New post on Search for Soul
Thanksgiving
by sampatron
OK, so everyone in the U.S. knows that tomorrow is Thanksgiving. For those not in the U.S. or not familiar with the day, it’s when we “officially” take a holiday to express gratitude for all the things we have in our lives.
Many of us think that means only the good things and not everything, but, as much as I’d rather not be grateful for everything, or even some things, in my life, I have to admit that even the “bad times” have had some positive outcomes. Generally not immediately, but after a while, sometimes quite a while.
Ordinarily I avoid jumping on the bandwagon with these highly publicized holidays but this one is different. In spite of the fact that commerce has promoted excess consumption in the form of food, it’s the closest we come to a “pure” holiday, that is, not ruled by consumerism. That’s changing, though, and it’s sad.
Traditionally, Christmas shopping has begun on the Friday after Thanksgiving, which is always the fourth Thursday of November. It’s called Black Friday because there’s enough money spent on that one day to keep some stores and businesses from ending their year in the red, or loss column of their balance sheet.
Now, however, businesses are either starting Black Friday at midnight, instead of waiting until regular business hours or even opening for business on the holiday itself, when the day is “supposed” to be spent with family and in gratitude for them, or – horrors! – advertising and using Black Friday sale prices before Thanksgiving itself.
Since I’m against excess in almost all cases, I’ll try not to let this post get excessive and get to my point quickly. That is, in this society so often characterized by complaint and grousing, I suggest that you try finding just one thing – one thing – that you normally would complain about and find something in it to be grateful for, to give thanks for.
Maybe it’s that your kids are always leaving their things lying around; be thankful that they have things to leave around and that you’re able to provide them with those things.
Maybe your husband/mate too often comes home late for dinner that you’ve slaved over; be grateful that he comes home.
I’m sure you get the idea, so find your own gripe to be thankful for and put your own spin on it.
Happy Thanksgiving.
LiveJournal Tags: Thanksgiving,thanksgiving,thanks,thanks for "bad" things,difficult times,holidays,excesses
Monday, November 28, 2011
Sunday, November 20, 2011
The Power of Hope
Cultivate Hope During the Holidays
By Theresa Danna
Put the Happy in Happy Holidays
The word “hope” is mentioned often in Christmas songs of various genres: “A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices” says one hymn; “Someone lights the way with just a single ray of hope” according to a country song; and “Every hope is worth saving” claims a symphonic rock tune. Hope is a popular theme, one worth cultivating at any time of year.
The Power of Hope
In the book The Anatomy of Hope, author Jerome Groopman, M.D., writes that belief and expectation are two essential components of hope. Often when patients expect a particular drug or therapy to relieve their pain, they do experience relief—even if they are only given a placebo. Dr. Groopman explains that the placebo effect exists because belief and expectation actually block physical pain by releasing endorphins and enkephalins. He says that one spark of hope can set off a chain reaction in our bodies that helps the healing process.
Studies also show that the cultivation of hope has psychological benefits as well. Hopeful people do better in academics and athletics, for example, and experience less anxiety, depression, and addiction.
Holiday Hope
Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or Winter Solstice, each holiday has intertwining themes of light and hope. Light—in the form of stars, candles, or the sun—pierces darkness, offering the gift of hope. How will you cultivate your gift?
Karen Casey, author of the book Cultivating Hope, suggests keeping a journal of the times that others have reached out to you when you were afraid or troubled, giving you hope. Also record the times that you have provided a ray of hope to others. Write about how it feels on both the receiving end and giving end, so that you can become more aware of how hope works in your life.
Other ways to foster hope include reading stories of how hope has affected other people’s lives, such as the inspirational stories in the Chicken Soup series of books. Also, the holiday season is the best time of year to find movies on television that demonstrate hope and believing, ranging from classics like Miracle on 34th Street to more modern tales on the Hallmark and Lifetime networks.
If you don’t have time to read books or watch movies, try reading one or two brief motivational quotes each day. You can even have them delivered automatically through e-mail each day. Or simply post the word “Hope” or “Believe” someplace where you will see it often. And when you wake up each morning, say to yourself, “I believe something wonderful will happen to me today.”
