The Magic of Music

Working in the office trying to complete a presentation on time, when you hear Andrea Bocelli’s “Besame Mucho” you feel relaxed. Much in the same manner Mark Knopfler holding his guitar singing his magnum opus song “Sultans of swing” stirs the repressed desires of becoming rockers when in college. Such is the power of music. It can take you back to the good old school days and can even take you ten years ahead into the future.

Music has been with us since our inception. Whether the birds around us or the waves crashing into the rocks, the almighty has made sure that we are constantly surrounded by music in one form or the other. But just for the record one of the earliest known forms of music that we developed rationally was deeply ingrained in Indian culture and religion. The practice of appeasing gods by chanting hymns and couplets is an ancient tradition. Simply chanting the word “OM” is a deeply ingrained practice of every Indian household. The Vedas, which were and still are the most revered sources to study Indian cultural practices prescribe a certain way to sing and chant different hymns or Mantras as they call it depending on the beats of the heart and other bodily processes. Such has been the success of these stipulations that even after many thousand years of their inception countries like Germany and Singapore are carrying out detailed researches trying to garner more information about the depth of music and its powers.

Music has the power to relax, heal and unite. Talking about its therapeutic powers music is now being used to:

1. Treat patients of acute depression and other neurological problems.
2. Music has also shown its powers by wielding its healing powers over Alzheimer’s patients.
3. Many nursing mothers are adopting a new habit of making their newly born and in some cases even unborn kids listen to soothing music.
4. Music has also shown to have restored movements in many paralytic patients across the globe

Some western instauration refuses to give any credibility to the efficacy to this magical form. Despite 15% of the American hospitals using music therapy as an integral part of their treatment procedures the other institutions are not ready to include this therapy in corpus of conventional medicine.

Music comes with its own body of scientific thought. Many scientists cum musicians believe that the sound and songs that we feel connected to are the ones which address and redress our emotions and issues respectively. But how does music manage to do the aforementioned task? Well it is presently conjectured that when a vibration of music resonates inside our body and matches the frequencies of our bodily processes like the heart beat or the blood flow, we feel that connection. Therefore to say that music is just a conjunction of sweet sounds is an extremely inharmonious (irony intended!) view towards the art. Although we do not wish to preach or indoctrinate non musical minds we just wish to give their parched brains a taste of the musical elixir. So do not remain impervious to the darts of music, because music is not just a blessing, its a bliss!!

This article is brought to you by YogacaraShop.com – your source for special Yoga Apparel, yoga inspired clothing, comfort clothing clothing designed according to the Colors of the Chakras and the best trendy, high quality and comfortable  Fitness Apparel do visit YogacaraShop.com

Photo  credits: notorious d.a.v. ( www.flickr.com)

SMILE: To Set Yourself Free

The family lines up; the photographer makes some changes to the lineup and then says “SMILE”. Everybody in the family show their glistening white pearls and then comes the sound of the shutter “click” and the moment is captured forever. Even after many years that photograph possesses the magic to usher smiles on the faces of the people looking at it. All the things in this world are transient. But what lasts are memories and the good memories always stay locked in some hidden corner of our hearts waiting to unleash a rapturous enchantment upon us in times of dejection.

We succumb to the forces of nature and end up in the heap of dust from which we were made. But we leave a part of ourselves here on earth.  So why not leave something lovely? A smile is the perfect solution to all the problems in life. Just imagine when a mother is exhausted because her baby is bubbling food out and the baby smiles, the mother forget all the messy misery and smiles with the baby. Just imagine when a nervous bride receives a comforting smile from her father at the altar, she warms up for a long life ahead. In the nutshell a smile is like a warm ray emitted from a heat source that reaches a cold and frail person.

