Transcendence - Healing and Transformation Through Transcendental Mediation - By Norman E Rosenthal

If you have not heard of Transcendental Meditation (TM) you have been living in dark ages.  Although I had heard of TM, it was just in a casual manner.  This book opened my eyes to the potential of TM in improving your life and how it can heal you.

At present I reading this book and will be updating this post with my notes as I read.

1. TM is more popular than we can imagine.  This meditation technique was taught by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and it is one of the most popular meditation techniques.

2. TM gained world wide attention when Beatles and the Beach Boys learnt it from Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in the late sixties and early seventies.  This technique is practiced by millions of people worldwide and Maharishi himself as taught more than 40000 people himself.

3. Normal Rosenthal is clinical professor of psychiatry at Georgetown Medical school and has practice TM for decades.  He has also seen the benefits of TM in his patients and also studied hundreds of people who practice TM.  This book details the benefits of TM and the transformation it brings in people who practice TM.

Healing

Stress - Animals and Humans have been exposed to stress in form of some threat for millions of years.  However we are more adapted to short term stress.  However the stress we face now a days lasts long time and we are not used to face long term stress.  TM helps in dealing with long term stress.

During stress several hormones are released which help us in dealing with the problem.  However when these hormones are released for a long time it can also kill us.  One of the most common health problems caused be stress hormones is Coronary Heart Disease (CHD).

Blood Pressure - TM helps in keeping the stress and the stress hormones in check.  One of the examples mentioned is of 19 year old Nich whose blood pressure levels were elevated and doctors wanted to prescribe him drugs for the problem.  He was persuaded to practice TM twice a day and within weeks his blood pressure levels were back to normal range. Moreover his SAT score improved over 300 points and he learnt how to cope with stressful events in a better manner.

Nick was part of group of 100 students who had elevated blood pressure.  The study proved that TM was effective in reducing blood pressure.

Many controlled studies have proved that TM is effective is reducing both systolic and diastolic pressure effectively.

Apart from blood pressure reduction another research also noticed that thickness of inner lining of carotid artery decreased in the group who practiced TM over six to nine months.  This means that the risk of stroke reduced.  Carotid artery is on your back and feeds the heart and the neck.  If the blood flow is smooth and the linings are clean that means chances are stroke are less.

Metabolic Syndrome - A 16 week study involving people who had suffered from heart disease and were asked to practice TM twice a day showed that they improved on two counts of the metabolic syndrome - increased insulin sensitivity and lowering of blood pressure.

So what explains the healings?

There are many reasons - meditators are able to deal with stressful and painful conditions in a better manner.  They return to normal state faster than non meditators.  Which means that less stress hormones are released which keeps the blood pressure normal. They are also able to tolerate pain both emotional and physical in a better manner.

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59 Seconds: Think a Little, Change a Lot - By Richard Wiseman

Be warned - this book is going to prove many of your preconceived notions and assumptions wrong.  We all have so many beliefs about various subjects including productivity, happiness or how to bring up our children in the best possible manner possible.  When you read this book many of your assumptions will turn out to be wrong.  And all this is based on scientific research.

Key Points

"Yale Goal Study" is a myth.  It never happened.

Happiness - 

Happier you are, more successful you are likely to be.  Usually we think it to be in reverse order.  Happiness improves your confidence, immunity and ability to resolve conflict. It means you will have better relationship, better health and fulfilling career.

Most people think money will make them happier.  It does.  However the effect are not long lasting.  If you win a lottery you will be happy but with time you will get adjusted to the fact you won the money.

Those is Forbes 100 Wealthiest list are only slightly happier than average american.

Once basic necessities of life are met more money does not increase the happiness proportionately.

For example buying a new car or house can make us happier for the moment, but then we get used to them in some time and the increased happiness is not longer there.

So how to have long term happiness?

Diary -

Write about your thinking and deep thoughts in a diary.  This will help you to offload some of your trauma or negative thought and make you happier.  Take 10 to 15 mins each day and write on of the following.

Attitude of Gratitude - Having a sense of gratitude increases the happiness many folds.  Write about 5 things you are happy about in your diary.  You can write about simple things you are thankful about.  For example being able to witness the beautiful sunrise or sunset, having a healthy body or having a tasty dinner.  This increases your happiness dramatically.

