Achieving Balance With Taoism

Posted on September 6, 2022December 18, 2023 by Jennifer Norman

Taoism, also spelled Daoism, is a religion and a philosophy from ancient China that has influenced folk and national belief for millennia. Taoism has been connected to the philosopher Lao-Tzu who around 500 B.C.E. is thought to have written the main book of Taoism, the Tao Te Ching. Taoism holds that humans and animals should live in balance with the Tao, or the way of the universe, and that spiritual immortality is where the spirit of the body joins the universe after death. In this blog, we will explore the origins of Taoism and its main concepts, along with the eight immortals of Taoism and a few teachings that can help you navigate life.

Lao-Tzu and the Origins of Taoism

Pictured: Lao-Tzu Source: Famous Philosophers

The historian Sima Qian (145-86 BCE) told the story of Lao-Tzu, a curator at the Royal Library in the state of Chu, who was a philosopher. Lao-Tzu believed in the harmony of all things and that people could live easily together if they only considered each other’s feelings and recognized that their self-interest was not always in the interest of others.

Lao-Tzu grew impatient with the corruption he saw within people and in the government, so he decided to go into exile. As Lao-Tzu was leaving China, a gatekeeper, Yin Hsi, recognized him and asked him to write a book before he left. Lao-Tzu sat down on a rock beside the gatekeeper and wrote the Tao Te Ching, which translates to The Book of the Way.

Lao-Tzu stopped writing when he felt he was finished, handed the book to Yin Hsi, and vanished, never to be seen again. The Tao Te Ching is not looked at as scripture in Taoism; instead, it’s seen as a book of poetry presenting the simple way of living life at peace with one’s self, others, and the world of changes.

While the author is traditionally believed to be Lao-Tzu, some question his hand in the book as there is little evidence that Lao-Tzu existed. Some believe instead that the Tao Te Ching is a gathering of earlier sayings from many authors. However, Lao-Tzu is sometimes understood as the image of the Tao and given legendary status.

Pictured: Tao Te Ching Source: The Flerlage Twins

A Breakdown of Taoism

Taoism is a Chinese philosophy that developed from the folk religion of the people primarily in the rural areas of China; it became the official religion of the country under the Tang Dynasty. Taoism is therefore both a philosophy and a religion.

Taoism has provided an alternative to the Confucian tradition in China, coexisting in the country, regions, and even within the same individual. In Taoism, Confucian gods are seen as manifestations of the one Tao, which is not represented as an image or a particular thing.

The concept of a personified deity who created the universe is foreign to Taoists. This results in their form of prayer being different than Christian religions. Instead, they seek answers to life’s problems through inner meditation and outer observation.

Some of the basic tenets of Taoism are the following:

Time is cyclical, not linear as in Western thinking.
One should plan in advance and consider carefully each action before making it.
Taoists follow the art of “wu wei,” which is to let nature take its course. For example, one should allow a river to flow towards the sea unimpeded; do not erect a dam that would interfere with its natural flow.
Taoists strongly promote health and vitality.
The five main organs and orifices of the body correspond to the five elements: water, fire, wood, metal, and earth.
Development of virtue is one’s chief task. The Three Jewels to be sought are compassion, moderation, and humility.

A Look at Wu Wei in Taoism

In Chinese, wu wei translates to “non-doing or doing nothing;” this concept is key to the noblest kind of action, according to the philosophy of Taoism, and is at the heart of what it means to follow the Tao.

According to the Tao Te Ching: “The Tao never acts yet nothing is left undone.” This is the paradox of wu wei; it doesn’t mean not acting, it means “effortless action” or “actionless action.” Simply put, this means being in a state of peace while engaged in even the most frantic task can allow one to carry it out with maximum skill and efficiency.

The meaning of wu wei is captured when we talk of being “in the zone,” or at one with what we are doing and in a state of flow. It’s also closely connected to the Taoist reverence for the natural world, for it means striving to make our behavior as spontaneous and inevitable as certain natural processes.

Wu wei involves letting go of thoughts or ideals that we may otherwise try to force too violently onto things. Instead, it invites us to respond to the true demands of situations by putting our ego-driven plans aside. What can follow is a loss of self-consciousness; a new unity between the self and its environment. This change in state unleashes energy that’s normally held back by an overly aggressive, willful style of thinking.

The Tao Te Ching points out that to achieve wu wei we should be like water, which is “submissive and weak and yet which can’t be surpassed for attacking what is hard and strong.” Through gentle persistence and compliance with the specific shape of a problem, an obstacle can be worked around and gradually eroded.

Yin and Yang in Taoism

Taoism’s purpose is to assist individuals in experiencing their essential nature as inseparable from that of the cosmos and to be part of the flow of life. An important first step toward attaining this experience of interconnectedness is by learning to recognize and align ourselves with the movement of life itself, which can be achieved through an understanding of Yin and Yang.

Yin and Yang, the two essential and interdependent energies of life, describe the underlying unity of life through the interplay of two primal forces. Though opposite in nature, Yin and Yang are not diametrically opposed, but rather complementary and relative to one another.

Yang is characterized as creative, assertive, and light, while Yin is receptive, yielding, and dark. It’s important to note that these attributes are only descriptive and do not carry any moral value. The interaction between Yin and Yang creates all manifestations, and it’s through them that the Tao reveals itself.

Our entire physical reality is based on the interplay of both Yin and Yang energies. Whether it’s the structure of DNA, with its positive and negative strands, the transmission of neurons in our brains, or the makeup of electricity with its positive and negative currents — all of these processes take place because of these two opposing energies.

The original meaning of the term “Yin-Yang” signified the dark (Yin) and light (Yang) sides of a mountain. Early in the day, the sun would illuminate one part of the mountain while the other side would remain dark. As the sun moved across the sky, it gradually began to light the opposite side while the earlier sunlit face became dark. Light and dark were not static but interacted with one another, defined one another, and actually assumed each other’s roles in the process of change. This describes the interplay of Yin and Yang within Taoism.

Pictured: Yin and Yang characteristics Source: The Lazy Taoist

The Eight Immortals Of Taoism

For devout believers, a central tenet of Taoism is the idea that adhering to certain beliefs and practices can potentially lead to immortality. It’s unknown just how many Taoist practitioners have achieved immortality, but the founder of Taoism, Lao-Tzu, is thought to be immortal.

The religious tradition of Taoism venerates a group of eight xian, or immortals, who offer a concrete symbol of this ability to transcend the limitations of ordinary human life through the beliefs and practices of Taoism. They serve as mythological archetypes of immortality achieved through practice.

Here’s a breakdown of the eight immortals of Taoism:

He Xian Gu: Often considered the only woman among the Immortals. He Xian Gu is usually depicted carrying a lotus flower, which is said to improve one’s mental and physical health.
Cao Guo Jiu: As a member of the royal family in the Song Dynasty, Cao Guo Jiu is often shown dressed in official robes and holding a jade tablet. He’s commonly regarded as the patron of actors and the theater.
Lan Caihe: Sometimes depicted as a male but other times as a female. Lan Caihe is often shown carrying a bamboo flower basket and a pair of bamboo castanets. They’re known to be eccentric, serving to symbolize a carefree life devoid of the concerns and responsibilities of ordinary life.
Lu Dongbin (also spelled Lu Tung Pin): Believed to be a scholar and poet that lived during the Tang Dynasty. Lu Dongbin’s symbol is a magic sword that dispels evil spirits and provides him with invisibility. He’s regarded as a patron deity for highly literate people; some also see him as a champion of the medical profession.
Han Xiang Zi: Thought to be related to a Confucian scholar. Han Xiang Zi is often depicted carrying a flute and is regarded as a patron deity of musicians.
Zhang Guo Lao: Lived from approximately the middle of the 7th century into the 8th century, practicing as a Taoist hermit in the mountains of east-central China. Zhang Guo Lao is typically shown seated on a white mule, often facing backward. For Taoists, he is regarded as a protector of children and a patron of wine and the good life.
Zhongli Quan: Usually shown with his chest exposed and holding a fan with which he can resurrect the dead and transform stones into precious metals. Zhongli Quan is usually featured with a long beard and a glass of wine.

Pictured: Left; Zhongli Quan (Three Stars), Top Right; He Xian Gu (Tsingtao), Bottom Right; Lan Caihe (Ferre Beekeeper)

Teachings of Taoism to Help You Navigate Life

In a modern world that never sleeps, anyone could benefit from the simplicity found in Taoism. You can grasp some of its key concepts with a few quotes from Taoism’s most important book, the Tao Te Ching. This wisdom lays a simple framework for achieving harmony, which may help you navigate life with ease.

Simplicity, Compassion, and Patience

“Simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures. Simple in actions and thoughts, you return to the source of being. Patient with both friends and enemies, you accord with the way things are. Compassionate toward yourself, you reconcile all beings in the world.”

The Lesson: Life can get complicated, but sometimes all we need to do is get back to the basics. When feeling overwhelmed, these guidelines present essential rules on how to manage actions, relationships, and self-worth in a few concise sentences.

Letting Go

“If you realize that all things change, there is nothing you will try to hold on to. If you are not afraid of dying, there is nothing you cannot achieve.”

The Lesson: Many Eastern philosophies remind us of the only true constants in life: change and death. While not an easy thing to do, accepting these facts of life can release you from suffering and bring greater freedom into your life. We must remember to let go, and allow life to take its course.

Harmony

“Tao engenders One; One engenders Two; Two engenders Three; Three engenders all things. All things carry the Yin (femininity) while embracing the Yang (masculinity). Neutralizing energy brings them into harmony.”

The Lesson: The Chinese concept of Yin and Yang describes nature in dualities with two opposite, complementary, and interdependent forces. In other words, two halves balancing together to make a whole; one aspect increases as the other decreases, and this balance continues as a pattern in nature.

Examining and understanding these patterns in ourselves and around us brings more balance in life. For example, a person that becomes too rigid may break under pressure. Instead, they should try to become softer and more flexible to restore the balance of Yin to Yang.

Going With the Flow

“When nothing is done, nothing is left undone.”

The Lesson: This quote explains the concept of wu wei, uncontrived action or natural non-intervention. In life, rather than fighting against the conditions in our lives, we can allow things to take their natural course. This can also mean that when you don’t know what to do, do nothing. Instead, look inward and outward in your life, ponder the potential courses of action, and only jump at opportunities when you feel ready.

In Conclusion

The Tao Te Ching, a two and half thousand-year text credited to Lao-Tzu and the second most translated book in world literature, forms the basis of Taoism. Gaining knowledge of the main principles of Taoism allows us to cultivate and strengthen our own process of self-exploration, growth, and transformation, and it helps to connect us deeply to our inner nature and to the world around us.

Which teaching of Taoism resonated the most with you? Let us know in the comments!

What Is Intuition?

Posted on June 28, 2022 by Jennifer Norman

From Albert Einstein to Oprah Winfrey, many top leaders ascribe their success to having followed their intuition. Intuition is that feeling in your gut when you instinctively know that something you are doing is right or wrong. It’s also that moment when you sense kindness, or fear, in another’s face. You don’t know why you feel that way; it’s just a hunch. In this blog, we will dive into what intuition is, the evidence of intuition, the difference between intuition and instinct, psychic and empathic intuition, and how you can better tap into your intuition.

A Look at Intuition

Intuition, sometimes also known as “the sixth sense” or “gut feeling,” is the ability to gain immediate understanding without the agency of conscious reasoning. Intuitive understanding bypasses the logical arm of the mind-brain network. In all probability, the majority of us have had such an experience at some point in our lives.

You may already have a good idea of what intuition is and the role it plays in your life. Perhaps you’ve had experiences like these:

You had a sense of the best decision, like who to hire or when to make a career change.
You had a feeling or a sense about a situation or person, for example, you knew something was wrong with your child or that you could trust a particular person.
You knew in advance who was calling on the phone or what someone was going to say.
You encountered intuition as part of your religious or spiritual life; perhaps receiving intuitive guidance in various circumstances.

Look over the words or phrases in the graphic below. If you have used them, you were probably describing an intuitive experience.

Even people who are familiar with intuitive experiences find intuition and how it operates hard to describe. One helpful way to understand intuition is as direct knowing or an inner knowing without thinking it through.

The Evidence of Intuition

According to Joel Pearson, an associate professor of psychology at the University of New South Wales in Australia, intuition is real and can be measured. In fact, it’s been widely studied by an array of scientists, spiritualists, and researchers.

