Category: Meditation

Meditation: The Symphony of the Perfect Mantra - Why Your Mantra Matters

3/5/2018

Image©JanH.Andersen/Fotolia

"The mantra is the sound that harmonizes the vibration of the individual with the universal vibration and energy..." —Adesha, Founder, DASA Meditation

Written by Lorraine Alexander, August 2016

For many years we've seen rave reviews in the news, praising the benefits of silent-mantra meditation. But more recently, there have been articles that attempt to dilute the importance of the mantra, by encouraging the reader to "just pick any word or any sound." This suggests that anything will do. I call this "the fast-food approach to inner peace." But alas, any sound does not qualify as a mantra, and not all mantras are created equal. I can only assume that the author is sincere in their delivery, but they lack firsthand experience.

There is more importance to a mantra than one might assume. After all, silent mantra meditation has been taught teacher-to-student in the oral tradition for over 5,000 years. Given the mantra's rich history with meditation, shouldn't we consider that there might be something to be learned from this deeply rich tradition?

Why your mantra matters

There is something beautiful and special about a traditional mantra; each crafted for effectiveness in the ancient Sanskrit (pronounced sæn-skrɪt) language. Within this age-old wisdom, the mantra was considered to be sacred; even the word itself 'mantra' is derived from Sanskrit. Its literal meaning is 'sacred utterance.'

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Ease Chronic Pain: Just Say "Om"

2/1/2018

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Ease Chronic Pain, Just Say "Om"

Written by Lorraine Alexander, DASA Meditation
NorthBay Biz Magazine - Guest Column, February 2018

If you think chronic pain is rare, think again. According to a report from the Institute of Medicine, more than 100 million Americans suffer from chronic pain, at the cost of about $600 billion a year. Chronic pain is near epidemic proportion across the U.S.

Acute pain vs. chronic pain

The onset of acute pain is sudden, caused by an injury like a burn or cut, a dental problem, a broken bone, or surgery. When the affected area heals, the pain usually subsides within a six-month timeframe, according to Cleveland Clinic, a nonprofit academic medical center. But chronic pain can continue to plague sufferers; lasting for months or even years after the affected area has healed. This occurs because the body continues to signal pain to the nervous system. The pain is real, and the effect stresses the body–and the patient. Chronic pain can immobilize patients, holding their life hostage by keeping them from their work, their daily activities, and even their social life.

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Sounds of Silence: Why Silent Meditation is Good for the Brain

1/6/2018

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Image © John Blyth

Silence is essential. We need silence just as much as we need air, as much as plants need light. If our minds are crowded with words and thought, there is no space for us.— Thich Nhat Hanh

Written by Lorraine Alexander, January 2018

If you are thinking about learning to meditate there are hundreds of methods to choose from. The task of researching a sea of choices is a mind-boggling experience. To simplify your selection process, know that it is no coincidence most medical studies on meditation are based on silent meditation.

There are two primary categories, directive (also known as concentrative) and nondirective (no concentration is required). Both are beneficial according to a study completed at Harvard Medical School in 2013. The study found both meditation styles reduce stress and improve health.

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The Genius of Self-Actualization: How Meditation Creates Winning Teams

10/4/2017

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The most important thing in life is to be true to ourselves, to never give up attempting to become the very finest version of what we wish to be, no matter how arduous that proves to be." - Kilroy J. Oldster

Written by Lorraine Alexander, October 2017

If you've ever worked on a project as a collaborative team member, you know from firsthand experience, that when the team dynamics work, there is nothing sweeter; conversely, nothing is more challenging or draining than a team out-of-sync. How can companies and organizations facilitate a team culture of cooperation, flexibility, and a positive spirit?

How Meditation Programs Launch Winning Teams

As a first step, some experts might suggest analyzing the corporate culture or group dynamics. Although this is the most obvious starting place, to create a winning team, we need to dive far deeper. Each team member should take a personal inventory; first by taking a good look at their motives and intentions, and secondly, whether they are committed to the success of the group as a whole. To achieve this deep level of commitment, each individual needs to understand self-actualization and the basic hierarchy of personal growth.

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Recalculating...Redefining Happiness with Meditation

6/1/2017

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Recalculating...
Redefining Happiness with Meditation

By Lorraine Alexander

You've planned out your life perfectly. You've made all the right choices, calculating each move like a seasoned chess player. By all standards, you are a success. But somehow, life didn’t turn out exactly as you planned. Underneath lie feelings of dissatisfaction, with a yearning for something more. You have a beautiful home, a loving family, and the successful job that dreams are made of. Yet, there is still something missing—like a thirst you just can't quench.

The best-kept secret: Happiness, it isn't "out there."
It's been within you the entire time.

