Muraqaba - The Sufi Meditation

 The Sufi Meditation (By Sufi-Master Khwaja Shamsuddin Azeemi)

By Syed Reaz

When we try to learn a new skill or try to gain knowledge about a specific subject, we follow a guideline or a system, which demands that we pay attention to the subject to fully understand it. Our mind becomes curious to know the where, how and what of it. When we pay attention to the minor details, that minor point itself gains value. However, when we ignore the most important part and do not pay any cognitive attention to it then even that major point loses its value and importance. Through contemplation we gain knowledge about any object and the deeper that knowledge, the more we learn about that object and its qualities.

Muraqaba is the name of that contemplation through which man is able to gain the knowledge which is the primordial knowledge of his Ego, Self, or Soul. After gaining that knowledge, any man can gain access to his Ego or Soul.

It appears that the person performing Muraqaba is simply sitting in a pose with his or her eyes closed. However, merely shutting the eyes and assuming a specific pose does not serve the purpose. Muraqaba is in fact an angle of perception through which the person doing the Muraqaba frees himself or herself from outward senses and begins their journey in the inward senses.

Now we are going to look into whether or not the Muraqaba-like conditions or states exist in us, without adopting the specific pose of Muraqaba.

Freedom from outward senses happens in our daily life, both involuntarily and voluntarily. For example, we go to sleep and while sleeping our brain disconnects from outward senses. It is true that this disconnection is temporary however; this condition could not be termed as anything but disconnection from outward senses. Hence, we can say that Muraqaba is in fact a way of imposing a state of sleeping without going to sleep.

Every human being, from the time of birth to death spends life in two states. In other words, in the human mind there are two types of conditions that prevail every moment of our life. One of these conditions or state is wakening and the other sleeping or dreaming. In the wakening state, they are trapped in Time and Space while during dreaming they are free from the confines of spatiotemporal limitations. This freedom of Time and Space is sought through Muraqaba by converting the state of sleeping or dreaming into an awakened state. Because during Muraqaba, a person goes through the same conditions that he or she goes through while sleeping or dreaming.

The notion that dreams are nothing but thoughts is not correct. In all scriptures including the Quran (Koran), dreams have been mentioned. The dreams that were mentioned in the Quran show that the realm of dream is free from the restrictions imposed by Time and Space. When a person tries to impose the state of dreaming through Muraqaba, they free themselves from that spatiotemporal boundaries and they journey through the realm of dream the way they travel while fully wake. All existing things need foundation; without it they could not survive. This is not something that is hard to comprehend. For example the foundation of a chair is its legs. A house remains erect only when inside the earth its foundation is laid. Similarly, we can only learn a subject or a branch of knowledge when we know its basics. These basics (or formulas) are considered as the foundation of any branch of knowledge. God has revealed it in the Quran,

Al-Lah is the Light of the heavens and earth.

In this Universe, there are several worlds and galaxies. The Essence and Reality of God is something only God knows or those with whom He has shared His Secrets. How much of this information God has shared with His chosen servants is not our concern. However, we do know that God created this entire universe for us humans. It is stated on several occasions in the Quran that the foundation of this universe is the Light (nur) of God. Based on this fact it is imperative that Man and all of his abilities be centered on one foundation.

It is our daily observation that not all of our actions, motions, whims, thoughts, imaginations, and feelings are dependent on the body of bones and flesh. Because when the Spirit disconnects its link with the physical body then this body of bones and flesh is unable to act on its own. As long as the Spirit is attached with the body, all the needs, and functions necessary for life are present. In other words, Spirit (ruh) is the foundation of the body.

