Connecting to the Spiritual Dimension

The secret of attraction is to love yourself. Attractive people judge neither themselves nor others. They are open to gestures of love. They think about love, and express their love in every action. They know that love is not a mere sentiment, but the ultimate truth at the heart of the universe. – Deepak Chopra

What does it mean to be spiritual, what does it mean to connect to the spiritual dimension, and how does it relate to living a Low Density Lifestyle?

When I use the term spiritual, what I mean is living a life that is connected to a divine force, to the pulse of the universe. This force, this pulse, is the field that is the ultimate truth that lies at the heart of the universe.

Some may call this God—and some may give this God a specific name—and some may call it by something else: the Divine Force, Great Spirit, Soul, Universal Spirit, Universal Mind, Universal Intelligence, Universal Consciousness, Zero-Point Field, etc. However you view this, it is important to understand that there is an underlying force that is at the heart of the universe.

This force is unlimited, infinite, undying and eternal. It is both outside and within us; it is everywhere and in all things. We are connected to it at all times; the less blockages and densities you carry in your body, heart and mind, and the more readily you feel the pulse and flow of the universe within you, then the closer is that connection.

The connection is felt every time you allow yourself to relax, be silent and be still, because it is at these times that the static of unceasing noise that blocks the frequencies and signals that emanate from the Zero-Point Field is quieted. Mother Teresa said:

We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature—trees, flowers, grass—grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence…We need silence to be able to touch souls.

When you are living a Low Density Lifestyle it is much easier to feel that connection, because the static does not overcome the silence, whereas when living a High Density Lifestyle you will have a hard time feeling that connection, because the static is always there.

People who live a High Density Lifestyle also need a way to find that connection, but unfortunately the way they do so is usually by partaking of things that are detrimental to their health and well-being.

They will ingest drugs—pharmaceutical and recreational—and drink excessive amounts of alcohol, all as a means of making themselves numb, getting away from their stresses and trying to feel a connection with something.

In addition, since they have a hard time being still, they will look for the thrill, for something that gives them the buzz and the adrenaline rush, something that has a sense of adventure and risk, all in the name of feeling a connection with something greater than themselves.

Now, I am not saying you shouldn’t go and have fun, it’s just that some people take it to the extreme. They feel that this is how they make the connection to the force of the universe. Because they are so caught up in the High Density Lifestyle, they don’t realize that all they need to do is stop and be still, and within that silence will come the flow that brings forth the pulse of the universe.

Feeling the connection to the spiritual dimension also means holding love in your heart—loving yourself, those close to you, and all the inhabitants of the planet. Love is the ultimate truth at the heart of the universe, and when you feel love in your heart, you create an open energy circuit that connects you to the sacred flow of the universe.

Rumi said, “Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.”

The barriers you have built within yourself that stop you from feeling love are the very same densities and blockages that stop you from living a Low Density Lifestyle. It is so important to surrender and let go of the things that hold you back from feeling love in your heart, because when you do, you can come closer to the Universal Force and be FREE – FREE stands living in a way that focuses on Flow/Relaxation/Effortless Effort.

There are many ways to feel connected to the spiritual dimension; for some it occurs from attending a church, synagogue, temple or mosque, while for others it is more personal—prayer, meditation, silence, walking in the woods, or some other way.

However you find your method of expression, one thing you need to understand is that spirituality is an everyday affair. You are not just spiritual when you go to church, synagogue, temple or mosque; or when you do the more personal way of expressing your spirituality.

Spirituality, and feeling connected to the spiritual dimension, is something that should be realized at all times. For instance, in the Zen tradition, there is no distinction between spiritual and non-spiritual moments. “Zen does not confuse spirituality with thinking about God while one is peeling potatoes. Zen spirituality is just to peel the potatoes,” is a Zen saying.

When that understanding is embedded in every cell of your body, your connection to the spiritual dimension becomes second nature, and all your actions will be directed in that way. You are in the flow and every movement you take and every achievement you make is done with effortless effort.

Tai Chi – The Power of Chi

I’ve talked about yoga for the last few days, as yoga is a movement approach that can help enhance the flow state, and as such can allow you to enter into Low Density Lifestyle mode.

