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<title>Latest Articles by anmolmehta</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/</link>
<description>Articles at Populate.NET</description>
<language>en-us</language>
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<title>Powerful Yoga Exercises for Ripped Abs</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Fitness/Yoga/powerful-yoga-exercises-for-ripped-abs.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Fitness/Yoga/powerful-yoga-exercises-for-ripped-abs.html</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ Core abdominal training and power is perhaps the most important aspect of physical fitness, and yoga is an excellent science to help target and develop this region.  According to yoga, the abdominal area is governed by the Solar Plexus Chakra, called the Manipura Chakra in Sanskrit, and this chakra is responsible for not just providing the body with the physical energy it needs, but is also responsible for your willpower and strength of character.

Yoga abdominal exercises work on many dimensions of your being.  They not just tone and strengthen the stomach muscles, but they also open and balance the Manipura Chakra mentioned above.  Thus, not only is your core strength and power improved, but, also your willpower and strength of character developed.  In this article I will give three excellent yoga exercises for developing this all important center.

1. Single Yoga Leg Lifts:

Lie on your back with your hands underneath your buttocks palms facing down.  The hand position is to support your lower back.  If you feel pressure or discomfort in your lower back, go ahead and roll more of your arms underneath you, this will give even more lower back support.

Now lift your left leg up to ninety degrees in a slow, smooth motion keeping it as straight at the knee as possible.  Inhale as you lift you lift up, then exhale and bring the leg back down.  Next repeat this exercise with the right leg.  Continue in this fashion, lifting alternate legs to ninety degrees for one to three minutes.  

Take a break in between if you need to.  Remember never to overdo anything when it comes to yoga.  Slow and steady is the golden rule.

2. Double Yoga Leg Lifts:

Once you complete your single leg lifts take a short break and then try the same exercise but this time lift both legs together is a smooth motion to ninety degrees and then back down.  Again try to keep the legs as straight as possible.  Keep the hands underneath the buttocks as above to support the lower back.

3. Criss-Cross Legs:

You will find the above two exercise really target the central abs, and this exercise will attack the obliques, which are the stomach muscles that line the side of the abdominal.  For this exercise, again remain on your back with the hands underneath your buttocks palms facing down, then raise your legs twelve to eighteen inches above the floor and keeping the toes pointed begin to rapidly criss-cross them.

By criss-cross here, I mean that let the legs cross over each other at the ankles, where fist the right leg crosses over the top of the left, and then the left crosses over the the top of the right.  This action will really work the stomach muscles and is excellent training for abdominal strength and toning.

Summary:

So there you have three excellent exercises for toning and strengthening your abdominal muscles and activating the Solar Plexus Chakra.  These exercises also provide the added benefit of helping your digestive system and is an excellent set for those who are just starting out their yoga practice. ]]></description>
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<title>3 Powerful Meditations to Open Third Eye Chakra</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Health/Meditation/3-powerful-meditations-to-open-third-eye-chakra.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Health/Meditation/3-powerful-meditations-to-open-third-eye-chakra.html</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ The most important chakra to open first when you take up a kundalini meditation practice is the Third Eye Chakra.  The Third Eye is also called the Ajan Chakra and is the sear of wisdom, intuition and psychic powers.  The reason for focusing on opening this center first is so that inner guidance starts to flow and thus, help you with the rest of your spiritual practice and evolution.

There are many excellent meditation techniques for opening the Third Eye and in this article I would like to introduce you to three of them.  These three techniques have been successfully used for centuries to open and balance the third eye and thus, extract the benefits that such activation produces.

1.  AUM Mantra Chanting:

The first meditation technique for opening the third eye is the AUM mantra meditation.  This method exploits the use of the seed sound to open a particular center.  The seed sound of the Ajna Chakra is the sound AUM.  Chanting this sound directly influences the center and causes it to activate and open.

