, spoken by indigenous medicine women, began my journey within to discover the extraordinary healing capacity of the human body. When this perspective was introduced to me, I was suffering from a severe chronic pain disorder. I suddenly imagined incorporating this concept into my meditation routine. I thought, can my body hear me… can I talk to it to gain its cooperation in healing this condition? Can my body hear me?<br>
<br>
<b>The Path to Freedom</b><br>
That night, after reaching a state of deep calm through meditation, I inwardly engaged my body in a heartfelt conversation, with hope, but having no idea what to expect. After about one hour of this focused communication, something amazing happened. My tissues began to respond. Connective tissue pulled and stretched apart layers of scar tissue. Nerves fired and my calf muscles began to perform flexion and extension exercises independently of my conscious control. As this response continued, one of my calf muscles that had become paralyzed by the neuropathic condition — diagnosed as Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy — came back to life as electric-like jolts shot through the area. My heart pounded as I realized that the path to my freedom from this condition had finally begun. Nerves fired and my calf muscles began to perform independently of my conscious control.<br>
<br>
<b>Guidelines for Dynamic Healing</b><br>
With a background in acupuncture and Oriental medicine, I knew too well how prevalent chronic pain is in this country and I wondered what the implications of this phenomenon could mean to so many others who were suffering. As I continued to make progress with my condition, I organized my approach into a system that I could teach to clients and shifted my professional focus to hypnotherapy. When instructing my clients, I explain that a regular meditation practice is necessary to train the brain to enter alpha and theta brain wave states. While in these states, communication between the conscious mind and the physical body is dramatically enhanced.<br>
<br>
A regular meditation practice is necessary to train the brain. I have found that when communicating, there are three key steps to gaining the cooperation of the body:<br>
• Approach your body with genuine compassion, understanding that it is made up of conscious cells who experience emotions.<br>
• Build trust by engaging your body in mental conversations about your desire for the two of you to cooperate and overcome the ailment.<br>
• Allow changes in the conversation by using different thoughts and words that elicit spontaneous elevated emotions.<br>
<br>
From my experience, the above guidelines are necessary to achieve dynamic healing responses in the body. The above guidelines are necessary to achieve dynamic healing responses in the body. <a href="http://How to Heal Yourself by Talking to your Body">more</a><br>
<a href="http://yanaskydancer.blogspot.com/2016/12/how-to-heal-yourself-by-talking-to-your.html#more">Read more »</a>Yana Castle, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09771011296153351206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5637976436246987694.post-47147416375558469302016-12-09T08:41:00.001-08:002016-12-09T08:42:51.635-08:00This Is Why Ghosting Hurts So Much by Jennie Vilhauer Ph.D.<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KQcMjLcJrLY/WEreVzNuFAI/AAAAAAAABFQ/btXq5pY0anUCbSMwHwo546-rZiFVPdN2QCLcB/s1600/shutterstock_212993497.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KQcMjLcJrLY/WEreVzNuFAI/AAAAAAAABFQ/btXq5pY0anUCbSMwHwo546-rZiFVPdN2QCLcB/s1600/shutterstock_212993497.jpg" /></a>The opposite of <a class="inline-links topic-link" href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/relationships" title="Psychology Today looks at love">love</a>
isn’t hate; it is indifference. Ghosting, for those of you who haven’t
yet experienced it, is having someone that you believe cares about you,
whether it be a friend or someone you are <a class="inline-links topic-link" href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/mating" title="Psychology Today looks at dating">dating</a>,
disappear from contact without any explanation at all. No phone call or
email, not even a text. Ghosting isn’t new—people have long done
disappearing acts—but years ago this kind of behavior was considered
limited to a certain type of scoundrel. In today’s <a class="inline-links topic-link" href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/mating" title="Psychology Today looks at dating">dating</a>