“This may sound crazy but laughter is one of the greatest healers of all. Sometimes it’s better to put down the inspirational books and rent a bunch of DVD’s of stand up comedians. No plots, no romance just someone you think is really funny. Good comedians remind us just how absurd life can be. That, in itself is an inspiration.” – Chloe
If you are feeling depressed, a sense of control over your life will cultivate hope. Each day make small decisions and set attainable goals with full expectation and belief that you will accomplish them. Hope builds upon itself. The more you realize the power of hope in your life, the more hopeful you will feel.
Observe Hope in Action
If you do only one thing this holiday season to cultivate hope, let it be this: go to a mall and watch children as they stand in line to visit Santa Claus. You would be hard pressed to find any other place at this time of year where belief and expectation are demonstrated more strongly. Those kids have no doubt that Santa will deliver.
“There are many ways to celebrate, consider if you may need to release familiar obligations if they do not bring you joy, in order to find your own space to create holiday happiness!” – Yemaya
By Theresa Danna
Put the Happy in Happy Holidays
The word “hope” is mentioned often in Christmas songs of various genres: “A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices” says one hymn; “Someone lights the way with just a single ray of hope” according to a country song; and “Every hope is worth saving” claims a symphonic rock tune. Hope is a popular theme, one worth cultivating at any time of year.
The Power of Hope
In the book The Anatomy of Hope, author Jerome Groopman, M.D., writes that belief and expectation are two essential components of hope. Often when patients expect a particular drug or therapy to relieve their pain, they do experience relief—even if they are only given a placebo. Dr. Groopman explains that the placebo effect exists because belief and expectation actually block physical pain by releasing endorphins and enkephalins. He says that one spark of hope can set off a chain reaction in our bodies that helps the healing process.
Studies also show that the cultivation of hope has psychological benefits as well. Hopeful people do better in academics and athletics, for example, and experience less anxiety, depression, and addiction.
Holiday Hope
Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or Winter Solstice, each holiday has intertwining themes of light and hope. Light—in the form of stars, candles, or the sun—pierces darkness, offering the gift of hope. How will you cultivate your gift?
Karen Casey, author of the book Cultivating Hope, suggests keeping a journal of the times that others have reached out to you when you were afraid or troubled, giving you hope. Also record the times that you have provided a ray of hope to others. Write about how it feels on both the receiving end and giving end, so that you can become more aware of how hope works in your life.
Other ways to foster hope include reading stories of how hope has affected other people’s lives, such as the inspirational stories in the Chicken Soup series of books. Also, the holiday season is the best time of year to find movies on television that demonstrate hope and believing, ranging from classics like Miracle on 34th Street to more modern tales on the Hallmark and Lifetime networks.
If you don’t have time to read books or watch movies, try reading one or two brief motivational quotes each day. You can even have them delivered automatically through e-mail each day. Or simply post the word “Hope” or “Believe” someplace where you will see it often. And when you wake up each morning, say to yourself, “I believe something wonderful will happen to me today.”
“This may sound crazy but laughter is one of the greatest healers of all. Sometimes it’s better to put down the inspirational books and rent a bunch of DVD’s of stand up comedians. No plots, no romance just someone you think is really funny. Good comedians remind us just how absurd life can be. That, in itself is an inspiration.” – Chloe
If you are feeling depressed, a sense of control over your life will cultivate hope. Each day make small decisions and set attainable goals with full expectation and belief that you will accomplish them. Hope builds upon itself. The more you realize the power of hope in your life, the more hopeful you will feel.
Observe Hope in Action
If you do only one thing this holiday season to cultivate hope, let it be this: go to a mall and watch children as they stand in line to visit Santa Claus. You would be hard pressed to find any other place at this time of year where belief and expectation are demonstrated more strongly. Those kids have no doubt that Santa will deliver.
“There are many ways to celebrate, consider if you may need to release familiar obligations if they do not bring you joy, in order to find your own space to create holiday happiness!” – Yemaya
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Avoid Family Drama on Thanksgiving
Avoid Family Drama on Thanksgiving
November 18, 2011
By Psychic Yemaya
How Not to Hit Your Sister Over the Head With the Fire Truck
Family challenges are truly some of the most difficult spiritual tests, as they last your whole life, yet these relationships tend to be the ones that can bring the most joy… or heartbreak. If we see life as a school, and each relationship, job, or social situation, as a particular “class,” we shift our perspective. This can give you the “space” to look at it without the dramatic history… and this tool can help you to curb your own reactions, disappointments, or even anger that may come up during “A Family Thanksgiving.”