Smiling is the key to emotional elevation which can be indirectly involved in improving physical health as well. But since we are surrounded by so many worries i.e. from worrying about increasing fuel prices to feeling blue due to a lost credit card, the art of smiling has somewhat evaporated from our lives. Here are a few ways we can add a smiley twist to our smile deprived lives:

1. Smile when you are angry: it is best to allow a mild smile to overpower the harshness of anger. So smile when you are angry, say 1, 2, 3 eeeeeeeee!!!!(Yes that’s how u should smile; all out!!)
2. Celebrate a “smiley” day: this one is for the over organized management freaks who write down everything in their event planner. Put down date in your planner and celebrate it as the smiley day. Make sure to smile during the entire day and spread the message as well.
3. Gift smiles: on special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries gift each other smiles. A creative way to do it would be to actually wear funny masks to the occasion and shout smile whenever u fell the need to do it.
4. Take it to the next level: if you are already bored of smiling subtly then take it to the next level by getting rid of all inhibitions and laughing your heart loud. It lowers blood pressure and gives your facial muscles a free workout as well!!

What is most interesting to note is the weight of science that can be associated with smiling. We spend hundreds of dollars on expensive beauty treatments and despite that search for the ultimate glow. Do we ever look inside ourselves for that glow? Do we explore the recesses of our mind and heart? Or to put it in simple terms, do we smile? What is the science behind a smile?

1. Smiling actually helps release endorphins in our body which in everyday language can be called the “feel good hormones”.
2. It also improves the efficiency of the heart and lowers cortisol levels of the body which in turn reduce stress.
3. Smiling can also intensify our happiness and change our perspective. Try laughing a bit before you actually read a joke and see the difference!!

It doesn’t matter if it’s a phony smile or a genuine smile or an innocent smile. A smile is just a smile. So you should always remember. To smile is to be happy; to smile is to love and most importantly to smile is to live. Keep smiling because live is not just to exist but to LIVE!!

This article is brought to you by YogacaraShop.com – your source for special Yoga Apparel, yoga inspired clothing, comfort clothing clothing designed according to the Colors of the Chakras and the best trendy, high quality and comfortable  Fitness Apparel do visit YogacaraShop.com

Photo  credits: Mallu2007 ( www.flickr.com)

Eat together to stay together

Who knew that tandoori chicken would fly half way across the globe to become the most arbitrarily chosen dish in United Kingdom? Who knew that Ronald McDonald would be happily selling hamburgers on a crowded street in India? Whether it is KFC or Indian chicken curry, food is one thing that has the power to disintegrate the social cultural and geographical walls, only to make the world seem smaller and tastier of course.

Today our dining tables have become demi cultural centers exhibiting delicacies spanning across a vast geographical extent. But why does food become such an important aspect of one’s identity? It’s simple. Just like Europeans were born with cheese and their eating culture testifies the same, Indians who were born with various spices carry the aroma of the same spices wherever they take their food. The potency of food lies not in the taste but in the process of its consumption. There is nothing better than sitting on a dining table sharing food and thoughts at the same time. The contemporary life wreaking havoc on our daily schedules leaves us no time for sitting and savoring the culinary abilities of our loved ones. What is important is to try and make eating lunch, dinner or even sipping tea a well connected affair. By eating together one does not only fill the “growling” tummy but also nurtures the mind to understand and re-connect with other people. Have we ever thought, why did daddy ask you to eat at the dining table rather than munching away to glory sitting lazily on your couch? Because he wanted to see you and ask you about your math test gone wrong or your first football match. In the nutshell he wanted to spend time with you. Thus it was the dining table which helped you both come and operate at the same plain. Food thus assumed a very important role for you and your family to come together. But today eating food has become just like a stop that you make in an unending journey to re fuel your car. You do not pay attention to what you and when you eat because there is just a minute left for the lunch break to get over. Eating slowly has lots of advantages. Many studies carried out by nutritionists around the world suggest that eating slowly helps in the following ways:

1. Lose weight:  it is said that our brain takes 20 minutes to register the point when we are actually full. So eating very fast doesn’t necessarily fill us up quicker. On the contrary it does not allow the brain to register the point where we are full thus making us overeat. But by eating slowly we give the brain enough time to tell the body that it doesn’t need more. One can lose close to 20 pounds or more a year, just by eating slowly.
2. Better digestion: by chewing our food at a slower rate we allow our food to be digested in a better way, thus reducing our tummy labor making it feel nice and light.
3. Better absorption: the food chewed well and digested slowly is absorbed in a better way and contributes towards the development of the body.
4. Inhibits appetite: if food is digested well it gives us more energy. On the flipside food not chewed and digested well passes through the body and finally exits it without any advantages leaving us feeling hungry and unsatiated.