culture being ghosted is a phenomenon that approximately 50 percent of
men and women have experienced—and an almost equal number have <i>done</i> the ghosting.<sup>1</sup>
Despite ghosting's commonality, the emotional effects can be
devastating, and particularly damaging to those who already have fragile
<a class="inline-links topic-link" href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/self-esteem" title="Psychology Today looks at self-esteem">self-esteem</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>Why do people ghost?</b><br />
People who ghost are primarily focused on avoiding their own
emotional discomfort and they aren’t thinking about how it makes the
other person feel. The lack of social connections to people who are met
online also means there are less social consequences to dropping out of
someone’s life. The more it happens, either to themselves or their
friends, the more people become desensitized to it and the more likely
they are to do it to someone else.<br />
<div class="rteindent1">
“I didn't understand exactly how I actually felt at the time, so instead of trying to talk it out, I ghosted.” <sup>2</sup></div>
<div class="rteindent1">
“I used to disappear when it was all I thought it was [a fling], or I got scared of finding what I wanted…Or some kind of <a class="inline-links topic-link" href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/fear" title="Psychology Today looks at fear">fear</a> factor from a past relationship kicks in.” <sup>2</sup></div>
<div class="rteindent1">
“Looking through the lens of a coward, passive
withdrawal from dating seems like the easiest and nicest route…until
it’s done to you.” <sup>3</sup></div>
<div class="rteindent1">
“I kind of think that it's part of what makes the <a class="inline-links topic-link" href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/social-networking" title="Psychology Today looks at online dating">online dating</a>
scene so appealing. Since you don't have friends in common or weren't
introduced through some other channel, it's not the end of the world if
you just drop off the face of the earth.” <sup>4</sup></div>
<div class="rteindent1">
“I, for one, consider myself to be an honest and
straightforward person. And yet I’ve ghosted...And I’ve told myself,
time and time again, that it’s all the fault of the toxic dating culture
we’ve created. And at the end of the day, I think that’s what we’re all
telling ourselves.” <sup>5</sup></div>
<div class="rteindent1">
<sup><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/living-forward/201511/is-why-ghosting-hurts-so-much">read more</a> </sup></div>
<b></b>Yana Castle, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09771011296153351206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5637976436246987694.post-77034755998795756882016-12-05T02:24:00.000-08:002016-12-05T06:43:51.639-08:00How to Release the Stress stored in our Bodies by Jacob Devaney<br>
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pplV45ViNRQ/WCmQg5mRu1I/AAAAAAAABEc/Iq9Asut577AlE1d2l4ybFAerJBzVBdS5ACLcB/s1600/How%252Bto%252BStretch%252Bthe%252BPsoas%252BMuscle-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pplV45ViNRQ/WCmQg5mRu1I/AAAAAAAABEc/Iq9Asut577AlE1d2l4ybFAerJBzVBdS5ACLcB/s320/How%252Bto%252BStretch%252Bthe%252BPsoas%252BMuscle-1.jpg" width="320"></a><b>Taking time to unlock the 'muscle of the soul'</b><br>
Do you spend much time sitting in front of a computer, on a plane, in a car? If so your hips may be locked up which effects your ability to dance, but worse than that it may be causing you undue stress and fear. The Psoas Muscle, is a long muscle located on the side of the lumbar region of the vertebral column and brim of the pelvis, that is also known as the “muscle of the soul”.<br>
It is one of the largest muscles in the body and it is a place where we often store stress or trauma that can literally influence our mood and our outlook on life. We recently explored in depth just how much fear can inhibit our ability to think clearly thus creating an unhealthy perspective that can harm us and those around us. Now let’s look at where that fear might be stored in our body, and a few ways to release it.<br>
<br>
In humans, the extremes of the two polarities might appropriately be described as LOVE (+) and FEAR (- ). Love fuels growth. In contrast, fear stunts growth. – Bruce Lipton, Ph.D.<br>
If you spend long hours sitting, your hips may be locked up, causing you undue stress and fear.<br>
<br>
