2011年11月30日 星期三

Stress and Sensory Overload


Stress, as most know, is a combination of mental and physical fatigue. I pastor a Church and deal with it both personally and in counseling. I even wrote a short booklet on it. Your mind and body are connected. Worry, fear, anxiety, and such things add to the body's stress as well. A body that is rundown, exhausted, or sick can impact your mental state as well. Stress is unavoidable. It is part of life. We feel it any time there is pressure--pressure to perform, pressure to be somewhere, pressure to do something, pressure to be something. All of this is stress.

Stress can compound itself when our bodies can't handle well the input that we receive through our senses. We have the basic five: smell, touch, taste, hear, and sight. When we deluge these senses with outside stimuli it then impacts both our bodies and our mental stability.

We've all watched movies or read articles about a form of torture that involves sensory overload or even sensory deprivation. Ever felt chills when someone raked their fingers down a chalkboard? Ever had multiple people talking to you at once and shouted for everyone to be quiet?

Of all the sense, our hearing is the one that is most susceptible to sensory overload. There are more nerve endings that gather in or near the ears than anywhere else in the body. So when we talk of sensory overload, the first and most important one that must be dealt with is that which we hear. The second one, and one with significantly less impact, is our sight.

These two, more than the others, impact our stress levels. They focus the mind on it so that we can't tune things out, or set them aside, or let it pass. The intense focus on something that stabs at our senses will add to our levels of stress.

We live in a society where noise and images are the primary means of gaining attention. You drive down the street and see billboards and signs. You watch TV and have images flashing rapidly at you with the often overwhelming number of sounds and noises. Movies can be stressful for people. They give children nightmares, they can cause sleep deprivation. I go into people's houses and notice that the TV is on and no one is watching. They don't even realize that the images and noise is constantly on. You can say that their senses have been overwhelmed.

I've even found a correlation between children diagnosed with ADD and their environment at home. When the house is loud, noisy, and generally in a clamor, children can't seem to absorb it well and often end up with attention spans much less than other children. It is a form of stress. I've observed teenagers that have to have music playing all the time, even when they go to sleep, tend to be more nervous and stressful than others. The constant input of sound and sight can be overwhelming.

Many of the techniques for reducing stress such as meditation, yoga, and so forth all put you in an environment or state of mind that is sensory deprived. They seek to quiet your mind and feelings, get you away from the noise and sights. For me, I simply go somewhere quiet and read a book. No matter what goes on in the book, I am in a state where I'm not dealing with so many sights and sounds.

I worry about people who are unable to enjoy quietness. People who have to have music playing, have to have noise and sounds around them constantly usually are more uptight, more nervous, and more stressed. Learn to enjoy a time of quietness, of peace, where there are no or few noise. If you must have music, have something very soft with no rock beat, something gentle.

And you can't discount a person's emotional state. The more sensitive our emotions, the more impact sensory input can affect it. A parent who had a bad day at work and comes home to loud and rambunctious children will quickly grow stressed with the noise and often react improperly. A wife having a bad marriage will find herself unable to deal with the pressures of her job, especially if she works in a loud environment.

I've had many people say that watching TV actually calms them. But my personal observations on the issue are that TV is only a temporary and often inadequate solution. Too many things are thrown at your ears and eyes for your brain to process well. It doesn't reduce your stress so much as it hides it for a bit.

Another solution people turn to is music. But overwhelmingly loud music isn't stress relief, it is hiding. Personal observation and years of counseling have convinced me that the best music is soft background music. Something that eases the senses and emotions not overwhelms them. Think about it, people who listen to such loud music, do they even look relaxed?

SUGGESTIONS

1. Reduce stress by finding somewhere each day where you can be in an environment of calm and peace.

2. Before entering a loud environment, make sure that your emotions are not overly sensitive.

3. Meditate on something pleasant. I usually meditate on my God, my Saviour, and the Bible. I find great peace and comfort from this. I shut out almost all sensory input and just think. It provides great strength for the day. Prayer is a wonderful tool that I use to reduce stress and prepare for the day.

4. Use your imagination more than sensory input to stimulate your mind. We watch way too much TV and don't read enough. Write, read, or think, but don't let the world feed you your thoughts with sounds and images all the time.

5. Make your home a castle of peace. I see to it that the home is a place where we can find peace and calm. The more chaotic your house is with TV, yelling, arguing, fighting, negative sights, and tense emotions the more stressful everyone is going to be. There is an incredibly strong correlation between this and a child with ADD.

Stress is unhealthy. Although we can never rid ourselves completely of it, we can do a lot to control it.




Please visit our website at: http://fitlyspoken.org. For more books and resources to build relationships and express yourself. Specializing in practicality that works, not the politically correct or socially acceptable platitudes!





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How a Good Sleeping Habit Helps You Attain Optimum Health


Sleep is something that many of us are too willing to give up just to take on a job, have party with friends or simply finish a book or a television program. Skipping sleep for some time may not have a substantial impact on your health. However, if you keep on depriving yourself of much-needed sleep, you are not doing yourself a favor.

Studies have shown that sleep has tons of benefits. If you want to maintain a healthy and active life for a longer time, then you should not get into the habit of skipping sleep at night. To help underline the importance of sleep, here are some of its benefits:

1. Eases Stress

Many studies have confirmed that people who are not getting enough restful sleep are in an elevated state of stress. As a result of the body's heightened condition, your body releases a lot of stress hormones and your blood pressure is high. In this state, you are more prone to having stroke and heart attack. Ironically, elevated levels of stress hormones could also make it more difficult for you to go to sleep.

2. Boosts Memory

It is important to note that the time your brain consolidates your memories is during deep sleep. While you are dreaming away, it is the time when your brain processes all the things that you learned, creates sensory inputs, and makes connections between feelings, events and memories. Thus, you need to allocate time for sleeping too.

3. Prevents Certain Types of Cancer

Experts believe that people who work late or in graveyard shifts are more prone to developing colon and breast cancers. They say that the connection lies on the levels of melatonin, a hormone that makes us sleepy, in the body. Studies have shown that melatonin prevents the growth of tumors. However, light during the night suppresses the production of melatonin. If you happen to work at night, make sure that your bedroom is completely dark so that you can sleep properly and produce melatonin even if you sleep during the day.

4. Keeps You Alert

Experience will tell you that after a good night's slumber, you will wake up energized and ready for the day ahead. On the contrary, if you are sleep deprived, you feel sluggish and unaware of your surroundings. Aside from drunk driving, people who fall asleep while driving are also responsible for a lot of vehicular accidents in the country.

5. Minimizes Your Risk Of Depression

Aside from melatonin, the other hormone or brain chemical also affected by sleep is serotonin, which is responsible for your mood and feelings. If you don't get to sleep soundly at night, your levels of serotonin might suffer, increasing your chances of developing depression. If you do not want to experience bouts of depression, be sure to snooze for 7 to 9 hours every night.

6. Promotes Healthy Heart

Statistics show that strokes and heart attacks are more common during the early hours of the morning. This may be caused by the manner in which slumber interacts with your blood vessels. Specialists believe that lack of proper sleep can make cholesterol and blood pressure levels worse.

7. Helps In Weight Loss

Did you know that the more you skip sleep, the bigger your chance of gaining weight is? It seems that the hormones that control appetite in people who are sleep deprived are disrupted. If you do not sleep well, you are more prone to eating a lot the day after.

8. Aids Body In Making Necessary Repairs

While you are sleeping, your body also starts repairing the damage caused by ultraviolet rays, stress, free radicals and other harmful exposures. This is the time when your body creates more protein molecules, which are the building blocks of cells.

If you are suffering from insomnia or having difficulty sleeping, consuming sleeping pills might not be the best for you because these pills can be habit forming. Instead, you can try sleep supplements, such as Somulin, which are composed of natural ingredients that are safe and effective.