In one study, participants had to decide whether dots were moving left or right on a screen. While this was occurring, subliminal messages were flashed quickly, influencing their choices. The positive subliminal messages made them trust their intuition, which resulted in more accuracy.1

Daniel Kahneman, a psychologist, says we have two different thought systems: “System 1 is fast and intuitive; system 2 is slower and relies on reasoning.” He argues that intuitive thinking can actually cloud judgment at times. But Gerd Gigerenzer of the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin, believes most people don’t reason with logic alone, but also with intuition.2

Gigerenzer says intuition is a “form of unconscious intelligence.” Furthermore, researcher Kamila Maleswka doesn’t think intuition equates irrational or illogical. According to her, it’s “experience and knowledge that people gathered throughout their lives; an ability that can be trained and can play a constructive role in decision-making.”3

In another study on intuition, participants played a rigged card game. There were two decks of cards that they had to pick from. One was rigged for both big wins and big losses, while the other was small wins with rare losses. After 50 cards, a hunch began to tell participants which deck was safer. After 80 cards, they knew the difference between the decks, but before their analytical brain knew anything, they started to intuitively select from the safer deck. 4

Intuition can also depend on the task at hand. In one study, participants completed eight tasks. Four were reflective thinking and the other four were intuitive and creative thinking. The former was about discerning rules, while the latter was about innovation. Participants rated the extent they used intuition or gut feelings for both. The result was that intuition hindered the results of reflective thinking and benefited creative thinking.5

Intuition vs. Instinct

In short, intuition is a divine, finer knowledge of humanity that has both instinct and the ability to foretell future outcomes or identify a person’s true character. In contrast, instinct is a natural, raw, earthly knowledge limited to the changes affecting our natural environment/surroundings.

For example, if you undertake a project or investment and sense a feeling of unease or foretell some shortcomings that eventually lead the project or investment to a hiccup, that is intuition. If you take a walk in the park and sense that rain is coming or a tree is going to fall, that is instinct.

Here’s a deeper look into the differences and similarities between intuition and instinct:

Instincts Are More Primal

The Fight-or-Flight reaction is a common instinct that gives you a sense of potential danger and how to respond appropriately. The keyword is “reaction” as the information goes through the brain stem and demands a response similar to a reflex.

Intuition Is Derived Both From Past Experiences And Deliberate Thought

Intuition is a sense or hunch that informs one’s decisions, but the individual may or may not be able to pinpoint the source of information. There is more of a connection with the prefrontal cortex, where the feeling is evaluated with some potential logical leads. Intuition leads to intentionality on what to do with the feeling rather than a knee-jerk reaction.

Instinct Is the Sensation of Awareness Towards Changes in Our Natural Surroundings

Instinct tells us of any impending danger coming to sight. For instance, instinct in animals allows them to detect the ecological imbalances of their natural habitat like a forest fire, which leads and guides them to migrate to a safer place to live.

Instinct in humans fulfills the natural expansion of life and survival. It enables us to watch out for incoming dangers or misfortunate incidents, similar to the animal instinct.

Intuition Is the Faculty of a Higher Sense of Perception

This higher sense of perception is a level of development above instinct. Intuition is the ability to identify a person’s moral character, be it of good or bad intention. However, intuition can only be developed after the basic instinct of being constantly aware of the natural surroundings and their changes – instinct is a prerequisite to gaining intuition.

As an exception, intuition is sometimes gifted in certain individuals, hence you may notice some people have a keen perception to foretell the outcome of a phenomenon or even an impending windfall or problem. Even so, intuition can be trained and cultivated in everyone through the constant practice of correct contemplation and meditation.

The Difference Between Psychic and Intuitive Experiences

The terms psychic ability and intuition are often used interchangeably, and while there is some overlap, many individuals define them differently. Intuition is a natural ability that every single person has without having to put effort into aside from listening to your body and trusting it.

Psychic ability, though, is preternatural and often takes effort to develop and maintain. Perhaps the main difference is that intuition is based on external environmental information, whereas psychic ability is not. Psychic individuals tend to be highly intuitive, but intuitive people are not always psychic.

The overlap with psychic ability is that the mind usually isn’t aware of where the information is coming from. Listening to your intuition helps you tap into your psychic ability; the common ground between them lies in learning to look inward, focusing, and trusting what you’re receiving.

Psychic experiences, on the other hand, have absolutely no reliance on external environmental factors. They are preternatural in the sense that there’s no explainable reason why that information has been received in the way that it has been.

In her book, Hidden Channels of the Mind, Louise Rhine, the wife of famous Duke University parapsychologist J.B. Rhine, analyzed thousands of intuitive and psychic stories that the public sent to her. She noticed that psychic experiences occur most frequently in emotional situations or where there are emotional connections.

Are You An Intuitive Empath?

Intuitive empaths are believed to be a unique kind of empath that combines empathy, or the ability to understand and share the feelings of others, with instinct and perception. According to Judith Orloff, MD, a psychiatrist, intuitive empath, and the author of The Empath’s Guide To Survival: Life Strategies For Sensitive People, intuitive empaths may have the following traits:

A psychic ability that can manifest as a sense of knowing
An openness to telepathy
An ability to receive messages in dreams
A capacity for animal and plant communication
An ability to receive gut feelings and the signals of the body

Some people believe that intuitive empaths fall into certain categories and have subtly different characteristics. While the research is lacking, you may feel your traits and characteristics resemble one of the following types if you identify as an intuitive empath:

Highly Intuitive Empath

A highly intuitive empath is believed to have very high levels of intuition. They are said to be extremely perceptive and sensitive to others’ emotions. They may take on the suffering of others and often go the extra mile for people as a result. Highly intuitive empaths may also be easily overwhelmed by noises and smells.

Claircognizant Intuitive Empath

While there is no evidence supporting clairvoyance, some people believe claircognizant intuitive empaths may have psychic and telepathic abilities. It’s suggested that they have a strong sense of knowing, whether it’s telling when someone is lying or perceiving the best course of action to take in any situation.

Emotional Intuitive Empath

Some believe that emotional intuitive empaths tend to absorb others’ emotions and can become easily drained and exhausted as a result. They can be hugely impacted by external energy and need to be very careful about who they choose to spend time with.

One study noted that people with high trait empathy may be able to tap into other people’s emotions. However, there is no evidence that this is the case for intuitive empaths specifically.5

Animal and Plant Intuitive Empath

Animal and plant intuitive empaths are believed by some to feel a deep connection to flora and fauna and have the ability to communicate with them. They are considered to be very nurturing, loving, and compassionate.

According to one study, plants are in constant dialogue with organisms in their environment through volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This may even have applied uses for agriculture. However, there is no current research indicating that human beings can communicate with plants via VOCs.6

Tapping Into Your Intuition

Intuition is a powerful extrasensory intelligence that we all have; but, because it occurs subconsciously, it takes more sensitivity and subtle approaches to hear what it has to say.

Developing intuition is a skill that you can get better at with the right techniques. Here’s how to feed your intuition so it can be flourishing and ready to advise:

Trust your gut feeling. Research suggests that emotion and intuition have a physical presence in our gut. The gut is lined with a network of neurons and is often referred to as the “second brain.” It’s known as the enteric nervous system (ENS), and it contains about 100 million neurons, which is more than the spinal cord and peripheral nervous system but less than the brain. This is why we get nervous about having to make a tough decision or knowing we’ve made a bad one.
Listen. It sounds simple enough – and it is. Your intuition can’t talk to you if you’re not listening. When you start to take notice, good things can happen.
Feel. You can feel your intuition in your belly or in the form of goosebumps on your skin. It may even send a shiver down your spine, race your heart, and quicken your breath. Sometimes it’s even more subtle and the only way to describe it is as a “knowing.” You’ll feel when something is right – it will feel clear, nourishing, and enriching. You’ll also feel when something is off – it may feel like an ache or a flattening. Trusting your intuition might be difficult at first, but give it time.
Be ready to let bad feelings go. Negative emotions will cloud intuition, which is why when you’re angry or depressed, bad decisions can happen easily. Research has backed this, finding that people made better intuitive choices in a word task when they were in a positive mood as compared to when they were in a negative mood.
Pay attention to what’s going on around you. The more information you can gather from the environment, the more the intuitive, subconscious part of your brain has to work with – and the more accurately it will inform your decisions.
Find time to be silent and still. Having solitude turns down the clamor of the world and allows you to tune in to your intuition. Your intuition is always sending warnings and encouragement but you may be too busy to notice. Let your mind wander and be open to what comes to you – feelings, thoughts, or words. One of the ways to do this is through mindfulness, which gets rid of mental clutter and makes way for you to connect with your intuition.

In Conclusion

Intuition is an incredibly powerful tool for decision-making. It ensures we respond in the moment, freeing up valuable mental resources to tackle novel experiences and optimize learning. Intuition provides us with a “gut” response – an inner voice – beyond logic or learned responses, revealing both who we are and the knowledge we have gained.

Intuition is also understood in many cultures as fundamental to religious and spiritual experience. Consider this: no one can point to any Deity as a material object or describe the physical dimensions of prayer. Worship is inherently an intuitive experience, a spiritualized dialogue among people and what many call the divine.

Have you had an intuitive experience? Let us know in the comments!

References:

https://www.livescience.com/54825-scientists-measure-intuition.html [1]

https://www.livescience.com/54825-scientists-measure-intuition.html [2][3]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9036851/ [4]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22957393/ [5]

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/tpj.14496 [6]

Manifesting With Intention

Posted on May 17, 2022March 21, 2024 by Jennifer Norman

Manifestation and The Law of Attraction have become popular topics of conversation these days. They’ve been spoken about by thought leaders including Deepak Chopra, Eckhart Tolle, Gabrielle Bernstein, Iyanla Vanzant, and Oprah. While many would say that both manifestation and The Law of Attraction are about turning dreams into reality, the two are not the same. In this blog, we’ll dive into the differences between manifestation and The Law of Attraction, along with setting intentions, changing your mindset, and using affirmations.

Manifestation vs. The Law of Attraction

The most common approaches to manifestation are the principles taught in The Secret, which are centered around The Law of Attraction. Simply put, these approaches suggest that we can manifest our thoughts into reality by focusing on the things we want.

However, one of the primary Law of Attraction principles is “like attracts like,” which is the idea that similar things are attracted to each other, include people and thoughts. Negative thinking is believed to attract negative experiences, while positive thinking is believed to attract positive experiences.

Manifesting is the doing of “like attracts like.” The Law of Attraction works regardless of whether you intend it to or not. Your thoughts attract your circumstances in life. To manifest is to first be aware of the power of your thoughts, feelings, and beliefs and then harness them to create your reality.

Click here to learn more about The Law of Attraction.

Setting Intentions

Essentially, manifesting is bringing something tangible into your life through attraction and belief, i.e. if you think it, it will come. However, there is more to manifesting than willpower and positive thinking. As Angelina Lombardo, the author of A Spiritual Entrepreneur, says, “Manifestation is making everything you want to feel and experience a reality… via your thoughts, actions, beliefs, and emotions.”

While everyone approaches manifestation differently, many believe in the same basic principles. First, you need to know precisely what you want. “You are the only one who dreams your dreams, so whether it’s a new partner and a healthy relationship or a better job, know it and own it,” Lombardo says.

Whatever you desire, though, one thing is essential: make your intention as specific as possible. The more clear and concise, the better. Instead of, for example, saying, “I want to meet my soulmate,” try to develop a detailed picture of what that person would look like; think of their qualities, characteristics, values, and so on.

Some experts believe that the moment when it’s especially powerful to set intentions includes the top of the month when you’re setting goals, the beginning of the week to anchor in a desired outcome, or first thing in the morning to set the tone for the day.

But really, any moment is an opportunity to start fresh with an intention. To help you better understand and harness the power of setting intentions, here are a few steps you can follow:

Identify the Desire

Identifying your desire is the first step in the intention-setting process; It can be big or small, something specific like buying a new car, or more general like living in the moment. Try to keep the intention connected to a feeling versus a very specific desired outcome.

For instance, the desire might be getting a promotion at work, but the feeling underneath it may be to feel fully expressed in the work you do. Once you’ve identified the feeling, you can put language to it and write out the intention.

Get Clear on Yourself

Goals are about doing, and intentions are about being, and when you focus on who you need to be to achieve the goal, the doing becomes easier. To do this, a multitude of experts recommend journaling on qualities that you’d like to embody that will support you in achieving your goal. For example, if your goal is to write a collection of poetry, intentions that could support you could be “I intend to make my creativity a priority” or “I intend to see myself as capable.”

Decide Specific Action Steps

Intentions are not one-size-fits-all. Intentions, such as “being healthier,” can mean wildly different things for different people. For that reason, getting specific with what action steps you’ll take to fulfill your intention and following through with them is vitally important. Specificity breeds success, so once you have the overarching intention in mind of being healthier, focus on your goals by setting up smaller waypoints like: “I’ll work out three times this week.”

Shift Any Limiting Beliefs

Not believing that your intention is actually possible for you is a common challenge that can impede the intention from manifesting. If this is the case for you, try reframing your mindset to ensure your beliefs align with your desire. You can do this by finding evidence in support of your intention already happening in your current reality. For example, if you intend to find love in a partner but you don’t believe it’s possible, look for where love is already present in your life.

Reinforce Intentions Daily

Intentions are part practical and part magic. From a scientific standpoint, the brain is a belief engine and is always looking for confirmatory evidence to prove your intention or hypothesis. Once you’ve identified the new intention, you’ll want to reinforce it with examples from your life. To do this, you can reinforce your intentions after meditation when the brain is more relaxed and receptive.

Surrender and Lean Into Faith

Intentions need to run free. Sometimes, when we set an intention, we use it as a vehicle to control our lives, but there is an element of faith and surrender — a quiet receptivity. Surrender isn’t giving up; it’s an absence of resistance. So if you find yourself being overly controlling with your intentions, remember to take a step back and let go of any resistance.