<b>How built up stress makes us easy to manipulate</b><br>
Being in a state of fear allows us to be easily manipulated. Advertisers and politicians have learned to capitalize on this biological aspect of humans also known as the lizard brain. Unfortunately our fast-paced lifestyles (mentally), combined with our relatively stagnate physical activity (driving, working at computer, etc.) causes our bodies to be ineffective at releasing built up stress which manifests in our thoughts as fear or anxiety.<br>
<br>
Lizard brain refers to the oldest part of the brain, the brain stem, responsible for primitive survival instincts such as aggression and fear (flight or fight) – Joseph Troncale M.D., Psychology Today<br>
The effects of stress on the body.<br>
<a href="http://yanaskydancer.blogspot.com/2016/12/how-to-release-stress-stored-in-our.html#more">Read more »</a>Yana Castle, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09771011296153351206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5637976436246987694.post-40773051709351046432016-11-09T18:38:00.001-08:002016-11-09T19:24:02.274-08:00A Method to Manage your Anxiety<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/q2_UfFIszkY/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/q2_UfFIszkY?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br />
Here is a simple anxiety relief hypnotherapy video by You Productions. It is available as an iPhone app "Manage Anxiety," if you are interested.<br />
<a class=" yt-uix-servicelink " data-servicelink="CC8Q6TgiEwiz1r7Ak53QAhUYNWgKHWmBBbAo-B0" data-url="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/manage-anxiety/id512941629?mt=8" href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/manage-anxiety/id512941629?mt=8" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/manag...</a><br />
<br />
I find it particularly helpful as one can listen to the guided meditation or you may decided to turn off the sound and just watch the soothing images. Hope this helps you.<br />
<br />
Stay tuned for my own Repatterning Hypnosis recordings in the near future. <a href="http://www.repatterninghypnosis.com/">Yana's hypnotherapy website.</a>Yana Castle, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09771011296153351206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5637976436246987694.post-2172103031504493702016-11-08T21:30:00.000-08:002016-11-09T09:22:26.129-08:00On Fear, Fearlessness and the U.S. Presidential Election: One Buddhist's Perspective by Susan Piver<h3 class="graf--h3 graf--leading graf--title" id="1cc3" name="1cc3">
</h3>
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</figure><div class="graf--p graf-after--figure" id="3fe1" name="3fe1">
<a href="https://d262ilb51hltx0.cloudfront.net/max/1600/1*P-z8G9UdioU9WIE0FyFnAw.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" class="progressiveMedia-image js-progressiveMedia-image" data-src="https://d262ilb51hltx0.cloudfront.net/max/1600/1*P-z8G9UdioU9WIE0FyFnAw.png" height="182" src="https://d262ilb51hltx0.cloudfront.net/max/1600/1*P-z8G9UdioU9WIE0FyFnAw.png" width="320"></a>One
could say that many of the world’s ills are rooted in fear. This is a
pretty ordinary observation. If you watch a scary movie at night, you
hear the noises in your home as ominous. If you don’t, they aren’t. Fear
changes the way we perceive the world around us.</div>
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<br></div>
<div class="graf--p graf-after--p" id="3697" name="3697">
On
this day just prior to our election in the US, we have an unusually
potent opportunity to work with fear because no matter who we support,
we are all f*cking terrified. The more afraid we are, the more likely we
are to scare each other. The more we scare each other, the greater the
distance between us.</div>
<div class="graf--p graf-after--p" id="3697" name="3697">
<br></div>
<div class="graf--p graf-after--p" id="cd39" name="cd39">
<span class="markup--quote markup--p-quote is-other" data-creator-ids="anon" name="anon_93675c94114">The real danger is not in the policies of those we oppose. It is in dividing humanity into us and them.</span>
Fear makes us demonize some and cling to others. Someone has to put a
stop to this and because you are reading this, that someone is you. (I
didn’t tell you that reading this post was equivalent to being tagged
“it” in the cosmic game of terror tag. Well, now you know.)</div>
<div class="graf--p graf-after--p" id="cd39" name="cd39">
<br></div>
<div class="graf--p graf-after--p" id="3ee1" name="3ee1">
Your