1. Perception
Sit down and list the potential challenges for the upcoming celebration, whether those are individual relationships, the family dynamics, or smaller issues; about food, or how you “do” or “don’t do” something. No matter what form that challenge would take, add it to the list. Now step outside of the history that creates that drama, look at the situation as an outsider, and try to see why the people involved choose to hold on to that behavior or attitude? It usually boils down to their limitations. I love the saying; “there is no such thing as rejection, only other people’s limitations” it is true. If you can let go of the need to change the situation or that person, and accept that they are indeed limited in their ability to control that action, suddenly the drama balloon is deflated!
2. Compassion
It is so easy to judge another, especially if they are sitting in judgment of you! However, if you can find the compassion to try to understand what has happened to that person that could have caused them to be “limited” in their understanding, you can start to feel less irritation, and more compassion. To accept “why” they do or say these things does not lessen you. To accept them “as they are” does not mean you agree with what they say or do. To let them unveil their limitation in their words or deeds, does not mean they are “right.” It just means you are strong and confident enough to let them have their drama without buying a ticket to ride in it!
3. Being Right
It is a human drive to speak our opinions, our feelings, and to move to “correct” what we see as “wrong,” yet if we take away the concept of “right and wrong” (which is rarely an absolute truth) that same action is just a “joining in” to the drama. It escalates the negative energy, and infects all who hear or see it with the heaviness of it. I have a saying, “Do you want to be right, or do you want to be happy?” It is its own reward to simply be free of a “reaction” to negative actions or words.
By being compassionate, using a more spiritual perspective, we can find much more joy in our family gatherings, and set a much healthier example! You could change the future of your family gatherings one small quiet moment, by moment.
November 18, 2011
By Psychic Yemaya
How Not to Hit Your Sister Over the Head With the Fire Truck
Family challenges are truly some of the most difficult spiritual tests, as they last your whole life, yet these relationships tend to be the ones that can bring the most joy… or heartbreak. If we see life as a school, and each relationship, job, or social situation, as a particular “class,” we shift our perspective. This can give you the “space” to look at it without the dramatic history… and this tool can help you to curb your own reactions, disappointments, or even anger that may come up during “A Family Thanksgiving.”
1. Perception
Sit down and list the potential challenges for the upcoming celebration, whether those are individual relationships, the family dynamics, or smaller issues; about food, or how you “do” or “don’t do” something. No matter what form that challenge would take, add it to the list. Now step outside of the history that creates that drama, look at the situation as an outsider, and try to see why the people involved choose to hold on to that behavior or attitude? It usually boils down to their limitations. I love the saying; “there is no such thing as rejection, only other people’s limitations” it is true. If you can let go of the need to change the situation or that person, and accept that they are indeed limited in their ability to control that action, suddenly the drama balloon is deflated!
2. Compassion
It is so easy to judge another, especially if they are sitting in judgment of you! However, if you can find the compassion to try to understand what has happened to that person that could have caused them to be “limited” in their understanding, you can start to feel less irritation, and more compassion. To accept “why” they do or say these things does not lessen you. To accept them “as they are” does not mean you agree with what they say or do. To let them unveil their limitation in their words or deeds, does not mean they are “right.” It just means you are strong and confident enough to let them have their drama without buying a ticket to ride in it!
3. Being Right
It is a human drive to speak our opinions, our feelings, and to move to “correct” what we see as “wrong,” yet if we take away the concept of “right and wrong” (which is rarely an absolute truth) that same action is just a “joining in” to the drama. It escalates the negative energy, and infects all who hear or see it with the heaviness of it. I have a saying, “Do you want to be right, or do you want to be happy?” It is its own reward to simply be free of a “reaction” to negative actions or words.
By being compassionate, using a more spiritual perspective, we can find much more joy in our family gatherings, and set a much healthier example! You could change the future of your family gatherings one small quiet moment, by moment.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
By Krishna Bill Tap the Limitless Source of Empowerment Within Yourself
Turn On Your True Power With Psychic Aid!