For more details, simply visit http://www.somulin.com/

Janet Martin is an avid health and fitness enthusiast and published author. Many of her insightful articles can be found at the premiere online news magazine http://www.thearticleinsiders.com





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2011年11月29日 星期二

5 Reasons For Avoiding Sleep Deprivation


1. You are more prone to accidents

The National Commission on Sleep Disorders found that sleepiness while driving causes more traffic fatalities than drunk driving.  Their estimates show that 100,000 traffic accidents and 1500 fatalities occur each year because of driver fatigue. The day after a switch to daylight savings time, when we lose an hour of sleep, traffic accidents rise by 7%!  Lack of sleep therefore can do much more than just make you crabby. Any activity  that requires a high degree of concentration that is attempted by someone who is lacking the proper amount of sleep becomes significantly riskier and will have a higher chance of ending in an accident.

2. Your mood and motivation is affected by lack of sleep

If your sleep deprived, you may end up being able to perform throughout your day but you may not be people's favorite person to be around. Missing the needed amount of sleep for just one night can make you more volatile, slightly depressed, and even sensitive to criticism.

3. Your immune function is affected by lack of sleep

You will be more vulnerable to illness if you are not getting the proper amount of sleep each night. Sleep plays a big role in regulating your immune system. Your body will be  weaker and you will be more apt to catch viruses. If your immune system is depleted, you will be open to things like bacteria, viruses, and toxicity invading your body and taking over.

4. Lack of sleep will cause you to age quicker

Scientists that study longevity know that sleep is one of the biggest components of living longer. A study done by the American Cancer Society concluded that:

- The people at the greatest risk for dying early were those that slept the fewest hours.

- The people with the highest death rate were those that averaged 4 hours of sleep or less a night.

- The people who had the highest longevity were those that averaged 8 hours of sleep a night.

5. The production of human growth hormone in your body can be affected by lack of sleep

Human Growth Hormone (HGH), secreted by the pituitary gland of the brain, is an endocrine hormone that declines in production as we age. HGH is secreted in little pulses while we are in a deep sleep and also after we exercise.  Things like cardiovascular disease, increased body fat, osteoporosis, gray hair, wrinkles, lack of energy, reduced sexual function, and other symptoms are related to the decline of HGH. You can prevent or even reverse these conditions by increasing deep sleep.

Many people believe that when we go to sleep a night that our body is in an inactive state. This could not be more wrong. Many biological processes of the body are performing and doing things while we sleep like revitalizing our body, repairing tissue and organs, and boosting our memory storage. Your brain is actually very alert and using more sugar and oxygen than when you are awake.  Your muscles in your body are relaxed but your brain is still highly active, even learning new things as you sleep but the sensory perception it uses during the day is essentially shut off while you sleep.




Getting enough sleep is important. Your body will love you for it and so will your friends. Susan has been writing articles online for nearly a year now. Not only does this author specialize in health, travel, and dogs, you can also check out her latest website reviewing the Coleman air mattress pump models like the Coleman inflate all quick pump





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Understanding Why Cats Have Whiskers


What are they? The long, stiff, specialized hairs, on a cat's face and body.

Name: Vibrissae; also known as tactile hairs or whiskers.

Description: They differ from the cat's normal body hair in that they are long, tapering, stiff yet flexible hairs. They are double and even three times the thickness of a normal cat hair and many times the length; they can grow to be extremely long.

The most obvious will be found in horizontal rows on the puffy area known as the whisker pad on the cheeks of a cats face, mainly in the area between the corner of a cat's mouth and the outer corner of the nose. Yet there are many more all around the face, in the area of the chin, and the eyebrows, also on the body especially around the front-, the hind legs and feet, although they are sometimes shorter.

Each whisker is rooted deeply in a follicle, surrounded by a highly developed sheath of muscle tissue, rich in nerves and sensory cells, sealed by a capsule of blood, called a blood sinus. The muscle is used to move the whisker in any direction to optimise use. The nerves connect the whisker to a large section of the brain of the cat especially reserved to processing the nerve impulses coming from the whiskers. Touching the whisker, causes it to move, the blood in the sinus is compressed to the opposite side. The blood amplifies the movement, thus allowing the sensor cells to detect the most miniscule of movement. All this: because the whiskers are one of the cat's main survival tools. Their function:

Measurement When a cat's facial whiskers are "put up" and alert, they are roughly equal to the width of the body. If you observe a cat testing an opening, it will stick its head in and out of the opening and then only proceed. What has happened is it was measuring the size of the hole compared to its body size and width. The cat has learnt with experience how much pressure on the sensor cells in the hair follicle equals a safe passage.

Navigation A cat has excellent sight many times that of man, but still it cannot see when it is completely dark, here its whiskers aid the cat to feel its way around. A very dark night or an enclosed area (man made like a tunnel or natural for example a cave) and there is no or very little light the cat will rely on air currents to navigate. Its whiskers can detect the slightest movement of air, air moves in distinct ways around barriers, the cat has learnt to read these signals.

Mood indication

Whiskers are a good indication of a cat's state of mind.

*Whiskers pulled back towards its body: - defensive, aggressive, angry.

*Whiskers pushed forward: - very happy, curious.

*"Put-up"-extended to their full in a circle around the face: - alert, interested, curious.

*Forward pointed: - excited, animated.

*Relaxed: - resting, content.

A few more facts:

*Similar to normal hair they do fall out naturally and re-grow.

*Cats whiskers are like human finger prints, the individual aligning is unique to each cat.

*The breed of cat called the "Sphinx", often have no whiskers.

Why you shouldn't cut or trim a cat's whiskers

*Clipping, cutting or otherwise removing the cat's whiskers is cruel; it is likened to removing one of our senses, e.g. Sight (to be blinded), smell (to lose your sense of smell), touch (to not be able to feel), taste (not to be able to taste anything) or hear (to be deaf), in a cats case they have the special sense of detection; the work of the whiskers.

*You will be depriving the animal of one of his means of communication (see mood indication above).

*You will be putting the animals life in danger, it will not be able to discern openings accurately and runs the danger of getting stuck, with possible fatal consequences.

Written in loving memory of all those wonderful felines that purred their way through my life.




For this article and other cat related articles, or to contact me please visit my blog called "the Cat's whiskers" at The Cats Whiskers

Hester-Lynne Murdoch: I have been involved with cats for at least 45 years. I have bred them (long haired and short-haired breeds) and showed them with a good deal of success, but my most proud achievement is moving to a farm overrun with feral cats. I set out to tame them to with the purpose to neuter and spay each and every one to stop the uncontrolled breeding in the kindest way. I am happy to say the job (76 cats) was done in a time of 2 months and 4 days. Today no more cats are born there and as the older ones pass on, the population is becoming more and more acceptable. One more thing, I raised a Cape Blackfoot cat (African Wildcat species) from closed eyed kitten size to a mature male with the intention of releasing him back into the wild, this was done with great success. I still see him at a distance and am happy to report he is a huge (for a small breed), healthy and very successful male specimen today.

Please feel free to use this article - provided it is published in its entirety, with my resource box and a "live" linkable link to http://www.catsfelinestameandwild-hester-lynne.blogspot.com

* The Encyclopedia of Cats - Michael Pollard
* A Passion for Cats - The Cat Protection League
* 101 Questions your cat would ask its vet - Bruce Fogle
* Cats - Christine Metcalf
* Catwatching - Desmond Morris
* Wikipedia.org





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2011年11月28日 星期一

Escaping Sensory Overload Through Meditation


In any given day, our senses are assaulted by the glare of city lights, the sounds of traffic and the smell of fast food. We touch a hundred different textures before we even leave our home. In a single meal our taste buds register sweet, salty and bitter with every bite.

So is it any wonder that we have such short attention spans? We are stimulated for every waking second of every day. This sensory overload is part of what stresses us out. We can never relax because there is simply so much to see, smell, hear, taste and touch. That is why we need relaxation techniques that take control of our senses and engage them in a soothing way.