job is to assume responsibility for your terror by feeling it because
without doing so you offload it into the environment. You turn others
into your personal punching bag (by blaming them for what you fear) or
your personal snuggy bear (for agreeing with you and assuaging your
fear). We become trapped in an endless cycle of reactivity.</div>
<div class="graf--p graf-after--p" id="3ee1" name="3ee1">
<br></div>
<div class="graf--p graf-after--p" id="e1ff" name="e1ff">
In
Buddhist thought, the cycle of unexamined thought and emotion could
take one of three forms. These are called the “three poisons.”</div>
<a href="http://yanaskydancer.blogspot.com/2016/11/on-fear-fearlessness-and-us.html#more">Read more »</a>Yana Castle, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09771011296153351206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5637976436246987694.post-61831205495055539872016-10-03T11:30:00.000-07:002016-11-09T08:57:00.303-08:00Mistaken Compassion by Beth Lee-Herbert<div class="entry-featured">
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True compassion, or empathic concern, is one of the most sublime of
all human impulses. We reach toward a greater universal purpose by
joyfully extending from our hearts out of our small measly sense of
self. Not only does this benefit others; through selflessly extending a
hand to those less fortunate, we ourselves feel nourished and uplifted.
Even just the compassionate impulse welling forth creates great peace
and joy within.</div>
<div class="entry-thumb">
</div>
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However, even with the best of intentions to generate compassion,
there are ways we go astray by deluding ourselves. This becomes apparent
when, instead of feeling nurtured by offering compassion in thought or
deed, we are left with the bitter taste of negative emotion.<br>
<br>
One way we do this is by acting compassionately for others’ approval.
If we are acting in a seemingly compassionate way so that others think
highly of us, our motivation is still fundamentally self-centered. Even
though our actions from the outside seem flawlessly selfless, our
motivation is actually to get something for ourselves. Sometimes this is
praise or a reward from another person. Other times, even subtler, the
reward comes from ourselves: wanting to prove to ourselves that we are
worthy by being a good person. We feel compelled to give to others to
cover up our own shame. Because we are still fundamentally self-seeking,
we end up angry or burned out when we don’t get what we want from the
situation. We feel unappreciated or hollow from giving. We push
ourselves past our natural limits in the hopes of receiving love, from
others and from ourselves.<br>
<a href="http://yanaskydancer.blogspot.com/2016/10/mistaken-compassion-by-beth-lee-herbert.html#more">Read more »</a>Yana Castle, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09771011296153351206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5637976436246987694.post-2516734827961076102016-10-01T19:15:00.000-07:002017-01-04T09:00:54.134-08:00Are you ready for spiritual adventures in the Himalayas?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-taD73hjABog/WCPl-VWR7OI/AAAAAAAABEE/7pcZCLYSjWUx_Me7HJizeJ1R4YmyJwzXQCLcB/s1600/1341473.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="167" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-taD73hjABog/WCPl-VWR7OI/AAAAAAAABEE/7pcZCLYSjWUx_Me7HJizeJ1R4YmyJwzXQCLcB/s400/1341473.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Namaste Everyone, Currently, I am
offering three tours for 2017 (Healing Wisdom Tour, Nepal Mandala Tour and Skydancer Pilgrimage). They are particularly suited for those who desire a personal pilgrimage for themselves or prefer to travel with a small group. </span></span></span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: medium;">For more information, please visit my <a href="http://www.pilgrimagesnepal.com/">website. </a></span></span></span></div>
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Yana Castle, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09771011296153351206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5637976436246987694.post-51573571589133693692016-09-24T00:00:00.000-07:002016-11-09T08:50:29.970-08:00How Can I Help? by Ruth Terracini<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UgxZzpcqs_M/WCNTMN9kLxI/AAAAAAAABCc/AMJEPA-8K4I5iKpPTRjVM63nHp0O4gr2ACEw/s1600/1531671_10152529796101194_596041985635218672_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UgxZzpcqs_M/WCNTMN9kLxI/AAAAAAAABCc/AMJEPA-8K4I5iKpPTRjVM63nHp0O4gr2ACEw/s320/1531671_10152529796101194_596041985635218672_n.jpg" width="245" /></a></div>
