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Mind Power Articls

HOW TO AVOID NEGATIVE THINKING

This destructive habit is often a self-fulfilling prophecy - we talk ourselves out of improving our performance or maintaining good new habits. We talk ourselves into just giving up.

FAILING AGAIN AND AGAIN

Many of us have failed time and time again, especially with diets and healthy eating habits. And so when you once again make a resolution to eat healthier, you carry the guilt and frustration of those failures. You start off not really believing you will succeed. Any little slip up leads you to criticize yourself and reinforce that you will just fail again.

SELF-TALK

Monitor your self-talk. What are you saying to yourself when you have a setback? If you skip a workout do you tell yourself you are a lazy slug? If you give in to a big portion of your favorite treat, do you tell yourself that you will always be fat and will never stick to a healthy diet?

ANALYZE WHY YOU WENT WRONG

Instead of criticizing yourself when you slip up, sit down for reflection. How many times in the past few days have you done it right? What feelings did you have that led you to go off course this time? What could you have done differently to address those feelings? Were you feeling deprived of treats and so you gave into the big piece of cake? Could you have asked for a half-size piece of cake, or taken a bite and then passed the plate around to your friends? If you skipped a workout because you were pressed for time, was there a time when you could have gotten in five minutes of stretching or a quick walk or jog so you weren't completely inactive?

POSITIVE SELF-TALK

Once you've analyzed the reasons and come up with a course of action that would have kept you more on course, now talk to yourself in a positive way. "That cake was delicious. Next time I'll savor a couple of bites rather than taking a big piece." "I needed some breathing space in my schedule and so I missed the workout. I'll bring a resistance band to work so I can get in some exercises while on hold on the phone."

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE

The more you catch yourself in negative self-talk and stop to analyze why you are criticizing yourself, the more you can redirect yourself to positive action. Eventually, you may begin congratulating yourself on doing the right thing rather than criticizing yourself for doing the wrong thing. Negative feelings and negative talk won't cease completely, but if you use them as opportunities to analyze why things went wrong and to focus on positive actions, you will turn them into tools for improvement.

FAKE IT TO MAKE IT

Beyond negative self-talk, I give myself positive self-talk even when it's not quite true. I tell myself throughout a tough workout that I love it and it is good for me, even as I want to quit. At the end I tell myself it felt great, even as I drag myself back to the locker room. At the end of a long training walk, even with new blisters on my feet, I tell myself it felt great to have made it that far. Rather than thinking that I must be aging or will never get more fit, I am thinking that I am somebody who loves the training and will challenge myself till I achieve new levels of fitness.

YOUR POINT OF POWER IS THIS MOMENT

How many of us have heard the pundits and gurus say “you must live in the now!” I used to read that or hear it and say to myself, can I live any other freakin’ time? I just did not quite understand what it meant and quite frankly it was the same as so much of the spiritual double speak that can be so vague and confusing.

Until I started to study myself from a metaphysical perspective there were many spiritual concepts that were confusing to me. This was because so many spiritual concepts can be applied to physical life but they really transcend physical reality to our greater existence as a soul. But trying to understand the broader concepts is like trying to understand a story with only part of the information available to you. We can get locked in on the physical because it is what’s “real.”

TIME IS MEASURE BY A CLOCK NOT YOU

Physical reality is really analogous to the clothing that covers a much deeper and broader existence. The concept of time is a physical camouflage that we get locked in on even with evidence to the contrary. You see time is actually relative to all of us. We can sense true time but we don’t usually realize what is happening. For example if you are enjoying your self at an event mentally time just seems to “fly” by you “feel” like it has been 30 minutes pass by but when you look at your watch it has been 2 hours. When you are in a place that you are bored and want to leave but can’t that same 30 minutes can “feel” like 2 hours. You keep looking at your watch and the hands seem to stand still! In actuality this is how your soul or inner being senses what we call time. It is always relative to our “feelings.” The only thing that makes us think it is “real” is the clock or watch that we use to measure time.

In our broader existence there is no such thing as past or future. Our broader being lives in the eternal moment of now. We create our physical futures based on how we handle the information we receive in the eternal moment of now.

On a practical level one of the ways to look at the eternal moment of now is to realize that in that moment everything is ok. In other words the past has already occurred and whatever you believe will happen in the future has not gotten here so just relax in that moment.

STRESS IS BEING FIXATED ON SOMETHING THAT IS IN THE PAST OR THE FUTURE

We usually get stressed when we think and worry about past and future events. We bring those feelings and anxieties into that moment. But, when you are able to stop in that moment and be grateful a sense of calm will come over you. Don’t think about the past, don’t worry about the future because at that moment you are well. Allow yourself to be ok for that moment.

When you do consciously start to project into the future, do so purposefully. Imagine what you want it to be like when you have reached that projected point. Feel what it will be like. Expect it will be that way and have faith that it will come to pass. In that moment you have the power to create your reality. In the now is your present point of power. Being able to retreat to the now is what the pundits meant. It is calming. Now I understand.