Engaging the senses in meditation

The best way to circumvent sensory overload might surprise you. You don't need to submerse yourself in one of those sensory deprivation tanks. Meditation on a single object that can stimulate all or most of your senses will quickly and efficiently still your mind and calm your entire nervous system.

There are a lot of old-school meditation aids out there, such as incense, chants and chimes that can provide a point of focus. However, none of them really grab your attention and hold it in the face of a hectic modern lifestyle. Good meditation tools will engage as many senses as possible, blocking out distractions and helping you get centered.

Tips for calming overloaded senses during meditation

o Choose a meditation tool that can engage at least four of the five senses in order to keep your attention on the task at hand.

o Use a repetitive physical activity, such as throwing and catching your meditation tool, to quickly focus the mind.

o Use the same meditation tool each time you practice relaxation techniques. Soon, just holding or looking at the object will bring your mind to a peaceful state.




Zen Sticks look beautiful, give you something to touch and feel, have a pleasant smell, and can produce a repetitive sound will take your tired senses hostage! You’ll forget all about the overstimulating world around you and find a perfect meditative state. Visit SleepingTiger.org [http://sleepingtiger.org/zen.htm] to get your Zen Stick and start soothing those frazzled nerves.





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The Door to December by Dean Koontz


Dean R Koontz started his career about 1965 with some science fiction novels that received less than overwhelming approval from reviewers and fans. By the early 1970s he was writing crime thrillers under pen names.

As the incredible success of Stephen King and Anne Rice transformed horror in the field of publishing from an occasional book into its own separate genre, Koontz combined his science fiction background with his thriller background to come up with a style of contemporary dark fantasy that few others can pull off.

THE DOOR TO DECEMBER opens with brutal murders of three men and the discovery of a nine year old girl -- Melanie -- taken from her mother six years previously by her father, after their divorce. Her father was one of the murdered men.

Dan Haldane is the police detective working the case, and the love that grows between him and Melanie's mother is so obvious as to be an inconsequential sideshow.

Turns out that her father along with his associates kept Melanie a prisoner in the "gray room" -- which contains a sensory isolation tank, a biofeedback machine and an aversion therapy device which includes electrodes to shock people.

The father and another psychologist at UCLA were obviously conducting bizarre experiments on Melanie.

Melanie is a difficult figure. She's the central figure of the book, in more ways than one, yet because of the emotional and mental damage done to her by her father, she does not behave or react as a normal child. She barely does anything at all (on the outside), giving us readers little reason to like her or feel for her. It takes Koontz's skill to bring her to life to the reader. We pity her because the two tough men (Dan Haldane and a hired security guard) do so.

But Haldane's most immediate problem is to figure out how the three men were murdered. Their bodies are so smashed and battered in so many different ways that they defy forensic analysis. A team of gorillas couldn't have done it.

Melanie goes back to her mother, and more trouble follows. More people are horribly murdered, including the owner of an occult book and supply store in a classical, locked room mystery.

While Dan runs down clues, he gets Melanie's mother to hire a security guard and he is drawn into the drama. This to me is a dramatic flaw, because as a good tough guy protecting Melanie, he's a duplicate of Dan.

I suspect most readers will figure out the basic truth long before Dan. But that enables Koontz to follow a chain of rogue sadistic psychologists and an occult author to the government who wants to achieve complete mind control and social slavery over us all.

Other flaws: I couldn't believe that as a child psychologist herself Melanie's mother would try to treat her traumatized daughter by herself. Or that she would try to put the child under hypnosis right away, after she'd obviously just escaped from extensive experience in a sensory isolation tank. She's obviously so stupid we start to understand why she was blind enough to his faults as to marry Melanie's father in the first place.

I could never believe the police background. And Dan's continual wisecracks never seemed funny to me. I kept wishing he'd shut up.

Yet the dark conspiracy of psychology/occultism/secret government projects was powerful enough to keep me reading long after I figured out what the "It" was that was murdering people and seemed to be threatening Melanie and her mother.

And once I did, I didn't believe that It was a threat to Melanie herself. I'm not convinced it would have been -- except for dramatic purposes -- because I don't think a child who'd never been socialized would feel guilty about preserving her own life.

Somehow, despite all flaws, Koontz novels are always worth reading.




Richard Stooker is a writer with a long time interest in science fiction, fantasy and horror. He also recommends keeping freeze dried foods and emergency foods stored in your home and car in case of disasters.





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2011年11月27日 星期日

Tried Tantra? So What's the Buzz and Hype About Bondassage?


Bondassage, developed by Jaeleen Bennis, Santa Cruz USA, is all about a dynamic up-market spa experience and a transforming journey of uniquely tailored erotic pleasure, combining light bondage (BDSM), handcuffs, visual sensory deprivation, sensual erotic music and relaxing sensual massage. In addition, the Bondassage experience can propel the erotic adventurer/client into the BDSM experience called Subspace. What a combination indeed! What does Subspace mean? Could Bondassage be the new Tantra experience? So what is all the buzz and hype about Bondassage anyway?

Profound Pleasure is the Goal

Letting go is the key with Bondassage, surrendering to profound pleasure is the goal. Clients are bound with sexy leather restraints, a blindfold and headphones. The Bondassage experience assists a client to completely unwind and experience the titillating exhilaration of light bondage, massage and teasing domination without the harshness of traditional and stricter BDSM domination.

A Bondassage session gives a client the opportunity to sink into an experience called "Subspace". Many clients experience a facial glow, profound relaxation, release from stress and all-over-the-body tingles for the rest of the day after their Bondassage session.

What is Subspace?

The Bondassage experience is all about the escape from the mundane world, going into another dimension called "Subspace", and surrendering into pure erotic and relaxing pleasure.

Sub-space is usually defined as "an exhilarated state that most believe is caused by a rush of endorphins emitted during a BDSM scene." Many clients say their Bondassage session, felt like they were flying in a deeply pleasurable trance and they enjoyed the opportunity to completely surrender and lose themselves into all-body pleasure!

Surrender into the Unknown

The average clients, who would book a Bondassage session are between 40 and 60+ years old and are mostly professionally educated men and some women. Many Bondassage clients come from a thrill seeking background, they seek the exhilaration of an adrenaline high and the idea of surrendering into the unknown can be a profound erotic turn-on. Most new Bondassage clients have experience with sensual massage and/or tantra, but they are hesitant to see a professional Dominatrix, because they consider it might be too harsh and potentially painful.

Many couples book a Bondassage session. Modern adventurous couples are interested in experiencing something different, to spice up their sex lives and add variety with sensation play, crops and toys, and learn new bedroom techniques.

Where can I book a Bondassage experience?

At this time there are roughly 48 trained practitioners around the world since practitioner training was started in 2008. This light BDSM and sensual massage experience has now gone global and there are Bondassage practitioners in Europe, the United Kingdom and even Australia.

Bondassage or Tantra?

As an Australian teacher of Tantra, I was completely blown away by my kinky Bondassage experience! At the end of my session my face glowed and my body felt alive and relaxed with all-over-the-body tingles. It felt wonderful to further explore the down-regulating experience of subspace while surrendering to erotic relaxation and light BDSM pleasure.

I would highly recommend decadent, high-end Bondassage to anyone who has tasted erotic sensual relaxation and/or Tantra massage. My exploration of Subspace was profoundly surreal and an amazing experience I will never forget!




Aleena Aspley from Brisbane, Australia, works with men and women who want to learn to become better lovers, enrich their relationship connection and create sexual harmony. Aleena is an Erotic Relaxation Therapist, Ra'Anui Tantra Therapist, Bondassage Practitioner, Reiki Practitioner, Theta Healer and has trained as a Somatic Sex Educator and certified Sexological Bodyworker with The New School of Erotic Touch, USA.





