What is the Heart Meditation?
During meditation, the heart becomes a holographic, electromagnetic field enabling an individual to experience the sum total of the universe.
In The Biology of Transcendence: A Blueprint of the Human Spirit (Rochester, Vermont: Park Street Press, 2002), Joseph Chilton Pearce relates an incident that happened to him in his biology class decades ago. Two lonely heart cells (taken from a dying rodent), in Petri dishes placed side by side , stopped fibrillating (spasmodic pulsing before death) and resumed regular simultaneous pulsing with each other. Why? A heart cell produces strong electromagnetic signals that can extend more than several feet beyond its boundaries. When placed side by side, these two isolated heart cells became part of a resonating field.
One can understand the powerful synchrony generated by friendly encounters. Love can literally be understood as resonance between cells. The Heart Meditation, which focuses on centering the heart and connecting with a universal source of energy, is a simple way to increase the coherent power of transcendence , the power of healing with love that lies within the heart’s electromagnetic field.
The Heart is an Electromagnetic Field
Electrocardiogram or ECG readings of the heart confirm that the human body produces an electrical field which radiates 12 to 15 feet beyond the body. Recent research suggests, as well, that the electromagnetic (or em) energy produced by the heart spirals out and curves back towards the heart in the shape of a torus, the shape of a donut ring. This torus is holographic; any point within the torus has access to the information of the whole field of the heart. This means that any point within the heart’s electromagnetic field contains all the frequencies of the heart’s spectrum.
The Holographic Power of the Heart
If electromagnetic torus fields are holographic, any point in the heart has access not only to the heart field, but also to universal information. According to Pearce, the universe is a "nested hierarchy of toroid energy systems that extend possibly from the minuscule atom to human to planet, solar system, and ultimately, the galaxy" (59). Being centered in the heart is, in effect, being centered in the universe, allowing one access to an universal source of power. This was why in the 13th century, German theologian, philosopher and mystic, Meister Eckhart, made the claim that “When God becomes Eckhart, Eckhart becomes God” (65).
The Heart Meditation
This sense of power experienced by practitioners of the Heart Meditation is created when one arrives at the point of universal connection through the heart. There are several online versions of the heart meditation which make possible this connection. The Heart Chakra Meditation from Yoga Basics is a powerful tool for releasing fear and enhancing love and compassion. Deepak Chopra’s Advanced Meditation on the Heart dissolves contraction and opens the heart to spirit and insight. Ultimately it leads one to silent assurance, acceptance and appreciation of simply being.
The heart is more than a physical organ that pumps blood through the circulatory system of the human body. It is clearly the source of man’s spiritual essence as well. Given the stressful and splintering nature of modern life, taking a daily dive into the heart meditation can restore one’s sense of purpose and wholeness.
Reprinted with permission from Mary Desaulniers
Monday, October 8, 2012
Running Can Cure Depression
Neuroplasticity:Why Running Cures Depression
Mary Desaulniers
If depression is a form of cell death, running, which promotes neuroplasticity and cell growth, is the best strategy against this kind of neural paralysis.
Washington Post Staff Writer Daniele Seiss discovered that when drugs and therapy failed to relieve her bouts of crippling depression, running was her way out. Since childhood, she has been haunted by nightmares and panic attacks. Nothing worked for her except running.
For years snooker star Ronnie O'Sullivan suffered from deep depression. Now he runs 50 miles a week to keep the beast at bay.
Research credits running as the best cure for depression. Because the brain is connected to movement, everything the body does registers a "footprint" in the brain. Because of the neuroplasticity of the brain, exercise like jogging changes the brain. Repeated physical activity enhances brain function which improves mood, self-esteem and well-being.
The Neuroplasticity of the Brain Means that Exercise Reshapes Brain
A definite relationship exists between exercise and depression.Exercise promotes new cell growth in the brain. If depression is a form of cell death, then exercise is the best strategy against this kind of neural paralysis. The neuroplasticity of the brain means that exercise reshapes the brain.
Prolonged and intense running releases endorphins or brain chemicals that produce a sense of elation. These endorphins are probably the reasons behind the proverbial runner's high.
