Cory Quirino's Inside Out

10 Keys to Mastering the Self

EVERYONE has the power to heal himself or herself. While there is no easy way to achieve this, countless self-help books have been written on the subject.Here is a set of guidelines from one of my favorite gurus, Dr. Deepak Chopra:

Listen to your body. The human body has wisdom. Its means of expression is aches, pains and discomforts. Attend to your pain and see your physician soonest.Emotional pain is easily discerned, too.

When faced with a choice in behavior or action, ask your body, "What is your feeling about this?" If there is any sign of emotional or physical discomfort, hold back. If you get a pleasant feeling, then go ahead.Live in the now. The present is all you really have.

Pay attention to what you have and who you are now. Make every moment count. Let things be and allow them to flow naturally. Struggling against a situation will only cause stress. So trust in the wisdom of your present reality.Make time for silence.

Your inner life thrives in silence, not in noise. When you are guided by the spirit, your thinking is clearer and your attention more focused.Stop looking for external approval. Begin liberating yourself by relying on self-motivation. Seeking the approval of others may diminish your own inner power. When you rely on yourself, your inner worth will grow. When you rely more on others for approval, you weaken your inner worth.

Let go of your anger. Giving in to anger or acting in extreme opposition to someone weakens you. Anger is a struggle with emotions, which is a part of yourself. It means you have no power over yourself.What you most hate in someone is also what you most deny in yourself. What you love most is what you want most for yourself.

This is the mirror of relationships. When you have better self-knowledge, you will understand the depth of this message.Do not burden yourself by judging others--even yourself. All things can be understood and eventually forgiven. If you judge all the time, you cut off understanding.Your body, mind and spirit are not toxic waste dumpsites.

Don't contaminate your body with unhealthy diets. Do not pollute your mind and heart with negative emotions like fear and doubt. What is inside you will reflect on the outside.Behavior should be motivated by love not by fear. Fear results from memory that refuses to forget past hurts and disappointments. When you remember what hurt you before, you use your energy to protect yourself from getting hurt again.

But you cannot impose the past on the present, and this cannot insulate you from future pain. When you are secure about yourself, you are powered by love.The universe is moved by a force and intelligence called God. The more aligned you are to this power, the stronger you will be, and your life will be more directed.

Breath of lifeAn integral part of mastering the self is breathing. This is the way to control the energy of prana that enters and leaves our body. It is believed that changing our breathing pattern also alters the emotions.In one case, agitated hospital patients were asked to breathe slowly.

Almost immediately, they became calm.The breath of life can be conserved through fresh food, pure air and water, sunlight, moderate exercise, balanced refined breath, non-violent behavior and reverence for life, loving and positive emotions (and their free expression).

In India, various systems of yoga teach controlled breathing exercises or Pranayama aimed at releasing stress and letting the body find balance.Find out your emotion and its breathing patterns in a chart on this page.De-stress breathing exercisePlay soft, gentle music or, if you like, sit outdoors and listen to the wind, running water or birds.

Let the music flow in and out of your ears and exhale. Repeat, letting the music flow through your eyes, now your nostrils and mouth, then your entire body.Focus your attention on the chest. Breathe in and out through your heart. Now, be silent and become more aware of your body.

This exercise is great for relaxing the nervous system and it teaches harmony with nature.Coco milk bathIn a tub of warm water, mix one pail (about eight full glasses of coconut milk, fresh is better but powdered/canned will do). Add 10 drops of vanilla to sweeten your soak bath. Forget your cares... Relax, enjoy.Love and light!Reference: "Ageless Body, Timeless Mind" by Dr. Deepak Chopra

http://www.inq7.net/lif/2004/feb/03/lif_23-1.htm

posted by Misteryo Philippines Network (MPN) @ 7:27 PM