For followers of "less popular" spiritual path's

[GuitarTom]

Posted by BeatAnxiety07:
I would recommend the "health balls" they are very cheap and really help to relieve stress and slow your mind down when your thoughts are racing.

Hi Beat,

I've never heard of "health balls". I was wondering if you might be able to elaborate on what thier funtion is.

I haven't deviated from the same meditative position that I learned a while ago. I've been struggling with finding the right time of day to meditate lately. When I first started meditating I would do it right before bed, which doesn't seem like the most effective time of day to do it. I would like to do it in the morning sometime so it would help change my persective on the day ahead. If I try to do it before my morning jog I just have a hard time achieving the right state of mind do to the fact that I still have "bed head", so I started doing it at night again, oh well. I'm working so much right now that I can barly get 8 hours sleep a night so it's hard to work it in every day. I think I've learned some of the lessons that meditation can teach us quite well though. It's changed the way I relate to people and the way I expierence the common hardships that are thrown at us on a day to day basis.

When work eventually slows down a bit I think I will do some research on Zen so that I better understand the difference between that and my current pratice which has its roots in Tibet.

Tom

[guayhumanperson]

this is the most ridiculous thread ive seen on the site. You people need to relax and not get so worked up over beliefs. This is why wars are started. This thread basically confirms why I am not a religous person. They only cause hostility towards another. To me all religions have similar things about them, they just go about them a different way. I havent studied every single religion this is just what it seems to me. I just think its silly to get so worked up over a belief system. I understand it may cause anxiety for someone to question your beliefs however.

[guayhumanperson]

in saying that though I don't want to be seen as participating in this debate that was going on. It's just my concern or observation I guess. It's also something I've been thinking about for awhile now just about the world.

[BeatAnxiety07]

Originally posted by guitartom:

Posted by BeatAnxiety07:
I would recommend the "health balls" they are very cheap and really help to relieve stress and slow your mind down when your thoughts are racing.

Hi Beat,

I've never heard of "health balls". I was wondering if you might be able to elaborate on what thier funtion is.

I haven't deviated from the same meditative position that I learned a while ago. I've been struggling with finding the right time of day to meditate lately. When I first started meditating I would do it right before bed, which doesn't seem like the most effective time of day to do it. I would like to do it in the morning sometime so it would help change my persective on the day ahead. If I try to do it before my morning jog I just have a hard time achieving the right state of mind do to the fact that I still have "bed head", so I started doing it at night again, oh well. I'm working so much right now that I can barly get 8 hours sleep a night so it's hard to work it in every day. I think I've learned some of the lessons that meditation can teach us quite well though. It's changed the way I relate to people and the way I expierence the common hardships that are thrown at us on a day to day basis.

When work eventually slows down a bit I think I will do some research on Zen so that I better understand the difference between that and my current pratice which has its roots in Tibet.

Tom

Health Balls are an old practice used in Chinese culture to help relieve stress, help with concentration and calm a racing mind. They are also used a lot in Kung Fu.

Here's an overview: <A HREF="http://www.ionet.net/%7Etslade/chinball.htm" TARGET=_blank>http://www.ionet.net/~tslade/chinball.htm</A>

[GuitarTom]

Posted by Beat Anxiety:
Health Balls are an old practice used in Chinese culture to help relieve stress, help with concentration and calm a racing mind. They are also used a lot in Kung Fu

Thanks for the info. I'm wondering after reading the information in the link that you provided if playing guitar might offer some of the same benifits.

Tom

[BeatAnxiety07]

Originally posted by guitartom:

Posted by Beat Anxiety:
Health Balls are an old practice used in Chinese culture to help relieve stress, help with concentration and calm a racing mind. They are also used a lot in Kung Fu

Thanks for the info. I'm wondering after reading the information in the link that you provided if playing guitar might offer some of the same benifits.

Tom

I wouldn't doubt it. I once saw a program, I think on the discovery channel, that disussed the healing benefits of playing the harp, but other instruments as well. It had something to do with the vibrations and your nervous system - there actually is some science behind it.