So make an effort to sit together for at least one meal a day, discuss the day, plan your vacations over the dining table and you will see the difference in yourself. You will feel happier, sharper and smarter. What is most essential is to understand that while eating together one does not only exchange bowls across the table but also exchanges values thoughts and ideas which are the most important ingredients for a tastier life. When you eat together and smile together, you grow together. The bonds of love mature more over the dining table than any other place. So next time your mother, father, husband or wife calls you to the table to share a snack, forget about the all important Manchester united game or the new episode of desperate housewives and pounce on the opportunity to share food and share time. We take so much pain to earn our bread and butter. It is time to start enjoying it!!

This article is brought to you by YogacaraShop.com – your source for special Yoga Apparel, yoga inspired clothing, comfort clothing clothing designed according to the Colors of the Chakras and the best trendy, high quality and comfortable  Fitness Apparel do visit YogacaraShop.com

Photo credits: tuis on flickr.

ACUPUNCTURE: Magical Needles

Just like an innocent handkerchief, which is otherwise a symbol of domesticity, became the harbinger of doom for Shakespeare’s Othello, a needle plays many different roles in our lives today. It is every homemaker’s weapon of mass construction and every tattoo artist’s brush. A baby cries at the sight of the needle when he goes for his first injections, but the same baby takes immense pleasure in popping big balloons using the same needle on his birthday.

Therefore the word “needle”, as the name suggests is one of the most “needed” (pun intended) article at home. The best example of the importance of needles can be easily seen in the ancient traditional practice of acupuncture.

The word acupuncture is formed by combining two Latin terms namely “acus” meaning needles and “punctura” meaning insertion or penetration. Just like many other alternative therapies like ayurveda and yoga, acupuncture is a reminder of the vast knowledge of the east. China, where this practice originated is as prominent on the world map as USA or any other country for that matter. In ancient China the human body was considered to be formed of channels through which energy could be absorbed and liberated. The key to understanding the dynamics behind the process of acupuncture is the concept of yin and yang. According to the Chinese the human body had two types of energies flowing through it namely the “yan” which is the positive energy flowing in the body and the “Yin” which is its systematic counterpart. Acupuncture aims to restore the balance between the respective energies and helps the body get rid of many problems like asthma, cholesterol and even infertility.

The Chinese also believed that the human body had certain points which corresponded with their astronomical readings. Although there are no structured researches which prove the existence of these acupuncture points but the contrary has also not been proven. But what has been proven is that acupuncture affects many other parts and processes of the body. It affects the lymph nodes, cholesterol and sugar levels along with triglyceride. By applying pressure to certain points on the body acupuncture helps in strengthening and balancing the vital energy of the body making it one of the most loved of all the alternate medicine practices. The last decade has seen the renaissance of this practice. People are not only resorting to this practice in their efforts to adopt a drug free life but are taking their pets to the practitioners of this ancient art. Even after 5000 thousand years of its birth acupuncture has not received many changes. The modern form of acupuncture still utilizes the same 649 pressure points that have been systematically listed by the members of the Tisn dynasty (618-917 A.D). It’s just that needles of sticks and stones have been replaced by sterilized titanium and in some cases even gold and silver.

In the last decade acupuncture has developed as a practice that can be used for the following purposes:

1. To alleviate pain
2. To reduce weight
3. To treat asthma
4. To treat infertility
5. To quit smoking
6. For facial rejuvenation
7. To prevent back pain
8. To help arthritis patients
9. To strengthen the immune system
10. To calm the nervous system

This traditional Chinese medicine is becoming so popular these days that many insurance companies around the world are covering acupuncture procedures in their policies. Maybe next time before you take a pain killer, explore the alternative way to ease the pain and reap the benefits of the age old Chinese tradition.

This article is brought to you by YogacaraShop.com – your source for special Yoga Apparel, yoga inspired clothing, comfort clothing clothing designed according to the Colors of the Chakras and the best trendy, high quality and comfortable  Fitness Apparel do visit YogacaraShop.com

Photo credits: ggvic on flickr.

