What to Look for When Buying Socket Sets

A high-quality assortment of ratchets, sockets and accessories is essential for many different jobs, from the complex to the light maintenance work. They come in several different sizes with wrench heads to match the individual sized bolts. Here a a few of the most important things to consider when buying socket sets:

Socket sizes

The different socket sizes are likely to include SAE, metric and Whitworth. The SAE (standard-sized socket) has its measurements in inches, which is practical for those mechanics working on older vehicle models. The metric tools are necessary for working on the latest domestic and import vehicles with the sizes in millimeters.

A garage should be stocked to match the type of vehicles serviced. However, a combination of SAE and metric is the most practical option to make sure a tool is available for the most wide-ranging jobs.

The third type is the Whitworth sockets which are only likely to feature on the British vehicles like a classic Jaguar or MG.

Drive size

The SAE and metric sockets are available in a range of sizes, including ½-inch, 3/8-inch and ¼-inch. The range of sizes is intended to work with the different ratchets and may even require an extension unit to work. For those that are limited to buying a single drive size, it is best to go with the 3/8-inch drive because this has the ability to work with the most sockets.

The ¼-inch drive sockets are the preferred choice for reaching bolts or nuts in tight spaces, while the large, ½-inch drive socket is practical for the largest fasteners and have the ability to accept more torque. This type of socket may need a breaker bar or ratchet to fully tighten or loosen.

Points

The shape of the sockets can range from a 12-pointed star to a six-pointed hexagon. The six-point socket is the more reliable option because its walls are more able to sit flush to the sides of the nuts. They are more practical for applications that need serious torque or rely on large hardware. But, the 12-point socket is the most convenient to use because it is a lot easier to get in position and line up, and a useful option for lighter work.

Alloy steel

The strength and durability of the sockets can vary significantly. One of the most durable choices is alloy steel which is heat forged with several other materials. It is essential to have a reliable material that has the ability to provide long-term service and stands up to the most difficult jobs.

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Circular Saw Vs Table Saw - Pros and Cons

Each type of saw has its pros and cons. The decision to go with either of the two should be arrived at after a comprehensive review of them for so much will depend on how one will use the tool. So when comparing a circular saw vs a table saw, there is not really a right or wrong, it comes down to convenience, speed, power and budget as to which is chosen.

The circular saw which from here on out will be referred to as "Skil-saw", is a power saw that uses a toothed blade or abrasive disc to cut different materials. In the woodworking world, Skil-saw is used to refer to a hand-held electric circular saw designed for cutting wood but with a change in blade, it can be used for cutting other materials. The key advantage of the Skil-saw is its much lighter weight and portability. Some have a built in laser guide to help you make precision cuts. They also come cordless with a lithium-ion battery which makes them even more portable. The major set back for cordless is that it may take hours to get a full charge before using it.

The table saw consist of a circular saw blade mounted to an arbor and driven by an electric motor. The blade protrudes through the surface of a table which provides the needed support for the material being cut. They are normally found in any woodworking shop because usually nothing happens without them. Modern designs are now lightweight and can be place on a table or any other supporting surface. Due to its light weight, it can be lifted and carried to different job locations without too much difficulty.The biggest advantage of the table saw is its ability to cut multiple square pieces and angle cuts to the same exact length and angle with precision each time by simply adjusting the miter fence. I am not saying it can't be done with a Skil-saw but it is much more difficult and requires experience.

So the decision to use one saw or the other comes down to which one a person is more comfortable with. That doesn't make them wrong. As was mentioned earlier there is not a right or wrong one to use. The case could be stated that one is
better to use in certain circumstances but that depends on the person using the saw. What the best saw for me to use may not work for you in a given circumstance. Before you start a project, review what has to be done and choose the saw tha

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Corded and Cordless Tools, Which One Should You Buy?

Probably the biggest advantage of a cordless tool, regardless of type, is its portability. They can go anywhere you go, whether it be the shop, your garage or your yard, without having to find a place to plug it in or being limited to where you can go by the length of the cord. Most of the cordless tools purchased today come with a two battery power pack. When one is low on power just simply replace it with the fully charged one. They are also very compact and can be stored out of the way easily. When you buy them they come in kits so you can normally get a drill, a circular saw, possibly a pin nailer and a flash light, so you really have multiple tools in one.

Lets compare some different tool uses where one might be better than the other. On power drills, if you are drilling a lot of holes in cement that has been aged, the corded hammer drill would be your best choice. Even though there are cordless hammer drills on the market, you would need the continuous power of a corded drill to get the job done in a reasonable length of time.

If you are using a circular saw, it would depend on what you are cutting as to the choice you should make. If you are cross cutting or ripping a 2 x 6 or 2 x 8 and doing a lot of them, then the power of a corded saw would be helpful. On any other type of cutting, either one would do the job well. The same thing would hold true with the reciprocating saw. It would depend on how big of a job you are doing.

Some disadvantages of the cordless tool are the loss of power if you are using it for a long length of time. The cordless tools are heavier and the additional 5 to 8 pounds of weight can put a strain on the body after using it for hours.

A disadvantage of the corded tool is the cord itself. It seems like it is always in the way. You can trip over them or cut them with a saw. These are both safety hazards. Also as mentioned earlier, you are limited to as far as your cord will reach. You have to find a longer extension cord or find another place to plug it in.

The info in this article is strictly the opinion of the writer. It is not meant to infer which tool is best for you. Hopefully this will give you some insight on things you have to consider when buying a corded or cordless tool. I am a home owner and a do it yourself type of person. I have a workshop and have used tools of different types for a long time. To solve the problem for me as to which one I should buy, I have both the corded and cordless tool. Now I just grab which ever one is best suited for the job at hand. If I could only buy or own just one it would be the cordless tool. For the average home owner that would be sufficient for most jobs he would encounter. Again, this is just my opinion.

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Electric Tools or Air Tools, Which One Is Best?

In doing a comparison we are speaking of the corded electric tool, not the cordless. It is in a class of its own. The electric tool is heavier, runs hotter and is normally more expensive than its air tool counter part. It is naturally heavier because of the electric motor and is also the reason it gets hotter. Running an electric tool, even in an air conditioned shop, can get uncomfortable on the hands after a period of time. After using one for several hours, the additional weight and heat can put a strain on the body. The tool itself is generally more expensive than the air tool and is something to consider if you have budgeted yourself.

Advantages of the electric tool are the fact that they are more portable. You can plug it in the shop, in the garage, outside on the lawn or yard. Where ever there is an accessible electric outlet you can use your electric tool. You can take it next door to help your neighbor on a job or to mom's house for a repair. You are not limited to the fact that there isn't a compressor available which would be the case with air tools.

Air tools or pneumatic tools are much lighter because they don't have the electric motor and therefore are much cooler to operate. They also have whatever power you need at your fingertips. With the proper compressor the power of the air tool cannot be matched with an electric tool. There are repair kits available so that you can repair an air tool. Normally if an electric tool goes bad you just have to replace it.

The drawbacks of an air tool are first and foremost the fact that you have to have an air compressor. The initial output for a compressor can be quite expensive. They have to be used in one area where your air hose can reach or you have to lug your compressor from one place to another. This is not practical if you have a large stationary compressor in the garage or shop. Even the smaller pancake versions of compressors can weigh upwards from 50 to 100 pounds. Fittings and air hoses can leak causing the compressor to run more often. There has to be a special fitting to collect moisture from the air or drain the tank after each use. Air tools have to be oiled generally after each use to keep them operating properly and not freeze up.

Considering the advantages and disadvantages of both the air tool and the electric tool, it would be unfair to say which one is the best. If a homeowner only needs a drill to hang a picture on the wall or do a small repair around the house, then the electric drill would be the best for him to use. If he has a shop or a garage that he works out of and does a lot of repair on his car then the air tool would be his best choice. Before anyone can say which one is best you would have to take into consideration what is being done and where.

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Why Get The Best Wood Lathe?

What is a wood lathe? It is wood turning device that lends a shape to a project. This tool spins the wood and sculpts it in a way that a hand held tool like a sandpaper or even a grinder lacks. In a way, a wood machine can provide you more control over your wooden project and helps you shape it the way you perceived it to be. In fact, the best wood lathe can offer you with many options of carving wood into a balance.

Benefits of the best wood lathe
There are two main reasons why people invest in a wood lathe and they are related to productivity. That is correct a standard wood machine can make anything possible and you can have:

Better productivity in regards to your woodwork
It gives you the consistency of a thorough work
You can make anything with it starting from toothpick, bowls, candle stick holder, to baseball bats; it is like sky is the limit
The precision that you can reach is something that no chisel can provide you with
You can adjust chiseling according to your projects
It gives a fine finish, provided you know what tool works best for that and this means you should utilize a parting tool
Safety is a must
Generally speaking, you must follow a procedure that makes sure you keep things safe. How can you do this? Don't worry, you do not have another course for this, but you can make small amendments to defend yourself, when working with the best wood lathe. Here are a few steps that you can develop to uphold the situation:

Get into the habit of inspecting the machine on a regular basis before you start your work
Make sure that the settings and fittings are all secured
The most important thing is to keep the work station and area clean, you need to assure that it is
Another aspect that is considered to play a significant part to maintain safety, is the quality of the wood to be used
Keep the tools sharp, so that they cut through smoothly
Please make certain that the area is lighted well and this should not neglected at all as you need to see clearly while working with a wood lathe
Avoid wearing loose fitted clothes and jewelry like chains are best kept at a bay as they can easily entangled with your wood turning machine
Right gear
Just for your information, we would request all our readers to practice safety while working woodworking tools in general. Working with the best wood lathe is no exception. Make sure that you wear all protective gear and most importantly keep your eyes protected.
In addition to this, keep pets and children off your work station while working or even at rest. This routine will keep your family and pet safe forever because no one likes to play around with the safety of their family. This will ensure safety for all and turn your woodwork into an enjoyable experience. Hope to have a good job with wood la

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The First Cut: How to Use a Scroll Saw

1. Gear up. Anytime you are in a workshop, you should take the proper safety precautions. First, make sure you're not wearing clothing that is baggy or ill-fitting. Tie up your hair if possible or put it under a hat. Put on safety goggles that cover your entire eye area (glasses don't count). If you have respiratory issues, consider wearing a dust mask. If you will be using the saw continuously for more than 10 minutes, wear hearing protection.

