Curl Up With a Soothing Smartphone and Relax

Unless you’re listening to “Dark Side of the Moon” on your smartphone, it’s hard to see them as devices for relaxation. More often, they’re for aggressive thumb-tapping, Angry-Birding exercises.

"Simply Being," available for Apple, Android and BlackBerry, offers guided meditation of various lengths.

Mindfulness Meditation is written and narrated by Stephan Bodian, the author of “Meditation for Dummies.”

But for every yin there is a yang. And mobile phones are no exception.
A path to a quiet mind can travel through apps dedicated to guided meditation and sleep enhancement. And fortunately, for those who need more, or better, rest, or who are inclined to still their minds for a few minutes a day, some good ones exist on all the major mobile platforms.
Simply Being ($1 on Apple, Android and BlackBerry) and Mindfulness Meditation ($2 on Apple, with an Android version in the works) are among the better ones, while Universal Breathing - Pranayama Free (free on Apple) and Pranayama Free (on Android) are useful for those who want to test the waters.
Those with pressing insomnia issues should consider Pzizz Sleep ($6 on Apple, with a Lite version for $2). On Android, the app costs $5.69 and goes by the name Pzizz, the Insomnia Solution. Another good, but pricey, option, is Mayo Clinic Insomnia Wellness Solutions ($25 on Apple).The meditation apps, though, may well be enough to get you to sleep — or at least help calm you down.
Pranayama Free is the simplest. It leads you through exercises meant to limit you to seven breaths per minute, five breaths per minute, or about four breaths per minute. When I tried it, the graphics were helpful, but the music was a tad obtrusive.
A bigger problem was that it was slow to load and not very responsive to the touch (at least on my Droid2), so it was barely more relaxing than frustrating.
I tried Simply Being not long after in the middle of a workday that had gone haywire. I was surrounded by e-mail-toting gadgets that, I was sure, were loading important messages from colleagues.
I grabbed my iPhone and opened Simply Being, and the screen offered four options for “guided meditation for relaxation and presence.” I chose the 5-minute option, and left the 10-, 15- and 20-minute options for another day.
I then chose music, rather than nature sounds, to accompany the narrative, and I tweaked the volume of each so the narrative was clearly audible.
I was braced for a narrator who had the sort of whispery, saccharine tone that’s as relaxing as a Sawzall on a steel pipe, but fortunately, the narrator, Mary Maddux, used an approach that didn’t sound like a parent cooing a baby to sleep.
Ms. Maddux’s husband and co-developer of the app, Richard Maddux, composed the admirable soundtrack.
After five minutes I was nearly asleep.
Not everyone will respond to a given narrator’s voice, so another good choice is Mindfulness Meditation, which is written and narrated by Stephan Bodian, the author of “Meditation for Dummies.”
Mr. Bodian’s narrative was thorough, relaxing and well pitched for a meditation novice like me. There is no music or sound accompaniment, but there is more content to the app than in Simply Being.
Users can choose meditations of 5, 10, 15, 20 and 30 minutes, or a simpler relaxation narrative of 10 minutes.
A guide also offers audio tips for finding the best meditation position, for instance, and there is a text-based checklist of eight factors to improve the experience.
About an hour after nearly falling asleep to Ms. Maddux’s voice, I did the same with Mr. Bodian’s voice.
That drowsiness was partly due to a bout of insomnia the previous night. Lying awake at 3 a.m., I tried Brain Wave ($2 on Apple), which features binaural electronic tones against the backdrop of nature sounds. According to the app’s description, it requires earbuds or earphones to work properly.
Brain Wave, which has attracted good ratings from iTunes users, also has programs for easing anxiety, improving mental focus and the like, but I chose the option “Deep Sleep.” It wasn’t very practical because I couldn’t lay my head to either side or the earbuds would jam into my ear.
Either because of that, or because the binaural sounds simply didn’t work for me, I felt no closer to sleep after 45 minutes. I turned off the program, pulled out the earbuds and later managed to get to sleep.
Another option is Pzizz Sleep, which uses binaural sounds, spoken words and music in new combinations each time the user opens the app. It’s a smart choice for those who tend to grow weary of repeated narrations on other apps.
The Mayo clinic app is generally good, as well. Given how much money insomniacs spend on other treatment options, it is arguably worth the $25 investment.
That’s especially true for iPad users. The app is split between a multipage stress assessment and roughly 90 minutes of videos, and the videos, especially, render nicely on the iPad’s screen. (Free tip: It’s a myth that exercising before bedtime will help you fall asleep more easily.)
For the price, though, users should be able to expect an experience that is devoid of fluff. Although many of the video tutorials are useful, including an in-depth discussion of insomnia by Mayo Clinic specialists, far too much video is devoted to a promotion of the app’s developer and the Mayo Clinic.
It’s anyone’s guess, for instance, why insomniacs would need to watch a testimonial from a mother whose son was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer at the Mayo Clinic.
It’s enough to make you mad — that is, if you weren’t already in full command of your emotions.