Summer Superslimmers

When the refrigerators are lined up with berry coolers we know it time for the summer season to take over. The season is synonymous with fun, frolic and food. Unlike winter during which most of the time is spent indoors as a result of that the options on the food menu at home is limited, the summer season lays down a vast array of options in front of us to savoir.

You can treat yourself to an unending variety of drinks, coolers, snacks and desserts during the sunny summer days. But with so many options forcing us to gravitate towards the tastier foods, it is very important to control our tasty instincts and get hold of healthy choices. It’s important to be in harmony with the season to reap the benefits of good health. You should avoid gorging on cheesy pastas and stay closer to lighter foods like beans and broccoli. Summer time is the best to lose the extra pounds you always wished to. Losing weight does not necessarily mean sweating yourself out in the gym or starving yourself to death to achieve the desired fitness levels. The most important thing to remember is to eat right. Unlike the present trend losing weight is not about eating less but eating right. Many doctors and dieticians say that by not eating for longer periods we do ourselves more harm than good. So, always remember to eat right food, right portions and at the right time.

There are many summer foods out there which are more effective than any fitness centre around you. There are many foods which help you lose weight albeit not by burning your extra fat off, but in a very different manner. Such foods are called negative calorie foods. They are called so because the body uses up more calories to absorb these foods than the calories these foods return. For example, a negative calorie food “A” takes up 150 calories during the digestion process and returns 120 calories to the body, it ends up reducing 30 calories from the body thus resulting in a net loss of weight. The following fruits and vegetables are the best negative calorie foods: celery, carrots, garlic, lettuce, apples, grapefruits, oranges, pineapples, lemons and mangos.

Remember listed below tips this summer:

2. Onions: a cup of onions not only 64 calories but many anti-cancer agents. So grilling onions along with other veggies like lettuce, bell peppers and zucchini and eating them like kebabs really fills you up and also kills the calories.

3. Fruits: during summer season fruits like grapefruit, oranges, strawberries, blueberries and cucumbers (yes cucumber is a fruit!!! A brother of the sweet melon) should be your best friends. All these fruits have a high water content making them low calorie but high volume fruits.

4. Cheat your way to health: by following a specific way and order of eating can help you cut down on your calorie intake. By consuming a high volume low calorie soup like cucumber-dill or gazpacho (whacky name right?) you can cheat your tummy into believing that you are pretty full and thus reduce your tasty high calorie food intake.

5. Water : although water does not provide you the important nutrients but it does take up some calories to get absorbed in the body, so stay away from the sodas and gulp down at least 2.5 liters of water a day to keep your skin glowing, system rehydrated and your metabolism perfect.

6. Patience: this is the most effective negative calorie food you have on the menu. It is important to understand that results will not be achieved overnight. You have to follow the above mentioned steps religiously to reach your destination of  “lessland”.

So this summer do not pay attention to the brochures of all the fancy diet or fitness centers which have you gravitating towards them by exploiting your desperate need to look in shape in time for your 35^th anniversary or your beach vacation to Australia!! Just eat right to feel light.

This article is brought to you by YogacaraShop.com – your source for special Yoga Apparel, yoga inspired clothing, comfort clothing clothing designed according to the Colors of the Chakras and the best trendy, high quality and comfortable  Fitness Apparel do visit YogacaraShop.com

Photo credits: Randal Droher and  churl on flickr.

Pamper your feet

When an Indian youngster touches the feet of his mother, father or any other elder in the house, he hopes to be showered with the blessings of health and wealth.

The act is like a protocol that has developed in India over the course of centuries. What is interesting to note is that even in the 21^st century where an infant can teach his grandfather how to operate an iphone this tradition is crystallized to almost perfection in India. Feet have always been an important part of Indian culture. In every Indian household one can see two small feet made of either gold or silver placed just outside the place of worship. This is because feet have always been the insignia of movement which in turn is a symbol of growth and prosperity.