To practice this technique sit up straight close your eyes and being to chant out loud the sound AUM.  Make a long sound "OOOOOOOOOOOOO" and finish with a shorter "MMMMMM".  In addition to chanting this mantra, keep your attention fixed on the center of your forehead.  This is location of the third eye and attending to this region will further enhance the effectiveness of this mediation.

2.  Silver Hammer Tapping.

Another powerful method for opening the third eye, is be using the silver hammer technique.  In this meditation, you will again use the power of attention by focusing on the center of the forehead, and will couple with the following breathing pattern.

For this meditation, break up your inhalation into sixteen tiny sniffs, and with each sniff visualize a small silver hammer tapping the center of your forehead.  Keep the sniffs very small so you can do sixteen to complete one inhalation.  After you complete the inhalation, exhale in one breath and then repeat the pattern.

The number sixteen is associated with the center so it is important to control your breathing to allow for sixteen sniffs.  

3.  Alternate Nostril Breathing:

A third technique which can be used to activate this center is the method of alternate nostril breathing.  To this meditation, following the breathing pattern below.

Close your right nostril and breathe in long, deep and slow through the left nostril.  Also visualize the breath traveling in a straight line from the nostril to the center of the forehead.  Then close the left nostril and exhale slowly through the right, this time visualizing the air leaving from the center of the forehead and out the nostril.  Keeping the left nostril closed, now inhale through the right and then close the right and exhale through the left.  All the time doing the visualization as well.

You can start with ten rounds initially and then build up from there.  This is a very powerful technique and you should not overdo it initially.  Make sure you are not doing more that you can handle comfortably at any time.

Summary:

So there you have three time tested, potent techniques for opening the all important third eye chakra.  Once this center is open you will have the power to see the unseen and know the unknown. ]]></description>
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<title>Top 3 Meditation Techniques for Daily Practice</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Health/Meditation/top-3-meditation-techniques-for-daily-practice.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Health/Meditation/top-3-meditation-techniques-for-daily-practice.html</guid>
<pubDate>Sun, 28 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ Undoubtedly by now news of the vast benefits of meditation must have reached you.  Study after study have been empirically validating what the ancient masters have been saying for generations, there is nothing quite like meditation.  Meditation is good for your mind, body and soul, but what kind of meditation should you practice in order to extract these wonderful benefits?  That is the topic of this article.

Of all the various meditation techniques that exist, the following are the top 3.

1. Zen Meditation Technique:

One of the greatest meditation techniques is that of the Lord Buddha, Zen Buddhist Meditation Technique, or Zazen.  This technique was put forth by Lord Buddha and is the heart of Zen Buddhist practice.  It is based on concentration on the breath and is a silent, seated meditation.

Beginner's should start Zazen practice be sitting up straight and still and counting their breaths from one to ten.  Count every inhalation and exhalation starting with one and when you get to ten, start at one again.  If at any time your mind wanders away and you lose count, gently bring your attention back to the breath and start again at one.

As you get more proficient with this method, you can drop the counting and just start attending to the breath.  Normally it take at least six months or more (could take years) to move ahead to this version.  Don't worry though, all along the meditation will be working for you, helping uplift and raise your level of consciousness and awareness.

2. Mantra Meditation Technique:

Mantra meditation forms the heart of the Hindu faith and it's effectiveness has also been proven by centuries of successful application.  In mantra meditation, you pick a mantra that suits you and then repeat it mentally or out loud continuously.  This technique, just like Zen Meditation, will help develop your concentration, mental focus and awareness.

One of the best mantra meditations is So Hum Mantra Meditation.  In this version, as you inhale you think the sound Soooo, and as you exhale you think the sound Hummm.  So Hum means I am That.  It implies that you and divinity are one.  This mantra is great for opening the heart center and allowing unconditional love to flow.

3. Chakra Meditation Technique:

The third best meditation technique for extracting and enjoying the vast benefits of meditation is Chakra Meditation.  There are several kinds of chakra meditation and here I will go over the most used ones.