By Krishna Bill
Tap the Limitless Source of Empowerment Within Yourself and Conquer Life
What is empowerment? What is true power? What’s the best way to understand and fully manifest our own power?
These are critical questions facing all of us, especially in this trying time in history. We opened this question up to our psychics to see what they had to say on the issue, and got some excellent responses:
Cameron says:
“We all have creative power. Everyone is a creator. If you decide that you’re going to make pasta for dinner tonight, you’re a creator because you have to ‘create’ that meal. We’re creating all the time. We may often feel that we’re victimized by the circumstances around us and feel powerless, not realizing that we’re even creating how we think about a situation. We often have no idea how to fully manifest our power.
“The first thing that must be understood is that there’s a power within all of us that’s not ‘given’ by the world, and can’t be taken away. It exists, and runs through us, and we’re using that power all the time. However, just because we have power doesn’t mean that we feel ‘empowered.’ It’s our choice whether to use that power to our benefit, or to be too critical or hard on ourselves, affirming that we can’t do something we’d like to do.
“The best way to manifest power is to accept the fact that you’re extremely powerful, and that your creative power, when focused correctly, can transform your life. But in order to do this, you have to look at what you focus on, what you’re using your power to create. When you truly know how powerful you are, you finally understand that the only person who has to accept how powerful you are is you. And when you do, miracles happen.”
Anasela says:
“We’re already empowered!
“I believe we get lost in the debris of how, when, where or to whom empowerment gravitates to. Remember a moment when you wanted something so badly, and you went after it and it manifested? Remember how it felt? That was a moment of self-empowerment.
“See it, believe it, be fearless with your intent and, most importantly, accept it. The blessing with manifesting your own power is that energy will empower everyone around you.”
Shauna says:
“Manifesting your own power happens simultaneously with the recognition of your own truth. When you realize that there is a path to follow, or life requires you to break through old conditioning, it’s about deciding to manifest that individual path, change, or environment. It’s beyond the law of attraction.
“It’s a major step in re-assembling the blueprint of your future intention, not someone else’s. Intention, combined with images and your own voice, activates the gates of the Universe to make lasting changes in your life. If you want to change your relationship, then decide to do so. If you want to change careers, then decide to do so. This opens the floodgates to bring to you what you need in perfect and miraculous ways.
“Don’t doubt or try to figure out whether it’s possible or not. Realize what your truth is. Is your life controlled by your ‘I’ or someone else’s ‘I’? Is someone or a situation setting limits or boundaries on what you can achieve? Do you feel unworthy of receiving? It’s your God-given right to create and manifest your heart’s desire. Once you know what your heart’s desire is, then decide to manifest it. Think about the strongest influences in your life now. Which one drags or holds you back? Which one inspires you to go for it? Get rid of the levels ‘stuck,’ ‘guilt,’ ‘helpless’ or ‘unworthy.’ You are a miracle created by the Universal Creator, the One. You have to realize that you are not dependent on anyone except this positive life-force within you. Using that force to self-discipline and self-realize, you have the power to manifest your intention.
“Think about this. There is a tribe of American Indians who live in the southwest desert. They depend on the power of prayer to bring rain to their crops. They have to rain dance, pray, and wait for the rain to come. They have no doubt, no fear. A woman who was fortunate to eye-witness one of these ceremonies reported that out of a blue sky came a deluge of rain and the sun was still shining. You are as fully equipped as these Indians are.
“Affirmation: I let go of worn-out things and conditions, and I’m undisturbed by appearances. The tide of destiny has turned and my heart’s desire now manifests in my life in perfect and miraculous ways. My power is irresistible!”
What do power and empowerment mean to you?
By Krishna Bill
Tap the Limitless Source of Empowerment Within Yourself and Conquer Life
What is empowerment? What is true power? What’s the best way to understand and fully manifest our own power?
These are critical questions facing all of us, especially in this trying time in history. We opened this question up to our psychics to see what they had to say on the issue, and got some excellent responses:
Cameron says:
“We all have creative power. Everyone is a creator. If you decide that you’re going to make pasta for dinner tonight, you’re a creator because you have to ‘create’ that meal. We’re creating all the time. We may often feel that we’re victimized by the circumstances around us and feel powerless, not realizing that we’re even creating how we think about a situation. We often have no idea how to fully manifest our power.