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Finding Balance with Meditation: Easy Natural Stress Reduction

10/23/2016

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Image©Racom/CanStock

Can we change our life experience?

By Lorraine Alexander

Americans have become accustomed to a stressful lifestyle. We know stress affects health, sleep, emotions and behavior. How can we change this pattern?

There is a quote by Charles R. Swindoll "Life is 10 percent what happens to you, and 90 percent how you react to it." Have you ever noticed that people often react to the same stressors quite differently? While one person is deeply affected by a stressful event, another may take it in stride. Why? The answer is simple. Some of us have found our way back to that place of balance.

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Chasing Harmony: Raising the Human Spirit through Meditation

7/20/2016

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Image: Chasing Harmony: Raising the Human Spirit Through Mediation

"Nature will not let us stay in any one place for too long. She will let us stay just long enough to gather the experience necessary to the unfolding and advancement of the soul. This is a wise provision, for should we stay there too long, we would become too set, too rigid, too inflexible. Nature demands change in order that we may advance.” – Ernest Holmes

Image©JanH.Andersen/Fotolia
Submitted by guest blogger "Grasshopper"

After the hustle bustle of three connecting flights and two hours in traffic, I finally arrived home. It felt like someone poured a bucket of stress over me.

Hazmat protocol 101: stress cleanup

I’ll admit the hectic pace of travel, coupled with a three-day intensive training was rigorous, even for me. It took me awhile to shake it off, but finally, I regained my balance, my harmony, my groove. On occasion, life just seems to have it’s own way of challenging us to the extreme.

As a long-time meditator, I was reminded of how well meditation combats fatigue, stress, and feelings of being challenged. During my trip, my meditations were surface - not nearly as deep as usual, which was an indication that I was out of sorts and under stress. But once I returned home, and had time to get back into my routine, I returned to those deep meditations quickly. And with those deeper, more profound meditations, I found my peaceful, happy, content feelings returned. The stress had finally melted away.

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Meditation and the Creative Mind

3/21/2016

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We've all seen the image of a light bulb associated with an original idea. But, what if many lights or original ideas came to us often - offering a constant stream of ingenuity. How might that change our life - our career?

By Lorraine Alexander

The Game Changer...When all the Lights Come On

Most of us feel fortunate to happen upon one great idea every so often. But what if your creativity was greatly improved? Would your life experience be different if you found that many ideas came to you with ease? What if you had access to these great ideas throughout the day? Maybe you would find a new approach to help your family or a better way to solve a problem at work. You might even dream up a more efficient and fun approach to your daily routine, to planning the perfect date, or a new approach to a client presentation. Could ramping up your creativity improve your personal life, your career, your enjoyment of life? Wouldn't that be a game-changer?

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Compassion Fatigue - The Real Crisis in Healthcare

2/14/2016

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Can Meditation Help Avoid Burnout?

Meditation helps nurses focus and regain control of their careers and personal lives, and many nurses experience deep relaxation when meditating. Meditation has a rich, vast history and is one way to engender a relaxation response, which can help nurses deal with their stress (Everly & Lating, 2013).

Compassion Fatigue, the Real Crisis in Healthcare

Written by Lorraine Alexander

Each day in ERs across the globe, nurses, doctors, and other staff interact with patients and families under extreme stress. Patients are often facing the largest health crisis of their life, possibly even the end of life. Each patient is counting on the staff to perform at the highest level of competency, care, and compassion.

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Boost Your Golden Years With Meditation

1/18/2016

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By Lorraine Alexander

50+ - It's Your Time to Shine.

If you're over 50, according to AARP you’ve arrived. You’re officially in the beginning of your golden years. If you fit into this age group, you might view meditation as a somewhat abstract practice. You might even say, "I’m too old to try something new like that." You could be afraid, assuming it is difficult to learn, or you might worry that you could never contort your body into that pretzel-like lotus position.

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Forward>>

Meditation: The Symphony of the Perfect Mantra - Why Your Mantra Matters

Ease Chronic Pain: Just Say "Om"

Sounds of Silence: Why Silent Meditation is Good for the Brain

The Genius of Self-Actualization: How Meditation Creates Winning Teams

Recalculating...Redefining Happiness with Meditation

Finding Balance with Meditation: Easy Natural Stress Reduction

Can we change our life experience?

Chasing Harmony: Raising the Human Spirit through Meditation

Meditation and the Creative Mind

The Game Changer...When all the Lights Come On

Compassion Fatigue - The Real Crisis in Healthcare

Can Meditation Help Avoid Burnout?

Boost Your Golden Years With Meditation

50+ - It's Your Time to Shine.

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