Another movement form that is a true and abiding Low Density Lifestyle movement approach is Tai Chi.

Why is that? Because Tai chi is first and foremost about cultivating and enhancing the flow state, both in your practice of Tai chi and in everyday life.

And if that isn’t a Low Density Lifestyle approach to movement and to life, then I don’t know what is.

So let’s look at Tai chi and what it is.

Tai chi, or as it is more formally known, Tai chi chuan, is sometimes referred to as moving meditation or meditation in motion. It is an internal Chinese martial art often practiced for health reasons. Tai chi is typically practiced for a variety of other personal reasons: its hard and soft martial art technique, demonstration competitions, and as a longevity practice.

When you practice tai chi, you move your body slowly, gently, with awareness, and with deep breathing.

Some of tai chi chuan’s training forms are well known to Westerners as the slow motion routines that groups of people practice together every morning in parks around the world, particularly in China.

Today, tai chi has spread worldwide. Most modern styles of tai chi trace their development to at least one of the five traditional schools: Chen, Yang, Wu/Hao, Wu and Sun.

As the legend goes, tai chi’s origin is credited to Chang San-Feng, a Taoist monk. The monk developed a series of 13 exercises that mimic the movements of animals. Meditation and the concept of internal force were emphasized by the monk.

Tai chi adopted the concepts yin and yang (opposing forces within your body) and qi (vital energy or life force). Tai chi aims to support a balance of yin and yang, ultimately aiding the flow of qi.

There are various movements in tai chi – and each flows into the next. Posture, movement, concentration, and breathing are essential elements of tai chi.

The longer you do tai chi, the more capable you become of achieving the flow state in your movements, not just in tai chi but in everyday life.

There is a saying in Chinese philosophy that it takes 10 years to become a beginner. The same can be said of tai chi – that it takes 10 years to become a beginner, to really embed the flow state in everything you do.

This way of thinking is antithetical to the West, where we expect to develop mastery in a weekend.

But that’s not to say that tai chi doesn’t have benefits for the person who has not been practicing for 10 years. Studies have shown that tai chi has many health benefits, and that most of them are felt in the early days of doing tai chi.

It is known to improve:

* physical condition
* muscle strength
* coordination
* flexibility
* balance
* pain level and stiffness
* sleep
* general well-being

Furthermore, specific research has stated that tai chi can help with numerous health problems.

Researchers have found that intensive tai chi practice shows favorable effects on the promotion of balance control, flexibility, cardiovascular fitness and reduced the risk of falls in both healthy elderly patients, and those recovering from chronic stroke, heart failure, high blood pressure, heart attacks, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s.

Tai chi can also be good for weight loss, as its gentle, low impact movements burn more calories than surfing and nearly as many as downhill skiing.

Other studies have shown that:
1) tai chi has reduced levels of LDLs 20–26 milligrams when practiced for 12–14 weeks.
2) tai chi showed the ability to greatly reduce pain and improve overall physical and mental health in people over 60 with severe osteoarthritis of the knee.
3) a pilot study, which has not been published in a peer-reviewed medical journal, has found preliminary evidence that tai chi and related qigong may reduce the severity of diabetes.
4) tai chi boosts and strengthens the immune system.
5) tai chi can help with stress management and improve mental health – it has an effect on noradrenaline and cortisol production with an effect on mood and heart rate.
6) tai chi reduces the symptoms of Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

So if you’re looking to get into the flow and feel more peaceful, calm, balanced and centered; if you’re looking to cultivate better health; and if you’re looking to live a Low Density Lifestyle, then tai chi may be for you.

One other thing: tai chi is considered the most powerful of all the martial arts because it teaches how to use your chi, your body’s energy system, in forceful ways. The catch to that is that you have to have practiced tai chi a long, long time to develop that power.

To show what I mean, below is a video of Master Shr, a Chinese master of tai chi. The video comes from the television program The Mystery of Chi, which appeared as a segment of a program Bill Moyers did called Healing and the Mind.

You may not believe what you see in the video, but believe me, this is real: this is the power of chi.

Yoga: The Divine Union

In yesterday’s article I gave you 10 outstanding yoga videos, all of which were excellent.