With the modern day forces wreaking havoc on our joints whether it is from typing long documents to walking great lengths to reach office, our lower bodies especially our knees and feet have become our most neglected parts. We do not take care of our feet like the way we treat our eyes or skin. We do take chocolate baths to pamper our skin and place cucumber slices on our eyes to treat water bags below them but never pay attention to our pretty feet. It’s time that we look into the demands of our feet and keep them happy as well because just like eyes, on glance at a person’s “heels” can tell us what he feels. Chapped and cracked heels are a sign of a languid and negligent person. These are a few tips to keep your feet happy and healthy:

1. The most important thing to remember is that the best time to relax and pamper yourself is the night as you have the necessary amount of time at your disposal, so begin the pampering in the night.
2. Feet are very easy to please, so, a bucket of warm water with a little salt can really help sore feet.
3. Scrubbing your feet is also important to get rid of the dead skin, thus allowing your feet to breathe.
4. A regular rub of moisturizer is very important.
5. Apply a pack. Foot pack could be sandal powder, a little milk tomato paste and egg white. Allow this to dry for fifteen minutes and then lightly massage it off.
6. An invigorating and intensive foot therapy with thousands of “Fish” doctors taking care of you is also inviting. In this new form of feet revolution thousands of “garra rufa” fish nibble at your feet, eating small particles dead skin doing exactly what a scrubber does but with an added element of excitement and blanching of faces for some.
7. You can also apply a mixture of honey, rosemary oil and peppermint oil to your damp feet and leave it overnight to see your feet thanking you like never before.
8. There is nothing more uplifting than a true pressure massage. Getting a Thai foot massage once a month can really improve blood circulation thus helping you walk towards a better life.

Our feet are not just a combination of 26 bones, 33 joints, 46 ligaments and more than a hundred muscles but something way more important. So go ahead, ask your husband or wife to take you to a massage parlor and switch off your mind from the constant activity that your body especially your feet goes through every day and just pamper them till they can truly be called “happy feet”.

This article is brought to you by YogacaraShop.com – your source for special Yoga Apparel, yoga inspired clothing, comfort clothing clothing designed according to the Colors of the Chakras and the best trendy, high quality and comfortable  Fitness Apparel do visit YogacaraShop.com

Photo credits: mwrobison and  alles-schlumpf on flickr.

Nature’s fascinating gift – HONEY

Honey, the golden drops made in heaven is the sweetest reminder of nature’s astonishing power of procreation. The dense golden liquid, often called liquid gold is not just the official currency of the natural world but an important part of our lives as well.

For centuries honey has been placed at the apex of the list of best nature’s gifts. Honey is formed when bees collect nectar from flowers and mix it with special enzymes. What sets honey apart from things like cane sugar and starches is the fact that it is a predigested product as a result of which it is easy on the stomach and saves it from digestive labor. It contains two invert sugars namely laevulose and dextrose as a result of which it is considered as the single most effective element to generate, create and replace energy and furthermore form certain tissues.

The list of benefits that associated with honey is endless. With vitamins like B1, B2, C, B5, B6 and B3 all of which change with respect to the quality of pollen and nectar, honey has anti – allergic and anti -septic properties. From treating local allergies to treating a cut honey has one of the widest spectrums of medical benefits.

In Europe honey has been used to help cure ulcers and to treat rheumatic fever and neuritis. As a beauty product honey has passed the text of time. It is one of the few products that in its purest form can be used everywhere from hair on our heads to the nails on our toes. Following is a list of some of the many magical properties of honey:

1. Honey mixed with ground almond is an excellent exfoliating face scrub.
2. It works very well on chapped lips because of its moisturizing properties.
3. Honey is a universal skin toner and soother and works well for all skin types.
4. Honey’s healing powers soften hands and even cure fungal infections.
5. One of the latest uses of honey is seen in the dental industry where it is being used as a mouth washing agent.
6. Mixing honey with some beaten eggs softens scalp and even prevents dandruff.
7. But most importantly honey is an extremely powerful element that helps prevent cancer.

As a result of these properties, bees are passive contributors to the economies of many countries like India and Nepal, where the honey industry employs thousands of people, and the art of beekeeping is carefully passed on from generation to generation. It is said that to make one jar of honey a single bee has to traverse the length equal to three times of that of the equator, therefore a bee is a considered to be a symbol of a hardworking and industrious community.

Often called the “drink of the gods,” honey is a symbol of true sweetness in an age dominated by preserved foods and artificial sweeteners. This is why the most romantic period in a couple’s life is called the “honeymoon,” which symbolizes the sweetest time in their lives. What can be sweeter than honey?

