Overcoming Fear

Fear is built into our human operating system. It is a useful emotion that has gone seriously awry. Fear can make us choose what we believe will keep us safe even when the opposite is true. It can make us believe that we can't do it, we are wrong, the cost is too high, the path ahead too difficult. Fear disguises itself with the voice of certainty, filling us with worry, doubt, and even dread. Fear is a very real emotion that can render us powerless. Many things have been written about what you CAN do to overcome fear. Check the net and you would find tons of material but the question is....what is most effective in your case????Stay with me as I will be addressing this here piece by piece and you can customise what fits your situation the most.

The Wonder Tree - Neem or Margosa

The Neem tree or the Azadirachta indica or Margosa tree is a fast growing evergreen that is native to Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Myanmar. This amazing tree is claimed to treat forty different diseases. All the parts of the tree are used for treating illnesses, the leaves, fruit, seeds and even the bark, all contain medicinal properties.

The use of neem as a medicinal herb dates back over 5,000 years. Today,  it’s benefits have been proven by scientific research and clinical trials. And, although few of us have access to a neem tree, it can be purchased in the form of oil, powder and pills.

To give you an idea of the healing powers of the neem tree, here are a few names that the people of India have given it, “Divine Tree”, “Village Pharmacy”, “Heal All” and “Nature’s Drugstore”. With the almost unending list of uses for neem, I think it could be called, ” The Tree of Life”!

In treating diabetes, neem has been found to actually reduce the insulin requirements by as much as 50% without altering the blood glucose levels. Take 3 to 5 drops internally each day.

Neem cleanses the blood, stimulates antibody protection and strengthens the immune system which improves the body resistance to many diseases.

Used as a mouth wash it treats infections, mouth ulcers, bleeding sore gums and will even help prevent tooth decay!

For pink eye the juice of neem leaves can be used as eye drops, warm 5-10 ml and apply several drops.

To treat jaundice, mix 30 ml of neem juice with 15 ml of honey, take on an empty stomach for seven days. If you suffer from burning sensations and excessive sweating, add 5 to 10 drops of neem oil in a glass of milk before going to bed.

Proclaimed the best product available in treating psoriasis, 2 capsules should be taken three times daily after meals with a glass of water.

Another way to treat psoriasis as well as eczema, skin ulcers, fungal conditions, cold sores and athletes foot, is to mix 1 tablespoon neem oil and 4 ounces of olive oil. This should be applied at least twice daily to the affected areas.

For acne problems take 2 capsules twice daily, you will start to see results within a few days.

To remove moles and warts, one drop of undiluted neem oil should be applied directly to the mole or wart and then covered with a small bandage. The procedure should be repeated daily using fresh oil and clean bandage.

For sinusitis, plain pure neem oil can be used as nasal drops. Use tow drops twice daily, morning and evening.

For athletes foot, soak feet in warm water with 15 ml of neem oil.

Neem oil will quickly stop earaches, just warm some oil and apply a few drops into the ear.

For hemorrhoids, apply some neem oil to a cotton ball and gently rub for about a week. If preferred a paste can be made by adding a small amount of olive oil or Aloe Vera oil until desired consistency is reached.

To prevent hair loss and enhance growth, mix a few drops of neem oil with coconut or olive oil and massage into scalp. This will even prevent your hair from graying!

Neem oil can be applied to cuts and abrasions to help them heal quickly. Neem increases blood flow which aids in creating the collagen fibers that helps the wounds to close.

As a treatment for burns and even sunburn, neem oil can kill the bacteria, reduce the pain and stimulate the immune system. By stimulating the immune system it speeds up the healing process and there is less scarring.

To kill head lice, neem oil should be massaged into the scalp and left on over night. Shampoo your hair as usual the next morning.

Neem detoxifies the body and helps maintain healthy circulatory systems, digestive and respiratory systems and helps to keep the urinary tract free of infections.

Scientific evidence has shown that neem is valuable in boosting the bodys’  immune system. A healthier immune system helps your body in fighting off many illnesses and diseases.