According to the Quran, a limited knowledge of the Spirit is given. Nevertheless even this limited knowledge is still knowledge. What we are trying to emphasize is that what we consider Man is a body of bones and flesh, though that Man is nothing but fiction. The real Man is the one that protects that skeleton of flesh and keeps it in motion, whom the Quran calls ruh (Spirit). This ruh, in order to fulfill the needs of life uses a medium. We call this medium, chromosomes. In the Quran, God has said that, We poured Our ruh in him (Adam). In other words, ruh created a medium and after that gave him the senses. ruh is in fact a component of the Divine and in it all the knowledge of Divine Discretions and Attributes are present, which God so Willed. Just how this knowledge was acquired by the component, is a Divine Mystery, which could never be explained.

There are eleven thousand generators (latifa, plural lataif) at work inside the Man. According to Sufism, there are eleven thousand Divine Names as well. Every Divine Name is an Attribute and every Divine Attribute is knowledge (ilm). This knowledge further expands into more and more spheres to become a manifestation of the Divine Attributes.

In order to enter the unseen world (al-ghayb) or to behold anything beyond Time and Space, we have to first free ourselves from the clutches of spatiotemporal restrictions. This is only possible when the vision that sees Time and Space frees itself from its boundaries. To activate that vision, certain exercises have been created through which even if the human mind is not totally free at least it is able to come close to it.

Now the next question is to how and when the human senses could be freed from that restriction. One example is the state of dreaming. Sleeping actually is getting freedom from the diurnal senses, which are Time and Space. When we go to sleep then our senses are transferred to a realm where the state of Time and Space do exist but not in the chronological order in which we spend our life. The Second way is that while wake human mind could focus on any object with full concentration. For example when we read an interesting book, we often lost track of the time. When we finally look at our watch, we then realized that so much time had elapsed, though we were not aware of it.

In the Quran, the event of Moses receiving the Torah is mentioned in the following verse:

And We promised Moses thirty nights and fulfilled it in forty nights.

Day and night are mentioned in Quran in the following verses,

And We enter night into the day and let the day enter into the night.

We take the night out of the day and take the day out of the night.

We cover the day onto night and night into the day.

When we contemplate these verses of Quran, we realized that day and night are in fact two senses. In other words, our life is divided into two senses. One of the senses is day the other one is night. During the day senses (diurnal senses) restricted with Time and Space while during night senses (nocturnal senses) we are free from these restrictions.

The Divine Statement that We promised Moses thirty nights and fulfilled it in forty nights is interesting. Because Moses did not simply spend forty nights there, his entire stay was forty days and forty nights. It was not that he was spending the nights at the place and coming back during the day. He did spend his entire stay at the Mount. Interestingly God did not mention days in the verse instead mentions only night. It clearly suggests that during those forty days and forty nights, Moses was under the influence of nocturnal senses.

The same nocturnal senses, which free us from the restrictions of Time and Space.

Hence, anyone who would impose the nocturnal senses during the period of day and night on themselves would be free from the confinement of Time and Space. This freedom from spatiotemporal restriction is the way to exploring the unseen realm and getting intuitive information.

During a battle, an arrow injured Amirul Momineen Ali ibn abi Talib. It had entered his thigh and the pain was excruciating. The surgeons could not operate on it. Because of extreme pain he would not let them even touch it. One of his companions suggested to surgeons that they wait until Imam Ali began his prayer. When Imam Ali began his prayer, the surgeons were able to operate on him without him showing any sign of pain. By the time he was done with his prayers, Imam Ali realized that the surgeon had already performed the surgery and the wound had already been stitched. This event is another example of the negation of Time and Space. When Imam Ali started his prayers, his senses went from diurnal state into nocturnal state. The moment his mind entered the nocturnal senses his focus was shifted away from the diurnal senses (restriction and pain). The foundation of Spirituality is based on the reality that Man has two senses, two brains, and two lives. Just like the two sides of a coin, it has two sides.One life is restricted; the other one is free.

Constrained life is day, wakefulness, and consciousness. On the other hand, free life is the name of night, joy, peace and the contentment of the heart.