Chakras are considered energy vortexes which when balanced lead to you being balanced physically and emotionally.  The various chakra meditation techniques looks to open and balance these vortexes using the attributes that the chakras have.  Here are two commonly used methods to open and balance the chakras.

1.  Concentration on the Chakra Point:  The first method you can use to activate a chakra is by concentrating on its physical location in the body.  As you concentrate on the location, you bring the energy of awareness there, which then works to open that energy center.

2.  Chakra Mantra Meditation:  Associated with each chakra is a seed sound, or beej mantra.  Chanting this should is a direct and powerful way to open and balance that particular center.  One word of caution with chakra meditation is that one should not open these centers too forcefully or quickly.  Slow and steady is the name of the game.

Summary:

So there you have the three best meditation techniques to explore, learn and benefit from.  I hope you embrace this wonderful science and I hope it helps you reach your full potential in this life. ]]></description>
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<title>Top 5 Widespread Yoga Myths Exposed</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Fitness/Yoga/top-5-widespread-yoga-myths-exposed.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Fitness/Yoga/top-5-widespread-yoga-myths-exposed.html</guid>
<pubDate>Sun, 28 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ It is not surprising to those of us who are long time yoga practitioners that the popularity of this profound spiritual science is now exploding on a world wide scale.  Unfortunately though some of the authenticity and truths about yoga are being lost and some myths are creeping in with regard to what yoga is and how it is to be practiced.   In this article I will look to clear up what I find to be the top 5 myths about yoga.  

Top 5 Myths About Yoga:

1. Yoga is a Form of Physical Exercise:  

This is perhaps the most common view of yoga.  That it is a form of physical exercise.  This certainly needs to be clarified and I am going to provide some details about true yoga practice in order to do this.

Yoga is actually has 8 parts to it, with the physical aspect being just 1.  These 8 parts, include yoga dos, yoga don'ts, physical exercises (asana), breathing exercises, sense control, concentration, meditation and divine union.

So you can see from above that although the physical aspect of yoga, which is called asana, is an important part of yoga, yoga as a whole is certainly more that just a series of postures and movements.  Yoga is essentially a spiritual science whose objective is to still the mind of thoughts, so that the truth of Oneness hidden behind the waves of the mind can be clearly seen and embraced.

2. Yoga is a Religion:

The other extreme and incorrect view on yoga is that is it a religion.  Commonly yoga is considered part of Hindu religion, but yoga is not a religion.  It is a time tested spiritual science with the goal of revealing the true nature of reality.  As indicated above, yoga practice is a step by step process with the end goal of calming down the thought waves in our mind and thus prevent them from distorting the truth.

3. To Practice Yoga You Must be Vegetarian:

There is a notion floating around that in order to practice yoga you must not eat meat and be a vegetarian.  This is not true.  Although there are tremendous benefits to being vegetarian and this is being more and more validated by the mainstream medical community, there is no requirement of vegetarianism in order to practice yoga.

One point I would like to add here is that, vegetarianism is consistent with the non-violence which yoga advocates and it certainly would be to your benefit to reduce meat intake, nevertheless, you don't have to be vegetarian in order to be a great yogi.

4.  You Need to be Initiated by a Guru:

I have also come across this notion that many believe you need to be initiated and have a guru in order to learn and practice yoga.  This is not true.  According to yoga, the true guru is within and although it would be to your benefit to learn yoga from an accomplished teacher, this is not a requirement.  

5.  You Have to be Flexible to do Yoga:

Not so.  No doubt yoga will improve your flexibility, along with your strength, balance and overall health, but in order to practice yoga you do not have to be flexible.  Yoga is designed to be practiced by all. 

Different bodies have different degrees of flexibility and in this case one size does not fit all.  For most of the complex yoga posture which require great flexibility to do, there are plenty of modifications which allow you to get the same benefits for those who are less flexible.  In fact one of the original reasons I took up yoga because I was not flexible and wanted to improve this aspect of my physical dimension. 

