February 2009
Yoga For Relaxation
People practice yoga for a variety of reasons. Many yoga practitioners are interested in the health benefits that come from regularly performing the routines. Others want a state of harmony between inner and outer self. Still others practice yoga primarily to relax.
A State of Harmony
The profound relaxation available through yoga includes a state of clarity of mind, and of harmony with and understanding of the world. If such a state of relaxation is your goal, you will need to use most of the yoga techniques available. Pay special attention to breathing, diet, correctly performing the exercises, and meditating.
The deep, prolonged breath one learns through yoga helps the brain stay oxygenated, which contributes to mental clarity. Diet influences the structure of our body as well as our brain. The exercises (called asanas and pranayamas) were developed thousands of years ago to produce beneficial results.
To have the desired effects, yoga routines must be carried out correctly. Poor yoga practices will likely produce disappointing results.
The Keys
Your attitude and your focus are the keys to making your yoga experience deeply satisfying. Entering the profound stage of relaxation and synchronization between your inner and your outer self can occur only with appropriate action.
Relaxation is actually a necessary part of every yoga routine. The body needs to relax after practicing the exercises, especially the more demanding ones. Certain asanas require an unusual positioning of the body, which can result in discomfort if the relaxation stage is omitted.
Bridging Worlds
Yoga connects the spiritual and material worlds, and relaxation is the bridge that brings the practitioner back fully to the present reality.
As a general rule, during relaxation exercises, you will lie down comfortably and meditate. Your yoga trainer will suggest ways for you to gradually move and position your feet and arms. Yoga routines may have different relaxation exercises, but they all have the purpose of cushioning the shock of contact with the surrounding reality. Relaxation also helps to maintain a certain degree of peacefulness created by the routine.
But talk is never enough. The only way to be sure of the relaxation benefits of yoga is to try it yourself. The only thing you have to lose is your tension.
Visit Learn Yoga to learn more. Ron King is a full-time researcher, writer, and web developer. Copyright 2005 Ron King. This article may be reprinted if the resource box is left intact.
Repair Bad Credit - Is it Possible?
Bad credit can be devastating to your financial position, in that it gives you a negative influence; it can also, at times, be trouble for you if you purchase on credit or get a loan. A low credit rating also results in a high fee being charged, thus increasing the overall debt.
In such cases, people usually resort to credit repair services, and generally end up paying high service charges to settle bad credit. There are different ways to repair bad credit; and they happen to be easy as well as free.
To start with, determine the exact cause of your bad credit. It is not desirable to repair bad credit unless you’re completely aware of the reason you got into it. A few likely reasons for this situation could be a deferred payment of a loan; maybe some unexpected events such as medical bills, job difficulties, etc.
Once you’ve established the core cause to your problem, work your way towards the centre and focus on a solution that’s practical and effective. Get an idea of your current financial status by going through your recent credit reports. Make sure you’re keeping track of existing credits and transactions. Use the latest reports from your creditors or yearly credit reports to judge your financial position.
To actually repair your bad credit and get your financial status back in a positive standing, you need to start supervising your expenses and workout your lifestyle. Don’t delay paying your expenses. If you can, pay them as soon as they arrive. This will avoid delayed payment charges, if in case an sudden situation comes up and prevents you from paying your bills on time. Cut down your credit card routine as much as you can. To some, this might feel laughable, but if you look back, you’ll realize that the ancient people lived a better life than we do today, and they did not use credit cards. Stability in bill payments is the crucial point here. Gradually pay up all your credit bills and you’ll eventually repair your financial position.
People often propose that you discuss with your creditors. If you pull the right strings and negotiate wisely, you could get discounts, instead of surcharges. Be confident and precautious. While negotiating with your creditors is not a surefire way of improving bad credit, it surely can be effective.
Prevention is the best strategy. Instead of having to face bad credit, why not hold it off in the first place? Pay your bills on time, do not hold up credit payments, and cut down on your credit card usage. However, if you do fall into a bad credit situation, then follow the tips above. Bad credit can at times hurt your social profile and hinder access to loans on beneficial terms, mortgages, etc.
