MORTISHA' S PATH OF SPIRITUAL FULFILLMENT!

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The Journey to Complete Balance

First of all, I can not stress how important meditation is for finding & maintaining your inner balance. Now don't think that sitting in a yoga position, chanting OHHMM is the only way to meditate. There are several types of meditation. Any rhythmic, repetitive, or focus-oriented activity can be used as a meditation; chanting, drumming, focused breathing, certain physical activities; such as dancing, rocking, jogging, etc.

Some people have so much energy that just sitting still ends up having a more adverse affect on them. These are people that are always saying "I've tried every meditation I can find, & I just can't seem to be able to do it", or "My mind is racing a million miles a minute, I can't concentrate long enough to just 'be'".

When you are stressed out, what is it that always seems to help you to get back on track? What are you doing when you usually get your 'great ideas'? What activity seems to always end with you feeling a sense of balance & oneness? Is it gardening, drawing, painting, writing, creating, making music, playing sports, exercising, jogging, dancing, martial arts? Whatever it is that makes you feel at one with the Universe and gives you a sense of peace is your personal meditation and a key to complete balance.

I am one of those people described above. I used to think I couldn't meditate....until I found my own personal meditation. I actually use a basic meditation, but with my own personal touches. I start off by putting on my headphones with some instrumental music....light jazz or something inspired by nature. I do my deep breathing, surround myself with white light, maybe light a candle or some incense or both. Then I picture myself dancing to the music, like I'm performing a show in my mind. Eventually I start to shapeshift into any form my mind comes up with, a half human/half bird, or a fairy soaring & floating in synch with the music. From that point on I can be whoever or go wherever I am inspired to. I have opened myself up to Divine energy through music & dance. Dancing in the physical world works in the same way for me. I feel balanced, at peace, and more open to inspiration.

Write down all of the activities that give you a sense of peace & balance. Write down what inspires you. What were your childhood interests? Do you have some of those same interests now? Take some time to think about this. Be sure to write down everything that comes to mind as you work on this. All of the answers you are looking for are right there in your own mind.

Balance

part 2

In order to reach a state of complete balance we must have a balance

between our Physical, Mental, Emotional, & Spiritual selves. This means we need to acknowledge and spend equal amounts of time developing each area, AND strive to reach a balance within each aspect of these individually.

**Important Note: I am not a doctor, this is just basic common sense

information found in magazine articles, medical pamphlets, and

self-improvement books. I am just presenting it here for a helpful

reference to seeking your complete personal balance. Please consult a doctor for a professional work-up of your own personal well-being. Thank you.

The Physical Self

What we're talking about:
nutrition, exercise, hygiene, material needs.

Every health book or article we pick up tells us that the basics of a

healthy physical body is to drink 8-10 glasses or more of water a day, get plenty of fresh air and sunshine (with protection), eat a balanced diet, get 6-8 hours of sleep every night, and get at least some light exercise once a day. With our fast-paced, time-crunching, multi-tasking lives we live nowadays, it may seem impossible to fit these tasks into our already overwhelmed schedules. But if we really want to make a difference in the way we feel, have more strength, energy, and a longer life, we will see that these simple acts can easily be fit into the busiest of schedules.

Break it down:

Fresh Pure Water-

**at least 64 ounces a day**

Coffee, Tea, and other drinks made mostly of water, but also with sugar or caffeine added, do not count as part of your daily water intake. These drinks defeat the whole purpose of hydration. These actually DE-hydrate you due to the sugar and/or caffeine content.

Choose a special cup or squeeze-bottle to be your personal water cup or bottle. Keep it with you wherever you go. Take a drink whenever you feel the need...you will run to the bathroom often when you first begin this. This is your body's way of cleansing out the impurities in your system. It will slow down after a week or so. The cleansing effects will help your body run more efficiently, which will give you more energy, cleanse your pores, improve your skin's elasticity, and allow your hair to look healthier & shinier.

An 8 ounce container would need to be filled at least 8 times a day,
   12 oz.- filled around 6 times,
   16 oz.- at least 4 times,
   20 oz.- a little over 3 times,
   24 oz.- almost 3 a day.

Fresh Air & Sunshine-

**minimum 10 mins. a day**

We are stuck inside houses or buildings that usually do not get adequate ventilation, especially in the colder months, or when it is very hot & we're couped up with the air conditioner running. Heaters & air conditioners also kick up dust & debris which is mostly composed of animal hair, human skin flakes, and fabric lint. There are also germs, bacteria, and other microorganisms floating around that we can't even see. So get outside in the fresh air for a bit...take a few deep breaths, feel the Sun* warming your skin. Look around, watch the birds, squirrels, or people passing by. Look beyond what your eyes can see. Envision the great expanse of our world. Don't you feel better?!