Some of the videos were historical in nature and traced back to the roots of modern yoga, showing some of the modern masters of this ancient art. There was a video from 1938 of Krishnamacharya, the grandfather of modern yoga. And there were two others video with his disciples, BKS Iyengar, founder of Iyengar Yoga, and Sri K. Pattahbi Jois, founder of Ashtanga Yoga.

The aim of yoga is to help the practitioner enter into the flow state, and as such it is a movement approach that definitely can be a strong aid in helping to live a Low Density Lifestyle.

I thought it would be nice today to look at the ancient roots of yoga, in order to help give a context for understanding the wisdom of this traditional modality, whose aim is to create a divine union between body, mind and soul.

Yoga (Sanskrit, Pāli: योग yóga) refers to traditional physical and mental disciplines originating in India. The word is associated with meditative practices in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.

In Hinduism, it also refers to one of the six orthodox schools of Hindu philosophy, and to the goal toward which that school directs its practices. In Jainism it refers to the sum total of all activities—mental, verbal and physical.

Major branches of yoga in Hindu philosophy include Raja Yoga, Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, and Hatha Yoga. Raja Yoga, compiled in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, and known simply as yoga in the context of Hindu philosophy, is part of the Samkhya tradition.

Many other Hindu texts discuss aspects of yoga, including Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, the Shiva Samhita and various Tantras.

The Bhagavad Gita (’Song of the Lord’), uses the term yoga extensively in a variety of ways. In addition to an entire chapter (ch. 6) dedicated to traditional yoga practice, including meditation, it introduces three prominent types of yoga:

* Karma yoga: The yoga of action
* Bhakti yoga: The yoga of devotion
* Jnana yoga: The yoga of knowledge.

The Sanskrit word yoga has many meanings, and is derived from the Sanskrit root “yuj,” meaning “to control,” “to yoke” or “to unite.” Translations include “joining,” “uniting,” “union,” “conjunction,” and “means.”

Outside India, the term yoga is typically associated with Hatha Yoga and its asanas (postures) or as a form of exercise. Someone who practices yoga or follows the yoga philosophy is called a yogi or yogini.

It was the Indian sage Patanjali, who lived in the second century BCE, who is widely regarded as the founder of the formal Yoga philosophy. Patanjali’s yoga is known as Raja yoga, which is a system for control of the mind. Patanjali defines the word “yoga” in his writings, specifically the second sutra of what became known as the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.

Hundreds of years later, yoga’s evolution continued with the development of Hatha Yoga by Yogi Swatmarama, in 15th century India.

Hatha Yoga differs substantially from the Raja Yoga of Patanjali in that it focuses on shatkarma, the purification of the physical body as leading to the purification of the mind and prana, or vital energy.

Compared to the seated asana, or sitting meditation posture, of Patanjali’s Raja yoga, it marks the development of asanas into the full body “postures” now in popular usage. Hatha Yoga in its many modern variations is the style that many people associate with the word “Yoga” today.

The goal of yoga ranges from improving health to achieving Moksha. Within Jainism and the monist schools of Advaita Vedanta and Shaivism, the goal of yoga takes the form of Moksha, which is liberation from all worldly suffering and the cycle of birth and death (Samsara), at which point there is a realization of identity with the Supreme Brahman.

In the Mahabharata, the goal of yoga is variously described as entering the world of Brahma, as Brahman, or as perceiving the Brahman or Atman that pervades all things. For the bhakti schools of Vaishnavism, bhakti or service to Svayam bhagavan itself may be the ultimate goal of the yoga process, where the goal is to enjoy an eternal relationship with Vishnu.

Yoga also helps your body maintain a stable relationship with itself while going into a calm, neutral state of peace.

So whether you see yoga as a form of exercise that allows you to move in a more flowing way, or as a way to achieve a higher state of consciousness and a sense of liberation, either way, by practicing this ancient art, you will find yourself on the path of living a Low Density Lifestyle.

10 Outstanding Yoga Videos

I have talked about movement and exercise as a way to help you achieve more of a flow state.

Yoga is an excellent way to help cultivate the flow state.

With that in mind, here are 10 outstanding yoga videos that you can watch right here – feel free to watch one or all.