Intentions are also not set in stone; they’re moving targets that change and evolve as we grow. Essentially, there’s no sense in stressing out over setting the perfect intention. Give yourself permission to change and adjust your intentions as you go, which in turn helps release control over the situation.

Changing Your Mindset to Manifest Successfully

Recent research has shown that your mindset — or your attitudes and beliefs about different aspects of life — crucially affect your thoughts, behaviors, and experiences. If you want to manifest something, like love, money, or success, your mindset is extremely important. Here are a few types of mindsets that can help you manifest your goals:

Growth Mindset: A growth mindset is a tendency for people to believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work. With a growth mindset, you can better manifest things because you believe the efforts you put in are worthwhile.

Abundance Mindset: When we don’t have enough of what we need, a belief that there will never be enough of something can sprout. This is a completely normal reaction, but it may sabotage our success in manifesting what we need. Studies suggest that this may be because we are overly focused on what we are lacking and our minds are bogged down by the extra work of worrying about what we don’t have. It’s important to know and accept that there is enough of what you need.

Mindful Mindset: A mindful mindset involves being open to and accepting of anything that is. This includes accepting our circumstances, experiences, and ourselves. It often requires us to dig deeper and think about how our opinions are formed, how our reactions create our experiences, and how we can choose to be the person we want to be and live the life we want to live.

Positive Mindset: A positive mindset may include gratitude, positive reappraisal, savoring, and future-focused positive thinking, which are all mental processes that can be strengthened and help us manifest positive outcomes like happiness, resilience, and well-being. By building a positive mindset, we can generate more positive emotions.

Affirmations to Manifest Your Intentions

Bringing awareness to whatever it is that you want to manifest is key. As it spends time in your subconscious, it can soon make its way into your life. Let the idea of your intention really sink in, and truly believe yourself when you say it.

Affirmations are positive statements in the present tense that relate to what it is you want to manifest. They can help you bring the things you want into your subconscious so they can manifest themselves in your life.

Affirmations can be used as mantras. You can write them down alongside your intentions, or you can voice them to yourself every day. If you enjoy meditation, you may even incorporate them into your daily routine.

Here are 10 affirmations to help you manifest your intentions:

I trust the Universe. It gives me exactly what I need at exactly the right time.
I am wealthy and prosperous in every aspect of my life.
Every day I am moving toward my best life.
I surround myself with positive and genuine people who help me and encourage me to reach my goals.
I love, support, and believe in myself.
I’m creating a life of passion and purpose.
There is no place for negative self-talk in my life.
I am abundant in my finances, in happiness, and in love.
The Universe always has my back.
My intentions for my life are clear. What I am seeking is seeking me.

Five Ways to Manifest

Manifestation is all about believing that you already have something and letting it come to you, so try to always speak in the present and use active words. Voice your intentions and affirmations in any way you feel comfortable. If you’re having trouble deciding on how to begin manifesting, a few methods you can try are:

369 Manifestation

The 369 manifestation technique involves using the sacred numbers three, six, and nine. There are a few ways people use this method. One is to pick three affirmations, say them six times each day, and focus on your wants for nine seconds as a way to think about what you want to manifest. Another is to write your desire down three times in the morning, six times in the afternoon, and nine times in the evening.

5×55 Manifestation

The 5×55 manifestation technique involves writing down what you want to manifest 55 times for five days straight. Make sure to keep your mind on the single desire you want to become true while you write.

10-10-10 Manifestation

The 10-10-10 manifestation technique involves writing out three lists numbered one to 10. You make one list of 10 things you desire, another list of 10 things you’re grateful for, and then 10 things you enjoy. This manifestation practice is focused on creating a positive mindset for yourself.

Water Manifestation

The water manifestation technique only takes about 3 minutes to complete. You’ll need two cups, one filled with water and the other left empty. Label the cup filled with water with your current reality (if you are manifesting money, you would put the amount you currently have), then label the empty cup with your desired reality (i.e. having wealth).

Hold the cup labeled with your current reality and focus on the emotion of already achieving your desired outcome. You then pour the water into the empty cup and drink it while keeping your desire in mind.

Journaling or Script Manifesting

This manifestation technique can be done in many different ways. You can manifest through journaling by creating lists, tracking dating activities, and figuring out exactly what you want. You can also find manifesting prompts to help awaken your creativity.

Manifestation Quotes to Keep You Inspired

“Everyone creates realities based on their own personal beliefs. These beliefs are so powerful that they can create [expansive or entrapping] realities over and over.” – Kuan Yin

“There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.” – Paulo Coelho

“The truth is that the universe has been answering you all of your life, but you cannot receive the answers unless you are awake.” – Rhonda Byrne

“Ask for what you want and be prepared to get it.” – Maya Angelou

“What you think, you create. What you feel, you attract. What you imagine, you become.” – Unknown

“To live your greatest life, you must first become a leader within yourself. Take charge of your life, begin attracting and manifesting all that you desire in life.” – Sonia Ricotti

Do you use affirmations to help with manifesting the life you want? What are your favorites? Let us know in the comments!

The Power of Prayer

Posted on April 12, 2022March 22, 2024 by Jennifer Norman

Prayer is as fundamental to our inner lives, as breath is to our physical lives; it’s a yearning of the heart, an instinct to reach beyond, and the most fundamental, important language humans speak. The act of prayer is evidenced in written sources as early as 5,000 years ago, however, the ways we pray are just as diverse as we are as humans. In honor of Holy Week, which is April 10th through the 16th, we will explore prayer in different religions and its powerful ability to affect people in positive ways.

A Brief Look at Holy Week

Holy Week, in the Christian church, is celebrated during the week between Palm Sunday and Easter, observed with special solemnity as a time of devotion to the Passion of Jesus Christ. In the Greek and Roman liturgical books, it’s called the Great Week since great deeds were done by God during this week.

By the later 4th century, Christians began separating various events and commemorating them on the days of the week on which they occurred:

Palm Sunday: Celebrates Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem
Maundy Thursday: Commemorates the foot washing and Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles
Good Friday: Commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary
Holy Saturday: Commemorates Jesus’ body resting in the tomb
Easter Sunday: Celebrates the resurrection of Jesus from the dead and his victory over sin and death

Prayer Around The World

Prayer is an invocation or act that seeks to activate a rapport with an object of worship through deliberate communication. In the narrow sense, the term refers to an act of supplication or intercession directed towards a deity or a deified ancestor.

Prayer can also have the purpose of thanksgiving or praise, and in comparative religion is closely associated with more abstract forms of meditation and with charms or spells. Prayer may take the form of a hymn, incantation, formal creedal statement, or a spontaneous utterance by the praying person.

Of the world’s more than 7.7 billion people, around 84% of adults and children practice a religion. With thousands of religions or segments of individual religions to choose from, how they choose to worship and practice varies widely, but one trait that many share is the decision to pray.

Here’s a look at prayer and worship by five of the world’s most prominent religions:

Christianity and Prayer

Pictured: Christian children praying Source: Compassion

Over 30% of the world’s population is Christian, making it the most practiced religion in the world. While there are many types of Christianity, most observe similar prayer practices, which is often worship on Saturday or Sunday of every week.

On these days, some Christians choose to attend worship and prayer together, while others may practice at home. More strict followers avoid work or spending money, while others might prioritize spending time with family, giving back to the needy, or enjoying the outdoors.

Most Christians believe prayer deepens a person’s faith and can help the believer come to a greater understanding of God’s purpose for their lives. The most widespread prayer among Christians is the Lord’s Prayer, which according to the Christian gospels is how Jesus taught his disciples to pray.1

The Lord’s Prayer is a model for prayers of adoration, confession, and petition in Christianity. As with the Lord’s Prayer, the most common way to end a Christian prayer is by saying “Amen” (from a Hebrew adverb usually translated as, “so be it.”)

Christians interpret the response they might get to their prayers in the following ways:

God answers prayers, but not always in the way the person wants. When a prayer is not answered, it may be that the person asked for something God thinks would not be good for them, or that their prayer will be answered later.
Sometimes Christians believe that God has answered their prayers in spectacular ways, such as with the recovery of a sick person.
For some Christians, meditation or contemplation is a way of trying to reach a higher spiritual level.
Others, especially Orthodox Christians, use the Jesus Prayer, which says: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” They may chant this prayer over and over to clear their minds and achieve inner peace.

Some Christians, especially Roman Catholics, use a rosary to meditate on the life of Jesus. Candles, a crucifix, or a cross can also help Christians focus and allow the Holy Spirit to enter their hearts.2

You can read some common Christian prayers here.

Judaism and Prayer

Pictured: Jewish man praying Source: Getty Images

Judaism is another common world religion in which prayer serves an important central purpose. Jews practice their day of prayer each week as Shabbat, which runs from Friday at sundown until Saturday at sundown. On Shabbat, Jews gather to read the Torah, pray together, and enjoy a special meal featuring braided bread, or challah, and grape juice or wine.3

Jews are supposed to pray once in the morning, afternoon, and evening to God, or Yahweh. Prayer is considered a service of the heart and is a Torah-based commandment; it’s not time-dependent and is mandatory for both Jewish men and women.

However, the rabbinic requirement to recite a specific prayer text does differentiate between men and women. Jewish men are obligated to recite three prayers each day within specific time ranges, known as zmanim, while, according to many approaches, women only have to pray once or twice a day, and may not be required to recite a specific text.4

Jews believe that the more you ask for God’s help, the more God loves you. But much of Jewish prayer consists of reciting written prayers aloud in synagogue, as an act of community participation, and as a symbol for putting yourself in the context of other Jews and the Jewish tradition as a whole.

For Jewish individuals, prayer both private and formal:

Allows Jews to make a deeper, personal connection with God
Allows Jews to ask God for help with personal situations
Provides a sense of community
Connects them to their history

You can read some common Jewish prayers here.

Buddhism and Prayer

Pictured: Buddhist monks meditating Source: iStock Photo

Buddhist prayer is not only an expression of gratitude for precious human life, but it’s also a practice of inner transformation; the creation of a state or condition conducive to the development of compassion, knowledge, and wisdom.5

In Buddhism, prayer can take on many forms depending on sect or region. The most common method of prayer Buddhists practice is meditation. During meditation, a Buddhist may pray for the happiness and well being of all sentient beings or they may focus their attention on one individual.

Other forms of Buddhist prayer include bringing offerings of flowers or incense to temples and shrines, circumambulating holy sites, and chanting verses from ancient texts. Tibetan Buddhists make prayer offerings by creating detailed works of art, called mandalas, out of colored sand, and Zen Buddhists are known for their rock gardens of peace and tranquility.6

For Buddhists, prayer is primarily utilized for its internal purposes. It’s practiced to awaken the practitioner’s inner bodhichitta, or Buddha-nature. This concept can be defined as the fundamental compassionate vital energy; an energy that is as much present in the cosmos as it is within the individual.

During prayer or meditation, Buddhists may:

Use prayer beads, called “malas,” to help them remain focused, they do this by being a tactile reminder of what you are meant to be doing – meditating. Buddhists do not always wear their beads, some actually prefer to use them only for meditation and prayer.7
Hang prayer flags, usually covered with auspicious symbols and mantras, in mountain winds that are not intended to carry petitions to gods but to spread blessings and good fortune to all beings.8
Spin prayer wheels that are usually covered in written mantras to help them focus on and dedicate the merit of the act to all beings. In this way, the wheel turning is also a kind of meditation.9

You can read some common Buddhist prayers here.

Hinduism and Prayer

Pictured: Hindu woman praying Source: Learn Religions

Much like Buddhism, for those who practice Hinduism, there is no set day of worship each week. Another way that this religion differs from others is that its prayers are far less formal and are often held in temples. Those looking to pray may come and go as they please, without needing to stay for a set service.

Hindu prayer and rituals are commonly performed three times a day. Some Hindus, but not all, worship a personal god or goddess, such as Shiva, Krishna, Lakshmi, or the Supreme Creator, Brahman, with the sacred thread being hung over the left shoulder and hanging to the right hip. This is cotton for the Brahmin (priest), hemp for the Kshatriya (ruler), and wool for the vaishya (merchants).10

In Hinduism, prayer is called Prārthana. Hindu prayers can be broadly classified as Mānasika (mental), Vācika (verbal), and Kāyika (physical). Even a single thought about the Divine can be considered Mānasika. Chanting mantras and requests constitute the Vācika. An offering of oblation to fire, prostrating in front of god, lighting and waving the lamps, offering food to god, and going on a pilgrimage are all Kāyika, or physical Prārthana.11

Hindu prayer can be in the form of a supplication, but traditionally includes the repletion of the names of the divine beings or the repetition of a mantra. It’s also physical and might include bowing or kneeling.