Reasons Why We Judge
Judgment is the process of forming an opinion of something by making a comparison. While judgment can play an important role in decisions we must make to live productively, sometimes the thoughts we hold are what prevent us from having what we most desire.
Judgments are based on thoughts we hold about people and things. These thoughts are the filters through which we view our world. The limiting beliefs that we hold about ourselves, about what we can or cannot do, are judgments.
Judgments can be a tool that causes separation between people rather than bringing them together. Judgments play a significant role when it comes to marketing our business as well. How do judgments of yourself, clients, colleagues, and strategic partners get in the way of your success? Before we can understand that, it’s important to understand the underpinnings of why we judge in the first place.
1. We don’t know how to love. It was Mother Teresa who said, “If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” No two things can occupy the same space at the same time. If you hold judgment in your thoughts, then there is no space or place for anything else.
2. We are insecure. Insecure people spend all of their time trying to make their world secure. They base their security on their perceived ability to control the world around them. They feel that if they live, work and play in a world where everyone believes and acts as they do, then everything will be fine. While this notion is far-fetched and hardly grounded in reality, judgment enters the picture when anything threatens to shake up this “perfect world”. Any person, idea, or event that doesn’t fit within their perceived world is seen as wrong and unsuitable. The cure for insecurity is knowing that there is nothing we can control in this life except the thoughts we think.
3. We are influenced by our past conditioning. So much of what we hold as “truths” is really not truths at all. Instead they are thoughts that were handed down to us by our parents, teachers, our church, and other important people and institutions that we’ve come into contact with during our lifetime. Often times these “truths” were based on misinformation and fear. Unfortunately, because these thoughts were instilled while we were very young and vulnerable, they’ve taken hold. These thoughts have become the filters through which we view our life experiences. To overcome this, we must raise our awareness that we are making judgments. Is this thought my own, or some lie I’ve inherited from some earlier time in my life? This calls us to stand up for what we believe in, rather than what others think we should believe in.
4. We are afraid of something in someone else. One of the most common reasons that you judge is rooted in fear that you have of someone else. This usually plays to some insecurity around the idea that the other person has more power than you do. You might be fearful that this person knows something that you do not or that they are trying to use that knowledge to somehow control or change you. And underlying this is that they will take something from you, that you will be left with less than you have, or that you will be left with being less than you are. The remedy for this is to let other people be who they are. There is nothing to fear in others. The fear that we harbor is usually contrived on our own end. To overcome this, adopt an attitude of curiosity and inquiry. Try to set aside your own preconceived ideas about other people and their intentions. The best way to counteract fear is to open up the lines of communication by starting a simple conversation. It is amazing how quickly our judgments of others can evaporate when we’re basing our decisions on what is so, rather than what we think is so.
5. We are afraid of something within ourselves. Judgmental behaviors can also rear their ugly head when we don’t want to face something about ourselves. Often what we fear most is that uncertainty we might feel - that the foundation of our judgments, the thoughts and attitudes we embrace, are balanced on a foundation that is cracked and compromised. We might judge others because we, in fact, find that we don’t, in fact, measure up. Our judgments of others are really mirrors of the judgments we make against ourselves. It takes courage to look at who we are, what we think, and the responsibilities that arise from the actions we take. If we fear something inside ourselves, we must find out what it is. We must expose it to light, so that we can deal with it constructively.
6. We are hiding the fact that we don’t understand something. Judgment is one of the most common tactics used when someone is trying to hide their ignorance of something. Rather than come from a place of fear, a more productive way would be to open up communications. Instead of cutting yourself off from people and opportunities because you don’t understand something, do something about it. Learn more, find out more, and open your mind to taking in new ideas and experiences. By opening our minds to learning more, we can help our hearts to open as well. There is no place for judgment when one comes from a place of love and understanding.