They can all help you to realize the flow state.

1) A guided meditation with Bridget Woods Kramer, a leading Anusara yoga teacher, filmed on the clifftops of Cornwall, England.

2) The breath and body move as one in the Ashtanga Yoga tradition. This classical path harnesses the power of the postures to reveal the pure awareness, freedom, and depth of all that is yoga. Renowned teacher Richard Freeman masterfully guides you through this precise union of breath, alignment, and flowing postures as taught to him by master yogi K. Pattabhi Jois of Mysore, India.

3) Intro to Ashtanga with Richard Freeman.

4) Yoga for Beginners with Patricia Walden.

5) Vinyasa Flow Yoga Intro with Seane Corne. Vinyasa Flow Yoga is an experience to reconnect you to your personal sense of Spirit and strengthen mind and heart, as well as your body.

6) Morning Yoga – Tara Stiles shows a yoga routine that is great for waking up in the morning.

7) Everyday Yoga: Letting Go of Tension – with Rodney Yee.

A silent film of Krishnamacharya, granddaddy of modern yoga, in 1938. He was the teacher of BKS Iyengar and Sri K. Pattahbi Jois.

9) Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, the founder of Ashtanga Yoga, in 2002 at age 87 in London teaching an Ashtanga Yoga Primary Series Class. Here he helps a student in GarbhaPindasana while counting in Sanskrit…

10) B.K.S. Iyengar 1938 silent newsreel. Here is a young Iyengar doing advanced poses that constitute the advanced A & B ashtanga series. This is well before Iyengar dropped the vinyasa aspect from his practice and rebranded it as “Iyengar Yoga,” putting greater emphasis on alignment.

Movement: A Key to a Healthy, Happy Life: Part 1

For the next few weeks I will be writing about the subject of Movement. Movement comes in all shapes and sizes, but the common unifying denominator of it is that it is an essential  part of living a healthy, happy and fulfilled life.

It is also an important ingredient for living a Low Density Lifestyle. The inverse of that is that a sedentary life is not conducive to living a Low Density Lifestyle.

We are born to move. Movement is essential to life—it helps get the circulation of blood and energy in your body flowing better.

Nothing in nature stays the same, as change is the only constant of life. And we are in constant motion in the dance of life: the world is a dynamic environment of energy exchanges.

Movement of and by itself, no matter what type, by virtue of its ability to get the heart pumping and blood flowing, can help to take lactic acid and other toxins that build up in the muscles, organs and connective tissue and assist the body in metabolizing and excreting them. This can help to dissipate the blockages and densities in the body.

But there is an art to movement. Even though we are always in motion, and always doing things, there is a certain approach to movement that can greatly enhance being in the flow state – which is the state of heightened awareness, a state where the mind is still and you are activating more of your potential.

The type of movement I am talking about can be any type of movement that touches your soul—what your passion is may be different from someone else. But the key is to do something that is aimed at the mind-body unison.

What would be best is if the approach focused on a number of things: the body, the mind, the energy system, the breath and stillness.

Granted, there may not be one approach you’re doing that may fit the bill and meet all these needs. But that’s ok. The trend nowadays is cross-training, to do a number of things that touch on each of the key areas that need attention.

The best philosophy in approaching what type of movement to engage in, in order to achieve a better chance of overcoming blockages and density in the body, and allowing you to attain a Low Density Lifestyle, is to practice an approach or approaches that both elongate your muscles and strengthen them. You need both—one creates flexibility and the other strength, and they go hand in hand in helping to create a dynamic flow in the body and mind.

There are many approaches that aim for this: from the East we have Tai Chi, Aikido, Kung Fu and other martial arts, along with Yoga; from the West we have Pilates, resistance work using a ball or bands, and strength training.

Then, of course, there are the various sports, which can put you profoundly in the zone when you become deeply immersed in them; and there is also dance, a modality that has its origins in the primal rhythms of the universe.

Some people mistakenly think that living a Low Density Lifestyle means having a body without muscle tone; they picture the image of a blissed-out wandering mendicant who has not a care in the world.

That is because many spiritual traditions caution followers to turn away from the body because they believe it to be a trap set by the ego to hinder transcendence.