<br />
"Is there anything I can do?" can be an exhausting question. Here's a list you can put on your computer, modify to your circumstances, and send out to whoever asks!<br />
Compiled by an Australian woman who died of cancer. <br />
<br />
Practical things:<br />
• Mow our lawn • Make me dinner • Come over & quietly clean something in my house • Invite me to something fun you are doing • Take me to a movie • Meet me for coffee • Send me a card of encouragement • Leave some organic fruit in a basket on my doorstep. • Share something from your veggie garden. • Plant something in my veggie garden • Send me a text when you are grocery shopping and ask me if I need anything • Find out when I have to go to the hospital for treatment and drive me or visit me there • Visit my elderly parent(s) when I am too sick to see them • Take my dog for a walk • Hire a housecleaner for me. <br />
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Kindnesses that take little effort but that can be powerfully uplifting: <br />
• Tell me that you have said a prayer, or sent positive vibes into the universe for me • Write me a note telling me why I matter • Send me an email or text every now and then just to say you are thinking of me…and don't expect a response • Share a memory of me that is special to you • Talk to me like a normal person, not a diagnosis. Let me enjoy time with you when cancer is not the main topic of conversation • Let me know you care – I don't want my disease or treatment to be the first thing that you ask about, but acknowledge the reality of what I am going through. • Do something challenging and tell me that you were thinking of me while you did it (the Relay for Life, a long distance event, a hike up a mountain) • Do something for my husband, who supports me. • Give me a hug and tell me that you love me .<br />
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The effects of emotional support for someone who is unwell, and their carer(s) cannot be understated. Feeling understood, acknowledged and loved goes a long way to creating a healing environment. You may even find that doing a good turn for someone has positive effects for you too.<br />
<br />
Ruth Terracini, March 2015Yana Castle, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09771011296153351206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5637976436246987694.post-74212955272925533562016-08-10T08:31:00.000-07:002016-11-09T08:38:45.612-08:00Tsoknyi Rinpoche Interview on Lung<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_q3fi8XAOBA/WCNPNDAa1eI/AAAAAAAABB4/-RoV1EEKO9EvfRGcCJlaO6hrbxa-R_RkwCLcB/s1600/51MuK3qE85L._SX327_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_q3fi8XAOBA/WCNPNDAa1eI/AAAAAAAABB4/-RoV1EEKO9EvfRGcCJlaO6hrbxa-R_RkwCLcB/s320/51MuK3qE85L._SX327_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="210"></a></div>
“In the 21st century, the subject of healing the subtle body is crucial. I sometimes say that for western Dharma practitioners, “body enlightenment” is more important than the enlightenment of the mind.” ~ Tsoknyi Rinpoche<br>
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*Q: In your new book “Open Heart, Open Mind” you discuss the subtle body and its influence on our lives. How can we understand the subtle body?<br>
Rinpoche: In the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, the subtle body (Tib. “lu trawa”) connects the body and mind and is the home of the emotions that influences both.<br>
Q: So it is a point of great importance that is largely unknown in western psychology. Can you please explain the system of the subtle body in more precise detail?<br>
Rinpoche: The subtle body is composed of three interrelated aspects. The first consists of what in Tibetan is called “tsa”, (“nadi” in Sanskrit), usually translated as channels. They are closely related, but not the same as a network of nerves that extend throughout the body. These channels are the pathways that allow sparks of life(“thigle” in Tibetan, “bindus” in Sanskrit) to circulate and can be compared to neurotransmitters–chemical messengers that influence our physical, mental and emotional states.The “thigle” circulate within the channels due to the subtle energy or inner wind, known in Tibetan as “lung.” (“prana” in Sanskrit).<br>