2. Take a look. You should always inspect your scroll saw in bright light before starting it. You will want to look for loose screws, stray bits of wood and anything else that seems out of the ordinary. While you're down there, double-check that you have the right blade installed. A spiral blade, which is a twisted blade, will give you 360 degree-control in moving your project. Reverse blades reduce splinters and scroll blades are right for thicker pieces of wood.

3. Get your project. If you haven't already, make sure your wood project is ready to be cut. Double-check all of the lines on the project to make sure that they are in the right place. I usually use pencil for my lines in case I need to change them. Your project should be on a much larger piece of wood than the finished product will be, especially at the beginning when you're still learning how the machine works. Place your project under the workpiece guard, ensuring that it fits snugly.

4. Switch it on. Once you're ready for your scroll saw, turn it on. If it sounds like it's working normally and the blade does not snap, you may proceed. If this isn't your machine, make a test cut on another piece of wood to get the feel for it. Use a higher speed for hardwoods and a slower speed for softwoods.

5. Start cutting. Using gentle pressure and keeping your fingers as far away from the blade as possible, begin slowly guiding your project against the blade. Working slowly and with a gentle pressure is key to your project's success and to keeping your scroll saw's blade intact. At first, you might want to make several large cuts with breaks before attempting smaller cuts.

6. Turn it off. Once you're done with your project or a section of it, immediately turn off the machine. Keeping the machine on could lead to shop accidents.

7. Change the blade. Scroll saws require regular blade changes. You should cede to the manufacturer requirements of your machine while you are a beginner. The blades tend to be held in place by quick-release clamps and a tension mechanism. Do not attempt to change a blade by yourself for the first time. Ask an experienced woodworker to show you how to change the blade and ensure that it is held in place properly. Then have that person supervise you while you change a blade.

8. If you're cutting brass, not wood, use a backer board. Brass is very sharp and full of burrs when cut. If you don't use the board, your project will scratch your table.

9. Cover up mistakes. Did you make a wrong cut somewhere? You might be able to revive your project. If you can, redraw the project slightly smaller the originally intended. If you were working on a reduction block and accidentally cut something out too early, retrace your drawing onto some wood, cut out the item against and put it back on the original item so you can level

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7 Tips For The Best Portable Air Compressors You Can Buy Right Now

With a good portable air compressor, you can make your journey more enjoyable. These machines come in handy when you get a flat tire while on the move and no tire shop is around. You can fill the tire with air with the air compressor while searching for the nearest tire shop. Given below are some tips that may help you choose the best portable air compressor.

1. Size of the machine

If you have a big car, space won't be an issue for you. On the other hand, if you have a small car, we suggest that you get an air compressor that can fit easily in your vehicle. Big machines take up a good deal of space and you won't be able to fit in other things that you may want to carry with you. Therefore, we suggest that you look for a compact compressor.

2. Selection of an air compressor

Nowadays, you can find air compressors made by different companies. Each brand has its own features and specifications. The variety of brands, features and specs make it hard for a common user to make a choice.

The features you should look for when buying the machine are listed below:

A reliable pump and motor
Make sure the product is maintenance free
Air pressure of the pump
Pressure gauge
3. Power supply
Different air compressors come with different power supply adapters. You can find some devices that run on 120 volts. Others run on 240 volts. In a car, you don't have access to a 240 or 120 volt power outlet. All you have is a DC car battery. So, what you need to do is get a DC air compressor.

4. Air hose and other accessories

You may want to consider the space factor when choosing an air hose. Ideally, you should go for a short but high quality pipe for the machine. As far as the accessories are concerned, we suggest that you buy a product that can use standard accessories and tools.

5. Warranty

You may want to get a product that comes with a guarantee. Even limited warranty is better than no warranty. As a matter of fact, warranty is a proof that high quality material has been used in the production of the machine.

6. Customer reviews

If you want to know more about all of the points that we have mentioned above, we suggest that you read customer reviews. This will help you find out if the product can meet your needs. For good and reliable reviews, you may want to check out Amazon reviews.

7. Price

Once you have decided on a brand and other things, your next and final step is to choose a product that is reasonably priced. After all, it's a good idea to save money on buying the stuff you need. Your goal is to get the cheapest but highest quality product.

Long story short, you should consider these 7 tips when buying a portable air compressor for your ca

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Buying Guide for the Best Hammer Drill

When there are thousands of hammer drills available in the market, choosing the right one becomes the toughest job for you. Therefore, it must not be taken lightly.

You have to reflect on the quality, cost, and availability of this device before you label it as the best drill for you. But most importantly you have to ask yourself-

"Does it fulfill my intended requirements?"

Apart from serving on construction sites, a hammer drill offers numerous services in your life. For example, for any DIY (Do it yourself) project, you must have it in your grip.

A drill has the feature of a drill and a hammer which lets you drill holes on concrete surfaces.

When you are looking for the best hammer drill in stores or online shopping sites, you must do research to get the complete idea of the best features of this tools.

We would recommend you buy one from online shopping site people leave their valuable opinions in the comment box. This way you know about all the pros and cons of it.

Moreover, there are thousands of products available in stores and online shops. Therefore, it gets easier to choose the best one for you after comparing their prices and features.

Before making the purchase, you should take a few things into account. You should understand that the best one will provide the most versatility.

And the best drill machine will drill holes fast, make perfect sized holes and perform efficiently. Holding it will grant you a sensation of flexibility, plus, it will have options to drill smaller or bigger holes.

You will stay in safe heaven if you choose the bigger one.

Why?

Because you never know when will have to make a big hole for the greater purpose, but you are left with the option of a small tool.

Of course you will try to push the smaller one with all your force, but in the end, you will end up wrecking your handy hammer drill and then harbor an adverse impression.

Our next question is, which one to choose, corded or cordless hammer drills?

You should be informed that there are other types of hammer drills but these two are the main varieties of such.

Their physical attribute might separate them from one another, but their functions are all similar. However, the cordless drills are more accepted for house purpose than the corded ones.

On the other hand, the corded drills having more power and uninterrupted services are popular in projects.

Another important difference between them is that the former cordless one has portability features for being small in size and having a battery in it. When the latter requires a continuous power supply and hence, has no portable quality. Also, it needs more space than the cordless drill.

A 'personal' advice for you

If you want to be on the safe side while purchasing a hammer drill but you have little knowledge of such tool, we would recommend you to buy one from a renowned company.

As our independent team of experts suggests, Bosch, DeWalt, Hitachi, and Makita are the most famous names in Amazon. You can certainly rely on their build quality, we guarantee.

Apart from this, you can always check on the comments from the users of that particular product and choose the best and right one for you.

We believe our buying guide has been helpful to you and now you know where to look the best and what things to consider prior to making the purchase.

I am an expert on the hammer drill.

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The Drawback Of Meditation

The only drawback of meditation is that to get to the dimension of absolute equanimity and bliss, when we are adults, we need to go through a quite uncomfortable area of consciousness that makes us see everything that revolves inside us, good and bad, until this too falls and we are finally quiet and peaceful.

In children, such a state of pure presence is already in place; it's automatic, and the point is to help them continue to meditate providing a stable framework, structure, and strategy. This, at the same time, helps us re-learning from them the ability to completely stop and rest, without turning off the machine, which means resting without having to go to sleep.

To fall asleep during meditation is one of the classic activities within this practice. When we meditate, if we were too busy during the day, after a few minutes we find ourselves having our head falling; we enter into a state of drowsiness, then sleep takes over and we are left to snore. It often happens; sooner or later, almost each of us find themselves watching their head falling, or hear that nameless snoring sound emerging at first from nowhere.

This clearly provides a quite exceptional rest, because that kind of break - during the hour of meditation - is extremely profound and goes beyond sleep itself; straight to the universal, because when it happens, we are not there to sleep; we are always within an hour of meditation. If we sleep for a few minutes is, therefore, fine; it's perfect. We rest absolutely, completely, and then when we awaken, always within the hour of meditation, we remain most present, stable, centered, and silent until the final gong sounds, determining the end of the time of practice.

It is super fine; everything inside the meditation works for the best. When we have gained a bit more of practice and training, the needed time gets shorter and we can reach to that state of peace and tranquillity just a few minutes after sitting. Then, we are left there to be like kids, able to stop, pause everything, rest, relax, and resume later with our subsequent, and inalienable activities.

The play of meditating, and the play to teaching children to meditate, clearly has to be a play which is already acquired by parents or adults or teachers, who can also be the school teachers of any grade the child is going to take.