“The first thing that must be understood is that there’s a power within all of us that’s not ‘given’ by the world, and can’t be taken away. It exists, and runs through us, and we’re using that power all the time. However, just because we have power doesn’t mean that we feel ‘empowered.’ It’s our choice whether to use that power to our benefit, or to be too critical or hard on ourselves, affirming that we can’t do something we’d like to do.
“The best way to manifest power is to accept the fact that you’re extremely powerful, and that your creative power, when focused correctly, can transform your life. But in order to do this, you have to look at what you focus on, what you’re using your power to create. When you truly know how powerful you are, you finally understand that the only person who has to accept how powerful you are is you. And when you do, miracles happen.”
Anasela says:
“We’re already empowered!
“I believe we get lost in the debris of how, when, where or to whom empowerment gravitates to. Remember a moment when you wanted something so badly, and you went after it and it manifested? Remember how it felt? That was a moment of self-empowerment.
“See it, believe it, be fearless with your intent and, most importantly, accept it. The blessing with manifesting your own power is that energy will empower everyone around you.”
Shauna says:
“Manifesting your own power happens simultaneously with the recognition of your own truth. When you realize that there is a path to follow, or life requires you to break through old conditioning, it’s about deciding to manifest that individual path, change, or environment. It’s beyond the law of attraction.
“It’s a major step in re-assembling the blueprint of your future intention, not someone else’s. Intention, combined with images and your own voice, activates the gates of the Universe to make lasting changes in your life. If you want to change your relationship, then decide to do so. If you want to change careers, then decide to do so. This opens the floodgates to bring to you what you need in perfect and miraculous ways.
“Don’t doubt or try to figure out whether it’s possible or not. Realize what your truth is. Is your life controlled by your ‘I’ or someone else’s ‘I’? Is someone or a situation setting limits or boundaries on what you can achieve? Do you feel unworthy of receiving? It’s your God-given right to create and manifest your heart’s desire. Once you know what your heart’s desire is, then decide to manifest it. Think about the strongest influences in your life now. Which one drags or holds you back? Which one inspires you to go for it? Get rid of the levels ‘stuck,’ ‘guilt,’ ‘helpless’ or ‘unworthy.’ You are a miracle created by the Universal Creator, the One. You have to realize that you are not dependent on anyone except this positive life-force within you. Using that force to self-discipline and self-realize, you have the power to manifest your intention.
“Think about this. There is a tribe of American Indians who live in the southwest desert. They depend on the power of prayer to bring rain to their crops. They have to rain dance, pray, and wait for the rain to come. They have no doubt, no fear. A woman who was fortunate to eye-witness one of these ceremonies reported that out of a blue sky came a deluge of rain and the sun was still shining. You are as fully equipped as these Indians are.
“Affirmation: I let go of worn-out things and conditions, and I’m undisturbed by appearances. The tide of destiny has turned and my heart’s desire now manifests in my life in perfect and miraculous ways. My power is irresistible!”
What do power and empowerment mean to you?
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Laughter is the Best Medicine
Laughter is the Best Medicine: Try Some!
November 4, 2011 at 5:00 pm By Donald Michael Kraig
The Power of Laughter to Cure Mind and Body
Late in his life, Norman Cousins, world famous author, professor, and journalist, developed a painful disease his doctors told him he had little hope of surviving. As part of his self-prescribed treatment, Cousins, the Adjunct Professor of Medical Humanities for the School of Medicine at UCLA, locked himself in a room and watched Marx Brothers comedy movies. As he revealed in his book, Anatomy of an Illness, he discovered that ten minutes of “genuine belly laughter” would result in hours of pain-free sleep. He ended up living for many productive years, eventually succumbing to another ailment.
Is laughter really the best medicine? Clearly, by itself, laughing won’t cure what ails you. But, in conjunction with other forms of medicine, laughter and having a good sense of humor is invaluable. Here are just a few things that laughter does that are beneficial for improving your health and keeping you healthy:
1. Exercise. When you have a big belly laugh you exercise the diaphragm (the biggest muscle in the body), as well as your abdominal muscles and even your shoulder muscles. The movement of the diaphragm helps your breathing and increases air flow. A good laugh is actually good exercise for your heart and lungs.