Describe the best future self.  Spend each day imagining and writing about the ideal future you think about.  This improves the happiness.

Affectionate Writing - Write a short letter to the person who is important in your life and and write to them how important to you and how much you care about them.

Persuasion - 

How can we persuade others including our children to do some activity.  Usually we think rewarding them is a good way.  But research shows that offering them reward can have the opposite effect.  It can make them think that they are being made to work on that activity which means they do not like that activity.

Recent studies show that small rewards are better at motivating people.  The rewards should be a surprise and encouraging comments work better. Rewarding with more money makes the people think that they must not be liking the work hence they are being paid more.

Creativity - 

Common belief is that group creativity is better than individual creativity.  Similarly we also beleive that more can be achieved when a group works on a task as compared to same number of people acting alone.  However research show that it is not necessary true.  Individuals work harder that average effort of each individual in a group.

Attraction - 

Relationships - 

Stress - 

Decision Making - 

Parenting - 

Richard Wiseman is a wise man indeed and his tips are easy to read, understand and practical.  I would suggest this book for people who 

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Best Christmas Gift

This is a great story by Nancy W. Gavin

It’s just a small, white envelope stuck among the branches of our Christmas tree. No name, no identification, no inscription. It has peeked through the branches of our tree for the past ten years or so.

It all began because my husband Mike hated Christmas–oh, not the true meaning of Christmas, but the commercial aspects of it–overspending… the frantic running around at the last minute to get a tie for Uncle Harry and the dusting powder for Grandma—the gifts given in desperation because you couldn’t think of anything else.

Knowing he felt this way, I decided one year to bypass the usual shirts, sweaters, ties and so forth. I reached for something special just for Mike. The inspiration came in an unusual way.

Our son Kevin, who was 12 that year, was wrestling at the junior level at the school he attended; and shortly before Christmas, there was a non-league match against a team sponsored by an inner-city church. These youngsters, dressed in sneakers so ragged that shoestrings seemed to be the only thing holding them together, presented a sharp contrast to our boys in their spiffy blue and gold uniforms and sparkling new wrestling shoes. As the match began, I was alarmed to see that the other team was wrestling without headgear, a kind of light helmet designed to protect a wrestler’s ears.

It was a luxury the ragtag team obviously could not afford. Well, we ended up walloping them. We took every weight class. And as each of their boys got up from the mat, he swaggered around in his tatters with false bravado, a kind of street pride that couldn’t acknowledge defeat.

Mike, seated beside me, shook his head sadly, “I wish just one of them could have won,” he said. “They have a lot of potential, but losing like this could take the heart right out of them.” Mike loved kids – all kids – and he knew them, having coached little league football, baseball and lacrosse. That’s when the idea for his present came. That afternoon, I went to a local sporting goods store and bought an assortment of wrestling headgear and shoes and sent them anonymously to the inner-city church. 

On Christmas Eve, I placed the envelope on the tree, the note inside telling Mike what I had done and that this was his gift from me. His smile was the brightest thing about Christmas that year and in succeeding years.

For each Christmas, I followed the tradition–one year sending a group of mentally handicapped youngsters to a hockey game, another year a check to a pair of elderly brothers whose home had burned to the ground the week before Christmas, and on and on.

The envelope became the highlight of our Christmas. It was always the last thing opened on Christmas morning and our children, ignoring their new toys, would stand with wide-eyed anticipation as their dad lifted the envelope from the tree to reveal its contents.

As the children grew, the toys gave way to more practical presents, but the envelope never lost its allure. The story doesn’t end there.

You see, we lost Mike last year due to dreaded cancer. When Christmas rolled around, I was still so wrapped in grief that I barely got the tree up. But Christmas Eve found me placing an envelope on the tree, and in the morning, it was joined by three more.

Each of our children, unbeknownst to the others, had placed an envelope on the tree for their dad. The tradition has grown and someday will expand even further with our grandchildren standing to take down the envelope.

Mike’s spirit, like the Christmas spirit will always be with us.