Summary:

So there you have the top 5 myths about yoga.  Essentially, what these myths do is prevent people from taking up this wonderful science.  So if you feel you will have to change faiths, find gurus, stop eating meat or are too inflexible to take up yoga practice, you are wrong.  Don't pass up the wonderful opportunity to learn and practice this amazing science, which helps you discover your true divine and eternal nature. ]]></description>
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<title>Best Time to Practice Meditation</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Health/Meditation/best-time-to-practice-meditation.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Health/Meditation/best-time-to-practice-meditation.html</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 10 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ We are all now well aware of the enormous benefits that meditation bestows and one of the most important gifts you can give yourself is the gift of a deep, personal, daily meditation practice.  There are many useful tips and tools that will help you achieve this goal and in this article I would like to provide you one such key piece of guidance.  It is the answer to the question, "What time of day is best for meditation?".

The best time of day to meditate is early in the morning.  This time provides numerous important benefits and below is a list of the top 5 reason to meditate during these hours. 

1.  Mind is Most Quiet: 

Meditation is an opportunity to quiet the restless mind and experience the vast, peaceful silence that exists deep within us.  This state is difficult to encounter once the day is in full flow and the mind is busy with all the hustle and bustle of daily life.  In the early morning, the mind is not yet occupied with day to day problems and thus, is more readily silenced. 

2.  Greatest Amount of Prana:

The air is fresh.  We all feel this freshness when we head outside during the early morning hours, but from a yogic point of view the air during the early morning hours has the greatest amount of prana.

Prana is the life force that is responsible for not just our life and is also the subtle energy which promotes in us health and vitality.  Meditating in the early hours gives us access to this vital energy source and allows the body and mind to benefit from this precious gift.

3.  Least Chance for Disruption:

The key to a successful meditation program is, without a doubt, consistency.  It is the most difficult aspect of a personal program to establish and without it, the vast benefits of meditation simply cannot be enjoyed.  Meditating early in the morning reduces the chance of disruptions to your daily practice, and disruptions are the number factor in preventing consistency from being established.

The first few activities in a day can be predicted much more readily than the rest of the day.  Thus, setting up a time to meditate before the random events of the day throw a monkey wrench in your plans is a wise move indeed. 

4.  Sun's Rays are Most Beneficial:

According to yoga, the rays of the sun at dawn create an environment which is most conducive for self-study and introspection.  Meditation comes naturally at this time and is simply more effective than meditation done later in the day.  So take advantage of the environment that nature is creating for you and plan your meditation for this period.

5. Creates a Meditative State of Mind for the Entire Day:

By meditating in the early morning hour you inspire yourself to remain in a meditative and mindful state of mind thought the day.  Starting out the day in this manner serves as an important and precious reminder of your spiritual nature and this reminder then helps you go through the day in a spiritual manner.

Summary:
 
So there you have it.  If you are interested in enjoying the great many benefits that meditation practice brings, then get started with establishing your own daily practice and to help such a practice become strong and deep, pick the glorious early morning hours as your time to meditate. ]]></description>
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<title>2 Important Rules to Avoid Yoga Injuries</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Fitness/Yoga/2-important-rules-to-avoid-yoga-injuries.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Fitness/Yoga/2-important-rules-to-avoid-yoga-injuries.html</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 09 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ It never ceases to amaze me how many time I have seen seasoned yogis injure themselves when practicing yoga.  This is independent of the type of yoga they practice and independent of how fit they are as well.  So, it scares me to think that if this is the state of expert yogis what might be the state of those who are just beginning this wonderful science. 

Well, don't worry in this article I will provide 2 simple guidelines for yoga practice which will go a long way in helping you avoid unnecessary injuries when doing your practice.  After all, you decided to do yoga to get healthy and happy, it is totally unacceptable that such a gentle, healing science should become the source of your injury and pain. 