To gain that life the easiest method in Spirituality is Muraqaba. Muraqaba is in fact the name of an exercise, effort and the angle of perception. Through it, anyone can enter the nocturnal senses while keeping the diurnal senses active as well.

Sufi-Master Khwaja Shamsuddin Azeemi is the Patriarch of the Sufi Order of Azeemia and has written over 35 books on Parapsychology,Telepathy and meditation. His most recent book Muraqaba-The Art and Science of Sufi Meditation was published in the U.S. in January 2005. (tras. by Syed Shahzad Reaz)

Source : http://ezinearticles.com/?Muraqaba--The-Sufi-Meditation-By-Sufi-Master-Khwaja-Shamsuddin-Azeemi&id=17719

HOW TO HYPNOTISE YOUR INNER SELF

A Path To Inner Enrichment

By Ivan Kukard 

What is hypnosis? Firstly, believe it or not, hypnosis is a natural part of the human being! It does NOT belong in the far reaches of imagination where wizards and ghouls live, it belongs in the here-and-now world of clear modern medicine and science. Hypnosis is actually the means by which the human mind can drift into a "trance-like" state, note I do not "into a trance", THIS IS NOT THE SAME. This state of mind is characterised by extreme suggestibility, a high level of mental and physical relaxation and greatly enhanced imagination and can be induced by another person or by you. So yes, you can hypnotise yourself.

You can quite easily learn to how to hypnotise your inner self, it is really not that difficult. Your aim should be to develop your skill to the point where it becomes a part of you, naturally. Self hypnosis begins with relaxation, a technique you will need to master in order to be properly effective in this art and you can begin by recalling relaxing pastimes or experiences you have had. You also focus individually on all of your senses, get them onto sharp reality like you normally would not do.

Then you go on to use hypnotic language patterns, a script and audio to bring your mind to that relaxed and heightened state. This does not mean that you fall into a zombie-like trance, you are still very much aware and in control at all times. At this stage you will discover that you are in a state where certain perceptions are like you have never had them before, this will be new voyage of self-discovery for you, you will begin to "see" things in your mind that were always there but you just did not know it.

If you wish to become really good at how to hypnotise your inner self, go further into this, dig deeper. You will find that there is a reservoir deep down inside you just waiting to be tapped into. There is a deep well that you never knew was there, by using hypnotic suggestion on your self along with other non-magical techniques you will get deeper and deeper into the relaxation and therapy of self-hypnosis. You will come to structure your own sessions, learn about conscious and unconscious responses. Posture and surroundings also play a crucial part, I don't think you will get very far sitting at a construction site for example. So you will learn where and how to go about the entire process so that your results are the best the can be.

Your conscious and unconscious minds respond differently to the same stimuli, so what works for one does not work for the other, this will seem odd to you at first, but as you get into it you will accept it without even noticing anymore. Learn how to hypnotise your inner self well, be diligent, and reap surprising rewards.

Thank-you for reading this far, as a husband and Dad I know how difficult self wellness can be and how quickly things can get out of hand. When it comes to healing a failing inner belief or estem or restoring a broken one you need some outside help. What you will find here will surprise you, what you discover is not a load of big-Daddy advice. Go to http://selfhelpandimprovements.com/ and you will find some interesting things that you never really thought of but will now make so much sense! You will wonder how you managed before. Oh, and collect the free extras that are laid on for you.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6711949

How to Optimize the Awesome Power of Thoughts and Imagination

By Michael Lee

Have you encountered a time when you were in a traffic jam and was running late for an important meeting? Did you stay calm and focused? Or did your mind wander into the dark side of the impending consequences that may occur?

If you're always picturing people getting mad at you and thinking of negative outcomes, then your body suffers as well. You may experience chest pains, anxiety disorders, indigestion, and other health problems. Why worry when you can't do anything about the situation? Moreover, you don't even know yet what will happen. Both good and bad things happen unexpectedly. Why bother to worry? It's just not worth it.
Your mind directly influences your body's capabilities and reactions; so if you always project negative thoughts and images in your mind, your body suffers as well. But if you always think of positive and enthusiastic stuffs, your body will react positively too.