Laboratory studies have proven neem to be effective in treating the symptoms of food poisoning associated with both salmonella and staphylococcus. Neem extracts kill the salmonella bacteria and flush it out of your system, reducing the severity and length of the ailment.

A neem paste applied directly to the sores caused by chicken pox, will relieve the itching and reduce scarring.

Neem tea drank once or twice weekly can even help prevent colds. If you already have the symptoms associated with a cold they can be lessened by drinking neem tea three times a day. It will help alleviate the fever, cough, aches and pains, sore throat, fatigue and nasal congestion.

Neem also contains powerful anti-fungal properties that have been shown to aide in the treatment of athletes foot, yeast infections, thrush and even ringworm.

In it’s use of treating hepatitis, 80% of test subjects showed a significant improvement. The neem extract can actually block the infection that causes this virus.

Drinking neem tea during an outbreak of influenza will help alleviate some of the symptoms and speed up the recovery time. Neem has an amazing ability to literally surround viruses and prevent them from even infecting the cells.

Use of a neem based powder for jock itch will reduce the itching, dry the area and kill the fungus. For severe cases a neem lotion may be more effective.

The length and severity of an outbreak of mononucleosis can be decreased by drinking neem tea twice a day for two weeks.

For shingles, neem cream should be applied to the affected area at least three times per day. Severe cases should also be treated with neem tea after each meal, but tea should not be consumed for more than two weeks at a time. 

Thrush can be effectively treated with neem tea, it will reduce the inflammation, reduce the pain and speed healing. Children under the age of 12 should not drink neem tea, for children this young it should only be used to gargle. 

Secondary bacterial infections in the nasal passages and respiratory system can be decreased by inhaling steam from boiling the leaves.

In a recent study neem was shown to lower cholesterol levels when taken for a month in either the capsule form or the extract.

Scientific studies have proven that neem will reduce blood clots, heart irregularities and even reduce blood pressure. Results can be seen within one month on a regimen of extract or capsules.

Neem will increase the body’s  production of T-cells, which will attack infections.

The use of neem oil on the skin is known to actually rejuvenate the skin, it also promotes collagen and will work in the treatment of many skin conditions including acne. Acne can be cleared up within a few days by taking two neem capsules twice daily.

It is reported that neem will help in fighting chronic fatigue.

For headaches neem powder should be applied to the forehead, neem oil should also work in combating headaches when used the same way.

The inflammation, pain and swelling of the joints associated with arthritis can be greatly relieved with the use of neem. Neem changes the immune systems response to arthritis and can halt the progress of this disease.

For centuries neem has been used to reduce tumors. Clinical research has shown remarkable effects in the reduction of tumors and cancers and also in treating leukemia.

Neem is highly effective in treating gastritis, indigestion and heartburn.

Blood disorders such as blood poisoning, kidney problems and poor circulation have been benefited by the use of neem.

Neem oil should be stored in a cool dark place, if the oil solidifies it can be placed in warm water to bring back to liquid form.

YOGA FOR INCREASING LUNG CAPACITY

You dont need to think that yoga can only be done by some. All of us can find some basic exercises that can be done for certain specific requirements. A core component of yoga is its focus on controlled breathing, or pranayama.  Although researchers are not sure why or how yoga improves lung function, several studies have shown that it does, indeed, have a positive affect on respiration. Many allergies and asthmatic disorders can be treated with certain yogic exercises. “Chair breathing”: a yogic relaxation breathing technique helps in reducing asthmatic symptoms.

Chair Breathing Exercise

The yogic chair breathing exercise is simple to perform, but has proven to be effective at controlling asthma and other breathing-related malfunctions.  A 1993 study done at the University College of Medical Sciences in New Delhi found that chair breathing improved lung capacity by 10%.