2 Simple Rules to Avoid Yoga Injuries: 

1. Warm-up: 

Although this is common sense, I have noticed the following special occasions when warm-up is unfortunately skipped and the yogi ends up risking injury.  Here are these three occasions when you need to be especially vigilant and avoid getting injured due to insufficient warm-up. 

A.  You are Late to Class:  

Many times I see students who come in late to class jump right in and start doing the exercises and postures that the class is doing at full stream.  This is a recipe for disaster.  If you are late coming into a class which has already picked up steam, you need to start out very slowly and gently till you feel ready to catch up with the rest of the students. 

B.  You are Giving a Spot Demonstration:

Often if you are a yoga teacher or even just a regular yoga student, occasions arise where you are asked to, or want to, give a quick demo of a pose or exercise.  If you encounter this situation, immediately your injury antenna should go up.  This type of spot demonstration is perhaps the most common reason for injury.  Don't try to show off at this time, but instead do the posture or exercise as gently and safely as you can.  Trying to all of a sudden demonstrate Plough Pose, is the best way to injure your back, or worse, break your neck.

C.  You Don't Have Enough Time: 

Here is another dangerous situation which often leads to skipping a proper warm-up and jumping ahead to a challenging set or routine, when you don't have enough time to fit in your full practice.  In this situation it is very important to make an adjustment to any difficult routine and posture and be conservative with regard to how hard you go at it.  Tone it down in such situations and live to practice another day.

2. Don't Compete:

Yoga is not an Olympic sport.  It is not a tournament.  It is not a competition.  It is amazing how when you put a bunch of people together for the same activity, comparisons and judgments immediately come into the picture.  As a yogi, you have to remember the golden rule that yoga is just about you and you.  It does not matter how anyone else is doing, it only matters how you are doing.  Forget about competing and comparing with others and just do your practice, intelligently, mindfully and most import of all, safely.  Comparing often leads to pushing yourself further than you should have, which is perhaps the number one reason for incurring injury.

Summary: 

If you follow these 2 simple rules, of doing your warm-up no matter what and not overdoing it ever, I think you will enjoy a healthy and long-term yoga practice, the benefits of which are immeasurable. ]]></description>
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<title>Importance of Joy in Daily Meditation Practice</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Health/Meditation/importance-of-joy-in-daily-meditation-practice.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Health/Meditation/importance-of-joy-in-daily-meditation-practice.html</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ Let us explore and understand the role of joy in daily meditation practice.  The quote below reflects what I think about this very key aspect of meditation.  Essentially it means that joy is a natural consequence of watching the mind and thoughts in action.

Joy in Meditation:

Happiness is the absence of struggle.  The ease of observing the futility of trying is great joy. In the great expanse within, the condition of becoming and the hope that permeates the mind can be seen clearly.  This seeing is all that can be and must be engaged.  All else is just the same orientation, strengthening the current condition.  Leaving us bound to time.  Do whatever you have to do, in order to participate in and initiate your evolution.

Analysis of Joy in Meditation:

The particular aspect of this quote that I want to focus on, is the first line which points to the joy one gets in watching the mind.  Below are several key points I want to make with regard to this important and essential phenomenon, understanding which I think will make possible the reality of a serious and long term, daily meditation practice.

1. The Fact of Joy:  

The joy that I refer to here is absolutely a fact.  It is not vague or derived.  It is pure and full.  It is really unadulterated fun and happiness.

2. This Joy is Not a Result:  

Normally we can find long, long lists indicating the benefits of meditation and on those very true lists, we will also find joyous living as one of the entries.  Although joyous living will certainly materialize as a result of your meditation practice, this is not the joy that I am referring to here.  Here I am referring to the joy one gets simply from participating in meditation.  Simply from watching the thinking mind from moment to moment as best as you can.