The mind is an absolute powerhouse, a dream granter, and goal achiever, all rolled into one. But do you know how to optimize it for best performance?

Many times we've heard people say that "If you think you can or you can't, you're right."

That is so true. But do you know exactly how to use your thoughts in reaching what you desire to achieve?
They say affirmations work. Yes, they do. But the results might be minimal and might not turn out according to your expectations.

Do you want to know a method that is much more powerful? What I'm going to tell you is a technique that is so effective in itself; that if you combine it with affirmations, then you possess one of the deadliest combos of self-improvement.

Want to know the secret? Here it is.

Visualize images. It's as simple as that. Our mind communicates with our body using images. You know that the thought of people getting angry with you can negatively affect your health. Otherwise, picturing yourself relaxing at your favorite vacation spot can ease some of your stress.

Take this exercise.

Imagine the juiciest whole piece of fried chicken right in front of you. You can smell its tempting aroma. You sliced it into pieces and heard the crispy crunching sound. Picture yourself taking a large bite and enjoying the gastronomic experience. Did that made your mouth water? Did that made you hungry?

Images are very powerful and can be used to improve your health, attain your goals, and achieve anything that you put your mind into.

For instance, you're a burn victim. You have a wound that is quite agonizing. Don't just say, "Hey, burn wound. Get out of my skin." Picture it in your mind getting smaller and smaller. Visualize it melting and vanishing into thin air.

You may imagine the wound itself healing miraculously, or you may designate any object of your choice to represent that wound. For example, you visualize a black stone as a symbol of your illness. Imagine that object shrinking and disintegrating slowly. As you're thinking of this, feel your wound and all negative forces simultaneously going along with the action of the black stone. Let them become smaller and smaller until they have ceased to exist.

So which technique is better - imagining the real thing or assigning a representational object to it? It all depends on you. Pick and apply the method that you are more comfortable with, the one that you are more inclined to think and visualize upon.

But it's not as easy as you think. Practice makes perfect. One way you can optimize the power of imagination is by becoming more observant and meticulous. If you're going to use a certain flower in your visualization, go to the park and become a keen observer of that flower. Touch it. Smell it. Feel its texture. The more senses involved, the more powerful your visualization will become.

Visualization can be a very powerful tool in getting what you want in life. Practice and apply it often. You'll be amazed at the results.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4921

MOTIVATION IS THE KEY

But Success Is Up to Me

 By Osric V Baugham 

Everyone dreams about what they want to do or have in their life. The question sometimes is how do I get there? The answer to the question could seem to be complex but it is rather simple. The answer is in two parts explained in one statement: Motivation is the key but Success is up to me. Let's break down this statement so that you will understand that your dreams are merely steps away from being a reality.

Motivation is the key. Motivation is the driving force that energizes us to push forward towards a goal. Motivation is internal and/or external as well as positive and/or negative. You can get words of encouragement from your family and friends. You can get discouraging words from your family and friends. You can accomplish one goal that drives you to push on to your next goal. You can fail in reaching a goal. Motivation is similar to fuel. When someone drives a car, they need fuel. When you set a goal, you need motivation. Other elements are needed such as persistence and perseverance just as you need oil, transmission fluid and coolant for a car. Yet, that car will not move until you have fuel. You need motivation of all types to fuel your tank. The point is: it does not matter if motivation is just from you or if it is positive or negative from others. Embrace it and use it to drive you to your goal. Motivation is the key but...

