Regularly meditating may offer vast heart health benefits, according to a large new study supporting earlier smaller studies. This new study involved survey data on more than 61,000 people, nearly 6,000 of whom reported that they engaged in some variety of meditation. Digging into the data, the researchers found that compared to individuals who didn’t meditate, those who engaged in the practice experienced lower rates of cardiovascular health issues, the most prominent being coronary artery disease followed by high cholesterol, diabetes, stroke, and high blood pressure.
It is important to note that yoga is often “hijacked” in Western societies, with many of its traditional teachings removed or changed. Studies have shown that yoga is often taught, portrayed, and practiced as a means to achieve a “hot body” or “yoga body.” For example, search for “yoga,” and you’ll see that most images portray cultural beauty ideals. When physical activities are taught, practiced with an appearance mindset (i.e., to lose weight, to get a “yoga body”), this actually harms body image and well-being. Therefore, for yoga to have a positive impact, it is important to follow traditional forms of yoga that emphasize a positive mind-body connection and downplay the importance of appearance. -Jessica M. Alleva, PhD.
Every single moment of our lives presents us with a choice: either awaken to the reality of the present moment, or stay sleepy and push aspects of that reality away. - Will Johnson
Last week from his residence in Dharamsala, India, the Dalai Lama engaged in a dialogue with nearly 1,000 police officers in the United Kingdom. The dialogue, which took place online on 8 July, was held with members of the London Metropolitan Police under the theme “Developing Compassion During Uncertain Times.”
During the discussion, the Dalai Lama told the police officers that “it’s because we have neglected our inner world and an idea of inner peace that we now see a crisis in society.” He continued: “And you need to have a sense of compassion for those who are causing trouble. If there is no other way to restrain the violent, you may have to adopt tough measures, but not at the cost of losing your own peace of mind. Sometimes people think of compassion as a sign of weakness. I consider it a sign of strength.” Responding to a question about the particularly sad scenes that many police encounter in their work, the Dalai Lama responded: “You mustn’t let the sight of violence make you demoralized. You have to be determined to bring about change. Destructive emotions are a result of ignorance, but with determination it can be overcome.” As human beings we all have the potential to be happy and compassionate people, and we also have the potential to be miserable and harmful to others. - Dalai Lama 14th
If we want to be happy, then the important thing is to try to promote the positive and useful aspects in each of us and to try to reduce the negative. - Dalai Lama 14th
We cannot really know who does and does not have inner
spiritual realization. All we can know is the outer expression exhibited by the person. - Glenn Mullin Without the good heart, it is not possible to get enlightened.
- Lama Zopa These are the ten signs of an enlightened person: #1) They are guardians of their thoughts. Everything good or bad begins with the mind. This is foundational. #2) They are guardians of their words. Only what is positive and beneficial is spoken. #3) They are guardians of their actions. Courtesy and civility are of prime importance. #4) They are guardians of their eyes and ears. Caution is exercised over what they allow themselves to see, read and hear. #5) They are guardians of their food and drink. Protecting the body and good health are vital. They are vegetarian or moving toward that diet. #6) They are guardians of the environment. The planet and everything on it is respected, valued. They want plants, seeds, rivers, lake, grasses, trees, fishes, insects, rocks and mountains to know peace. #7) They are mindful when lifting and laying down items. Slamming, dropping, throwing things and all other clumsiness and carelessness is avoided. #8) They delight in the joys and successes of others. Being a cheerleader for others is a noble act. #9) They are compassionate toward all beings. Both human and sentient beings are valued. #10) They are patient with those who are misguided in behavior. Mercy is routinely applied. If most of these are present in your life, you are enlightened. If they are all present in your life, you are fully enlightened. (feel free to re-post and/or share on your social media) The question - "Is Covid 19 payback for neglecting our health and the environment?" is the subject of an excellent article by Ellen Moyer, PhD. Here are some of her insights:
* Humans created this pandemic. "An important lesson receives scant attention in the blitz of media coverage of the pandemic: This crisis was created by humans. We promote infectious viruses — and destroy our defenses against them. Most epidemics — AIDS, Ebola, West Nile, SARS, Lyme disease and more that have occurred over the last several decades — don’t just happen. They result from human activities. Animal diseases that can be transmitted to humans have quadrupled in the last 50 years. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 60 percent of known infectious diseases in people can be transmitted from nonhuman animals. Some 75 percent of emerging infectious diseases originate in wildlife." * Humans make it 'easier' for virus to develop and spread. "Biodiverse, healthy ecosystems can restrain pathogens before they ever leave the wild. But biodiversity declines when we wipe out plants and animals through destructive logging, industrial agriculture and other activities. When there are only a few species left, they’re good at carrying disease. Deforestation, which has increased steadily over the past two decades, is linked to 31 percent of outbreaks of new and emerging diseases such as Ebola, Zika and Nipah viruses, according to the EcoHealth Alliance." * Humans who neglect their health endanger their own lives. "COVID-19 is both an infectious disease and a lifestyle disease. We can strengthen our immune systems to defend against COVID-19 by getting good nutrition, reducing exposure to toxic chemicals and stress and ensuring we take time for physical activity and adequate sleep.,,,Overall, we have let our health go. According to Dr. David Kessler, author of “Fast Carbs, Slow Carbs: The Simple Truth about Food, Weight, and Disease,” only 12 percent of Americans are metabolically healthy, meaning 88 percent of us don’t meet basic medical guidelines for weight, blood glucose, blood lipids and blood pressure." (read the entire article at this link: https://www.thehealthjournals.com/is-covid-19-payback-for-neglecting-our-health/ Remember: there are practically no 'overnight' successes. - Lucille Ball
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Victor M. Parachin ...is aVedic educator, yoga instructor, Buddhist meditation teacher and author of a dozen books. Buy his books at amazon or your local bookstore. Archives
July 2024
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