While jogging, the body releases phenylalamine (PEA), a neurotransmitter that stimulates mental alertness; it also releases neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin (most commonly associated with antidepressants) that affect the mind in a positive way.
Not only does running release mood elevating neurochemicals, it also alters the rhythm of brain activity. The repetitive and rhythmic strides of jogging induces alpha brain waves, also known as the sensorimotor rhythm so often associated with meditation and the calm alertness of the "flow."
EEG sensors show that running reduces the thinking centers of the prefrontal cortex and increases the activity of the brain's motor centers. The emptying of the mind results in a sense of peace and calm.
Running and Deep Play
This sense of peace and calm is what Diane Ackerman identifies as the purpose or the ultimate end of Deep Play, the engagement of body and mind in an activity that requires courage, concentration and a desire for transcendence.
Examples are the ritualized runs that native warriors make into the wilderness. The Zuni tribe runs 20 to 40 miles at a time. Crow Indians run to exhaustion as part of their appeasement ritual to the gods of luck and fortune. Something happens during these vigorous exercise rituals that push the participants into a higher state of consciousness, inspiring visions and insights, dispelling fear, doubt and depression.
Primitive men understood that it is the sinews that turbocharge the brain and that God is found in the body's movement.
That's why Daniele Seiss keeps running."I have figured out," she writes," that if I run at least four miles, I feel relaxed, positive and clearheaded, feelings that can last from hours to days. And if I do so consistently, I won't fall into a really dark state."
Sources:
Daniele Seiss. "Running For My Life." The Washington Post. September 15, 2009. Ross Tucker, Jonathan Dugas and Matt Fitzgerald. The Runner's Body:How the Latest Exercise Science Can Help You Run Stronger, Longer and Faster. Rodale Press, 2009.
Reprinted with permission from Mary Desaulniers
Mary Desaulniers
If depression is a form of cell death, running, which promotes neuroplasticity and cell growth, is the best strategy against this kind of neural paralysis.
Washington Post Staff Writer Daniele Seiss discovered that when drugs and therapy failed to relieve her bouts of crippling depression, running was her way out. Since childhood, she has been haunted by nightmares and panic attacks. Nothing worked for her except running.
For years snooker star Ronnie O'Sullivan suffered from deep depression. Now he runs 50 miles a week to keep the beast at bay.
Research credits running as the best cure for depression. Because the brain is connected to movement, everything the body does registers a "footprint" in the brain. Because of the neuroplasticity of the brain, exercise like jogging changes the brain. Repeated physical activity enhances brain function which improves mood, self-esteem and well-being.
The Neuroplasticity of the Brain Means that Exercise Reshapes Brain
A definite relationship exists between exercise and depression.Exercise promotes new cell growth in the brain. If depression is a form of cell death, then exercise is the best strategy against this kind of neural paralysis. The neuroplasticity of the brain means that exercise reshapes the brain.
Prolonged and intense running releases endorphins or brain chemicals that produce a sense of elation. These endorphins are probably the reasons behind the proverbial runner's high.
While jogging, the body releases phenylalamine (PEA), a neurotransmitter that stimulates mental alertness; it also releases neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin (most commonly associated with antidepressants) that affect the mind in a positive way.
Not only does running release mood elevating neurochemicals, it also alters the rhythm of brain activity. The repetitive and rhythmic strides of jogging induces alpha brain waves, also known as the sensorimotor rhythm so often associated with meditation and the calm alertness of the "flow."
EEG sensors show that running reduces the thinking centers of the prefrontal cortex and increases the activity of the brain's motor centers. The emptying of the mind results in a sense of peace and calm.
Running and Deep Play
This sense of peace and calm is what Diane Ackerman identifies as the purpose or the ultimate end of Deep Play, the engagement of body and mind in an activity that requires courage, concentration and a desire for transcendence.
Examples are the ritualized runs that native warriors make into the wilderness. The Zuni tribe runs 20 to 40 miles at a time. Crow Indians run to exhaustion as part of their appeasement ritual to the gods of luck and fortune. Something happens during these vigorous exercise rituals that push the participants into a higher state of consciousness, inspiring visions and insights, dispelling fear, doubt and depression.
Primitive men understood that it is the sinews that turbocharge the brain and that God is found in the body's movement.
