Thursday, March 20, 2008

Beginning Meditation

There is no better introduction to the subject of meditation and a clear guidance for your personal direction of thoughts, than the beautiful words of Longfellow

Let us, then, labor for an inward stillness, An inward stillness and an inner healing; That perfect silence where the lips and heart Are still, and we no longer entertain Our own imperfect thoughts and vain opinions, But God alone speaks in us, and we wait, In singleness of heart that we may know His will, and in the silence of our spirits, That we may do His will, and do that only!" Longfellow

When we settle down to relax following effort or activity, it is natural that we want to be comfortable physically. We tend to collapse into an easy chair, to possibly doze off possibly enjoy a nice doze for a minute or twoor many!. However, during this period, if we do go to sleep in order to refresh ourselves, we are unconscious. This is not the same as the state of meditation, which is a conscious and pleasurable refreshment experience.

As a beginner, if we wish to practice the simplest meditation we should choose a time of privacy when we know there will not be any interruption for half and hour or so. It is important to ensure there will be no sudden sound or disturbance.

The following is to serve as a simple guide until you feel confident and allow your own intuition to take over. There is no exact technique that is either right or wrong, so feel relaxed in your approach.

Be seated in a comfortable but upright position with hands relaxed in your lap or resting on your thighs if you are in a hard backed chair. Cross legged positions as usually assumed by yoga students may be better, but most people have to work hard through exercise to allow their limbs to be comfortable enough to allow the mind to be free when in this position. So observe the two most important factors, these being physical comfort and an erect spinal posture.

The eyes are then closed gently. It usually takes a few minutes to take stock of how you feel. You may become aware of sensations, sounds, feelings, light and shade, movement of the air and so on at first before settling down and able to focus upon your breathing.

Simply inhale through the nose for a count of four, and then exhale to the same count. Keep this rhythm going for a few minutes until you feel you can increase the count to six which is to be continued for a few minutes, increasing the count gradually as your feel inclined.

Then, still with eyes closed, focus upon what you see in front of your eyes on the screen of the mind. Allow impressions, thoughts, and images to pass across the screen and allow any ideas that your subconscious mind throws up for your attention, to have their say.

Then when your inside world begins to quieten down and you perhaps begin to wonder what you should be thinking about, select a quote, or a special word or phrase, poem or prayer that appeals to you and repeat it, over and over until you can concentrate fully upon it. Usually this is continued for some minutes until your mind begins to tire. Then stop.

Continue to sit still. Make no effort to control how you think or feel, just sit.

This is the beginning of the internal adventure into a more profound state of awareness which happens naturally as you regularly practice enjoying the state of just being.

Many find that the physical stillness of the body in contrast to the normal activity of the day is in itself relaxing. Some find these quiet moments filled with interesting feelings, thoughts or psychic experiences. Others are attracted to the practice of meditation as a spiritual experience.

Remember, meditation is a natural practice that allows us to feel peaceful, and refreshed. It is best not to influence your first introduction to it by having any preconceived ideas about how you think you should feel, what you hope to experience and so on, because it is your own private venturing into your inner nature and will bring you unique experiences which are yours alone.

Sally Janssen is one of the best known Yoga teachers in Australia, and is a former President of the International yoga Teachers Association. She runs an informational website that deals with the very spirit of traditional yoga. To benefit from her extensive knowledge be sure to visit her site at http://www.classical-yoga.com

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Who Needs a Bluetooth USB Adapter?

Bluetooth technology has spread far and wide. It enables the connection and exchange of information among computer-based appliances through low frequency (2.4 GHz) radio signals, thus totally eliminating the need for wires. This way you can use your computer to interface with video game consoles, cell phones, printers, other laptops, digital cameras, and set your Private area Networks (PANs) without involving any wire connection.

The Bluetooth usb adapter is one of the inventions of Bluetooth technology. If you have computers and other devices that do not have an inbuilt Bluetooth compatibility, and you want to use it with another Bluetooth enabled device, you need not worry because with the help of a Bluetooth usb adapter (commonly known as a dongle), all such devices can be made compatible.