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Sensory Loss in Older Adults - Vision - Behavioral Approaches For Caregivers


As we age, our sensory systems gradually lose their sharpness. Because our brain requires a minimal amount of input to remain alert and functioning, sensory loss for older adults puts them at risk for sensory deprivation. Severe sensory impairments, such as in vision or hearing, may result in behavior similar to dementia and psychosis, such as increased disorientation and confusion. Added restrictions, such as confinement to bed or a Geri-chair, increases this risk. With nothing to show the passage of time, or changes in the environment, the sensory deprived person may resort to repetitive problem behaviors (calling out, chanting, rhythmic pounding/rocking) as an attempt to reduce the sense of deprivation and to create internal stimulation/sensations.

This article is the first in a series of three articles that discuss the prominent sensory changes that accompany aging, and considers the necessary behavioral adjustments or accommodations that should be made by professional, paraprofessional, and family caregivers who interact with older adults. Though the medical conditions are not reviewed in depth, the purpose of this article is to introduce many of the behavioral health insights, principles, and approaches that should influence our caregiving roles. This article addresses age-related visual changes.

CHANGES IN VISION THAT ACCOMPANY AGING

A. The changes in vision that accompany aging include:

1. A loss of elasticity of the lens; this means the person is no longer able to focus or accommodate to changes in lighting conditions. (Starting in our 40's, glasses are needed to see fine print). It also means the older person cannot adjust to sudden changes in lighting, resulting in an uneasiness when leaving a bright room to enter a dark hallway, or finding seats in the dark in recreation rooms, or theater. Going in the reverse direction can be equally difficult: from a dark room to a bright area.

2. Decreased pupil size; the light reaching the retina is reduced, requiring more light to see. This results in the need for lighting 3x to 4x what younger people need to see clearly

3. A loss of transparency; with age, there is a yellowing of the lens in the eyes, making color discrimination more difficult, especially blue and green. Warmer colors, such as reds and yellows are perceived best, explaining why bright colors are preferred.

4. More susceptibility to glare, and longer time is needed to recover from the effects of glare;

5. Eye diseases and disorders, such as cataracts causing a clouding of the lens; glaucoma, resulting from increased pressure of fluids in the eye, damaging the optic nerve and impairing vision. Glaucoma, the number one cause of blindness in U.S., in advanced stages results in yellow halos around images. Macular degeneration may occur, where vision is distorted, and images appear different sizes or different shapes, and are missing a central element. Visual disorders may be secondary to stroke, in which the eye can see the image but the brain cannot interpret the images. Diabetes may result in disrupted blood flow to the retina, causing diabetic retinopathy and a loss of vision, and blindness, in extreme cases.

B. What are the effects of visual loss on the older adult?

1. An increased dependency on others;

2. A sharply reduced quality of life (changes in activities in daily living and instrumental activities of daily living, reduced connection with outside world);

3. And, a fearfulness and reduced tendency to venture outside.

C. What are the effects of vision changes on demented elderly?

1. With the losses in visual acuity, other problems in cognitive functioning are heightened, such as difficulty processing unfamiliar faces and settings;

2. Because the person with dementia already has difficulty learning new behaviors, he or she is less able to learn new habits to compensate for the visual losses (e.g., learning to use visual aids to identify articles of clothing or other possessions;

3. There is likely to be an increased disorientation and confusion, as the search for structure and external cues is strained.

PRINCIPLES FOR CAREGIVERS

The following principles apply to caregiving approaches with older adults who have diminished sensory function. Increased sensitivity and insight to the needs of these individuals improves their quality of life and improves our effectiveness:

1. Observe the behavior of the person, and look for cues and signs of pain or discomfort;

2. Help the person work through the emotional impact of the sensory changes, allowing expression, acceptance, and support of the grief and sadness accompanying these losses;

3. Do not try to fix the unpleasantness; acceptance and support goes a longer way toward healing than a quick fix or a patronizing attitude;

4. Reduce excess disability by maximizing whatever functioning is still left, such as proper eyeglass prescriptions, or functioning hearing aids;

5. Consider assistive devices (phone amplifiers, large text books, headphones, and the Braille Institute for a variety of useful visual aids).

Approaches for impairments in vision:

1. Address the person before you touch him or her, identify yourself, let him or her know when you are leaving, speak normally, and do not shout;

2. Describe his or her surroundings to help orient and familiarize the person to the environment, tell him or her location of belongings, and if things have been moved;

3. Use as much contrast as possible, e.g., red objects on white background is better than black on a gray background, or blue on green background, (consider switch plates on walls, toothbrushes, combs);

4. Avoid moving quickly from a bright room to a darkened room, or v.v. Make sure the visually-impaired person takes the time for the pupils to adapt to the changes in lighting;

5. Introduce yourself every time you come into contact with the person, and explain what you are going to do because there are no visual cues;

6. Help to identify others in their environment with colored clothing, name tags with large print, etc.

7. Clean eyeglasses regularly, provide adequate lighting, and avoid glare;

8. Provide night lights, and arrange furnishings in the environment for safety and ease of mobility.

Even with normal aging, functioning of our five senses is not like it was when we were younger adults. This article offers caregivers who work with visually-impaired older adults some insights into the special needs and adjustments that will turn unpleasant, frustrating situations into more caring, helpful, and sensitive interactions. By integrating these behavioral approaches in the delivery of the health care with older adults, we can favorably impact the management of these conditions.

Copyright 2008 Concept Healthcare, LLC




Joseph M. Casciani, PhD, is a geropsychologist who has devoted his professional career to working with older adults and their caregivers. His company, Concept Healthcare, http://www.cohealth.org, offers online resources to integrate behavioral health approaches in the health care of older adults.





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2011年11月26日 星期六

Tantra - Experience Ecstasy - Explore the Sensory Awakening Ritual


What makes Tantra unique from most spiritual practices is that Tantra embraces the senses as a path to the Divine. It sees the body as a temple for Consciousness to play and explore the material plane. Tantra uses the senses to expand awareness. One way this is done is through the Sensory Awakening Ritual. You and your partner explore the art of giving and receiving pleasure by activating the senses. There is something profound about surrendering totally and allowing all your senses to respond and be awakened. It is a sensuous process that can be light and playful or erotically charged. This ritual is a wonderful way to begin a romantic evening or weekend with your beloved. 

Create a Sacred Space

Turn your room into a temple. Begin by removing the clutter and creating an altar. Light some candles, add a vase of flowers, crystals, a photo or object that honors your relationship to the Divine. Then, gather the items that can be used to awaken all the senses during the ritual. Some possibilities might be massage tools, fur, feathers, fruits, chocolate, flowers, essential oils, music, bells, rattles, and eye covers. Bathe and dress in ritual clothes. The ritual begins by blessing the space. This can be done with sage, incense, bells, songs or calling in the directions. Put on some beautiful music.

The Bubble

Now, create a bubble around you and your partner. Do this by waving your arms around to define the shape of the bubble that surrounds both of you. Take turns releasing one thing at a  time that might keep you from being fully present in the ritual. As you say the thing you are removing, (the past, distractions, anger, worry, etc.) make a gesture as if removing an object from your bubble. Next, state the things that will enhance your connection (love, willingness, presence, trust etc.) and gesture, as if bringing these things into your bubble.

Share Your Desires, Fears and Boundaries

Once the bubble is created, share your desires, fears and boundaries related to this practice. First, one person speaks while the other person listens without judgment or commentary. Then, you switch roles. Here is an example:

"My desire is to stay present, open and connect deeply to your soul." "My fear is that I will get self-conscious and shut down." "My boundary is that we both turn off our cell phones."