Don't forget...if you are outside for any extended period of time to

protect your skin & eyes from the rays of the Sun!

   *The Sun helps your body produce:
     -Vit D., which helps your body absorb and use calcium,
     -serotonin, the relaxing/happy-chemical (aids sleep, appetite, mood,

and anxiety),
-melatonin, the sleep-inducing hormone, which is released in

darkness.

Eat a balanced diet-

**3 meals a day, or 5-6 small meals**

Bottled vitamins and supplements are synthetic versions of only some of the vitamins & minerals found naturally in the food we eat. There are so many more nutrients in one piece of food, than they actually put into the synthetic pill form. All OTC and prescription drugs are synthetic copies of cures once used directly from plants, trees, foods, and other organisms found growing naturally all over the world. If we are lacking something in our body we can find it in Nature. The reason for eating a balance of all things in Nature, is to fuel our body equally from each group of foods, and various types and colors of each group as well.

Anything made from grain is the biggest contributer. These foods give us lasting energy throughout the day & include 6-11 servings of whole grains, breads, pastas, and rice. Next is 3-5 servings of a variety of fresh vegetables, 2-4 servings of various fresh fruits, 2-3 servings of protein from meats, beans, eggs, and/or nuts, then 2-3 servings of

bone-strengthening dairy products like milk, cheese, & yogurt, with a very minimal amount of fats, oils & sugars.

If we can't eat an entire meal at a time, we can break them up into 5 or 6 smaller meals evenly spaced throughout the day. Breakfast is the most important. We haven't eaten throughout the night, and we want to start our day off with plenty of energy in reserve. If you can't eat a full breakfast, choose something small, but wise; like yogurt with granola, fruit and grain, or a healthy muffin.

Remember that if we skimp on meals regularly, our metabolism slows down. We want a higher metabolism if we want to burn fat & calories, so eat regularly, but wisely.It's ok for a snack in between meals, just make it small and sensible. Choose fresh foods whenever possible...try to avoid pre-packaged foods as they are filled with chemicals from dyes, preservatives, and synthetic ingredients. It's better to have a cut-off time for snacks in the evening. Eating too close to bed time can result in heartburn, indigestion, and weight-gain. Your body doesn't digest well later in the evening.

6-8 hours of sleep every night-

While we sleep, our body is resting and recharging. Our conscious mind is also resting as our subconscious sorts out our thoughts, emotions, and reactions from the day. This is called dreaming. If we do not get enough rest, we feel irritable, sluggish, and not quite at the top of our game. If we go several days without proper rest and regeneration, those symptoms develop into irrational reactions and behavior, severe lethargy and incoherence. Our bodies are machines. As with any machine, it needs periodic recharging to keep all of the working parts operating.

Exercise-

This will vary greatly between different people depending on their health, activity, etc. Basically we just want to be aware of how active we are. If you've been sitting for a long time, get up & stretch, move around. Try not to sit in one position for too long. Stretch upon waking. Do at least some light exercise once a day...more if you're able to. The point of this is to keep our muscles working (improves circulation), and to distribute oxygen to all parts of our body. Regular exercise (a vigorous workout 15-30 mins. a day, 3 X's a week) speeds weight loss, helps lessen menstrual cramps, relieves headaches, and combats symptoms of depression, anxiety, irritabliity, fatigue, and PMS.

Hygiene-

Part of keeping up with our physical well-being is taking care of our

hygiene needs. Keep our teeth, hair, and bodies clean and maintained. Brushing our teeth can help us stave off snacking as well as sicknesses caused by bacteria. Taking regular showers or baths washes away microscopic germs and bacteria that could make us ill as well.

Clean the house! Cleaning the house burns calories, cleanses our living space, and lifts our spirits. The next time you clean the house, notice how you feel afterward. You may be a bit wore out from the physical labor, but you also will notice you have a cheerier outlook on things as well.

Material needs-

Material needs are things we need in our lives to survive...food, shelter, clothing, money or barter, etc. They are necessities, and because of this, tend to cause a lot of anxiety and worry when we appear to be lacking in one or more categories. These are the items or issues that tend to rate our social standing. Following this rating scale breeds judgement, envy, greed, and dishonesty. To survive the material wars, you need only remember this: If you are meant to have it, it will find you.

The Mental Self

What we're talking about:
learning, reading, figuring, challenging, debating, communicating.

Our brain is a machine. It needs regular stimulation to stay healthy.

While we're children we have regular stimulation through school every day. But when we get older & out of school, we need to find our own

stimulation. This can be found through adult college courses, home

research, reading, and communication with others through social contact.