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buddhify: meditate using your smartphone

Interested in meditation but don’t have the time to attend classes to learn how to do so? Wish you could meditate while on the go instead? You will soon be able to, thanks to the upcoming app from Rohan Gunatillake called buddhify – the world’s first mass modern meditation mobile app. That sure is a mouthful of words, but in reality it’s nothing complicated at all. It is an app that is designed to help users meditate with nothing but their headphones and their phone.


Designed for people who are too busy to set aside time to meditate, buddhify will let users meditate anywhere they are allowed to use headphones in. Walking on the street, while eating a meal, or even when on the bus or train – buddhify makes meditation something that can be done pretty much everywhere and at any time.
Beyond the regular self-meditation exercises, buddhify has some extra features such as Two Player Meditation. The app is currently completed, but Rohan needs the funds in order to market the product and so he has turned to IndieGoGo to generate some cash for that purpose. Users who back the campaign can get the app for free when it is released later this fall (on iOS and Android) as a paid app. Find out more if you’re interested in contributing to the campaign.

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God always gives His best to those who leave the choice with Him

It's true that we don't know What we've got until it's gone, But it's also true that we don't know What we've been missing until it arrives..
You can win more friends with your ears than you can with your mouth!
When God allows a burden to be put upon you, He will put his arms underneath you to help you carry it.
Say what you mean, mean what you say, but don't say it mean.
Worry is like a rocking chair--it gives you something to do but it doesn't get you anywhere.
In prayer you communicate with God, in meditation God communicates with you.
A weird thing about humans is we work till we're sick to get a fortune, then pay a fortune to get well again.
God always gives His best to those who leave the choice with Him.

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TIPS FOR A BETTER LIFE…………Do you need to make that change for the better?

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you take a walk, smile.
2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
3. Sleep for 7 hours.
4. Live with the 3 E’s : Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy.
5. Play more games.
6. Read more books than you did in 2009.
7. Drink plenty of water.
8. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
9. Eat breakfast like a King, lunch like a Prince and dinner like a Beggar.
10. Make time to practice meditation and prayer. They will provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives.
11. Dream more while you are awake.
12. Smile and laugh more.
13. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
14. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip.
15. Don’t have negative thoughts about things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
16. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
17. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
18. Don’t take yourself so seriously , no one else does.
19. Forget issues of the past. Don’t remind your partner with his/her mistakes of the past. This will ruin your present happiness.
20. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class, but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
21. You don’t have to win every argument Agree to Disagree.
22. Don’t compare your life to others, You have no idea what their journey is all about,
23. Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.
24. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick, Your friends will, Stay in touch.
25. Forgive everyone for everything.
26. What other people think of you is none of your business.
27. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
28. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
29. Envy is a waste of time , You already have all you need.
30. The best is yet to come.
31. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
32. Don’t over do, Keep your limits.
33. Your Inner most is always happy, So be happy.
34. Do the Right Thing !
35. Call your family often.
36. Each day give something good to others...