Why boundaries? Boundaries are not walls, they are bridges. Bridges help to bring people together. Intimacy happens when people have healthy boundaries. Healthy boundaries allow you to feel safe, stay open and be present. Boundaries are dynamic, so it is important to check-in periodically with yourself to see if your boundaries have changed. If they have changed, update your partner so he/she can honor your new boundaries. Here are a couple of examples:

"I am getting tired. I want to end by midnight." "I am sensitive to perfumes, so don't use them, please."

Once you've shared your desires, fears and boundaries, offer each other a blessing, such as "I want to bless your hands for all they do for others." Then, decide who will receive first and cover his/her eyes with a blindfold. Help the receiver to lie down and get comfortable. The giver begins the ritual by stimulating the senses in whatever way feels right, as long as it honors the boundaries of the person receiving. Come from a place of devotion as you awaken and arouse your partner. Take your time. Be playful and creative.

The Power of Sight

In this ritual, we limit the vision with a blindfold to enhance the other senses and add an element of surprise. Also, the removal of the blindfold and restoration of sight at the conclusion of the exchange often lends itself to a fresh appreciation of the experience of seeing by the receiver. It's as if the world is once again being seen through the eyes of a newborn baby. 

The Power of Smell

Scent is an important component of pleasure. Your olfactory nerves pick-up chemical messages from the air you breathe and conduct them quickly to the brain. Smells are often associated with memories. A whiff of a particular food, perfume or place can immediately transport you into a moment from the past associated with that scent. Pheromones are chemical messages we send and receive. They affect who you are attracted to and are an important factor in whom you pick as a mate. Smell is a great awakener.

The Power of Touch

Touch is a basic human need. We live in a culture where many people are often touch-deprived. Touch creates connection at the most basic level. The skin is your biggest organ. It feels good to be massaged, kissed, caressed and held. The skin is sensitive to many types of sensations. Explore nibbling, biting, and pinching if you want to add more excitement. Exploring what excites and arouses you and your partner can be fun and bonding.

The Power of Sound

Sounds create a mood and affect the emotions. They can be intrusive or soothing. Pleasant sounds can help us to relax, be present and open. Stimulating sounds can enliven the body and mind. Music and song are a great gift that can heal and transform. Use music that is sensuous and arousing.

The Power of Taste

The mouth is a very sensitive sense receptor and highly developed in most people. Food is associated with survival as well as pleasure. Our taste buds detect sweet, bitter, salty and sour. Use a variety of your favorite tastes and textures-salty, crunchy, sweet, juicy, to tantalize the lips and tongue. The Sensory Awakening Ritual is a great way to open and expand your senses. It allows you to surrender into the pure joy of Consciousness celebrating in  human form. It is a gift to be able to connect and experience pleasure and ecstasy with your partner. In a world where people are mesmerized by the incessant stream of thoughts flowing through their head, it is refreshing to let go of the mind and rediscover the pleasures of the body.    




If you'd like to learn more about Tantra and how to integrate it into your life and relationships go to: http://www.tantraforawakening.com. Sign-up for my free newsletter which is full of helpful information. Read the Tantra Tip of the Day at http://www.TantraGal.blogspot.com.

Crystal Dawn Morris is a Certified SkyDancing Tantra Teacher and the founder of Tantra for Awakening. She is committed to creating a more compassionate and ecstatic world. She lives in Sedona, AZ where she teaches Tantra workshops, offers private Tantra coaching, practices yoga, and writes. She also teaches a Tantra Teacher Certification course called, The Art and Business of Teaching Tantra.





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Sensory Overload and Stress


As we move into the new millennium, we witness the effects of increasing environmental, economic, and psychological stress. Sensory overload is taxing the human system. The pressures upon all life on earth have reached unparalleled proportions.

Our bodies are subject to an onslaught of man-made stressors: crisscrossing fields of microwave, radio, television, and electronic transmissions, pollution, noise, and traffic, as well as the bombardments of information and advertising, and the requirements to produce more and more efficiently in the face of fierce economic competition. Add to that the threats of terrorism and war that have created a palpable level of world anxiety and we have a culture dominated by stress, tension, and fear. We are beings of energy vibrating at the edge of disintegration in a sea of over-stimulation.

How do we maintain our balance? What do we do when an intense stressor such as a lost job, divorce, or the death of a loved one lands on top of the load we bear? What if, to complicate matters, this load rests on a personal history of trauma?

One of the main reasons we have a hard time breaking out of this cycle is that we do not realize how deeply we are affected by stress. On the surface, we may speak of being in a time-crunch, feeling burned-out, or needing to get away. We joke about vibrating from all the pressure. When our stress is intensified, we feel that we are going to go ballistic. We blow off steam in more or less productive ways, from exercise to alcohol to road rage, but the underlying pattern of denial remains.

Psychologists describe our perpetual tension, or the fight/flight response, as a reaction to the relentless fronts of over-stimulation. This response pattern is characterized by high-frequency brain waves termed beta waves. We are functioning as if we are on high alert all of the time.

Moreover, medical scientists are discovering how this state of perpetual tension adversely affects our well-being. Stress creates chronic patterns of muscular tension. Muscular tension restricts the flow of blood, lymphatic fluid, and nerve impulses. Cells are deprived of oxygen and nutrients and unable to clear toxic substances. This leads to chronic pain, cellular toxicity, and decreased immune response.

On an emotional level, we experience chronic anxiety and reactive response patterns marked by inappropriate anger and projected blame and criticism. Mentally, we become locked in rigid thinking patterns marked by a defensive mindset governed by fear. Spiritually we resign ourselves to being victims of circumstances and isolate ourselves in a survival mode. While our problems are not new, the pace of modern life has multiplied their negative effects exponentially.

If that sounds overly grim, take heart. It can be motivation to shift our state of awareness. It can intensify the search for ways to live differently. In recent decades, a time-honored light has begun to shine through the dense, tangled lines of our modern networks. This light radiates through a variety of old and new refractions. We see the emergence of a multitude of holistic practices.

In support of these phenomena, research has shown that certain exercises for the mind and body reduce stress and produce deep relaxation via slower alpha-theta brain-wave frequencies. In the states affected by these exercises, such a slowdown simultaneously occurs in many of the body's systems. This slowdown produces integrating, synchronizing, and healing effects. The practice of these exercises can develop capacities within us that will enable us to handle the pressures of our lives.

Taking these exercises even further, we are able to develop senses and modes of perception that have been latent in human evolution, as we know it. We can develop the ability to perceive and cultivate ourselves as the energetic beings that we are on the most fundamental level.

As an entry point to the expansion of the conscious domain, biofeedback research shows that we can positively affect aspects of our lives that we thought were automatic and inaccessible, such as brain-wave frequencies, heart rate, respiration, and chronic muscle-tension, to name a few. Guided-imagery research has proven the power of imagination and visualization in overcoming disease and increasing wellness. Meditation research describes how, through the application of awareness and intention, we can positively affect the intricate pathways that serve as conductors for qi ("chee"), the universal vitalizing force that enlivens our bodies.

Dr. John Sarno, a physician who specializes in pain relief, has shown that emotion and consciousness play a large role in health and disease. He has coined the term Tension Myositis Syndrome (TMS) to describe a host of symptoms that are caused by stress, tension, and repressed rage. To show the direct relationship of consciousness to TMS he found that "Awareness, insight, knowledge, and information were the magic medicines that would cure this disorder" (The Mindbody Prescription, New York: Warner Books, Inc., 1998, p. xxi). This supports what physicists have been saying for many years, which is that consciousness and physical reality are interwoven; mind and matter are inseparable. In the context of the qigong meditation, we see how body, emotion, mind, and spirit form a feedback system that can be used to shift our state of being.

Tension-causing sensory overload is both our most predominant problem and our window of opportunity. It is through a thorough understanding of our stress that we will find a new way. When we uncover the source of stress and take action to release this tension, we open to new possibilities. We recover and develop our fuller sensitivities and feelings of vitality.