This true story was originally published in the December 14, 1982 issue of Woman’s Day magazine. It was the first place winner out of thousands of entries in the magazine’s “My Most Moving Holiday Tradition” contest in which readers were asked to share their favorite holiday tradition and the story behind it. The story inspired a family from Atlanta, Georgia to start The White Envelope Project and Giving 101, a non profit organization dedicated to educating youth about the importance of giving.

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Half Hike Is Not Good Enough

A famous mountain climbing resort in the Swiss Alps caters to businesses that encourage their employees to hike up the mountain trails together. The goal is to build camaraderie and to teach teamwork. Although it is about an eight hour trek to the summit, anyone in reasonably good shape can ascend to the top. In the morning, the hikers gather at the base of the mountain for a pep talk before starting the climb. Usually the group is so excited, they can hardly wait to head up the slopes, have a group picture taken, and celebrate the excitement of the journey they are embarking upon.

They hike for several hours before taking a break. Approximately halfway up the mountain stands a quaint alpine restaurant. About noon, the weary hikers trudge into the restaurant, peel off their hiking gear, and plop down by the fireplace to have a cup of coffee or hot chocolate and eat their lunch. With the mountain as their backdrop, the hikers savor the warm, cozy, picturesque setting.

Interestingly, after they are full and comfortable, fewer than half the hikers choose to continue climbing to the top of the mountain. It isn’t because they aren’t able; it isn’t because the climb suddenly appears too difficult. Their reluctance to continue is simply because they are satisfied with where they are. They’ve lost their drive to excel, to explore a new horizon, and to experience vistas they’d never previously imagined possible. They have tasted a bit of success, and they think it is good enough.

Many times, we approach life a lot like those full and comfortable hikers sitting in the restaurant enjoying the view. We have a goal to break a bad habit, to lose some weight, or to pay off our credit cards. At first, we’re so excited. We’re fired up and we go after it! The first leg of the climb up the mountain is powered by enthusiasm for our new goal. But over time, we get lazy and complacent. Maybe we see a little improvement, but then we get comfortable right where we are. This might not be a bad place, but we know it’s not where we’re supposed to be.

Like those hikers sitting in that quaint restaurant, we are still perfectly capable of craning our necks and looking up the mountain. We’re not stretching our faith or our potential and we know it. Maybe you own a business, and you’ve experienced a bit of success. Lately, however, you’ve been coasting. Or maybe you set out to lose 20 pounds, you lose 10, and feel like all is good and you get complacent. Don’t stop halfway just because it’s easy! Instead, remember what it is that you really, really want. Put out the effort and go the whole way… to the top of the mountain.

Step out of your comfort zone today! Keep pursuing and keep believing. It doesn’t take any more effort to believe and stay filled with hope and faith than it does to develop a negative and defeated attitude. Get up every day and say, “This is going to be a great day! I believe my dreams are coming to pass. There are great things in store for me and everyone around me.” When you have that kind of attitude you are releasing God’s goodness. But it doesn’t come easily.

People who see their dreams come to pass are people who have resolve and backbone. They are the ones who refuse to settle for the little victories along the way and see themselves at the finish line, instead continuing on, pushing on toward the ultimate goal. No one wants to be mediocre. You are made for so much more.

Realize that what your mind focuses on, it can achieve. It is up to you. Pay attention only to those silent whispers within that say “You can do it!”

Linda McLean

Linda McLean is an internationally respected business and life coach. Her company: www.mcleaninternational.com helps businesses and individuals reach their next level using a customized solution-oriented approach to business and life planning.

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Real Story Of My Small Adventure and Facing My Fear

I am afraid of rides. I can feel panic setting inside me, just by thinking about some of the amusement park rides.  Few years back, I had gone to Six Flags with some friends. I just took part in 2 rides.  One of them was allowed for small kids, and I was terrified the whole time I was on the ride.  I was waiting for the ride to be over. The other one was a boat ride. I badly wasted my money on that trip.

I am not sure why I am afraid of rides but this fear has been with me for a long time.  I am more afraid of rides as compared to height.  When I am on a ride the imagining how the ride would suddenly coming down puts fear in my heart and mind.

Last month I went to Florida with my family and one of the places on our travel map was Key West. Key West is the southern most island in the continental USA. It is famous for many adventure activities it offers. One of the activities is Para sailing in which you would be suspended in the air on a Parachute and connected to a boat below with a rope.  At the peak a person hovers around 600 ft above the water.