Success is up to me. So now you have this fuel in your tank. Use it. Do it. You have to believe that you will accomplish your goal. This is worth repeating: YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT YOU WILL ACCOMPLISH YOUR GOAL. Regardless of whom you are or what you know, you and only you can and must have faith in yourself. An abundance of motivation will do you know good if you don't believe you can do it. You simply must proceed on your journey to success. A full tank of gas in a car is useless if the car is not driven. Furthermore, with no direction, the fuel is wasted. You must have a specific goal. You must have a plan to achieve that goal. Failure along the way is always relevant and real. Failure is not defeat unless you choose it to be. Believe that you can accomplish your goal and you will be able to embrace failure. You will not be afraid to fail. You must not be afraid to fail. Failure is nothing more than motivation.
Motivation is the key but Success is up to me!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6794152

PERSONAL LEADERSHIP SUCCESS

The 5 Characteristics of Personal Leadership

By Joelle Jay 

As the business world moves faster and faster, leaders must abandon old models that hasten them to frantically keep up in favor of more powerful paradigms that more wisely leverage their talent, teams and time.

We need a better way. Leaders can improve the situation, as well as their results, by investing in their own possibilities - transforming their business by transforming themselves.

Now and in the years to come, successful leaders will be the ones who practice personal leadership.
Personal leadership is the ability to tap into your rich stores of potential in each and every leader, so that they bring their very best to the attainment of a powerful vision.

Traditionally, leadership evokes images of the visionary. Leaders have the ability to engage and empower an effective team, define and focus on priorities, tie action to a well-defined and relevant mission, and elicit results through motivation, persuasion and encouragement. In this way, they create and attain a new future for a group of people, an organization, or a business.

Yet all of these things presume a sound personal core. Leaders must also work on themselves to be convincing in all these endeavors. That's where personal leadership comes in.

In a very positive, unselfish way, personal leadership means putting yourself first. Literally speaking, personal means 'about you;' leadership means 'coming first.' It's about you coming first - but doing so in the service of the greater good as you propel yourself and others toward your vision. It's about moving forward confident in the knowledge that when you are at your best, people will follow.

Let's look at some of the defining characteristics of personal leadership.

Renewing: Unlike a take-no-prisoners approach to leadership, personal leadership offers an element of renewal - a way for leaders to slow down and move forward in a way that sustains their energy, brainpower and enthusiasm.

Rewarding: You don't have to leave your high-powered job to do volunteer work in Third World countries to find meaning and fulfillment. You can find your sense of purpose in your heart and bring it to your work, no matter what you do for a living.

Reflective: Personal leadership relies on thoughtfulness. It involves constant questioning about where you are, where you're going, what's working, what's not working, and what needs to change. In the machine-gun model of leadership, reflection is the "aim" that's gone missing. Reflection is a way of improving your marksmanship so you know you'll hit your targets every time.

Respectful: One grave issue with current models of leadership is the threat they pose to quality of life. In the name of achievement, leaders everywhere are sacrificing their health, their home life and their happiness. Personal leadership respects the needs of leaders as well as their results.

Raising the Bar: You might think that all of these attributes require a trade-off in productivity and progress. The opposite is actually true. Instead of just meeting expectations, you exceed them. Personal leadership makes it possible to do more, be more, have more, achieve more, and do it with more zeal.

Personal leadership is about leading from within. It is the foundation for all leadership, whether it's the leadership of ideas, of other people, or of organizations. It is clarity of self - of who you are, what you stand for, where you're going, and what you have to contribute. It is the management of your gifts, strengths and talents toward your purpose. It is the constant striving for improvement, a commitment to growth and a devotion to being the best you you can be. Finally, it is the expression of oneself in a way that achieves a compelling vision and a significant contribution.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joelle_Jay

Dream Big, Start Where You Are

By Usiere Uko 

When it comes to setting goals, most people shoot themselves in the foot by setting goals without immediate steps within their reach. They thereby set themselves up for failure. For your goal to be achievable you have to be able to do something about it today, not tomorrow or when things line up. There should be a link between your goal and where you are right now. A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step, says a Chinese proverb. That step should be within your reach today, not tomorrow. A plan is the bridge to your dreams. If the bridge is such that you cannot gain a foothold right where you are, it may end up a pipe dream. You may locate your boat, but with no gangway to board it, you may find yourself watching it sail away while you are left stranded on the shore. A lot of New Year Resolutions end up in a puff of smoke because folks could not get on board (gather momentum).