These are not the mists of fantasy or the mere ear tickle of sweet sounding words. This is a well-mapped path. The Chinese have used Qigong Meditation as a powerful tool for self-development for thousands of years. You can receive a free introduction to this method and discover a step-by-step program of qigong meditation in my "LEARN QIGONG MEDITATION" course available from http://www.learnqigongmeditation.com

Copyright 2006 by Kevin D. Schoeninger




Kevin Schoeninger: M.A. Philosophy, Certified Personal Trainer, Qigong Meditation Instructor, and Reiki Master. http://www.learnqigongmeditation.com





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2011年11月25日 星期五

Analysing Your Dreams


We all dream.

Dreaming is part and parcel of being alive.

Whilst it is true that we don't always remember our dreams, it is widely accepted that dream-sleep is a normal and essential part of everyone's nightly sleep cycles.

Why we dream is not so clear cut.

Whilst some claim that dreaming is more about 'brain dumping', that is the mind 'sorting out' and 'sifting through' the events of the day others maintain that dreaming is the result of your unconscious communicating with your conscious mind about repressed fears, anxieties, hopes and even solutions to challenges you are facing in your life.

What is true is that the human mind, when deprived of sensory stimulation, creates its own sensory input 'to work on'. Sensory Deprivation experiments in the 1960's demonstrated out minds ability to create self-generated sensory illusions.

Whatever the origin of our dreams there is a sense in which 'dreams contain messages' which can give us insights into ourselves.

The issue is that the stories within dreams may not be all they seem. When the conscious mind attempts to recall the ideas, images and presentations of the unconscious it may be inadvertently forcing 'narrative' and 'logic' onto that which is in all likelihood non-linear and chaotic.

The unconscious mind, rather like the mystic, speaks in metaphors. Certainly some dreams seem to have an 'episodic' nature and a story-line through them; some dreams are even repeated in a 'serial' fashion with each subsequent dream developing the 'story' and the narrative 'arc', but it is often easier to consider each dream as distinct set of ideas, symbols, images and thoughts.

Many people go straight to their favourite 'dream interpretation' book in order to decipher their dreams symbolism. Whilst this can prove to be interesting, and a bit like looking for the 'interpretation you want' rather than the 'insight you need', by far the best way of diving the meaning of your dreams is to consider what it means to you - after all it is your mind that has created the dream, using for the most part mental and emotional associations you have made.

Of course there appear to be some 'universal' themes and symbols within dreams and these are worthy of much consideration,but the starting point is within the mind of the dreamer.

So the following list of questions may be useful in starting the process of interpreting your dream. As you consider each question write down your answers, your immediate thoughts and intuitions. Avoid simply rushing through the list. It is the thinking inspired by the questions that contains many of the answers you seek. If you fee that your dream progressed through different 'scenes' in terms of 'place', 'people' or action treat each scene separately and as the following questions of each segment of your dream story.

1) When you awoke from the dream what were your immediate feelings and emotions?

2) Did you dream in colour or black and white?

2a) What was the main colour (or shade of grey) in the dream?

2b) Where there any other significant colours?

3) Where you 'in the dream' (that is looking through your own eyes) or were you a 'detatched observer'?

3a) If you now imagine changing perspective (from 1st person to 3rd person) on reviewing your dream what do you think and feel?

4) Where was the dream located; which country, town, location, place or space and when in terms of historical period?

4a) What recognisable features, landmarks or objects were in this 'space'?

5) What people were there? (numbers, who specifically, genders, relationships)

6) What animals or significant other objects were in your dream?

7) What were the key activities in your dream - who was doing what and with what attitude or emotion?

8) Who was speaking in your dream - what were they saying, in what kind of tone/attitude/emotion?

9) Who or what had the 'power' in your dream - who or what dominated?

10) What are your feelings and thoughts about the significant parts of your dream now you've answered all these questions?

To explore the possible meaning of your dreams you need to start considering each of the key elements; thinking about what each element means to you (your memories and personal associations) and if appropriate what specific symbols 'mean' within the context of your culture and interests.

If you're into Tarot cards, for example, are there specific cards that contain similar imagery?

Remember, your unconscious mind will use any and all symbols in its arsenal to communicate to you. If you have understanding of any symbolic system your unconscious may use it to get your attention'.

Discrimination is the key factor here - be very careful of taking dream symbols and images too literally.

Colours, numbers, shapes, people (in terms of status - parent, teacher, child, beggar etc) animals, locations can all have personal associations and meanings as well as 'cultural' (myths and legends) and 'mystical' (religious/spiritual icons, signs and symbols) references.

The fascination is in exploring the richness of our metaphorical inner mind.




Dr Alan Jones in an NLP Trainer, Motivational Speaker and Educational Coach who has been working on the 'integration' of NLP solutions focus approaches and aspects of the mystical traditions in order to create interventions which utilise a rational-mystic and transpersonal-humanistic approach to coaching.

In this approach NLP, dream work, esoteric symbolism and frameworks are combined in a dynamic and transformational way. Bring inner and outer behaviours in align with values, goals and attitudes then there can be the potential for personal growth, development and empowerment.

You can read about the various aspects of this approach at http://www.mindalignment.com





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Do Not Medicate Your Children With Drugs


Do not medicate your children with drugs - the side effect of which can be many times greater than the original symptoms that caused concern.

There is more than adequate evidence about the dangerous side effects of medicinal drugs and those that are prescribed for mental irregularities in particular. These latter are invasive and can create chemical chaos in the brain to cause serious side effects, far more damaging than the original symptoms the child displayed.

The public generally would like to believe that governmental health bodies are set up with the power and responsibility to protect us from any medication or substances that may prove damaging to our health. Unfortunately this has not proven to be always the case, particularly where the more powerful chemical companies are concerned and to which many doctors have shown to be faithful followers. Those medical researchers and doctors, scientist of integrity however, are strongly questioning many aspects of modern drug medication in the light of the deteriorating health condition of the people of both the U.S. and Australia as well as other western countries where drug therapies are dominant over the traditional medicines.

We would wonder at the government health authorities and powers that are designed to protect the public, but are proving impotent to control the release of drugs that may promise immediate relief but prove to have 'side effects' that are severe and even fatal. This is particularly causing concern where brain chemistry is directly involved and in the case of children's conditions such as hyperactivity where symptoms tend to be exaggerated restlessness, inattention and inconsistent behavior. These states although perhaps could be seen to be based upon known and reasonable causes are quickly diagnosed as ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) or ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) for which the most common prescription is Ritalin.

Ritalin or methylphenidate hydrochloride is an oral medication, commonly called kiddles and bits in colloquial terms. It is a class II narcotic and stimulant of the central nervous system. Ritalin is prescribed for hyperactivity disorders. Although it is a stimulant more potent than caffeine it has an apparently temporary calming effect on these children. It is however open to much abuse by young people who resort to snorting or even injecting the crushed tablets similar fashion to cocaine.

Ritalin has many well documented side effects. There are over one million posts on the internet with many scientists and medical doctors warning of the dangers and of an alternative drug choice Cylert or pemoline.

Some research reports Ritalin as highly addictive. Its short term side effects can include insomnia, disturbances of digestion, dizziness, headaches, skin irritations, weight loss, psychotic episodes, and often severe depression upon withdrawal of the medication.

Its predictable long term side effects can manifest as malnutrition through loss of appetite, tremors, convulsions, diabetes, headache, irregularities of heart and lungs, paranoia, hallucinations and sensory distortions. Adverse reactions are mainly related to nervousness and insomnia but also skin conditions, anorexia, headaches, and many other uncomfortable symptoms. Rare reports of Tourette's syndrome and toxic psychosis have also been reported. Cylert is not the first choice medication as it has caused severe liver damage requiring liver transplant. It has caused several fatalities through liver failure.

In spite of this the FDA has given approval for similar drugs to be used in treating schizophrenia and bipolar disorders in young patients from 10 -17 years of age as well as in adults. These are reported amongst the highest selling prescriptions in the US accounting for $14.6 billion in sales in 2008 alone.