In this exercise, the patient sits on a mat on the floor facing a folding chair. The patient extends his or her legs beneath the legs of the chair and rests his or her arms on the seat of the chair.  The following steps are then performed in sequence:

1.      Slowly tense all of the muscles of the body
2.      Progressively relax each of those muscles
3.      Repeat step 1 and 2 five times in sequence while slowly leaning   the head backward and then forward toward the seat of the chair
4.      Inhale slowly and deeply while leaning the head backward
5.      Exhale slowly while leaning the head forward and down toward the seat of the chair
6.      Repeat steps 4 and 5 five times in sequence
7.      Repeat steps 4 and 5 five more times in sequence while slowly chanting “Ah” on the exhale

8.      Repeat steps 4 and 5 five more times in sequence while slowly chanting “MM” on the exhale 

Pranayamas

The chair breathing exercise is not the only pranayama that is thought to improve lung function.  Indeed, the whole practice of yoga is, in a sense, a pranayama because of its continual focus on the breath.

Pranayamas range from simple deep breathing exercising (a series of deep inhalations and deep exhalations) to alternate nostril breathing (a series of inhalations and exhalations that utilize only one nostril at a time.)

But they all play an important respiratory function.

One of the ways in which yoga is believed to improve lung function is through exercises that expand the chest wall, thus providing more room for the lungs to expand.

Yoga Exercises that Improve Chest Wall Function

Some of the yoga postures (called asanas) that are believe to improve chest wall function are:

-          The tree (Vrksasana)
-          The camel (Ushtrasana)
-          The cat ( Bidalasana)

Other asanas that are believed to improve chest wall function are:

-          The cobra (Bhujangasana)
-          The swan (Hansasana)
-          The bow (Dhanurasana) 

The IDA NADI and its Balancing

The human nervous system is divided into a central and an autonomic nervous system. The autonomic is divided into parasympathetic (PNS*) and sympathetic nervous systems (SNS). The parasympathetic nervous system is divided by a gap between the vagus nerve and the kundalini. This division is symbolised in the instrument as the void (IV). The left and right sympathetic nervous systems (SNS) we use for our day to day physical, mental and emotional activity. Within the subtle instrument, Ida Nadi (Left Channel) manifests the left SNS* and Pingala Nadi (Right Channel) the right SNS. By-products of Ida Nadi activity create the balloon of superego in the head, beginning on the left at throat level and mostly covering the back and right side of the head. Pingala Nadi activity creates another balloon, of ego on the other side, covering the front and left side of the head.

The central channel of Sushumna Nadi manifests the PNS*. This system is self-governing. The Self or Spirit witnesses the action of the PNS which controls our involuntary activities such as heartbeat, breathing and reflex, that is, unconscious as opposed to conscious activity. Although we can to a degree control our sympathetic action, for instance we can make our hearts beat faster, we cannot consciously slow the heart down, which is parasympathetic action.

The Self existing at this level means that we cannot achieve Self-realisation through our own effort, only through God’s desire. Spirit is spontaneous; as natural and vital to us as our heartbeat. How long would we last if it were only our will that kept our hearts beating, or if we were to learn breathing from a book ? The spirit is infinite, while our rationality is finite, hence our efforts are also finite. Only Kundalini can bridge that great divide between illusion and reality. She is the trigger of divine bliss, that unites the attention to the Spirit, and carries you on into joy. The energy of Ida crosses with that of Pingala like a double helix. When clear and balanced, both of these nadis carry prana to Shushumna nadi, the central nadi that runs from the base of the spine to the crown of the head. At the base of Shushumna lies our Kundalini wrapped around Shakti holding her in place. When prana enters our systems, it unwinds our Kundalini allowing Shakti to travel to Shiva. When Shiva and Shakti unite we can experience oneness, the state of Samadhi, or what Tantrikas call the experience of nothingness (all things at once).

The IDA Nadi (Moon Line, Left Channel)

Qualities: tamo guna, past, subconscious
Gross expression: left sympathetic nervous system
Place on hand: whole left hand
Manifestations: auspiciousness, emotion, existence, joy, desire.
Causes of catch: lethargy, habits, conditioning, superstition, blind faith, guilt, fear, self pity, day-dreaming, drugs, bad childhood, gross attachments to children, sexual perversion, black magic.