But this is far from the truth. Whether you’re seeking spiritual harmony, soulful pleasures, or just want to sweat, training the body is as important as training the mind and spirit—you can’t have one without the other, and they are deeply interconnected.

To be continued tomorrow…

7 Ways to Be Happier

I’ve been writing about happiness for the last 2 weeks. The happier you are, the more of a Low Density Lifestyle will you live, so it’s important to look at happiness and understand it better.

By dong this, we can all get to know better what it takes to be happier.

Actually, deep down in all of us lies a deep reservoir of happiness. It’s just that it gets buried so far down, and under so much internal stuff, that we lose sight of it.

One of the things that we need to know is that happiness shouldn’t depend on someone else – it should come from within, from that deep reservoir. It just has to be encouraged to express itself effortlessly.

It’s a matter of lightening the load, of feeling less dense and heavy, and of living a Low Density Lifestyle.

If you read yesterday’s article and saw the video about the people of Iceland, you will know that they know how to take unhappy situations and failure and turn it into happiness.

To do so, it’s a matter of cultivating your own ability to look at the situation and see it with a perspective that says, “Hey it’s only castles burning.”

So, in that spirit, I offer you 7 tips on how to feed and cultivate your innate happiness, so that it can blossom and bloom and come to the surface.

1. Don’t take yourself too seriously. At times of hardship, such as loss or illness, we can easily lose our humor, and even more easily get very involved with the negative aspects of what is happening. We become the center of our universe. Remembering not to take ourselves too seriously brings a lightness and ease to the weight of circumstance around us. Remember–angels can fly because they take themselves lightly!

2. Don’t identify with suffering, loss, or illness, as being who you are. Many people identify themselves as a cancer survivor / widow / recovering addict, or whatever it may be, but do not ask themselves who they are without that label or identity. When we do not identify with the negative label, then the positive sense of who we are has a chance to emerge and shine.

3. It’s OK to be you, just as you are, warts and all. We may think we are imperfect, a mess, falling apart, hopeless, or unable to cope. But true perfection is really just accepting our imperfections. It is honoring ourselves, complete with all the things we like and the things we don’t like. In this way we are not struggling with or rejecting any part of ourselves. Each one of us is unique, a one-time offer, but we cannot know it if we are facing away from ourselves.

4. Make friends with yourself. Our relationship with ourselves is the only one we will have for the whole of our lives, and we can be the greatest friend to ourselves. So it is very important not to put ourselves down or beat ourselves up.

5. Feel everything, whatever it may be. When we are suffering, our feelings get huge and can be overwhelming. It is easy to want to deny or repress them. But if we can really honor whatever we are feeling, then it will bring us closer to the happiness beneath the suffering or grief. Acknowledging our real feelings is the greatest gift.

6. Forgive yourself. Love yourself. Treasure yourself. These are big steps, but each one liberates the heart and sets us free. We need to forgive ourselves for feeling angry, for getting upset, for all things we think we have done wrong. They are in the past and we are not who we were then. We can then begin to embrace and love ourselves, for we are so worthy of that love. And then we can take any resistance or fear by the hand, invite it in, and open our heart to the universe.

7. Meditate. There is an overwhelming amount of research showing how meditation changes the circuits in the part of the brain associated with contentment and happiness and stimulates the ‘feel-good’ factor. Meditating on love and kindness makes us much, much happier! And the only way to know this is to try it!!

Ok? If you put this into action, you can cultivate your own innate happiness and feel lighter of body, mind and spirit.

You then won’t have to move to Bhutan and Iceland – the 2 happiest countries on earth – to feel more happier (unless of course you really like those 2 countries).

Instead you can just be where you are, at any time, at any place, and just be happy.

Bhutan: The Happiest Country in the World

I’ve been writing about Happiness for the last week, and discussing that happiness is something a Low Density Lifestyle can lead to.

Last week I discussed what happiness is, and I looked at the relationship between money and happiness.

Today I want to discuss the mountain country of Bhutan, which without a doubt is the happiest nation on the planet.

Bhutan, situated in the Himalayan mountains between India and China, doesn’t win this distinction because of the fact that they are a Buddhist nation.

