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Dear
Subscriber,
Happy Saint
Patrick's Day!
Your seasonal and
daily rituals can make all the difference in the health, happiness, and
peace that you experience in your life. So in this issue, we share tips
that you can use to make maintaining healthy habits a little easier.
Use these ideas to create your own personal rituals, meditations, and
morning routines to help you live your best life.
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Empowering Your
Growth Through Ritual
Feature Article
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If you are like most
people, a thousand different things compete for your attention in a
typical day. It may seem like there is hardly a moment left for your
own self-development. However, by making your growth process part of
your lifestyle, just like brushing your teeth or washing the dishes, personal
training simply becomes an integrated part of your day, requiring
little extra planning or effort.
Almost any positive activity can become a ritual for growth, so long as
it is meaningful to you and helps to reinforce your individual goals.
You can turn ordinary routines, such as bathing or eating, into
exercises in mindfulness through which you demonstrate sincere care and
reverence for yourself. Instead of letting your mind drift toward the
worries of the day as you go about these tasks, try to keep your mind
centered in the moment, allowing the activity to become a focused act
of personal sincerity.
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Later, you might incorporate additional rituals that can
be done in a short amount of time. For example, you might try
designating ten to fifteen minutes each morning for personal
contemplation, through activities like meditation, prayer, or
journaling.
Eventually, you can incorporate more elaborate rituals into your growth
plan. Ceremonies linked to the passage of natural cycles, like
full-moon ceremonies and solstice celebrations, are helpful for
reminding participants that change is a normal part of life.
Alternately, you can create your own ritual. For example, if you are
trying to get rid of some old habit or a nagging emotion, you might
write it on a piece of paper and then tear it up or burn it. Through
symbolic acts, you make the mysterious process of growth very real and
tangible.
Soon you will find that rituals become second nature to you and help to
orient your entire life toward your growth. The important thing is to
do them with reverence and gratitude. In this way, you embody the
mindset for growth that will follow you into every moment of your life.
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Morning
Exercises to Rise and Shine
Health Matters
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If you are one of
those people who struggle to get out of bed in the morning, an early
workout routine may be just the thing you need. Studies show that
morning exercise can yield many benefits that stick with you throughout
the day.
After a night of snoozing, your brain craves oxygen, not caffeine, to
give it a boost! So, before you reach for that cup of java, consider
lacing up those sneakers and get your body moving. Doing so will
increase your mental sharpness for up to 4-10 hours after your workout,
significantly jump starting your day! No time to exercise? Consider
cutting out just one hour of TV at night, and you'll gain 30 minutes more
sleep and 30 minutes in the morning to schedule your routine.
Many health advocates agree that exercising before you start your day
helps you:
- Go to
bed earlier and sleep more soundly.
- Engage
in exercise more consistently (90% of those who exercise regularly,
do so in the morning).
- Boost
your metabolism, sometimes keeping it elevated for hours.
- Eat more
regularly, manage your appetite, and make healthier food choices.
- Increase
blood flow and oxygen to the brain, enhancing your focus and
concentration.
- Stimulate
the release of endorphins, stabilizing your mood and making it
easier to cope with stress.
If you still feel
you don't have time for a full morning workout, try these quick energy
boosting exercises:
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Basic Stretches
get the kinks out of your muscles and joints, reduce stiffness, and
improve posture. Inhale as you go into each stretch and exhale as you
release it.
Whole Body Patting stimulates the energy meridians of the
body through vibration, while increasing blood and lymph circulation.
Intestine Exercise circulates energy in the lower
abdomen, increasing physical stamina and improving digestion.
Brain Wave Vibration clears your mind, relaxes your whole
body, and gets your heart pumping.
You can do these simple but invigorating exercises in peaceful silence,
or to rhythmic music such as that on the Music for Brain Wave
Vibration and The Music of the Brain Art Festival 2009
CDs. For detailed descriptions for each of the above exercises, click here.
When you start your day with a little exercise, you'll notice a big
difference in your productivity and overall outlook. Further, engaging
in a morning routine ensures that you are less likely to be distracted
by other tasks and in the end, you'll feel good for sticking to it.
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Grounding
Meditation
Mago's Message
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In our
technological world, many people feel disconnected from the Earth,
which contributes to feelings of anxiety and discontent. Regain a sense
of balance and stability with this visualization:
 Find a
quiet place to sit and relax. You may take the traditional
half-lotus meditation posture, although this is not
necessary. Hold your back and neck straight, not slouched,
and place your hands comfortably on your legs with your palms
facing upward. If you are sitting in a chair, make sure the bottom
of your feet are touching the floor.
- Close
your eyes and relax your body. Inhale slowly through your nose,
and then exhale slowly through your mouth. Continue breathing at a
comfortable pace. Feel the stress leaving your body with each
exhalation. Continue until you feel deeply relaxed.
- Imagine
that you are sitting in any beautiful, natural environment--a
mountain meadow, sandy beach, dense jungle. Experience the place
with your senses--its sights, sounds, smells, and textures.
- Visualize
vibrant, glowing energy seeping up from the Earth and wrapping
your body in a cocoon of energy. Watch that energy saturate your
body, joining with the energy of your second chakra (dahn jon) in
the lower abdomen.
- After
you feel fully saturated, slowly return to an awareness of your
physical body. Gently move and stretch your arms and legs. Open
your eyes, but keep your focus on your lower abdomen. Return to
this sensation any time you feel stressed during the day.
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BEST Life Media
publishes books, CDs, DVDs, and other products that are educational and
life enhancing, and designed to support your personal growth and
enrichment. Visit us at:
www.bestlifemedia.com
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Save 20%
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Exclusive Newsletter
Discount!
Order the Music for Brain Wave Vibrationand
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Enter coupon code blm_0310 when
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Offer Expires:
March 31, 2010
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