7. Our position of power feels threatened. It is a common reaction for most people to come from a place of judgment when they feel that their position of power is being threatened. These folks tend to see the world as “black and white” - one winner and everyone else losers. They often are quite self-centered, as they cannot appreciate the rights and uniqueness of others. This behavior is common with those who suffer from low self-esteem. They derive their value, and therefore their power, by how they think others perceive them, rather than their value coming from an internal sense that they are, indeed, a valuable and worthwhile individual. While this can be a tough issue to overcome, its solution starts with having an awareness that it is happening.
8. We are unaware about how our thoughts become reality. As our society evolves, more and more folks are seeing the power of their thoughts– that what they think about, tends to manifest. One of the most poisonous things about judgment is that it tends to create separation among people. It divides people into camps - the winners and the losers, the “we’re right” and “you’re wrong”, the “I know”, and “you don’t”. There is usually no good that comes from judging ourselves and others. It is a perspective that comes from a place that there is something wrong, less than, or not good enough. Why not come from another place - what’s right and good about the situation? We, alone, make the choice about the things that we think about, why not choose a better and brighter path? Why not spend our time and energy thinking about things that will bring us happiness - things that will step us closer to the vision we have for our life? It all starts with our thoughts.
9. We aren’t evolved enough to have empathy for others. People who judge are unequivocally less evolved than others who can accept others for who they are and how they think. All of the great religions and philosophies of the world teach the importance of love and acceptance. Those who have not yet learned those lessons spend their lives embroiled in internal and external conflict because they cannot accept others. Highly evolved beings are concerned with how they interact with the world. They come from a place of understanding and empathy. They know that responsibility requires that they do and be more. If a habit of judging is adversely affecting the quality of your life, take a look at the philosophy of your life. Do you really believe in higher things or are you merely “parroting” what looks good in the eyes of others. Those who live their beliefs rather than talking about them don’t have the time, energy, or inclination to put others down. Those types of thoughts and behaviors have no place in the life they’ve chosen to live. Think about what you believe in. Ask yourself if you are living your beliefs. If not, do some serious soul searching and find out why. A problem defined is half resolved.
10. It’s a habit. Like most everything else we do in our life, judgment can be a habit. But habits are just unconscious, learned behaviors. Like any behavior we have, they can be unlearned. There are several things to consider when breaking a habit. First, you need to clearly understand your habit and what it is rooted in. Judgment is fundamentally rooted in fear. Next, you have to want to change. You need to be able to visualize the type of person you desire to be and all the benefits that will accrue to you as a result. Finally, you need to take action to change. It takes time, determination, and discipline to change something that you’ve done for a long time. Working with a coach or other professional can be helpful in providing you the support that you might need to make an important change like this.
© Copyright 2004 by Alicia Smith
Alicia Smith is a Coach and Trainer whose specialty is helping coaches to Make Money Now. This article is derived from just one of the 90 lessons contained in her e-course, 90-Day Marketing Marathon. To learn more about that course and her other products and services, please visit the following sites:
www.90DaystoaProduct.com
www.InternetAssessments.com
www.discninja.com
www.90DayMarketingMarathon.com
The Malignant Optimism of the Abused
I often come across sad examples of the powers of self-delusion that the narcissist provokes in his victims. It is what I call “malignant optimism”. People refuse to believe that some questions are unsolvable, some diseases incurable, some disasters inevitable. They see a sign of hope in every fluctuation. They read meaning and patterns into every random occurrence, utterance, or slip. They are deceived by their own pressing need to believe in the ultimate victory of good over evil, health over sickness, order over disorder. Life appears otherwise so meaningless, so unjust and so arbitrary…
So, they impose upon it a design, progress, aims, and paths. This is magical thinking.
“If only he tried hard enough”, “If he only really wanted to heal”, “If only we found the right therapy”, “If only his defences were down”, “There MUST be something good and worthy under the hideous facade”, “NO ONE can be that evil and destructive”, “He must have meant it differently” “God, or a higher being, or the spirit, or the soul is the solution and the answer to our prayers”.