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Have You Tried Meditation, But Couldn't Get It to "Stick"?

Lie down and close your eyes. On each inhalation, picture a white light spreading from your heart throughout your body. Picture its soft light providing warmth and healing to each part of you.

Then, on each exhalation, let go of all spent energy.

After a few minutes of breathing, simply rest in the white light and bask in the wondrous feelings, knowing that you have infinite wisdom in every cell of your body.

Sometimes a fear of what meditation will uncover, or even the concern that the meditation is not being done "correctly" can make it hard to start. Of course it's hard to change habits, and we need to honor that and give ourselves only gentle encouragement to change. We can, though, use some of the following to help us along:

Little by little approach:

Start off for a much smaller time than anyone recommends. Like five minutes. Really! Every day. Mornings are usually easier, but whatever time works for you is great. Find a special comfortable place. Most important is that you won't be disturbed; it can even be a car.

Now you may be thinking, yeah, but five minutes?! That's not going to help me. That's not even doing anything. But here's the trick... it's five minutes more than you were doing yesterday. Five minutes more than doing nothing at all. Five minutes to help your body and mind relax and heal. And you can't make any excuses - it's only five minutes. Start with five minutes, and work up to twenty, or whatever feels comfortable for you. If you spend six months at five minutes, that's a great habit formed, and it's still over fifteen hours of healing!

Perhaps it's time to hire some help!

Can you learn to meditate on your own? Sure. It's just a bit easier if someone is there to guide you through it. There is no "right" or "wrong" in meditation, but when thoughts arise (and they will) it is helpful to have someone to discuss them with afterwards. A therapist is especially beneficial if you're struggling with, or have struggled with trauma, abuse, anxiety or depression. Sometimes the images and emotions that arise from a meditation session are not easy to work through on your own. Do not let this dissuade you. It is just an indication that there are things in everyone's past which block our healing today.

My wish for you is that you are able to find the healing you

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Chasing Enlightenment: The Buddha's Secret

The word "enlightenment" is one of those New-Agey, mysterious words that I wanted to understand the moment I heard it. The more I heard about this vague concept of becoming highly spiritual, the more elusive it seemed to be. It was like trying to catch a butterfly: it kept flitting out of reach the more I chased it. In an attempt to understand how each religion believes you become enlightened, I studied it, hoping to catch it. For six months I studied world religions; I even took a college course in world religion. But for me, an academic understanding wasn't enough. I also practiced each tradition in an effort to understand and experience them firsthand.

First I became the humble pupil of a Sufi Master who made me sit on a dirty floor and eat yellow rice with raisins as we stared at each other without speaking for a whole hour... yes, a whole hour. Next I joined a group of "progressive" Muslims, and did the whirling dance with tasseled and devoted Sufis, quietly taking my place in the back row because I was a woman.

I fasted on Ramadon as a Muslim, until my stomach rang out with hunger.

I learned the Talmud's complex daily prayers, and purchased a prayer rug.

I bowed down to the East five times a day, praying with millions of unseen Muslims around the world. I learned from this that Muslims are a devoted and close-knit bunch, but were kind enough to include me.

Next, I tried Buddhism. I built a Buddhist shrine in my living room with statues, offerings and incense, and I meditated for hours... many, many hours. I was secluded and sequestered in silence like a nun, observing my own peculiar monkey mind until after months of intense meditation, it settled down to a dull roar. I studied The Buddha's life-reading so many books on Buddhism that I lost count. Lastly, I read about the Hindu Babas and gurus, and I learned to love them, too. I renunciated the world, and mammon... just as they had. I experienced a mystical state known as Samadhi after practicing transcendental mediation. Finally-something that had the power to whisk me away from my mind. At last! I was on to something... I could feel impending enlightenment.

Alas, it never arrived. After six months of sitting on hard floors, starving myself, praying, meditating, and renunciating, I was haggard. I yearned for a soft bed, a second helping, and the freedom to say "No!" to the 5am call to prayer. Reluctantly, I returned to my egocentric Westernly ways, nearly as confounded as when I began my spiritual journey. It seemed all my seeking had come to nought. Months after I'd put all the asceticism behind me, it occurred to me out of the blue, when I wasn't even thinking about it, how the Buddha had attained enlightenment! The illusive answer had been right in front of me all along... why hadn't I seen it?

The Buddha started out as a wealthy prince who lived in splendor and luxury, but he left his palace to wander the countryside in search of enlightenment. In an effort to humble himself, he was homeless- starving himself, flogging himself, and meditating unceasingly. A wiser ascetic came along and pointed out that all the severe denial and punishment had brought him no closer to God than when he was still eating. I guess he couldn't argue, because Siddhartha, now emaciated, starving and near death, gave in and began to eat one grain of rice at a time, until he regained his strength. Having done all he knew to do to understand God and the nature of reality, The Buddha parked himself under a Bodhi tree. He said to God (paraphrased): 'I will not move until you show me the truth of who you are, and why we are here.' He realized that this might be the hill on which he'd die, but still, he vowed not to move from that spot until the answer came.

For the first time, Siddhartha sat still; he wasn't chasing enlightenment. For the first time, he wasn't chasing after God, but humbly asking God to come find him. For the first time, he was receiving and not "earning" God's attention. By sitting still, the Buddha was making a statement. He was admitting to the one truth he had avoided for so long: that God is unfathomable, and our limited minds will never fully comprehend the Divine. Under that tree, the Buddha waved a silent white flag of surrender, and admitted the truth: that he was a human, and God was God. He humbled himself., admitting in silent resignation that God was unknowable, unfathomable. As he did, it is said that evil spirits came to oppose the Buddha, to attack and frighten him, hoping to move him from beneath the tree, his place of beautiful surrender. He blew out a single breath, and like a mighty wind... pop! The demons were demolished. The Buddha sat still even longer... humbled, small, and completely without answers-until enlightenment, that elusive butterfly, came to alight on his shoulder. The second it landed, he was the all-knowing man, and became what his name means: the awakened one.

The Buddha's secret? Enlightenment found him, while all his striving could not find enlightenment. I realized then I had made the same mistake as the Buddha in my zeal for spirituality: I'd been searching for something that only comes once we are humbled, still, fully human... and surrendered. The day I discovered the Buddha's secret, I stopped chasing enlightenment. Now when asked about how to become more spiritual I recommend, as the Sufi poet Rumi said: "Let the butterflies come to yo

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How To Meditate In Just 3 Minutes

Are you someone who would love to meditate but is just not able to make the time for it? Finding the time to meditate is holding you back from beginning the practice? Maybe you try to carve out the time, but your busy schedule gets in the way! Despite all your good intentions, you simply can't find a free hour to sit down. While extended meditation has its benefits, you can also boost your mindfulness with brief breaks of a few minutes or less. Try these tips for calming your mind on your busiest days.

Take a break! Get Present. Pay attention to your breath as it enters and leaves your nostrils. Follow its path up and down your body. Notice how your abdomen and chest rise and fall when you inhale and exhale deeply.
Do a quick body scan. Slowly scan your body from head to toe. Search for areas of tension in the body. Massage your stiff shoulders or hands as you imagine your breath warming and healing them.
Watch your thoughts as they show up one by one. Check what's on your mind without making any judgements. Allow your mind to slow down. "When there are thoughts, it is distraction: when there are no thoughts, it is meditation." - Ramana Maharshi
Acknowledge your feelings. You can meditate when you are feeling content or when dealing with major stress. Just acknowledge your feelings. Remember that your emotions are temporary and you decide how to respond to any situation.
Focus on something around you. Just lock your eyes with an object around you and while you are looking at it, allow yourself to feel your presence and your being.
Say something inspiring to yourself. Fill your mind with an inspiring saying of your own. Repeat it 3 times.
Bring your mind back. Gently rub your hands till they become warm and place them on your eyes. Now slowly bring your attention back to your surroundings and enjoy being back to a beautiful and wholesome state.
Now that you know how to do a brief meditation, lets look at some ideas on when to do it.

At the traffic signals. Now you can look forward to the red lights. Use the traffic signals and stop signs as a reminder to breathe.
During breaks at work. You can stay mindful and relaxed at work by checking on your mind and body, the same way you check the phone calls and text messages. Ask yourself, "how you are feeling?",while you are looking to see if a friend responded to your last message.
During your workouts. Connect with your mind as you shape up your body. Meditate for a few minutes on the treadmill or at the swimming pool.
First thing in the morning and the last thing at night. Mediate for a few minutes each morning to start your day feeling fresh. Also meditate for a few minutes at night before going to bed, for a deep and relaxed sleeping experience.
While playing with your kids. Mindfulness exercises can be especially beneficial for children. Make your sessions fun by keeping them short and simple. Throw in some yoga poses, singing, and visualizations that will appeal to your child's imagination.
At the queues. Your daily life is probably full of long lines. Next time you are queuing up for a blockbuster movie or at a grocery store, remember that meditation is a great way to help you pass the time.
During commercial breaks. Do you enjoy watching 30 seconds of advertising before you can watch the video you clicked on? Hit the mute button, and enjoy the silence that surrounds you.
When feeling overwhelmed. Do you automatically reach for a donut or a margarita after a rough day? Do you try to soothe yourself with a little retail therapy when feeling exasperated? Meditation could be a healthier and less expensive response to stress.
While instant weight loss products are often disappointing, instant meditation is a miracle worth celebrating! You can enjoy greater peace of mind in just a few minutes a day. Simply dissolve the stress and boost your concentration with a quick meditation session. "Meditation is a way for nourishing and blossoming the divine within you." - Amit R

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10 Scientifically Proved Benefits of Meditation

Many researchers have done work on the changes happening in the brain during meditation. The more people delved deep into the ocean of knowledge on this age-old practice, the more they became interested in that. Many people have started acknowledging the efficacy of this treatment method in stress management. Even the people from Western countries have started to enjoy the benefits of meditation and yoga. As a result, the early learners of this technique have started setting up of their own meditation and yoga centres across length and breadth of the world.