That's why Daniele Seiss keeps running."I have figured out," she writes," that if I run at least four miles, I feel relaxed, positive and clearheaded, feelings that can last from hours to days. And if I do so consistently, I won't fall into a really dark state."
Sources:
Daniele Seiss. "Running For My Life." The Washington Post. September 15, 2009. Ross Tucker, Jonathan Dugas and Matt Fitzgerald. The Runner's Body:How the Latest Exercise Science Can Help You Run Stronger, Longer and Faster. Rodale Press, 2009.
Reprinted with permission from Mary Desaulniers
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Are We Teaching Our Kids to Fear Nature?
Over a generation ago, children walked a mile to school--unsupervised. Nowadays, children are transported by bus or cars. We would think twice about letting a child walk to school--alone.
My mother in law told us that she grew up in the 1930's without fear of the woods that surrounded her home in Auburn, Massachusetts.
" At eleven, I thought nothing of playing alone in the forest behind us or of packing a lunch, walking to the pond and rowing a boat across the water to the fields on the other side. When the sky started to darken or when I got hungry, I would hop onto the boat, row myself across the pond and head back home. My mother never showed shock or surprise at what I did. It seemed to be a very natural thing to do.I never felt fear. My parents would have been surprised if I ever said I was scared."
There is no doubt we would be shocked nowadays by the wisdom of parents who allow an eleven year old to row a boat across a pond all by herself, without a life jacket, without adult supervision, alone in a wooded area where all kinds of dangers are possible-- getting lost, drowned, being kidnapped and murdered. These are the fears of our modern culture,magnified tenfold by our instant electronic media. What looms over our parental conscience nowadays is the threat of nature - and the sense that nature is not meant for childhood exploration, but something children should be taught to fear.
Some where along the way, there must be a middle ground - nature loved and respected for what it gives and takes.
My mother in law told us that she grew up in the 1930's without fear of the woods that surrounded her home in Auburn, Massachusetts.
" At eleven, I thought nothing of playing alone in the forest behind us or of packing a lunch, walking to the pond and rowing a boat across the water to the fields on the other side. When the sky started to darken or when I got hungry, I would hop onto the boat, row myself across the pond and head back home. My mother never showed shock or surprise at what I did. It seemed to be a very natural thing to do.I never felt fear. My parents would have been surprised if I ever said I was scared."
There is no doubt we would be shocked nowadays by the wisdom of parents who allow an eleven year old to row a boat across a pond all by herself, without a life jacket, without adult supervision, alone in a wooded area where all kinds of dangers are possible-- getting lost, drowned, being kidnapped and murdered. These are the fears of our modern culture,magnified tenfold by our instant electronic media. What looms over our parental conscience nowadays is the threat of nature - and the sense that nature is not meant for childhood exploration, but something children should be taught to fear.
Some where along the way, there must be a middle ground - nature loved and respected for what it gives and takes.
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Does Your Child have Anxiety, Worries and Fears?
You can help your child overcome anxiety, worries, and fears.
By ending your child's battle with anxiety, his or her whole life can move quickly in a much more positive direction and change for the better. In the next few minutes, you’re going to learn how you can help your child feel more confident, secure in body and mind, and most of all, be happy again by discovering how to shatter the anxiety, nervousness, and fear that may be holding him or her back.
Check out the Anxiety-Free Child Program.
Click Here!
By ending your child's battle with anxiety, his or her whole life can move quickly in a much more positive direction and change for the better. In the next few minutes, you’re going to learn how you can help your child feel more confident, secure in body and mind, and most of all, be happy again by discovering how to shatter the anxiety, nervousness, and fear that may be holding him or her back.
Check out the Anxiety-Free Child Program.
Click Here!
Monday, July 2, 2012
Depression in Preschoolers?
A new Canadian study shows that 15 percent of preschoolers have atypically high levels of depression and anxiety. The study also finds that these children are more likely to have mothers with a history of depression.
Almost 1800 children and their mothers took part in this 5 year investigation which showed that a baby's difficult temperament at 5 months was the most important indicator of anxiety and depression in children followed by lifetime maternal depression as the next most important indicator.