You ought to think big, but it does not end there. The journey to your destination should be such that you can start and continue moving. After getting inspired to start, you need motivation to keep going. Nothing motivates more than taking one successful step after another. It gives you momentum to keep going forward. Hence it is critical to cut your first steps according to your current ability. Step out of your comfort zone gradually. Warm up first before you start to run. Your goals should stretch you, but gradually.

If you want to run a marathon, you have to start gradually. You cannot simply wake up one morning and start running. You main focus at the onset will be the state of your health. You need to see your doctor to have a physical examination to certify you fit to start. You will be advised to start gradually and slowly build up your fitness level, which will be reflected in your resting pulse rate. This means your focus will not be primarily on running the marathon itself, but it getting yourself ready to become a marathoner so that you can run one. The same applies to goals. After setting the goals, the next activity should be training and preparation. This involves focus on personal growth and development. It involves learning. To achieve what you have not achieved before, you need to become who you have not been before. To become who you have not been before, you have to grow. When you grow as a person, you upgrade your capability to perform and get results at the next level.

Most of our goals belong to the next level. To reach those goals, you have to step up your game and play at that level. It begins with starting from where you are and upgrading yourself. You need to know what steps you need to take immediately and how to go about it. For most goals, the first step is the commitment to learn. Hence the first step is usually the decision to start signified by getting a book on the subject, reading it with a commitment to action. Every high achiever one day started from ground zero. There is hardly any goal you set for yourself that no one has gone that way before. Even when your goal is truly unique, the principle for attaining success is the same. A lot of people before you have overcome challenges to achieve their goals. The story of their journey is shared somewhere in a book, audio or video product, seminar or the internet etc. There are virtually unlimited resources you can access o learn, and know how to start in such a way that you set yourself up for success not failure.

Dream big but start where you are. Never leave the site of making a goal without taking action immediately. Your goal setting should coincide with taking the first action immediately. Do not allow your goals or dreams go cold. Strike while it is still hot.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Usiere_Uko

Hypnosis Fact and Fiction

By Veda Kalidas

There are many misconceptions of what hypnosis is. Most of these misconceptions are perpetuated by the popular media. The truth is, hypnosis has been used throughout history and continues to be used today, both legitimately and fraudulently. I decided to write this article to clarify just what hypnosis is exactly and what it is not for inquiring minds and to help those that could truly benefit from the true, legitimate practice of hypnosis.

I will start by addressing the misconceptions of hypnosis and tell you WHAT HYPNOSIS IS NOT. Hypnosis is not a form of mind control despite its portrayal in movies as such... you know, the guy dressed in the black tuxedo with big, bushy eyebrows that can swing his pocket watch as a pendulum before people's eyes to make them cluck like chickens upon the snap of his fingers... No, hypnosis is not capable of taking over another's free will. Hypnosis is not brainwashing and is not capable of controlling a person's behavior and judgment. Hypnosis is not caused by the hypnotist's "power", as this would allude to the possibility of "mind control" of which there is no hard scientific evidence.

It is also a big misconception that hypnosis is possible only upon weak-minded individuals. In actuality the ability to enter a hypnotic state has nothing to do with one's intelligence. The hypnotic state can be reached by any individual through self-hypnosis techniques however the ability to be hypnotized by an outside party (hypnotist) is dependent more upon genetic factors. Neither is hypnosis dependent upon individuals with vivid and overactive imaginations.

Hypnosis as a process is not necessarily time-consuming nor does it require the subject to be completely relaxed. And although named for the god of sleep, hypnosis is not sleep. According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, hypnosis is "a trancelike state that resembles sleep but is induced by a person whose suggestions are readily accepted by the subject".