-------------------------

I read a good Taoist phrase the other day, thought I'd share:

"Living plants are flexible. In death, they become dry and brittle. Therefore, stubborn people are disciples of death, but flexible people are disciples of life." Lao Tzu

When I first read this I thought it was contradictory of everything the Tao Te Ching teaches. However, what it is saying is exactlly what the Tao Te Ching teaches, we never die for we will always be apart of the Universe. Consciousness is all that makes us feel seperate.

Living your whole life, while fearing death, trying to understand death, or waiting for death is essentially - missing out on life. We can preach damnation or preach what we call the truth. But, it is those that live in the momment and believe the Universe is eternal, that are enjoying life each day.

Simply be... and accept what is..

[kimmer]

for beatanxiety07, Was very interested in the Toltec teachings you mentioned. I believe there are many teachers out there and entertain the idea that we are ALL ONE. I believe in universal energy and the Law of Attraction. Have you read the Secret or Conversations with God books by Neale Donald Walsh. Excellent reading! Neale talks about God needing nothing from us. He/She is always there and that there are no coincidences in life. I think religion can create a lot of guilt and anxiety because it makes you feel like you can never measure up, and somehow you've failed. Thats a tough message.

[GuitarTom]

Posted by BeatAnxiety:
"Living plants are flexible. In death, they become dry and brittle. Therefore, stubborn people are disciples of death, but flexible people are disciples of life." Lao Tzu

Thanks for sharing that John. The truth in these verses can be seen everyday if one looks for them. I thought I might share one of my favorites from the Toa Te Ching:

"Thirty spokes connect to the wheel's hub;
yet, it is the centre hole that makes it useful.
Clay is shaped into a vessel;
yet, it is the emptiness within that makes it useful.
Doors and windows are cut for a room;
yet it is the space where there is nothing that makes it useful.
Therefore, though advantage comes from what is;
usefulness comes from what is not." Loa Tzu

Ever notice how much more productive ones mind is when it is not so cluttered with obsessive thoughts? Perhaps this verse is more easily understood by the obsessive thinker than most.

Tom

[BeatAnxiety07]

Originally posted by kimmer:
for beatanxiety07, Was very interested in the Toltec teachings you mentioned. I believe there are many teachers out there and entertain the idea that we are ALL ONE. I believe in universal energy and the Law of Attraction. Have you read the Secret or Conversations with God books by Neale Donald Walsh. Excellent reading! Neale talks about God needing nothing from us. He/She is always there and that there are no coincidences in life. I think religion can create a lot of guilt and anxiety because it makes you feel like you can never measure up, and somehow you've failed. Thats a tough message.

Hey Kimmer,

I haven't read anything by him but they sound like good reads, they will probably offer some criticism to some beliefs that I hold. Thanks for the tip.

I also agree with you about religion creating guilt. It also creates tons of fear.

Tom,

Very nice. That is a very good quote.

I was thinking to myself the other day about some discussions that have been going on in here and how they relate to obsessions. I recalled a good quote while reading a book on advaita, the author says something like - "Imagine someone going over to a well. They begin to pull on the rope in order to bring to the surface, a bucket with water, however this is an endless well, endless rope and there is no bucket. Sadly this person keeps pulling and pulling to find nothing." - Many monks constantly seek out enlightment but meet with utter failure. The struggle to find enlightenment actually helps prevent the person from reaching enlightenment.

This is similar to OCD. If you have an obsession and you continue to try and make the obsession go away, thinking there is some magic button (a bucket at the bottom of the rope), then the obsession will stay and you will continue on with this enldess struggle. Let the thoughts be, simply be, accept what is and all else will fall into place.

Einstein once said: "Insantiy is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results."

- John

[Untooleze]

<span class="ev_code_PURPLE">seeing that this thread is for followers of differn't faiths i was wondering if it would be okay for some of you to pray for me , i believe in pretty much all things, and dont like to pray to just one being or another, i am going through a really hard time, relationship wise, financial wise, and mental wise... I would really appreciate it,
Thanks,
Heather</span>