The left channel (“Ida Nadi” in Sanskrit) is also called the Moon Channel. It begins at the Mooladhara (1st chakra) and runs up the left side, crossing over at the Agnya Chakra (6th center) into the temple and superego on the right side of the brain. It provides the conduit for the energy of our desire.

From these desires or wishes, our emotions are triggered. Emotions are actually desires that have not yet materialized. These desires and the attendant feelings about them travel through this left channel to the appropriate places in the body to bring about the actions of fulfillment. Our desires are essential for action. Without their impetus we would have nothing to act upon.

The greatest quality of the left side is to provide joy which is the steady condition of the Spirit. You may remember having this joy as a child, or you may have observed it in small two- or three-year-old children. They usually wake up in the morning happy. While they may experience physical and emotional pain once in a while throughout their day, they do not cling to it with memory. Rather, they cry, recover, and resume the steady state of joy. The desire for this joy is still alive inside us the same as it was when we were infants. It may be blocked or covered with "tarnish" from emotional or physical injuries experienced in living life. Earlier we did not have effective techniques for clearing away the hurts and blows that are normal in living active life. The different practices help us remove those old tensions and recover that joy as a steady state of being.

Problems of the left side tend to result in passivity or emotional extremism whereby we are thrown between elation and depression. With this type of imbalance, self-discipline becomes difficult and bad habits become hard to correct. In the worst case, we become lethargic and self-obsessed. Because this channel feeds also into the skull area, pressure on the brain becomes excessive. This cycle is what causes such problems as mental breakdown, epilepsy, and senility (decay of the brain).

The state of the left channel is felt on the left side of the body. In the beginning it is most easily felt on the left palm.

To correct a weak left side we have to first balance it with the right (rajo guna). This means activity which develops the ego and pushes the over-developed superego back to the central area of the head. So we put more attention outside, on work and action. Discarding all ideas of self-destruction and self-pity, we materialise the emotional side which is attuned to our sustenance (dharma). By using the neglected right side, we bring the left into balance with the rest of the being. Now when Kundalini is raised she does not fall again.

The real and greatest quality of the left side is to give us joy (anand), which is beyond the duality of happiness and sorrow. The Spirit is always in joy. That joy is expressed in its purity when Kundalini enlightens the attention with the Spirit. Actually the joy which is latent in creation starts manifesting through our left side. Then you find joy radiating from any source of divine vibrations.

Your priorities change automatically. Old habits and addictions are over and done with, given up without difficulty. A sense of security is established and all guilt and imaginary fears disappear. ‘Everything created by nature gives a new meaning and one starts enjoying the genuine significance of every ripple of joy they emit.’

Are you curious to know what happens during the time that Ida is dominant? Contrary to Pingala, which brings out the mathematician, the financier, the lawyer in us, when Ida is dominant, the artist, the singer, the novelist, or the chef manifests. Ida is associated with the energy of the moon, which is creative, feminine, restful, calming, cooling, and healing. Lunar qualities bring out the Mother Nature (Shakti) force.

EXERCISE : Anulom Vilom - Alternate Nostril Breathing Instructions

This is a form of Pranayma, or yogic breathing that balances and cleanses the body’s energy system.

Form the Chin Mudra with the left hand by touching the tip of the left index finger to the tip of the left thumb while keeping the remaining three fingers straight. Form the Vishnu Mudra with the right hand by keeping the right index and third fingers straight, bending the right fourth and baby fingers toward the palm, and touching the tip of the right thumb to the bottom corner of the right fourth nail. Inhale, then close the right nostril with the right thumb. Exhale to a count of eight through the left nostril, inhale to a count of four through the left nostril, hold the breath for a count of sixteen, by gently squeezing the fourth and fifth fingers and the thumb against the nostrils, then switch nostrils on the exhale and exhale through the right nostril for a count of eight. This is one half-round. Complete the round by inhaling through the right for a count of four, hold the breath for a count of sixteen, then exhale through the left nostril for a count of eight. Each time you exhale, switch nostrils. Each time you exhale through the left nostril, you have completed one round. Do five rounds to begin, and gradually increase the number of rounds.