<a href="http://yanaskydancer.blogspot.com/2016/08/tsoknyi-rinpoche-interview-on-lung.html#more">Read more »</a>Yana Castle, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09771011296153351206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5637976436246987694.post-3602629728386869292016-07-18T08:24:00.000-07:002016-11-09T08:26:05.726-08:00On Self-compassion<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4PPMX2Lx4LQ/WCNNexQen0I/AAAAAAAABBk/h8xkWpAYc80RF5o16gg3LsIyFC0YTamNgCLcB/s1600/self_compassion_infographic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="381" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4PPMX2Lx4LQ/WCNNexQen0I/AAAAAAAABBk/h8xkWpAYc80RF5o16gg3LsIyFC0YTamNgCLcB/s400/self_compassion_infographic.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Yana Castle, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09771011296153351206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5637976436246987694.post-89126237930875497132016-06-22T08:17:00.000-07:002016-11-09T08:37:37.218-08:00Resiliency Building Skills to Practice for Trauma Recovery <h3>
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Rrmkgk9x7GU/WCNL0-liCfI/AAAAAAAABBc/8tDMt7J-h0Q383ojSA8TsnssSThVkbsVQCLcB/s1600/nervoussystem.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Rrmkgk9x7GU/WCNL0-liCfI/AAAAAAAABBc/8tDMt7J-h0Q383ojSA8TsnssSThVkbsVQCLcB/s200/nervoussystem.jpg" width="155" /></a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Much of trauma healing is helping the nervous system become more
“resilient.” Rather than spend a few hours or even days drowning in a
state of terror, tension and nervousness after getting triggered, doing
one or more of these exercises can help the nervous system shift into a
different state sooner.</span></span></span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Each time you do an activity or exercise like the ones below, this
teaches the nervous system to be more flexible and rebound from
activation sooner.</span></span></span></span></h3>
<h1>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Take Your Nervous System to the Gym</span></span></span></span></h1>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">After some type of physical injury that leaves some of your muscles
weak or atrophied, you may need to go to physical therapy and exercise
the muscles to strengthen them again. After trauma, the nervous system
is completely out of whack and the resiliency muscles, so to speak, are
very weak. Practicing resiliency exercises on a regular basis is like
going to a “Nervous System Gym” and exercising the healthy functions of
your nervous system until they become strong once again.</span></span></span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">In fact, going to a Trauma Resiliency Model or Somatic Experiencing
therapist is kind of like seeing a Nervous System Physical Therapist or
Nervous System Personal Trainer. When you see a regular Physical
Therapist or Personal Trainer, they will give you homework to do in the
gym or at home before the next week’s session. In the same way, if you
go to therapy for trauma once a week, it’s good to also practice these
things on your own between sessions to get those muscles worked out
enough to improve your functionality over time.</span></span></span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.new-synapse.com/aps/wordpress/?p=1825">Link</a> to this article </span></span></span></span></h3>
Yana Castle, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09771011296153351206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5637976436246987694.post-74382988320575857352016-05-25T08:02:00.000-07:002016-11-09T08:17:37.910-08:00The Incredible Mind Altering Meditation of Sky Gazing and How To Do It by Chad Foreman<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
</h2>
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</h2>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GImjkVnfmkM/WCNIUFcdPSI/AAAAAAAABBU/gFZYFGZhhmc-0cuFpcLzowtYAZ-DfZLqwCK4B/s1600/Words-Create-Reality-In-One-Moment-Your-Life-Change.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GImjkVnfmkM/WCNIUFcdPSI/AAAAAAAABBU/gFZYFGZhhmc-0cuFpcLzowtYAZ-DfZLqwCK4B/s320/Words-Create-Reality-In-One-Moment-Your-Life-Change.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Sky Gazing</h2>
There is a meditation practice within Tibetan Buddhism called Sky Gazing it comes from the Meditation tradition of<span style="color: #ff9900;"> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dzogchen" style="color: #ff9900;">Dzogchen </a></span>– which strongly emphasises resting in a <b><i>natural state</i></b>