The Bluetooth usb adapter is a 3-inch long device that needs to be inserted in the usb port of your computer, making it compatible with the other Bluetooth enabled device. There are many different brands of Bluetooth adapters available on the market today, so buy the one that supports your headset protocol. With the support of a Bluetooth adapter you can now listen to music using your Bluetooth headset.

This Bluetooth technology has made it possible for people to travel wherever they want, without having to worry about carrying luggage filled with cables and wires to connect their laptop with their printer, their PDA, their fax machine, etc. You simply have to use your Bluetooth usb adapter to connect with any Bluetooth enabled device that you want to use.

Also, the Bluetooth usb adapter enables you to set up your PAN which provides you with a wireless network with which you can communicate with other computers, synchronize your PDAs, send and receive messages from your cell phone, download data from different sources such as your digital camera, MP3 player, etc.

The Bluetooth usb adapter solves your problem of connecting two devices wirelessly even if they are not Bluetooth enabled. Thanks to this versatile technology, communication has never been more easily and conveniently accessed.

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Hole-In-One Golf Gifts

I get to play golf for a living, says tiger Woods with a toothy grin. What more could you ask for?

tiger Woods is golf's most dashing young icons, and his success has generated renewed interest in golf and golfing all over the world. Golf continues to shed its stigma as a sport only the rich and the bored play. In fact, today, people of all walks of life are practicing their hooks and slices on over 32,000 golf courses throughout the world. In China, for example, the first golf course opened only in the 1980s, but now there are over 200 courses scattered throughout that country. golf holidays and vacations are the hottest golf trend, allowing people to see the world while playing their favorite sport. With numerous golf products on the market, selecting a golf gift can be as difficult as choosing the right putter for a difficult golf shot. But with some research and discriminating judgment, you can pick a present that scores a hole in one!

Remember the Golfer
Remember the golfer when you choose your golf gift. If he wears t-shirts and jeans 365 days of the year, do not buy him a golf necktie. If eating chocolate makes his skin break out into a rash, then do not get him a bucket of chocolate golf balls. In picking your present, mull over what the golfer's hobbies and interests are. You know he likes golf, and talks about it as frequently as he does about his ex-wife. But what other things does he like other than golf? You can consolidate the answers to these questions with the golfer's vehement love for the sport.

Make a Gift Profile
Who says you can't keep files on your friends like the FBI does? Compile information about your friends' preferences, so that every time you need to give golf gifts away, you know the scope of your options. Oh, and be sure to tick off the ones you've already given. It wouldn't do to give the same present year after year.

The Gift Profile should include information about the person himself, such as his age, marital status, place of residence, and profession. It should also include information about his interests, such as how he spends his free time, his favorite or least favorite food and drinks, and his fashion style.

Be Practical
Your golf gift should be practical. This means it should be useful, if not at present, then at some future time. Here are some examples of golf gifts that have very high utilitarian value:

Golf chip and dip platter/ salsa bowl
Golf wine rack
Golf magazine rack
Golf desk lamp
Golf towel
Golf barbecue utensil set
Golf tote bag

Another option is picking goofy golf gifts. These make highly memorable gifts, and your friend could show it off to visitors at his home:

The golf Piggy Bank looks like a pig riding in a golf cart.
Golf Slippers are slippers that look like shoes.
Funny Golf T-shirts include the prints how to throw your golf bag and how to break your golf clubs
Novelty golf balls, including floating golf balls and exploding golf balls
The Broken Window golf Ball which, when placed on glass, gives the appearance of a golf ball shattering a window

Ultimately, whether you choose to give a personal, practical or wacky golf gift, pick one that makes you a winner in the game of gift-giving!

In need of golf gifts? Visit our site now and have your fill of top-drawer presents, ranging from golf totes and balls to Cross pens and cufflinks.

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