Leaving offerings at the altar is another form of worship, which can include fruit, tokens, flowers, and incense. Hindu altars often include images or other symbols as a way of accessing the gods and providing a focal point for one’s worship.12

The scriptures, known as the Vedas, indicate that there are seven techniques of successful prayer. Here are a few to take note of: 13

When you pray, just talk as a child would to a father or mother whom he loves and with whom he feels in harmony. Pray for everything that is on your mind and in your heart.
Try helping others with your prayers. Pray for those who are in trouble or are ill. Whether they are your loved ones or your friends or neighbors, your prayer can profoundly affect them.
Last but not the least, whatever you do, try not to make prayers into the form of begging. A prayer for thanksgiving is much more powerful. Make your prayer consisting of a listing of all the fine things you possess or all the wonderful things that have happened to you.

You can read some common Hindu prayers here.

Islam and Prayer

Pictured: Muslim man praying Source: iStock Photo

Devout Muslims pray five times a day, every day. Muslims pray to Allah on a set schedule, and in many nations where the Muslim religion is prominent, bells may be used to remind individuals of the time to pray.

Muslims pray:

Salat al-fajr: dawn, before sunrise
Salat al-zuhr: midday, after the sun passes its highest
Salat al-’asr: the late part of the afternoon
Salat al-maghrib: just after sunset
Salat al-’isha: between sunset and midnight

Practicing this prayer ritual connects each Muslim to Allah, to all others around the world, and to all those who have uttered the same words and made the same movements at different times in Islamic history. The set prayers are not just phrases to be spoken; prayers for Muslims involve uniting the mind, soul, and body in worship.14

Muslims pray as though they are in the presence of Allah, and therefore must be in a state of concentration. While moving into the upright position, Muslims commonly recite “Allah listens to the one who praises Him’” and while in the standing position, “To Allah belongs all praise” is recited.

Muslims make sure that they are in the right frame of mind before they pray; they put aside all everyday cares and thoughts so that they can concentrate exclusively on Allah. If a Muslim prays without the right attitude of mind, it’s as if they hadn’t prayed at all.15

You can read some common Muslim prayers here.

The Benefits of Prayer

According to Dr. Wayne Jonas, surveys indicate that nearly 90% of patients with serious illnesses will engage in prayer for the alleviation of their suffering or disease. Among all forms of complementary medicine, prayer is the single most widely-practiced healing modality.

Additionally, research conducted by Dr. Christina Puchalski, Director of the George Washington Institute for Spirituality and Health, mentions that prayer is the second most common method of pain management (after oral pain medication), and the most common non-drug method of pain management.

The following explanations have been offered as to how prayer may help improve health:

The Relaxation Response: Prayer can elicit the relaxation response, which may lower blood pressure and other factors heightened by stress.
Secondary Control: Prayer releases control to something greater than oneself, which can reduce the stress of needing to be in charge.
The Placebo Response: Prayer can enhance a person’s hopes and expectations, and that, in turn, may positively impact health.
Healing Presence: Prayer can bring a sense of a spiritual or loving presence and alignment with God or an immersion into a universal unconsciousness.
Positive Feelings: Prayer can elicit feelings of gratitude, compassion, forgiveness, and hope, all of which are associated with healing and wellness.
Mind, Body, Spirit Connection: When prayer uplifts or calms, it can inhibit the release of cortisol and other hormones, thus reducing the negative impact of stress on the immune system and promoting healing.

In Conclusion

Prayer has a very personal meaning arising from an individual’s religious background or spiritual practice. For some, it can mean specific sacred words; for others, it may be a more informal talking or listening to God or a higher power. Prayer is universal and there’s no wrong way to do it.

The act of praying can help you find your path in life, cope with negative feelings, and if you believe in one, feel closer to your higher power. Whether it’s through meditation, speaking, dancing, drawing, or anything else, prayer can immensely impact your life for the better.

Do you have any personal rituals or preferred ways that you like to pray? Let us know in the comments below.

–

References:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord%27s_Prayer#:~:text=%22Pray%20then%20like%20this%3A%20′,deliver%20us%20from%20evil.’%22 [1]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zwkjpv4/revision/3 [2]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiddush [3]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_prayer#:~:text=However%2C%20the%20rabbinic%20requirement%20to,and%20may%20not%20be%20required [4]

https://www.pursuit-of-happiness.org/history-of-happiness/buddha/ [5]

https://classroom.synonym.com/functions-prayer-within-buddhism-8288.html [6]

https://www.goldenagebeads.com/blog/a-guide-to-malas.html [7]

https://www.learnreligions.com/do-buddhists-pray449582#:~:text=Hanging%20prayer%20flags%20in%20mountain,good%20fortune%20to%20all%20beings. [8]

https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/art-asia/himalayas/tibet/a/prayer-wheel [9]

https://www.britannica.com/topic/upavita [10]

https://www.patheos.com/answers/do-hindus-pray [11] [12]

https://www.learnreligions.com/why-and-how-to-pray-1770545 [13]

Shifting Your Consciousness to Higher Dimensions

Posted on March 29, 2022March 21, 2024 by Jennifer Norman

Speculation about dimensions beyond our physical experience has long been the basis of spirituality, although the term “dimensions” was not commonly used until the last century. Before being called such, these spiritual dimensions were referred to as “planes” that transcended beyond the visible, tangible, physical 3D world. In this blog, we’ll explore multiple spiritual dimensions of reality and the shift from the 3rd dimension (3D) to the 5th dimension (5D) of consciousness.

What Are Spiritual Dimensions?

Most teachings define the spiritual dimensions as discrete realms, entirely separate and different from one another. Between them is an empty void or a sharp phase transition, such as when water changes to ice or vapor. These beliefs can be linked to channelers like Rudolf Steiner, Matias De Stefano, Edgar Cayce, and others, that receive messages from higher dimensional beings.

For example, Rudolf believed that humans once participated more fully in spiritual processes of the world through a dreamlike consciousness, but they have since become restricted by their attachment to material things; while Matias shined in the world of spirituality with claims that he lived in ancient Egypt and worked in a cosmic library, today known as the Akasha library.

Pictured: Top Left: Matias De Stefano (Amazon), Top Right: Edgar Cayce (Hoptown Chronicle), Bottom: Rudolf Steiner (Seeds For The Future)

While the origins of the spiritual dimensions of reality come from various channelers, some people hold the belief that there are 9 or more dimensions beyond the 3rd dimension that we currently live in. Each dimension of reality has a distinct set of laws that govern what beings can and cannot do in any given dimension.

The two most common spiritual dimensions of reality that people on Earth are familiar with are their waking state of consciousness and their dream state of consciousness. Waking experiences are mostly in the 3D reality, while what we remember of our dreams is mostly from the 4th dimension (4D).

This differs from physics, which defines the 4th dimension as “time”. If we have a lucid dream, where we can completely control and change our dream world and experience, that is a 5D level of consciousness. The dimensions can be broken down into two groups, being lower dimensions and higher dimensions. Most spiritualists believe that “lower” and “higher” refers to rates of vibration.

In general, lower dimensions are dense, heavy, rigid, complex, hidden, and narrowly focused. They have lower frequency vibrations or energies, and a greater sense of individuality and separation. Because of their lower frequency, they are not able to hold as much knowledge nor awareness.

In contrast, higher dimensions are light, transparent, flexible, less complex, and more broadly encompassing and inclusive. They have higher-frequency vibrations which can hold more knowledge and awareness, including an increased sense of universal oneness and less individuality.

Breaking Down The Spiritual Dimensions of Reality

A common assumption is that all creation seeks to expand from lower frequencies to higher frequencies. Many spiritual teachings hypothesize this, especially the Seth material channeled by Jane Roberts, which also touches on the Law of Attraction, (1960s to 1980s) and the Ra group’s Law of One (1980s).

But in recent years, other teachings have indicated that beings in higher dimensions often consider all dimensions of equal value. Those types of value judgments (good/bad, better/worse) are a characteristic of 3D beings, including humans and those in the lower 4th dimension. However, it’s being theorized that humans today are collectively shifting from 3D to a 5D state of consciousness.

Here is a brief rundown of some of the spiritual dimensions of reality:

The First Dimension (1D)

The 1st dimension is the first level of consciousness. Everything here is one point; it’s a singularity in which nothing is outside of the one existence. 1D consciousness is pure being. It’s not aware of separation — it simply exists without individual identity.

1D is also said to be associated with the Root Chakra, which is focused on the most basic human needs and security, as well as our identity with our planet. Others say 1D is connected to our genetic code and that the earliest modern humans were a 1D/Root Chakra dominant culture, focused on basic survival, safety, and community.

The Second Dimension (2D)

The 2nd dimension introduces a second point, which allows the first awareness of separation, duality, and polarity. The second point is a twin or mirror of the first, as in the way a cell’s mitosis splits it from one to two.

From an energy level, 1D is the universal energy of love, while 2D is when that 1D energy splits into a positive and a negative force. These opposite forces pull and push each other to create waves of energy, or frequencies. Variations in these frequencies create the diversity of forms in the universe. The 2D, therefore, is the energy that creates the universe.

The Third Dimension (3D)

The 3rd dimension allows for the measurement and comparison of objects across space and time. Matias describes the 3rd Dimension as coming into existence when a structure of geometry is applied to the positive and negative energy frequencies created in the 2D. The addition of 3D “depth” to the 2D “length” and “width” dimensions makes these geometric shapes possible.

3D is the beloved human physical reality we experience in our daily waking consciousness. In the 3rd dimension, there is a strong awareness of being an individual with an ego and a body that is unique compared to everyone and everything else. There is also an incredibly diverse life for us to experience because we perceive all people, things, and situations as separate.

The Ra group also says that a major choice is made in 3D to become of service to either ourselves or to others. Unconditional love for one’s self and all others is the lesson to be learned in the 3D, and is a requirement to evolve to higher dimensions.

The Fourth Dimension (4D)

The 4th dimension is also called the realm of “lower level thought forms”. Like the 3D, it’s built on frequency polarities and comes into existence through interactions between oneself (1D) and others (2D) by realizing that we are both.

However, in 4D, the focus expands beyond what we know as physical reality and turns more toward our non-physical, spiritual realities, such as our dream state. 4D awareness can be regarded as the in-between phase of integration and changing perceptions. This dimension can come with the experience of confusion as we sort through our old beliefs, new revelations, and shifting perceptions.

The Fifth Dimension (5D)

The 5th dimension represents the finest ideals of the 4D and contains the highest versions of 4D beings. Some say that beings in the 5D focus solely on spiritual advancement for themselves and the universe.

Along with unconditional love, non-judgment is a key characteristic of 5D. This means fully understanding that there is no good or bad and that everything and everyone has value and purpose. Desires and fears are far less pronounced in 5D, allowing beings to experience a less dense life beyond duality and ego.

The Sixth Dimension (6D) And Higher Dimensions

The 1st through 5th dimensions share degrees of physicality and are therefore sometimes called the “collective dimensions.” In comparison, the 6th dimension and those above are known as the “spirit realms.” They are less connected to physical Earth embodiments, and knowing and operating from the oneness of all creation is a foundation in higher dimensions.

It’s said that these higher dimensions are the realms of Archangels and the Ascended Masters, such as Jesus, Kuan-Yin, Ganesha, Isis, St. Germain, and many others. Some have had Earth incarnations, but most have had no relationship of any kind with our planet.

Many channelers also mention that most of our dreams as 3D beings take place in 6D and 7D. But these are difficult to interpret by our 3D minds. Instead, what we consciously remember is what we filter in 4D, which is just before we wake up. These memories, therefore, are highly distorted.

What Is 5D Consciousness?

As humans, we currently live in a 3D reality, which doesn’t extend much beyond the material realm; it’s dense, fast-paced, and focused on external achievement. The 3rd dimension puts humans under the illusion of separation by forcing us to see ourselves as individual entities moving through life at random rather than sparks of the same divine source.

Essentially, many believe the energy of the Earth is moving towards more oneness. This can be seen through some of the events that have occurred over the past few years, such as the huge cry for justice to end oppression and systems built to harm Black, Brown and Indigenous members of society, as well as women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and others. While we are still fighting for the rights of some to simply survive, people are now becoming ready to see everyone thrive.

It’s believed that the Earth’s energy is calling us to raise our collective vibration and reimagine the world from the higher perspectives of love and unity, which is 5D consciousness. In 5D, there is oneness rather than separation, love rather than fear, and the energy is more prevalent than the physical.

5D consciousness sees no stranger, and it remembers that we are all cut from the same cloth and we are all infinitely powerful souls. 5D consciousness sees no hierarchy in humanity; in 5D, we all represent love.

Shifting From 3D To 5D

We are currently living in what has been deemed “The Shift of the Ages,” “The Golden Age,” or “The Ascension”. The human perspective is rapidly changing for those people who are energetically in tune with this great shift. One of the many symptoms of ascension involves being able to access more of our extrasensory perceptions.

One extrasensory perception that becomes a staple part of our relationship with reality as we begin to shift from 3D to 5D is intuition. As we continue to mature in our consciousness, we can begin to see that intuition is our primary guidance system.

These are some other signs that may indicate you’re going through the shift from 3D to 5D consciousness:

You’ve become disillusioned with physical reality, which can cause you to reassess that which has been your primary experience and the experience of the collective for a long time, such as the focus of material possessions. During this phase, you may reconsider what you give value to for a deeper perspective of both the material and etheric layers of your experience.