The Energy Flow in our body - Nadis

As we all are well aware, we are all made up of energy. We are also aware that Energy can neither be created nor destroyed,  it can just change its form. The famous equation is well known E=mc² . In view of the above, it stands to reason that there must be some organised way that the energy that we are, functions. It is also logical to assume that everything being energy, each one of us must be interconnected! No religion here,  just basic reasoning!

Alright, I am personally aware that these connections exist and I have been playing with them for years now! More fun than any game I have heard of, and, definitely, more rewarding in terms of Life Experience. Are you with me till here? Okay, lets go deeper. In one of my previous posts I had talked about the Human Energy System in which I had written about the Chakras. In fact, that can be taken as a basic overview of our energy system. In another one of my posts I had dealt with the balancing of the 1^st chakra. But, I think it is important to learn about this energy flow in our bodies before I go on to the Chakra Balancing. In this post I would be introducing you to the Energy Flow.

In our body, the energy flows through energy channels which are called “Nadis”. Nadi literally means 'flow or current'. In the ancient texts of Ayurveda  it is written that there are seventy two thousand nadis in the psychic body of man. These are visible like currents of light to a person who has developed psychic vision. In recent times the word nadi has been translated as nerve, but actually nadis are not nerves as we known them, for they are composed of astral matter. Like the Chakras, they are not located in the physical body, though nerves of the physical body can be considered as their corresponding physical manifestations.

Nadis are the subtle channels along which the vital forces of prana flow. Out of the large number of nadis in the psychic body, fourteen are more important, and of these, three are most important. These three are ida, pingala and sushumna.

All the nadis are subordinate to sushumna, even ida and pingala. Sushumna nadi runs within the spinal cord, from mooladhara chakra or the First Chakra  at the bottom to Ajna Chakra or the Sixth Chakra at the top. It is silvery in colour. Emanating from the left side of mooladhara and passing through each chakra in turn in a curving path, finally ending on the left side of ajna chakra, is ida nadi. It is blue in color. Emanating from the right side of mooladhara and passing in an opposite manner to that of ida, up to the right of ajna, is pingala nadi. Pingala is fiery red in colour. Ida and pingala are the pathways of the two polar opposites of life force flowing within us. Ida is negative, and also called the moon (chandra) nadi, while pingala is positive and called the sun (surya) nadi. These force currents in ida, pingala and sushumna operate alternately and the current that is flowing at any particular time can be determined by noting the flow of breath in the nostrils. It the left nostril has a greater flow of air, then ida nadi is predominant. When the flow is greater in the right nostril, then pingala is predominant. If the flow is equal, then sushumna is ruling.

If you watch your breath you will find that it is usually flowing more in one nostril than the other.

·         When the right nostril is flowing, then vital energy is more active, allowing the individual to do physical work, digest food and so on. The mind is extroverted and the body generates more heat.

·         When the left nostril (ida) is flowing, mental energy is dominant, the mind is introverted, any kind of mental work; thinking concentration, etc., may be undertaken. Ida nadi also flows mainly during sleep.

If pingala flows at night, the person is very restless and finds it difficult to sleep. Likewise, if ida flows at the time of taking food, the digestive process may be inefficient, causing indigestion. All our activities are influenced by the flow of these nadis which alternate approximately every hour.

However, it is possible to alter the flow voluntarily by using willpower and certain yogic techniques, such as padadirasana and pranayama. For example, if there is work to be done but one feels sleepy, it is possible to direct the flow of prana to pingala nadi thereby gaining the necessary energy.

When these two nadis are purified and balanced, and the mind controlled, the most important nadi, sushumna, begins to flow. Sushumna must be flowing if there is to be success in meditation. If pingala flows, the body will be restless; if ida flows, the mind will tend to think too much. When sushumna flows, kundalini rises through the chakras.

In human physiology, the two nadis correspond roughly to the two halves of the autonomic nervous system - the sympathetic and parasympathetic. Pingala coincides with the sympathetic nerves, responsible for the stimulation and acceleration of activities concerned with the external environment and the deceleration of the organs which tend to utilize a lot of energy internally. The sympathetic nerves speed up the heart, dilate the blood vessels, increase the respiration rate, and intensify the efficiency of the eyes, ears, etc.