Remembering that the child patient was considered to be abnormal by first displaying simple indications such as lack of concentration or because of over-activity, it is hard to see the logic in prescribing a drug that in time could produce diseases of mind and body much more severe and impossible to correct either in the child's behavior or in the subsequent physiological symptoms.

Cautions officially are given with the drug. These are usually directed at those with alcohol or drug abuse (presumably referring to teenager patients). Warnings also that serious mental and mood changes can be expected if the medication is stopped. Also warning not to abuse the substance by snorting or injecting the crushed tablets.

Children under six years of age are not permitted to take the drug.

Would you allow your child to take such drugs under any circumstances?

Yet millions of children and minors are now receiving medication for psychological reasons and are vulnerable to severe consequences. It is assessed by the U.S. Surgeon General that 20% of American children have mental illness of some kind and that about 5 million children and young adults suffer from a mental illness that threatens or interferes with their daily life.

There are over 4 million posts regarding mental diseases in children on the internet.




Sally Wilson supports a philosophy that looks to Nature as the ultimate Intelligence that directs us towards health and happiness as we learn to live according to natural laws. Our interests and studies of all natural sciences offer us pathways in gaining knowledge but it is by our choice or action that we are able to apply what we learn in a positive manner in both personal care and self discipline as well as in caring for our children and families.

Health and healing receive primary focus for her writings as do a range of subjects open for further exploration for the purpose of enriching our well being, and also to help us avoid the many health issues that confront us as we recognize the mistakes and causes of illness in the community.

These subjects include Aromatherapy, herbalism and botanical interests, nutrition, flower foods, seaweed supplementation, relaxation and stress relief, exercise therapy, breath control ,self care and the care of our planet by application of many advances in the natural sciences. She also alerts us to negative factors to eliminate or avoid as thse are of equal importance if we are to create well being on all levels of earth life.





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Insomnia: A Simple Method to Beat Insomnia, When You're Noisy Mind is Talking Too Much


As we all know, tossing and turning in bed trying to get to sleep is frustrating-- and a waste of time and energy--especially when our noisy mind insists on talking to us about the day's troubles.

Here's a simple method that can beat insomnia in just minutes, especially if you're having a hard time getting to sleep due to anxiety, stress or other temporary factors. It's a "tricked out" 21st century variation on the "count the sheep" routine that really works.

Simply close your eyes and describe quietly, to yourself, what you see, hear, feel, taste, touch and smell in your "Mind's Eye" as you lie in bed. Use the present tense, as in "I see a large maroon ball, bouncing slowly to the right of my Mind's Eye, and there is complete and utter silence. The ball is very, very smooth--like glass and....." you get the idea. Do this for several minutes, focusing your attention on describing the sights and sounds in your Mind's Eye, and you may just find yourself feeling more and more relaxed and fall asleep.

Be sure to focus on describing ONLY what is "sensory based"--that is, don't look for any meaning in what's in your Mind's Eye, but simply quietly describe only what you see and hear there.

You may also want to try these variations :

* When you are tired and about to fall asleep, notice what is going on in your mind's eye immediately before you are about to fall asleep. I've noticed that, for me, I often see a ball like object coming quickly from the left center of my field of vision, dropping into a slot on my left-- and then moving slowly, reducing speed, to the right of my vision. When I recreate this in my Mind's Eye, I get to sleep far, far more easily. It doesn't make sense, but it does beat insomnia.

* Another variation is to describe quietly to yourself what it would be like to be the world's soundest sleeper--an expert at falling asleep quickly and sleeping soundly. What would such an expert see, how would they feel, what would they hear, how would they position their body. as they easily and quickly fall fast asleep? Describe all this and you may find yourself becoming an expert in getting to sleep quickly yourself.

It may work for you--try it!




George runs a blog on insomnia relief and effective, powerful sleep at: http://insomnia-reliefnow.blogspot.com/





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2011年11月24日 星期四

Free Yourself From Caffeine Intoxication Symptoms


If there's one thing in this world that most people can rely on during the times when they need to be hyped-up for work or even just to add coziness to casual conversations...it's caffeine. A very sought after substance that it increasingly makes one dependent on it without the person noticing it. Some people do notice it but who cares anyway? It is neither drug nor alcohol, two of the substances where "dependence" is not something good to hear.

However, like what is being said in general, anything in excess is bad. Even if caffeine is a universally proven safe food/ beverage substance, it doesn't mean that it does not have intoxication symptoms. If taken in large amounts on a regular basis, a person may already experience the following symptoms: nervousness, restlessness, excitement, insomnia, rambling flow of thought and speech, gastrointestinal upset, tremors, tachycardia, diuresis, muscle twitching, periods of inexhaustibility, and psychomotor agitation. Some even report symptoms of fever, irritability, tremors, sensory disturbances, tachypnea, and headaches.

On the otherhand, some people who abuse caffeine may also experience caffeine tolerance symptoms. When we talk about tolerance, it simply means that people experience decreased responsiveness to the substance, such that one may probably manage to sleep even right after drinking a cup of brewed coffee at night.

If you are one of those people who can relate to the symptoms mentioned, then you may want to think twice the next time you grab another cup of coffee. There are also some who is advised to stay away from caffeine containing foods and beverages as they either have generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, primary insomnia, gastroesophageal reflux disease, urinary incontinence or cardiovascular disease.

When you want to stop or you need to stop, how should you then say bye-bye to caffeine? Ofcourse it has to start with a firm personal decision that you really want to stop, not just because your doctor told you so or not just because your mom says so. It has to come from a realization that it is already too much and it is causing bad effects on your body.

Going about it is not as simple as throwing out all the coffee sachets or jars and staying away from the coffee shelves in groceries. Just like in the case of alcohols and drugs, if stopping is not done properly or if withdrawn abruptly, it causes some withdrawal symptoms like diffuse, throbbing and sometimes severe headache which develops gradually. There may also be fatigue, sluggishness, sleepiness and drowsiness. Along with this is the impairment in psychomotor, vigilance and cognitive performances. Also affected is one's motivation to work. On the emotional aspect, these people may experience irritability, anxiety and depression. There are also some who experience flu-like symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, muscle aches, stiffness, hot / cold spells, heavy feelings in arms or legs.)

This was observed in people who immediately abstained from a dose as low as 100 mg/day (one 6 oz. cup of brewed coffee or two to three 12 oz. servings of caffeinated soft-drink.) Even among those who stopped a regular once-a-day consumption of caffeine (e.g. daily consumption of a single cup of coffee), symptoms of withdrawal were seen. Some people though denied having experienced withdrawal though because unknowingly, they still consume small amounts of caffeine by consuming other caffeine containing foods (chocolate, chocolate containing products, softdrinks, tea, etc.)

To prevent withdrawal symptoms, experts say that caffeine intake should be tapered off slowly. If you are a coffee fan, it is just as simple as decreasing the proportion of your caffeinated drink versus the decaffeinated. You may start by using 3/4 regular coffee to 1/4 decaf, then the caffeinated portion should be slowly decreased and the decaffeinated portion is increased. The same technique can be done with tea and sodas.

So the next time you decide to quit, take it easy...do it gradually.




Gerrard Mackenzie is a contributor at Supercharge Your Sleep. He has taught thousands of the stressed-out, tired and overworked how to overcome their sleeping difficulties, get a better night's rest and have more energy. You can find out more about him at http://www.superchargeyoursleep.com.





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Natural Sleep Aids Are Alternate Remedies for Sleep Deprivation Symptoms


Natural sleep aids are lots of and could be useful for individuals who can?t sleep. Sleep is incredibly vital for maintaining a healthy lifestyle and sleep deprivation disorder can have an effect on health and well being. Sleep deprivation makes 1 irritable, emotional and not happy to be around. Disorders vary and range in severity from mild to really serious. It is for that reason essential to get tested in the event you experience sleeplessness that you can't explain. Some disorders need medications; however some men and women prefer natural sleep aids for their sleep deprivation symptoms.