Photo credits: Tie Guy II on flicr.

This article is brought to you by YogacaraShop.com – your source for special Yoga Apparel, yoga inspired clothing, comfort clothing clothing designed according to the Colors of the Chakras and the best trendy, high quality and comfortable  Fitness Apparel do visit YogacaraShop.com

Miracle of the flower

“If we could see the miracle of a single flower, our whole life would change.”

- Buddha

The scent of jasmine or the sight of roses packs a punch of expression more potent than the words of any romantic poet. There is nothing more enchanting than walking through a valley of flowers and experiencing the sweet scents enchanting our soul. Flowers have always been a part of our lives and have found a place in our imaginations. The symbolism associated with flowers has constantly been used to allude to gods like Venus, Diana and Apollo.

From the symbol of chivalry i.e. Daffodil to the symbol of sensuality i.e. jasmine, we have developed a second language of symbolism through flowers. Flowers are an integral part of most religious ceremonies around the world. They accompany a child in his/her cradle and a dead man to his last destination. The petals when connected together symbolize unity and beauty, but when separated and showered symbolize divine grace and blessing.

Many scientists “turned” philosophers believe that flower essences exert a strong influence on us by manipulating our emotions and attitudes through the electromagnetic fields that surround our bodies. Thus the term “energy machines” has often been used for flowers. Flowers have instant boost on our moods, have positive effect on our happiness and connect us to other people. Conventional medicine believes that if the body is free from disease or infirmity, one can be happy, but alternative therapies believe that mental happiness lead us directly to physical well-being.

Aromatherapy is a new stream of science that uses aroma of flowers and other natural elements for therapeutic purposes. In practice, aromatherapy uses plant and flower oil for a complex mixture of physical, mental, spiritual, and even psychological purposes. By applying the essential oils directly at a specific body part one can start the healing process instantly making it an extremely loved form of therapy. Laboratories around the world publish many lists of flower oils and their uses and benefits almost on a daily basis. One of many such lists has been published by http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk .  The list is as follows:

• Cravings
  to stop yourself from over eating sweet foods try vanilla; the sweet smell will help you to stop that sweet tooth.
• Stress
  to help beat the stress away try jasmine, frankincense, ylang ylang, grapefruit, lavender, sandalwood, geranium, rose, bergamot, benzoin, vetiver, mandarin or roman chamomile.
• Emotional baggage
  Many of us have some baggage trailing behind somewhere, to help put the past back where it belongs juniper berry is meant to work wonders.
• Uplift the spirits
  Jasmine is the oil to help bring out your sunnier side.
• Confidence
  To send your confidence soaring through the roof try a helping hand from bay laurel, bergamot, cypress, grapefruit, jasmine, rosemary or orange.
• Depression
  To lift depression, try these oils to change your mood; may chang, frankincense, lemon, grapefruit, jasmine, clary sage, sandalwood, ylang ylang, geranium, orange, neroli (orange blossom) and helichrysum.
• Insecurity
  these oils will help produce inner security and self-acceptance; frankincense, jasmine, sandalwood, vetiver, cedar wood and bergamot.
• Loneliness
  many of us feel alone at times, these oils will help take that negative feeling away; rose, clary sage, frankincense and helichrysum.
• Happiness
  To help yourself become a happy, vibrant, full of life person, grapefruit, lemon, orange, rose, sandalwood and ylang ylang may well do the trick.

What sets aromatherapy apart from the more conventional forms of medicinal practices is the ease with which it can be practiced. The benefits of it can be reaped by just putting a few drops of the oil of your choice on your pillow cover while it secretly works its magic during the night, or by adding a few drops into your bathing water.

Many of us have also seen movies where an eccentrically dressed woman is trying to cure a man of a secret illness in a small village in India or Africa, by using various herbs. This is today called herbal therapy. Although, a very new admission to the school of science it’s getting its share of attention. Unlike aromatherapy, herbal therapy uses all parts of a plant from its roots to berries and even its bark. Despite occupying a position outside the conventional framework herbal medicines and products have become a rage with the world. In Germany alone some 600-700 plant based medicines are available and prescribed by over 70% of the physicians. All this has been achieved due to strict quality control measures and detailed clinical researches.