Proven Benefits

People have become aware of its benefits in their lives. Many are coming forward to swear in the name of God that they have benefitted from doing meditation and yoga. Some of them have gone further ahead to find scientific basis for these positive effects in the body. In this article, we will be listing out some proven facts about meditation and yoga. Hence, let us spread the good word about this practice for the benefit of others.

A work done by a research group from the University of Massachusetts Medical School has proved beyond doubt that the meditation helps people to overcome stress.

There was a discussion in the Journal ScienceDaily that meditation improves the creativity in persons.

There was a detailed discussion about research on the relation between meditation and the sexual life of a person in the Journal of Sexual Medicine. The results of this study have brought out the positive effect of meditation on sex life. The story further has revealed that meditation increases libido.

The meditation helps the people to cultivate healthy habits that lead to weight loss. The Journal Emotion has come out with the results of this study.

Harvard Medical School has found out that meditation improves digestion and lowers blood pressure.

The 2009 edition of the Stroke Journal has discussed in detail the reduced risk of heart attack in people who practice meditation.

Meditation helps people to overcome anxiety, depression, anger and confusion. The outcome of this study had come in the Journal Psychosomatic Medicine.

The researchers of the Wake Forest University have also worked on the effects of meditation. The results show that it decreases perception of pain and improves cognitive processing.

It increases your focus and attention. This was found out by a research team from University of Wisconsin-Madison.

It increases the size of your most important organ- your brain! This was found out by a medical research team from Harvard University.
Meditation improves the lives of people and help them lead a healthy lifestyle. People have become so impressed about its positive effects that they have started looking for the scientific bases for these effects. In this article, we would be looking at the effec

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Therapy Singing Bowls and Meditation Bowls

What do you understand by the term meditation?

Meditation is a simple process of releasing your body tension, letting your energy flow in one point direction. Meditation often brings a state of inner peace and calms your mind. If you have had a very long day at work, or simply want to unwind yourself from the daily routine life, then meditating for half an hour would make you feel fresh, instantly.

Meditation has a vibrant effect on your body and mind. It relaxes and calms every nerve and makes you feel quite energetic. Meditation could be anything. A simple pattern of breathing is meditation. Watching and listening to the melodious chirping of the birds in their habitat is also known as meditation.

Once in everyday rhythm of life, a man should meditate. With so much of life's pressure and holding the key responsibility in our lives, we at times, forget to give us a break from the monotony and do a self-introspection. Meditation is another synonym of self-realisation. Many times, we get answers to our unanswered question, by just doing meditation. It works like a therapy. Like said earlier, meditation is of a different kind, a simple session of gardening or playing with your pet is also considered to be attaining inner peace.

Among many people who perform meditation, few of them chant while meditating and some simply, close their eyes and observe their breathing pattern. Many of them especially Buddhist Monks sing, and use Himalayan bowls (cup bowl) as a musical instrument. These instruments create a different kind of ambience, which is quite powerful and also positive. The singing bowls are made of precious metals like gold or even silver. They are also found in copper, iron, and also nickel. These bowls work as a sound healing. The enigmatic chanting process, a paced breathing pattern and the clear and loud sound of the meditating bowls, often provides a sensational therapy to a cluttered mind.

Do you know, in Reiki meditation, singing bowls plays a very vibrant role to soothe your tension and release all the negative energy and transform you into a different personality, all in together? Yes. Indeed it works wonder. The sound of the bowl is produced by hitting softly or gently striking or slowly rubbing the outer surface of the bowl with the help of a wooden striker. These bowls are quite effective when they are used in meditation because they create a vibration frequency. The bowls create a remarkable sound of energy that not only it relaxes your mind but takes your state of mind in a very different direction, which is only possible when you are calm and composed

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Healing the Heart, The Ancient Science of The Sages

Heartbreak and soul searching romantic relationships usually require a lot of tender loving care for the heart, a gentle reminder that you are complete as you are and are not lost in the wilderness of emotions.

Healing the heart takes time and can be aided by many means, the ingenious method used in the ancient days becomes all the more meaningful as we acknowledge that we are beings of energy. Mala beads and yantras together harness the energies that are needed to heal the specific chakra. The energy lines and the conflux of vibrations that are generated through mantra chanting the flow of energy occurs from the universe - the cosmic being to your heart - prana that which is a part of the divine. Gorgeous gem-mala beads, strung by hand with pendants of rudraksha, the seed of Shiva and Hamsa the protection hand, the malas generate double the energy and perk up sad hearts. Gem and color therapies blended to create jewelry that treats all emotional energies of a breakup: nourish and heal a broken heart, as well as honor the love once shared. The chakra mala beads are endearing gifts for a loved one going through an emotional roller coaster of break up. Shiva mala beads, Shakti beads, Krishna mala, Ganesha mala are the perfect way to begin that journey toward a healed heart. Here are few details on this unique ancient secret of the sages:

Sri Yantra and quartz crystal mala with rudraksha pendant jewelry helps to start new beginnings, and encourages the shakti in you out of the slumber of a broken spirit, sad and lost leading to the birth of the new you.

I went through several episodes in my life and each time I would connect to a different mala and mantra as the one resonating with my chakra that needed healing. My deep and personal inspiration was my grandmother who would meditate morning and evening for hours repeating mantras for the well being of our family and her desire to enrich our lives.

Gemstone mala beads combine color and gems with symbolic meanings like the Om pendant, Chakra pendants calm the mind, enhance and fortify healing and are a continuous reminder throughout the day to stay secure with these loving thoughts. The reiki pendants balance the chakras and energize the stream of energy that flows from the root chakra to the crown. Ancient science of the sages in practice today and for many years to come will always be how we balance ourselves with the energies of natu

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Meditation - What? How?

Many of my clients ask me what meditation means, how it is to be practiced? What is it really and what does it involve?

They have visited many Sadhus and Saints and various Yoga gurus and also have attended workshops on meditation and they also confirm that they come back confused and totally misinformed.

Here I have tried to explain what meditation means to me and the way I have experienced it and the way I have enjoyed its consciousness through practice.

I do not recommend anyone to join any mass meditation camp or attend classes (where it is not one to one) to learn it. It is not something you learn through theory or by knowing from someone; you learn it through sincere practice. It is something where you yourself create the atmosphere to meditate, then you practice it on your own; and all this at your convenient time and place; and at your call of knowing it.

What is meditation?

Meditation is to remain unoccupied. What this means is just doing nothing and sitting still. Be calm. Be quiet and just be Yourself.

When you are doing nothing all your energy force moves to the center and it settles down in the center. When you are doing something your energy force moves out. doing something means moving out. Doing nothing and remaining unoccupied is moving in, at the center.

Meditation is to be happy in your own presence. Feeling the presence of God around you. Being happy for just being Yourself, accepting what you are and just be. Its to be delighted and to seek joy in your own being. That's meditation.

Question is how can you be happy if you are doing nothing? where does this delight come from?

It actually comes from nowhere or it actually comes from everywhere. Whenever you are happy, you are happy for no reason, you just feel it that way, you are happy for no reason at all, and whenever you are unhappy, you have some reason to be unhappy - because happiness is what you are actually made of. That is You. And joy is you.

It is very simple - a totally relaxed state of consciousness, where you are doing nothing. The moment you want to do something you become more conscious, you become tense, anxiety enters you, the urge to succeed enters you and the fear of failure seeps in. You actually move in the future.

Meditation is just to be, not doing anything, - no action, no thought, no emotion, you are just yourself. And that is joy accepting the way you are, and acknowledging what you are and being happy about it.

Meditation starts by being separate from the mind, by being a mere spectator, a witness. Not participating in the game you see but just witnessing the game.

Don't do anything. Don't repeat any mantra, don't repeat the name of god - just watch whatever the mind is doing. Do not disturb it, do not prevent it, and do nothing to change it, do not do anything at all. Be a good spectator and this miracle is meditation. As you keep watching your mind becomes empty of thoughts. Emptiness is meditation. When your mind is empty you do not sleep but you become more alert. As the mind becomes empty your whole energy, your whole potential, becomes more evident and bright, and this is meditation.

The initial stage help - If you want to be calm, relaxed, focused, and just be still - start to recite a mantra or name of god if that enables you to concentrate and helps you to remain still - slowly & steadily. Remember that this is to be done initially to help you concentrate and should not become a habit. Later on you should be able to do nothing and be just a witness and watch the miracle called meditation.

Meditation is a state of no mind, no matter, no content. It is a state of pure bliss, of pure being - pure consciousness.

Normally consciousness is too much of rubbish and chaos! The mind is constantly engaged. Thoughts are moving, desires are moving, memories are running haywire, ambitions running riots, worries, anxieties, dreams, everything is just moving and there is so much chaos. Just look at the amount of activity in consciousness - and this happens day in, day out.