2. Stress, Hormones and More. The body produces lots of hormones. Some hormones, such as cortisol, epinephrine, dopamines and others increase stress levels. Laughter has been shown to reduce the formation of these hormones, thus preventing the increase of your stress levels and the negative effects of stress. At the same time, laughter increases hormones such as endorphins which increase feeling of well being and lower stress levels. Since increased stress levels are associated with stomach problems, insomnia, asthma, fatigue, high blood pressure, psoriasis, and even some types of heart disease and alcoholism, it is clear that laughter can help you in conjunction with your regular medical therapy.
(“Whatever it is that is causing you stress, most likely it is there to teach you a lesson. If you are feeling continued stress then you aren’t paying attention. Sometimes the truth stings a bit.” – William)
Laughter also increases the quantity of disease fighting antibodies and enhances the ability of your T Cells to fight disease. It makes your immune system stronger and more effective.
3. Mental Clearing. After a good laugh you have a physical and emotional release, making you better able to deal with illness, stress, and just daily life. Laughing lets you look at the stressful events in your life differently, so you are less likely to face the negative impact of anger, disappointment, stress, guilt, and other negative emotions. And when you’re laughing and feeling good about yourself other people will be attracted to you and you’ll increase your circle of friends.
There’s no doubt about it, laughter is fantastic for your mental and physical well being. But is there a right way to laugh for health?
How to Laugh
Just little giggles or snorts for a second or two don’t seem to have the health effects that can be brought on by deep laughter. Instead, you need a good, long, drawn-out belly laugh, the type where your sides hurt (from exercising the muscles) or your eyes tear. Laughing like this for just ten minutes a day can literally change your life.
But what if you don’t feel like laughing? Studies show that if you fake your laughter it can be just as good as a real laugh. So go ahead and fake laugh. Do it enough and you’ll probably start laughing for real, anyway.
A recent study at UC Berkeley and the University of Zurich showed that people who can laugh at themselves are more cheerful, less serious, and had better moods throughout the day. So learn to laugh at yourself and not take yourself so seriously. You’ll be happier and healthier.
Finally, here is my 100% non-medical, unofficial prescription for improved health, better healing, more friends, and a happier life: Take time out to be silly every day. If you haven’t been silly, take a silly break. Learn to laugh at yourself and the world around you. Laugh by yourself and with your friends and family. Make them big, joyous, belly laughs.
And best of all, you don’t need insurance and you won’t be charged a co-pay. Laughter is free. So for the price, laughter is the best medicine.
“Be kind and forgiving of yourself. We are all human and we all make mistakes.” – Rivers
Donald Michael Kraig graduated from UCLA with a degree in philosophy, and has become a certified hypnotherapist and Master NLP practitioner. His book, Modern Magick, is the most popular step-by-step course in real magick ever published.
November 4, 2011 at 5:00 pm By Donald Michael Kraig
The Power of Laughter to Cure Mind and Body
Late in his life, Norman Cousins, world famous author, professor, and journalist, developed a painful disease his doctors told him he had little hope of surviving. As part of his self-prescribed treatment, Cousins, the Adjunct Professor of Medical Humanities for the School of Medicine at UCLA, locked himself in a room and watched Marx Brothers comedy movies. As he revealed in his book, Anatomy of an Illness, he discovered that ten minutes of “genuine belly laughter” would result in hours of pain-free sleep. He ended up living for many productive years, eventually succumbing to another ailment.
Is laughter really the best medicine? Clearly, by itself, laughing won’t cure what ails you. But, in conjunction with other forms of medicine, laughter and having a good sense of humor is invaluable. Here are just a few things that laughter does that are beneficial for improving your health and keeping you healthy:
1. Exercise. When you have a big belly laugh you exercise the diaphragm (the biggest muscle in the body), as well as your abdominal muscles and even your shoulder muscles. The movement of the diaphragm helps your breathing and increases air flow. A good laugh is actually good exercise for your heart and lungs.
2. Stress, Hormones and More. The body produces lots of hormones. Some hormones, such as cortisol, epinephrine, dopamines and others increase stress levels. Laughter has been shown to reduce the formation of these hormones, thus preventing the increase of your stress levels and the negative effects of stress. At the same time, laughter increases hormones such as endorphins which increase feeling of well being and lower stress levels. Since increased stress levels are associated with stomach problems, insomnia, asthma, fatigue, high blood pressure, psoriasis, and even some types of heart disease and alcoholism, it is clear that laughter can help you in conjunction with your regular medical therapy.