ANSWERS COME IN THE NOW:

Perhaps you are seeking answers to your questions or problems. Notice that sometimes you receive your answer, but most of the time you don’t. Why? Because you are not in the present moment when the answer arrives! Anytime your mind is out of the present moment you cannot receive the answer you need from Higher Intelligence. The answer can come in many ways and at any time, but it will always come in the present moment. If we spend most of our time regretting and living in the past or worrying about the future we place ourselves out of the present moment where all creativity and answers take place.

Does it make any sense at all to desire, request, yearn and pray for that which is closest to your heart and necessary to your life and then not be paying attention when the answer arrives?

Our Point of Power can only exist in the present moment. We create from this moment whether the materialization appears instantly or later as a complex event. However, all creation takes place in the NOW. If we really understand this truth, we will have an inexhaustible supply of usable energy at our command.

It is only our thoughts, attitudes and emotions in the moment that have power. It is not what occurred to us in the past that will force us on a path that we would rather not be on. It is how tightly we hold on to that past by reliving its trauma and drama in our present moment. When we constantly worry and re-examine the past in order to discover what’s wrong with the present, we reinforce the building materials that will create exactly that which we are trying to escape.

PUT THE GLASS DOWN

Professor began his class by holding up a glass with some water in it. He held it up for all to see & asked the students;
"How much do you think this glass weighs?"
'50gms!' ..... '100gms!' .....'125gms' ...the students answered.
"I really don't know unless I weigh it," said the professor, "but, my question is:
What would happen if I held it up like this for a few minutes?"
'Nothing' ..the students said.
'Ok what would happen if I held it up like this for an hour?' the professor asked.
'Your arm would begin to ache' said one of the student
"You're right, now what would happen if I held it for a day?"
"Your arm could go numb, you might have severe muscle stress & paralysis & have to go to hospital for sure!" ventured another student & all the students laughed "Very good.

But during all this, did the weight of the glass change?" asked the professor.
'No'. Was the answer.
"Then what caused the arm ache & the muscle stress?"
The students were puzzled.
"What should I do now to come out of pain?" asked professor again.
"Put the glass down!" said one of the students
"Exactly!" said the professor.

Life's problems are something like this. Hold it for a few minutes in your head & they seem OK. Think of them for a long time & they begin to ache. Hold it even longer & they begin to paralyze you. You will not be able to do anything.

It's important to think of the challenges or problems in your life, But EVEN MORE IMPORTANT is to 'PUT THEM DOWN' at the end of every day before You go to sleep..

That way, you are not stressed, you wake up every day fresh &strong & can handle any issue, any challenge that comes your way!

So, when you leave office today,

Remember to

'PUT THE GLASS DOWN !'

THE ILLUSION OF TIME

The present moment is the only thing where there is no time. It is the point between past and future. It is always there and it is the only point we can access in time. Everything that happens, happens in the present moment. Everything that ever happened and will ever happen can only happen in the present moment. It is impossible for anything to exist outside of it. Therefore it is obvious, that past and future don’t have a reality on their own. They are just mental concepts in our heads. Past is the thinking of memories while future is the projection ahead. But anything can really happen only in the present moment. Nothing else regarding time really exists in reality.

This realization shows that there is no time other than the concept of it. I personally see the perception of time as the perception of change of form. If we think about a mechanical watch, the watch changes it’s form through a well laid mechanic and is therefore showing "the time". Even digital clocks are doing nothing else than an ongoing changing in form and by this working as an instrument to measure this progress. Seeing it like this you could say that there is only one moment in which forms are in constant motion. Even memories stored in our brains are changing forms. In that way you could say that it is not time changing along the world, it is the world of form changing along the one present moment.

BECOME PRESENT

Going into the present moment means to become present oneself. All kinds of meditations and spiritual practices are aiming to become present. To center ourselves in the present moment we have to get the past out of our head and stop projecting to the future. What remains is the here and now. Then all of our attention flows into the present moment. Maybe you want to try it out right now. Then remove all past and future and center yourself in the "vertical dimension of time":

WHAT IS THE PRESENT MOMENT

The vertical dimension of time is the present moment, the one point out of the concept of time. What happens if we center ourselves in the present moment is that the mind stops to make noise. We become present and are not distracted by our mind. If this happens we are able to connect with our deeper self and we become more alive and awake.

Besides these explanations, regardless of how much we put into them, it is "Understanding present is being present". And the key to becoming present is the move out of the concept of time. The present moment is the entry point to spiritual awakening.

Thoughts stop. The mind becomes silent. What shines through then is the energy of our being. We can dive much deeper into this vertical dimension of time and discover more about our true nature. To dive into the present moment is also the goal of meditation. The present moment is the entry point, or it the main portal into spiritual awakening.