You have trouble relating to those around you. It’s common to experience a degree of isolation as you’re going through a big shift in consciousness. Those around you may not yet comprehend the process and the new insights you’re integrating. At 5D levels of consciousness, you can deal with your relations more easily as you’ll have a greater understanding of the innate interconnection of all beings.

You realize you need to make lifestyle changes. As you move from 3D to 5D, you may begin prioritizing the aspects of life that are beyond just material survival; experiences like happiness, holistic health, wellness, and being of service to humanity using your innate gifts.

Your unresolved wounds, fears, and traumas have surfaced. As you are transitioning from 3D to 5D consciousness, these experiences can be healed through forgiveness, which may help you gain knowledge, insight, and context. This can help you move past painful experiences and forge forward with clarity and lightness.

You question the usual concepts of duality. You may start reevaluating if there is such a fine line between things that are considered good or bad by the collective. When you experience the 5D awareness of oneness and view life from an open heart chakra, duality can begin to merge.

Activating Your 5D Frequency

It’s no surprise with all that’s happening on the planet right now that we are going through a great accelerated spiritual up-leveling. The world as we know it is changing and we are evolving into more advanced versions of our former selves. While the shift may seem far away or something you’ll never experience, you can start a 5D shift for yourself.

Here’s how you may begin to activate your 5D frequency:

Regularly bring your awareness into your heart and make your main focus adding value to the world. When manifesting, ask yourself this question: “How can l I add value to the world by having this?”
Watch the news less and try not to engage in gossip or judgment; attempt to see the good in everyone and everything in your life.
Try altering your diet and drinking plenty of good quality water. Eating an abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables is a great way to change your eating habits.
Connect to your divinity with self-love. Connecting to the source through your heart can raise your frequency more than anything else and the higher your frequency, the more you may be able to manifest.
Meditating is one of the most powerful tools you can utilize when raising your frequency to 5D. You can also try Reiki, which is a Japanese energy healing technique.
Learn to listen to guidance from your heart and follow what resonates with you.

In Conclusion

“From 5D, you understand that we are all one and connected” –Carolyne Bennett

There are a vast amount of channelers that have spoken differently on aspects of the spiritual dimensions of reality, but one thing stays the same: 5D consciousness is about love and always working to be a source of good. The future needs to be filled with a sense of unity, and tapping into your 5D frequency is one way to help reach this goal.

For fun, try this quiz to see what level of consciousness you primarily reside in. Let us know your results in the comments!

A Glimpse Into Sacred Geometry

Posted on October 28, 2021December 18, 2023 by Jennifer Norman

If symbolism has ever piqued your interest, you may find abundant fascination with sacred geometry. Since the times of the Ancient Egyptian Pyramids, humans have been creating architecture based on forms found in sacred geometry, stemming from the geometric patterns that are seen in nature. From seashells to the human body, from the cosmos to the atom, all forms are permeated with the shapes and symbols found in sacred geometry. Additionally, healing with sacred geometry is one of the most natural and powerful ways to engage the mind, body, and spirit. But what exactly is the meaning behind sacred geometry and the shapes and symbols associated with it?

Sacred Geometry and Its History

Sacred geometry is essentially the study of various shapes and their spiritual meaning. It can be applied to forms, numbers, symbols, and patterns seen throughout the world. The spiral of a snail’s shell, the geometric patterns of snowflakes, and the branches of trees are all examples of sacred geometry. However, sacred geometry is also thought to exist beyond the naked eye, both on a cellular level and in the orbiting planets and stars.

The idea that the universe follows an intricate equation dates as far back as ancient Mesopotamian and Egyptian cultures. Mesopotamians used geometric calculations consisting of trapezoids to track Jupiter, while Egyptians used geometric shapes to gather the Universe’s harmonic and beneficial natures.¹ ² Sacred geometry received more attention centuries later in ancient Greece, where it was popularized by philosophers such as Plato who used it to create the platonic solids.

Pictured: Platonic Solids
Source: Hellenic Faith

Jemma Foster, author of Sacred Geometry: How To Use Cosmic Patterns To Power Up Your Life, explains sacred geometry in a nutshell by stating, “Rooted in its nature is the understanding that nothing is in isolation; everything is connected.”

The Basics of Sacred Geometry

Geometric shapes form the foundation for everything we perceive in the universe with our five senses. These shapes are pervasive and ubiquitous. Their designs and patterns aren’t just something we see – they also form our human composition. This makes sense, after all, for we are part of the universe.

The connection we have to sacred geometry is why we are sometimes attracted to certain forms of art or why we identify with various shapes or symbols more than others. The designs resonate with each person differently, because geometric shapes and symbols have certain effects on our minds. Sacred geometry has influenced a multitude of theories throughout the centuries.

Common Shapes and Their Meanings

The Triangle

In sacred geometry, triangles are thought to symbolize balance and harmony. This three-sided shape can also be related to the body, mind, and spirit: if it has an upward facing point, it is known to indicate elevated consciousness. When pointing downward, triangles are associated with feminine energy and reproduction, as it resembles the womb space. The Star of David, for example, has two triangles with points that face both upward and downward symbolizing perfect harmony.

The Circle

Circles represent a never-ending loop due to lacking a beginning and end. As such, circles in sacred geometry can be thought of as a symbol of oneness. The idea of this never-ending shape is demonstrable and can be observed in Pi (𝛑), or the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. Pi is an irrational number that goes on forever, never repeating.

The Square

Squares represent practical and solid energy. Envision the base of a pyramid – it is a square. This shape can be thought of as foundational and dependable, known to be stable, grounding, and safe. A square has four sides – a mystical number relating to the 4 elements, an indicator of essential elements relating well to each other in harmony and balance.

Common Symbols and Their Meanings

The Flower of Life

The flower of life is the name given to a geometric flower-like pattern that consists of mostly evenly-spaced and overlapping circles around a central point. The name was given to this symbol because it’s believed to contain the patterns of time, space, and all creations. It also contains the five platonic solids meaning that the symbol models all realities and possible creations of both natural and man-made elements. A few of the natural elements that can be found in the flower of life are snowflakes and sunflowers.

The flower of life is believed to have the power of unlocking memories that are present deep within us. It is also considered a powerful symbol because it activates energy coding in the brain that helps a person connect with their light body. Additionally, the interlocking circles that form the flower of life are considered the Blueprint of the Universe.

The Vesica Piscis

Consisting of two interlocking circles whose centers exactly touch, vesica piscis is considered the symbolic representation of shared vision, understanding, or common ground between two equal individuals. The shape in the center of the vesica piscis, which is formed by the interlocking circles, represents the human eye and highlights the spiritual concepts of “seeing eye to eye” and that “eyes are the mirror to the soul.” It is in these meanings that the symbol was used by many Renaissance artists.

Another viewpoint of the vesica piscis is that the overlapping circles signify the connection between the physical and spiritual world and the shape in the center represents fish or a fish bladder, which was considered sacred by the early Christians. This is why the vesica piscis can be found in an abundance of churches today.

The Metatron’s Cube

Metatron’s cube is a geometric symbol that will fascinate you with both its visual appearance and background story. According to belief, the angel Metatron created Metatron’s cube out of his own soul. The symbol is made up of all the shapes created by God, which are the platonic solids; considered to be the base material of all things in the universe.

Many experts suggest that the cube in Metatron’s cube is the representation of our bodies in the three-dimensional world and the sphere inside the cube represents our souls. However, according to theories on the symbol, it is a way for God to convey knowledge to humans, along with deriving from the tree of life. For these reasons, the symbol has been used throughout the centuries as protection against evil spirits and demons.

Sacred Geometry Theories

The Golden Ratio

Almost everyone has learned about Pi in school, but relatively few curriculums include Phi, or the Golden Ratio, perhaps for the very reason that grasping all its manifestations often takes one beyond the academic into the spiritual just by the simple fact that Phi unveils frequent constants that apply to so many aspects of life. Both Pi and Phi are irrational numbers with an infinite number of digits after the decimal point.

Phi, or ɸ (1.618…), is the ratio that results when a line is divided in one very special and unique way. To illustrate, suppose you were asked to take a string and cut it. There’s any number of places you could cut it, and each place would result in different ratios for the length of the pieces. There is one certain point, though, at which the ratio of the large piece to the smaller piece is the same as the ratio of the whole string to the large piece, and at this point, the ratio is 1.618 to 1. This is the Golden Ratio.

The Golden Ratio is also found in geometry, appearing in basic constructions of an equilateral triangle, square, and pentagon placed inside a circle, as well as in more complex three-dimensional solids such as dodecahedrons. Interestingly enough, Phi appears throughout the human form; in the face, body, fingers, teeth, and even our DNA. It seems that Phi is hard-wired into our consciousness as a guide to beauty. For this reason, Phi is applied in both facial plastic surgery and cosmetic dentistry as a guide to achieving the most natural and beautiful results in appearance.

The Vitruvian Man

The Vitruvian Man is considered Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous and widely reproduced folio. This representation, which is said to lie heavily with the Golden Ratio, objectively reflects the human body’s proportional basis. It is historically associated with the Roman architect Marcus Vitruvius Pollio, who explained the principle in his book De architectura at the beginning of the first century AD. This figure has been recurrently used to illustrate the Renaissance ideal of a man as a symbolic microcosm, thus praising his role as the center of the universe.

Leonardo da Vinci used a series of notes as standards for the proportions of the human body, which were:

The Face:

The distance between the chin and the nostrils is 1/3 of the whole face.
From under the nostrils to the eyebrows is again 1/3 of the face.
Eyebrow to the hairline is also 1/3 of the face.

The Body:

The complete face, chin to hairline, is 1/10 of the human body.
The head, chin to the crown, measures 1/8 of the human body.
From the breast to hairline is 1/6 of the human body.
From the breast to the crown is 1/6 of the human body.
The length of the foot is 1/6 of the height of a human.
From the wrist to the tip of the fingers is 1/10 of the human height.
The length of the forearm and the breadth of the breast are 1/4 of the height of a human.

This theory explains to us that in ancient times, the proportions 1:3, 1:4, 1:6, 1:8, and 1:10 were appropriate to man.³ Looking at da Vinci’s diagram, Vitruvius begins with a focal point, which is the navel. All the elements in the folio are measured from this point forming circles and squares. According to this theory, the human body is rooted in symmetry, which is why architecture has also utilized the proportions in the Vitruvian Man to acquire perfect symmetry.

Healing With Sacred Geometry

Sacred geometry is the essence of everything around us, including both materialized and immaterialized things. In some cases, we can see these manifestations in 3D, such as with leaves and crystals. However, most of the time, sacred geometry is the invisible force that drives the world. Each shape carries a powerful frequency that has a healing and soothing effect on our whole being.

Though not scientifically proven, there are a few sacred geometry healing practices you can try at home:

Create a Crystal Grid

You can look at crystals as spiritual sacred geometry actualized in the physical realm. They carry healing vibrations that can cleanse your aura and stimulate healing processes. As a result, they can help you reach higher levels of consciousness and release whatever is holding you back.

The potency of combining crystal healing with sacred geometry lies in their incredible compatibility, with crystals opening the gateways of healing and the power of sacred shapes amplifying crystal healing properties.

To use crystals and sacred geometry together, you should first choose a crystal for its healing properties. For instance, if you’re looking for an energetic cleanse, clear quartz is an ideal option. If you feel lost or emotionally burdened, try lapis lazuli.

Here are some suggested tips to create your own healing ritual:

Gather your favorite crystals and take some time to reflect on what you need or are seeking. Try observing them with a clear mind for a more beneficial experience.
Place the crystals in front of you or around you to resemble a sacred geometric shape, also known as a crystal grid. A triangle is best for elevating your consciousness, while squares support security and stability. For wholeness, arrange your crystals in a circle.
Meditate in front of your crystal grid and place it in an altar where it can regularly amplify your space. You can switch up the geometric shapes or crystals as needed depending on your needs.

An Example of A Crystal Grid
Source: Sage Crystals

Meditation

To meditate with sacred geometric forms, simply find a calm and quiet area to close your eyes and relax. Instead of the usual mantra of words, though, you’ll be focusing on a sacred geometric shape.

Tetrahedrons, cubes, and pyramids are excellent beginning points when meditating with sacred geometry. These shapes can help introduce your current state to the healing process, which will make for an excellent meditation session. As you progress through your sacred geometry meditation journey, you can begin to add more shapes for various other benefits.

Here is a simple pyramid power meditation you can try:

Sit cross-legged with a hand rested on each knee so that you form a pyramid with your body. Take a few moments to settle into this shape.
Take six deep breaths through your nose, drawing the breath down through your spine and up to your solar plexus and heart, and out through your mouth.
In your mind’s eye, draw a square on the ground around you to form the base of your pyramid. As you do so, acknowledge the four directions, north, south, east, west, along with the four elements, earth, air, fire, and water.
Set the intention that this square represents the anchor to your physical reality, which will serve to ground the higher frequencies you’re calling for. Make sure to breathe into it.
Draw with your mind’s eye four triangles to fully construct your pyramid.
Take 6 breaths again and imagine a white light piercing the tip of your pyramid and flowing into the space that you’ve created. Allow the light to wash over you and be absorbed by every cell in your body.
Next, visualize a circle within the base (the square) of your pyramid. Spin the circle counterclockwise to discharge any stagnant or blocked energy, then spin it clockwise to change your energy centers.
Visualize a flame of purification before you, while building a pile of all the things you want to be released. Allow the fire to ignite the negative energy and bask in the lightness of letting go.