The Pollyanna defences of the abused are aimed against the emerging and horrible understanding that humans are specks of dust in a totally indifferent universe, the playthings of evil and sadistic forces, of which the narcissist is one - as well as against the unbearable realization that their pain means nothing to anyone but themselves. Nothing whatsoever. It has all been in vain.
The narcissist holds such thinking in barely undisguised contempt. To him, it is a sign of weakness, the scent of prey, a gaping vulnerability. He uses and abuses this human need for order, good, and meaning - as he uses and abuses all other human needs. Gullibility, selective blindness, malignant optimism - these are the weapons of the beast. And the abused are hard at work to provide it with its arsenal.
Sam Vaknin ( samvak.tripod.com ) is the author of Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited and After the Rain - How the West Lost the East. He served as a columnist for Global Politician, Central Europe Review, PopMatters, Bellaonline, and eBookWeb, a United Press International (UPI) Senior Business Correspondent, and the editor of mental health and Central East Europe categories in The Open Directory and Suite101.
Until recently, he served as the Economic Advisor to the Government of Macedonia.
Visit Sam’s Web site at samvak.tripod.com
Yoga for Women’s Health
Lately, there has been a big stir about the University of California study that reveals many benefits of practicing Yoga for women. Some of the benefits are as follows:
Fewer eating disorders
Less self objection
Better self image
Less preoccupation with physical appearance
Healthy eating habits
Let’s stop for a moment and think about the big picture.
Yoga has been around for 5,000 years, and some people still think it might be a fad.
Yoga is beneficial to every segment of the population.
How many studies do we have to see - to learn the obvious benefits of Yoga?
If you would like to convince a friend about the many reasons to try a Yoga class, visit: http://www.riyoga.com/pages/843818/index.htm
This Yoga FAQ page addresses a variety of concerns, issues, and apparent benefits, of practicing Yoga.
Paul Jerard, is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher.
www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html
Getting Hold of Business Cover Is Totally Critical to the Running of Your Business
There is no denying the fact that the success of a business comes down to the hard work of the personnel, yet one catastrophe can swiftly wipe out your work and shrink the profits to zero. So, to stay away from such an example, you are recommended to insure your company, whether it is a small firm or an international corporation. Nevertheless, please note that smaller organisations are considerably more likely to need business insurance protection in today’s busy world. This is mainly because smaller organisation owners will have put their total lives and salary into the organisation.
One or two of the things frequently covered by the majority of business insurance covers entail: natural catastrophes, landslides, mechanism or equipment breakdown that closes down the firm, loss of money owing to worker blunder and legal cases brought against the firm. Get a quote from a public liability insurance company online today.
There are a lot of insurance firms, which offer policy covers that include both protection for all major property & liability risks in one big package. You can also get a separate policy covers. Such a policy cover is typically labelled as a business owners’ policy (BOP). Bigger businesses may obtain a business policy.
BOPs comprise of property insurance for property and gear owned by the organisation. If there is any loss of income attributed to disruption of processes and business because of catastrophes such as volcanoes, it can be covered under the Business Interruption Insurance policy.
There are an assortment of liabilities, which cover the businesses legal duty for the damage it could cause to others. It is the result your businesses failure to do the business operations. It can as well be the actual injury or property damage caused owing to imperfect items, faulty fittings & errors in services provided.
Still, BOPs don’t cover against professional liability, car cover, staff compensation or health and disability cover. In this instance separate policies are critical for professional services, commercial motor vehicles and employees. By and large, floods, earthquakes and terrorist attacks are not protected in the business cover. Please check before you acquire a policy!
Which Online Dating Site Is Right For You? Let’s Find Out!
If you’re wondering if an online dating site is right for you, then read further to see what the benefits and features are for singles that decide dating online is the route to go!
Single women and men are searching many avenues such as the Internet to find dating personals that are suitable for them, but how do they know which dating service is appropriate!
First you have to do some research and find out what exactly you want to get out of the online sites. What are you willing to budget for a particular matchmaking service that appeals to your needs? Are you looking for a long-term relationship, or do you want to meet people online for chat purposes, and just to fill some time in your day talking to a variety of new people?