THE POWER OF THE PRESENT MOMENT

One could think that being in the present moment means that we lose control over the future. Gandhi said "The future depends on what we do in the present." And that entails all the wisdom that is needed here. If we set goals or develop a vision of the future this is very powerful. But then we execute towards this goal in the present moment and the quality of the work we produce towards the goal depends on what we do in the present moment. The more we are present, the better the quality of our doing will be.

(DR. SIKANDAR ALI PH.D)

PSYCHIC PROTECTION

If you think you are suffering from some form of psychic attack, then you need to learn techniques to protect yourself, and block the negative energy. Psychic attack is when a person, or group of people, consciously or unconsciously decides to harm you psychically, or drain your life force. The latter practice is known as psychic vampirism.

Psychic self-defence involves protecting yourself from absorbing negative energies allowing someone else to reprogramme your unconscious. Instances of psychic attack come from fear so dealing with insecurities and phobias, and balancing yourself is very important for protecting yourself from psychic attack. Loving yourself and accepting yourself is a great source of strength as well.

Other ways of protecting yourself are:

• Visualize white or gold light around you in an egg shape coming out of your head and coming round underneath you to completely seal you inside the light.

• Wear protective crystals such as quartz, jasper, agate or turquoise or whatever works best for you.

• Praying for help in times of stress can be very effective.

Some people are particularly sensitive to others and these people act as sponges, soaking up negative energy from people around them. These people must take care to protect themselves so they don't absorb too much negative energy.

Interaction with people should be positive and encouraging. If you feel drained and put down in someone's company then you need to protect yourself from them. Some people manipulate others through fear and guilt. It is very important to maintain your boundaries in dealing with demanding people. Helping others is good, but not if it damages yourself.

FORGIVENESS

"He who cannot forgive breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass."
(George Herbert)

If you are finding it impossible to forgive someone else, here is why you should set yourself free!

Many believe that if you forgive someone else that you are "condoning it", "letting them get away with it", "failing to protect yourself by forgetting all about it", and so on. When you forgive you are doing none of those things. What you are doing by forgiving those who have wronged you… is setting yourself free. Here is how it works:

1. GETTING CLOSURE: Forgiveness brings the energy of completion to the relationship. When you forgive - once and for all - this releases the energy of closure and completion to the universe. Since at the level of pure energy, we are all one, you will feel the sense of closure and peace with the other person when you forgive them.

2. KEEP DISTANCE: Forgiveness is easier to manage if you give yourself permission to break off contact (no letters, emails, texts, phone calls, in person visits, and so on). Often people find that hard to do if these people are family members. Yet "family is as family does": if those who are biologically related to you act like your worst enemy, then it is your right to protect yourself by keeping your distance from them unless/until they can treat you with love.

3. NO ATTENTION: Forgiveness becomes a reality if you give yourself permission to put no attention on those who have wronged you. Do not ask about or talk about them with others. Do not ask for or receive news about them. Do not put even one nano-second of your precious attention on them. Part of the freedom that forgiveness gives you is to choose to put your attention on only those things that bring love, joy, and happiness into your life.

4. MEMORY PURGE: Forgiveness comes with greater ease once you purge your memory of the wrongs done you. A very effective technique for purging unwanted memories is to simply write down (from your viewpoint) that another has done to you. Once all the poisonous memories are off your mind and stored safely on paper or in an electronic file, never look at it again. Let the paper and the file remember the pain you have endured... so that you can free your mind from it. Put your attention on making your life happy: that is easier to do once freed by forgiveness.
(DR. SIKANDAR ALI PH.D)

THE POWER OF SINCERE APOLOGY

Apologies happen—sometimes multiple times a day. We apologize when we unintentionally say something hurtful, when we make a mistake at work, or when we bump into somebody on the street. And then there are the bigger apologies—those what we should have addressed months or years ago. Maybe we said something to alienate someone, perhaps we judged too quickly or did something that we regret. Saying “I'm sorry” remains one of the hardest things to do. We justify our actions, we present half-apologies, we blame the one we’ve hurt, or we expect something in return. Yet a true apology can clear the air and potentially heal a relationship.

Align Heart and Head--It’s easy to say “I’m sorry,” but meaning it is another story. A true apology occurs when the heart and head are in alignment, when you intellectually and emotionally accept the responsibility for causing another person pain, even if you’ve done it unintentionally. Becoming accountable for your actions is the foundation of an honest apology.

Write Before Speaking--If you are struggling to find the right words, write your apology down first. Writing gives you the space and time to see how you really feel—for instance, you’ll discover whether you are truly sorry or whether you harbor any lingering hostility toward the person. Its important to deal with these feelings before approaching the one you’ve hurt, or you may reopen the conflict.

Keep it Simple--If you hurt a loved one with words or actions, take a moment to accept your role in what has happened and to imagine how you would feel if the same was done to you. At that point you can begin to make an apology that requires nothing from the one who is receiving it. Keep it simple: “I understand that I really hurt you and I want you to know that I am truly sorry.”