Some of these natural sleep aids consist of diet and nutrition, herbs and supplements. Other natural sleep aids are exercise, meditation, or behavioral methods are useful in alleviating symptoms of sleep disorders.

Healthy eating is vital in maintaining very good health, optimal energy and hopefully a restful sleep. A well balanced diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, fish, diary products are beneficial. Serotonin, a chemical that is derived mostly from tryptophan an amino acidn inside the body acts as a natural sedative in the body. Foods that are rich in tryptophan will for that reason maintain the body calm and relaxed. Some foods that are rich in tryptophan consist of chicken, turkey, cheese, cottage cheese, fish, milk, nuts, avocados and bananas.

Other natural sleep aids are health supplements and herbs accessible from your local health store. It's crucial to know what a specific product does and what the advantages are and how it can assist you. One example is how people today who suffer from restless leg syndrome disorder, an iron and folic acid defieciency find some relief with iron supplements.

Other natural sleep aids products to contemplate are chamomile tea and lemon balm, which can relax the body and promote sleep.

Chemically treated or processed foods are to be avoided by any health concious person but specifically in case you suffer from sleep disorders. Limit your intake of sugar and caffeine and drink a lot of water. A correct snack just before going to bed can increase your serotonin levels and aid you sleep.

A daily routine of exercise and relaxation strategies not only decrease tension and muscle tension but also calm the mind. Some of these techniques include mind exercise, muscle relaxation, breathing exercises, yoga, meditation and visualization before bed time.

Some individuals prefer sensory methods such as hydrotherapy and aroma therapy to lessen the symptoms of sleep disorders. Hydrotherapy means water therapy and involves relaxing in an Epsom salt bathwater, or a lymph stimulating foot bath.

Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils within the bath, massage or as room spray and inhalant. This produces a calming effect and relaxation.

Other useful methods involve journaling - keeping a record of all the day's activities, what went well, what didn't and giving thanks to all.

Experiment with any of the above or a mixture of techniques to figure out what your specific sleep disorder responds to.

Even though you may well locate these natural sleep aids strategies useful, you need to not replace the standard techniques recommended by your therapist. It will also be advisable to inform your doctor or therapist about any of these natural sleep aids or alternative techniques you use.




Esther Ofori's background is in the health sciences. She has been involved in Internet Marketing for a few years now and her main interest is in helping people improve their health. There are millions of people around the world who lie awake night after night unable to sleep. She has been working in this area to find out some of the causes for these sleep disorder symptoms. To find out more about why you can't sleep and the effects of sleep deprivation, visit: http://www.SleepingInToday.com





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2011年11月23日 星期三

Toys, Tricks and Tears: Getting the Most Out of Your BDSM Play


Whether you are merely on the fringes of the BDSM lifestyle, or it permeates the very fiber of your being and that of your partner/lover as well, there is something for everyone. New experiences and apparatuses to elicit wonderful and varied responses to heighten said experiences are just around the corner. Elation, even tears (of want and desire rather than pain or anguish, since sex should 'never' cause genuine harm) are a real chance with thoughtful, evocative sex play. Come with us, and we'll explore this winding road leading down into the depths of that sweet intoxicating blending of passion and pain.

Blindfolds and Sensation Play

For some, blindfolds are the quintessential addition to any D/s playtime. Sensory deprivation coupled with the sensory overload in other areas meshed with the complete and absolute trust needed to be willing to wear one makes this a magnificent tool. Imagine, if you will, as the shade slips over your eyes, turning your vision to blackness. Perhaps you can move, more likely though, you cannot. Your hearing becomes more acute as you pick up on every little sound. You won't know what your lover is doing until he or she does it. Your skin tingles in anticipation and at the first touch upon your flesh, be it with a knife, a hand, an ice cube, hot wax, a clothespin or whatever your imaginations can dream up, you react instantly with a sharp intake of breath. Tactile sensations become poignant and are the sole focus once you are unable to see.

Earplugs

These link very, very nicely with blindfolds. For a true sensory deprivation experience, your options are substantial. On the one hand, you can go with the cheap memory foam earplugs found in most grocery or drug stores. There are industrial variants that are similar, and then there are the hoods that some sex shops sell. Intimidating yet finely crafted, these (usually leather, though other construction options are available) hoods provide both visual and auditory deprivation. Cutting ties to other senses besides sight serves only to heighten and prolong the experience.

Restraints

From silk scarves to saran wrap to wrist/ankle cuffs or industrial strength bungee cord, when you want to immobilize your partner, there are numerous options, depending on what you want to do and how comfortable your partner is with that particular kink. Many ankle/wrist cuffs come with metal D rings attached to which you can affix your binder of choice. Ultimately, the purpose of restraint is control. Direct your partner's sensations, which in turn lead to further enjoyment for both of you. From orgasm control to the most basic lack of simply being able to touch himself or herself or you, tying your partner up like an erotic Christmas gift can be a great deal of fun. As with any aspect of this sort of fun, safety is key. You must be sure not to cut off blood circulation, and in the case of saran wrap, the body loses its ability to breathe and release heat, so you have to keep your partner cool. When you remove it, the opposite will be true, so have a robe or blanket handy.

In addition to this modest list of physical options (modest, because there are numerous options besides these which you can experiment with to find out what you like), there are scenarios and ideas, which can further heighten the pleasure and joy both parties potentially experience. From conditioning - or honing your partner to get off by doing or wearing a certain thing (even in public) to dirty talking, to roleplay, your options are as boundless as your imagination. So long as you play it safe, and make sure your partner knows that you love him or her and will do right by him or her long after the welts and transient pains of want have faded, there's no end to what you can do.




Susan M is the owner of http://www.wealthybdsmdating.com where people can be free to explore their love of the BDSM lifestyle.





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Introductions to Psychic Visions - Sensory Deprivation


Throughout the entirety of history, people have attempted to induce visions of the future in either themselves or others. Without weather satellites to provide predictions for the upcoming hours, days or weeks, visions were used to help ships navigate, tell farmers when to plant crops or even foretell how the life of a newborn child would pan out.

Although most people may think of ancient tribal shamans, witchdoctors or prophets, possibly digesting all manner of stranger herbs and mushrooms whilst dancing around fires, when talking about ancient peoples attempting to receive visions of the future, they may be surprised to find that followers of Pythagoras were trained to receive visions, and through methods which didn't require bizarre natural or alchemical combinations. By trekking to the furthest recesses of caves, they would sit in the darkness and wait. Eventually, when the blackness around them became absolute and meaningless, they would begin to experience bursts of colours and shapes that they could interpret and form into a prediction. This sort of sensory deprivation has been going on throughout history, and is still used today by many psychics.

By cutting yourself off entirely from the world, you leave your mind open to receive psychic visions. It may require complete sensory deprivation at first, but as people become more skilled and used to the sensation they may be able to achieve these visions simply by shutting their eyes in a quiet place.

Plenty of people across the world have reported experiencing similar effects, generally at times when their mind is completely absorbed by a task that requires no thought whatsoever. People who sink into incredibly deep meditation often have visions, though they may not be able to accurately interpret them. Others who have experienced these incredible occurrences are miners trapped for days in darkness, or arctic explorers or pilots who are surrounded by an entirely uniform and featureless landscape, leaving their minds free to slowly shut off higher functions, allowing them to receive psychic visions.

Although it seems that anybody is capable of receiving these visions, it requires dedication, persistence, and a certain amount of skill or training to interpret them correctly, something which the Pythagoreans knew whilst sitting in their dark, dark caves.




This article was written by Tom Sangers on behalf of Psychic Light who provide Online Psychic and Psychic Clairvoyant Reading





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