3. Arduous Yet Joyful:  

Although in the quote above, I said the "ease of observing", watching the mind and comprehending it from moment to moment via direct perception is not trivial.  It is arduous.  The "ease of observation" is encountered only after a period of intense observation, the very intensity of which causes the thinking process to slow down, thus making it possible to see the fact in action.  Although the early phase of a meditation session can be fun, the real joy tends to present itself once the thinking mind has slowed down enough to allow for the moment to moment observation of the facts in action to materialize.

4. Enjoyment in Meditation:  

As indicated above, meditation at this level is challenging, and I think that encountering this joy is very key in helping establish a deep, daily meditation practice.  The more you enjoy meditation, the less you will resist it and the more you will embrace it.

5. Not Always Joyous:  

One final point I want to make, is that meditation is not predictable and every time you sit to watch your thoughts does not mean you will end up slowing down the thinking process to a trickle (or stop it), and therefore experience the joy of observing the fact in action.  Sometimes you will not be very effective, or other greater experiences might be encountered.  Be patient, remember not knowing is part of this great adventure. ]]></description>
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<title>6 Important Guidelines for Designing Yoga Routines & Sets</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Fitness/Yoga/6-important-guidelines-for-designing-yoga-routines-and-sets.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Fitness/Yoga/6-important-guidelines-for-designing-yoga-routines-and-sets.html</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 22 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ At the heart of personal yoga practice, regardless of whether it is Hatha Yoga or Kundalini Yoga, lies yoga sets.  The building block for these sets are, of course yoga poses and exercises, and how to put them together in order to design effective sets and routines is a key aspect of yoga as well.  In this article I would like to give you six important guidelines on how to construct these sets.

6 Guidelines for Designing Kundalini & Hatha Yoga Sets:

1. Who Should Design Yoga Sets:  

Do not try to design a set if you are just beginning yoga practice.  Attend some classes first and develop your personal practice before tying to design your own routines and sets.  The last thing you want to do is practice yoga and create more injuries and imbalances for yourself.

2. Yoga Sets Should be Balanced:  

This is one of the most important aspects of a yoga set.  By balance here I mean that the poses that twist and stretch you one way, should at some point be balanced with poses that twist and stretch you the other way.  Similarly, you should design sets that stretch both arms, both legs, etc, equally if possible.  In addition, rotations done in one direction should be followed by rotations done in the other direction.

So if in your set you have a backward bending yoga posture, then at some point it is wise to have a forward bending yoga pose as well. As an example, if you employ Cobra Pose early in your set, you can balance it with the Forward Bending Pose sometime later.  This will ensure that you don't end up creating sets after which you feel out of balance and un-centered. 
   
3. Chakras Work Should Be Done Low to High:  

In general the rule to follow, especially for Kundalini Yoga Kriyas, is to start working on the lower chakras first and then move up towards the higher chakras.  So you would tend to do an exercise like Crow Pose, which works on the Root Chakra, early in the set and do Stretch Pose, which works on the Navel Chakra, sometime after that.  This helps to sequentially increase the vibration of the energy higher and higher.
   
4. Yoga Breathing Guidelines:  

For most exercises and postures a corresponding breath is indicated.  In most cases, there are several options available that allow you to breathe at a level which is comfortable for you.  So advanced practitioners might do Breath of Fire, while a beginner might do Long Deep Breathing with a particular pose. 

One rule with yoga breathing though, is that generally you should inhale when expanding the chest and abdominal region and exhale during the movement which contracts these regions.  This allows for maximum benefit from the movements and exercises.

5. Rest Periods:  

It is wise to design specific rest periods within a set.  The one important aspect though of rest, which should be included in every Kundalini Yoga kriya, is a period of relaxation at the end of the kriya.

This relaxation time is critical to allow the body to assimilate all the energy that has been awakened by the yoga exercises.  It is during this time, the body heals, grows and nourishes itself.
   