Instead, they have achieved this honor because happiness is part of their economic and political system.

You see, where other countries measure their success by their Gross National Product, Bhutan measures their success by their Gross National Happiness.

Under the Bhutan Constitution, government programs – from agriculture to transportation to foreign trade — must be judged not by the economic benefits they may offer but by the happiness – the Gross National Happiness – they produce.

According to Prime Minister Jigme Thinley of Bhutan, the cause of the economic recession embracing the world right now is due to, “Greed, insatiable human greed.

“You see what a complete dedication to economic development ends up in,” he said, referring to the global economic crisis. “Industrialized societies have decided now that Gross National Product is a broken promise.”

“Happiness has usually been considered a utopian issue,” the Prime Minister states. “Individual’s quest for happiness and inner and outer freedom is the most precious endeavor, and society’s ideal of governance and polity should promote this endeavor.”

The goal of a Gross National Happiness is not happiness itself, the Prime Minister says, as happiness is a concept that each person must define for himself. Instead, the Bhutanese government aims to create the conditions for “the pursuit of Gross National Happiness, as happiness takes precedence over economic prosperity in our national development process.”

Karma Tshiteem is the secretary of the Gross National Happiness Commission, and his job is to quantify and measure the happiness quotient of the country.

To that end, the Bhutanese government produced an intricate model of well-being that features the four pillars, the nine domains and the 72 indicators of happiness.

Specifically, the government has determined that the four pillars of a happy society involve the economy, culture, the environment and good governance. It breaks these into nine domains: psychological well-being, ecology, health, education, culture, living standards, time use, community vitality and good governance, each with its own weighted and unweighted Gross National Happiness index.

All of this is to be analyzed using the 72 indicators. Under the domain of psychological well-being, for example, indicators include the frequencies of prayer and meditation and of feelings of selfishness, jealousy, calm, compassion, generosity and frustration as well as suicidal thoughts.

Granted, things are slower and much more easy going in Bhutan, so it’s no coincidence that they place a premium on quality of life.
700,000 people live in the kingdom, a country with one airport and two commercial planes, where the east can only be reached from the west after four days’ travel on mountain roads.

Cigarettes are banned and television was introduced just 10 years ago; traditional clothing and architecture are enforced by law and the capital city has no stoplight and just one traffic officer on duty.

But they prefer it that way. And they are interested in spreading their way of life to the rest of the world.

Imagine that. Imagine if the rest of the world measured their success by their Gross National Happiness.

Then my friends, we’d all be living in a Low Density Lifestyle world.

The Art of Happiness: Are You Happy?

Today, I begin a new series, all about Happiness.

Happiness is essential to our lives and helps us to feel more joyous and passionate about everything. The more happiness we bring into our lives, the lighter we feel of body, mind and spirit.

In other words, when you are happier you have the potential to live a Low Density Lifestyle.

And happiness and joy is one of the things that will happen more often for you when you live a Low Density Lifestyle.

But what is happiness? Why are some people more happier than others? Are they born that way?

Is there some magic formula to being happy? Is it related to how much money you have, the type of car you drive, the things you do for fun?

No, happiness runs much deeper than that.

A few years ago, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter was asked, “President Carter, have you come to any new perspectives about what matters in life, now that you’re older?”

His answer was to the point: “Earlier in my life I thought the things that mattered were the things that you could see, like your car, your house, your wealth, your property, your office. But as I’ve grown older I’ve become convinced that the things that matter most are the things that you can’t see – the love you share with others, your inner purpose, your comfort with who you are.”

This is what happiness is. It’s not about the material things you can show the world, but about how you feel about the work you do, the relationships you have, and the love you share.

And so, what are the secrets to happiness? How can you cultivate your ability to be happy, and in the process, live a Low Density Lifestyle?

Here are 12 ways:

1) Count Your Blessings
One way to practice this strategy is with a “gratitude journal” in which you write down the 3 to 5 things for which you are currently thankful. Do this once a week. Keep the strategy fresh by varying your entries and how you express them as much as possible. And if there’s a particular person who has been kind or influential in your life, don’t wait to express your appreciation. Write them a letter now, or, if possible, visit and thank them in person.