free from conceptual elaborations. This natural state is wide open,
clear and lucid; it neither rejects anything or clings to anything and
is sometimes referred to as spontaneous awareness. It is spontaneous
because nothing has manufactured or created it, like having to meditate
or having to be calm. It always has been there and therefore is also
called primordial awareness.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The clear blue sky is the closest
external example of what this natural state is like. The clear sky is
also a metaphor for the natural states indestructibility. Just like the
sky is not affected by the passing weather neither is our natural state
stained by thoughts or emotions no matter how strong they may be. This
is a liberating view in the field of meditation. No longer do you have
the idea that you have to purify and remove all the negative states of
mind, now there is a teaching that directly points to an aspect of
yourself which is your essential nature.</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://www.thewayofmeditation.com.au/blog/the-incredible-mind-altering-meditation-of-sky-gazing/">Click here</a> for a link to this article. </div>
Yana Castle, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09771011296153351206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5637976436246987694.post-16865757052169225892016-05-10T07:52:00.000-07:002016-11-09T07:55:15.451-08:00An Introduction to Working with Unseen Worlds by Robert Owings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ofFPriHeJHM/WCNFSxJfcTI/AAAAAAAABA0/Ib6KaaXSaC4rYJuhJSebUaxLjp0Nih_EgCLcB/s1600/wingedwoman.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ofFPriHeJHM/WCNFSxJfcTI/AAAAAAAABA0/Ib6KaaXSaC4rYJuhJSebUaxLjp0Nih_EgCLcB/s320/wingedwoman.tiff" width="320"></a></div>
All spiritual practices maintain some form of connection to unseen
worlds, be that Buddha fields or the heaven promised so prominently in
Christianity and Islam. In some regard shamanism is not that different;
however, where those religions offer the unseen world in an afterlife,
shamanism opens those realms in this life as well. Plus, it’s a vastly
more expansive, animated, and interactive version to the concept. <br>Shamanic
practice has been described as crossing the veil, walking in other
worlds, and a direct spiritual engagement with spirits, deities, and
other realms. Naturally, such processes bring one into contact with
unseen worlds, and the beings that populate these domains. It’s been
going on since day one, since that first proto shaman took on the work.<br>
<br>A
more contemporary interpretation of these beings is to refer to them as
energies. These energies often come with different purposes and
causality, meaning their own agendas. The description and nomenclature
for these energies can be gods, goddesses, demi-gods, exalted teachers,
bodhisattva, astral beings, guides, wise ancestors, guardian angels—to
less anthropocentric beings such as plant spirits, power animals, the
spirit of a forest or river, planetary archetypes, tricksters, demons,
hungry ghosts, aliens and hyper-dimensional beings, and so on and so on.
One might be advised to be prudent in selecting which energies to align
with and such.<br>
<a href="http://yanaskydancer.blogspot.com/2016/05/an-introduction-to-working-with-unseen.html#more">Read more »</a>Yana Castle, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09771011296153351206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5637976436246987694.post-40779452702462338462016-04-02T22:43:00.001-07:002016-04-02T22:43:38.586-07:00The Values of Ritual<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HsK5qTWobnQ/VwCtNGTxMTI/AAAAAAAAA9w/DE-4YZXN77wsRA7fMWHxW9elRnJwJvF5Q/s1600/il_570xN.732915968_mlgm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HsK5qTWobnQ/VwCtNGTxMTI/AAAAAAAAA9w/DE-4YZXN77wsRA7fMWHxW9elRnJwJvF5Q/s200/il_570xN.732915968_mlgm.jpg" width="159" /></a>"Even the simplest of rituals is a way of acknowledging the unseen, the
unspoken-about, the holy, which feeds our lives with its inexhaustible
generosity. Ritual restores us to one another and to that grander
coherence to which we all belong. Devoting your time to a ritual is like
tending to a living bridge between the seen and the unseen, keeping
that reciprocity alive." -Toko-pa<br />
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Yana Castle, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09771011296153351206noreply@blogger.com