6. Warm-Ups:  

If your set consists mostly of difficult yoga poses and exercises only, make sure you do a warm-up set first before jumping into advanced postures.  If you plan to do your set only, then ensure that it first starts off with simple yoga postures and movements, so that you are properly warmed up, then moves on to the more challenging exercises.  Warm-ups and not overdoing it are your best defenses against injury.

Summary of Making Your Own Yoga Sets:

The sciences of Yoga, Meditation, Ayurveda, etc, are tools to help you in your own unique path to spiritual awakening.  Designing your own Yoga Sets, to help you overcome your personal challenges, I think is a valuable skill to learn.  I hope the guidelines above help you maximize the benefits from your personal yoga practice. ]]></description>
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<title>Effective and Simple Method for Inviting Enlightenment</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Religion_and_Spirituality/effective-and-simple-method-for-inviting-enlightenment.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Religion_and_Spirituality/effective-and-simple-method-for-inviting-enlightenment.html</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 05 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ The vast majority of humans go through life without ever experiencing Reality beyond what the ordinary dualistic mind projects.  Bound tightly by the ego-centric mind, they live their entire life stuck in mediocrity, mostly struggling for this or that, while experiencing a few fleeting joys.  One of the things that I hope to accomplish in this life, is awaken in you a passion for the supreme, for the highest, and to that end, I think having an enlightenment experience or two can go a long way.

Enlightenment experiences are glimpses of that aspect of life and your being, which are beyond time, space and self.  These enlightenment experiences come in infinite variety, and in addition to giving you deep insight into the true nature of reality, they also inspire you to live life at your highest potential.

Seeing the truth of singularity makes you question the nature of duality and thought, while experiencing the utter freedom of these states, makes you question the value of your attachments.  So how can we go about facilitating these experiences?

Enlightenment experiences are not subject to your will.  They occur when there is a shift of awareness beyond the ego-centric mind and life can be defined as an opportunity for setting the stage for such shifts to take place.

Some of the best tools for creating such a stage are without a doubt Meditation, Yoga and Pranayama (Yoga Breathing Exercises).  But, in this article I want to share with you a very simple and key tip, which I have noticed through personal experience, helps create the situation that is conducive to enlightenment experiences occurring.

This simple method is that of napping.  Yes that is correct, you read it fine, napping.  I have noticed time and again, that when napping during the day, the phase between wakefulness and sleep invariably opens the doors to infinity.

It does not matter where you nap.  On the bus to New York, on the sofa, in bed, does not matter.  The key factor is for you to maintain your awareness as you drift off to sleep.  If you can do this you are in for a treat.  So try to remain alert as sleep comes and see what magic takes place.  It is not even necessary for you to chase enlightenment experiences.  Invariably we all end up napping at some stage due to whatever reason and when that happens, treat it like an opportunity to break through.

I want to mention here that you can have similar results with simple nighttime sleep as well.  Although, the probability of a shift in awareness is less than napping, the phase when the ordinary wakeful mind is diminished and sleep is yet to come, is a very conducive time to penetrate the veil of the dualistic mind.

In addition, if you can develop a habit of meditating prior to sleep, this transitory phase and overnight sleep itself can become a very spiritual, precious and cherished time for you.  One of the key aspects of developing this ability is discovering in which position you cannot sleep easily.  You can then use that knowledge to give yourself a better opportunity to practice this technique on a nightly basis.  It is well worth the effort. ]]></description>
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<title>What is Spiritual Enlightenment?</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Religion_and_Spirituality/what-is-spiritual-enlightenment.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Religion_and_Spirituality/what-is-spiritual-enlightenment.html</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 06 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ Enlightenment is essentially realizing the non-dual nature of reality and for those who understand Hindu philosophy, non-duality is Creation (Param Brahman). From there, emerges multiplicity as Creation pours out into Existence (Bhuh, Bhuvah & Swaha). But, in my view, to really grasp deeply what is meant by non-duality and enlightenment, philosophical discussion or debate is not the best approach. I think it is better understood from the point of view of experience, and I will delve into my own personal experiences with non-duality to help clarify this most profound of concepts and phenomenon.