2) Practice Acts of Kindness
These should be both random and systematic. Being kind to others, whether friends or strangers, triggers a cascade of positive effects – it makes you feel compassionate and capable, gives you a greater sense of connection with others and earns you smiles, approval and reciprocated kindness. These are all happiness boosters.

3) Nurture Optimism
This involves such practices as looking at the bright side, finding the silver lining in a negative event, noticing what’s right (rather than what’s wrong), feeling good about one’s future and the future of the world, or simply feeling that you can get through the day. One way to practice this strategy is to sit in a quiet place and take 20 to 30 minutes to think about and write down what you expect your life to be 10 years from now. Imagine that everything has gone as well as it possibly could. You have worked hard and succeeded at accomplishing all of your life goals. Think of this as the realization of all of your life dreams. Then, write about what you imagined.

4) Learn to Forgive
Let go of anger, resentment, and feelings of vengeance by writing – but, not sending – a letter of forgiveness to a person who has hurt or wronged you. The inability to forgive is associated with persistent rumination or dwelling on revenge, while forgiving allows you to move on.

5) Increase “Flow” Experiences
When you’re so absorbed in what you’re doing that you don’t notice the passage of time, you are in the flow state. So, become fully engaged at work, at home, and at play. Try to increase the number of flow experiences in your life, whether it’s completing a project at the office, playing with your children, or enjoying a hobby. Seek work and leisure activities that engage your skills and expertise.

6) Invest in Relationships
One of the biggest factors in happiness appears to be strong personal relationships. Indeed, having the support of someone who deeply cares about you is one of the best remedies for unhappiness. Thus, this strategy involves putting effort into healing, cultivating, and enjoying your relationships with family and friends. Act with love, be as kind to the people close to you as you are to strangers, affirm them, share with them, and play together.

7) Avoiding Overthinking
Remember the book, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff? There’s a time to think about the bad stuff in your life, but dwelling on your problems excessively is unhealthy. Very happy people have the capacity – even during trying times like a parent’s chronic illness – to absorb themselves in an engaging activity, stay busy, and have fun. To practice this strategy, pick a distracting, attention-grabbing activity that has compelled you in the past and do it when you notice yourself dwelling.

Savor Life’s Joys
Pay close attention and take delight in momentary pleasures, wonders, and magical moments. Focus on the sweetness of a ripe mango, the aroma of a bakery, or the warmth of the sun when you step out from the shade. Some psychologists suggest taking “mental photographs” of pleasurable moments to review in less happy times.

9) Feed Your Soul
Studies show that religious and spiritual people are happier and healthier than others. Perhaps the social support of belonging to a close-knit religious group is valuable, as is the sense of meaning and purpose that comes from touching on the spiritual aspects of life.

10) Have Goals and Stay Committed to Them
People who strive for something significant are far happier than those who don’t have strong dreams or aspirations. Find a happy person and you will find a project. However, being dedicated to any pursuit won’t make you happy if you’re just doing it for superficial reasons such as making money, boosting your ego, or succumbing to peer pressure.

11) Use Your Body: Exercise, Meditation, and Rest
Getting plenty of sleep, exercising, stretching and meditating can all enhance your mood in the short term and promote energy and strong mental health. Practiced regularly, they can help make your daily life more satisfying and increase long-term happiness.

12) Laughter
If you read the series on laughter and humor a few weeks back, you’ll recall how I discussed the value of laughter and how it can brighten your day, improve your health, and make you happier. If you want to start your day on a laughter note, you can always join a Laughter Yoga club.

Let others know about this article by posting it on Twitter! It’s easy – just click on the “tweet it” button below.

10 Herbs That Are Good For Stress

Stress is such a major component of so many people’s lives – most people are stressed out to the max.

Stress is not good for the health, as it can cause many health problems. It does not allow you to experience healthy living. And it will also keep you in a High Density Lifestyle mode.

Everyone has stressors of one kind or another in their life. The key is to manage stress and channel it. Yoga, meditation, exercise, walking in the woods, and journaling are some of the ways to enjoy some stress relief.