Now I will delve into what hypnosis is and real world applications of hypnosis. There is a plethora of ways in which hypnosis has been and still is used today in treating mental, physical and social problems.

Hypnosis is used to treat obesity, anxiety, depression, phobias, fears and habits such as quitting smoking. Hypnosis is used to alleviate the pain associated with cancer and other chronic illnesses. Hypnosis is also used in dentistry (hypnodontia) to decrease anxieties and make patients feel more comfortable with the dental experience. Hypnosis is used to treat skin diseases through a practice known as hypnodermatology.

Mental health applications of hypnosis include the treatment of dissociative disorders, depression and PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder). Hypnosis is used in the educational field to increase memory and learning capacity as well as focus and energy. Hypnosis is also used to improve self-esteem and confidence.

Altered states of consciousness such as relaxation, meditation and sleep have been achieved through hypnosis. Self-hypnosis with binaural beat audio is used to achieve states allowing for astral projection, remote viewing, past life regression, ESP and telepathy. Of interesting note, binaural beats have been used by top secret members of the US government to utilize remote viewing tactics.

Hypnosis has been used in the past to suppress pain during medical procedures before the advent of chemical pain killers and anesthesia. And let us not forget a very important use of hypnosis... entertainment. Unfortunately entertainment is one of the prime sources leading to the many misconceptions involved with hypnosis.

Despite the misconceptions of hypnosis perpetuated through popular culture and the entertainment industry, hypnosis remains a powerful tool that continues to be used today in the medical, mental health and self-help fields to help people to live better, live longer and enhance their lives.

If you are interested in learning more about using hypnosis to achieve altered states quickly and easily to enhance your life, you may want to look into brainwave entrainment. Brainwave entrainment is the process of using audio frequencies, called binaural beats, to achieve altered states of consciousness. Binaural beats can achieve almost any state of consciousness in about 5-10 minutes.

If you are interested in learning more about hypnosis and achieving self-hypnosis through binaural beats Click Here to try out free audio samples for meditation and relaxation. Or, you can Click Here to learn about covert, conversational and self-help hypnosis.

Live longer and better by listening to binaural beat audio 5-10 minutes a day! Brainwave Entrainment allows one to quickly and easily achieve altered states of consciousness and to harness the full power of the mind and body! - Click Here to learn more! Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Veda_Kalidas

Self Hypnosis Guidelines

By Timothy Hansen 

Self-hypnosis does not have to be hard work. It's actually much easier than most people think and can provide pretty much everyone with a tool to create great changes in their lives. There are many uses of self-hypnosis, including weight-loss, quitting smoking, improving self-esteem or other habits that you may want to rid yourself of. Self-hypnosis is not something limited to a select number of people. Pretty much anyone can do it with just a little bit of practice.

When hearing the word "the mind" most of us immediately thinks of the brain. Well, there are actually two parts to our mind, the conscious and the sub-concious. About 75% of all our brain activity is sub-concious, meaning tasks completed by our brains without us knowing. It goes on behind the scenes all day. Every one of us have certain things we like and don't like, habits or views of life in general. As we embark into adult life these traits tend to remain unchanged because they have been programmed into us from our early years. People we have met, skills we have attained, experiences we have had, these all have influenced our core programming and made us into who we are today. Most of us like who we are in general, but may feel that if we made a few changes (losing weight, quitting smoking, stop biting our nails etc.) things would just be that much better.

Our biggest challenge is that even though we would like to consciously change things it does not mean that our sub-concious will let us. Think about a smoker for a moment. They know consciously that smoking isn't very good for them and most likely will shorten their lives dramatically. Still, does this mean that because they know that quitting is smart, they will? No, because our sub-conscious mind will always take over in times of struggle (and changing our old ways IS a struggle) and most of the time the sub-conscious mind says "keep smoking", so smoking it is. Self-hypnosis is the key here. Why? Because it provides you with an access to your sub-conscious mind and the tools to re-program it.