Sound Healing

Sound is also a form of sacred geometry. In fact, the sounds you hear every day, such as your voice, are auditory formations of these healing patterns. This means that by using healing frequencies and sounds, you can rewire your energy field and rejuvenate all aspects of your being.

You can do this by listening to specifically created sounds that emit vibrations, which affect the physical realm. This means that each sound frequency creates a geometric pattern that your body recognizes.

Try listening to these sacred vibrations:

Sacred Geometry: Sound Healing Session
Whole Body Rejuvenation Sounds
Sacred Geometry Converted to Sound

Final Thoughts

Sacred geometry can be seen on a macro and micro level throughout history, nature, and man-made architecture. Learning about the mystery and meanings behind various forms can help enhance your connection to spirit, widen your acceptance, and broaden your mind to new concepts and ideas. It can help expand your appreciation for the universe at large while also grounding you for improved balance and harmony.

All the world is founded upon geometrical concepts with shapes that vibrate in and among us. According to Foster, “When we exist in accordance to these sacred principles, we are in a state of abundance and receptivity – we become energetic architects and empowered co-creators of our reality.”⁴

Were you aware that sacred geometry was so pervasive in our world? Have you tried healing with geometric shapes before? Let us know in the comments below.

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References:

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-35431974 [1]

https://www.amazon.com/Egyptian-Sacred-Geometry-Egyptians-beneficial/dp/B0875Z2KHZ#:~:text=The%20ancient%20Egyptians%20knew%20that,They%20harnessed%20these%20energies.&text=Design%20and%20lay%20out%20your,beneficial%20energies%20from%20the%20Universe. [2]

https://thearchinsider.com/the-vitruvian-man-a-guide-to-proportion-and-symmetry/ [3]

https://www.mamaxanadu.com/about

All About Reiki

Posted on September 16, 2021March 21, 2024 by Jennifer Norman

Reiki is a Japanese energy healing technique that was created by Mikao Usui in the early 20th century. According to the International Center for Reiki Training, the practice is based on the idea that we all have unseen “life force energy” flowing through our bodies that keeps us alive.¹ While Reiki hasn’t been backed by science, those who’ve experienced it claim that it works miraculously for emotional stress and various medical conditions.

What is Reiki?

The term “reiki” comes from the Japanese words “rei,” meaning universal, and “ki,” meaning the vital life force energy that flows through all living things. According to some practitioners, Reiki is acupuncture without the needles.

It’s believed that you are more likely to get sick and feel anxiety if your life force energy is low, whereas someone with a high life force energy is more likely to be healthy and happy. Therefore, Reiki revolves around increasing the level of this energy in an individual.

To achieve a high level of energy, Reiki practitioners place their hands on or just above specific areas of the body. The belief is that the practitioner can stimulate your body’s natural healing abilities by becoming a channel for energy.

Reiki is a simple and natural method of spiritual healing that has been known to be effective against a variety of maladies and illnesses. Many individuals commonly use Reiki in conjunction with other medical and therapeutic techniques to relieve some side effects and promote a speedy recovery.

Health Benefits of Reiki

According to a 2007 study conducted by the National Institute of Health, 1.2 million adults and 161,000 children in the United States received energy healing therapy like Reiki in the previous year.² Additionally, according to a different study for the March-April 2017 issue of Holistic Nursing Practice, Reiki is now used by a rapidly growing number of Americans to aid in the healing of various ailments.³

While research on Reiki is limited, there are a few studies that have helped solidify the impact Reiki can have on your whole body. These studies have found that Reiki:

Promotes Relaxation

The most well-documented benefit of Reiki revolves around the relaxation response, which practitioners say invokes the body’s natural healing process.

Dr. Rachel Lampert, M.D., a professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine, and her colleagues studied 37 patients that were recovering from a heart attack. The patients were randomized into 3 groups: patients who simply rested, those who received 1 Reiki session from a Reiki practitioner, and those who listened to music. The researchers measured the activity of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), which regulates heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, and breathing.

Lampert and her colleagues zoomed in on heart rate variability (HRV), a measure of the pattern of heartbeats that are controlled by the ANS. According to Lampert, the higher the HRV after a heart attack, the better the outlook for the patient.⁴

In the study, the patients who received Reiki had a higher HRV and improved emotional state than the other two groups of patients.

Eases Physical Pain and Improves Quality of Life

A multitude of studies have addressed Reiki’s role in pain alleviation after knee surgery, post-cesarean section recovery, the restoration of range of motion in injured shoulders, hypertension management, and the improvement of quality of life for patients with rheumatoid arthritis or patients undergoing various cancer treatments.

Zilda Alarcano, a Portuguese researcher, and her colleagues looked at the impact of Reiki treatments versus sham (placebo) Reiki in 2 groups of patients with blood cancer. Each group contained 58 individuals who received an hour-long Reiki treatment once a week for 4 weeks. The sessions were administered by trained Reiki practitioners or someone pretending to perform Reiki (sham Reiki).

The researchers found that the patients who received real Reiki showed significantly more improvements than the other group in general, physical, environmental, and social dimensions of quality of life. Their results were published in the 2016 issue of the European Journal of Integrative Medicine.⁵

Boosts Mood and Sleep

Research suggests that Reiki helps with depression and insomnia. A 2012 study in the Indian Journal of Positive Psychology involved 40 women who suffered from anxiety and depression. Half of the group received a Reiki treatment 2 times a week for 10 weeks, while the others received no Reiki treatments. The women who received Reiki saw significant improvements in both their sleep quality and depression symptoms.⁶

In another study, researchers at Harvard Medical School followed 99 patients at multiple sites to determine the effects of 1 Reiki session. The study, which was a single-arm effectiveness study published in the 2019 issue of the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, found significant improvement in anxiety and depression symptoms, as well as nausea and pain.⁷

What Happens During a Reiki Session?

Even though Reiki boasts many holistic benefits, you may be hesitant or nervous to see a Reiki practitioner for a session, and those feelings are completely normal. However, based on your wishes, Reiki sessions can last just 20 minutes or up to 90 minutes. On top of that, you’ll always want to meet and learn about your practitioner before your first session.

Reiki practitioners have a passion to help you, so be sure to let them know:

Your expectations or intentions
The areas of the body you’d like them to focus on
If you’ve experienced any injuries
Places on your body that are sensitive to touch
Places on your body that are off-limits

During a Reiki session, you’ll be asked to sit in a comfortable chair or lie down on a table, fully clothed. Your Reiki practitioner will then place their hands lightly on or over specific areas of your head, limbs, and torso. Practitioners typically keep their hands in this position for 3-10 minutes to complete the energy transfer.

For the most part, there won’t be any talking during the session, but you should always let your Reiki practitioner know if there’s something you need to feel more comfortable or to share what you’re experiencing.

Crystals and Reiki

Many Reiki practitioners combine crystal healing with Reiki for added balance and to speed the body’s natural healing ability. If crystals are used during a Reiki session, they’re usually placed on or around your body or you may be asked to hold a crystal. While there’s not much research that supports the use of crystals to improve health, there have been numerous claims that they have a calming effect and help with healing.

Crystals that may be used during a Reiki session are:

Rose Quartz: Purifies and opens the heart at all levels to promote self-love, friendship, deep inner healing, and a feeling of peace.
Amethyst: Ensures emotional stability, reduces the strength of negative emotions and calms the mind.
Moonstone: Soothes emotional stability and cleanses negative energy from your chakras.
Topaz: Soothes, heals, stimulates, recharges, remotivates, and aligns the meridians of the body by directing energy where it needs to go.

Source: The John Harvey Gray Center for Reiki Healing

Reiki Healing for Beginners

Reiki is one of the safest energy healing modalities that anyone can learn to restore and strengthen their ki. While professional Reiki practitioners train for years to understand and navigate subtle energy shifts, you can also learn to work with energy and impact the flow of others quickly and in the comfort of your own home.

Here are a few novice Reiki techniques you can try on yourself and others:

First Step: Receive Energy

To begin any Reiki practice, you must activate the energy within yourself. Close your eyes and take a few rounds of deep breaths. Imagine the crown of your head opening and a stream of white light flowing from the top of your head, into your heart, and out through your hands and arms. Ask to be filled up with energy where you need it the most. This way, if you offer Reiki to a friend or family member, you will be full of energy.

As you feel the energy fill you, continue to breathe. If you find your mind becoming scattered or starting to question the process, regroup your mind and come back to your breath. Envision yourself as a vessel for healing, and then set an intention or prayer to receive healing energy of the highest good.

Reiki for Sleep

To give a sleep-focused Reiki session to a loved one, ask the recipient to lie down while you position yourself near their head. Imagine a steady stream of healing light going from your hands into the back of your head, clearing the mind of any pain or discomfort experienced recently.

Ask the recipient to take several deep breaths and slowly count an inhale of 3 seconds and an exhale of 3-5 seconds. Additionally, tell them to slowly navigate through their whole day one memory at a time and to thank each memory before letting it go with each breath.

Allow them to drift off as you continue to channel the energy through your palms and send the healing light into their body. Imagine the body becoming healed, relaxed, and ready for a good night’s rest. You can offer this Reiki session for as long as needed, but 15-30 minutes is most often enough to have the recipient feeling calm and ready for bed.

Reiki for Anxiety

Often, when people are experiencing anxiety and stress, they end up not breathing properly. This shortness of breath just causes more stress and ends up in a domino effect, worsening over time. During the Reiki session to address this, your goal is to channel energy down the recipient’s shoulders and into their body.

Place your hands on their shoulders for 10-15 minutes. Focus on sending energy to their whole body while breathing deeply with them. If the person you’re performing Reiki on is lying down, you can place your hands behind their head for added calmness.

Last Step: Sealing Off Energy

It’s important to offer gratitude, cleanse yourself, and close the energy once you’ve completed a Reiki session. This process can be as simple as stepping back, wiping your hands of any excess energy, and placing them in prayer to thank yourself, the energy, and the recipient for the exchange.

How to Find a Reiki Practitioner Near You

Professional associations are a great way to locate practitioners and teachers who take Reiki very seriously. The Reiki Alliance, the International Reiki Association, and the International Association of Reiki Practitioners offer tools for locating Reiki practitioners in your area.

Before booking a Reiki session, it’s important to know that Reiki is non-invasive and known to be safe, but is not intended to replace doctor-approved treatment plans. It should be used as a supplemental medicine for those who wish to participate.

Have you tried Reiki? How was the experience? Let us know in the comments!

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References:

https://www.reiki.org/faqs/what-reiki [1]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19361005/ [2]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28181973/ [3]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20828654/ [4]

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1876382015300664 [5]

http://www.i-scholar.in/index.php/ijpp/article/view/53354 [6]

https://www.liebertpub.com/toc/acm/8/6 [7]

The Ritual of Fasting

Posted on July 15, 2021April 15, 2024 by Jennifer Norman

Why do people fast? Why is intermittent fasting so popular? Here’s a bit of history, mystery, and wellness rationale on the human practice of fasting.

Intermittent fasting involves alternating cycles of fasting and eating. Rather than dictating what to eat, it instead informs when to eat. Aside from religious traditions of fasting as an expression of sanctity and sacrifice, studies also suggest that fasting may support weight loss, protect against disease, improve metabolic health, and perhaps help prolong life.¹

Fasting Throughout Time and Religion

Fasting for religious and spiritual reasons has been a part of human custom for thousands of years. It is mentioned in the Old Testament and New Testament of the Bible, the Qur’an, the Mahabharata, and the Upanishads. Fasting is particularly important for Christians during Lent and for Muslims during the holy month of Ramadan. In many religions, fasting is a way to cultivate mental discipline. When combined with prayer and meditation, it is used to exercise control of the physical body.²

Buddhism

Fasting for Buddhists is a form of asceticism, which is a life characterized by abstinence from worldly pleasures.³ Theravada monks and nuns, who follow the Vinaya monastic rules, do not eat each day after their noon meal. However, they consider this to be a disciplined regime aiding in meditation, not just a fast.⁴

Nyungne, which translates to “abiding by the fast,” is practiced by Tibetan monks and can be effective in the healing of illnesses, the nurturing of compassion, and the purification of negative karma.⁵ While partaking in Nyungne, a person follows the eight precepts on the first day and refrains from water and food on the second day.

Christianity

Fasting is practiced in several Christian denominations. Lent, for example, is a fast that is observed in Anglicanism. It is a 40-day partial fast to commemorate the fast of Christ during his temptation in the desert.

Biblical accounts of fasting include:

Moses fasted for 40 days and 40 nights while on the mountain with God. (Exodus 34:28)
The prophet Joel called for a fast to avert the judgment of God.
Jesus said: “But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” (Matthew 17:21)
Isaiah 58:3-7 describes fasting as a means to abstain from hunger, thirst, or any lustful needs we may yearn for.
Jesus told his followers to fast in private and not to gain favor from men. (Matthew 6:16-Matthew 6:18)

Hinduism

Fasting is integral to the Hindu religion, but many individuals observe different kinds of fasts based on personal beliefs and local customs. Some Hindus fast on certain days of the week, such as Ekadasi or Purnima.⁶ Thursdays, however, is a very common day to fast among the Hindus of northern India.