Odds are if you’re leaning toward the free dating sites, then you may be finding yourself disappointed in the long-run, because you will be competing with a million other members that may not be in the market to meet someone for a one-on-one relationship!
They’re chatting on these particular personals sites only to have fun and waste some time, and even though that’s not a bad thing, it will depend on what frame of mind you’re in when you finally become a dating member.
Dating Members, Your Matchmaking Goals Will Put You In The Right Dating Direction!
If your goals are to find a date online, then really understand the difference between a personals site, and dating services sites. To most, it may seem the same, but there could be a major difference in how these match services operate, and whom it may attract.
Many terms you will quickly notice, and some you may not. Terms such as online chat, free chat, personals match, and online friends may be sites that are going more in the direction of casual meetings, and these types of personal sites attract singles only looking for discrete and non-binding relationships. Now if you notice more terms such as dating match, online match, dating personal, and online matchmaking, then more than likely their presenting their site to be more focused on you finding a long-term relationship.
In the end, if the singles services cost you nothing, it doesn’t hurt to give them a try! This will be the best way to eliminate the ones that don’t work for you with no money out of your pocket. Just remember that you will not get the complete membership features without having to pay some form of fees, so be very sure that you like all the service components of that business before you sign up.
Once you feel comfortable with the online dating sites that appeal to you most, then the next step is to also utilize any free personals their offering, and carefully read their policy online, and what the costs are if you were to go from your free service to a paid membership. Some very important features that you should look out for are; privacy dating, where your identity is secure from anyone trying to contact you, and other privacy online features such as encrypted login, private emails, and also a strict privacy policy that makes you feel completely comfortable about dealing with that dating service.
When you completed your research, tested a few good and bad sites, and made your final decision, you will be on your way to experiencing online dating that has attracted millions of people from all over the world in finding the partner of their dreams!
About the author: William is the owner and the author of “Intimate Adult Dating Web Site” available at
www.intimate-adult-dating.com A great source for Online Dating with quality online dating services offered! With your select online dating site available at your fingertips, you can easily meet singles online for matchmaking and find your online romance in one convenient location.
Yes, You Can Have a Romantic Valentine’s Day, On A Budget
While we would all like to whisk our partner away to celebrate St Valentine’s Day at an exotic five star resort, I know I can’t afford it, just yet!
Here are some ideas for Valentine’s Day luxuries on a budget that will amaze your partner. And if you do it just right, with a little creativity, you can have the ultra-romantic day that will convince your loved one of how much you love him or her. Again.
Getting out into the open air, just the two of you, is a great way to spend Valentines. Head for the hills or the state park. There are walks to suit all - whether its an easy walk or a more demanding hike. Remember, it’s February, so its likely that the place will be deserted and you will have all that natural beauty to yourself. And outdoor privacy is so romantic!
Take along a special picnic when you go out. In a small picnic basket collect a tablecloth, a vase with a realistic rose in it, 2 taper candles with holders (don’t forget a lighter) and a lovely meal for two. When you reach the picnic area you can surprise your partner by setting the table for a romantic meal. Sit down and enjoy!
You could take the picnic with you on a romantic drive, or for a day out kite flying or bicycling. Remember that it’s being together that is important.
The outdoors idea even works for couples that have children. There’s always plenty for the kids to do if there is a safe and empty playground close by. What better way to celebrate your love than by keeping one eye on the children and reminding yourself why you love them, and their other parent, so much.
Don’t fancy the great, romantic, outdoors? Cooking your romantic Valentine’s meal together is a great way to share the day. Male sure that your dinner choice is something you will both enjoy, even better if its a special treat you don’t often have. Go over the top in decorating the dining room and go to town on the place settings. Make sure you both dress up in your best clothes, as if it was your first date, with your best jewelry and scent.
The main thing to remember is that if you are together you will have as romantic a time as you would have at a posh resort or an exclusive restaurant. It’s the thought that counts, not how much money you spend.