My wife is much more courageous when it comes to rides and she wanted to  go for Para sailing.  I tried to convince her about going for "more fun activity" like glass bottom boat trip.  I explain to  her about the great ocean view she would have from the boat, but she wouldn't listen. I then asked if she would go sailing alone.  She still wouldn't listen, I was required with her. I reluctantly agreed, while secretly praying for weather to turn bad which would cancel the Para sailing trip.

When we reached the ticketing area, I asked the clerk at the ticket counter whether Para sailing was safe.
"Absolutely" she responded. She still couldn't convince me.

At 5 pm our boat was ready to take us to the ocean for the trip.  When the boat from the previous trip came back I asked another couple who went with us about how it felt.

"How did you feel? Was it scary?" I asked.
"Little scary, especially when you see your feet dangling." was the response.  "Do not look down" was the last advice.

I boarded the boat reluctantly and my heart was pounding.  I tried to act brave and tried to bring a smile on to my face.  There were two other pairs on the boat.

As the boat raced to an open area in the ocean the crew got ready to send one pair to the sky. The crew puts one pair at a time on the Para sailing and once they come down they send the next pair.  Thankfully we were the last pair.

As the first pair got ready one of the crew members took some pictures and they looked very happy.  Then they were harnessed to the parachute and they were then released into the air as the boat picked up speed.  Soon they were at the top.  I tried to find out if they were afraid at the top, but their faces were not clear because of the distance.

Around 5 to 10 minutes later, they were slowly pulled back to the boat and the next pair went up.  The pair which came back were very happy, but I was more worried about my condition while on the top. The crew asked us to put on the life jacket and pose for some pictures.  I was very nervous so was my wife.  I think she was little concerned if I would be able to handle it.

The second pair also came down.  Now it was our turn.

The crew quickly harnessed us to the parachute and asked us to pose for one last picture before we went up.  Gradually the rope was release and the boat picked up the speed.  As we went up I realized I was not as afraid as I had imagined myself to be.  Gradually the distance between us and the boat increased and then we were at the top and the boat looked very small.

The high wind was making continuously shaking us in the air.  I could see the Atlantic ocean and it majestic blue water below us. I turned my head back and saw the sun going down.  I was about the to see the sun set.  I felt great and somehow the fear was gone.  As we dangled in the air, pushed around by the wind, I was kept watching the surroundings and felt blessed.  There was no fear, only joy.

My wife was more afraid than me and she held on to the harness too tightly and kept her eyes closed.  I asked he to open the eyes and see the surrounding but she was too nervous to do that.

After some time the boat crew started to pull back the rope and we were lowered down.  Just before landing on the boat they let out dangling feet touch the ocean water.  Finally we were pulled back to the boat.

Although thousands of people participate in para sailing activity routinely, for me it was a life time experience and it taught me two things -

1. Things may not be as scary as they seem to be unless you try them.  Who know what you can discover when you try out new adventure in life.

2.  It reconfirmed that I am more afraid of rides rather than height.  One of my lifetime wish is to to do para jumping.  I still do not know if I can do that. But, I never know.

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The Top 10 Ways to Get Free Traffic To Your Blog

There are millions of blogs but most of them die due to lack of publicity. Here are my ideas to generate free publicity for your blog. Some of them may be commonly know but they are still useful.  Implement 2 to 4 ideas everyday and see consistent growth in your website traffic.

1. Share on Google Plus - Google Plus is one of the largest online community. You can join a community related to the topic of your blog and share your blog posts with them.

2. Facebook - Facebook has millions of users. Users with interest in thousands of topics are present.  If you share your article links in proper manner You can get free publicity.

3. Linkedin - Linkedin is a network of professionals and most people think of it as as professional networking media.  You may be surprised to know that hobby groups also exist in Linkedin.  You can share your post and engage in discussions there.

4. Social bookmark on Digg, Stumbleupon and Reddit -  Digg, Stumbleupon and Reddit are great platforms to spread any idea or link if they are interesting or unique.  Register on these sites and post links to your articles regularly.

5. Yahoo Answers - Most people use internet to find solutions to their problems. Yahoo answers is a forum to provide answers to problems faced by people who ask solutions to their problems. In the answers you can provide link to the relevant articles.