Methods of fasting vary between Hindus, but if followed strictly, no food nor water is consumed from sunset until 48 minutes after the following day’s sunrise.⁷ Fasting may also require avoidance of certain types of food or limiting oneself to 1 meal a day.

Islam

Fasting is the most important practice during the month of Ramadan, from fajr (dawn) to maghrib (sunset). During this time, Muslims are to abstain from eating, drinking, smoking, and engaging in sexual intercourse. During the month of Ramadan, fasting is one of the Pillars of Islam, making it one of the most important acts of worship.

The Qur’an mentions that fasting was prescribed for those before them (Jews and Muslims) and that by fasting, a Muslim gains taqwa. Taqwa can be described as the care taken by a person to do everything God has commanded and to keep away from everything He has forbidden.⁸ Essentially, fasting helps prevent sin while also instilling a sense of fraternity and solidarity.

Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting is different from religious fasting, yet it still has ties to humanity’s past. Ancient hunter-gatherers did not have supermarkets, refrigerators, or sustenance readily available. As a result, humans evolved to be able to function without food for extended periods of time. The act of fasting is actually more natural for homo sapiens than eating 3 meals a day.⁹

Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern that cycles between periods of eating and fasting. Many people “fast” while they sleep, so intermittent fasting can be as simple as extending that fast longer into the day. Skipping breakfast is one method used to prolong a fast. There are many types of intermittent fasting, so knowing your body and seeking guidance from a health professional can help target the type of fast that is best suited for you.

Types of Intermittent Fasting

Different types and methods of intermittent fasting have emerged, including:

The 5:2 Diet: 2 days a week, individuals only eat around 500-600 calories.
Eat-Stop-Eat: Once or twice a week, individuals do not eat anything from dinner one day until dinner the next day (a 24 hour fasting period).
The 16/8 Method: Individuals fast for 16 hours a day, for example, from 8 PM one day to noon the next day.
The Warrior Diet: This was popularized by fitness expert, Ori Hofmekler. Individuals eat small amounts of raw fruits and vegetables during the day and eat only one large meal at night.
Spontaneous Meal Skipping: Individuals skip meals when not hungry and eat balanced meals during the non-fasting periods.

Benefits of Intermittent Fasting

Researchers have studied intermittent fasting for decades. Study findings are often contradictory and inconclusive, but evidence shows that intermittent fasting may provide the following health benefits:

Weight Loss

Eating during a set period can reduce the number of calories consumed, and it could boost metabolism. A study conducted in 2017 found that intermittent fasting led to greater weight loss in men with obesity than a regular calorie restriction.¹⁰ Additionally, research from 2016 concluded that a 16/8 approach for 8 weeks showed a decrease in fat mass.¹¹

Disease Prevention

Studies suggest that intermittent fasting can help prevent:

Type 2 Diabetes
Heart Conditions
Some Cancers
Neurodegenerative Diseases

A 2017 study on animals concluded that intermittent fasting reduced the risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and cancer. Other studies reported that intermittent fasting reduced glucose 3-6% in those with prediabetes and also decreased insulin by 11-57% after 3 to 24 weeks of fasting.¹²

Extended Life Span

Scientific animal studies have suggested that intermittent fasting can lead to a longer lifespan. For example, one study reported that short-term repeated fasting increased the lifespan of female mice.¹³

The National Institute on Aging mentioned that, even after decades, scientists still cannot explain why fasting lengthens lifespan. As a result, they cannot confirm the long-term safety of this practice.¹⁴

Thinking and Memory

A recent study showed that intermittent fasting may have a bigger brain payoff than a small degree of calorie restriction (10%): specifically, better memory retention and brain cell proliferation.¹⁵ Other studies have concluded that intermittent fasting boosts working memory in animals and verbal memory in adults.

What to Expect When Intermittent Fasting

Matt Mattson, PhD. and a professor at the John Hopkins University School of Medicine and former chief of the Laboratory of Neurosciences at the National Institute on Aging, says, “During the fasting period, the cells go in kind of a stress-resistance mode. And then when you eat, they’ve prepared themselves to quickly take up nutrients, proteins, and grow. However, the transition can be tough on your body.”¹⁶

While waiting a bit longer between meals may be fairly simple, there may be side effects as your body gets used to intermittent fasting, such as:

Your stomach will most likely grumble during fasting periods.
You could potentially dehydrate since you aren’t eating. Make sure to drink lots of water.
You’ll probably feel tired at the beginning of your intermittent fasting journey because your body is running on less energy than it’s used to.
Since fasting can boost stress levels, you might find that your sleep pattern is disrupted. Try adopting a healthy sleep routine to combat this issue.
Due to lack of salivary flow and the rise of acetone, you could experience bad breath.
During the first few days of intermittent fasting, you may experience headaches or lightheadedness.
The same biochemistry that regulates your mood also regulates your appetite with nutrient consumption affecting neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin. This could potentially play a role in anxiety, depression, and irritabilty.¹⁷

Seek Your Doctor’s Approval

Considering that the bulk of intermittent fasting studies have been conducted on animals or in short periods on humans, researchers and physicians recommend always seek a professional’s advice before proceeding.

Intermittent fasting is not recommended for those who are:

Underweight
Struggling with weight gain
Below the age of 18
Pregnant or breastfeeding
Suffering from dementia or immunodeficiencies
Susceptible to eating disorders¹⁶

Intermittent fasting is not for everyone. If you have any concerns or adverse effects, consult with your doctor.

Let us know, have you tried intermittent fasting before? Which method? Any advice for people just beginning intermittent fasting? Share in the comments section below.

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References:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15741046/ [1]

https://assets.speakcdn.com/assets/1927/prayer_fasting5.pdf [2]

https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Asceticism [3]

https://newbuddhist.com/discussion/15279/why-are-monks-nuns-not-allowed-to-eat-after-noon [4]

https://www.jstor.org/stable/44368895 [5]

https://www.alimentarium.org/en/knowledge/fasting-hinduism [6] [7]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taqwa#:~:text=Taqwa%20(Arabic%3A%20%D8%AA%D9%82%D9%88%D9%89%E2%80%8E%20taqw%C4%81,often%20found%20in%20the%20Quran. [8]

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-myths-fasting-and-meal-frequency [9]

https://www.nature.com/articles/ijo2017206 [10]

https://translational-medicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12967-016-1044-0 [11]

https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000476 [12]

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0047637400001093 [13]

https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/calorie-restriction-and-fasting-diets-what-do-we-know [14]

https://www.inverse.com/mind-body/intermittent-fasting-and-long-term-memory#:~:text=Why%20it%20matters%20%E2%80%94%20In%20the,retention%2C%20and%20more%20brain%20cells. [15]

https://www.inverse.com/article/57625-what-intermittent-fasting-actually-does-to-your-body#:~:text=During%20the%20first%20week%20or,mood%20swings%2C%20and%20even%20dizziness. [16]

https://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/diet-tips/how-intermittent-fasting-affects-mental-health [17]

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/intermittent-fasting-side-effects#:~:text=Some%20people%20may%20experience%20irritability,or%20over%20periods%20of%20fasting. [18]

https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/wheres-the-line-between-fasting-and-eating-disorders/11258758 [16]

All About Rumi

Posted on June 24, 2021December 18, 2023 by Jennifer Norman

You’ve probably heard of the renowned ancient spiritualist, Rumi, but who was he? Maulana Jalaluddin (“Glory of Religion”) Rumi, most commonly known as ‘Rumi’, was a Persian poet, an Islamic dervish, and a Sufi mystic. He articulated his spiritual journey through poignant verses and expressive poems that are now quoted across the globe.

Rumi’s poems have been translated into many languages and transposed into various formats. His poetry creates the basis for an abundance of classical Iranian and Afghan music.¹ Additionally, Rumi’s works have influenced the literary traditions of the Persian, Ottoman Turkish, Chagatai, Urdu, Bengali, and Pashto languages.² While his pieces are world-famous, many aren’t familiar with Rumi’s life, the relationships that inspired his work, nor his path to enlightenment.

Pictured: Rumi
Source: The New York Times

Rumi’s Early Life

Rumi was born on September 30th, 1207 to a wealthy, prominent family.³ His birthplace is reported to be in Balk, which is in present-day Afghanistan. Bahaduddin Walad, Rumi’s father, was a sultan, theologian, jurist, and mystic. When the Mongols invaded Central Asia between 1215 and 1220, Rumi’s family and a group of disciples ventured westward for safety.

Some say that during this journey, Rumi met one of the most famous mystic poets, Attar, in the city of Nishapur. He recognized Rumi’s spiritual eminence and gave him his Asrarnama, a book about the entanglement of the soul in the material world.⁴ This account is not widely agreed on by Rumi scholars.

Rumi’s family was called to Konya in 1229. Here, Rumi’s father taught at one of the madrasahs, or religious schools, until he died in 1231. His position at the madrasah was inherited by Rumi, who was 25 at the time.

During Rumi’s time at the school, one of his father’s disciples, Burhanuddin Tirmadhi, trained him in Shariah and Tariqa. Shariah is the religious concepts of Islam, or essentially, the law. Tariqa is the Muslim spiritual path towards direct knowledge (ma’rifah) of God or Reality (haqq). In the 9th and 10th centuries, though, it referred to the spiritual path of Sufis, or mystics.

In 1232, Rumi returned to Konya and is said to have taken 3 successful Chella (40 days of fasting, retreat, and meditation) after Burhanuddin told him he needed to master “the hidden sciences.”⁵ Soon after, Rumi began to serve as a reputed religious scholar in Konya.

In Rumi’s 30s, he would meet Shams Tabrizi; an encounter that would completely change his life and transform him into an ascetic. Their connection is often misunderstood and misquoted, but it is one of the most important chapters in Rumi’s life.

Shams Tabrizi and Enlightenment

In 1244, Rumi came across a wandering dervish named Shams Tabrizi. Shams was known to be an antisocial and blunt yet powerful spiritual wanderer.⁶ His nickname was ‘The Bird’ due to his nomadic lifestyle and the idea that he could transport his essence or fly to any place at will.⁷

Shams was looking for a student who would absorb and spread his profound spiritual-philosophical knowledge, so he took Rumi under his wing. The two spent a total of 40 days secluded in Konya.⁸ During this time, Shams encouraged Rumi to reorient from a path of knowledge to one of love and truth. Rumi vowed to abide by The 40 Rules of Love and thus became enlightened.⁹

Excerpts of The 40 Rules of Love:

“How we see God is a direct reflection of ourselves.”
“The path to the Truth is a labor of the heart, not of the head.”
“You can study God through everything and everyone in the universe, because God is not confined in a mosque, synagogue, or church.”
“Intellect and love are made of different materials.”
“Most of the problems in the world stem from linguistic mistakes and simple misunderstandings.”

You can read The 40 Rules of Love here.

Shams’ Disappearance

Shams’ lower social class status caused tension among Rumi’s prominent followers. One day, Shams mysteriously disappeared. Some believe that he was killed by either Rumi’s students or Rumi’s son in a fit of jealousy.¹⁰

Shams’ disappearance caused Rumi to dive into a deep state of grief. He coped with the pain of separation through dance, music, and poetry. The poems he wrote during this grieving phase is known as Divan-i Shams-i Tabrizi (The Words of Shams of Tabriz). Rumi then set out to look for his friend, Shams, but he soon realized:

“Why should I seek? I am the same as
He. His essence speaks through me.
I have been looking for myself!”¹¹

With this realization, Rumi moved on with his life and eventually found other companions, such as Salahuddin Zarkub and Husamuddin Chelebi. It was Husamuddin, though, whom Rumi recited the Masnavi to during the last seven years of his life. There are 6 books in the Masnavi, each consisting of 4,000 verses. The 6th book remains unfinished.

Pictured: Shams Tabrizi
Source: Feeling Buddaful

Rumi’s Following

For 800 years, Rumi’s words have inspired, consoled, and comforted people of all ages, origins, and walks of life. In recent popular culture, Coldplay’s Chris Martin read poems written by Rumi throughout his divorce to Gwyneth Paltrow to lift his spirits, and he even wrote a Coldplay track that features Coleman Barks, a Persian Poet, reciting one of Rumi’s poems. Rumi is also reported to have aided the spiritual journeys of other celebrities such as Madonna and Tilda Swinton.

Love for Rumi

A research study administered by the Rumi Network sought out explanations as to why Rumi is still so popular today. The study asked 50 participants to briefly explain why Rumi meant so much to them. Responses include:

He is not only intellectual but heartfelt. He caters to their hearts, instincts, and emotions rather than purely on their intellects.
His poetry has many levels. The more they learn about Rumi and his life, the more they appreciated his depth.
They find the sense of unity in his poems to be alluring.
After reading his poems, they feel as though he is a friend.
They associate themselves with him and reading his poetry is a personal process.
Every time a Rumi poem is recited, they feel as if Grace is descending.
He is akin to a lover.
His expressiveness enables participation in Rumi’s own internal process.
He is like a spiritual guide.
His poetry forms a cultural bridge.
Even those that don’t like poetry love reading Rumi.