(“Whatever it is that is causing you stress, most likely it is there to teach you a lesson. If you are feeling continued stress then you aren’t paying attention. Sometimes the truth stings a bit.” – William)
Laughter also increases the quantity of disease fighting antibodies and enhances the ability of your T Cells to fight disease. It makes your immune system stronger and more effective.
3. Mental Clearing. After a good laugh you have a physical and emotional release, making you better able to deal with illness, stress, and just daily life. Laughing lets you look at the stressful events in your life differently, so you are less likely to face the negative impact of anger, disappointment, stress, guilt, and other negative emotions. And when you’re laughing and feeling good about yourself other people will be attracted to you and you’ll increase your circle of friends.
There’s no doubt about it, laughter is fantastic for your mental and physical well being. But is there a right way to laugh for health?
How to Laugh
Just little giggles or snorts for a second or two don’t seem to have the health effects that can be brought on by deep laughter. Instead, you need a good, long, drawn-out belly laugh, the type where your sides hurt (from exercising the muscles) or your eyes tear. Laughing like this for just ten minutes a day can literally change your life.
But what if you don’t feel like laughing? Studies show that if you fake your laughter it can be just as good as a real laugh. So go ahead and fake laugh. Do it enough and you’ll probably start laughing for real, anyway.
A recent study at UC Berkeley and the University of Zurich showed that people who can laugh at themselves are more cheerful, less serious, and had better moods throughout the day. So learn to laugh at yourself and not take yourself so seriously. You’ll be happier and healthier.
Finally, here is my 100% non-medical, unofficial prescription for improved health, better healing, more friends, and a happier life: Take time out to be silly every day. If you haven’t been silly, take a silly break. Learn to laugh at yourself and the world around you. Laugh by yourself and with your friends and family. Make them big, joyous, belly laughs.
And best of all, you don’t need insurance and you won’t be charged a co-pay. Laughter is free. So for the price, laughter is the best medicine.
“Be kind and forgiving of yourself. We are all human and we all make mistakes.” – Rivers
Donald Michael Kraig graduated from UCLA with a degree in philosophy, and has become a certified hypnotherapist and Master NLP practitioner. His book, Modern Magick, is the most popular step-by-step course in real magick ever published.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Experience the Spiritual Power of Gratitude and Thankfulness
Gratitude, Not Attitude
November 2, 2011
By Krishna Bill
Experience the Spiritual Power of Gratitude and Thankfulness
Gratitude: We know it’s one of the most important keys to life and personal growth. But it can be hard to stay grateful when life throws so many challenges at us. We asked our psychics what the best way to practice and remain in gratitude was, and got some incredible responses.
Dawn shares:
“Gratitude. You can experience it a hundred times a day if you want to, but it has to become a conscious choice. It’s easy to experience the feeling of gratitude when someone does something kind for you. Thankfulness for small kindnesses can be automatic and expected—but when was the last time you looked down at the shoes on your feet and thought ‘Wow… how blessed I am to have shoes on my feet when millions of people don’t?’ We all have difficult days, we all are handed many challenges to get through and overcome. But the power of gratitude can lift you from the depths of darkness right back into the brightest light there is. The trick is to wake up. Look around and see the world with new eyes. You will be amazed at how much lighter your heart and spirit will feel when you make a conscious choice to use the power of gratitude on a daily basis.”
Marin reminds us:
“The more you give, the more you receive! There is no end to the amount of gratitude one can give or receive.”
Faith says:
“When you find yourself in a difficult situation where you have a choice to make, challenge yourself to take a deep breath and choose gratitude. Through the act of forgiveness, divine intelligence will help you to let go and transcend the situation that you are finding painful. In time, you will once again move forward, having transcended the pain or upset you once experienced. Observe how much lighter you feel after having made your choice for gratitude. The path of grace is accessed through gratitude. Be grateful for the challenges that bring detours on your path. For as hard as that is to do, the challenges in your life take you to your most cherished sacred desires.”