The first thing you will learn in self-hypnosis is simply closing your eyes, relaxing and counting down from 10 to 0 whilst exhaling. As a result of doing this, most people will fall into a light hypnotic state. This does not mean that you lose control and do not know where you are. It just means you have found a state of rest and relaxation where you are slowing down and shutting out your conscious mind. This state of ease may be taken a step further by visualizing a peaceful place, such as a beach, forest or maybe in your mothers lap. The main idea here is for you to find a place where you feel safe and secure. Through visualization we can actually have a great impact on emotional, mental and physiological states of our body, to the same extent as if we were there. When we are in this state of relaxation and visualization our mind cannot tell the difference between what is real and what is not.

I am not going to lie to you and say that self-hypnosis is real easy and that five minutes of practice makes you a master at it. What I will say however, is that it is a skill just like any other, and with good practice can be developed and perfected. When going to see a hypnotherapist, they will act as a guide to help you through your mind. With self-hypnosis, you are the hypnotherapist and you provide your own therapy. That way, you choose when to start, how far to go, and when to stop. This is a very important point and should be repeated. Before you start any self-hypnosis session, you have to decide on what it is that you want out of it, how you are going to achieve it and also how you will feel once you're done. It may help to simply write a script or create a map of the journey through your mind. Once in a hypnotic state you will repeat the script over and over whilst following your map. This way you will stay on target and won't get lost.

The vast majority of us don't even realize that they fall into this state of hypnosis many times a day. This may happen while enjoying a book, playing a computer game or simply doing work. This state allows you to narrow your focus of your attention and makes your brain absorb the information much better. The ultimate goal of self-hypnosis is to create an access point for you to the part of your brain (sub-concious) that controls the behaviours, habits or attitudes you want to change.

Tim Hansen is a hypnosis expert. For more great information on self hypnosis, visit http://www.selfhypnosisforall.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Timothy_Hansen

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7 Proven Tips on How to Set Goals

By Gitana M 

If you want to learn about how to set goals effectively, then you will want to read this article. In this article, I want to provide 7 proven tips on how to set goals.

What we will achieve in our life depend on what goals we set. If we want to live a meaningful life, we have to know clearly, what we want out of life. What is the most important to us. Successful people always know clearly, what they want out of life.

What can be worse than people don't know what they want to reach in their life, when they always focus on their problems, when they always talk about what they don't want.

Why set goals?

Our goals give a meaning to our life. They increase happiness, self-confidence and success. Clear and specific goals help us to focus on what is important to us; they help us to stay motivated.

Now let's discover 7 proven tips on how to set goals:

1. Decide what you really want to achieve in your life. What is the most important to you? What things will make you happy? 

2. Write your goals. Writing will help you to increase the implementation of your goals. Set realistic, clear goals. Clearly defined goals will help you to stay motivated. Motivation makes a big influence on our goals. 

3. Set a deadline for your goals. Make a note for how soon you would like to achieve those goals. 

4. Clearly realize "why" you want to achieve those goals. Strong knowing why you want to reach your objectives increases motivation. 

5. Make a list of things what you will have to do. What things will help you to reach your objectives? Make a clear and consistent plan of things you will have to do. This will help you to focus on what is the most important to you and what can help you to reach your objectives. Take action. 

6. Identify the skills you will need to develop. What skills you need if you want to reach your goals successfully? Try to identify them and then develop those skills. 

7. Recognize resources that can help you to reach your goals.

Goals influence our success and happiness. They give a direction and meaning to our life. It would be difficult to achieve successful life if you don't understand clearly, what you want to reach in your life. So don't delay and take action today. Set your goals. Every day do something what can help you to achieve those goals.

Get free instant access to self improvement tips, secrets and inside information. Visit http://www.path-to-self-improvement.com Now!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6041420

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