Break it down-

It is important to challenge our brains from time to time by communicating with people who have different ideas and beliefs. This challenges our brains by forcing us to think quickly and respond calmly to ideas that may not match our own. It is just as important to also have people around us that DO think on the same lines as we do. This is part of the balance of our mental selves. We must also widen our horizons by seeking out individuals that are more evolved than oursleves. Listen quietly to everyone who speaks, wise and ignorant. Every person we come in contact with can teach us many things about human experiences and basic human nature.

Remember that the books we read are only written by humans like ourselves. There are no true experts on any one subject. We continually learn throughout our lives, and what may be true in one context may not be in another...or for another individual. Take in the knowledge, but use your own smarts & logic to sort through and categorize the information you have read. You will know what rings true for yourself & what doesn't. What may be a solid truth for you at one time in your life, may prove to be untrue in the future. Part of attaining wisdom, is to realize that we are always learning, and truths are always changing. Be flexible to your truths, and you will gain great wisdom.

The Emotional Self

What we're talking about:
Feelings, Relationships (intimacy) with; family, friends, acquaintances.

The next step in reaching our personal balance is to focus on our

emotional selves. After we take in information from reading,

communicating, and experiencing, our brains process this information with the information stored within our brains from the past. What results in this action, is REACTION. Our reaction depends on what information is already present in the brain. Many times these are based on past reactions or experiences. In order to have a calm, balanced reaction to things, we must be at peace with how we feel about these things. If we are not at peace with these things, our brains will react in confusion, resulting in unbalanced reactions. This is where the ideas of "issues" comes up. If we say 'so & so' has an issue with something, it means they have not come to terms with the idea in their own brains. We will continue to have issues with things until we actively work on dealing with them. When we finally come to terms with an issue, we react to that issue in a more calm manner. This is called EVOLVING.

Break it down:

JOURNAL!!!! Write down how you feel about things, what dreams you have, and thoughts you have. In order to figure out our stand on certain issues, we need to get it down on paper and analyze it. Sometimes we just keep going over the same thoughts repeatedly without any apparant headway. By writing it down, it helps sort it all out. Our dreams are our brain's way of sorting through our emotions and thoughts from throughout the day. When we write these dreams down, we can see what our subconscious is trying to tell us. Do not keep feelings bottled up inside. Express yourself. Artistic people may want to draw, paint, sculpt, write, sing, act out, or otherwise create something that expresses your feelings. Be FREE and be yourself. Noone else can do it for you. You are unique in your own way. Remember that whatever is missing in your life is found not

outside of yourself, but within.

Here is a list of some emotions. Copy this list and write down what you think the defination of each of these are. When you are journaling you can refer to this list to help you assign an emotion to how you are feeling at the time of writing. Why do you think you feel this way? Do not feel bad for any emotion you feel. These are YOUR feelings, and you feel this way for a reason.

Anger
Hate
Disgust
Disappointment
Jealousy
Envy
Sadness
Sorrow
Grief
Agony
Remorse
Shame
Fear
Pity
Desire
Ecstasy
Passion
Excitement
Astonishment
Love
Happiness
Joy
Pride

The Spiritual Self

What we're talking about:
nurturing of and communication with the spirit, or soul.

The key to the balance of our spiritual self is meditation. We need to be in communication with our inner self in order to truly know what it is we need. By meditating, we are tuning in to what our brain and body are trying to tell us. All of the answers we seek can be found within. There is an amazing amount of information stored in our brain, attached to our soul, throughout many many lifetimes. By meditating, we can unlock the doors that years and years have closed off to our conscious mind, but are still accessible by the subconscious. This aids in the acheivement of total balance between our Physical, Mental, Emotional, and Spiritual selves.

Break it down:

Take 10-20 minutes a day to listen to your inner self. If there are

others in the house, ask them to give you some quiet, uninterrupted time to yourself. Find a comfy spot to sit or lie, go outside for a walk, take a relaxing bath, or go for a jog. Tune everything around you out and allow yourself to just BE. Let any thoughts drift in & out, but just be and observe. After a few weeks of this, messages or images will begin to appear in your mind's eye. These are the answers you are looking for. Write them down when you are finished with your session, and keep them in a journal to look back on later.

In Conclusion...

Your journey to complete balance will not be an easy one, but it will be

well worth every effort. Stay strong and know that you have help from

higher spirits. Dedicate your life to your highest and greatest good and you shall go far. Dare to dream! Those who do are the ones to see their dreams come true. Live, Love, and Learn In Love and Light!

Important Announcement The MSN Groups service will close in February 2009. You can move your group to Multiply, MSN’s partner for online groups. Learn More
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