Thus with all their grace and tranquility flowers and plants act as  divine bands that help up stay connected to all things earthly around us. What sets flowers apart from other aspects of nature has been clearly put forward by Sigmund Freud “flowers are restful to look at. They have neither emotion nor conflict”.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk

This article is brought to you by YogacaraShop.com – your source for special Yoga Apparel, yoga inspired clothing, comfort clothing clothing designed according to the Colors of the Chakras and the best trendy, high quality and comfortable  Fitness Apparel do visit YogacaraShop.com

Dance your way to life

“When you’re happy and you know it clap your hands, when you’re happy and you know it tap your feet”. Most of us reading this article danced to this rhythm at some point of time in our lives. Whether at a friend’s birthday party or a colleague’s farewell, we have all experienced the fun of forgetting ourselves and dancing away to eternal bliss.

Dance is not just the rhythmic movement of one’s body but something much more complex. It is one of the most expressive forms of art. Dance is like a well wrapped gift, beautiful on the outside and even better on the inside. From the outside dance comes across as a medium of expression which emotes feelings of love, sadness and all other possible emotions in the human vocabulary. From shouting hallelujah in the church to narrating stories of great religious importance in Indian classical dance has been with us since time immemorial.

But when taken into a more modern context, dance comes across as a much needed break from the monotony of daily life, almost like the ripening fruit needs the monsoons in the tropics. The only difference being that dance doesn’t ripen fruits but nourishes our souls. With the humdrum of modern life wielding an oppressive influence over us, dance today has become a vent through which we can release all our building tensions and emotions. It helps us to walk towards achieving a more balanced and stable lifestyle physically and mentally. The following chart shows the calorie busting powers of various styles of dance:

Dancing Style	Calories Burned Per Hour
Ballroom (slow)	207
Ballroom (fast)	378
Disco	394
Latin	420
Ballet or Modern	326
Swing	306
Hip Hop	465
Aerobic	442
General	306

What is important to understand is that by dance one does not mean a well choreographed routine meant for entertainment or didactic purposes. Dance in its purest form means freedom i.e. Freedom of expression and enjoyment. Structured analysis over the last decade shows that dance helps prevent osteoporosis in women, helps increase HDL ( good cholesterol) levels and controls LDL ( bad cholesterol) levels. By trying to focus on a certain rhythm and patterned steps one triggers the mind to work resulting mental agility which in turn contributes to developing a better rounded human being.

The list of dancing health benefits is very long, there are just a few listed below:

1)      Increases flexibility and balance

2)      Strengthens your muscles and bones

3)      Improves posture

1)      Builds your endurance

2)      Develops sense of well-being

3)      Reduces stress

4)      Increases energy

5)      Helps to manage your weight

From doing the energetic and fat burning Zumba to the slow waltz, dance helps us in understanding various cultures thus promoting international integration. Finally one can say that when stripped to its bare bones away from its commercial aspects, dance is nothing more than an employee tapping his feet under the table during an all important board meeting or a young child trying to take his first step in a journey called “Life”.

*Photo credits:  photos by thaths on flickr

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Inner Transformation, Journey to 2012, and Earth Changes

“EDGAR SPEAKS” by Bente Hansen.

“Your imagination is your preview of life’s coming attractions.”

-Albert Einstein

Many years ago a wise intuitive looked at me and said, “You are a channel”. She went on to explain that part of my life purpose is to bring forth information from the invisible realms. This information at all times is intended to support and guide individuals in their life purpose and their seeking for meaning. When I was initially told this, my reaction was to go into a state of complete denial, and I did the very best possible to not only ignore her words but to totally erase them from memory.

However, despite my best intentions her statement eventually proved to be all too true. It was with considerable reluctance I undertook this role, particularly as I felt that it distinguished me in ways that I would prefer to not acknowledge. For one thing, it was never my intention to be noticed. Also, it was not my idea of what a career or profession should look like. I felt there could be nothing glamorous or exciting about going into a light trance state and uttering words that seem to make no sense. Or, even worse, to utter words over which I had no control! Nevertheless,in time I became more comfortable with the process and it became easier. Ironically, channeling also became increasingly popular, as more individuals worldwide were opening up to receiving and transmitting information from the invisible realms.