Nicola Kennedy has become an expert in celebrating St Valentine’s Day frugally. And her husband appreciates it. Visit her site www.Best-Valentine.info for more ideas on how to make Valentines 2006 a special one.
Copyright Best-Valentine.info All rights reserved. This article may be reprinted in full so long as the resource box and the live links are included intact.
Offshore Private Banking - when it Pays to Go Abroad!
While you might presume anyone with ‘money in offshore accounts’ is involved in some scurrilous business affairs, the truth is that anyone can use this form of investment as a totally legitimate way to defer or reduce your tax payments.
Locations for offshore accounts can be held in banks in British waters - the Channel Islands or Isle of Man for example, or you could look further afield to the Republic of Ireland or Luxembourg. As with other investments, there are different ways to send your money abroad, with different levels of risk attached.
Some of the benefits include current accounts with higher levels of interest - check out the high street banks, many of which offer offshore instant access accounts. These are a relatively safe way to invest. There are also ‘notice’ savings accounts which can yield exceptionally high rates of interest.
You may choose to put money into an offshore investment fund, which is similar to the normal onshore type, only you usually find that you pay a performance related fee to your fund manager. This could mean that they have more incentive to make sure your money is working hard for you. Check investment companies like Schroders and Gartmore for this type of fund.
Money funds are a high risk form of investing - your funds will be pooled with those of other investors’ and used to buy international currency at wholesale rates. Your shares will be exposed to the vagaries of international exchange rates, and this can be a nerve-wrackingly unpredictable way to invest abroad.
More and more people are choosing to buy property abroad - whether as future dream retirement home or as profit making venture. In Eastern Europe and the Middle East you can pick up property for remarkably low prices - developments and agencies advertise in the property sections of newspapers, and websites abound. While this could prove a sound long-term way of investing, there are numerous things to take into account - the stability of a country’s economy, complicated legal agreements and the cost of travel to and from the property are major factors.
Different countries operate wildly different property law, and you will need to get sound advice on all the implications before buying abroad. Check things like inheritance law - for example, in France, there are obstacles to simply leaving property to named recipients in your will. If you do buy abroad, you will probably find it useful to open a multi-currency account.
Walking - The Perfect Stress Reducer
An excellent stress reducer can be something as simple as walking or doing any form of physical activity. Physical activity has the ability to calm jangled nerves and improve bad moods. It can have a calming effect, enhance self-esteem and even combat depression.
Stress reducer physical activities trigger the release of endorphins which are potent brain chemicals that relieve pain and stimulate relaxation. The higher the level of endorphins, the greater your sense of calm and well being.
Some research shows that a brisk 20 to 30 minute walk can have the same calming effect of a mild tranquilizer. Overall walking as exercise will just make you feel good.
The key to walking is to use your mind in a positive way while you are in motion. During a 16 week study, people who meditated while they walked reported a decrease in their anxiety level and a more positive feeling about themselves.
A walking exercise program can also be a fantastic workout to help you tone up, lose weight and get into shape. You can even start a treadmill walking workout if you want to stay indoors or like to use the gym. The best thing about walking is that anyone from a novice to a serious athlete can get a good workout.
The key to healthy walking is to walk tall and keep your eyes forward. Hold your shoulders back and don’t slouch. Maintain a natural stride and focus on quicker, not longer strides.
When you start walking your body begins to release endorphins and energy producing chemicals to help fuel your walk. Your heart begins to speed up, boosting the blood flow and warming your muscles. Your joints begin to release lubricating fluid to help you move more easily.
As you continue to walk your body temperature keeps rising, you start to perspire and you begin to burn calories. You feel invigorated and start to relax and feel your body release tension.
Whether you meditate while you walk or just pay attention to counting the number of steps and visualizing each number in your mind, the benefits soon become evident.
You may be surprised at how quickly walking or physical activity can make you feel better, be a good stress reducer and become a habit you enjoy.
Copyright © 2005 Treadmill Info.com All Rights Reserved.