The parasympathetic nerves directly oppose the sympathetic nerves, for they reduce the heartbeat, constrict the blood vessels, and slow the respiration so that the individual becomes introverted. The flow of prana in ida and pingala is completely involuntary and unconscious until yogic practices control it.

Know your true power

There are times when we feel the pull to meditate but are swayed from it by the excuses that spring to mind. We may think that we are too busy, have no time to ourselves, or that we do not have the right place to meditate. Our minds can think of dozens of reasons to put off meditation. But those are even stronger reasons to look past the illusion of the hustle and bustle of daily life and to connect to the place within that intersects with the timeless power and limitless potential of the universe. From that place we can experience that potent stillness that exists at all times, and it is only as far away as our breath.

It might be useful to ask yourself why you would put off something so beneficial to your peace of mind and general well-being. There may be fear that if you were to stop your frantic pace, your world might fall apart, and then you would have to face the undeniable reality of who you really are and the results of the choices you have made. You might be afraid that you will be forced to make huge changes in order to align yourself with the universe and harness your true potential. Sometimes the frustrations of the known world seem less scary than the possibilities of the unknown. But the truth is that when we cooperate with the universe by creating our lives from the truth of our being, life becomes less of a struggle and more of a process of living blissfully on purpose.

Finding yourself alone for a few moments can give you the opportunity to turn within to infuse a sense of calm wisdom to your work. Whenever you can take the time to recenter and refocus, it will remind you how beneficial it is to connect to your source. Then you will make the time for longer sojourns of spirit, because once you are rejuvenated and enlivened by knowing that you are made of energy and light, you can channel the power to create your life in alignment with the highest potential of your soul.

The purpose of LIFE

Do you feel bored with your LIFE?

Does it no longer hold any meaning?

Does it feel aimless?

Does it make you feel purposeless?

What if I told you that your purpose in life is to taste it’s many flavors – and that what you are calling boredom is but your Higher Self’s signal to you that you have learned all you need to learn and that its time to move on?

What if you considered the possibility that a very acceptable way of journeying is to stay on the surface of it, at least for a while, experimenting and playing with whatever seems interesting for only as long as it was interesting and that what is most important is to smile often, to be happy, and to like yourself?

So many of us suffer needlessly because we have been taught that our life is suppose to look a certain way. By a certain age we are suppose to know what we want to be when we grow up and that we are suppose to then spend the rest of our lives happily being it.

Well, I was a little different. I surrendered, wanting to know the answers and started allowing what was, in this moment, to be OK. I started allowing who I was to be OK NOW – even when the world told me I wasn’t!

And then interesting opportunities began to present themselves and I played with the ones that caught my interest – until I let them go.

Sometimes we spend so much time trying to figure out what to do that we forget to BE. We spend so much time thinking there is something about us that needs to be fixed that we forget how awesome we are right now.

Many of you have asked for my advice – here it is…

For the next 7 days put down the lists, the journals, the self examinations, any and all of it that looks like a search for answers. Just put it down.

Also for seven days eliminate or severely limit anything that we humans like to use to distract us from ourselves – TV, radio, the computer, newspapers, alcohol, high intensity exercise, talking about our problems, etc.

Also for 7 days stop reading books – just let it all go.

What to do?
Well.....walk, sit, watch the thoughts that travel across the surface of your mind.

Doodle, sketch, color if you like

Dance

If emotions come up, let them and watch them, without judgement. Watch them come and watch them go and watch them come again.

BE WITH YOURSELF.
If this is too hard to do for 7 days – then do it for 2 or 3 – or even just one 24 hour period. Give yourself a break from this belief that you are required to be something you are not in order to be happy and fullfilled. Allow yourself to empty.

And then – when this period of quiet is over – pick up your journal and write about the experience – and write about the insights that came to you during this time…

I would also love to hear from you  :)