Michael underlines the importance of being grateful to yourself, also:
“Take time to be grateful for choices in your life. Expressing gratitude for the ability to make a choice at any given time allows you to better understand the choice at hand, as well as empowering you by helping you take control of the choices you make. Do this as often as you can think about it—make it a living expression of gratitude.”
Lucy counsels us to watch the flow of the divine:
“Know that God is everywhere, including inside of you. Where you are today is exactly where you need to be.”
Mariposa says:
“Free will empowers each of us to choose our attitudes in each moment. Each morning, the first thing you choose is your attitude for the day. Did you wake up feeling grateful? If not, you have the choice in that aware moment to empower yourself with gratitude.
“Each morning I wake up and say, ‘I know nothing of today. Show me the truth, and I will be grateful for all opportunities, the good and the not so good.’
“We live in a time of great transformation, where we can assist the whole by choosing to be in gratitude for all things. Being in a state of gratitude, there are no judgments on what we are grateful for. We can help the world in letting go of guilt by choosing to be grateful for all things. A wise teacher once told me, ‘When you choose to see life with eyes of gratitude, you will not worry about tomorrow.’
“As we celebrate this season, may we all choose to be grateful for just being alive in this time of great change and not worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will become a reflection of our gratitude.”
And finally, Quinn sums it up for us:
“What is the best way to experience the power of gratitude in your life?
“By giving it.”
November 2, 2011
By Krishna Bill
Experience the Spiritual Power of Gratitude and Thankfulness
Gratitude: We know it’s one of the most important keys to life and personal growth. But it can be hard to stay grateful when life throws so many challenges at us. We asked our psychics what the best way to practice and remain in gratitude was, and got some incredible responses.
Dawn shares:
“Gratitude. You can experience it a hundred times a day if you want to, but it has to become a conscious choice. It’s easy to experience the feeling of gratitude when someone does something kind for you. Thankfulness for small kindnesses can be automatic and expected—but when was the last time you looked down at the shoes on your feet and thought ‘Wow… how blessed I am to have shoes on my feet when millions of people don’t?’ We all have difficult days, we all are handed many challenges to get through and overcome. But the power of gratitude can lift you from the depths of darkness right back into the brightest light there is. The trick is to wake up. Look around and see the world with new eyes. You will be amazed at how much lighter your heart and spirit will feel when you make a conscious choice to use the power of gratitude on a daily basis.”
Marin reminds us:
“The more you give, the more you receive! There is no end to the amount of gratitude one can give or receive.”
Faith says:
“When you find yourself in a difficult situation where you have a choice to make, challenge yourself to take a deep breath and choose gratitude. Through the act of forgiveness, divine intelligence will help you to let go and transcend the situation that you are finding painful. In time, you will once again move forward, having transcended the pain or upset you once experienced. Observe how much lighter you feel after having made your choice for gratitude. The path of grace is accessed through gratitude. Be grateful for the challenges that bring detours on your path. For as hard as that is to do, the challenges in your life take you to your most cherished sacred desires.”
Michael underlines the importance of being grateful to yourself, also:
“Take time to be grateful for choices in your life. Expressing gratitude for the ability to make a choice at any given time allows you to better understand the choice at hand, as well as empowering you by helping you take control of the choices you make. Do this as often as you can think about it—make it a living expression of gratitude.”
Lucy counsels us to watch the flow of the divine:
“Know that God is everywhere, including inside of you. Where you are today is exactly where you need to be.”
Mariposa says:
“Free will empowers each of us to choose our attitudes in each moment. Each morning, the first thing you choose is your attitude for the day. Did you wake up feeling grateful? If not, you have the choice in that aware moment to empower yourself with gratitude.
“Each morning I wake up and say, ‘I know nothing of today. Show me the truth, and I will be grateful for all opportunities, the good and the not so good.’
“We live in a time of great transformation, where we can assist the whole by choosing to be in gratitude for all things. Being in a state of gratitude, there are no judgments on what we are grateful for. We can help the world in letting go of guilt by choosing to be grateful for all things. A wise teacher once told me, ‘When you choose to see life with eyes of gratitude, you will not worry about tomorrow.’
“As we celebrate this season, may we all choose to be grateful for just being alive in this time of great change and not worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will become a reflection of our gratitude.”
And finally, Quinn sums it up for us:
“What is the best way to experience the power of gratitude in your life?
“By giving it.”
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