Surprisingly even when you are sleeping the mind is active and functioning, its dreaming, it is thinking hard, it is still in worries and anxieties. It is preparing for the future - the next day. It is always in a state of preparedness. This is the state of no meditation.

When there is no chaos or thinking has ceased, no thought moves, no desire stirs, you are utterly silent - that silence, tranquility is meditation. And in that silence the ultimate truth is known and never otherwise. So meditation is simply a state of no-mind.

Try understanding this. What they teach you in class rooms or camps - the exercises you do involve the chakras, exercises you do involve the breath, pranayam, chanting, these are disciplines and they are not meditation.

Meditation is the awareness of that "I am". When you are aware of what you are, and that goes deeper and deeper in you, slowly slowly, a few moments arrive, moments of silence, moments of pure space, moments of will know who you are, and you will know what the mystery of this existence is. Whats the purpose of You? Your existence.

Sit silently. Doing nothing. Let the rains come. Let the grass grow by itself!

With grace and peac

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The Wandering Mind

Do you think about things that are not connected with what is happening around you? Do you awaken with a snatch of memory about something that happened to you in the past, or have you lived in your mind an imaginative future life event? Welcome to the world of the wandering mind. Many people experience this phenomenon. But, what does it mean?

The simple answer is that we do not fully understand what it means, but there are many opinions about it. Some believe that a wandering mind is the mind that plans, creates, and acts on those plans. Others condemn the mind wanderers as unfocused, distracted, and unhappy because they mentally escape what is happening to them now. We don't know if a mind wanders as a consequence, of being unhappy, depressed, bored, afraid, or if it happens because we were prevented from doing what we want to do. Some studies show that even while people are happy and doing something that they really like to do, their minds wander while they "live in the now."

So, if mind wandering is not a consequence of human emotions, can it cause consequences? You bet it can. When your mind wanders while you drive your car, you are not paying full attention to driving. The chance of your having an automobile accident increases as surely as if you were texting, talking with a passenger, giving in to road rage with another driver, or if you are under the influence of alcohol or a drug. While driving your car on a journey, have you suddenly realized that you do not recall the last ten minutes of the trip? You can't recall that time because you were not mentally there. Your mind wandered while you drove the car!

We humans possess senses, and as we age, we have experiences. Our mind puts thought into what we sense and experience. It is said that minds of non-human animals are spent entirely on thinking about their need to eat, get water, to defecate, procreate, to have shelter, and to have the companionship of others of their kind. Humans do that too, but humans also aspire to create beyond those activities, and some humans conspire to take from others. Thus, our minds think about morality (good and evil).

What happens to you emotionally when your mind wanders excessively? Too much of anything, including mind wandering, must have a consequence, but you have to decide if that consequence is good (enhanced creativity) or bad (your mind leads you away from happiness). If you decide that your mind wandering is harmful to your health or happiness, how do you make your mind stop it, a

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An Introduction to the Benefits of Meditation

If you don't have ten minutes, you don't have a life"

Tony Robbins

Many people wonder about the secret recipe that is needed to become the best version of themselves. Some believe it is the 'what if' trap, in which they say, "what if I had x or y, then I could be happy, fulfilled or become the best version of myself " and this couldn't be further from the truth. Honestly, there is no secret recipe, but there is something that can help - a particular skill set that when practiced 10-15 minutes daily can dramatically impact your life. By using this simple discipline, you can reduce your anxiety, ego, and self-defeating thoughts and increase your awareness.

About 4 years ago at the age of 17, I began to experiment with mind control, thought experiments and really tried to incorporate discipline into my life. I have always believed in routines and structure and always tried to incorporate them into my daily living, without much success of course. But, as I dug deeper and found out more; I came across this beautiful tool called meditation. In my eyes, meditation was for the 'woo woo' type people in the world, the ones without much direction and the ones lacking in motivation. I believed it was for the kinds of people that had so much time on their hands that they had nothing better to be doing. Needless to say, I was wrong. Meditation or a meditative practice is a tool that over 80% of highly successful people do on a daily basis according to Tim Ferriss' Podcast. Meditation is like medicine, but a preventative medicine, one that helps mitigate things that you once looked at as difficult, stressful or painful. The simple act of meditation is the ability to be totally present and in the moment.

Let me ask you a question. Have you ever been engaged? Like fully engaged? So engaged you're not thinking about anything else. Perhaps this has happened when you're making love, at a party with old friends, playing a game of football or watching a movie. Your state was so alert but yet it had a calm focus, not analyzing, not judging, just simply being and engaging in whatever you were doing? That engaged state is the peak state that would be so blissful if we could only access it more often. Imagine living a life that is lived more in the moment, less focused on the past and less lost in the future - a life that is free from the boundaries of your once limiting mind. Imagine the things you could do, the experiences you could have and the happiness you could feel.

The mind is one of the most powerful computers in the world, but we access very little of it. Imagine a life that is free from mental addiction and spent in a much less reactive emotional swirl. Meditation can help you achieve all of this? Of course, you won't sit for ten minutes with your legs crossed on the floor and all of a sudden you're the Dali Lama, but what you will begin to do is notice yourself from a distance. Through a disciplined practice, you can cultivate the qualities of your heroes, literally.

How Meditation Has Helped Me

I have always been a reactive kind of guy. Although I have always loved planning, structure and routines, they usually went out the window after a matter of days or weeks. But with the simple discipline of consistent meditating, I have been able to lessen the pain of the negative narrative in my mind and I have been able to take responsibility for my actions, often holding myself accountable when nobody else is around. Through meditation, I have been able to self-analyze in situations that once would've ended in a flurry of harsh words or maybe even blows. Meditation has helped me notice myself from the third person and see "oh, Daniel is getting angry", from which I can then take the necessary steps to mitigate this. Meditation has helped me change my state to one that is less reactive and more present state aware.

In the past few years, a study came out called the 'Wandering Mind'. This study from Harvard researched and collected data from 2,250 people using an app. They people had to say what activity they were doing, how the activity correlated to their current happiness and if they were thinking about that activity when they were actually doing it. What they found was astonishing - they concluded that people spend about 46% of their time thinking about something other than what they're doing in that moment i.e. they are not present.

As you may now be aware, meditation is not only a preventative medicine for the mind and body, it can also help your perceptions of how the world works. Meditation can help you understand that life works from an inside out basis - hence why everything we ever see or perceive is made up by our biases, morals, view of the world etc. We only see what we want to see and we notice what we allow ourselves to notice - meditation will allow you expand your consciousness and awareness to such a degree that you will be living life from a much more understanding and calm place. You will be living life from the inside out mentality in which you know that you are in control of how you perceive life.

Useful Links

This, short morsel is an introduction to meditation. If you're eager to start immediately, please do. There are some guided meditations online that beginners may find beneficial. Some of the ones I have used are guided meditations by Sam Harris, a TED Talk by Andy Puddicomb and Headspace. Headspace is a guided meditation app in which you can do ten days of free meditation, called take ten. It is simply ten minutes per day for ten days serves as an introduction to meditation.

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Meditation and Its Benefits

Meditation is all about the relaxation of the mind. It's not about concentration, it's actually about de-concentration. It's not about focusing one's thought on one thing, but instead of becoming thoughtless and out of the world.

What are the benefits of meditation?
• Increased intelligence
• Benefits to students
• Work efficiency
• Creativity and problem-solving
• Access to higher level of consciousness
• Positive emotions and well- being
• Business leadership and management skills
• Personal relationship
• Glowing skin
• Good sleep
• Brain coherence

Benefits of meditation for students
• Greater confidence
• More focus and clarity
• Better health
• More mental strength and energy
• Greater variety of thought

Health benefits of meditation

With meditation, the physiology undergoes a change and every cell in the body is filled with more energy. This results in joy, peace, enthusiasms as the level of energy in the body increases

On a physical level, meditation
• Lower high blood pressure, lowers level of blood lactate, reduces anxiety attacks
• Decreases any tension related problem such as headaches, ulcers, muscle and joints pains
• Increases serotonin production that improves moods and behavior
• Increases the energy level, as inner source of energy

Mental benefits of meditation

Meditation brings the Zig-Zag pattern into a stable state that promotes healing. The mind becomes fresh, delicate, and beautiful. It cleanses and nourishes one from within and calms you, whenever one feels overwhelmed, unstable, or emotionally shut down.
• Anxiety decreases
• Emotional stability improves
• Gain clarity with positiveness in mind
• Happiness increase
• Problem becomes smaller
• A sharp mind without expansion causes tension, anger, and frustration
• The balance of a sharp mind and expanded consciousness brings perfection

Meditation makes you aware that your inner attitude determines your happiness

Spiritual benefits of meditation

Meditation doesn't have a religion and can be practiced by anyone regardless of the faith they follow
• Effortless transition from being something to merging with the infinite and recognizing yourself as an inseparable part of the whole cosmos
• In the meditative state, one is in the state of vastness, calmness and joy what one can emit into the environment bringing harmony to the creation
• Meditation can bring about a true perfect transformation, on and from this one can start discovering more about himself.

To experience the benefits of the meditation, regular practice is necessary. It takes a few minutes every day. One imbibed into the daily routine meditation become the best part.

Meditation is like a seed. When one cultivate a seed with love, the more it blossom. Busy people from all backgrounds are grateful to pause and enjoy refreshing minutes of meditation each day. Dive deep into yourself and enrich your life with meditation.