I hope you all enjoyed all these 36 Tips to a Better Life..learn practice and follow them they would indeed bring the change to a better happy and prosperous Life we all seek.

Source : Internet
 

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Meditation -To Bring the Mind Home

Image by alicepopkorn ( in and out ) via Flickr

Meditation -To Bring the Mind Home

Today we generally waste our life in endless activity, struggle, aggressive competition and achievement. Meditation is the exact opposite. To meditate is to make a complete break with how we normally operate, it is a state free of all cares and concerns.

The heart of meditation
In the stillness of meditation, we return to that inner nature that we have so long ago lost in the busy and chaotic distractions our mind is subjected to each day. The heart of meditation is to bring the mind home, release and relax.

• To bring the mind home means to turn your mind inward and to rest in the nature of mind.
• To release means to release mind from its prison of grasping, since you recognize that all pain, fear and distress arise from the craving of the grasping mind.
• To relax means to relax your mind into your true nature, letting all thoughts and emotions naturally subside and dissolve into the state of the nature of mind.

Meditation in a nutshell
I don't think it is possible to relate what meditation is in a nut shell but here is my feeble try: "Quietly sitting, body still, speech silent, mind at peace, let thoughts and emotions, whatever rises, come and go, not clinging to anything".

A Reiki meditation
Strictly speaking I am not sure this can be called a meditation but I cannot think of a better name so I will still refer to it as a Reiki meditation.
There are many types of meditations the three methods that seems most effective in the Western world are watching the breath, using an object and reciting a mantra. In this simple Reiki meditation one could say one uses the last two: object in the Reiki symbols and mantra in the names of the Reiki symbols. This is a very forceful and effective meditation that gives relaxation, mental calmness, clarity, increased ability to visualize, clairvoyance, increased healing power and a wider conciousness. It can also be used to solve problems or reach goals and it surrounds you with healing Reiki energy.
Here is how to do it:

1. Sit comfortably, either on a cushion with legs folded or on a straight back chair. Keep your spine erect (without force). If you are sitting on a chair do not lean back. Rub your hand together and put your hands on your knees or on another place comfortable for you.
2. Relax and breath slowly, think about Reiki.
3. Draw the Power symbol in front of you with your whole hand. Visualize how a white or violet light comes out trough your fingers as you draw the symbol in the air in front of you.
4. Visualize the symbol in the third eye chakra an recite its name three times. Keep the symbol steadily in your third eye.
5. When you feel that you have meditated enough on this symbol let it float up into a field of light above your head. Return your consciousness to the third eye chakra.
6. Repeat steps 3 to 5 with the Mental/Emotional symbol and the Distance symbol.
7. When you are finished meditating on the three symbols you will be concentrated and full of healing Reiki energy. You can now continue with the final part of the meditation where you can send Reiki to your projects, goals or healing others at a distance.
8. Send Reiki by visualizing or describing the object, goals or person. You can use the method you have learned or the one you feel is most suitable to you.
9. When finished, slowly relax and release all thoughts. Sit quietly for a few minutes and enjoy the peace.
10. Rub your hands together and "wash" your face with them. Open your eyes, walk a few steps and feel how refreshed you are.

Here are a few tips:
Make sure you have a quiet and undisturbed place. I will once again stress that you should keep your back straight to receive the most benefit from any meditation. At step 2 you can ask for help from your Reiki guides and thank them when you are finished. Practice seeing the symbols in front of you, this helps whenever you use Reiki.

Try it and see if you like it - have fun!

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10 principles for peace of mind

1. Do Not Interfere In Others Business Unless Asked.

Most of us create our own problems by interfering too often in others affairs. We do so because somehow we have convinced ourselves that our way is the best way, our logic is the perfect logic and those who do not conform to our thinking must be criticized and steered to the right direction, our direction. This thinking denies the existence of individuality and consequently the existence of God.. God has each one of us in a way. No two human beings can think or act in exactly the same way. All men or women act the way they do because God within them prompts them that way. Mind your own business and you will keep your peace.