Preschoolers with depression are also likely to be depressed in childhood. 2.5% of children and 8.3 % of adolescents in the United States suffer from Depression.
While boys under the age of 10 seem to experience depression more often, girls seem to have a greater incidence of depression by age 16.
The suicide rate for adolescents has increased more than 200% over the past decade.
In Canada, 1 in 20 children and adolescents go through Depression before the age of 19.
Despite these given statistics, research suggests that depression is treatable, especially if it is diagnosed early. Find out more here.
Almost 1800 children and their mothers took part in this 5 year investigation which showed that a baby's difficult temperament at 5 months was the most important indicator of anxiety and depression in children followed by lifetime maternal depression as the next most important indicator.
Preschoolers with depression are also likely to be depressed in childhood. 2.5% of children and 8.3 % of adolescents in the United States suffer from Depression.
While boys under the age of 10 seem to experience depression more often, girls seem to have a greater incidence of depression by age 16.
The suicide rate for adolescents has increased more than 200% over the past decade.
In Canada, 1 in 20 children and adolescents go through Depression before the age of 19.
Despite these given statistics, research suggests that depression is treatable, especially if it is diagnosed early. Find out more here.
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Gay Bashing is a Problem in Canadian Schools
In an age when gay pride parades have become status quo, when same sex romances proliferate all forms of media, one would think that gay bashing would become a relic of the past.
Not so, according to a nationwide survey of Canadian High school students. Released in May 2011, this survey shows that more than seventy-five percent of "lesbian, bisexual, gay, transgender, queer or questioning students" feel unsafe at school. In fact, most gay teenagers report that they are harassed verbally and physically on a daily basis.
Just under 2000 high school students in every province were surveyed by research teams from the University of Manitoba and the University of Winnipeg either through in-school sessions or an online survey.
Their reports are a wake-up call for parents and teachers who think that prejudice exists only south of the border and that we, Canadians, are just too level-headed to succumb to that kind of nonsense. Read more here.
Not so, according to a nationwide survey of Canadian High school students. Released in May 2011, this survey shows that more than seventy-five percent of "lesbian, bisexual, gay, transgender, queer or questioning students" feel unsafe at school. In fact, most gay teenagers report that they are harassed verbally and physically on a daily basis.
Just under 2000 high school students in every province were surveyed by research teams from the University of Manitoba and the University of Winnipeg either through in-school sessions or an online survey.
Their reports are a wake-up call for parents and teachers who think that prejudice exists only south of the border and that we, Canadians, are just too level-headed to succumb to that kind of nonsense. Read more here.
Friday, June 29, 2012
Why Running Cures Depression
If depression is a form of cell death, running, which promotes neuroplasticity and cell growth, is the best strategy against this kind of neural paralysis.
Washington Post Staff Writer Daniele Seiss discovered that when drugs and therapy failed to relieve her bouts of crippling depression, running was her way out. Since childhood, she has been haunted by nightmares and panic attacks. Nothing worked for her except running.
For years snooker star Ronnie O'Sullivan suffered from deep depression. Now he runs 50 miles a week to keep the beast at bay.
Research credits running as the best cure for depression. Because the brain is connected to movement, everything the body does registers a "footprint" in the brain. Because of the neuroplasticity of the brain, exercise like jogging changes the brain. Repeated physical activity enhances brain function which improves mood, self-esteem and well-being.
Read more at Suite101: Neuroplasticity:Why Running Cures Depression: Exercise, the Brain and Deep Play | Suite101.com
Washington Post Staff Writer Daniele Seiss discovered that when drugs and therapy failed to relieve her bouts of crippling depression, running was her way out. Since childhood, she has been haunted by nightmares and panic attacks. Nothing worked for her except running.
For years snooker star Ronnie O'Sullivan suffered from deep depression. Now he runs 50 miles a week to keep the beast at bay.
Research credits running as the best cure for depression. Because the brain is connected to movement, everything the body does registers a "footprint" in the brain. Because of the neuroplasticity of the brain, exercise like jogging changes the brain. Repeated physical activity enhances brain function which improves mood, self-esteem and well-being.
Read more at Suite101: Neuroplasticity:Why Running Cures Depression: Exercise, the Brain and Deep Play | Suite101.com
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