In time it became obvious that I was an open channel for all Light beings. Many channels connect with only one specific energy. Such examples include Jane Roberts who channeled Seth and Esther Hicks who channels the energy known as Abraham. Instead, my channeling provided a smorgasbord of energies, including the Council of Elders, Ashtar, Quan Yin, the Arcturians, the Pleiadians and many others. I became accustomed to being available whenever it was appropriate, especially when individuals were in need of insight and guidance. The channeling became integrated into my work as an energy practitioner and teacher, and had eventually become as ‘normal’ to me as breathing was.

Everything changed, beginning in mid-2007, when I initially connected with the energy of Edgar Cayce. At the time, though, I did not realize the extent of the changes nor the ramifications they would have on my life as well as on my sense of self.

Since late 2008 I have been publicly channeling the energy of Edgar Cayce. When doing this work I am in an altered trance state and have no recollection of what is said – not until later when I transcribe the channeled information. A great deal of information has been shared with audiences since the beginning of 2009, especially via the Internet. It is this information, which I believe to be of great value that is shared in this book. Once the public channeling process commenced Edgar provided further insight into the connection that he and I have, and this is also explored to some extent.

At no stage do I claim any exclusivity to the energy of Edgar Cayce. My understanding is that I channel the energy of the soul that embodied as Edgar. Journeying with Edgar is an ongoing delight. His energy is at all times supportive and insightful. I trust that you will glean information that is relevant to your particular needs and aspirations throughout this book.

In order to do justice to the whole experience of being a channel for the energy of Edgar Cayce I felt it best to divide the information in this book into three distinct sections. Section One is very personal and describes my experiences in connecting with Edgar Cayce – how it came about and its unfolding. Section Two contains channeling information relating to humanity’s journey to 2012 and beyond, and this includes information on the shift that will take place from within. When channeling Edgar the delivered information is often disjointed and sentences can be extremely lengthy, containing repetitions and countless phrases. It is as though he is speaking for a listening audience. The information he gives is not necessarily provided for a reading audience. Consequently I have taken the liberty of ensuring easier readability of the channeled information.

Finally, Section Three contains questions and answers that have been chosen for their universal appeal, including information on inner transformation and earth changes. Even when Edgar answers a question relating to an individual’s personal situation often his response holds value for a larger audience. It is these questions and answers that have been selected as a representation of the many responses he has provided to similar questions since the beginning of 2009. There are occasional references to ‘This One’. That is Edgar’s reference to me, the channel.

Since preparing and editing the draft for this book I’ve listened to an interview on Coast to Coast radio show, where John Van Auken, author of “Edgar Cayce and the Kabbalah” was interviewed. John Van Auken is a long time member of the Association for Research and Enlightenment, the association founded by Edgar Cayce, which disseminates and provides a great deal of information relating to the life and teachings in the Cayce trance readings.

In this particular interview John was asked about the prophesized information contained in the trance readings relating to 2012. Apparently, Edgar Cayce had reiterated, time and again, that the biggest change of all would be the inner transformation in consciousness and awareness. This information was totally unknown to me while giving my channeling sessions and when preparing this book. Yet, when I re-read the transcripts now it makes perfect sense that the information I channel relates almost exclusively to the necessity of making inner changes, of transforming how we live, think and function as individuals and as an a society.

I have found Edgar’s perspective and insight into this time of tumultuous change we are experiencing to be both relevant, uplifting and practical. I trust that you will glean from it what is most beneficial for your needs and concerns.

Blessings

Rev. Bente Hansen

Australian, Rev. Bente Hansen is an Inspirational Speaker and  Intuitive and Wellness Consultant. She offers clients energy healing, channeling, Soul readings, distance energy clearing, spiritual counseling. Bente is the author of Messages From Beyond (2001), The New World of Self Healing (2006) and Edgar Speaks: Inner Transformation, Journey to 2012 and Earth Changes (2011). She also co-hosts a weekly show at www.manifestingwellness.com.  Contact at: www.dynamicenergyhealing.net , www.edgarspeaks.com or 845 297 4106.

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