Meditation is not only a preventive medicine for the mind or the body; it can also help your perception of how the world works. Meditation can help you understand that life works from an inside out basis.

Sahil Prajapati is a passionate content writer who loves to write blog

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Meditation and Buddhism Connection

3Meditation alone is not attached to a religion or any particular practice. It is an exercise to change the way the mind is working consciously. Meditation is used as a way of self-development to gain control over one's acts. It also has therapeutic applications.

Buddhist practice uses meditation as the way to connect to our inner self to look for enlightenment and reach the Nirvana. For Buddhism, the Nirvana is the state of liberation where you reach the perfect freedom, happiness, quietude and realization.

Meditation and Buddhist practices are closed related. More and more meditation practices are taking Buddhism principles to improve their techniques and reach mindfulness. In the following lines, we will explore four different types of modern meditation techniques and how they are related to Buddhism in the contemporary world.

Reflective Meditation

In Buddhist practices, reflective meditation is related to the temporariness and how everything is interconnected. It also is used as part of their improving practice of faith. For faith practices, the concentration is led towards Buddha's qualities. To try to emulate them is part of the meditation process.

For reflective meditation alone, the practice is diverse. At first, you should be concentrating on a particular theme, but as the experience continues, it can lead to other paths. The whole experience should be freely practiced, and the learning comes from the ground covered in the meditation state.

Receptive Meditation

The Metta Bhavana practice is related to breathing techniques. The whole point of being receptive is to achieve the right balance to guide the experience and still perceive what is arising throughout the process.

There is a tradition called Dzogchen which comes from Tibetan practitioners. It is the perfect example of receptive meditation. Unlike other meditation techniques, the person should sit with open eyes. The whole point is to set calm, while you are aware of what is happening around you. The challenge is to stay still, not just the body, but also the mind. A receptive meditation is about knowing all that happens around you but not judging or interferes, even in your thoughts.

The Tibetan technique is meant to get awareness of the present moment, and how the meditator is deeply connected to it. It is supposed to understand the implication of just being.

Modern receptive meditations use these practices to gain awareness of the surroundings. Although most people generally chooses a peaceful and quiet landscape for receptive meditation to connect with nature, it can be practiced under any circumstances.

Generative Meditation

Tonglen, Metta Sutta, and Metta Bhavana are some examples of Generative Meditation on Buddhist tradition. They are all related to love, suffering, and compassion.

Tonglen practice is specifically meant to develop breathing techniques. Breathing in is related to feel the suffering of others. Breathing out is intended to purify the white light. It is a complete cycle to cultivate kindness and empathy with others. Tonglen techniques are mostly practiced in the Tibet area, but the principle has extended to other places recently.

The Metta Sutta is a meditation practice based on one of the Buddhist discourses contained in the Pali Canon. It refers to how a mother has a limitless heart to protect the life of her only child. As the loving mother, one should develop goodwill for everything. A great heart is an ultimate goal to emulate the mother of the story.

The Metta Bhavana uses the imagination to cultivate an attitude of affectionate compassion. To become aware of the body impressions is part of the process to gain compassion. It is a process that contains five phases. During the first phase, you have to pick an image or phrase. It should be a positive statement to repeat like a mantra. The Metta is repeated towards yourself. Then, it is the turn to share good feelings with a friend. Again, a loving phrase or image should be repeated towards that friend. Up to here, it is an easy and straightforward process.

The third phase of Metta Bhavana requires further efforts. You are meant to think of some random people you have no particular feelings. Again, you have to think of a phrase or image to send towards this person. After successfully sending good will to a neutral person, you have to think of somebody you dislike for the fourth phase. As harsh as it seems at first, you have to send him good will. It has to come honestly from the bottom of your heart. On the fifth and last phase, you close up the cycle thinking of good feelings for the four people you've to think of before. First are you, then your friend, then the neutral people and at last the person you dislike.

The whole process of Metta Bhavana will help to develop a kind attitude. The generation of good feelings for everybody is the base of this sort of meditation. Modern practitioners use Generative Meditation to heal psychological pains. The process of forgiveness is endured through meditation until people can honestly get peace of mind.

Concentrative Meditation

Concentrative meditation is the most common meditation type. Tantric Buddhist practices around the world can be classified as concentrative meditation.

For purely Buddhist practitioners, concentration is meant to see Buddha images. The forms get more complex as the practitioner advances. While viewing the images, there are mantras and other sacred sounds to repeat continuously.

Buddhists give a deep and special meaning to the combination of Buddha's images and mantras. They are beyond an object of concentration. Depending on the purpose, meditation can lead to different states of mind. The objective is to reach Dhyana.

The non-Buddhist practitioners use concentrative meditation to calm down and get a concentrated state. The most common object to focus is breath. By concentrating on our breathing process, it is easier to relax and get control of the body and mind. After becoming conscious of the breathing process, you have to focus on everything surrounding your breathing. The sensations of

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Meditation and Buddhism Connection

Meditation alone is not attached to a religion or any particular practice. It is an exercise to change the way the mind is working consciously. Meditation is used as a way of self-development to gain control over one's acts. It also has therapeutic applications.

Buddhist practice uses meditation as the way to connect to our inner self to look for enlightenment and reach the Nirvana. For Buddhism, the Nirvana is the state of liberation where you reach the perfect freedom, happiness, quietude and realization.

Meditation and Buddhist practices are closed related. More and more meditation practices are taking Buddhism principles to improve their techniques and reach mindfulness. In the following lines, we will explore four different types of modern meditation techniques and how they are related to Buddhism in the contemporary world.

Reflective Meditation

In Buddhist practices, reflective meditation is related to the temporariness and how everything is interconnected. It also is used as part of their improving practice of faith. For faith practices, the concentration is led towards Buddha's qualities. To try to emulate them is part of the meditation process.

For reflective meditation alone, the practice is diverse. At first, you should be concentrating on a particular theme, but as the experience continues, it can lead to other paths. The whole experience should be freely practiced, and the learning comes from the ground covered in the meditation state.

Receptive Meditation

The Metta Bhavana practice is related to breathing techniques. The whole point of being receptive is to achieve the right balance to guide the experience and still perceive what is arising throughout the process.

There is a tradition called Dzogchen which comes from Tibetan practitioners. It is the perfect example of receptive meditation. Unlike other meditation techniques, the person should sit with open eyes. The whole point is to set calm, while you are aware of what is happening around you. The challenge is to stay still, not just the body, but also the mind. A receptive meditation is about knowing all that happens around you but not judging or interferes, even in your thoughts.

The Tibetan technique is meant to get awareness of the present moment, and how the meditator is deeply connected to it. It is supposed to understand the implication of just being.

Modern receptive meditations use these practices to gain awareness of the surroundings. Although most people generally chooses a peaceful and quiet landscape for receptive meditation to connect with nature, it can be practiced under any circumstances.

Generative Meditation

Tonglen, Metta Sutta, and Metta Bhavana are some examples of Generative Meditation on Buddhist tradition. They are all related to love, suffering, and compassion.

Tonglen practice is specifically meant to develop breathing techniques. Breathing in is related to feel the suffering of others. Breathing out is intended to purify the white light. It is a complete cycle to cultivate kindness and empathy with others. Tonglen techniques are mostly practiced in the Tibet area, but the principle has extended to other places recently.

The Metta Sutta is a meditation practice based on one of the Buddhist discourses contained in the Pali Canon. It refers to how a mother has a limitless heart to protect the life of her only child. As the loving mother, one should develop goodwill for everything. A great heart is an ultimate goal to emulate the mother of the story.

The Metta Bhavana uses the imagination to cultivate an attitude of affectionate compassion. To become aware of the body impressions is part of the process to gain compassion. It is a process that contains five phases. During the first phase, you have to pick an image or phrase. It should be a positive statement to repeat like a mantra. The Metta is repeated towards yourself. Then, it is the turn to share good feelings with a friend. Again, a loving phrase or image should be repeated towards that friend. Up to here, it is an easy and straightforward process.

The third phase of Metta Bhavana requires further efforts. You are meant to think of some random people you have no particular feelings. Again, you have to think of a phrase or image to send towards this person. After successfully sending good will to a neutral person, you have to think of somebody you dislike for the fourth phase. As harsh as it seems at first, you have to send him good will. It has to come honestly from the bottom of your heart. On the fifth and last phase, you close up the cycle thinking of good feelings for the four people you've to think of before. First are you, then your friend, then the neutral people and at last the person you dislike.

The whole process of Metta Bhavana will help to develop a kind attitude. The generation of good feelings for everybody is the base of this sort of meditation. Modern practitioners use Generative Meditation to heal psychological pains. The process of forgiveness is endured through meditation until people can honestly get peace of mind.

Concentrative Meditation

Concentrative meditation is the most common meditation type. Tantric Buddhist practices around the world can be classified as concentrative meditation.

For purely Buddhist practitioners, concentration is meant to see Buddha images. The forms get more complex as the practitioner advances. While viewing the images, there are mantras and other sacred sounds to repeat continuously.

Buddhists give a deep and special meaning to the combination of Buddha's images and mantras. They are beyond an object of concentration. Depending on the purpose, meditation can lead to different states of mind. The objective is to reach Dhyana.