6. Pinterest - Pinterest is a relatively new tool, used by people to share pictures.  If your article has interesting pictures, share it in Pinterest and many users may come to your blog by clicking on the pictures.

7. Twitter - Twitter can be used to tweet about your idea or article in 140 characters or less. All your tweets can be viewed by your followers who can re-tweet them or visit your article.

8. Local Listings - Many shops and public institutions have boards where you can put up a description and usefulness of your blog.  (Note - create small tear-able areas on the paper containing the url.  People can tear off these pieces and visit the blog at home).

9. Visiting Card - Create visiting cards and hand over to any new person you meet.  While handing over the card you will also have the opportunity to speak about your blog.  You can get cheap visiting cards at Vistaprint.com.

10. Guest Blogging - You can rapidly build traffic to your site with guest blogging. You can get guest blogging opportunities easily at myblogguest.com.

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The Law of the Garbage Truck!

How often do you let other people’s nonsense change your mood? Do you let a bad driver, rude waiter, curt boss, or an insensitive employee ruin your day? Unless you’re the Terminator, you’re probably set back on your heels. However, the mark of your success is how quickly you can refocus on what’s important in your life.

Sixteen years ago I learned this lesson. And I learned it in the back of a New York City taxi cab. Here’s what happened.

I hopped in a taxi, and we took off for Grand Central Station. We were driving in the right lane when all of a sudden, a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, the car skidded, the tires squealed, and at the very last moment our car stopped just one inch from the other car’s back-end.

I couldn’t believe it. But then I couldn’t believe what happened next. The driver of the other car, the guy who almost caused a big accident, whipped his head around and he started yelling bad words at us. How do I know? Ask any New Yorker, some words in New York come with a special face. And he even threw in a one finger salute! I couldn’t believe it!

But then here’s what really blew me away. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was friendly. So, I said, “Why did you just do that!? This guy could have killed us!” And this is when my taxi driver told me what I now call, “The Law of the Garbage Truck®.” He said:

“Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they look for a place to dump it. And if you let them, they’ll dump it on you. So when someone wants to dump on you, don’t take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Believe me. You’ll be happier.”

So I started thinking, how often do I let Garbage Trucks run right over me? And how often do I take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the street? It was then that I said, “I don’t want their garbage and I’m not going to spread it anymore.”

I began to see Garbage Trucks. Like in the movie “The Sixth Sense,” the little boy said, “I see Dead People.” Well now “I see Garbage Trucks.” I see the load they’re carrying. I see them coming to dump it. And like my taxi driver, I don’t take it personally; I just smile, wave, wish them well, and I move on.

One of my favorite football players of all time was Walter Payton. Every day on the football field, after being tackled, he would jump up as quickly as he hit the ground. He never dwelled on a hit. Payton was ready to make the next play his best. Over the years the best players from around the world in every sport have played this way: Muhammad Ali, Nadia Comaneci, Bjorn Borg, Chris Evert, Michael Jordan, Jackie Robinson, and Pele are just some of those players. And the most inspiring leaders have lived this way: Nelson Mandela, Mother Theresa, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King.

See, Roy Baumeister, a psychology researcher from Florida State University, found in his extensive research that you remember bad things more often than good things in your life. You store the bad memories more easily, and you recall them more frequently.

So the odds are against you when a Garbage Truck comes your way. But when you follow The Law of the Garbage Truck®, you take back control of your life. You make room for the good by letting go of the bad.

The best leaders know that they have to be ready for their next meeting. The best sales people know that they have to be ready for their next client. And the best parents know that they have to be ready to greet their children with hugs and kisses, no matter how many garbage trucks they might have faced that day. All of us know that we have to be fully present, and at our best for the people we care about.

The bottom line is that successful people do not let Garbage Trucks take over their lives.

What about you? What would happen in your life, starting today, if you let more garbage trucks pass you by?

Here’s my bet: You’ll be happier.

David J. Pollay

David J. Pollay is an acclaimed speaker and the creator and author of the international phenomenon, The Law of the Garbage Truck. You can find his best-selling book, The Law of the Garbage Truck: How to Stop People from Dumping On You by clicking here . 

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