There are also herbs that can help you manage stress. Here are a few of the herbs for stress relief:

1. Licorice Root contains a natural hormone alternative to cortisol, which can help the body handle stressful situations, and can help to normalize blood sugar levels as well as your adrenal glands, providing you with the energy necessary to deal with the stressful situation at hand. Some claim licorice stimulates cranial and cerebrospinal fluid, thereby calming the mind.

2. Passion flower is considered a mild sedative and can help promote sleep. Passion flower also treats anxiety, insomnia, depression and nervousness.

3. Kava Kava, an herb from the South Pacific, is a powerful muscle relaxer and analgesic. Kava Kava is also effective at treating depression and anxiety associated with menopause.

4. St. John’s Wort has been used medicinally since Hippocrates time. Even during the Renaissance and Victorian periods it was used for the treatment of mental disorders. Though it presents itself as an unassuming, flowering perennial, St. John’s Wort was shown to be more effective than Prozac, according to a recent study, in treating major depressive disorders.

5. Lavender is effective at reducing irritability and anxiety,

promoting relaxation, a sense of calm and sleep. It is also a powerful anti-bacterial agent, and can work to balance hormones and stimulate the immune system.

While lavender can be consumed in a tea, it may work best as an essential oil that is breathed in by way of a diffuser or, in the case of stress and sleeplessness, an eye pillow.

6. Valerian calms people who are agitated, but stimulates those who feel fatigued, according to one Italian study. During World War II, the British used Valerian tincture to treat nerves shattered during bombing raids on London.

7. Ginseng and Siberian Ginseng can help you handle stress by sedating or stimulating your central nervous system, according to your body’s needs. Studies conducted in China showed that Ginseng also increases your brain’s utilization of amino acids, which is important because when you are under stress, your body uses more protein than usual.

8. Schizandra has a regulating effect on the central nervous system. Studies show that this herb quickens responses and makes people more alert while actually stimulating the nervous system. A 1983 study conducted in China showed that Schizandra relieves headaches, insomnia and dizziness and calms a racing heart. It has also been reported to control anger and aggression.

9. Skullcap was originally a Native American herb traditionally taken for menstrual problems. Today, it is mostly used as a tonic and sedative for nerves in times of stress. It helps to support and nourish the nervous system, and calms and relieves stress and anxiety. It can also be used when stress leads to muscular tension and pain.

10. Lemon Balm has a long tradition as a tonic remedy

that raises the spirits and comforts the heart. It is widely valued for its calming properties. 17th century British writer John Evelyn wrote that Lemon Balm “is sovereign for the brain, strengthening the memory and powerfully chasing away melancholy.”

So there you have it – 10 herbs that can help you with stress and calm your spirits. These are all great tools to manage stress, give you stress relief, and help assist you in living a Low Density Lifestyle.

Let others know about this article by posting it on Twitter! It’s easy – just click on the “tweet it” button below.

What is Enlightenment?

Shinzen Young – What Is Enlightenment? A two-part dharma teaching from Zen teacher Shinzen Young.

Being connected to the spiritual dimension of life is an important part of living a Low Density Lifestyle. And when you start living a life that has a spiritual component to it, you start seeing and understanding that life has a deeper meaning to it.

What ultimately happens when you live a life with a spiritual connection is that you start becoming more enlightened – enlightenment is the ultimate goal of the spiritual seeker, and enlightenment is one of the positive benefits of living a Low Density Lifestyle.

And what is enlightenment? It is a life of wisdom, knowledge, insight and clarity of thought. It is about functioning at peak capability, and of feeling interconnected with all facets of the universe and of understanding on a profound level how the universe operates.

A person who is enlightened is also FREE: they are in the flow, they embody relaxation, calmness and stillness, and they act with effortless effort.

In theories of enlightenment, it is understood that humans go through an evolution of consciousness, and the more enlightened a person becomes in their lifetime, the higher up the evolutionary ladder of consciousness do they go.

According to this, these people are capable of thinking more holistically and truly understanding the integral connection between the world of science and matter and the world of spirit.

In the two-part video, Zen master Shinzen Young explains enlightenment and the steps to attaining it. After watching the two videos, you will feel more enlightened of body, heart and mind.

Let others know about this article by posting it on Twitter! It’s easy – just click on the “tweet it” button below.

Next Page »