The non-Buddhist practitioners use concentrative meditation to calm down and get a concentrated state. The most common object to focus is breath. By concentrating on our breathing process, it is easier to relax and get control of the body and mind. After becoming conscious of the breathing process, you have to focus on everything surrounding your breathing. The sensations of the air filling your lungs and leaving your body are next. To focus your attention can lead to deep concentration states

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Anxious? Irritable? Trouble Sleeping? Turn Your Vagus On!

What do anxiety, irritability, indigestion, and sleeplessness have in common?

If you said stress, you're on the right track. More specifically, they all result from a lack of Vagus activity. No, not that kind of Vegas. This kind of Vagus is absolutely essential to your health and well-being.

In this article, you'll learn why your Vagus nerve is so critical and how to activate it to calm your nerves, rest and digest better, and support your body's natural healing powers.

Your Vagus nerve connects your brain with your heart, gut, and all your internal organs. In fact, its influence is so pervasive that it has been called "the captain" of your parasympathetic nervous system-which is your body's natural relax, rebuild, and repair response team.

Proper functioning of your Vagus nerve keeps chronic inflammation in check, putting the brakes on all major diseases. It regulates your heart-beat, maximizing heart rate variability which is a major marker for heart health. And, it signals your lungs to breathe deeply, taking in the oxygen that replenishes your vital energy.

Your Vagus nerve also translates vital information from your gut to your brain, giving you gut instincts about what is beneficial or harmful for you. Then, it helps you consolidate memories, so you remember important information as well as your good intentions.

Finally, your Vagus nerve releases acetylcholine which counters the adrenaline and cortisol of your stress response, and activates your body's natural Relaxation Response, so that you can relax, rest, and let go.

So, now you have a picture of why activating your Vagus nerve is so critical.

The problem is that our current culture encourages us to be so hyper-busy, so hyper-stimulated, that we run in stress mode pretty much all the time, without even knowing it. We are so used to stimulation, that we don't know what true relaxation feels like, much less how to do it.

Instead of practicing a natural rhythm between activity and rest, we are hyper-active. And, we are so conditioned this way that we feel guilty if we're not always doing something or bored if we're not being stimulated and entertained!

As a result, anxiety, irritability, and sleeplessness are constant companions. This prevents us from resting deeply and sets us on the path for chronic illnesses, such as cancer.

So, how can we break this dangerous pattern?

Fortunately, your body is highly-resilient. It is just waiting for you to activate your natural balance-and that is as close as a few slow, deep breaths away.
When you breathe slowly and deeply, your Vagus nerve is activated. It sends calming signals that slow your brainwaves and heart-rate, and set in motion all the rest and repair mechanisms of your body's natural Relaxation Response.

So, slow deep breathing is vitally important. But, there's an issue. Living in constant stress mode promotes a pattern of restricted, rapid, shallow breathing.

So, slow deep breathing may take a little practice. Here's a great way to do that:

A Simple Deep Breathing Meditation:

Lie on your back and lightly close your eyes. Rest your hands, one on top of the other, on your lower abdomen.

As you inhale, allow your lower abdomen to gently rise, as if it is filling up with your breath. As you exhale, allow your lower abdomen to relax downwards, as if it is emptying out.

Settle into a nice easy rhythm, lightly following your breath, as your abdomen gently rises and falls. See if it's possible not to force this to happen, but to just pay attention as it happens naturally, easily, effortlessly.

As you continue, see if you can notice the moment you begin to inhale and follow it all the way until you naturally pause. Then, notice the moment you begin to exhale and follow it all the way until it you naturally pause.

Enjoy this soothing rhythm for at least a few minutes-and then notice how good you feel.

If you can, go ahead and give this a try right now, so you experience it for yourself...

You can practice this simple deep breathing meditation once a day to release the stress of the day and the layers of tension accumulated from the past. You can do it lying in bed at night before sleep, to prepare your body to rest deeply.

In no time at all, you'll have reset your body's natural balance, and this will translate into living a more balanced, happy, and peaceful life

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3 Keys to Calm, Tension-Free Energy

Today humans are subject to more nervous system stimulation than ever before. You can probably feel that in your own nervous system-perhaps as a slight edginess, uneasiness, or maybe as bouts of full-blown overwhelm.

Whether it's being stuck in more traffic, increasing pressures to get more done in less time, incessant advertising, the drive to be constantly entertained, or the demands on our attention from email, texts, and social media, our attention is bombarded from countless directions with little respite.

It's no wonder we suffer record rates of high-blood pressure, anxiety, and depression, not to mention heart attacks and cancer. As a global culture we are addicted to excessive external stimulation.

Fortunately, there's much we can do to handle this over-stimulation. Over my 30 years teaching T'ai Chi, Qigong, Reiki, and meditation, I've discovered there are three keys to restoring our natural balance of calm, tension-free energy.

1. Activate Your Body's Natural Relaxation Response

Our bodies are made to function in a natural rhythm between stimulation and relaxation, activity and recovery. We seem to have mastered the first part, and are severely deficient in valuing and practicing the second.

In fact, we've gone so far off the spectrum on the stimulation side of things that we may not even realize how stressed and over-stimulated we are. Our bodies can be in such a constant state of "shock," that our finer senses become numb and we only feel intense rushes of adrenalin.

However, at a certain point, our bodies must give in. Inevitably, we crash. And, we start looking for ways to recover.

It's at such moments when we look to activities like yoga, t'ai chi, and meditation to help us regain our balance. These activities activate our bodies natural "Relaxation Response. " This calms our nervous system, brainwaves, heart-rate, and respiration and enables our natural repair mechanisms to come online.

It's absolutely essential for physical and mental-emotional health that you consciously activate your body's natural relaxation response on a daily basis. This is different from just passing out and suffering through a restless sleep.

When you consciously activate your body's Relaxation Response while awake, you begin to change how your nervous system functions. You shift out of perpetual stress mode, into that healthy rhythmic balance.

A simple way to do this is to find a comfortable position in a quiet, private environment, close your eyes to shut out visual stimulation, and focus on sensations inside your body, such as the sensations of your breathing. Doing this for even a few minutes will begin to calm you down.

2. Release Tension Stored in Your Body

Consciously activating the Relaxation Response and calming your nervous system is step one. Yet, it is just the beginning. You see, years of accumulated stress have become stored in your body.

So, once you have focused inside and calmed down a bit, you will likely begin to notice signs of accumulated tension. This could come in the form of busy thoughts, uncomfortable feelings, muscle tightness, or pain.

It's not that these things weren't happening before. You were just so focused on the outer world that you didn't notice. Once you focus inside, what's happening in your inner world comes to the fore-such as all the tension stored there.

Which brings us to the second key: Releasing the layers of tension from your body.
The secret to doing this is to notice whatever is going on inside with calm, relaxed, non-judgmental awareness. See if you can notice thoughts, feelings, and tensions without judging them as "bad," just "witnessing" and accepting them.

As you practice non-judgmentally witnessing what's happening inside, tensions naturally begin to relax and release.

3. Adopt an Attitude that Supports Positive Energy Flow

Once you've calmed down and begun to peel away the layers of tension, you'll begin to feel a little lighter, a little less stressed, and a little more free.

You can build on this feeling and grow it by adopting an attitude that supports positive energy flow. It's really pretty simple.

What if you took a moment to appreciate and be grateful for the fact that you took a break and allowed yourself to relax and let go?

Appreciation and gratitude raise your vibration and allow your energy to flow more strongly. They shift your inner state so that you welcome the opportunity that is available in the moment, rather than always rushing to get somewhere else. They support you to slow down a bit and notice the good things in life, rather than rushing past them on your quest to get everything done.

How might your life be different if you took a break at least once a day to consciously activate your Relaxation Response, release tension from your mind and body, and adopt an attitude of Appreciation and Gratitude for what you have and what is present right now?

Can you imagine what it would be like to live from such a state of calm, tension-free energy?

For a simple technique to get you started, check out the Resource Box below.

Enjoy your practice!

Are you ready to live from a place of calm, tension-free energy?

Read More

3 Keys to Calm, Tension-Free Energy

Today humans are subject to more nervous system stimulation than ever before. You can probably feel that in your own nervous system-perhaps as a slight edginess, uneasiness, or maybe as bouts of full-blown overwhelm.

Whether it's being stuck in more traffic, increasing pressures to get more done in less time, incessant advertising, the drive to be constantly entertained, or the demands on our attention from email, texts, and social media, our attention is bombarded from countless directions with little respite.

It's no wonder we suffer record rates of high-blood pressure, anxiety, and depression, not to mention heart attacks and cancer. As a global culture we are addicted to excessive external stimulation.

Fortunately, there's much we can do to handle this over-stimulation. Over my 30 years teaching T'ai Chi, Qigong, Reiki, and meditation, I've discovered there are three keys to restoring our natural balance of calm, tension-free energy.

1. Activate Your Body's Natural Relaxation Response

Our bodies are made to function in a natural rhythm between stimulation and relaxation, activity and recovery. We seem to have mastered the first part, and are severely deficient in valuing and practicing the second.

In fact, we've gone so far off the spectrum on the stimulation side of things that we may not even realize how stressed and over-stimulated we are. Our bodies can be in such a constant state of "shock," that our finer senses become numb and we only feel intense rushes of adrenalin.

However, at a certain point, our bodies must give in. Inevitably, we crash. And, we start looking for ways to recover.