Hinduism (Advaita Vedanta) & Non-Duality:

Non-duality is best understood in Hinduism and Advaita Vedanta by the phrase Tat Tvam Asi, or Thou Art That. The true nature of reality is that all is just you. Everything is you. It is actually how it is.

The apparent sense of separation of "me" and "you" is actually false. There is no you. There is only me, or as put forth by Advaita Vedanta, there is only "I AM". The "I" referred to here though is not the ego, but the True Self. Everything is a part of this big "I", and when awareness shifts from the egocentric "i" to the real "I", you actually see that all is just you. Then there is no duality of any kind.

Buddhism (Zen) & Non-Duality:

Buddhism looks at non-duality also as the absence of the sense of a separate ego. Simply because that is the Truth, it is not Hindu or Buddhist, it is simply the Truth. Instead of asserting that "You Are All", Zen simply stops at the negation of the false sense of separation. This sometimes helps prevent the confusion of the small "i" versus big "I" concepts in Advaita and Hinduism.

In both cases, a shift of awareness is what creates an encounter with the non-dual nature of Reality. Such a shift of awareness can produce an experience such that one encounters the emptiness or absence of the sense of separate existence. There are states where the organism continues to function, with each sense organ working perfectly, but there is no center or "i" to be found.

So in my view, Hinduism and Buddhism only differ in the nature of the non-dual experience. If you are experiencing the natural working of the organism, without any sense of separation, you are enjoying a Buddhist enlightenment experience, while if you feeling the expanded sense of the Oneness with everything, you are experiencing enlightenment from the Hindu perspective. Of course I may be over simplifying it a bit, but I think you get the idea.

At the end, it does not matter what you label it, and if you wish to argue it differently you may. The point is that the roots of non-duality lie in the absence of the sense of separation and to help you understand it all even better, let's expand this idea of no-self even further.

Understanding Enlightenment Experiences of Non-Duality:

You will notice the common ground of non-duality, is the fact of no-self. But, above you will notice one other common denominator between the Hindu and Buddhist versions of this experience, which is that both result from a shift of awareness. From here we can formulate the following definition of enlightenment experience (non-dual experience) which I think is very valuable.

A shift of awareness outside of the ego-centric mind, produces an enlightenment experience.

Predominately, we live consumed by our little lives and little self. All the time dwelling on our personal drama and struggling for a little more pleasure and security. Those who are lucky, get a chance to experience cracks in this shell of the ego, and when that happens they get a glimpse of what lies beyond the self-obsessed mind. That experience of Reality, absent of ego-centric thought, is an enlightenment experience.

Such experiences are wide and varied and the nature of these experiences can form the basis of great philosophies and religions. Here I want to point out that the experiences do not have to always be mind-blowing to be significant. Any glimpse of the non-dual nature of Reality, is indicative of cracks in the shell of the ego and will provide the inspiration for further challenges to this apparent dualistic reality.

These non-dual (or enlightenment) experiences can range from being swept away by the enormity of the mountains, the flow of great love, the ecstasy of sexual union, to experiences with the greater sense of Self (Big Mind in Zen Meditation), Bliss, Divinity, Natural Spontaneous Living, etc. So from here I can even come to a definition of life which I am comfortable with...

Life is an opportunity to set the stage for this shift of awareness to occur.

This shift of awareness is something that happens to you. It can be understood simply as a reward for doing your spiritual practice sincerely. This is echoed by great spiritual masters throughout history.

Enlightenment, or the necessary shift in awareness, is not something you can force or create in any way. What you can do though, is help set the stage to facilitate it's occurrence. This is where meditation, yoga, self-study and spiritual living comes in. They are the tools for preparing the soil such that the flower of Truth can blossom. ]]></description>
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