Rumi composed over 70,000 verses of poetry focusing on varied and diverse topics. Many of his pieces cover expressions of love and desire, while others dive into philosophical subjects. His work has a universality that appeals to everyone, which is why Rumi’s influence continues to reach and inspire people from one end of the globe to the other.

Rumi Quotes to Brighten Your Day

If you’re seeking enlightened words, here are some Rumi quotes that may help bring light, love, and inspiration while also expanding the mind. Enjoy!

“Lovers don’t finally meet somewhere. They’re in each other all along.”

“Goodbyes are for those who love with their eyes. Because for those who love with heart and soul, there is no such thing as separation.”

“Stop acting so small. You are the universe in ecstatic motion.”

“The cure for pain is in the pain.”

“When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you, a joy.”

“Let the beauty we love be what we do. There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground.”

“Words are a pretext. It is the inner bond that draws one person to another, not words.”

“Very little grows on jagged rock. Be ground. Be crumbled, so wildflowers will come up where you are.”

Humanist Beauty has included an inspiring Rumi quote inside its Herban Wisdom ™ Facial Oil package to bring you even more peace and tranquility with each use:

“You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean in a drop.”

Do you have a favorite poem or quote by Rumi? If so, please share in the comments below.

If you are new to Rumi, take a moment to read some of his quotes here, and let us know which ones inspire, invigorate, or empower you.

—

References:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumi#:~:text=Rumi’s%20poetry%20forms%20the%20basis,Mohammad%20Hashem%20Cheshti%20(Afghanistan). [1] [2]

https://www.rumi.net/about_rumi_main.htm [3] [6] [7]

https://www.worldliteraturetoday.org/blog/cultural-cross-sections/attar-sufi-poet-and-master-rumi-sholeh-wolpe [4]

https://www.kyotojournal.org/fiction-poetry/master-rumi-the-path-to-poetry-love-and-enlightenment/ [5]

https://www.scoopwhoop.com/Shams-Tabrizi-The-Man-Who-Mentored-Rumi [8]

https://en.irna.ir/news/84056598/Shams-Tabrizi-mentor-of-Rumi [9]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shams_Tabrizi [10]

https://rumi.arvindkatoch.com/2016/05/rumi-quote-image-why-am-i-seeking-i-am.html [11]

Ayurveda: Doshas and Holistic Benefits

Posted on May 13, 2021March 22, 2024 by Jennifer Norman

Ayurvedic Medicine, or “Ayurveda” for short, is one of the world’s oldest holistic (“whole-body”) healing systems. Ayurveda translates as “knowledge of life.” It dates back 5,000 years to the ancient Sanskrit texts, the Vedas. It is said that Ayurveda is an eternal science that first existed in the universal consciousness (Brahma) before it was passed from the creator to the ancient Indian mystics through meditation.¹

Ayurveda is a system of healing that evaluates emotional nature, physical constitution, and spiritual outlook in the context of the universe. Additionally, according to the Ayurveda philosophy, people are born with a specific constitution called the Prakriti, and that all life manifests as three different energies, or doshas, known to be Vada, Pitta, and Kapha. Many people tend to have an abundance of at least one or two doshas, but this can fluctuate according to your environment, diet, age, the climate, and many other factors.²

The Vedas

The Vedas are the most ancient texts known to humankind. Ayurveda, in its written form, was first mentioned in the Vedas. The Vedas told Hinduism’s sacred scriptures and are said to be revelations discovered by sages and seers.⁴

There are four Vedas – the Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda, and Atharva Veda. They were written in Sanskrit, which is India’s ancient language. The Vedas detail practices in worship, hymns, rituals, mantras, and ways of life.

Atharva Veda is the latest text to be added to the Vedas, compiled around 900 BCE. It holds 20 books and 730 hymns of about 6,000 stanzas.⁵ Also within this Veda is India’s ancient medical practice systematically outlined.

The Three Doshas

Those who practice Ayurveda believe that every person is made of five elements found in the universe, which are earth, water, fire, space, and air. These elements combine to form three life forces or energies called doshas that control how the human body works. The Vata dosha combines space and air. The Pitta dosha combines fire and water. And the Kapha dosha combines water and earth.

Everyone inherits a unique mix of doshas, but one is usually stronger than the others. Additionally, each dosha controls a different body function. It is believed that one’s chances of getting sick and the health issues one develops are linked to the balance of one’s doshas.

When the doshas are imbalanced, a person’s state becomes what is known as Vikruti, which can manifest in behavioral or physiological symptoms. The doshas can also affect an individual’s personality and temperament. The concept of Prakriti defines a person’s dosha composition and suggests that each person has a combination of the three doshas.

The doshas can manifest in three states:

Equilibrium is the ideal state when the doshas are in natural proportions to each other.
The increased state is when one of the doshas is greater than the others.
Lastly, the decreased state happens when one of the doshas is lesser than the others or depleted.

Source: The Ayurvedic Institute

Vata Dosha

According to Ayurveda, the Vata dosha is the most powerful of the three. It controls many basic body functions, such as cell division and cell signaling.⁶ The Vata dosha is also in charge of the mind, breathing, blood flow, heart function, and the ability to get rid of waste through the intestines. One can disrupt the Vata dosha by staying up too late and eating too soon after a meal. The Vata dosha is known to promote a healthy balance between thought and emotion while fueling creativity.

If Vata dosha is your main life force, then you may be more likely to develop:

Anxiety
Heart disease
Skin issues
Asthma
Rheumatoid arthritis

Pitta Dosha

The Pitta dosha controls metabolism, digestion, and hormones that are linked to appetite. Eating spicy or sour food and spending too much time in the sunlight can disrupt this energy. The Pitta dosha is believed to add luster to the hair, eyes, and skin.

If Pitta dosha is your main life force, then you may be more susceptible to:

Heart disease
Crohn’s disease
High blood pressure
Infections

Kapha Dosha

Muscle growth, body strength and stability, weight, and the immune system are controlled by the Kapha dosha. One can disrupt this energy by eating too many sweets, sleeping during the day, and intaking too much salt. The Kapha dosha promotes positive emotions like love, empathy, understanding, and forgiveness.

Practitioners believe that if the Kapha dosha is your main life force, then you may be prone to develop:

Nausea after eating
Obesity
Cancer
Diabetes
Asthma

Bi-Doshic and Tri-Doshic

When an individual is bi-doshic, s/he shares qualities equally with two doshic types. The best way to manage bi-doshic Prakriti is by the season. For example, for Vata-Pitta Prakriti, during autumn, which is Vata season, one would follow a Vata-decreasing routine.

Tri-doshic means that an individual has equal amounts of each dosha. A tri-doshic person is usually very strong, adaptable, and stable when in balance. However, they s/he can experience poor health when out of balance. During these occasions of imbalance, a person can adopt practices to counterbalance negative dietary, emotional, or environmental influences. For example, in autumn, a tri-doshic person would act as if they have a Vata constitution and follow a Vata balancing lifestyle.

To learn more about dosha seasons and lifestyles, click here.

Branches of Ayurveda

In Ayurvedic medicine, 8 different components encompass the body’s holistic system. These 8 branches explain various bodily functions and how to prevent and cure diseases:

Kayachikitsa (internal medicine): Addresses treatment for the whole body with a focus on the digestive system and metabolism. Procedures can be executed internally or externally. An Ayurvedic practitioner may prescribe medications to be taken orally or topically in the form of oils, lotions, and creams.
Baala Chikitsa (treatment for children): Addresses diseases and ailments that manifest in children but also focuses on pre and postnatal care. Treatments may differ as children cannot always articulate their symptoms. However, medicine prescribed is usually pleasant tasting.
Graha Chikitsa (psychiatry): Focuses on problems or diseases of the mind. Some treatments under this branch include herbs, dietary recommendations, deep breathing, yoga, and Mantra Chikitsa, which involves chanting mantras.
Urdhyaanga Chikitsa (upper body): Focuses on health and issues of the upper body, such as the eyes, nose, ears, and throat.
Shalyaroga Chikitsa (surgery): Focuses on surgical procedures and describes surgical instruments such as scalpels and scissors.
Damstra Chikitsa (toxicology): Focuses on the study and remedy of toxins within the body, along with poisons in food and the environment.
Jara Chikitsa (geriatric): Addresses care of the elderly and focuses on treating illnesses brought on by old age. Therapies include strength, memory, longevity, and rejuvenation.
Vajjikaran Chikitsa (reproduction health): Focuses on sexual health and the treatment of many reproductive issues, such as infertility and the lack of essential fluids.

Benefits of Ayurveda

Ayurveda is known as the “Sister Science” to yoga, because both share a common goal, which is to eradicate pain and misery. In Ayurvedic practices, the mind and body not only influence one another but are each other. Ayurvedic studies strive to reconnect us with the energetic consciousness of our true nature. Within this realm of consciousness, everything exists, and anything is possible.

One of the main beliefs of Ayurveda is that the food we eat affects our wellbeing. For example, food can instill a sense of energy and vitality or lethargy and depletion. This is known as the Sattvic approach. Sattvic translates to “pure essence” in Sanskrit and is a diet based on foods that are recommended within Ayurveda. It is one of the purest diets adopted to support optimal wellbeing. The Sattvic diet is designed to be holistic, meaning that it nurtures the mind and the body. It is high in fiber, low fat, and vegetarian. Foods on the Sattvic diet include fruits, juices, sprouted grains, fats, oils, legumes, nuts, seeds, and more.

Practitioners look to Ayurveda for a multitude of other wellness considerations:

Encouraging self-love. Ayurveda motivates learning and understanding one’s own uniqueness while teaching about the discovery of one’s own individual needs.
Balancing holistic health with environment. Ayurveda beliefs revolve around the concept that being healthy is a human’s natural state. When a human and his/her environment are in balance, then that human has achieved optimal health, and vice versa.
Reducing stress. Ayurveda teaches mindfulness which can help to reduce anxiety and stress. Following an Ayurvedic diet and cleansing the mind with meditation or yoga can improve ones sense of inner peace.
Managing diet and digestion. Food influences how one feels. Eating for ones dosha can enhance digestive triggers of physical and emotional wellness. Foods eaten at certain times of the day can optimize toxin elimination.

Enhancing spirituality. Ayurveda reinforces the belief that we are much deeper than our skin. We are spirits that embody the elements, and we can reap health benefits when our minds, bodies, and souls are in balance.

DIY Ayurveda

Dinacharya plays a major role in Ayurvedic practice. The word Dina translates to “day,” while Charya means to “follow a routine.” According to Ayurveda, certain rituals performed in the morning make for a positive start for the day. These rituals help improve one’s health and one’s appearance, they help keep the body and mind cleansed, and they support high energy levels. Additionally, morning Dinacharya rituals can help eliminate the Ama, or toxins, from your body, for improved health and more radiant hair, skin, and nails.

After consulting with your Ayurvedic practitioner, also known as a Vaidya, you can consider adding these Dinacharya rituals to your morning routine:

Wake before sunrise, this is the time when positive energy is at its peak. This is usually easier for a Vata person, but with time, everyone can adjust their body to waking up a bit earlier in the morning.
Try cleansing your bladder with a warm glass of water that has a dollop of honey and a squeeze of lime. This will help eliminate the build-up of nightly toxins.
Don’t eat or drink anything without brushing your teeth and cleaning your tongue first. This will help remove the Ama that accumulates through the night, and it can also help get rid of pesky morning breath.
Massage your skin with oils that are suited for your dosha. Once you’ve chosen the recommended oils for your dosha, warm the oil, then gently but firmly massage the oil over your body. Pay extra attention to the soles of your feet, as they contain nerve endings that are connected to important conjunctions of life force energy.
Eat a light and healthy breakfast. According to Ayurveda, no single meal is more important than the others, but a healthy breakfast between 6 and 8 AM can help you step into your day happily.

Ayurvedic Professionals Know Best

You should always seek the advice of an Ayurvedic professional before adopting Ayurvedic practices into your routine. The Vaidya can help design a treatment plan that is specifically customized for you by taking into account your doshas, your primary life force, and your unique physical and emotional constitution. Ayurvedic practitioners go through extensive training to provide you with the utmost knowledge to help balance your doshas and optimize your health.

If you’re having trouble finding an Ayurvedic professional, try plugging your information in here to be matched with one near you.

If you’d like to learn about the Ayurvedic herbs in Humanist Beauty Herban Wisdom Facial Oil, visit our Ingredient Glossary.

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References:

http://www.tkdl.res.in/tkdl/langdefault/ayurveda/Ayu_Principles.asp?GL=#q6 [1] [3]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3215408/ [2]

https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/approaches-to-art-history/understanding-religion-art/hinduism-art/a/sacred-texts-in-hinduism [4]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3202268/#:~:text=Ayurveda%20is%20an%20Upaveda%20of,main%20body%20of%20the%20Vedas. [5]

ry%20of%20Vata,activities%20of%20Kapha%20and%20Pitta. [6]