It's at such moments when we look to activities like yoga, t'ai chi, and meditation to help us regain our balance. These activities activate our bodies natural "Relaxation Response. " This calms our nervous system, brainwaves, heart-rate, and respiration and enables our natural repair mechanisms to come online.

It's absolutely essential for physical and mental-emotional health that you consciously activate your body's natural relaxation response on a daily basis. This is different from just passing out and suffering through a restless sleep.

When you consciously activate your body's Relaxation Response while awake, you begin to change how your nervous system functions. You shift out of perpetual stress mode, into that healthy rhythmic balance.

A simple way to do this is to find a comfortable position in a quiet, private environment, close your eyes to shut out visual stimulation, and focus on sensations inside your body, such as the sensations of your breathing. Doing this for even a few minutes will begin to calm you down.

2. Release Tension Stored in Your Body

Consciously activating the Relaxation Response and calming your nervous system is step one. Yet, it is just the beginning. You see, years of accumulated stress have become stored in your body.

So, once you have focused inside and calmed down a bit, you will likely begin to notice signs of accumulated tension. This could come in the form of busy thoughts, uncomfortable feelings, muscle tightness, or pain.

It's not that these things weren't happening before. You were just so focused on the outer world that you didn't notice. Once you focus inside, what's happening in your inner world comes to the fore-such as all the tension stored there.

Which brings us to the second key: Releasing the layers of tension from your body.
The secret to doing this is to notice whatever is going on inside with calm, relaxed, non-judgmental awareness. See if you can notice thoughts, feelings, and tensions without judging them as "bad," just "witnessing" and accepting them.

As you practice non-judgmentally witnessing what's happening inside, tensions naturally begin to relax and release.

3. Adopt an Attitude that Supports Positive Energy Flow

Once you've calmed down and begun to peel away the layers of tension, you'll begin to feel a little lighter, a little less stressed, and a little more free.

You can build on this feeling and grow it by adopting an attitude that supports positive energy flow. It's really pretty simple.

What if you took a moment to appreciate and be grateful for the fact that you took a break and allowed yourself to relax and let go?

Appreciation and gratitude raise your vibration and allow your energy to flow more strongly. They shift your inner state so that you welcome the opportunity that is available in the moment, rather than always rushing to get somewhere else. They support you to slow down a bit and notice the good things in life, rather than rushing past them on your quest to get everything done.

How might your life be different if you took a break at least once a day to consciously activate your Relaxation Response, release tension from your mind and body, and adopt an attitude of Appreciation and Gratitude for what you have and what is present right now?

Can you imagine what it would be like to live from such a state of calm, tension-free energy?

For a simple technique to get you started, check out the Resource Box below.

Enjoy your practice!

Are you ready to live from a place of calm, tension-free energy?

Read More

Overlooked Cause of Anxiety, Depression, Migraines, Heart Attacks, And Cancer

1What if true relief from stress, anxiety, and depression could never be found in a pill? What if the cure for migraines, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer could never be found in drugs, surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy?

What if the billions of dollars that we spend on the application of surgical and pharmaceutical cures is simply managing symptoms, while the root of our mental-emotional and physical ills evades us? What if we are failing to address the true cause?

Whether you're aware of it or not, it's likely you have a bias toward seeing everything in terms of physical cause and effect. In fact, this bias may be so ingrained, that you wonder what other possibility exists. After all, isn't this what we've learned from science over the past several centuries?

What if this "reduction of everything to material causes" is simply a bias-and one that discounts the very source of mental-emotional stress and all kinds of illness? What if, instead, physical symptoms appear after they have manifested from a more primary layer of your being? What if treating this more primary layer could result in real cures?

In fact, this view is not all that far out. It has been recognized and documented for centuries in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Ayurvedic medicine, as well as in healing traditions such as Qigong and Reiki.

In all these disciplines it is recognized that the source of illness lies in the energetic dimension and it is communicated through to the physical within the bio-chemical, electro-magnetic, and connective tissue systems of your body.

Before you think that we're talking about placebos and pseudo-science, did you know that Reiki is now accepted as complementary treatment in more than 800 hospitals in the U.S. alone? This is because it works.

Reiki has well-documented research showing that it improves patient sleep by 86 percent, reduces pain by 78 percent, and reduces anxiety by as much as 94 percent. In addition, it has been shown to increase speed of healing by as much as 50 percent. Pretty remarkable for a simple form of "energy work."

O.K. so how does it work?

Reiki, Qigong, TCM, and Ayurvedic medicine begin by seeing the body as an expression of a more primary subtle energy system. Health is the result of the smooth free-flow of subtle energy through the energy body. Disease begins with the disruption of energy flow, with some blockage or tension that causes energy to become stagnant.

The cause of energy disruptions can be physical injuries which cause "emotional shock" such as from a car accident or, more commonly, they are the result of tensions caused by mental stress and emotional trauma. When tension and stress overwhelm our ability to handle them well in the moment, they become stored as tension in your "energy body." These tensions disrupt energy flow. Left unresolved, over time, this is the seed from which illness grows-whether that is chronic anxiety, depression, migraines, digestive issues, heart attack, or cancer.

Subtle energy techniques aim to recognize, relax, and release that tension and restore the smooth flow of vital energy. This in turn enables your body's own self-healing mechanisms to come back online so your body can heal itself.

Now, this doesn't mean that there is never a use for drugs or surgery. These can be vital and life-saving first measures. These can manage immediate life-threatening symptoms. However, to facilitate true healing, we must work on an energetic level to restore the free flow of energy which characterizes good health.

What if you could learn to access this subtle energetic layer to facilitate your own health and well-being on a daily basis? What if doing this could release layers of tension that have accumulated in your energy body over the years, dragging down your energy, mood, health, and vitality?

That is the promise of energy meditation. Whether it's through T'ai Chi, Qigong, Yoga, Reiki, or another energy-based technique, this is a powerful path to release tension and stress, overcome mental-emotional blocks, and put your body on a path of true healing. You can learn more in the Resource Box below.

Enjoy your practice!

Want to get to the root cause of stress, anxiety, illness, and

Read More

Overlooked Cause of Anxiety, Depression, Migraines, Heart Attacks, And Cancer

What if true relief from stress, anxiety, and depression could never be found in a pill? What if the cure for migraines, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer could never be found in drugs, surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy?

What if the billions of dollars that we spend on the application of surgical and pharmaceutical cures is simply managing symptoms, while the root of our mental-emotional and physical ills evades us? What if we are failing to address the true cause?

Whether you're aware of it or not, it's likely you have a bias toward seeing everything in terms of physical cause and effect. In fact, this bias may be so ingrained, that you wonder what other possibility exists. After all, isn't this what we've learned from science over the past several centuries?

What if this "reduction of everything to material causes" is simply a bias-and one that discounts the very source of mental-emotional stress and all kinds of illness? What if, instead, physical symptoms appear after they have manifested from a more primary layer of your being? What if treating this more primary layer could result in real cures?

In fact, this view is not all that far out. It has been recognized and documented for centuries in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Ayurvedic medicine, as well as in healing traditions such as Qigong and Reiki.

In all these disciplines it is recognized that the source of illness lies in the energetic dimension and it is communicated through to the physical within the bio-chemical, electro-magnetic, and connective tissue systems of your body.

Before you think that we're talking about placebos and pseudo-science, did you know that Reiki is now accepted as complementary treatment in more than 800 hospitals in the U.S. alone? This is because it works.

Reiki has well-documented research showing that it improves patient sleep by 86 percent, reduces pain by 78 percent, and reduces anxiety by as much as 94 percent. In addition, it has been shown to increase speed of healing by as much as 50 percent. Pretty remarkable for a simple form of "energy work."

O.K. so how does it work?

Reiki, Qigong, TCM, and Ayurvedic medicine begin by seeing the body as an expression of a more primary subtle energy system. Health is the result of the smooth free-flow of subtle energy through the energy body. Disease begins with the disruption of energy flow, with some blockage or tension that causes energy to become stagnant.

The cause of energy disruptions can be physical injuries which cause "emotional shock" such as from a car accident or, more commonly, they are the result of tensions caused by mental stress and emotional trauma. When tension and stress overwhelm our ability to handle them well in the moment, they become stored as tension in your "energy body." These tensions disrupt energy flow. Left unresolved, over time, this is the seed from which illness grows-whether that is chronic anxiety, depression, migraines, digestive issues, heart attack, or cancer.

Subtle energy techniques aim to recognize, relax, and release that tension and restore the smooth flow of vital energy. This in turn enables your body's own self-healing mechanisms to come back online so your body can heal itself.

Now, this doesn't mean that there is never a use for drugs or surgery. These can be vital and life-saving first measures. These can manage immediate life-threatening symptoms. However, to facilitate true healing, we must work on an energetic level to restore the free flow of energy which characterizes good health.

What if you could learn to access this subtle energetic layer to facilitate your own health and well-being on a daily basis? What if doing this could release layers of tension that have accumulated in your energy body over the years, dragging down your energy, mood, health, and vitality?

That is the promise of energy meditation. Whether it's through T'ai Chi, Qigong, Yoga, Reiki, or another energy-based technique, this is a powerful path to release tension and stress, overcome mental-emotional blocks, and put your body on a path of true healing. You can learn more in the Resource Box below.

Enjoy your practice!

Want to get to the root cause of stress, anxiety, illness, and depression-and start feeling mentally free, emotionally empowered, and physically energized right now?

Click Here to download a simple, easy, proven technique to rele

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