2. Forgive And Forget..

This is the most powerful aid to peace of mind. We often develop ill feelings inside our heart for the person who insults us or harms us. We nurture grievances. This in turn results in loss of sleep, development of stomach ulcers, and high blood pressure. This insult or injury was done once, but nourishing of grievance goes on forever by constantly remembering it. Get over this bad habit. Life is too short to waste in such trifles. Forgive, Forget, and march on. Love flourishes in giving and forgiving.

3. Do Not Crave For Recognition.

This world is full of selfish people. They seldom praise anybody without selfish motives. They may praise you today because you are in power, but no sooner than you are powerless, they will forget your achievement and will start finding faults in you. Why do you wish to kill yourself in striving for their recognition? Their recognition is not worth the aggravation. Do your duties ethically and sincerely.

4. Do Not Be Jealous.

We all have experienced how jealousy can disturb our peace of mind. You know that you harder than your colleagues in the office, but sometimes they get promotions; you do not. You a business several years ago, but you are not as successful as your neighbor whose business is only one old. There are several examples like these in everyday life. Should you be jealous? No. Remember everybodys life is shaped by his/her destiny, which has now become his/her reality. If you are destined to be rich, nothing in the world can stop you. If you are not so destined, no one can help you either. Nothing will be gained by blaming others for your misfortune. Jealousy will not get you anywhere; it will only take away your peace of mind.

5. Change Yourself According To The Environment.

If you try to change the environment single-handedly, the chances are you will fail. Instead, change yourself to suit your environment. As you do this, even the environment, which has been unfriendly to you, will mysteriously change and seem congenial and harmonious.

6. Endure What Cannot Be Cured.

This is the best way to turn a disadvantage into an advantage. Every day we face numerous inconveniences, ailments, irritations, and accidents that are beyond our control.. If we cannot control them or change them, we must learn to put up with these things. We must learn to endure them cheerfully. Believe in yourself and you will gain in terms of patience, inner strength and will power.


7. Do Not Bite Off More Than You Can Chew.

This maxim needs to be remembered constantly. We often tend to take more responsibilities than we are capable of carrying out. This is done to satisfy our ego. Know your limitations. . Why take on additional loads that may create more worries? You cannot gain peace of mind by expanding your external activities. Reduce your material engagements and spend in prayer, introspection and meditation. This will reduce those thoughts in your mind that you restless. Uncluttered mind will produce greater peace of mind.


8. Meditate Regularly.

Meditation calms the mind and gets rid of disturbing thoughts. This is the highest state of peace of mind. Try and it yourself. If you meditate earnestly for half an hour everyday, your mind will tend to become peaceful during the remaining twenty-three and half-hours. Your mind will not be easily disturbed as it was before. You would benefit by gradually increasing the period of daily meditation. You may think that this will interfere with your daily work. On the contrary, this will increase your efficiency and you will be able to produce better results in less time

9. Never Leave The Mind Vacant.

An empty mind is the devil’s workshop. All evil actions start in the vacant mind. Keep your mind occupied in something positive, something worthwhile. Actively follow a hobby. Do something that holds your interest. You must decide what you value more: money or peace of mind. Your hobby, like social work or religious work, may not always earn you more money, but you will have a sense of fulfillment and achievement. Even when you are resting physically, occupy yourself in healthy reading or mental chanting of God’s name.


10. Do Not Procrastinate And Never Regret.

Do not waste time in protracted wondering Should I or shouldn't I? Days, weeks, months, and years may be wasted in that futile mental debating. You can never plan enough because you can never anticipate all future happenings. Value your time and do the things that need to be done. It does not matter if you fail the first time. You can learn from your mistakes and succeed the next time. Sitting back and worrying will lead to nothing. Learn from your mistakes, but do not brood over the past. DO NOT REGRET.. Whatever happened was destined to happen only that way. Why cry over spilt milk?

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